Be a rebel- don’t buy it!

Just random thoughts/thinking, Technology | Posted by Josh May 4th, 2012

I’m typing this post on an iPad. This is the first time I’ve done a blog post from an iPad and honestly I’m a little skeptical. It has little to do with the product itself, the iPad is a pretty neat device. My ambivalence is more for philosophical reasons. Maybe it’s because I don’t embrace change very well. New is not necessarily better. I’m a traditionalist at heart. Maybe it’s because I don’t like it when people tell me I need the latest and greatest techno product. Maybe it’s simply that I like to be a rebel and buck the trends.

I think a big part of it is that deep down I just don’t value technology in general. I mean of course I do value it to some extent. But to the degree that the culture at large values it I fall far short. So much of what is created these days is great and wonderful when it first comes out. It’s novel because it’s current. I’m sorry but I just don’t admire things that are fleeting. I admire things that stand the test of time. If it won’t be around 2, 5, 10 years from now I just don’t value it.

I’ve found that the more technical something is the harder it is to share. Look at ebooks. So you can download digital books. Great! But can I give the book to a friend. Well, maybe. But it’s hard. There are rules and policies about that. Really?! If I buy something I don’t want to be told who and how I can give it to someone. This is the same reason I don’t buy music from iTunes. Technology makes it increasingly harder to be generous. Also with ebooks there’s a big prerequisite on who I can lend the digital book to- they have to have an ebook reader like a kindle or something. Sorry, but thats’s not good enough for me. I’m hesitant to buy things I can’t easily lend or give to others. life is too short to hog things for myself. I want to be a giver.

I think ultimately though my biggest beef with iPads and the like is just that at the end of the day it’s just another distraction. I’m helping babysit four kids this week and I’m seeing that kids as well as adults share a common weakness, we all have have inherent weakness for screens. We get sucked in so easily. I’m really hesitant to get an iPad because I know it’ll be another distraction for me- something that commands my attention and makes me more selfish, not less. If I think about it I’m not sure I want that. Generally speaking the fewer screens I have in my life the less problematic this is. So if I can help it, if I have a choice I’d like to reduce these distractions as much as possible.

That’s just how I see it but I think there’s a lot of thought behind it. I have reasons and it’s not just to be a rebel. It troubles me to think that people don’t think these things through before they add another gadget or technology to their life, whether it be Facebook or a new iPhone. We’re not just adding a new _________ (fill in the blank) to our life. We’re giving something up every time we get something new.

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The introspective guy says ‘Amen!’

Just random thoughts/thinking, Spiritual growth & discipline | Posted by Josh April 19th, 2012

Turning Off Your Smartphone: More Stress Or Less?

I had to read this article twice. Pretty much nailed it for me. Couldn’t have said it better myself, so I’ll just quote the article:

When it comes to creating stress, smartphones are near the top of the list. Although these ubiquitous devices put the world at our fingertips, and seemingly free us from the shackles of the office, they also invade our lives and psyches.

This is something I’ve thought a lot about. I see the way that people are so wrapped up in their smartphones and online devices and it really concerns me. I think people are way too addicted to them. They demand our attention, interrupt relationships, consume our thoughts, and pretty much wipe out any free time we’d normally have if we’re not careful. They insert themselves into the empty spaces of our lives. But we need those empty spaces! In this fast-paced online always connected world, I often wonder if we’ve lost the margin in our lives. Do people even care about margin anymore?

I’m cognizant of how much time I spend in front of screens during the day, whether they be Tv, computer, iPod, etc. It’s really sneaky how it works. While I’m looking at a screen, I’m getting fed information and stimulating my mind. I’m being told what to think, told what to believe, leaving little room to weigh my own feelings. No room for creative thought. This is the same reason why books are better than movies- one allows for imagination, the other doesn’t. Personally, I need time to reflect on things, put the pieces of my day and life together and make connections. Without it I feel lost at sea. Margin time lets me build bridges in my mind. It’s how I make sense of the things around me. I think if we’re not careful we lose this margin, this breathing space without knowing it. But if we’re careful we don’t have to lose it!

