Jacob

My dear Grandpa Friesen passed away December 21, 2009. Three days after parting with it's soul, his body was put on display in a casket, an oppurtunity for one last tangible goodbye. He lay there peacefully, silently, free of the illness that normally leaves his body tremoring. He lays there triumphantly, as his children file by with smiles and tears, each one a testament to the life he lived. His children's children too, and their children yet. Upright, humble, and honest, in strict accordance with the Bible. A steadfast man of the Lord, in the Lord's care both in life and now death. A lot of what I am thankful for finds roots in seeds planted by you, Grandpa. I love you and miss you.

The one who sows seeds to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest.

After a lifetime of sowing seeds to please the Spirit, your time has come, Grandpa, to reap the ultimate harvest.

Merry Christmas

Jesus, born of a virgin, some two thousand odd years ago; It's yule season, and there are none more exciting. Because of You, Jesus, families come together. Because of You we worship with carols. Because of You there is a hope.

Do not feed that which you want to die

肚子里的虫子

Where is the worm in my belly?

Moderation Itself Is A Kind Of Extreme - A.Bird

Learning happens as a result of frustration. Motivation has partial roots in anxiety. Improvement goes hand in hand with dissatisfaction. Without learning, motivation, and improvement, the effects of frustration, anxiety, and dissatisfaction lead to depression. When in moderate levels these emotions act as catalysts, when not they manifest.
Moderate Moderate

What Will Be

Currently haunted by Mr. B-hart, and inspired by Meg who I assume, rather know, is a Devendra-haunted vessel herself. Not even twenty-four hours after acquiring 'Baby' had it already spun ten times. Baby, so young, indeed just a babe. I fantasize about dancing to this song with my future wife, looking at her, synchronizing my sway to hers, hoping to God that she understands "Baby, I finally know what I'm going after" (not linguistically, but conceptually). If her name ends up being Angelika I will die, and the album can be played on loop with a one-two punch every rotation.

Among my future wife I find myself fantasizing about train rides and pollution (again, thanks Meg), a society benevolent and patriotic. Cities large enough to warrant subways, conversations in passing that I understand just enough of to smile. Feeling high, elated, nearly always. What will be? Good question Devendra.

I'm happy to direct you to a place much better than here (worldly). I hear God telling me these words all day, and I feel it too (otherworldly).

Another place that is much better than here, "http://thebirthoffeeling.blogspot.com/", have a scroll.

13557979173 (一三五五七九七九一七三）

I am beginning to speculate more and more frequently about the affect learning a second language has on thought processes (or perhaps vice versa). Curiosities naturally show up all over the place when you look into alternate forms of communication, but are often looked over as one-offs, oddities, etc. For monolinguals, there is no option but to contrast unfamiliar linguistic concepts to those that already exist in our brains, that of our mother tongue. (From my understanding, bilinguals also have a fixed reference point). While learning we only have one reference point from which to decode novel stimuli, and it is from this origin that a process of translation takes place. Children acquire language instinctively, and as each phonemic input is intrinsically novel, they have no option but to bank it is an anchor. With no reference point, input becomes the reference point. (There is a giant can of worms regarding the real argument for language's instinctive nature that I dare not open...see "The Language Instinct" by Steven Pinker). That being said, the ultimate goal for the post-pubescent language learner is to shed the responsibility of their mother tongue being the primary point of reference, and allow the newly acquired language to flow out uninhibited by the cumbersome translation process. To put it metaphorically, once the transition takes place it is like finding the elevator where you have previously taken the stairs. As a post-pubescent (thirteen years of age finds the critical window for language to be learned instinctively closed) how do you find your way to the elevator door? Many people don't. To do it voluntarily is quite difficult, but I strongly believe that a combination of interest, determination, submersion, and intelligence are capable of prying the elevator door open. (I also believe that of these four, interest and submersion are profoundly more important).

At the risk of sounding self-glorifying, please read the following with these things in mind: Numbers are among the first things anyone will learn when trying to acquire a new language, they receive the most rehearsal, and have a strong basis in mathematics which is a concrete science. Conceptually, numbers are not abstract. Also, the following is a curious event with implications that I currently do not know but would like to know. I am trying to approach it with the goal of answering questions in mind.

While joking around with my friends, likely about the absurdity of cell phones, I was reminded about my time spent in China when I actually owned one. In previous posts I have mentioned the frequency of information exchanges that foreigners inevitably encounter is very high. Nearly everyday you will find yourself in a situation where you are dictating your phone number to someone. These exchanges would invariably be in Chinese.
Since I have returned, the amount of Chinese I speak in any given day has been cut in a seventh. Our having a laugh at cell-phone users' expense somehow brought up the question: Do I still know the cell phone number I was subscribed to in China.
Of course I do, I said it thousands of times! However, when I attempted to relay it to my company, nothing came out. I kept saying the first two digits, the only two that I was sure of, in English, waiting for the rest to just flow on out. They didn't come out. It was only until I started thinking in Chinese that I could accurately recall my number, and it happened quick-snap. As soon as I said the first digit the rest were ducklings after a mother duck. I realize there are elements of repetition that play into fluidity of language, and the fact that I could only remember my cell phone number in Chinese doesn't mean I can project this fluidity onto other, more complex parts of speech (unfortunately), but does this scenario have implications about second language acquisition in terms of memory storage? or brain plasticity? or activation areas? transformation from noninherence to inherence? I do not know, but I would like to know.

I Am The Vine

You Are The Branches

Sit Down, Stand Up

坐立不安
拘留不敢

Vancouver

Just landed in YVR, flew with the sun so that means by the time I'm home home it will have been July 30th for about 40 hours, neat! Good old Canada, let's me use this website so activity will be on the frequent starting these days. Let's hang!