Big "Yang" Theory
After a long hiatus from writing on this thing, I'm considering returning to my little "home" here on the web. I can't explain fully why I haven't written in so long, other than the fact that I've been horribly addicted to playing Sudoku and becoming more involved in "Yang" living (I'll explain in a moment). I have managed to combine Sudoku and Gerolosteiner with listening to music on our Naim system, which, I must say, is a delightful combination! The truly amazing thing is that I'm finally coming off Sudoku, I think. I'm also becoming more interested in other things such as listening to hip hop and rap music, working out, and shopping. Um, okay. I'll try to explain myself a little here.
It all started about a month ago in my Asian Studies class. My teacher, a wonderful wonderful teacher, suggested to me that due to the fact that I am very much a "Yin" personality as opposed to "Yang" I need to balance my life with Yang activities in order to be healthy. What are Yang activities? Well, I was encouraged to try to listen to the hip hop stations on the radio on the way home from class that first evening (considered more yang-ish music as opposed to, say, classic rock). I continued to listen to this music in my car in between outreaches during work the next day. I soon found myself humming along to "My Humps" by the Black Eyed Peas whenever I'd hear it on the radio. I would desperately search stations until I found it so I could sing about my "lovely lady lumps". My husband quickly caught on to my secret love for this song, and he was kind enough to tolerate it on the radio on the drives home from picking him up from work. Next came "Laffy Taffy" , then more Black Eyed Peas songs, then my mad obsession with Eminem resurfaced. Then it was Sudoku and MTV in the evenings with Dave right by my side. I actually purchased "Laffy Taffy" as a ring tone for my cell phone, and the office services ladies at work are having a blast with that one. They're calling me "Taffy". For Christmas I got "Monkey Business" by the Peas, and ever since I've just been on one hell of a Yang adventure.
Other Yang activities and traits:
1) going to the gym and doing more aerobic activities instead of yoga or tai chi
2) lifting weights
3) speaking about what's on my mind - no b.s.-ing
4) being somewhat loud
5) being non-intellectual and more physical
6) taking risks
7) watching football/boxing/wrestling
8) spending money
9) being more of an extrovert
10) multi-tasking
11) being vulgar
12) slightly smelly
13) having abundant energy
14) being fashionable
15) NOT taking life too seriously
Now, obviously most people do not consider all of these positive traits, but it doesn't really matter - according to yin/yang theory yangs are yangs and yins are yins. You strive to be opposite of what you are naturally drawn to in order to achieve balance. You feel drawn to watching Fargo for the fifth time on cable, but instead watch America's Next Top Model, and admit to yourself that there is a side of you that loves watching beautiful dumb people on t.v. You feel like yoga and a little meditating and instead work out to your new DVD, "Walk Away the Pounds". You feel like reading Iris Murdoch and instead go for the latest edition of Life & Style magazine with Jessica and Nick on the cover. You do BOTH Sudoku puzzles in Life & Style AFTER looking at all of the glossy photos AND reading the articles! Get my drift?
I haven't fallen for all of this hook line and sinker, but I am so grateful for what I feel this has done for me by way of opening my mind. I'm starting to allow myself to listen to music that I used to think was stupid. I'm overcoming my shyness. I'm wearing sexier clothes, I have more energy, and I'm trying desperately not to take life so damn seriuosly and therefore, overall, I'm miraculously much less depressed! I also had a blast buying Christmas gifts for everyone. I've always been so stingy at Christmas time, not allowing myself to spend much money because spending money is so "irresponsible". Well Dave and I fortunate enough to have really good jobs this year, and we decided to forego getting each other gifts in order to spend more on our families and cats. Then we spent a fantastic ten days on vacation visiting family in Ohio and Pennsylvania. Oh, and I got to do another Yang thing which was to spend time with the dogs in my life. Mom and Mom Merrill have dogs and my sister-in-law does as well.
