Tales of Weekend Wonder

You know when you're working too much when you have a slew of posts about how much you're working so that it's not really a status update to say that you're working too.damn.much. :sigh: Needless to say, I'm still working too much, but wanted to check in...and say hi. "Hello everyone!"

Despite working too much, I do take weekends off (generally) and spend all my time on weekends with my little family. Or, as much of it as I can. This past weekend was about going to the mall and getting new glasses. Which are still not ready, I'm upgrading to a pair of rimless Chanel frames with featherweight scratch proof lenses. Apparently this makes them very special somehow and cannot be ready within an hour like all the other glasses, or even within 72 hours for that matter. Where was I? Oh yes the weekend.

I also spent some time with my sister, cousin (No. 6 in the series of 8 and from now on will be referred to as 006) and my sister's boyfriend walking San Francisco's 96th annual Bay to Breakers. For those unfamiliar, it's a 7.46 mile run/walk/stagger across San Francisco from San Francisco Bay to the Pacific Ocean. I love being a tourist in the city across the pond and this event gives me ample opportunity. It's only 20 minutes and a bridge away but sometimes it's another world. Bay to Breakers helps to accentuate that difference to a kooky degree as we had to wade through a group of leprechauns and past a gauntlet of crazy christians (with a small c, because when you're filled with that much hate, I wonder if there's anything big about you) waving signs and yelling at you about how Christ died on the cross for your sins and you're fucking it all up and going to hell by actually, God forbid, enjoying your life and the diversity around it. Fucktards. Anyhoo...where was I? Oh yes, the "race".

I handed 006 the camera and she took most of the pictures. We were trying not to stop too often and so many of the pics were taken as we were moving along, but here are some of the pictures from Sunday.

The first pictures on the camera were a series of self portraits taken by the Sweet Pea. The best of which was the following:

Bay to Breakers Related photos includes our trip up an escalator with Angels, the gauntlet of crazy christians, Cheesus (because well, Evie once asked me who "Cheese-Is" was because her friend Mary the Catholic had told her about him and she wanted to know if "Cheese-Is" had a "Cheese head"; of course we had to get Cheese-us's picture), the holy cab that we caught after the race because the line for the shuttle back to the starting line was about a mile long...and, of course, I had to add a real picture of Sweet Pea as he was playing outside when we got home from the "race".

Say what now?

So CNN has an article on it’s front page about Asian women committing suicide. http://www.cnn.com/2007/HEALTH/05/16/asian.suicides/index.html While I agree with a lot of the article, which basically states that Asian families place a lot of pressure on their children, and the positive model minority stereotype contributes, one thing seemed very odd. Near the end of the article, it mentions how difficult it can be for a person of Asian descent to feel comfortable speaking to a therapist, either because they feel the person has no understanding of what it means to grow up in an Asian family, or that they view counseling as a very negative experience. That made sense to me, seeing as how, from what I’ve seen, mental health isn’t really understood in the Asian immigrant community. The next paragraph made me sit there and scratch my head though.

“While some women in her study did seek help through counseling and prescription drugs, most of her subjects were ambivalent or even negative about counseling. "They felt the counselor couldn't understand their situation. They said it would have helped if the counselor were another Asian-American woman."

These women found help through their religious faith, herbs, acupuncture, or becoming involved in groups that help other Asian women.”

Excuse me, did you just say that Asian women use herbs and acupuncture to combat mental illness/anguish? I find this very stereotypical, ie that Asian women are using exotic methods to deal with their mental illness/anguish instead of being like the vast majority of Americans and pretending the problem doesn't exist. I mean, come on, acupuncture and herbs to combat mental illness? Unless we’re talking about marijuana or something, what the hell are you talking about? Granted, I agree that a lot of Asians are very active in their church community and support groups, but it just seemed really odd to toss in the acupuncture and exotic herb element.

My "Favorite" Songs Meme

Superha tagged me a weeks ago on a meme which I’ve been meaning to respond to but 1) haven’t had the chance to and 2) I had to put some actual thought into my answer. I mean, to some people, music is just music (e.g. J) but for me, a song manipulates my emotions and takes my mind places as I recall related memories and mental associations. There really are a lot of songs that have special meaning to me and add to that the fact that I have a really eclectic taste in music including some which could be considered guilty pleasures and you can understand why this list of my top 10 favorite songs took so long to compile.

