December 2015 - Settling back into the USA.

It is already December 23, 2015 and over four months have gone by since I've returned from Baghdad. Where did the time go?  Who knew that adjusting back state side would take this long. Being away for two years, coming back with a new job and a new home, it sure isn't a piece of cake.

I realized I was spoiled for the year in Baghdad, despite it being a dangerous post.  I didn't have to worry about meals, cooking or grocery shopping, I only needed to worry about taking care of myself and managing my time and I had all kinds of time to do what I wanted to do without the added responsibilities.  Coming back home, there were home renovations that makes settling back a little difficult, my responsibilities as wife and mother and getting back into the disciplinarian game was not easy.  I am glad nevertheless to reunite with my family and to be out of the danger zone.

Some of my friends from before welcomed me back as we continue to spend time together with our children which helped with the adjustment.  Getting back into the greeting card ministry was nice to be able to fellowship and gain back some card making skills.  Also, the dance classes were fun as well even though I lost a bit.  These were the challenges and I guess it goes to show that when you are out of routine, your mind and body takes time to just re-adapt to everything.  Getting older doesn't much help either, I guess :D

Back in 2013 and before, I was super mom, having clothes, meals, children activities and everything planned out to the minimum for the week.  Life seemed perfect but there were things missing.  I depended on myself versus the help of God and my fellow friends.  Now I've done less planning and just went more with the flow.  This helps me focus on the important things which do get gone but I sure don't know how I squeezed so much in back then...Oh yeah, I had no cat, I didn't go to church weekly or spent any time with the bible.  My hubby poor thing took a back seat.

Now that it's the Holidays, I continue to focus on the season of giving. Not necessarily giving physical things, but thinking of donating time and money to organizations.  I don't need to buy 20 toys for my daughter like I used to, in order that all her Christmas wishes come true.  No matter what happened in the end, she would be alright.  I also realize the importance of making your home a home once you've moved.  The more you delay putting picture frames or buying furniture to make your niche, the more you'll feel like you're living out of a box.  I've downsized quite a deal, but adding that touch really makes your home a sanctuary and a place you want to retreat to.

So, for those who move, get those picture frames, decorations and memories out and celebrate them.

Two years have gone by without me and now the next few years, the city will have an additional member for new activities and opportunities to fellowship with.  And speaking of new friends, I'm blessed to have an additional Thai friend(s) both in my job and in my personal life I met through my daughter's gymnastics class.  It truly is a blessing and sometimes I know my mom is watching me making sure I don't lose my identity.  I hope through fellowship with Thai friends, my thai language will strengthen and also the culture.  I also hope to teach Thai to Alyssa at least now I have an excuse!!

Merry Christmas

To Go Electronic or Not that is the Question

There is a debate going on in my head on whether or not I’ll be totally digitized in 1-2 years with all the technology going on.  Well, after some contemplation I’m ready to begin a debate or at least a start to it.  I’m now 40 years old and about 70-80% of my life have been on processing the old fashion way, pen and paper.  It wasn’t until recently that that texting, e-mail and sharing online exploded the last ten years.  I was using internet when it was still on the DOS feel back at Department of Health and Human Services in 1993.  And up until I was about 16 years of age, I’ve been storing and hoarding stuff forever.  Letting go and living simplicity was not in my nature.

I realize in the last year or so, that my physical space truly is limited and all the memories, scrapbooks, books and magazines that I’ve carried upon me on my shoulder has taken a toll with the many moves with my career.  So I figured, no more..If I can access all my information electronically, then there would be no need for physical storage since I would have a way to access it without the physical space.  Then, we are on the mercy of backups and online availability, which is one of the downsides. 

But think about all the pros of having it all online – you don’t have to carry a huge purse that has an organizer weighing 1 lb.  You can virtually access it anywhere; no more lugging heavy binders and paper everywhere.  You can access yours photos, books, to-do list everywhere not having to remember where you put your to-do list.  You can maybe even be more organized.  No more shredding and disposition.  The pros sound great.

