Today I came across this well-written article about land disputes in Cambodia. As Andrew Higgins of The Washington Post writes draining the lake has caused a lot of commotion here in Phnom Penh. We don't live very far from this now deserted area and in fact pass by every time we head downtown. Since we moved to Cambodia only in 2009 we never saw the "lake" in its original aquatic state. It's been a muddy demolition site. Now it's a desert, and a strange sight to behold at that. One thing that really struck me in this article was the estimation that it could take as long as 10 years (I repeat, ten years) for the now-desert to dry up sufficiently for the building to commence. As a source states in this article, this whole Chinese-funded project is "a little bit sensitive," for many reasons. To be fair, though, the situation is even more complex than the article lets on. It's not the Chinese who are the bad guy. There are worldwide corporate interests that tear at Cambodia, a fledgling state in comparison.
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Sunset Photography
As you know I'm quite into photography. I apply my general attitude to life to this hobby as well. I find it enjoyable, challenging, and exciting, and I'd happily master it. I'm ready to put work into it but with this one (photography, that is) I'm not going to stress about the details. Sure, I'll read the manual to my new camera when I get to it. But no, I'm not going to get excited enough to want to know minute technical details. I like to 'shoot and run,' test my chances. If it turns out nice, great. If it's not so great, I'll press the other button next time. ;)
Here's a shot of the September sunset at Nambucca Heads, Australia. I personally really like this shot. I got a bit upset with my hubby over this photo, though, as his first comment was 'why did you take a photo of that couple, we don't even know them!' Arrrrrgh! To any aspiring amateur photographer like myself, it's obvious why - for the photo op, for the feel of it, for the ART!! I kind of like how the sun bazookas through the guys head... Something about this photo that's unearthly. Maybe my husband shared that feeling and worries I may have caught a glimpse of aliens...
Here my hubby, who by the way also enjoys photography as in taking photos himself, commented that I should have used the sunset mode on our new Lumix (fabulous camera, btw!!!). Another arggh moment. I should absolutely NOT have used the sunset mode, I say. If I'd follow the manual and proper photography instructions, I would by all means use the sunset mode. But it shows me the sun, too clearly. There's no ethereal light seeping into each pixel. Frankly boring! I love the feeling I caught in this shot.
And I would even go as far as not pressing 'Sunset' on this shot as well. The sun rules!
What do you think?
Going Back to Work
I'm off to the office tomorrow! I've got a meeting with my soon to be partner as well as the local leaders of our organization. Since I'm not officially starting work but just showing my face, networking, and throwing together some ideas it's not like I'm really on the job yet. But, getting there slowly (I start in 2 months) and taking the first step tomorrow. Strange since I'm feeling so relaxed about it. Let's see what my take on it will be tomorrow: inspired excitement, heart accelerating anticipation, or budding stress? ;)
Ps. Yes, taking Baby along ;) So much for so-called adult time... It'll be the best, or worst, of two worlds overlapping!
Ps. Yes, taking Baby along ;) So much for so-called adult time... It'll be the best, or worst, of two worlds overlapping!
Results of Tom Hanks Experience
As I promised, I went out and bought "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" on DVD yesterday. Since I couldn't wait to get started with it and even evenings don't guarantee uninterrupted movie experiences, I started watching while Baby was napping. I finished watching by today's second naptime. Here are the results.
I very much recommend it! It is a beautiful movie with excellent performances, notably by the little boy (who's name I don't recall, sorry). The film does manage to do justice to the incredibly (loud and close) incredible novel. I still recommend the novel, of course, as often anyway happens when you've read the book first and only then seen the movie. But this novel is so different in form, and so heart breaking as a story.
Tom Hanks? He was great but I wouldn't say he was perfect. I'd say he was near perfect. He definitely had an amazing vibe, really gave the impression of being a wonderful, committed father. However, I had not pictured anyone at all resembling Tom Hanks in any way when reading the novel. I haven't thought of who'd I'd have cast instead... Someone tall, dark, more aloof, but as wonderfully committed. Someone more Ben Affleck-y. Not that it matters, really.
I found Sandra Bullock amazing. She had Oscar potential again. Also the transformation of her collapsing mother into caring and present one was believable and very touching.
I'd forgotten what the key unlocks! That was a bonus to seeing the film.
All in all, one of the stories of the century, I think. Read it and see it!!
I very much recommend it! It is a beautiful movie with excellent performances, notably by the little boy (who's name I don't recall, sorry). The film does manage to do justice to the incredibly (loud and close) incredible novel. I still recommend the novel, of course, as often anyway happens when you've read the book first and only then seen the movie. But this novel is so different in form, and so heart breaking as a story.
Tom Hanks? He was great but I wouldn't say he was perfect. I'd say he was near perfect. He definitely had an amazing vibe, really gave the impression of being a wonderful, committed father. However, I had not pictured anyone at all resembling Tom Hanks in any way when reading the novel. I haven't thought of who'd I'd have cast instead... Someone tall, dark, more aloof, but as wonderfully committed. Someone more Ben Affleck-y. Not that it matters, really.
