Sheesh! I've been MIA, and I'm sorry. Lots of stuff going on in my head and in my life. Nothing major, but definitely time consuming. Even my precious Korean dramas have taken a back seat. And if that doesn't tell you something, nothing will.
This whole "Shaolin family" experiment (in reference to a previous post in which I shared my lofty goals on how we were to address the needs of our bodies, minds, and spirits) has been tough, yet unbelievably rewarding. Finding time for everything is challenging, and we haven't stuck to it as closely as I would have liked. More often than not, it's the physical/body stuff that gets tossed to the wayside. We really need to work on that. That said, our prayer life is AWESOME. We went from a few prayers said at bedtime and before meals, to (recently) starting Morning and Evening prayer (Lauds and Vespers) using the Shorter Christian Prayer book, followed by a Morning Offering, Trinity Prayer, and Guardian Angel prayer. At noon we say the Angelus, at 3:00 p.m. the Divine Mercy Chaplet, and then we recite the rosary in the evening (as well as Vespers as mentioned before). That sounds like a lot, but it's really been such a great change for us. It has introduced a steady rhythm to our days, one that we had been lacking. And in addition to that, it has also given us all a sense of calm. The peaceful reflection, particularly in the morning, just feels right. We feel more capable of managing whatever the day brings with it. It's kind of hard to put it into words, but my soon-to-be 16 year old said, "Mom, this feels great," and I agree with her.
In addition to the above, my plans for personal spiritual enrichment have also included making adoration once per month, and finding time for more spiritual reading. We made it to adoration on the first Friday of the month, and I hope that this remains consistent. The spiritual reading however, hasn't actually happened yet (aside from the Divine Office that is). Again, I think it's more of a time management issue.
As mentioned above, my plans for how to address the physical/body bits of this whole undertaking are sorely lacking. I've determined that perhaps I was being too ambitious. Understatement alert! Rather than fit it ALL in, i.e., conditioning, tai chi, forms, weight training, etc., I'd do best to just choose one or two on which to focus each day. Being up early for Lauds really helps with the morning alertness factor, and makes me more likely to just "do it already." I also figured that I could give us some days "off" on kung fu class days. Okay, so technically, those really aren't off days at all since we'll be in class later anyway.
As for the mind bit of this lofty plan, things are moving along nicely. Another positive that has come out of this is that I'm realizing just how much time it takes us to do things. Some of those realizations have been positive, others haven't been exactly positive, but rather, enlightening. For instance, I've found that my son is lagging considerably behind his sisters when it comes to written work. He composes well, it's just the physical act of writing that is arduous for him. I can't decide if it's a perfectionist trait, or if he just finds it genuinely difficult. I always knew that this was an issue, but I didn't realize just how much of an issue, or how time consuming a problem it was until now. It doesn't appear to be dysgraphia either. He doesn't reverse his letters, and he's generally neat, with all of his letters being of consistent size. He's also a decent speller, with a broad vocabulary. I find that when he's composing something and writing it as he goes along, he is faster than when asked to recopy what he's written, as in the case of writing a final draft. We'll be taking him in to get his vision checked as well, in case it's a tracking problem, or just that he may need vision correction, and in the meantime, I'm checking online for ideas on how to address this issue (i.e., what I can do here, or where I should go for help with this). What's weird is that he doesn't seem to have a fine motor skill problem either. He's a tinkerer, and he puts models together with small pieces, and he's able to make the tiniest paper airplanes known to man. Seriously! He also handles his utensils properly, even chopsticks. Frankly, I'm confused by all of this. This week, we'll probably be focusing on handwriting, and I just may make it into a game or something as a motivator.
There's more to share, but I'll save it for another post and another day. ;-)
Showing posts with label Cool Stuff. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cool Stuff. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
The Wannabe Shaolin Family
It’s not unlike me to get all carried away with making big plans. Often the instigating factor is a cool news article, a message board discussion, or a Youtube video. One time I saw something about making your own soap. That’s not a huge deal, right? But within minutes, it wasn’t just a bar of soap I was envisioning. I was envisioning my own line of soaps. Then there was the time I wanted to be a polyglot after watching videos of Tim Ferriss speaking about a half dozen languages. This is me we’re talking about here, so of course I zeroed in on the most difficult language ever. I watched one video lesson for Mandarin, and got so anxious over the enormity of learning such a difficult language, that I abandoned the idea. I’d still love to learn Mandarin, just not right now. We are already learning Greek, Latin, and Korean in our homeschool, but those don’t inspire nearly as much anxiety in me as Mandarin does. At least they’re all phonetic. And then there was that time when I joined Flylady’s housekeeping email list, only to burn out by day two. I haven’t entirely abandoned Flylady though. I just found her book much less anxiety inducing than all of those emails I was receiving.