Then you try out this plan and realize some flaws are there already.  I saw this YouTube clip from Loree Marrero, Clutter Diet about how people process information differently and it got me thinking why I wanted to go digital.  The clip mentioned an important thing – well to access your to-do list on your smart phone already requires turning on your phone (granted it’s charged), opening your app if you have a password, finding your app, typing it in and letting auto correct do it’s thing…. Hmmm lots of steps already.  Whereas with a pen and paper it’s available and all you need to do is pick it up and write it down and you’re done.   I’ve been wired for 30 years to use pen and paper and am not quite the digital native like what my daughter (who is now using iPhone to text me and may never learn to properly type).    Pen and paper is also my preference and was my life style up until the recently.  Thinking back to how my office operates, we like the cut and paste feature in logging cable traffic (official messages) that come in.  It sure beats pen and paper writing it over and over, day after day.  But when you think about adjusting the lines in the excel spreadsheet, opening up each e-mail, etc and the processes involved, you wonder if it’s more administrative overhead.  I need to do three things in order to make this system work.  For example, the to-do list on my phone takes more time “to-do” than actually making one up.  Finally, with all the photo web sites available and unlimited electronic storage spaces, you need to remember where you electronically stored them.   Good luck with organizing your e-mails, online drive, photo sites and such!

 As I noted above, downside to going totally digital is that you are at the mercy of backup.  It would depend on the network being up to function especially with a lot of phone apps requiring internet connectivity.  Second you would need caching data to make use of when the network is down but then again it takes storage on your device or computer.  You would also need backup and then you would need to make sure you backup frequently (an extra admin overhead) and also have safekeeping of that backup and know how to access it when needed.  You may even need backup of a backup because what if your backup is damaged? 

All my life I’ve been struggling with storing things and memories.  You can imaging than how going digital will at this point for me, require some admin maintenance to keep the system running.  The time it takes to access electronic data (whether to-do list) e-mail, picture or photos, is dependent on network speed.  For me, now in 2015, it’s quicker to write.

With the pros and cons mentioned, I think the only way I’d be totally digitized is this – if voice recognition works and becomes easier to do whether by my to do list can be recorded when I think of it; not necessitating the need to find pen and paper.  Then I would have my phone with me and have what I need to do with me.  I still believe I’ll need pen and paper to dump out my thoughts before they are transferred digitally.  I hate the folder nightmare in my E-mail apps, so redundancy of where I put information (hard or electronic copy) will be needed.  I will keep electronic copies and also print copies so I can access print copies when the network is down.  My goal is to print less photos and to share/use them effectively.  My favorite photos will now be uploaded to an online drive where they are backed up and into their labels (furbabies, verse images, Alyssa) and I can display them on my computer screen or even TV as slide shows when I desire.  Aha, less physical picture frames in my house.  The key is simplicity and though I’m not naturally that way, I can aim…little by little.

Thoughts to this?  Send me an electronic message :)

Hmmmm..My Christmas Wish list - Amazon Echo?  Maybe if it syncs with all my devices maybe that is the answer.

A Day and a Half in Bethlehem and Jerusalem

I thoroughly enjoyed my day, and as usual, I love recording my experiences to remember and retain the great moments and to have the opportunity to share them so that my family can be with me in the moment.

The day started great as I was able to change tours from Jerusalem the Old and the New to the one geared specifically for Footsteps of Jesus.  I'm glad I did, it was a walking tour and we spent the first first of the day knowing all the places He went in/around Mount Olives.  We visited the Church where He ascended into heaven and also Pater Noster (caves he escaped with the twelve apostles and what he revealed to them about the end of time). Yes there will be many false prophets.  We then went to overlook the Temple Mount from Mount Olives, looking at the many tombs that has an important linked to the coming of Jesus and when the dead will rise.  We saw the gate where He will enter at end of time, and visited the place (yes another church) Dominus Flevit church where Jesus had a vision of the destruction of Jerusalem many years after His death.  Then, we walked downhill toward the garden where He prayed and sweated tears of blood and found strength upon a rock.

Afterwards, we went inside the city gates, and then went for lunch at an Armenian restaurant which was delicious followed by a visit to Sisters of Notre Dame church the place where Jesus suffered and also housed the stone carving "Game of King."  We ended at three important stops where Jesus was sentenced, where he fell the first time, the church where he was tortured and crowned thorns.  By chance we happened to visit the Western wall in the Jewish Quarter.  I visited so many churches I don't remember but they all played a significant roll in history.  I also learned that the place where Jesus had passover was above the tomb of King David.  People did not know this at the time but it was a very interesting coincidence.  Likewise, the Golgotha was on top of Adam's remains.  When Jesus blood mixed with his bones, he resurrected for a short time.

It was a great day and many tidbits were added to what I have learned from the bible.  Happy I got the chance to come and experience the day in Jerusalem.  I got to experience inside, the different religious quarters: Jewish, Islam, Christian and had Armenian Food so I guess Armenian.