Monday, July 30, 2007

Hopefully I'll write this blog

So, E's friend did offer this piece that I learned a bit from:

"Hopefully, I'll go to the store."

It doesn't mean: I hope I will go to the store.
It does mean: I will go to the store feeling hopeful.

Even though common parlance and usage directs our understanding to the first meaning, I think he is correct that the exact meaning falls more in line with the second. I am not sure how I will use this information, but it does provide some food for mental mastication on the use of adverbs. I'd love to speak to an English professor and get their take on this phenomenon.

As I consider taking Hindi and/or Chinese language training, I remember how much Latin and Chinese had to do with me getting into medicine. An idea: writing a naturopathic medical dictionary. How much fun would that be?!

Impacting Language

E is always sharing these theories with me - I don't know where she gets them, but they are often very relevant. One of them is called "90-10." Basically 90-10 refers to the way in which men will be 10% sure of something and present it as total fact and women will be 90% sure of something and still present it as a possibility. Being pretty smart and savvy women, we often laugh later about how we or someone else was 90-10'ing something.

One area in which I especially hate being challenged (a la 90-10) is on language and the meanings of words. I may not be well-read, but I certainly am widely-read, if I can coin a phrase and unconsciously have a pretty large vocabulary. I cannot always give a precise definition of a word, but I can usually provide enough context for understanding. So E's friend has been correcting her a lot lately on her use of language and grammar and she often shares these pearls with me. I cannot say that I haven't learned anything from this, but I can say that she shouldn't trust everything that someone says. Just because he's right 90% of the time doesn't mean she should accept the 10% that is wrong.

Case in point: he says that IMPACT is not a verb, but should only be used as a noun. Upon further discussion, he allowed that impact may be in the dictionary as a verb, but only due to people's constant misuse. Let's see what Webster has to say on this topic:

Etymology: Latin impactus, past participle of impingere to push against
Date: 1601
transitive verb

1a: to fix firmly by or as if by packing or wedging
b: to press together
2a: to have a direct effect or impact on : impinge on
b: to strike forcefully; also : to cause to strike forcefully

intransitive verb
1: to have an impact —often used with on
2: to impinge or make contact especially forcefully

And

Function: noun
Date: 1781
1 a: an impinging or striking especially of one body against another b: a forceful contact or onset; also : the impetus communicated in or as if in such a contact2: the force of impression of one thing on another : a significant or major effect


Hmmm...last I checked 1781 actually occurred long after 1601, so it would seem that the use of impact as a verb did, in fact, predate its use as a noun and that the usage as a noun evolved from the action of the verb. Well, I guess that's one possibility.

Wednesday, July 25, 2007

14 Days Until Boards - New Strategy

National board exams are 14 days away. I have two weeks to review the information I've spent the last seven years studying and practicing. After meeting with my doctor yesterday, I have a new outlook. She was sympathetic and inspiring - she reminds me that boards are a hoop we all jump through. She told me she knew friends who didn't study or studied very little and that some passed and some failed, but those who failed turned the experience into something positive and used it to their advantage. She was also very supportive of my decision not to pursue the residency opportunity that I've been offered.

So, the new plan: FOCUS for 5 hours every day. I'm even including Saturday and Sunday in that, since I have so few days. That means a few sacrifices in the next two weeks, but then I can enter my examinations with a little more confidence and can give up the guilt afterwards while I await my results. Not sure what I'll do after that when I have to finish my acupuncture boards and masters thesis, but I might just give myself the rest of August to be study free and schedule my next boards at the end of September. I'm thinking out loud a little here, but that sounds like a great plan. Then I can spend my days kayaking around Portland!

