December 29, 2010
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Life Style or culture
I’m reading, “The Street of a Thousand Blossoms by Gail Tsukiyama. Gina recommended the book and I’m glad she did. It’s about Japan before and during WW2. I’m getting a perspective of what it felt like to live in Japan during the great war. I find myself wanting to get back to the book whenever I can. The characters are life like and easy to love. I know the bombs will fall and I can feel the pain of what’s to come. I know one of the main characters make it through because he was in the prologue.
What culture or life style do you like reading about?
One of my goals for next year is become better at altruism. It will take sacrifice as we live in a world of people that are users. It will take discernment to know who to help and who not to help.
Comments (10)
I like reading a lot of different things. I agree about knowing who to help out. There are so many causes that are good.
I’ve always enjoyed reading Central and Eastern Europe as well as India.
I don’t believe in sacrificing to help others. I only help others when it’s not painful for me to do so. I believe the spirit of God in me lets me know it’s right by giving me a feeling of joy when it’s the right time to help someone. When I hurt myself to help someone else, no good has really been done. One person is still injured. That doesn’t make logical sense. When I help someone and we both go away feeling stronger, I think that’s the right kind of helping.
I teach for a living, so please don’t think I’m a stingy isolationist. The world is full of outstretched hands, though, and one must be mindful of which to put resources in for the greatest effect.
I always like to delve into Japanese culture. What got me interested first was learning the language first in my second semester of college and then I started to look at their activities and what they do.
I had the great pleasure of living on Okinawa for three years. One of the Americans had a father that had fought there in the war. Her mission was to use the pictures he had taken, and match it thirty years later. She was hoping to publish it. I have never seen that book. I think I need to start searching for it. My biological father had fought there, too. I have never had the honor of asking him about it.
@oceanstarr - I agree with you. I was just telling someone last night that even Jesus did not help everyone around him. What do you teach?
@laytexduckie - Was the Japanese language very hard to learn?
@Kowpatty - You had first hand knowledge. The book your friend was planning to publish sounds very interesting. I’m amazed at how the US turned a really bad situation into good. I don’t think anyone would of thought Americans would be living in Japan decades ago.
@Randy7777 -
I teach English, some software, and some various liberal arts type classes. I try to add in as much pragmatic life skill stuff as possible… theology mixed with philosophy. I think if you’re reading the Bible right, you can give people good advice without saying the “god” word. A lot of my population is either anti God or miseducated about God and it’s not really appropriate for me to outright challenge their religious views. I can, however, point out what works in the world and what doesn’t. If this brings up QUESTIONS about their theological standpoint, I’m ready to go through a Bible and explain what I believe God meant. I always, of course, emphasize that it’s my interpretation and that God wants each individual to seek Truth through a personal relationship and they should never just trust ME or any other single authority on Truth. I believe God wants us to be happy and healthy and on a path to goodness… not stressed and miserable and hating ourselves for our imperfections right now.
Not life style, but I like to read books whose main character is involved in solving a mystery or crime. They do not have to be lawyers, police or detectives. I like Andrew Greeley’s books in which priest, Father “Blackie” Ryan, solves crimes or mysteries. ~~Blessings, Prayers ‘n Cheers
@Randy7777 -
Well, the 105 class (beginners class) was actually really easy and I aced the class. Knowing somewhat of Cantonese Chinese since it is what my family speaks and write, I understood the Kanji dialect pretty well. The 106, however, was very difficult for me to grasp since it dealt with a lot of conjugating. I decided to not pursue Japanese language afterwards since I had a hard time dealing with 106, even though friends told me that is the hardest level to understand. I would recommend learning Japanese, though. It’s a fun language.