Now lest it be assumed that I have absolutely no stick-to-it-tiveness, that’s not the case either. I do stick with things that matter…like the homeschooling, which I’ve been committed to for eleven years. For a lot of other things however, I think I’m part magpie, getting perpetually distracted by anything shiny. Whether this new plan we’re envisioning really matters enough to me, and to us as a family, or whether it is just another shiny thing to distract us, is still to be determined. That said, it’s something the kids say they want to do as well (read: it’s not just my idea), and I feel good about it. And that’s not exactly the feeling I had with all of the soapmaking- polyglot-Flylady stuff.
It all started as a discussion with the kids over working on improving ourselves, stemming from an earlier discussion we had had on Lent. We talked about leading a lifestyle that would focus on improving our bodies, our minds, and our spirits. The more we thought about it, the more our ideas started to resemble a simplified, hybrid form of Benedictine monasticism replete with Shaolin conditioning. It’s so funny that my kids are sometimes so much like me; it’s crazy. We all seem to be attracted to the idea of asceticism. We find the idea incredibly romantic. Now of course, I don’t mention asceticism here to suggest that that is our intention. That would be a way bigger plan than the one we had envisioned. In reality, our plan is simply to find our balance—a healthy balance. One that would help keep us focused on things that already matter to us. The key here is simplicity.
We figured that we already had the “mind” aspect covered, what with homeschooling already being such a large part of our days. Granted, there is always room for improvement. Autonomy on all things school related continues to be an issue. While I can trust my teen to work well independently most of the time, the younger two still need a bit of prodding along. My presence has an almost magical effect on their output. If I’m as far away as the next room, they’re less productive. The plan is to schedule well-organized time blocks, and set clear initiatives and goals to meet each day.
The “spiritual” aspect has had a bit of a spike in recent weeks, thanks to it being Lent. There has been more stuff going on at church, and more related discussions about relevant spiritual issues at home. But as with the “mind” stuff above, there is still ample room for improvement here as well. I’m thinking more time spent on meditation and reflection on the rosary, the stations of the cross, the Divine Mercy chaplet, etc. More silence would definitely be welcome as well. I figure that at the very least it would be an exercise in self-control, for all of us! Our plan here is to start the day simply, with a Morning Offering, and then move on from there.
The “body” aspect of this glorious plan of ours is quite possibly the part that needs the greatest overhaul. We’ve already been striving to eat healthy, cut our sugar intake, and avoid overly processed foods while out of the house. Our fitness levels, while better than they were once upon a time, are still lacking. On our Kung Fu nights, we do okay, but our days off are primarily spent on sedentary activities. The plan here is to incorporate more Kung Fu. We would want to include daily conditioning (my son is petitioning hard for iron body training), as well as stretching, stance drills, and forms. Tai chi and Qi Gong would work best in the morning, while the other higher intensity work would fit best in the early afternoon.
The kids and I brainstormed ways on how to fit it all in, and while we have a rudimentary idea as to how our schedule would look, it hasn’t been put into practice yet. It doesn’t look crazy or outlandish, or even all that difficult to follow (I think). I’m sure that many families do a lot of the same, with some subtle differences. I’m envisioning a Catholic family that sends their children to school, where they also partake in sports as an extra-curricular activity. Their children would already be getting a lot of what I describe above, so in that sense, this is not a novel idea at all.
I’m thinking that after a bit of tweaking, next week will be our first full week trying this out. We’ll either feel healthier and stronger in body, mind, and spirit, or we’ll burn out. I’m hoping for the former. If not, it’s back to the drawing board. This is not an idea I’d want to just abandon.
Now lest it be assumed that I have absolutely no stick-to-it-tiveness, that’s not the case either. I do stick with things that matter…like the homeschooling, which I’ve been committed to for eleven years. For a lot of other things however, I think I’m part magpie, getting perpetually distracted by anything shiny. Whether this new plan we’re envisioning really matters enough to me, and to us as a family, or whether it is just another shiny thing to distract us, is still to be determined. That said, it’s something the kids say they want to do as well (read: it’s not just my idea), and I feel good about it. And that’s not exactly the feeling I had with all of the soapmaking- polyglot-Flylady stuff.
It all started as a discussion with the kids over working on improving ourselves, stemming from an earlier discussion we had had on Lent. We talked about leading a lifestyle that would focus on improving our bodies, our minds, and our spirits. The more we thought about it, the more our ideas started to resemble a simplified, hybrid form of Benedictine monasticism replete with Shaolin conditioning. It’s so funny that my kids are sometimes so much like me; it’s crazy. We all seem to be attracted to the idea of asceticism. We find the idea incredibly romantic. Now of course, I don’t mention asceticism here to suggest that that is our intention. That would be a way bigger plan than the one we had envisioned. In reality, our plan is simply to find our balance—a healthy balance. One that would help keep us focused on things that already matter to us. The key here is simplicity.
We figured that we already had the “mind” aspect covered, what with homeschooling already being such a large part of our days. Granted, there is always room for improvement. Autonomy on all things school related continues to be an issue. While I can trust my teen to work well independently most of the time, the younger two still need a bit of prodding along. My presence has an almost magical effect on their output. If I’m as far away as the next room, they’re less productive. The plan is to schedule well-organized time blocks, and set clear initiatives and goals to meet each day.
