#thesecondhalf

[blondebeardtheparent]

Captain’s Log

Stardate 20240711

Day 109

I haven’t written in a couple days because I haven’t really had the extra processing power to do so. Monday, we went to the hospital for our last checkup; in the evening we went go-karting. Tuesday we got the results (everything looks good), brought Simon to the King of Starbucks, booked our flight home, and went to an indoor playground. Wednesday, we packed up everything like a family tornado, returned all the stuff we borrowed to three different locations, and somehow managed to catch our 3:00PM flight (with about 20 minutes to spare). We finally arrived home around 8PM.

Looking back, it is hard to imagine that it has only been month since we left for Shanghai. In that time, we have moved three times, done a major surgery, chemotherapy, and CarT. Rae said the past month felt like a year, and she’s completely right. I have lost all track of time. The days blur into each other. Today, we decided to just take a day to veg. Tomorrow, we will try to meet up with friends, but right now, it’s just good to be home.

Next week, I will be pursuing my green card application and trying to figure out what kind of job to get next so we can move back to Shenzhen. I’m completely burned out on education. Photography doesn’t generate a stable income. Writing is fun, but there’s a reason professional authors generally die slow deaths in obscurity. Selling material objects has about as much appeal to me as being a garbage man—actually, I think the garbage man is more socially beneficial. About the only thing that I’m truly interested in at this point is ministry, but you don’t get paid for that in this country. If I went back to the US, I might be able to rectify that, but round trip airfare for a family of four plus living expenses costs about as much as a new Chevy Spark.

I can’t see the way forward, but that just means I’m probably right where I’m supposed to be. When I left school 20 years ago, I would never have been able to predict coming to China. When my heart was broken twice over, I would never have been able to predict my epic love story. When I came to Shenzhen with nothing, I would never have been able to predict getting my dream job at the university. Now, I’m unemployed and battered by three rounds of cancer, but I’m not out of the game. I believe God has plans for us, and all of this is just the pre-game warmup. If you’re reading this, help us pray it through—whatever it is.

[mostarart]

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A post shared by mo*star art (@mostarart)

#TheSecondHalf #AGameOfTwoHalves #AlShotAlThani #TheBeautifulGame . Starting a commission which is special to me...Here I am using more #traditionalpaintingtechniques very different to my recent painting, blocking in the lights and darks which will guide me later when painting the details...🎨#paintingprocess " #art speak " explanation; a "commission" is when someone requests for a painting to be created especially for them.🎨☺

[vbrownwritesagain-blog]

On the one millionth beginning...

she once again reached inside to find words to anchor her mind set free her soul.

[honeyeong-blog]

My first work. CLASSIC< Twofoldness \ Strength and softness >

[vinylgrab]

Breather Resist - The Second Half

Format: 7”, Single Pressing: 1st, Limited Edition, 1000 Copies Color Variant: Green Catalog Number: IRL22 Label: Initial Records Release Date: 2003

Tracklist:

A - The Second Half B - A Social Worker’s Nightmare