Tuesday, July 24, 2007

Goals Update

Latest update on progress:

Goals: 14 completed, 5 in progress, 84 to do
(13.8% completed, 18.8% completed or in progress)

Time: 116 days done, 885 days to go
(11.5% done, 88.4% to go)

1. Complete my list of 101 things to do completed 3/30/07
2. Finish putting my hard copies of photos and scraps into albums
3. Reorganize the music on my MP3 player
4. Get names/artists for the currently un-labeled music on my computer
5. Try rock climbing
6. Finish my last case paper completed 6/15/07
7. Write my Masters Thesis - In progress
8. Graduate NCNM Walked 6/25/07, all requirements for ND met, MSOM requirements in progress
9. Build/commission a professional website - discussed with web designer who recommended starting with a blog website
10. Finish my mom's afghan
11. Walk Chibo everyday for 2 weeks
12. Drink no soda for 1 month (excluding soda water)
13. Visit Rebecca in Trinidad or elsewhere - Ree moved back to OR, we'll see what happens with this one
14. Sell or donate crafting supplies not in use
15. Sign up for Bikram Yoga new member package and use it at least 2x
16. Ride my bike to school or clinic at least 5x in spring term - spring term 2007 over, but considered that I could bike to "clinic" meaning my personal clinic 5x next spring - I will not admit failure on this one!
17. Get a basket or pannier for my bike
18.Go to the next staff or company meeting at work - completed 7/11/07
19. Apply for Mercy Corps business grant
20. Do deep breathing exercises every night for 1 week
21. Memorize Tai Ji Yang Style form - in progress
22. Take a Tai Ji class outside of NCNM - completed 7/9/07, three week course
23. Teach a QiGong class
24. Volunteer anywhere
25. Walk to Fred Meyer instead of driving as needed for 2 weeks - completed 7/8/07 (didn't even realize I had done it!)
26. Sell my Pathfinder
27. Go outrigger paddling again
28. Go for an overnight backpacking trip
29. Go backpacking for more than one night
30. Get caught up on filing and data entry - counts when there is not a pile of papers waiting to be filed!
31. Take another obedience class with Chibo
32. Go kayaking - completed 7/14/07
33. Learn to straighten my hair - completed 5/8/07
34. Consult with a dermatologist
35. Consult with an adoption counselor
36. Go to a live sporting event at least 4x per year:
2007: 1/27 Rollerderby, 2/20 Blazers vs. Jazz, 3/24 Rollerderby, _________
37. Pay off my Citibank credit card
38. Reduce by 1/2 my primary credit card
39. Request my credit report
40. Cancel out of date creditors
41. Finish updating my name with relevant resources (such as credit reporting agencies)
42. Sign up for 401K at New Seasons - completed 7/18/07
43. Take guitar lesson/class
44. Take dance class
45. Take ceramics/pottery class
46. Find an acceptable news source and read it daily for 2 weeks
47. Identify my favorite section of the bookstore
48. Eat no processed food for 1 week
49. Plant an herb garden (or at least 4 kinds in pots)
50. Plant a vegetable garden
51. Plant Tiger Lily's bulbs
52. Buy a book on Lily's or orchids
53. Read a book every week for 2 months
54. Crochet something to wear
55. Crochet something as a gift
56. Spend an important anniversary with mom
57. Get a facial
58. Find a good facial moisturizer with SPF - completed 7/3/07
59. Hike 2x per week for 2 months
60. Visit Pete and Sara in DC/NY
61. Cook a meal (not counting sandwiches or boxed soup) for my housemate completed 5/7/07
62. Cook a meal (not counting sandwiches or boxed soup) for my boyfriend completed 5/7/07
63. Cook a meal (not counting sandwiches or boxed soup) for friends (more than E and A!) completed 4/8/07
64. Try a recipe out of the vegan cookbook
65. Make a supplement list and take consistently for 2 weeks
66. Go 1 day without swearing
67. Set aside an afternoon 1x per month for 3 months to send birthday greetings and other mail
68. Make a reasonable budget
69. Find a good calcium supplement and add to regular supplement list
70. Put videos onto DVD
71. Learn to sharpen dad's knives
72. Renew SCUBA certification and go diving!
73. Learn 3 prayers
74. Memorize 1 poem
75. Floss nightly for 2 weeks
76. Teach Chibo to lay down
77. Hang wind chimes - completed 6/20/07
78. Consult financial advisor
79. Lose 25 pounds
80. Go to the zoo
81. Have a day of gracious living - tell people about the concept
82. Backup Computer
83. Get a fish or bird
84. Acquire a new camera and learn to use it
85. Go to my 10 year college reunion - scheduled 10/2009
86. Find out if Math/Science Center is still running and contact the director
87. Tune up sewing machine
88. Take a sewing class
89. Eliminate eggs from diet for 1 month
90. Make a recommended reading list for professional development
91. Find a resource to keep up to date on research (list serve etc.)
92. Go to AANP and/or NWNPC conferences
93. Drink 8 glasses of water daily for 1 month
94. Clean out garage at Center Commons
95. Take the train to Seattle - scheduled 8/2007
96. Fast for 24 hours
97. Have a cocktail party - make a new drink for friends!
98. Go to the Garden at least 3x before membership runs out - 5/18, 5/26, ____
99. Get a new membership somewhere when Chinese Garden runs out
100. Go to Olympic National Forest - scheduled or 8/2007
101. Visit Italy

