Mon, 03 Dec 2007

People don't convert other people ...

In mediaeval typology, the dog can symbolise a new believer, who picks up the Christian faith only to "backslide" after a short time - just as a dog will often eat something and soon spew it out again. I've always liked this association.

On the one hand, "for us there is only the trying" and "the rest is not our business". One the other hand, the trying is something we're most definitely asked to do; we're asked to try our best, but what precisely is "our best"?

Posted on 03 Dec 2007 at 14:02 in /life. -- Permalink

Granule vocabulary flashcard program

That's a fine little piece of software! It makes it so much more convenient for me to memorise and revise my Chinese words, and it's so much better to have everything in one place, neat, clean, searchable, than to use paper flashcards (which I'm still using in addition to Granule).

(My earlier blog entry has links to the program and a related Wikipedia entry.)

Posted on 03 Dec 2007 at 13:09 in /technology. -- Permalink

Christmas preparations (1)

We're still working this week - 3 days - and that will be it. Leaving for Germany in 10 days. Christmas preparations have started: a lot of things have to be organised, especially since a christening and a 90th birthday are coming up, too. Above all, presents need to be taken care of. It's not just about buying stuff: somehow, everything has to get to Germany.

Posted on 03 Dec 2007 at 11:45 in /life. -- Permalink