Where have all the morals gone?

4 September 2009 by betty | 1 comment

I just watched the UK’s most recent episode of Ugly Betty, and I was pretty shocked by it. I know it’s TV and all, and I hope there’ll be a good redemption episode upcoming, but I was pretty appalled by the way people acted in this episode.

1. Betty made a ‘terrible’ mistake in befriending a competing magazine rival. She was betrayed by that person who impersonates her and steals something precious from Betty. Okay, this does unfortunately happen in real life.

2. Betty and colleague go and basically steal that precious thing back and are praised for it by their boss. What’s with that? I know, once again it’s TV and I suppose it’s entertaining but still! I wonder if this would happen in real life.

3. And then all these affairs happening, not exactly affairs and I suppose relationships have all these layers of issues. But this part, I was not as surprised by, which makes it even more sad because now I’m numb from hearing/seeing people basically betraying their loved ones.

Maybe I’ve been a little sensitive today. I’m just sad to find the state of our society’s morals… albeit in the virtual world of the television.

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Academia and the “Suspension of Belief”

24 August 2009 by alex | 2 comments

In literature, there is a concept known as a “suspension of disbelief” where you are mentally are willing to belief in the unbelievable.  This then allows the story to make sense, despite the fact that chipmunks don’t sing and different worlds don’t exist deep inside your wardrobe.

Since coming to England for my postgraduate, theological studies, I have come to the realisation that there needs to be a “suspension of belief” — that, in my writing, I cannot appeal to my biblical or doctrinal convictions as authoritative. Read the rest of this entry »

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Our New Home

6 August 2009 by alex | 6 comments

For the first time since getting married, Betty and I have a place of our own to call “home.”

When we first got married, Betty moved into my basement suite underneath the home of a pastor and his family. They were good people but, on a regular basis, we could hear the piano playing next to our bedroom and the ping-pong table being used next to our kitchen.

The next time we moved was when we relocated here to the UK in September of last year. We stayed with good friends in a shared home as “temporary housing.”  Honestly, we have been really blessed by good friends and strangers who have opened their places to us to live.  But, as a young married couple with a desire to bless others, we thought it would be important to find a more personal “home”.  So, this all changed last week.

Here’s a shot of the front (with our Civic parked there) and our back garden (with the new compost bin we got — which, incidentally, is sold at a reduced cost since most municipalities actually subsidise them).  Our hope is that we will be able to use this place for God’s glory and, perhaps, entertain angels unaware.  If you would like to visit, drop us a line!

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Another Day Another… Huh?

17 June 2009 by alex | 5 comments

US-UK PinWARNING: You are about to encounter a long rant.

So, since Betty and I have been here living in the motherland (England), I have been merrily driving around in our eternal blue Honda Civic without a license.  Well, without a proper UK license to be precise.  I can legally drive on my US license for the first year but have to go through the process to apply and test for a UK license if I want to drive anytime after that first year. Read the rest of this entry »

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First Year of Marriage

10 May 2009 by alex | 7 comments

Dancing

Its been 365 days since Betty and I wed.  Since the exchange of vows, it has been quite a whirlwind.  She changed jobs; I began a PhD.  We moved countries and have lived in two homes (Lord-willing, going to a third one at the end of this month).  Had the addition of two members to our family — a MacBook and MacBook Pro (what else were you thinking?).  We have been homesick, rejoiced at the news of an expectant nephew, mourned the passing of a loved one, surrounded by encouraging friends, faced with major decisions of housing and traveling and weddings to attend or miss, and had much anxiety over exams to come (my first year PhD panel review in June and Betty’s professional certificate exam THIS TUESDAY — prayers appreciated!).  Needless to say, in one sense it seems like we have been married for much more than one year.  Yet at the same time, I feel as though we are still newlyweds. Read the rest of this entry »

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