Depression?

I think I'm depressed now that school's out. My friend, The Hypnotist, pointed out that finishing school is like losing your job, your community, your partner, your parents and your children all at once. Okay, he didn't say all that, but that's what I got from what he said and that's what I feel like. I feel totally adrift, without schedule, responsibility, commitment or motivation. That's not totally true, because I do get up every morning to go to my taiji class, I work most evenings, I still have lots of friends who are available if I want to play and a partner who is crazy about me - and I do mean crazy, because I wouldn't want to spend that much time with me right now and he still can't get enough. At any rate, I'm struggling because I really don't want to do anything.

I'd like to get out on the river and keep paddling, upstream or down is all the same to me. During my camping trip this weekend, I reminded myself of my mother - always moving, always doing something, always working on the next thing. I just couldn't relax. It's the opposite now that I'm home - I have all this studying to do and I just can't start. I lay in bed eating junk food, drinking Pepsi and watching movies. When I start cleaning the house, I'm able to get a lot done and I think I could clean and reorganize the whole garage in a couple hours if I didn't feel too guilty to take that time away from studying. I can whittle away a whole afternoon if I don't make it too obvious to myself that I'm avoiding my books. I have an appointment with my doctor today and I'm going to pursue medical leave from my boards. It may not be wise, but I also don't think it's wise to go into them without having touched a book.

Regarding friends, I also have this strange feeling about my friends. I've actually written down "call ___" and "make plans with ___" in my task list on my planner. I feel like there is something seriously wrong when plans with friends become a task to complete or accomplish. I recently learned that a good friend is likely moving to Chicago soon and I just felt like closing the circle even more closely to avoid losing friends that way. I feel like I have too many friends (acquaintances) such that my priorities have become unclear - the people I really want to see and spend time with are getting lost in the shuffle.

The final contributor to my disquiet is that I still haven't heard from my birth-father about graduation. I called on fathers day a week before graduation and he said he was proud of me, but didn't say anything about coming (which was a relief because I didn't really want him here), but neither did he send a card or gift. It's not materialism that makes this disappointing, either. It's just the lack of investment that we have in one another. I don't necessarily want to be closer, but I suppose I want him to want to be closer. Not fair, I guess, but I'm the one suffering for it.

Sunday, July 22, 2007

Camping

Went camping and kayaking this weekend with A. Read the introductory section of my camping book while scouting around in it for campsites (if you want a good camping reference, buy Foghorn Outdoors: Camping in the Pacific Northwest by Tom Stienstra - it lists a ton of campsites in Oregon and Washington with pertinent details) and wish I'd listened to some of his advise, though the trip ended up being pretty fun.

Got the new kayak (a Malibu Pro2 Tandem purchased off Craig's List - thank you, CL!) out on Suttle Lake, Clear Lake and the Breitenbush River. Did it tandem, solo and tandem with Chibo on board. Also got to practice, both planned and unplanned, how to get back into the kayak after it flips! It's a bit tippy in rough water, but beautiful in flatwater.