I appreciate the author of the article suggesting we need predictable time off- time when we deliberately turn off our smart phones, unplug our internet, and turn off the Tv. I wonder how many of us are really able to do this? It’s a discipline for sure, and for those not used to it, could be kind of boring, leaving a wide open empty space in their life. But I say it’s worth it! It’s worth trying. Those who are never able to disconnect and unplug have lost something. They’ve lost the ability to think, to wonder, to let the mind wander into new creative places. Have we lost the ability to daydream? Or have we been overtaken by Angry Birds or some other mindless video game? The people I admire the most are those who can say ‘no’ to these things- not just on principle but because they know that it’s in the empty spaces where some really wonderful things take place. That’s when we’re most thoughtful, and most creative. Let’s not lose the magic of margin in our lives. It might open up a whole new world for us.

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language blooper #3545…

Language Learning | Posted by Josh April 10th, 2012

Today we spent a couple hours over at our friends house babysitting for her four kids. Kicked the soccer ball around, played a card game, and the I left to go back home. Kim is still over there doing a girls movie night.

So I’m home, and since I’ll be by myself for a little while, I think I’ll get a little ice creme. Yep, that sounds good. I hop on the motorbike and drive down the road to a little convenience store. As I enter I’m immediately greeted by the owner- a older woman sitting on a stool supervising the action (or does she just have nothing better to do?). I head to the freezer, grab a tub of choco-chip ice creme (the good stuff, mind you), and head to the checkout line. The owner strikes up a conversation with me, ‘Ohh, ngidam Kim ya?”, in the local language. I think she’s asking if Kim is babysitting now. This is a fair assumption because usually everybody in our neighborhood knows EVERYTHING we are doing at all times. So I say yes, Kim is babysitting. But not just Kim! Going a little further I tell her I was ‘babysitting’ too. Awkward laugh. . . then to my horror I realize I said something horribly wrong. She wasn’t asking me about babysitting, she was asking me if Kim was having pregnancy cravings. . . that’s why I’m buying the ice creme, right? So I accidentally said I have pregnancy cravings too.

Uhhh. . . I mean. . .

There’s no way to rescue myself from that one. What do I say, “haha, just kidding.” So I try to act confident, smile, and bee-line to my motorbike. Might be best to stay indoors tonight. Douse my pregnancy cravings with a big bowl of ice creme!

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Journaling

Just random thoughts/thinking, Thought of the day | Posted by Josh March 30th, 2012

I know it’s a good night of reflection when my hand is sore and the distinct smell of pen ink fills the room…

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If you can’t stand the heat. . .

Life in Southeast Asia | Posted by Josh March 30th, 2012

Let’s see, what did I do yesterday? Yesterday was Thursday. . . We had some neighbors stop by our house in the morning. I served coffee. In the afternoon I went to the police office to give them my new visa documents. We stopped by our friends house to congratulate them on their new baby. And lastly we did a little house work.

I’m always amazed at how Indonesia has a way of completely wearing you out and having very little to show for it. I think in the States I would be able to do so many things, accomplish so many tasks. Go places. Visit people- and not be completely worn out by it. But here it’s just uncanny how doing almost ANYTHING is extremely exhausting. I wear out so quickly doing the most trivial tasks.

I really think the heat has a lot to do with this. In fact I’ll go so far as to say that 80% of the issue is the weather. (The other 20% might be language/culture fatigue) But it’s just so hot here and it really plays with your energy levels. Yesterday was a really hot day. Even indoors it was toasty. We were at our friend’s house and they usually have fans running. But the power was out so we had to sit in the heat and humidity. Sweating burns calories, right? I think I was burning a lot of calories just sitting on their couch.

I know it gets hot in the States too. I remember Texas was an inferno at times, over a hundred degrees. But at least there you have AC to run to. Buildings, cars, malls, etc. they’re all equipped. But here AC is a luxury that’s hard to find. That’s the reason we frequent coffee shops and the mall in town. Trust me- it’s not for the coffee! It’s to escape the heat.

Ahh, the joys of living on the equator. Beautiful paradise. Lot’s of tasty tropical fruit. Lush forests and beautiful oceans. . . But if you can’t stand the heat. . . go back to Wisconsin, ha!!

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Extending our house contract.

City / Country profile, Life in Southeast Asia | Posted by Josh March 22nd, 2012

“Terserah” or “It’s up to you” is what our landlord said today when we asked him about next years rent. In other words, he is saying we can set the price. It’s up to us! How many landlords do you know would say something like that?

This has been a really great house for Kim and me the last two years. I was walking around it the other day having a quiet celebration in my heart as I looked at all the little renovations and improvements we’ve made. Everything in here, from the cabinets and furniture to shelves and floor we’ve had a hand in improving. It’s not much to look at still, but we’ve made it our own and that means something.

