tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4704707880506072162025-11-13T02:27:56.851-06:00Real Life MusingsWelcome! The writings here are random musings about life, politics, and education.MyBeautifulMalcontenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13859624633614857001noreply@blogger.comBlogger78125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-470470788050607216.post-35065167933203494412014-02-23T20:59:00.000-06:002014-02-23T20:59:47.582-06:00Endless Possibilities“I have come to accept the feeling of not knowing where I am going. And I have trained myself to love it. Because it is only when we are suspended in mid-air with no landing in sight, that we force our wings to unravel and alas begin our flight. And as we fly, we still may not know where we are going to. But the miracle is in the unfolding of the wings. You may not know where you're going, but MyBeautifulMalcontenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13859624633614857001noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-470470788050607216.post-18720556047497201682014-01-01T11:47:00.003-06:002014-01-01T11:47:39.514-06:00Welcome to 2014!
Sunrise in Michigan's Upper Peninsula - Summer 2013
365
days in the year... that's 365 dawns, and every dawn is a new chance to
not just exist but to LIVE. Don't wait for happiness, fulfillment, and
inspiration to come to you. Go out and make it happen. Happy New Year!
Another day, another sunrise in the beautiful Upper Peninsula.
MyBeautifulMalcontenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13859624633614857001noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-470470788050607216.post-68403310605840635992013-12-08T17:09:00.000-06:002013-12-08T17:09:07.184-06:00Concerning Love
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MyBeautifulMalcontenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13859624633614857001noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-470470788050607216.post-82804073142315004302013-11-24T21:19:00.000-06:002013-11-24T21:19:13.049-06:00Cultural Tidbits About JapanWhile on vacation in Japan back in June, my husband and I observed some interesting cultural tidbits learned through observation and plenty of trial and error! It was funny because we're Asians and blended in well with the Japanese, so I think many people assumed we were Japanese and expected us to know the particular social norms, behavior, and mannerisms of Japan. But of course, being from the MyBeautifulMalcontenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13859624633614857001noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-470470788050607216.post-14435860622703756282013-11-01T21:14:00.001-05:002013-11-01T21:14:58.811-05:00Images of Fall For Those Deprived of Its Beauty Through this, may you get a sense of Autumn in America's midwest.
May you see the vibrant colors.
Feel the cool breeze against your skin.
Hear the crinkling leaves under your feet.
Smell the crisp, invigorating air.
Images of the beautiful Earth preparing itself for winter...
MyBeautifulMalcontenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13859624633614857001noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-470470788050607216.post-11463631977737894562013-10-09T21:53:00.001-05:002013-10-09T21:55:04.752-05:00Confessions of a Work-a-holicQuite some time ago, I realized that I was pushing myself too far with work, that I was a work-a-holic. For years now, I've held multiple jobs, never just one. During those years, I've also gone back to grad school and raised three children. It's a work ethic, a set of habits, and a lifestyle I've developed over the years that I've become so accustomed to. As crazy as it sounds, it's hard to let MyBeautifulMalcontenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13859624633614857001noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-470470788050607216.post-41813638317554269432013-09-17T19:40:00.000-05:002013-09-17T19:40:18.432-05:00Tough Mudder 2013 and Getting FitI recently took part in a Tough Mudder event, which consisted of almost 12 miles of running and 20+ obstacles.
I had been training for the event since January of this year. I remember back then weighing myself and measuring my body fat. At the time, I was 105lbs and at 21% body fat. I didn't care so much about my weight; in this, I guess I may differ from a lot of other females. Instead, my mainMyBeautifulMalcontenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13859624633614857001noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-470470788050607216.post-55415693228268348342013-08-21T21:01:00.000-05:002013-08-21T21:01:22.428-05:00Happiness is not unlike love...
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@font-faceMyBeautifulMalcontenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13859624633614857001noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-470470788050607216.post-55589832851883612502013-07-28T09:33:00.000-05:002013-07-28T09:33:37.401-05:00Light and Dark
The light shines the way, but the darkness reveals stars.
I have been very fortunate in life. I have everything I could want: a great husband, healthy children, a good career, a home, the opportunities to travel, and the chance to keep on learning to my heart's content.
