Jr. Mintz started Junio Kindergarten this past September, and if you heard the holiday episode of Cynthia Talks Life, you’d know that he’s doing very well. He’s only four years old and can already read simple sentences. The school teaches using phonics, which really helps. The only thing we need to see is whether he retains what he reads once we get to more complicated books. Some people have a harder time doing that. I think it’s mostly people who get bored easily.

So what am I looking forward to in 2023? Even more normalcy! I want to take Jr. Mintz to the Ex in August – I had thought about going this year, but it was a bit too soon. But 2023? It shouldn’t be a problem then. I’m also hoping to do more indoor dining, though I’m unsure whether my husband and I would be going out for Valentine’s Day. We are definitely going to be celebrating the Lunar New Year at the CN Tower this year, however – the annual “Spin of Prosperity” dinner which has been on hold during the pandemic. The last time we went up was in 2020! The only question is whether Jr. Mintz can sit still for the entire 70 minutes for the full circumference.

Globally, I hope inflation, especially food inflation doesn’t go up too much. Groceries are already expensive as is, and it’s sad to see people who have always been able to put food on the table to have to struggle and make cuts. And the increased likelihood of a recession doesn’t help. I feel for those in tech and finance. Globally, I’m hoping for more harmony. I want the war in Ukraine to end. I hope that people in China are able to be more “normal” after three years of living more or less like hermits (especially in larger urban centres where lockdowns kept on occurring). I can’t imagine the state of these people’s mental health. Very sad. Especially for children.

For me, I’m, once again, trying to decrease my time on social media. And maybe do another Facebook friends purge. Many of my so-called have become so “woke” and politically correct that they are doing more harm than good. Some of their comments about being more “inclusive” by explicitly noting various ethnic groups feels very “othering” to me. To be honest, I avoid anything that has this kind of note. It’s disgusting to me, sick to my stomach, even. And when people tell me that I need to “shut up” (well, not in those words, necessarily, though it’s happened before) and give other people a chance to talk, well, you actually AREN’T giving me a chance. And it’s not like the kind of voice I have/my stories and experiences are super-mainstream to begin with. So why not listen? All stories matter. There’s a reason why I have a podcast.

Speaking of podcasts, I admit that I have been a bit lazy with Cynthia Talks Life. I really need to drop more episodes. I know I’ve said that I’m going to take it to Reels more, but the lack of time – ranging from work to my son being in kindergarten and trying to sign him up for extra-curricular activities (while at the same time, not overwhelming him) takes over. I guess I need to be more organized, too.

Anyway, that’s it for 2022! Happy New Year, everyone!

The post Goodbye 2022, Hello 2023 and Normalcy appeared first on Cynthia C. Mintz.

Let’s put it this way, the way diversity and inclusion is stressed these days is, well, quite frankly, stressful.  The constant discussion in media is probably one of the reasons why so many of us are seeing therapists – especially when everyone expects you to fit into some sort of “box.”  Top that with “cancel culture” and you have trouble!

The post Episode 5: Diversity and Identity Craziness appeared first on Cynthia C. Mintz.

The plan is to drop regular episodes twice a month, on the first and third Tuesday. Once in a while, you might see a shorter “special,” which can come any day of the week. I hope you enjoy this one!

The post Episode 1: On Being a Child of Immigrants appeared first on Cynthia C. Mintz.

I feel like the most vocal and powerful in the inclusion and diversity field feel that there can only be one narrative, and if you don’t fit that, you’re “cancelled,” or at least, edited to the point that it’s not even your story anymore (if you want details, see my letter to the editor in the Toronto Star). These days, I just cannot sit through any kind of discussion identity and oppression without having someone criticize me (and not in a constructive way), telling me that I’m “white washed” or “brainwashed” to the point that I need some sort of detoxification (that’s my term, not theirs). What’s wrong with them? Do I really need to lecture them about post-Second World War Hong Kong, how the influx of refugees escaping communism (and closure of the border) not only allowed Hong Kong to become what it is today (or, at least what it WAS before the National Security Law was passed). Do I really have to explain why my parents’ English language education (note: not every child had an English language education back then. Grandparents on both sides made a choice to educate their kids in English. It’s like Anglophone parents sending their kids to French Immersion, or even a school run by the Francophone board (this would be closer to what my parents had in Hong Kong)) made it easier for them to integrate into Canadian society? Goodness! And all of this is stressing me out. Sometimes, it even makes me anxious to say anything because I don’t want to come across as being someone who is not being so-called “inclusive” herself. Sometimes, I don’t think I can even talk about food I make! After all, someone might see me as bastardizing/appropriating SOME culture, right? Or at least, I have to Cynthia-splain everything (like I did for a noodle dish I made in February). And when I DO explain, people tell me I have no self-esteem. WTF? If I don’t, people can (eventually) cancel me, depending on who they are.

As you can see, it’s damned if you do, damned if you don’t. And when you’re part of a “marginalized” (gawd, I hate that term) group, you’re apparently SUPPOSED to be radical. When you’re not and you’re a little more conservative (and especially if you’re English-speaking), you apparently can’t exist (see this situation). No wonder people need therapy. I see a therapist myself, and he’s suggested that I should continue to blog and/or create videos (I’m not bothering with YouTube for myself since these days, you need to have really professional-looking material. I’m just sticking to my phone camera and IGTV)! It’s good release/stress relief for me. And hopefully, I can get the message across. I’m still a little anxious when I post, however. Because you never know if and how you’re going to be attacked. Even this post is good for me. As it’s mental health awareness month, I really want to say everything I want to say. So far, anyway. Plus when someone criticizes how I identify with my heritage because it’s not up to their “standards,” then they have a problem. If I make Chinese style dumplings with apples or fried riced cauliflower (or quinoa), then I should be allowed to. I’m NOT ashamed of my heritage. You don’t HAVE to celebrate your heritage the most “traditional” way. What do people who DO criticize like that have to say about Japanese milk bread, Korean macarons or Hong Kong milk tea.

I do find it sad that many people refuse to understand or accept that this can be part of inclusion and diversity. The diversity of thought, that is. Here in Canada, we have the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which is entrenched in our constitution as of 1982 (when it was patriated back to Canada, meaning we no longer needed British Parliament’s permission to make any changes). So my views are considered “hate?” How? Some people aren’t that bright. And their behaviour and bullying online can be even worse. These are (almost always) adults. Why are they behaving like they’re in Grade 7? Or even two year olds (I have a toddler and I know what a meltdown looks like. Sometimes, activists – ADULTS (or almost adults)!!! – behave exactly like that)? It really needs to stop and we really need to encourage intellectual debate and discussion. Otherwise, there’ll be nothing but stress, leading to everyone’s mental well-being to worsen. Sad. And it’s taking a toll on people’s mental health. What good is it when you stress about what you can/can’t say or whether what you’re doing is honouring or bastardizing your heritage?

Image credits: First image is by OneSideProFoto via Shutterstock; Second is a video I created and posted on IGTV

The post Anxiety, Stress and ‘Identity Politics’ appeared first on Cynthia C. Mintz.