The “spiritual” aspect has had a bit of a spike in recent weeks, thanks to it being Lent. There has been more stuff going on at church, and more related discussions about relevant spiritual issues at home. But as with the “mind” stuff above, there is still ample room for improvement here as well. I’m thinking more time spent on meditation and reflection on the rosary, the stations of the cross, the Divine Mercy chaplet, etc. More silence would definitely be welcome as well. I figure that at the very least it would be an exercise in self-control, for all of us! Our plan here is to start the day simply, with a Morning Offering, and then move on from there.
The “body” aspect of this glorious plan of ours is quite possibly the part that needs the greatest overhaul. We’ve already been striving to eat healthy, cut our sugar intake, and avoid overly processed foods while out of the house. Our fitness levels, while better than they were once upon a time, are still lacking. On our Kung Fu nights, we do okay, but our days off are primarily spent on sedentary activities. The plan here is to incorporate more Kung Fu. We would want to include daily conditioning (my son is petitioning hard for iron body training), as well as stretching, stance drills, and forms. Tai chi and Qi Gong would work best in the morning, while the other higher intensity work would fit best in the early afternoon.
The kids and I brainstormed ways on how to fit it all in, and while we have a rudimentary idea as to how our schedule would look, it hasn’t been put into practice yet. It doesn’t look crazy or outlandish, or even all that difficult to follow (I think). I’m sure that many families do a lot of the same, with some subtle differences. I’m envisioning a Catholic family that sends their children to school, where they also partake in sports as an extra-curricular activity. Their children would already be getting a lot of what I describe above, so in that sense, this is not a novel idea at all.
I’m thinking that after a bit of tweaking, next week will be our first full week trying this out. We’ll either feel healthier and stronger in body, mind, and spirit, or we’ll burn out. I’m hoping for the former. If not, it’s back to the drawing board. This is not an idea I’d want to just abandon.
Monday, February 20, 2012
The Dream Revisited
My husband and I celebrated our 16th wedding anniversary in October, and throughout our marriage, there have only been a few things that have remained consistent, at least with regard to our dreams and pursuits, and how we’ve chosen to raise our family. Everything else has been left open-ended and negotiable. But as for our dreams—yes, they’ve been consistent, and suffice it to say that we dream big. Really big. Sometimes I feel like in idiot, clutching onto what others may think of as pipedreams, but what’s the harm in keeping the faith?
And so, over the long weekend, my husband and I found ourselves discussing big dream numero uno—building our own affordable ecologically sound straw bale home. Buying just any home wouldn’t be the same. This would be a home we’d have a hand in building ourselves, and would give us the opportunity of creating a living space that fits us, rather than the other way around. Oh, how romantic, right? But it’s kind of scary, too. So I go through periods of intense fear over the thought of even embarking on such a journey, particularly as I have absolutely no building experience, and because I haven’t a clue how to even wire or plumb a house. And I cannot say with any certainty that my husband knows much about these sorts of things either. But he’s a glass half full kind of person, so he says he’d be up for the challenge. The reality, however, is that we still, as a couple, have a half dozen or so incomplete home projects, and this realization kind of puts a damper on my big dreaming. Not to mention he works full time, and I am otherwise engaged myself, obsessing over any number of things. What a pair we make!
Keeping in mind all of the above, and that this is all just a dream (so far anyway), please allow me to gush about my absolutely awesome all-in-my-head dream home.
1 - As mentioned, it would be a straw bale construction, coated in cob, and finished with a rendering of lime.
2 - It would make use of materials that could be locally gathered, and built to complement its surroundings and make the best use of its location.
3 - Two words: Solar Panels
4 - It would have earthen floors with radiant heating.
5 - It would preferably be two floors (husband insists, but I’m open to just one).
6 - It would have built-in bookshelves, of course!
7 - It would have an open floor plan. Too many walls seem too constricting to me. I love descriptions of homes that include the verb "spills." For example, "the living room spills out into the spacious family room." Gratuitous space. I love it.
8 - It would have an enclosed courtyard as I’ve been dreaming of such a thing since I was a child. (And now that we’re all involved in martial arts, how absolutely awesome would it be to have an enclosed outdoor area for practice? And no, yards are just not the same. Courtyard = Win!)
I’m sure I can think of more to say, but I’m antsy to get back to Googling for more information. To be honest, I’m more of a hire-it-out sort of girl, but in my dream scenario, I’d still like to have a part in some of the work. I’m sure I can stack bales, and applying cob, while surely time consuming, doesn’t seem that difficult or impossible. All the other stuff however, like making plans, building a frame, and handling the wiring and plumbing however, that’s the part I’d gladly farm out. Hmmm…when I think of it that way, it doesn’t seem that wholly pipe-dreamish. Oh, the possibilities!
I’ll leave you all with this really neat video on straw bale construction.
Tons of work to be sure, but I’d imagine building one’s own home would really transform a person, and that the benefits and sense of accomplishment would be long-lasting and great indeed.