Anyway, so hopefully you understand a little more now why I haven't been here, and why I need to maybe either be here and do my non-yin things too, or just not be here at all for a while longer. I don't know, but I have enjoyed writing this, and now it is time to spend time with my family who is now visiting me this weekend. We are doing the yang family thing, which is eating junk food in front of the t.v. right before bed.
'night!
It all started about a month ago in my Asian Studies class. My teacher, a wonderful wonderful teacher, suggested to me that due to the fact that I am very much a "Yin" personality as opposed to "Yang" I need to balance my life with Yang activities in order to be healthy. What are Yang activities? Well, I was encouraged to try to listen to the hip hop stations on the radio on the way home from class that first evening (considered more yang-ish music as opposed to, say, classic rock). I continued to listen to this music in my car in between outreaches during work the next day. I soon found myself humming along to "My Humps" by the Black Eyed Peas whenever I'd hear it on the radio. I would desperately search stations until I found it so I could sing about my "lovely lady lumps". My husband quickly caught on to my secret love for this song, and he was kind enough to tolerate it on the radio on the drives home from picking him up from work. Next came "Laffy Taffy" , then more Black Eyed Peas songs, then my mad obsession with Eminem resurfaced. Then it was Sudoku and MTV in the evenings with Dave right by my side. I actually purchased "Laffy Taffy" as a ring tone for my cell phone, and the office services ladies at work are having a blast with that one. They're calling me "Taffy". For Christmas I got "Monkey Business" by the Peas, and ever since I've just been on one hell of a Yang adventure.
Other Yang activities and traits:
1) going to the gym and doing more aerobic activities instead of yoga or tai chi
2) lifting weights
3) speaking about what's on my mind - no b.s.-ing
4) being somewhat loud
5) being non-intellectual and more physical
6) taking risks
7) watching football/boxing/wrestling
8) spending money
9) being more of an extrovert
10) multi-tasking
11) being vulgar
12) slightly smelly
13) having abundant energy
14) being fashionable
15) NOT taking life too seriously
Now, obviously most people do not consider all of these positive traits, but it doesn't really matter - according to yin/yang theory yangs are yangs and yins are yins. You strive to be opposite of what you are naturally drawn to in order to achieve balance. You feel drawn to watching Fargo for the fifth time on cable, but instead watch America's Next Top Model, and admit to yourself that there is a side of you that loves watching beautiful dumb people on t.v. You feel like yoga and a little meditating and instead work out to your new DVD, "Walk Away the Pounds". You feel like reading Iris Murdoch and instead go for the latest edition of Life & Style magazine with Jessica and Nick on the cover. You do BOTH Sudoku puzzles in Life & Style AFTER looking at all of the glossy photos AND reading the articles! Get my drift?
I haven't fallen for all of this hook line and sinker, but I am so grateful for what I feel this has done for me by way of opening my mind. I'm starting to allow myself to listen to music that I used to think was stupid. I'm overcoming my shyness. I'm wearing sexier clothes, I have more energy, and I'm trying desperately not to take life so damn seriuosly and therefore, overall, I'm miraculously much less depressed! I also had a blast buying Christmas gifts for everyone. I've always been so stingy at Christmas time, not allowing myself to spend much money because spending money is so "irresponsible". Well Dave and I fortunate enough to have really good jobs this year, and we decided to forego getting each other gifts in order to spend more on our families and cats. Then we spent a fantastic ten days on vacation visiting family in Ohio and Pennsylvania. Oh, and I got to do another Yang thing which was to spend time with the dogs in my life. Mom and Mom Merrill have dogs and my sister-in-law does as well.
Anyway, so hopefully you understand a little more now why I haven't been here, and why I need to maybe either be here and do my non-yin things too, or just not be here at all for a while longer. I don't know, but I have enjoyed writing this, and now it is time to spend time with my family who is now visiting me this weekend. We are doing the yang family thing, which is eating junk food in front of the t.v. right before bed.
'night!
posted by Cara @ 9:29 PM
1 Comments