I'm happy.
But I know that things can change at any moment. They have in the past, and they've taught me invaluable MyBeautifulMalcontenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13859624633614857001noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-470470788050607216.post-16423338152708409602013-07-17T23:37:00.000-05:002013-07-17T23:37:10.506-05:00Climbing Mount FujiHave you ever wanted to climb Mount Fuji? I did. In my head, I had this notion that climbing it was going to be awe-inspiring. I knew that it would be tough, but I was going to make it up to the summit and stand tall with a sense of accomplishment, snap awesome photos of the breathtaking sunrise, and then go on my merry way.
Right? Not quite. lol Let me explain.
Mount Fuji is Japan's highest MyBeautifulMalcontenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13859624633614857001noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-470470788050607216.post-72345398175230041752013-06-14T17:24:00.000-05:002013-06-14T17:24:14.366-05:00Scenes from My JoggingsBack in January, I made a goal of becoming more fit. One thing about me is that if I set my sight on something, I have to fulfill it. Usually I succeed; sometimes I don't. For this particular goal of getting fit, I started off by working out once a week--going to the gym and lifting weights, which was something I used to do adamantly at least 5 days a week but had not done so in more than a MyBeautifulMalcontenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13859624633614857001noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-470470788050607216.post-91422982247223877182013-05-14T08:49:00.000-05:002013-05-14T08:49:10.424-05:00Gene Testing for CancerThe first bit of news I wake up to today is about Angelina Jolie's preventive double mastectomy.... wow....Well, good for her. I'm glad she's taking a proactive approach and I'm sure her coming forward with this news will prompt other people to get their genes tested for cancer too.
So far my family has only ever suffered from smaller health issues, such as migraines and urinary infections, but MyBeautifulMalcontenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13859624633614857001noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-470470788050607216.post-67243699130204700642013-05-12T12:32:00.000-05:002013-05-12T12:32:08.154-05:00Mother's Day
"All that I am,
or hope to be,
I owe to my angel mother."
~ Abraham Lincoln ~
I'm blessed to have a mom who taught me the strength of what it is to be a mother, and I'm blessed to have the opportunity to be a mom to my three wonderful girls.
Happy Mother's Day to all mothers and mothers to be!
MyBeautifulMalcontenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13859624633614857001noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-470470788050607216.post-63851189735330037342013-04-14T10:46:00.000-05:002013-04-14T10:46:27.572-05:00Daughter of Refugees: My Childhood School YearsAwhile back, my youngest daughter's school had Grandparent's Day, a special day for grandparents to visit the classroom. My daughter invited her grandma on my side of the family.
On the day of the event, my mom arrived and I explained to her what the event was and in general what they would probably be doing at school. Then I dropped my mom and my daughter off.
After school was over later thatMyBeautifulMalcontenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13859624633614857001noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-470470788050607216.post-353008665112695052013-03-28T23:47:00.000-05:002013-03-28T23:49:19.144-05:00The Meaning Behind My TattoosTo me, tattoos are personal and meaningful artwork bestowed upon the body. I have two tattoos, and both have significant meaning to me.
The first one represents my family. My name in Hmong is Nou (or "Hnub" as spelled in my native language--pronounced "new"), and it means sun. Hence the image of the rising or setting sun. The bonsai is my husband's favorite tree, and the three little birds are MyBeautifulMalcontenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13859624633614857001noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-470470788050607216.post-79848969807467424372013-03-13T21:48:00.000-05:002013-03-13T21:48:46.403-05:00Hope RevisitedWhen I was a child, I thought I could be anything I wanted. Anything at all.
It's what we're taught in school, right? It's what many parents tell their children. It's what I find myself repeating to my kids sometimes when we sit down and talk about their future. I want them to know that with hard work and determination, yes, it's true... they can become anything they want.
Right???
Now we can MyBeautifulMalcontenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13859624633614857001noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-470470788050607216.post-85077884195306765012013-02-28T17:27:00.000-06:002013-02-28T17:27:11.341-06:00Does racism still exist in our day and age?
One of the most intriguing topics my students and I sometimes broach is that of racism and in particular whether it exists today or not. It's a touchy subject, because there are so many varying perspectives and of course no simple answers.