A few things that worked on this trip:
  • firestarters
  • kayaking
  • easy pop-up tent
  • aqua socks
  • clothesline

A few things to improve next time:
  • bring cocoa
  • better dinner food
  • don't toast bread in the pan
  • get better camp pans (one got fried to a crisp!)
  • bring bikes
  • bring a dishpan or bucket - handy for many things
  • get a site near the water
  • camp with friends

Looking forward to getting out on the water some more as well as additional camping.

Friday, July 13, 2007

5 Reasons My Trainer is Going to Throw Back In My Face to Keep Me Buying Sessions I Can't Afford

Useful exercise, but decided not to buy more sessions. Trainer offered a free session for the following week to 'help' me decide, but I had an appointment during our time.

At any rate, these are the reasons I gave:

Accountability
Motivation
Knowledge
Experience
Results
Optimism

Yes, a trainer is very useful, but I highly recommend taking regular breaks from them for perspective. Also, I think it's more useful during the times of year when a) one's schedule is somewhat regular, b) one's income is regular and c) one is less likely to be active on one's own.

PS - I found the little card on which I wrote those reasons and decided that optomism bears explaining even if it's only for my own reference later. My body is amazing! My body is strong! Workign with my trainer helped me remember what my body-mind is capable of and that is a lot! I can do anything for 1 minute and by extension, I can do anything! Yes, that's useful to remember.

Thursday, July 12, 2007

Loving Our Bodies

I ate too much for lunch. Very little actually feels like too much on a day like today - it's hot and all I seem to manage is laying on the floor, the couch, the bed trying to seek some cool comfort. The fans help, but the hot little dog body that wants to be close is not working for me. I'm sorry, Chibo, but you need to lay over there, maybe even FAR over there.


At any rate, while my body protested my ingestion of any solid food after the hour of 8am when temperatures topped 90, I had a feeling about my body. It's always telling me exactly what it wants. Like people are always telling us exactly who they are. Am I listening? No, because instead of just guzzling the whole pitcher of iced tea like my instincts and any sane person would have advised me, I ate lunch. No, lunch and dinner are not options at this time. A little easily digested fruit in the afternoon might work, but thin liquids are all that is appropriate for consumption in the daylight hours of hellish summer. Solid meals of salad and fresh veggies are to be reserved for sunset and beyond.


Thought I was done with hot flashes? I don't think so. There has to be some medical reason behind my inability to tolerate this weather. I guess Phoenix in the summer is out unless I get some serious AC. Maybe I could live at the mall?


At any rate, thinking about how I'm not listening to my body and wondering how I could turn back time to undo the introduction of stones into my stomach, I also started thinking about weight and weight loss. I've still got to do my "5 Reasons My Trainer is Going to Throw Back In My Face to Keep Me Buying Sessions I Can't Afford" homework for tomorrow, but I'm pretty firmly not interested in continuing along those lines. I'm more interested in pursuing yoga, taiji, qigong and fun forms of cardio like biking, hiking, boating and blading.


But even more than that, I'm just not that dissatisfied with my body. I think it takes a certain level of discontent to maintain motivation for change and I just don't have it. Sure, I'd like to get into clothes more easily, I'd like to move more quickly and be slimmer, but I also think pretty highly of myself as I am. When I look at myself in the mirror, naked or clothed, I see a pretty sexy body. Having lost some pounds in the last year, I recognize that I'm feeling better now, but I also know that losing those pounds didn't actually make shopping and finding hot clothes any easier or increase my self-esteem that much.


Beyond my love of my own body, I also look around and love the bodies of others. I don't know what I would do if my mom, listening to my advise to cut the sugar and start walking, lost her ample figure? What would I do if my lover became harder or otherwise different than the body I love? I don't want to limit anyone from changing, becoming healthier or stronger, but I also recognize that I love the softness in people's bodies as I love the softness in their souls. I have a photographer friend who loves to photograph nudes, but often their feet and especially when the feet are dirty. He describes himself as 'not particularly squeamish' and I think loving people's hair and jiggle are like that. I'm not squeamish about other people's bodies or my own.