And so, over the long weekend, my husband and I found ourselves discussing big dream numero uno—building our own affordable ecologically sound straw bale home. Buying just any home wouldn’t be the same. This would be a home we’d have a hand in building ourselves, and would give us the opportunity of creating a living space that fits us, rather than the other way around. Oh, how romantic, right? But it’s kind of scary, too. So I go through periods of intense fear over the thought of even embarking on such a journey, particularly as I have absolutely no building experience, and because I haven’t a clue how to even wire or plumb a house. And I cannot say with any certainty that my husband knows much about these sorts of things either. But he’s a glass half full kind of person, so he says he’d be up for the challenge. The reality, however, is that we still, as a couple, have a half dozen or so incomplete home projects, and this realization kind of puts a damper on my big dreaming. Not to mention he works full time, and I am otherwise engaged myself, obsessing over any number of things. What a pair we make!
Keeping in mind all of the above, and that this is all just a dream (so far anyway), please allow me to gush about my absolutely awesome all-in-my-head dream home.
1 - As mentioned, it would be a straw bale construction, coated in cob, and finished with a rendering of lime.
2 - It would make use of materials that could be locally gathered, and built to complement its surroundings and make the best use of its location.
3 - Two words: Solar Panels
4 - It would have earthen floors with radiant heating.
5 - It would preferably be two floors (husband insists, but I’m open to just one).
6 - It would have built-in bookshelves, of course!
7 - It would have an open floor plan. Too many walls seem too constricting to me. I love descriptions of homes that include the verb "spills." For example, "the living room spills out into the spacious family room." Gratuitous space. I love it.
8 - It would have an enclosed courtyard as I’ve been dreaming of such a thing since I was a child. (And now that we’re all involved in martial arts, how absolutely awesome would it be to have an enclosed outdoor area for practice? And no, yards are just not the same. Courtyard = Win!)
I’m sure I can think of more to say, but I’m antsy to get back to Googling for more information. To be honest, I’m more of a hire-it-out sort of girl, but in my dream scenario, I’d still like to have a part in some of the work. I’m sure I can stack bales, and applying cob, while surely time consuming, doesn’t seem that difficult or impossible. All the other stuff however, like making plans, building a frame, and handling the wiring and plumbing however, that’s the part I’d gladly farm out. Hmmm…when I think of it that way, it doesn’t seem that wholly pipe-dreamish. Oh, the possibilities!
I’ll leave you all with this really neat video on straw bale construction.
Tons of work to be sure, but I’d imagine building one’s own home would really transform a person, and that the benefits and sense of accomplishment would be long-lasting and great indeed.
Friday, January 20, 2012
Too Great Not to Share
Aside from the joy and reaffirmation of belief that I receive with just about any conversion story, I also love me some nice reversion stories...particularly accounts that touch upon freeing oneself of life plaguing experiences like drug addiction and incarceration. Mark Wahlberg clearly has his priorities in order. I love to see people in the spotlight this committed to faith, family, and community. Well done, Mark!
Saturday, January 14, 2012
My Korean Drama Addiction
This is crazy. Before a few months ago, I didn't even know anything about these Korean dramas. All I knew is that it was getting more and more difficult to pull my daughters, ages 15 and 13, away from the computer screen. To be honest, I had already gotten used to having to peel them away, as they spent most of their free time on the computer anyway, watching K-pop videos. But this was different. Rather than watching 5 minute music videos, these were hour long plus episodes, and whenever I'd rant for them to get off of the desktop, they'd beg me to allow them just one more episode. Seeing as an hour is considerably longer than five minutes, I felt justified in dragging them away.
And then began the chorus of, "Mom, if only you'd just sit down and watch an episode with us, you'd understand!"
I kept putting it off, but acquiesced eventually. And you know what? They were right. I did understand. I knew I was hooked immediately when my husband asked me to finish up on the desktop, and this time it was me saying, "Just one more episode, okay?"
These dramas are super addictive. They're ingenious, really, in that they're just so sweetly satisfying. I can't imagine anyone not enjoying them. Even my husband was sucked into watching three episodes in a row. By choice! I've only watched four so far, and all four have been romantic comedies, so my experience with the dramas as a whole is decidedly shallow. In the ones I've watched though, there are some consistent themes. There was always an antagonistic relationship between the two leads, with the male character being downright crabby at first. Over time, as can be expected, the leads overcome their obstacles and get together. The comedy is lighthearted, and the relationships are sweet. There is no smut here. Quite often in fact, the leads will only kiss a handful of times, if even that much, and we're talking a peck here and there...nothing like the over-the-top stuff you'll see in many of the American, or even Mexican (or other Spanish language) soaps/novelas. I've seen my fair share of those, so I know what I'm talking about! So when these leads finally do get together, you really feel their longing for each other, and really, what's romance, if not longing for each other? I find that this is lost so much in American shows and movies, but it's the kind of stuff I loved so much in novels like Pride and Prejudice.
So here's a run-down of what I've watched so far, and a brief description of each. I'm listing them in the order that I watched them, not in order of preference, as I can't commit to that kind of listing (although I'm fairly certain my favorite so far is the last I watched, so number four on this list).
