I'm Alive! and May's almost over.

My reason for the lack of updates: Between Twitter, Google Buzz, Facebook, Livejournal, and all the other sites I use, I've been spread thin on the social networking circuit lately. Perhaps the deluge of information I'm exposed to - a speedily flowing volume of bits and bytes of news and info - reduces, or detracts from, deeply-considered thought.

These days, one is more likely to quickly scan a huge deluge of short bursts of ideas, rather than process something substantial and complex for a long time. And so, continuing in the same pattern, my poor audience has only been getting 140-character tweets instead of deeply considered, thoughtful posts. Some sparks:

On why being a person of faith is almost a revolutionary act in these times:
In the greater part of the 20th century, most of the enemies that the Western world fought against were atheists and Communists. Religious orthodoxy was wholesome in comparison at that time. However, the bad guys who want to blow us up now are religious zealots. Devout religious belief is suspicious and anti-democratic (Keller).

May is National Suicide Prevention Month and Asian American Pacific American (AAPA) Heritage Month. My brother sent me this article from KimchiMamas: "Raising Your Asian-American Teen"
A great excerpt:
The model minority myth for Asians states that we are smart, hard-working and overcome the difficulties of acculturation. This stereotype can also promote depression, as it’s difficult to live up to, and can hinder teachers and parents from identifying youth to help. Asian American girls, for example, are positively rewarded for being compliant, persevering without complaint, and putting others’ needs before their own. So parents and teachers may overlook their isolation or withdrawal. This creates a difficult dynamic for the child who has learned to withhold emotions. Shame, a sense of low self-control, and a culture that limits expressing emotions lead to helplessness and isolation.

Reach out to a brother or sister today.

May 29th is World Enneagram Day.
I perceive the world as a Five with a Six wing. Do you know what your number is?