Wednesday, July 11, 2007

General Updates

1. Doesn't look like postponing boards is an option, so I'm going to run with the 28 days remaining, study my ass off and knock them out. That does allow me to postpone any decision on taking the job I've been offered, though. Glad some option for procrastination still exists.

2. The weather is slowing cooling to the mid-80's for the next couple of days - still not cool enough. I need a plan that involves AC. 101 goals be damned, I'm not biking or walking anywhere in this heat. I will drive to AC to be a more productive studier. The real question is: will I take my computer with me?

3. I want to start saving money for the kayak of my dreams. I've wanted an OC2 (tandem outrigger canoe) for a couple years now and thought nothing of spending some cash on it, but I balked at the $2K price of the tandem peddle kayak - I've decided to balk no more. I'm considering buying one ASAP and paying it off later, but with student loan payments yet to roll in and the possibility of not accepting the job, I think that might not be the most fiscally wise decision at this time.

4. I signed up for my 401K and attended my staff meeting today. I won a T-shirt and a free pint of ice cream. Just to make my 5:30am wake up call worthwhile, I got the most expensive ice cream in the store. Anyway, reviewing my goals really helped me focus on getting some accomplished - I need to keep them in front of me more often.

5. Considering what goals and ideals I have for getting my own apartment/studio/home. Price range, amenities and location all important. I think I'd like to have my own home again at least once more before moving in with someone else - if I take the job, Chibo will just have to go to daycare and if I don't, I can always keep my schedule flexible enough to care for him myself.

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

Tired of Being Tired

I'm 30 years old and I've been in school for 26 years, excepting summer vacations (for most of that time) and 1 year after undergrad when I didn't know what to do. I've been tired for at least the last three years, although I remember getting sent home during undergrad because of "acute fatigue" where I was almost falling down after walking across campus to school. (I fell asleep in all my classes then. Incidentally, all the mono tests came back negative, but I'm not sure they ever tested me for anemia or thyroid problems.)


I haven't been sleeping well...maybe the heat, maybe wanting A beside me, maybe just being jazzed up from getting off work at 11...and I've been tired most of the day every day...maybe the heat, maybe boredom, maybe procrastination. And I'm tired of feeling tired.


I do all this stuff to make myself more healthy, but I still don't feel strong because I'm always tired. I get up at 6:30 to take the dog out and often don't go back to bed. This week (and the next two) I won't be going back to bed, because I'm taking a 7am Taiji (yes, that's Tai Chi - see How to Read Chinese) class.


Today and Thursday I also see my personal trainer. Since it's been awhile since I trained or took measurements, I got weighed and measured today and low-and-behold I'm up in almost all areas (except my neck, which is two inches smaller than when I started - how's that for interesting?). When I mentioned that I might not buy another training package ($619 for 10 sessions!), he gave me an assignment to write down the top 5 advantages I get from training. I can see where this is going, but I also feel like doing an hour and half of Taiji in the tranquil park setting was more beneficial to my energy than spending an hour pumping iron until my back and legs are screaming for mercy. I don't need a trainer breathing down my two-inch thinner neck to keep me on my cardio, either, especially in summer with options such as kayaking, hiking, rollerblading and cycling. My chiropractor recommends resistance training 6 months a year only, so maybe I'll take the rest of the summer off and re-evaluate then.


And my job - I asked for this wacky schedule where I get off at 10:30-11pm every evening. I thought having my days free would help me study, but unfortunately I'm still not getting anything done, because I spend most of my morning working out, eating then recovering from both of the above. Not sure if this is serving me. Finally, I have been offered a residency for the fall. It's about 50 hours per week and not very well compensated. It's a return to the school environment and a delay in starting my private practice. And I feel like it's going to make and keep me...ding, ding...tired!


I think I need to reinstate my priorities - health, happy home, financial stability and professional success - in that order.

