Hazel Ceej

Small Talk Six: “6 ways you indulge or spoil your children.” Join in here . Please scroll down for Weekend Funnies Here's a little case background: Growing up I was as disciplined by my mother as I was spoiled by my father. When I became a mom I chose to employ my mother's parenting style until divorce entered the scene. Full child custody has a price. With care-giving and developmental issues I ended up shuttling my son between 2 countries 5 times in less than 6 years. Through guilt and panic I struggle to make up for my sins >>> 1. There's this rule I set for myself to follow a certain budget each month for all his expenses and NOT to buy anything beyond the budget. But when he suddenly wants a new bike, I break my own rule. 2. It's usually during overseas trips that I indulge him the most. On a cruise in Hong Kong recently, I let him goof with my mini-tiara and play with my diamond ring eventhough I am aware of his penchant for throwing things when bored and...

Write from Karen Ever wondered how a bunch of university instructors absorb themselves during a meeting? Scenario: three languages; four age groups, five ranks, philosophies as varied as the total number of wrinkles of everyone in attendance and a common bottomline: pay. Some suffer burnout, others are eager for showtime one minute and ready to bite the academic dust the next, while the rest look forward to hearing the meeting is adjourned. A foreign few had to sit quiet through untranslated speeches. They interact via notes - 1. Crap. Syllabus doesn't match the book. Computer nerdery got messed up or who do we talk to about this? 2. Ah there goes conceptual thinking. Look at the powerpoint 3. I'm so sick of being professionally stagnant. 4. Business guys are paid $$ more per hour than the humanoids in Humanities .... 5. That's fair. 6. ... watched Sex and the City last night. It was funny but soon I was no longer laughing at the film... seatmates had to read the subtitle ...

Thailand is celebrating Songkran (Thai new year) this week. Water-throwing which characterizes the occasion has been reportedly mild especially in Bangkok where protests are still going on. It's untraditionally dry where I live and in general things have been quiet. I like the week just the way it is: A place to purchase necessities in peace I usually stay indoors during Songkran because I don't like to get drenched. To do the same thing this year I hoarded food so I didn't have to go out at anytime during the entire week. I'm glad I was able to do my shopping without having to worry about stray bullets or being trampled by a mob. A friendly man in uniform After buying everything we needed, CJ and I stood waiting opposite the mall for our ride home. Vehicles on the highway were sparse. The cop directing traffic approached CJ, and playfully tugged the Ultraman doll which seems perenially attached to CJ's hand nowadays. Then he went back to his job. It all happened wi...

Gradschool, Communication Theory class: we were grilled on the application of theories in everything at every turn. When trouble erupted in Thailand's Muslim south, we were required to analyze it using a communication theory. A major newspaper editor was fired and we set about combing pages for a theory that would best explain the circumstances around the sacking. Thank God Bangkok U has already released me or I will have been wondering which theory would explain the ongoing Red Shirt protests. I remember some of these theories (#3, 4, 7, 9, 11, 12), and as I'm drafting a theoretical framework this week I have to consult texts which makes it easy for me to come up with my T13 today. Which ones are relevant to your experiences? 1. Critical theories a group of theories that seek to produce change in oppressive and otherwise undesirable practices and structures in society 2. Critical race theory examines how laws and legal institutions construct race and uses race as a critical ...

The theme for Tuesday Couch Potatoes this week is Julia Roberts movie . I love this actress! She is one of my all-time favorite stars. But guess what -- except for Charlotte's Web in which she voice acted, I don't have any of her films in my DVD collection. My favorites are Pretty Woman , and Notting Hill . She was her feisty best in Erin Brockovich . I remember ogling at her shoes in The Mexican . I watched Dying Young when I was in college and made sure I had the piano sheet of the soundtrack. JR exercised patience of a woman in love in Stepmom . I had no idea she voice acted in The Ant Bully . I can't remember details of My Best Friend's Wedding and not sure if I have seen Sleeping with the Enemy . I had easy access to The Pelican Brief, America's Sweethearts, Ocean's Eleven, Ocean's Twelve but had never gotten the time to watch them. I'm curious about Charlie Wilson's War , and putting Conspiracy Theory , and Confessions of a Dangerous Mind i...

Musical Monday: Runaway - Bon Jovi Please scroll down for Monday Mayhem My computer has gone crazy. Going out was no option because Red Shirt protests have escalated so I tried the TV. That's when I learned from CNN that as of yesterday the death toll was 19. image It's the start of Songkran (Thai new year) here but it looks like protesters are not chucking water at each other with the intensity that this event is traditionally characterized with. It's a different liquid poured on the gates of Government House but do not to go to this link if you are squeamish. I'm trying to numb some rising fear here by sticking Runaway to my head today. Diane hosts Musical Monday at Good Mourning, Glory! ************************* Monday Mayhem: Goes Stealing Please scroll up for Musical Monday Mayhem is locked up in a jail cell some place in Illinois. You might ask why? Well it went on a stealing binge this week. It passed go and didn't collect the $200.00. Rather it went right ...

Bangkok is in a state of emergency . I tried shopping yesterday but could not because protests have shut down major malls. There are no signs that anything's going to be resolved soon. As I am right where the action is I am hoping that my travel plans won't be affected. Meanwhile the rest of us are still working normally and that's a lot to be thankful for. I am also happy for other blessings: Treat from the sky Monday night it rained, saving me extra AC cost. Tuesday night a full moon was visible. Due to light pollution it's not every night that city residents get to see a sky adorned with a smiling heavenly body. Helping each other Sorting taxes is beyond me honestly, but some colleagues are good at it and willing to do it for me. In return I do something for them they'd rather not; like write the institute boss' speech around time constraints for research. Tension was high but when it was over it was hilarious how we were all in a dither while the boss just e...