1. Boys Over Flowers (25 episodes)
Based on manga, this one stars Lee Min Ho as the bratty uber-rich Goo Joon Pyo and Koo Hye Sun as the sweet, working class, feisty Geum Jan Di. Basically, the story centers around Jan Di, the daughter of dry cleaner. In the first episode, she is offered a full-paid scholarship to the prestigious Shin Hwa school after performing a heroic deed. This is a huge deal for the family, as the school only admits students coming from wealthy families. Upon arriving at the school, Jan Di is quickly aware that there is a clear pecking order, and those at the top, are called the F4 (Flower Four). These are four very fashion-forward boys who are the children of the wealthiest, most powerful families in all of Korea. Goo Joon Pyo is their leader. Jan Di soon realizes that it is best not to get on their bad side, as the F4, Goo Joon Pyo especially, are relentless in their bullying and hazing of students they don't like. Through a series of encounters, Jan Di manages to hold her own, and earns the love and respect of the F4.
2. You're Beautiful (16 episodes)
This one stars the beautiful Park Shin Hye playing Go Mi Nyeo, who has lived in a convent for most of her life, and is preparing to become a nun. She has a twin brother named Go Mi Nam (also played by Park Shin Hye) whose dream it is to become a pop star, in the hopes of being able to reconnect with their mother. I guess that he figures that being famous would help him locate her. He is offered to officially join a very successful pop group called A.N.Jell, so his dream is within reach. Unfortunately, Go Mi Nam, the brother, has had cosmetic surgery gone wrong (hahaha), and he is forced to leave the country for additional surgery and recuperation, so his dreams appear to be cut short after all. That is until his agent tracks down his twin sister, Go Mi Nyeo and convinces her to disguise herself as her brother, at least for as long as Go Mi Nam is unavailable. She reluctantly agrees, thinking of her brother's wish to reunite with their mother, and signs with the band. The other members of the band are crabby Hwang Tae Kyung played by the adorable Jang Geun Suk, the sweet and astute Kang Shin Woo played by Jung Yong Hwa (member of the Korean band CNBlue), and the cute and childlike Kang On Yu/Jeremy played by Lee Hong Ki (member of the Korean band FTIsland). Lots of fun is had as the male band members come to realize, one by one, that their new member is a girl, and all eventually develop feelings for her.
3. Heartstrings (aka You've Fallen for Me; 15 episodes)
Park Shin Hye and Jung Yong Hwa are back in this one playing Lee Kyu Won and Lee Shin respectively. They are both university students. Kyu Won is majoring in traditional Korean music/instruments, specifically the gayageum. Her grandfather who is her guardian is very cynical of any music that is not traditional, having been one of the top traditional musicians of his time. Lee Shin is majoring in modern music and is the lead vocalist and guitarist of a college band called "The Stupid." So yeah, the complete antithesis of traditional. And I guess that therein lies the conflict, yet of the four dramas I watched, the conflict was far less defined in this one. It didn't matter all that much to me, as I liked the characters. Lee Shin of course, is cold and crabby toward Kyu Won at first, as he is harboring a crush on a college dance teacher and doesn't have the time to give to any of this adoring college fangirls, not that Kyu Won is a fangirl...at least not at first. Eventually he comes around though, and everything ends just the way we'd like it to. What I did especially like and appreciate about this one is that little snags that are thrown at the characters from time to time, don't derail their feelings for each other. Very often, in most soap operas, regardless of where they're made, the conflicts come fast and furious, and every time, it alienates the main couple. Not so here. Once they're in love, they're in love, and trust one another completely.
4. Full House (16 episodes)
As mentioned above, this is my favorite of the four. It's also the "oldest," having been broadcast in 2004. This one stars the super famous Korean pop singer Bi/Rain playing Lee Young Jae, and the lovely and hilarious Song Hye Kyo playing Han Ji Eun. Ji Eun, an Internet novelist with little skill, was orphaned years earlier, and lives alone in the huge home her father built and named "Full House," as it was his belief that the home would always be full of love. She has two close friends, a couple named Dong Wook and Hee Jin who she has known for many many years, and they are really horribly wretched, albeit clueless human beings. Upon finding out that Hee Jin is pregnant, Dong Wook, already in debt up to his eyeballs, concocts a plan to sell Ji Eun's house and empty out her bank account to make up for his poor financial decisions. Dong Wook and Hee Jin convince Ji Eun that she has won an all-expense paid trip to Shanghai, and somehow come up with a one-way ticket to give to her. Ji Eun is suspicious at first, stating, "Nothing in this world is free," but she eventually gives in and agrees to go. Seated next to her on the plane is the insanely famous actor Lee Young Jae, who is as renown for his scandals as he is for his skill as an actor. Ji Eun quickly gets on his nerves and makes her way into the viewer's hearts as she's just so darn lovable. Upon arriving in Shanghai, Ji Eun realizes that there is something terribly wrong with this trip. No one is there to meet her, and she hasn't enough money to even pay the taxi fare complete. Thanks to a kind man named Yoo Min Hyuk, played by the handsome Kim Sung Soo, who is visiting the hotel to see his friend Lee Young Jae (surprise, surprise), she is able to register at the hotel. But only after she embarrasses herself, mistaking Min Hyuk for a Japanese businessman. After a few days of being unable to connect with her "friends" for an explanation for why things have gone so wrong, she decides to visit Lee Young Jae's hotel room to ask for a loan of money to pay for the hotel and a return flight home. He agrees to help, but only after she concocts a whole story about how she and his good friend Min Hyuk had at one time been in love. He agrees as a favor to his old friend, as he buys her story hook, line, and sinker. In the meantime, back in Korea, her "friends" have already sold her house...to someone representing Lee Young Jae. Upon arriving back home, she finds that it is no longer her home, and through a whole series of events (I'm skipping a lot here, I know), agrees to enter into a contract marriage with the actor in hopes of getting her home back. So this is one of those forced co-habitation stories, and I really think it's well done. Lee Young Jae is as crabby as ever, and Ji Eun is just delightful, and they sure do manage to push each other's buttons. I really, really loved this one. Swoon!