I am just so thankful to God for how He’s provided us this place. We’re surrounded by great people, right in the heart of Anugerah territory. It’s still in the city, but outside it enough to run into a lot of traditional values and village-like mentality. I’d say it’s still pretty village-like around here.

And the people have really accepted us into their community. We never really know what people think of us (because we’re outsiders) but every now and then we get a glimpse into their mind’s eye. Just last week for example they built a little wooden guard post in our front yard. This is used for the night watch and I was asked to participate. So from now on once a week I will join three or four other guys as we take our post and stay up all night watching the community. At first I was like “oh. . . great. . . do I really have to do this?” but I’ve asked people and they say it’s a big honor. It’s a sign that we’re accepted and a big part of our community. All too often we’re guessing at what people really think of us. But things like this are a good sign.

It’s hard to believe we’ve been in our house in BK for two years. I can’t think back clearly enough to recall everything that’s happened. We DID go back to the States for five months, that I do remember. But as for our life here in Indo, it’s been really really full. We’ve gone through many challenges and have grown as a result. Facing difficulties and the unknown has made us stronger. I’d like to think we’re more confident and together than we were two years ago. Living in Asia has a way of making you feel completely overwhelmed and like a child most days. But we’ve made progress and good things are starting to happen.

So I look back over the last two years and just feel extremely grateful for all God has done for us. He truly is the Provider. We’ve never lacked anything but have seen the power of prayer first hand in our lives. And this is one of the testimonies we have for these people. That they too can call on a God who hears them and cares about them. It’s enough to make us stay. . . and renew our contract for another two years.

“Thank you Lord for this house. Bless it and the people who come here. May it continue to be a light to those who live around here. Amen!”

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The crazy, multi-national, miraculous visa.

Life in Southeast Asia, Travel | Posted by Josh March 17th, 2012

I made a comment to Kim just now that this is the forth night in a row where we’re sleeping at a different place. For the last four days we’ve been nomads. Starting from Singapore we’re slowly making our way back to little ole’ BK where hopefully our house and cat await us. It’s been quite the adventure let me just tell you- another huge exercise in trust. But like always whenever we step out on faith, relying 100% totally on God (usually because we have to), He always provides for us. This has been no different. So the last couple weeks, although brief, have been an exercise in faith with just a wee bit of craziness.

So, why are we bouncing around so much?? Why not just come straight back home to BK?? Well, the reason for our departure from BK in the first place was to get our new visa. You can only be in country as long as your visa says. And for us it said ‘times up’! So we made our exit and spent about a week with my relatives in Singapore waiting for our approval to come through. It came (a few days later than expected) and we were able to come back to Jakarta. Now here’s where it got really interesting. . .

We have to check in at immigration in Jakarta. This involves signing a bunch of papers, getting our finger prints and photos taken, and paying fees and other things we really don’t know what are for. And of course we’re not sure where to go for this, what we’re supposed to say to the officials, and how long all of this is going to take. We’re thinking maybe five days if we’re lucky we’ll be done and can get a plane back to BK. Okay, Lord. . . here we go!

But fortunately Friday morning our visa sponsor comes to the rescue. He hooks us up with a closer place to stay for the night, and all we have to do is drop off our passports. But later that day he says we can go and get it all done that day! Just pay a little extra and we can get the ‘speedy’ service. Doing some mental calculations in my head, it’s cheaper to pay for the ‘speedy’ option, getting it done in one day, and not shelling out all the money for hotel nights.

Long story short, we were able to get all our paperwork and reporting done in just one day. We also were able to visit my new Jakarta office! Ha ha. Well, technically I am an employee now. =) Yesterday we met up with Herrick, our Indonesian sponsor and he shared about some of the work he’s involved with. I can’t get into it here, but let me just say that I’m more and more impressed with this man. He has his heart and his priorities in the right place. He’s a solid Believer, a business man, extends visas to people like me, and is doing everything he can in his own way to reach people for the Lord. What a guy. We’re so fortunate to know him, and really really blessed that he gave us a visa.

That’s the story. Kinda crazy. Kinda wild. But ultimately God had it all under control and we just kept trusting that the whole time. Will I remember days like this?- where Kim and I are wandering around Asia, bouncing between government offices in two different countries, getting flights the day of, and checking into hotels with nothing but our carry-on luggage? It’s a pretty crazy lifestyle sometimes. Gotta love it, right? =)

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Still out of town

Travel | Posted by Josh March 9th, 2012

Still no word on the visa thing. Our visa sponsor said “besok” which literally means tomorrow but in common use can mean anytime in the future. So we have no real estimate of when it’ll come in. Looks like we’re in Singapore over the weekend.