I recently watched a video of Tim Wise, anti-racism activist. It's a long video (the lecture itself is 1 hour and 17 minutes). But I think it's MyBeautifulMalcontenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13859624633614857001noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-470470788050607216.post-22799765471757331762013-01-24T10:04:00.000-06:002013-01-24T10:04:42.730-06:00Goal-MakingGoals for me are the foundation of life. They are the structure on which I build my family, friends, education, and profession. Everything I do, I try to ensure it revolves around my goals. That's how I know if I'm on the right path.
If you're struggling in life, remember this: as long as you have goals, you can endure the most difficult of situations, even the most torturous.
Goals need to be MyBeautifulMalcontenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13859624633614857001noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-470470788050607216.post-44611300322231939202013-01-17T01:11:00.000-06:002013-01-17T01:11:31.821-06:00Dear Friend...Dear friend who I've known for nearly half of my life,
Remember those books? I still read them from time to time. I still think about you from time to time. Just wondering how you're doing. What you're up to. Why we don't talk anymore. Whether you have done that thing that you said you might do someday.
I learned a lot from you. About philosophy. Politics. Religion. People. Life.
It was you MyBeautifulMalcontenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13859624633614857001noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-470470788050607216.post-54942337305468418502013-01-01T17:52:00.000-06:002013-01-01T17:52:15.454-06:002013 To Do ListTwo things.
There are really only two things on my to-do list for this new year, but they encompass a lot.
1) Do more, see more, be more.
This includes traveling. I will be going to Japan this summer. I also have some camping in Wisconsin's popular Door County as well as a getaway trip planned for the Upper Peninsula.
I want to get more fit, and by this, I mean toning up my body. Riding my MyBeautifulMalcontenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13859624633614857001noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-470470788050607216.post-75940285801652281582012-12-14T14:18:00.000-06:002012-12-14T14:18:58.203-06:00Connecticut Elementary School ShootingI just read in the news today about one of my biggest fears--the school shooting in Connecticut. :(
I can't fathom why someone would want to walk into a school and shoot anyone, especially innocent children.
As a parent, it is my biggest fear. You send your children to school everyday thinking they'll be safe and that they'll return to you at the end of the day. But that may not always MyBeautifulMalcontenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13859624633614857001noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-470470788050607216.post-12405832969107956302012-11-19T19:34:00.002-06:002012-11-26T09:34:51.034-06:00Gratitude and a Happy Thanksgiving
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mso-font-signature:0 0 65536 0 MyBeautifulMalcontenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13859624633614857001noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-470470788050607216.post-81229078539756402472012-11-07T07:53:00.000-06:002012-11-07T07:53:27.766-06:00ElectionYay!
I am happy about Obama's re-election and happy that Elizabeth Warren has won the Senate seat in Massachusetts. She is the greatest, and yes, even though I'm in Wisconsin and obviously she's not my senator, I am still thrilled nonetheless. I love her views and her passion in advocating for consumers and the middle class.
Here in Wisconsin, I'm glad that Tammy Baldwin won for Senate. MyBeautifulMalcontenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13859624633614857001noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-470470788050607216.post-84667394234276131972012-10-24T23:19:00.000-05:002012-10-24T23:21:45.134-05:00More Photos of Fall
I wish I'd gotten out earlier in the season for photos when more leaves were still clinging to branches and when colors were more vibrant. It's already getting late in the autumn season here in Wisconsin... many of the leaves have already journeyed their way down to the ground, faded and turned dry.
By the way, these photos (with the exception of the last three) were taken with my MyBeautifulMalcontenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13859624633614857001noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-470470788050607216.post-44066599265644140172012-10-13T13:39:00.000-05:002012-10-13T13:39:12.683-05:00Learning How to Say NoIt's so hard to say no. I've started on my MBA program and am busy lately with that, in addition to working so much. However, I've just received two contracts to take on more work at one of my part-time jobs. On-the-side jobs.
I know I'm so busy already, and I know I should just say no to the contracts. I know, I know.
But.... but.... haha.... Help me out please. lol
You see, it's not a desireMyBeautifulMalcontenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13859624633614857001noreply@blogger.com0