A/PIA stands for Asian Pacific Island Americans and I am in Ann Arbor, Michigan for two lovely conferences. They are both being held at the University of Michigan. One is for A/PIA movement building and the other is for Filipino and Filipino American academics. I’ve been taking notes all day and I’m exhausted, but I […]
Author: Lisa
40 Days of Writing, Day 16: The Problem with US-Centrism
There are many ways to define “superpower.” As a nation, the United States boast a number of reasons why it’s the last (or soon to be passing) superpower in the world. Economically, however arguable, our economy and entrepreneurship influence every country in the free market. Our nation was founded on religious freedom and our racial […]
40 Days of Writing, Day 15: If Jesus Came Today
I have a lot of thoughts about Jesus. And lately I’ve been wondering how and why people around me seem determined for me to like and worship their version of Jesus. The Redeemer. Savior. Rabbi. Teacher. He was, I believe, all of these. For me, though, I imagine that Jesus would behave like one of […]
40 Days of Writing, Day 14: A Quote on Men, Women, & Food
I just wanted to point out a lovely remark my darling partner made this past weekend… I casually ask Nick why most men don’t care about what they eat. He replied, “Men aren’t punished for showing their desire for food or their appetite. Women are punished not just for eating, but if their bodies don’t […]
40 Days of Writing, Day 13: Getting Back in the Saddle
One cold, one upper respiratory infection and two incidents of thrown out backs later, I find myself at the gym. Specifically, I’m back in zumba class and the mad dash to work out now that spring is here is nothing short of eye popping annoying. The zumba class comfortably accommodates 45. It can squeeze 50 […]
40 Days of Writing, Day 12: Letter to My Son
Dear Isaiah, You’re so funny. You walk with your hands behind you. You open your mouth real wide “aaaaaahhhh” after you drink something, like you’ve been in the Sahara desert with no water for days and savoring the quenched feeling. You repeat things that your Dad prompts you to say. Today, on a walk, your […]
40 Days of Writing, Day 11: On Breaking Vows
I made a vow to write everyday for 40 days. On day 10, I forgot. I FORGOT. Nothing fancy. Nothing tragic. I simply FORGOT. Nick told me to let it go and keep writing, “the point,” he said, “is redemption.” No. The point is to write everyday and I FORGOT. What happened that day, I […]
40 Days of Writing, Day 9: Strength in Brevity
A year or two ago, a visiting priest came to our parish and when he stood at the pulpit to deliver his homily, he looked to the crowd and said, “Be merciful. Be merciful. Be merciful.” And walked back to his seat. The congregation was stunned, and not because of its profundity. As people of […]
40 Days of Writing, Day 8: How to Un-Celebritize Your Life
I like knowing things about famous people. I watch TV and I’m a careful consumer of media with the awareness that with every second of air time, with every inch of billboard, with ever soundwave on the radio, there’s an agenda. There’s nothing more attractive to business people than the glossy surface of your brain […]
40 Days of Writing, Day 7: Writing Through Pain
The only reason I am writing this sentence at this very moment is because I promised myself I would and because I believe that having a hiccup this early on in my Lenten promise is nothing short of embarrassing. I have a headache. And it’s one of those where even after 2 Tylenol, the pain […]