It’s been really nice to be with Scott, Randi and the boys. It’s wonderful to be with family. They have the inside scoop on the city and know the good places to go and how to save money. And we just really appreciate the small things like board games at night and home cooked dinners. It’s definitely the little things that make a big difference. So despite the fact that we’re ‘stranded’, we’re really not that bad off! Just hoping our approval comes in soon.

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Access denied!!

Life in Southeast Asia, Travel | Posted by Josh March 7th, 2012

Well, we find ourselves in a rather unique situation. For the first time ever we are not allowed back into Indonesia. Hopefully this is only a temporary setback! Our old permission (ie. visa) has expired and we’re waiting for the new visa to come through. In Indonesia we have a home, friends, a cat, a job, etc. . . but today we are not allowed back in. Sort of a strange feeling. Usually it’s no problem to cross borders. Just wave our passport at the immigration official on our way to baggage claim. Then life can continue on as normal. But that all comes to a screeching halt once your visa is expired.

Visas are usually the bane of a foreigner’s existence. I know a lot of people who have great difficulties just obtaining a 1 year visa for the country. What happens if you’re only given a couple months at a time? Several years ago I lived in Thailand. I had a tourist visa and every 30 days or so I had to exit the country, go to Burma, and come back in. I did this for about six months. I can’t imagine how it would be for the long term worker. What a pain!

Fortunately for me and Kim we haven’t experienced too many visa troubles. We’ve always had a pretty solid 1 year visa to let us in and out. This will be the fourth time we’ve had to go through this process. The first time- a student visa on Java, the second- a student visa on Sumatra, the third- a teaching visa, and now- a business development visa. Sometimes too there are heavy requirements from the visa sponsor. The person or company might require you to work a whole lot of hours just for the PRIVILEGE of working or living in the country. Ha! Imagine that. If you are sponsored through a university or something (for example) you might have to work a whole bunch of hours for them. Or if it’s a community development visa you might get sucked into doing a bunch of projects you didn’t really come there to do. For us, last year I only had to teach about 8-12 hours a week. Not bad really.

But the fact that we don’t have the visa in our passports right now we feel kind of stranded. We’re not stressing about it- God’s got it all under His control- but we have taken our liberty for granted. It feels different when all of a sudden we’re not eligible to come back in. It really makes me value our time there a little more. You always value things more after you lose it, right? Our time in Indonesia is not free. The ‘payment’ comes in the form of little sticker that immigration officials look at when I walk across their border. That says we’re ‘valid’. We have 1 year and the clock is ticking. Better make the most of our access while it’s ours to have!

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From greeting line to airline

Culture Shock, Travel | Posted by Josh March 4th, 2012

Today I had one of the most abrupt transitions ever. For the last couple of days Kim and I have been helping out at a wedding across the street from our house. When I say across the street I mean LITERALLY across the street. So close they use our front yard as a parking lot.

Saturday was the official wedding ceremony and Sunday the reception. But really, between the two days, there hasn’t been a break. After the wedding on Saturday they played techno-ish music from the huge loudspeakers into the whee hours of the morning. People sang karaoke to their hearts content. It was so loud that Kim and I couldn’t sit in our living room and hear each other speaking. So we had a restless night.

Sunday it started up again around 8am. The music started playing indicating it was time to start getting ready. When we arrived I was invited to stand in the greeting line while Kim went to go help out in the kitchen area. I greeted guests for a couple hours as they came in. Kim handed out drinks at one of the serving tables.

Now the hard part of all this is that immediately following this wedding and reception we had to hop on a couple planes to Singapore- no time catch our breath in between. We’re getting our new visa and had to leave the country. But because we’re in our neighborhood and the wedding was across the street from us we had to do that too. So one minute I’m in the culture, greeting guests, speaking the language, and the next I’m back in my American clothes, passports in hard on my way to the airport. Whoa Josh!! Slow down! Even now as I write this, it’s late at night, we’re in Singapore and I’m still trying to get my head on straight. Who am I anyway? Can I really just jump worlds like that so quickly? Can I go from the village to international flights all within a couple hours?

Perhaps I need a good nights rest. Tonight all I have is the soft purr of a quiet AC unit on the high rise apartment. Last night the thunderous booming of karaoke from across the street. Tomorrow is a new day.

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