I found Sandra Bullock amazing. She had Oscar potential again. Also the transformation of her collapsing mother into caring and present one was believable and very touching.
I'd forgotten what the key unlocks! That was a bonus to seeing the film.
All in all, one of the stories of the century, I think. Read it and see it!!
6 Languages by 5
Is it too much to be learning 6 languages by age 5? Simultaneously?
That's the situation our elder son is facing.
#1
Age 0-10 months: Finnish, mother tongue
#2 & #3
Age 10 months onwards: Finnish at home, Khmer at home through cleaner and nanny, English at home whenever international friends visit, and both Khmer and English in the surrounding environment (while living in Cambodia).
#4
Age 3.5 yrs: French once a week at kindergarten.
#5 & #6
Next year at age 4.5 yrs: Mandarin Chinese lessons at kindergarten and Cantonese from the surrounding environment when our family moves to Hong Kong.
...oh my...
I'm the first to admit that this is too much though quite awesome if he does manage well with the transitions. My main criteria for judging 'success' in this linguistic whirlwind is that he a) comes to speak his mother tongue fluently (which is getting there but all the time there's a risk of delayed learning) b) manages in English.
I thought I was quite the whizkid when I struggled and overcame the challenge of learning English in one single semester at age 8. My family moved to Asia for the first time and I started an international school only speaking 2 words of English ('yes' and 'no'). Even at that age when kids supposedly sponge up any odd language they're exposed to I found the prospect seriously daunting. It was a struggle that involved some bitter tears, to be honest. But, after those first hard months it was already worth it, and soon developed into something like a piece of cake. Delicious but when in excess, punishing.
So no, this is not a regimen of language learning I would recommend to anyone. Dealing with this cacophony of languages is just a part of expat life. Some languages you'll pick up and take with you. Others only become familiar to the extent of classification ability, being able to pick out which language it is (e.g., Cantonese as opposed to Mandarin).
I'm not stressing too much about kindergarten French or Mandarin, for that matter. If he picks up some of it, great. If not, fine. Singing songs in French sounds okay though I did initially worry whether there's even harm in his taking on this extra language. C'est cool. After all, Pig Latin, I recall, was quite a blast to master too.
That's the situation our elder son is facing.
#1
Age 0-10 months: Finnish, mother tongue
#2 & #3
Age 10 months onwards: Finnish at home, Khmer at home through cleaner and nanny, English at home whenever international friends visit, and both Khmer and English in the surrounding environment (while living in Cambodia).
#4
Age 3.5 yrs: French once a week at kindergarten.
#5 & #6
Next year at age 4.5 yrs: Mandarin Chinese lessons at kindergarten and Cantonese from the surrounding environment when our family moves to Hong Kong.
...oh my...
I'm the first to admit that this is too much though quite awesome if he does manage well with the transitions. My main criteria for judging 'success' in this linguistic whirlwind is that he a) comes to speak his mother tongue fluently (which is getting there but all the time there's a risk of delayed learning) b) manages in English.
I thought I was quite the whizkid when I struggled and overcame the challenge of learning English in one single semester at age 8. My family moved to Asia for the first time and I started an international school only speaking 2 words of English ('yes' and 'no'). Even at that age when kids supposedly sponge up any odd language they're exposed to I found the prospect seriously daunting. It was a struggle that involved some bitter tears, to be honest. But, after those first hard months it was already worth it, and soon developed into something like a piece of cake. Delicious but when in excess, punishing.
So no, this is not a regimen of language learning I would recommend to anyone. Dealing with this cacophony of languages is just a part of expat life. Some languages you'll pick up and take with you. Others only become familiar to the extent of classification ability, being able to pick out which language it is (e.g., Cantonese as opposed to Mandarin).
I'm not stressing too much about kindergarten French or Mandarin, for that matter. If he picks up some of it, great. If not, fine. Singing songs in French sounds okay though I did initially worry whether there's even harm in his taking on this extra language. C'est cool. After all, Pig Latin, I recall, was quite a blast to master too.
Monday, September 24, 2012
Counting Blessings or Scares
The fact is that life with small kids is intense. Though many days can pass by in parent-dulling and child-stabilizing repetition of routines, other days are incredibly accident prone. Stuff just happens, or nearly happens. It's such a bizarre polarity, come to think of it. Building sand castles day-in day-out seems like the norm until it's one of those every-hour critical-hour days.
Yesterday, for one, we were visiting friends and I shadowed Baby with each army-style crawl move he took. Being a Good 'n Vigilant Mom (on this day at that particular hour), I noticed right away that he pincer grasped something into his mouth. I thought it was a piece of dried grass (logical, un-panicky mom). It turned out to be a 1 cm times 0.5 cm triangle of very sharp plastic. Oh my God!! (Yes, the panicky mom, big time).
Conclusion:
Thank God I was vigilant and got it out of his mouth in time. No damage done, this stuff happens, could have been bad but the outcome was good. Input bad, output good. Something like that.