Monday, July 9, 2007

Playing with Blocks

When we were kids, playing with blocks was fun. Nowadays, there are no more Lincoln Logs, Legos or regular ole alphabet blocks for me, but rather writer's block, studying block, blocks to working out, sleeping well and getting regular meals. Not sure how my new schedule, with such increased freedom, doesn't seem to be immediately supporting my accomplishment of the next round of goals.

Speaking of goals - here's an update on progress:
1. Complete my list of 101 things to do completed 3/30/07
2. Finish putting my hard copies of photos and scraps into albums
3. Reorganize the music on my MP3 player
4. Get names/artists for the currently un-labeled music on my computer
5. Try rock climbing
6. Finish my last case paper completed 6/15/07
7. Write my Masters Thesis - In progress
8. Graduate NCNM Walked 6/25/07, all requirements for ND met, MSOM requirements in progress
9. Build/commission a professional website - discussed with web designer who recommended starting with a blog website
10. Finish my mom's afghan
11. Walk Chibo everyday for 2 weeks
12. Drink no soda for 1 month (excluding soda water)
13. Visit Rebecca in Trinidad or elsewhere - Ree moved back to OR, we'll see what happens with this one
14. Sell or donate crafting supplies not in use
15. Sign up for Bikram Yoga new member package and use it at least 2x
16. Ride my bike to school or clinic at least 5x in spring term - spring term 2007 over, but considered that I could bike to "clinic" meaning my personal clinic 5x next spring - I will not admit failure on this one!
17. Get a basket or pannier for my bike
18. Go to the next staff or company meeting at work - scheduled 7/11/07
19. Apply for Mercy Corps business grant
20. Do deep breathing exercises every night for 1 week
21. Memorize Tai Ji Yang Style form - in progress
22. Take a Tai Ji class outside of NCNM - completed 7/9/07, three week course
23. Teach a QiGong class
24. Volunteer anywhere
25. Walk to Fred Meyer instead of driving as needed for 2 weeks - completed 7/8/07 (didn't even realize I had done it!)
26. Sell my Pathfinder
27. Go outrigger paddling again
28. Go for an overnight backpacking trip
29. Go backpacking for more than one night
30. Get caught up on filing and data entry - counts when there is not a pile of papers waiting to be filed!
31. Take another obedience class with Chibo
32. Go kayaking - scheduled 7/14/07
33. Learn to straighten my hair - completed 5/8/07
34. Consult with a dermatologist
35. Consult with an adoption counselor
36. Go to a live sporting event at least 4x per year:
2007: 1/27 Rollerderby, 2/20 Blazers vs. Jazz, 3/24 Rollerderby, _________
37. Pay off my Citibank credit card
38. Reduce by 1/2 my primary credit card
39. Request my credit report
40. Cancel out of date creditors
41. Finish updating my name with relevant resources (such as credit reporting agencies)
42. Sign up for 401K at New Seasons
43. Take guitar lesson/class
44. Take dance class
45. Take ceramics/pottery class
46. Find an acceptable news source and read it daily for 2 weeks
47. Identify my favorite section of the bookstore
48. Eat no processed food for 1 week
49. Plant an herb garden (or at least 4 kinds in pots)
50. Plant a vegetable garden
51. Plant Tiger Lily's bulbs
52. Buy a book on Lily's or orchids
53. Read a book every week for 2 months
54. Crochet something to wear
55. Crochet something as a gift
56. Spend an important anniversary with mom
57. Get a facial
58. Find a good facial moisturizer with SPF - completed 7/3/07
59. Hike 2x per week for 2 months
60. Visit Pete and Sara in DC/NY
61. Cook a meal (not counting sandwiches or boxed soup) for my housemate completed 5/7/07
62. Cook a meal (not counting sandwiches or boxed soup) for my boyfriend completed 5/7/07
63. Cook a meal (not counting sandwiches or boxed soup) for friends (more than E and A!) completed 4/8/07
64. Try a recipe out of the vegan cookbook
65. Make a supplement list and take consistently for 2 weeks
66. Go 1 day without swearing
67. Set aside an afternoon 1x per month for 3 months to send birthday greetings and other mail
68. Make a reasonable budget
69. Find a good calcium supplement and add to regular supplement list
70. Put videos onto DVD
71. Learn to sharpen dad's knives
72. Renew SCUBA certification and go diving!
73. Learn 3 prayers
74. Memorize 1 poem
75. Floss nightly for 2 weeks
76. Teach Chibo to lay down
77. Hang wind chimes - completed 6/20/07
78. Consult financial advisor
79. Lose 25 pounds
80. Go to the zoo
81. Have a day of gracious living - tell people about the concept
82. Backup Computer
83. Get a fish or bird
84. Acquire a new camera and learn to use it
85. Go to my 10 year college reunion - scheduled 10/2009
86. Find out if Math/Science Center is still running and contact the director
87. Tune up sewing machine
88. Take a sewing class
89. Eliminate eggs from diet for 1 month
90. Make a recommended reading list for professional development
91. Find a resource to keep up to date on research (list serve etc.)
92. Go to AANP and/or NWNPC conferences
93. Drink 8 glasses of water daily for 1 month
94. Clean out garage at Center Commons
95. Take the train to Seattle - scheduled 7/2007 or 8/2007
96. Fast for 24 hours
97. Have a cocktail party - make a new drink for friends!
98. Go to the Garden at least 3x before membership runs out - 5/18, 5/26, ____
99. Get a new membership somewhere when Chinese Garden runs out
100. Go to Olympic National Forest - scheduled 7/2007 or 8/2007
101. Visit Italy