So, for anyone out there willing to give Korean dramas a shot, I promise you won't be sorry. You can watch them all for free here. Honestly, I'm really glad that with all of the junk on television, that my kids seem to prefer these shows. I don't really censor things for my kids. In fact, they do a great job of knowing what is or isn't appropriate for them to watch, all on their own. But it does my heart good to know that this is the sort of entertainment that they prefer. Not only that, but they're fun for me, too. And that's always a plus.
Now what to watch next?
And then began the chorus of, "Mom, if only you'd just sit down and watch an episode with us, you'd understand!"
I kept putting it off, but acquiesced eventually. And you know what? They were right. I did understand. I knew I was hooked immediately when my husband asked me to finish up on the desktop, and this time it was me saying, "Just one more episode, okay?"
These dramas are super addictive. They're ingenious, really, in that they're just so sweetly satisfying. I can't imagine anyone not enjoying them. Even my husband was sucked into watching three episodes in a row. By choice! I've only watched four so far, and all four have been romantic comedies, so my experience with the dramas as a whole is decidedly shallow. In the ones I've watched though, there are some consistent themes. There was always an antagonistic relationship between the two leads, with the male character being downright crabby at first. Over time, as can be expected, the leads overcome their obstacles and get together. The comedy is lighthearted, and the relationships are sweet. There is no smut here. Quite often in fact, the leads will only kiss a handful of times, if even that much, and we're talking a peck here and there...nothing like the over-the-top stuff you'll see in many of the American, or even Mexican (or other Spanish language) soaps/novelas. I've seen my fair share of those, so I know what I'm talking about! So when these leads finally do get together, you really feel their longing for each other, and really, what's romance, if not longing for each other? I find that this is lost so much in American shows and movies, but it's the kind of stuff I loved so much in novels like Pride and Prejudice.
So here's a run-down of what I've watched so far, and a brief description of each. I'm listing them in the order that I watched them, not in order of preference, as I can't commit to that kind of listing (although I'm fairly certain my favorite so far is the last I watched, so number four on this list).
1. Boys Over Flowers (25 episodes)
Based on manga, this one stars Lee Min Ho as the bratty uber-rich Goo Joon Pyo and Koo Hye Sun as the sweet, working class, feisty Geum Jan Di. Basically, the story centers around Jan Di, the daughter of dry cleaner. In the first episode, she is offered a full-paid scholarship to the prestigious Shin Hwa school after performing a heroic deed. This is a huge deal for the family, as the school only admits students coming from wealthy families. Upon arriving at the school, Jan Di is quickly aware that there is a clear pecking order, and those at the top, are called the F4 (Flower Four). These are four very fashion-forward boys who are the children of the wealthiest, most powerful families in all of Korea. Goo Joon Pyo is their leader. Jan Di soon realizes that it is best not to get on their bad side, as the F4, Goo Joon Pyo especially, are relentless in their bullying and hazing of students they don't like. Through a series of encounters, Jan Di manages to hold her own, and earns the love and respect of the F4.
2. You're Beautiful (16 episodes)
This one stars the beautiful Park Shin Hye playing Go Mi Nyeo, who has lived in a convent for most of her life, and is preparing to become a nun. She has a twin brother named Go Mi Nam (also played by Park Shin Hye) whose dream it is to become a pop star, in the hopes of being able to reconnect with their mother. I guess that he figures that being famous would help him locate her. He is offered to officially join a very successful pop group called A.N.Jell, so his dream is within reach. Unfortunately, Go Mi Nam, the brother, has had cosmetic surgery gone wrong (hahaha), and he is forced to leave the country for additional surgery and recuperation, so his dreams appear to be cut short after all. That is until his agent tracks down his twin sister, Go Mi Nyeo and convinces her to disguise herself as her brother, at least for as long as Go Mi Nam is unavailable. She reluctantly agrees, thinking of her brother's wish to reunite with their mother, and signs with the band. The other members of the band are crabby Hwang Tae Kyung played by the adorable Jang Geun Suk, the sweet and astute Kang Shin Woo played by Jung Yong Hwa (member of the Korean band CNBlue), and the cute and childlike Kang On Yu/Jeremy played by Lee Hong Ki (member of the Korean band FTIsland). Lots of fun is had as the male band members come to realize, one by one, that their new member is a girl, and all eventually develop feelings for her.