Today, for a second example, I had to quickly vacuum downstairs. "Quickly" since I was alone with the boys and "vacuum" since the dog's shedding loads. Vacuum kitchen, done. Vacuum living room (note: around the corner), almost done when I notice Big Boy crying (again for umpteenth time). I glance back to the kitchen again and in a micro-second go over "What's Wrong with the Picture." What was wrong was that instead of sitting in his high chair, strapped in, Baby Boy was sitting on top of his high chair feeding tray (the Ikea model). What!!? How did that happen?? Crazy stuff.
Half a heart attack later, Baby Boy was successfully and safely in loving motherly arms.
Lesson. Don't turn around for 1 second. Monitor at 50 cm face-to-face distance at all times. It's that development stage again. The 'arsenic' months, instead of the Arsenic Hours (when most accidents occur, between 4-7 pm).
Vigilance is key. Reason for many panicky moments and general stress. But for now I'll focus not on the what-ifs but on the 'we made its!'
Yesterday, for one, we were visiting friends and I shadowed Baby with each army-style crawl move he took. Being a Good 'n Vigilant Mom (on this day at that particular hour), I noticed right away that he pincer grasped something into his mouth. I thought it was a piece of dried grass (logical, un-panicky mom). It turned out to be a 1 cm times 0.5 cm triangle of very sharp plastic. Oh my God!! (Yes, the panicky mom, big time).
Conclusion:
Thank God I was vigilant and got it out of his mouth in time. No damage done, this stuff happens, could have been bad but the outcome was good. Input bad, output good. Something like that.
Today, for a second example, I had to quickly vacuum downstairs. "Quickly" since I was alone with the boys and "vacuum" since the dog's shedding loads. Vacuum kitchen, done. Vacuum living room (note: around the corner), almost done when I notice Big Boy crying (again for umpteenth time). I glance back to the kitchen again and in a micro-second go over "What's Wrong with the Picture." What was wrong was that instead of sitting in his high chair, strapped in, Baby Boy was sitting on top of his high chair feeding tray (the Ikea model). What!!? How did that happen?? Crazy stuff.
Half a heart attack later, Baby Boy was successfully and safely in loving motherly arms.
Lesson. Don't turn around for 1 second. Monitor at 50 cm face-to-face distance at all times. It's that development stage again. The 'arsenic' months, instead of the Arsenic Hours (when most accidents occur, between 4-7 pm).
Vigilance is key. Reason for many panicky moments and general stress. But for now I'll focus not on the what-ifs but on the 'we made its!'
The Tom Hanks Factor
You know how there are certain A-list actors who completely divide opinion? Well, in our household Tom Hanks is such a fellow. Like Nicholas Cage, Tom Hanks is not a crowd pleaser for half of the adults here. It's not that those two gentleman haven't starred in some excellent movies since both of us admit they have. There's just something that dilutes our interest in the film if either name is in the credits. The so-called, now-called, Tom Hanks Factor.
So my interest has now been stirred since I hear from one of my most reliable sources that Tom's latest film,'Incredibly Loud and Extremely Close,' does justice to the deeply touching novel. Until now I've felt undecided about wanting to see the movie because I've assumed that as touching as Tom truly can be his presence would ruin the movie for me. And anyway my hubby had said no, he's not watching (need it be said that this TH Factor bug, I caught it from him). There's just a bit too much of TH in all his movies, is what it is. It's not TH as this or that, but TH in this or that. And since something in the depths of my soul was stirred by this novel, having TH's star power outshine the harrowing anonymity of the story ('it could be anyone') felt - and feels- like a big risk for a big letdown.
But, as I trust my source, I will bravely go acquire this movie on DVD. And report back.
So my interest has now been stirred since I hear from one of my most reliable sources that Tom's latest film,'Incredibly Loud and Extremely Close,' does justice to the deeply touching novel. Until now I've felt undecided about wanting to see the movie because I've assumed that as touching as Tom truly can be his presence would ruin the movie for me. And anyway my hubby had said no, he's not watching (need it be said that this TH Factor bug, I caught it from him). There's just a bit too much of TH in all his movies, is what it is. It's not TH as this or that, but TH in this or that. And since something in the depths of my soul was stirred by this novel, having TH's star power outshine the harrowing anonymity of the story ('it could be anyone') felt - and feels- like a big risk for a big letdown.
But, as I trust my source, I will bravely go acquire this movie on DVD. And report back.
Sleep Aids
What helps a child fall asleep? (And yes, often help is needed for without aids falling asleep can take hours. Out of parental 'own-time'...)
Baths, evening snacks, bedtime reading, soothing music, singing lullabies, etc.
But as far as props go...
Tonight:
- Big Boy: currently cuddling the softest toy bunny
- Baby Boy: currently in close proximity to pacifier
Last night:
- Baby Boy: same as above
- Big Boy: with half-eaten apple in one hand, lying on the cool floor of our master bedroom
In-te-res-ting. A concept to get patented?
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