Friday, July 6, 2007

More Evidence of POD People

Speaking of POD People (see also iPOD people), I keep seeing these PODS springing up. PODS: Portable On Demand Storage. Brilliant idea - probably making billions. Uber-convenient, but a little pricey compared to traditional storage facilities.

Monthly rental is $175 and deliveries are $61 each time. A long distance move from Portland, OR to Chicago, IL runs about $3,174.29. These numbers probably aren't that bad compared to other moving companies, though.

The sad part is, I find myself wanting to be a PODS person. I can't wait to move or store things using a PODS.

Sunday, July 1, 2007

How to Read Chinese

I'm asked often about the tattoo on my arm. I specifically put this tattoo on my inner forearm, turned so that it is right-side-up to me, so that I would see it each and every day. It's a Chinese character. Because Japanese shares many characters with Chinese, it is also Japanese and one of my Japanese speaking customers explained it's Japanese meaning which was only slightly different than the Chinese. In Chinese, it reads Dao. Tao? Well, yes, because this is the same word.


Because Chinese as a written language is not phonetic (meaning there is not a letter or mark for every sound), Europeans developed systems for romanizing the Chinese language. Romanization made it easier for them to record things because they could do it based on how the words sound rather than learning and memorizing thousands of characters (if you ever wonder how the Chinese have such great memories, it's because they have to - every word has its own character!). The older Wade-Jiles system of romanization is the one that writes Tao, Taoism, T'ai Chi and I Ching. The newer pinyin system writes Dao, Daoism, Taiji and Yi Jing. The new system is easier to pronounce correctly and is the current international standard.


Dao = Tao and they are both pronounced like Dow, as in the Dow Jones or Dow Chemical. It is never pronounced Tow or Tay-Oh, except by most non-Chinese speakers, cute girls and I would venture to guess, stupid people. The Tao of Tea plays on this alternative spelling, but is still pronounced Dow of Tea. Taoism is still pronounced Dow-ism.


Another common mistake is Tai Chi. You might see it written T'ai Chi, Tai Chi or the more modern Tai ji (can also be written as one word Taiji). Either way, it's all pronounced the same - like T-eye G.


It bothers me when I tell what my tattoo means or that I'm studying Taiji and I have to mispronounce the words before people comprehend what word I'm saying. The point of this wasn't really to discuss my tattoos, but to rant about people mis-reading, mis-pronouncing and mis-understanding Chinese romanization, but if you want to know more about my tattoo(s), it can be found here.