3. Heartstrings (aka You've Fallen for Me; 15 episodes)
Park Shin Hye and Jung Yong Hwa are back in this one playing Lee Kyu Won and Lee Shin respectively. They are both university students. Kyu Won is majoring in traditional Korean music/instruments, specifically the gayageum. Her grandfather who is her guardian is very cynical of any music that is not traditional, having been one of the top traditional musicians of his time. Lee Shin is majoring in modern music and is the lead vocalist and guitarist of a college band called "The Stupid." So yeah, the complete antithesis of traditional. And I guess that therein lies the conflict, yet of the four dramas I watched, the conflict was far less defined in this one. It didn't matter all that much to me, as I liked the characters. Lee Shin of course, is cold and crabby toward Kyu Won at first, as he is harboring a crush on a college dance teacher and doesn't have the time to give to any of this adoring college fangirls, not that Kyu Won is a fangirl...at least not at first. Eventually he comes around though, and everything ends just the way we'd like it to. What I did especially like and appreciate about this one is that little snags that are thrown at the characters from time to time, don't derail their feelings for each other. Very often, in most soap operas, regardless of where they're made, the conflicts come fast and furious, and every time, it alienates the main couple. Not so here. Once they're in love, they're in love, and trust one another completely.
4. Full House (16 episodes)
As mentioned above, this is my favorite of the four. It's also the "oldest," having been broadcast in 2004. This one stars the super famous Korean pop singer Bi/Rain playing Lee Young Jae, and the lovely and hilarious Song Hye Kyo playing Han Ji Eun. Ji Eun, an Internet novelist with little skill, was orphaned years earlier, and lives alone in the huge home her father built and named "Full House," as it was his belief that the home would always be full of love. She has two close friends, a couple named Dong Wook and Hee Jin who she has known for many many years, and they are really horribly wretched, albeit clueless human beings. Upon finding out that Hee Jin is pregnant, Dong Wook, already in debt up to his eyeballs, concocts a plan to sell Ji Eun's house and empty out her bank account to make up for his poor financial decisions. Dong Wook and Hee Jin convince Ji Eun that she has won an all-expense paid trip to Shanghai, and somehow come up with a one-way ticket to give to her. Ji Eun is suspicious at first, stating, "Nothing in this world is free," but she eventually gives in and agrees to go. Seated next to her on the plane is the insanely famous actor Lee Young Jae, who is as renown for his scandals as he is for his skill as an actor. Ji Eun quickly gets on his nerves and makes her way into the viewer's hearts as she's just so darn lovable. Upon arriving in Shanghai, Ji Eun realizes that there is something terribly wrong with this trip. No one is there to meet her, and she hasn't enough money to even pay the taxi fare complete. Thanks to a kind man named Yoo Min Hyuk, played by the handsome Kim Sung Soo, who is visiting the hotel to see his friend Lee Young Jae (surprise, surprise), she is able to register at the hotel. But only after she embarrasses herself, mistaking Min Hyuk for a Japanese businessman. After a few days of being unable to connect with her "friends" for an explanation for why things have gone so wrong, she decides to visit Lee Young Jae's hotel room to ask for a loan of money to pay for the hotel and a return flight home. He agrees to help, but only after she concocts a whole story about how she and his good friend Min Hyuk had at one time been in love. He agrees as a favor to his old friend, as he buys her story hook, line, and sinker. In the meantime, back in Korea, her "friends" have already sold her house...to someone representing Lee Young Jae. Upon arriving back home, she finds that it is no longer her home, and through a whole series of events (I'm skipping a lot here, I know), agrees to enter into a contract marriage with the actor in hopes of getting her home back. So this is one of those forced co-habitation stories, and I really think it's well done. Lee Young Jae is as crabby as ever, and Ji Eun is just delightful, and they sure do manage to push each other's buttons. I really, really loved this one. Swoon!
So, for anyone out there willing to give Korean dramas a shot, I promise you won't be sorry. You can watch them all for free here. Honestly, I'm really glad that with all of the junk on television, that my kids seem to prefer these shows. I don't really censor things for my kids. In fact, they do a great job of knowing what is or isn't appropriate for them to watch, all on their own. But it does my heart good to know that this is the sort of entertainment that they prefer. Not only that, but they're fun for me, too. And that's always a plus.
Now what to watch next?
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Latinists and Hellenists, Rejoice!
I just made a last minute purchase from The Teaching Company (The Great Courses), and I was emailed a link to course starter materials as a follow-up to my order. I was thrilled to see there was a link to the Perseus Digital Library.