It's funny, but the majority of the music I listen to is hip hop and alterna-pop with a smattering of everything else. However, as you can see, I have an unhealthy love for depressing music and sappy slow songs. I considered picking songs I like which are more upbeat but these are some of my favorites. I can’t help it, I’m a depressed person so I can relate to a lot of depressing music, but I’m also a sappy person so I can relate to that kind of music as well. A sad sap, that’s me. I don’t actually listen to these songs all that often, but I love when I do.

Anyhoo…here it is:

Lien’s Top 10 Countdown

10) Tupac, So Many Tears
I’m a big Tupac fan and of all his songs, I like this one the most. Gangsta rap can be so full of boastful bullshit and grating misogynistic lyrics (of which Tupac himself was guilty). This song however, with its melancholy, paranoid and hopeless lyrics always struck a chord with me as a portrait of the true cost of the dark ghetto lifestyle that so many so called gangstas and rappers glorified. To think that two years after this song came out, Tupac was dead. Shot on the Las Vegas strip with no witnesses (yeah right!) :sigh: Poignant and prescient, that’s why I love this song.

9) Snow Patrol - Chasing Cars
“Would you lie with me and just forget the world?” This song reminds me of when J and I first met. I was very troubled at the time, and he helped me to forget my pain. It’s no wonder that I love him so much.

8) Eternal – Angel of Mine
Sappy, simple, and sweet. This was sort of our song. Primarily because it’s so easy for me to sing and I used to sing it to him when we were a long distance couple. These days I sometimes sing it to the Sweet Pea, minus a few lines.

7) Hikaru Utada – First Love
We played a dance version of this song at our wedding even though it’s a sad song. I’ve always loved it because I like Hikaru Utada’s voice and this song always makes me think that no matter what happens, when you love someone a part of you will always love them.

6) Jackie Cheung – Kiss Goodbye
Another slow sappy sad love song, this time in Mandarin. There’s something very comforting to me about Jackie Cheung’s voice.

5) DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince – Summertime
You can always tell when summer rolls around when this song is on the radio…regularly. Will Smith’s only good song.

4) Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman – Time to Say Goodbye
This song was WAY overused in commercials but I don’t care, I still love it. I found out very recently what the words to the song meant and to be honest, I don’t remember what the words mean. It’s just one of those songs that I love hearing for the voices alone.

3) Kermit the Frog – Rainbow Connection
Because like Kim, I’m a dreamer. I’ve sung this song to my kids at night ever since Evie was a baby. It reminds me of the happy bedtimes when I got to cuddle with my little ones before they drifted off to sleep.

2) Sarah McLachlin – Angel
Someone who used to know me quite well in college told me this song reminded him of me. It reminds me of me too.

1) The Verve Pipe – Freshmen
“When I was young I knew everything…” I was wise beyond my years I thought and everyone said I was so mature. There are so many things in my youth that I regret and this song speaks to my experience at that time on many levels. One would think that I wouldn’t want to listen to something that makes me think of guilt, pain, and sad decisions that still affect me to this day, but I do.
(I couldn’t actually find the music video for this song, but I like FF7, so it’ll have to do…)

In All Honesty

Will the "real" Lien please stand up...

J: "Your blog frustrates me sometimes."

Me: "What? Why?"

J: "Because I know you're much darker and WAY more cynical than that."

Me: "Well you know, I'd rather not write about bitter things. Although, I guess you're right, I tend to write things more positively than what I'm really feeling. I think because I want to believe what I'm writing."

J: "Yeah, it's just not really you so I don't feel like I'm reading the real you."

Me: "Well, it is me. I still really think these things. I might not believe them, but I think them. Although, you can always tell when I'm feeling like shit if you read something really hopeful on my blog."

Excuses excuses

Dear 12 Lotus Life Readers,

Please be advised that the lady of the Lotus Life household does not have her shit; here defined as work, school, work, children, and work; together this week/month/year. Thus, posting will be light for the foreseeable future until above mentioned shit is put together and/or the man of the house gets off his lazy ass or takes an interest in blogging writes more. Please be advised that the former is much more likely than the latter. As you are all well aware, if you need something done, go ask a mommy/student/engineer/project manager aka woman and not a stay-at-home-dad/gamer/part-time project coordinator aka man.

Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Sincerely,
The Lotus Life Management

Note: This post has been edited for familial political correctness.