I have seen similar sites, but this one is outstanding, and I just had to share.
Feeling oh so grateful for the Internet right about now.
Enjoy!
I have seen similar sites, but this one is outstanding, and I just had to share.
Feeling oh so grateful for the Internet right about now.
Enjoy!
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
I've Discovered the Retro Camera App
Yes, I'm still s-l-o-w-l-y figuring out what's available for the iPod touch. And this app is so cool! There were others, but this was the free one.
This is the poinsettia that has seen better days, but you can barely tell its sorry state from the picture.
We spent a day in Chinatown this weekend, and this little guy came home with us.
My son bought the dragon pictured above, we watched the parade, made it onto the news for Chinese audiences (for like a nanosecond anyway), my husband added to his kung fu film collection, the kids all bought Chinese slippers, my oldest bought a Jay Chou DVD she's been wanting for ages, and I bought some Dit Da Jow, i.e., Chinese liniment, for my Mom. All around, it was a fun day spent shopping and eating.
As you can probably tell from the photographs, I'm sort of drawn to the reds. I did take other shots, but I'm still trying to figure out the most efficient way to get these off of my iPod. The app gives me the option of sharing on Twitter, Facebook, and E-mail, so I opted for E-mail. But then when I tried to send myself the email with the attachment, the Qwerty keyboard on the screen was obstructing my way to the "Send" button. I had to save the messages (one per photo) as drafts. In any case, it wasn't as efficient as I would have liked, but at least these made it.
This is the poinsettia that has seen better days, but you can barely tell its sorry state from the picture.
We spent a day in Chinatown this weekend, and this little guy came home with us.
My son bought the dragon pictured above, we watched the parade, made it onto the news for Chinese audiences (for like a nanosecond anyway), my husband added to his kung fu film collection, the kids all bought Chinese slippers, my oldest bought a Jay Chou DVD she's been wanting for ages, and I bought some Dit Da Jow, i.e., Chinese liniment, for my Mom. All around, it was a fun day spent shopping and eating.
As you can probably tell from the photographs, I'm sort of drawn to the reds. I did take other shots, but I'm still trying to figure out the most efficient way to get these off of my iPod. The app gives me the option of sharing on Twitter, Facebook, and E-mail, so I opted for E-mail. But then when I tried to send myself the email with the attachment, the Qwerty keyboard on the screen was obstructing my way to the "Send" button. I had to save the messages (one per photo) as drafts. In any case, it wasn't as efficient as I would have liked, but at least these made it.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
iPod Touch, How I Love Thee
This thing is cool. Darn cool. How did I live without it for so long?
In addition to all of those game apps I've developed addictions to, I've discovered that it's just a totally awesome addition to our homeschooling.
Just yesterday, I was able to lecture at our whiteboard, with it in hand. I was lecturing about J.D. Salinger, in this case, about Catcher in the Rye being a Bildungsroman, and other details like publication dates, controversies, and biographical info on Salinger.
Sure, I could have just used my computer, but to have the convenience of all of that info being available on such a tiny, nearly weightless hand-held device was just heavenly! This meant there was no need to traipse back and forth from the computer screen to the whiteboard for the little details I'm wont to forget.
Later on, while giving a timed drill...yep, I used my iPod with a most excellent free timer app. I'm clearly smitten.
And then of course, there are all of the little extras I use practically every day...the calendar, the calculator, all kinds of conversion charts, maps, voice memos, video capability, etc. The list is endless! This little device is a homeschooler's dream come true!
Unrelated to homeschooling, but to life in general, when I couldn't find a flashlight to check for something deep under the bed this past weekend, the iPod worked its magic yet again, with a flashlight app!
And it even helps me stay focused during the rosary. In Latin.
Sigh.
Off to go pet my iPod.
Number of songs currently on said device: Still zero.
In addition to all of those game apps I've developed addictions to, I've discovered that it's just a totally awesome addition to our homeschooling.
Just yesterday, I was able to lecture at our whiteboard, with it in hand. I was lecturing about J.D. Salinger, in this case, about Catcher in the Rye being a Bildungsroman, and other details like publication dates, controversies, and biographical info on Salinger.
Sure, I could have just used my computer, but to have the convenience of all of that info being available on such a tiny, nearly weightless hand-held device was just heavenly! This meant there was no need to traipse back and forth from the computer screen to the whiteboard for the little details I'm wont to forget.
Later on, while giving a timed drill...yep, I used my iPod with a most excellent free timer app. I'm clearly smitten.
And then of course, there are all of the little extras I use practically every day...the calendar, the calculator, all kinds of conversion charts, maps, voice memos, video capability, etc. The list is endless! This little device is a homeschooler's dream come true!
Unrelated to homeschooling, but to life in general, when I couldn't find a flashlight to check for something deep under the bed this past weekend, the iPod worked its magic yet again, with a flashlight app!
And it even helps me stay focused during the rosary. In Latin.
Sigh.
Off to go pet my iPod.
Number of songs currently on said device: Still zero.
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