Please read this blog carefully and consider your thoughts and your responses for a bit before answering.
Passion. Courage. Conviction. These words are largely subjective, completely abstract, and open to interpretation; therefore, they are also indefinable in traditional senses. But, I would like you to look them up before you answer this week's blog question. Once you do that, consider the following:
What is it in your own life, this life that you have been given, that you think you would die for? Do the three words play into your answer in any way? If you need a more solid jumping-off point, ask yourself this: given the denotation of the words passion, courage and conviction what is it in your life that can inspire these seemingly esoteric concepts?
What is your passion; what gives you courage; about what do you hold an unshakeable conviction?
Once you answer those questions, go back to the original--what would you die for? Do your answers to the second set of questions fall in line with the first? Do you think there should be things you would die for? Why or why not?
Finally, do you think the natural follow-up to this question should be: What do you live for? I sort of do...so....yeah. Talk about that, too. Are what you'd die for and what you live for the same? Why or why not? What does that tell you? So.....many...questions... better get started. :)
Be true to yourself and answer these questions in the best way you know how.
Saturday, April 30, 2016
Wednesday, April 20, 2016
"Suffer the Little Children..."
Sunday night. The proposed due date for this blog during this week of madness.
Sunday has sort of a paradoxical connotation tied to it for me. It goes back to, for lack of a better (read: trite) euphemism, my extremely crappy childhood.
Let me explain.
I was, like many of you, a child of divorce. I lived with my mother, saw my father on weekends (when he remembered he had a daughter waiting for him to pick her up) and dealt with all of the guilt, sadness, and overall wistfulness of being the kid caught between parents that hated each other. It was, as I mentioned, extremely crappy. And Sundays were the worst because that was the day that my father would drop me back off at home, and I knew it could be the last time I ever saw him. I would make my way into the house where my mother would be waiting, and if I looked even the least bit sad, she would launch into attack mode. “Oh what’s the matter—had so much fun with your dad that coming home to your boring old mother is too depressing? Well sorry I have to work two jobs to support us since that fun-loving s.o.b. doesn’t bother to pay child support….”
And on it would go until her energy was spent, and I was completely demoralized. My saving grace was, ironically, the fact that my father didn’t see me every weekend, so the times when I was forgotten actually saved part of my soul. Paradox extraordinaire, oui?
This childhood memory, glum though it may be, completely shaped the person I am today. For better or worse. What did I learn? Well, for one, I learned that being yourself and feeling what you feel has consequences. It seems like a crazy lesson, right? But it is one that I draw on to this day. I spent so much time trying to hide who I was and how I felt as a kid, that I eventually lost sight of who that actually was.
When I was little, the price seemed way too high, what with listening to my mother rant and rave and tell me how ungrateful I was, so I really felt that masking my true emotions was worth it. And into my teen years, I sort of just grew accustomed to doing that. It wasn’t until I was living on my own that the impact of that mindset became clear to me: I was alone. Nobody knew me. Oh sure, people knew who I was-my name was out there. But nobody actually KNEW me. And it was really scary, and really lonely.
I wish I could say that once I had this epiphany, my life magically transformed and I became a mature, well-adjusted, productive member of society. But, since I would never lie to you guys, I can’t say that because that’s not what happened. It took time. A lot of time, with a lot of very painful repercussions resulting from my journey of enlightenment. But, now, here I am. A bit worse for the wear, but soul utterly intact and identity firmly entrenched in each decision I make. Was it worth it? Absofreakinglutely. (WHAT IS THE NAME OF THIS LIT TERM???)
So, now it’s your turn.
What childhood memory thus far has shaped who you are? Do you want this memory to be the blueprint for which you design your “true Self?” If the answer is no, think about how you can change your perspective on it. What can you learn? If the answer is yes, talk about how you can impact the world and those in it who are most important to you. What lesson would you want to impart that has its root in this memory? I know this is hard; take your time. Nothing worth having is ever easy. And this answer is worth having. Trust me.
Sunday has sort of a paradoxical connotation tied to it for me. It goes back to, for lack of a better (read: trite) euphemism, my extremely crappy childhood.
Let me explain.
I was, like many of you, a child of divorce. I lived with my mother, saw my father on weekends (when he remembered he had a daughter waiting for him to pick her up) and dealt with all of the guilt, sadness, and overall wistfulness of being the kid caught between parents that hated each other. It was, as I mentioned, extremely crappy. And Sundays were the worst because that was the day that my father would drop me back off at home, and I knew it could be the last time I ever saw him. I would make my way into the house where my mother would be waiting, and if I looked even the least bit sad, she would launch into attack mode. “Oh what’s the matter—had so much fun with your dad that coming home to your boring old mother is too depressing? Well sorry I have to work two jobs to support us since that fun-loving s.o.b. doesn’t bother to pay child support….”
And on it would go until her energy was spent, and I was completely demoralized. My saving grace was, ironically, the fact that my father didn’t see me every weekend, so the times when I was forgotten actually saved part of my soul. Paradox extraordinaire, oui?
This childhood memory, glum though it may be, completely shaped the person I am today. For better or worse. What did I learn? Well, for one, I learned that being yourself and feeling what you feel has consequences. It seems like a crazy lesson, right? But it is one that I draw on to this day. I spent so much time trying to hide who I was and how I felt as a kid, that I eventually lost sight of who that actually was.
When I was little, the price seemed way too high, what with listening to my mother rant and rave and tell me how ungrateful I was, so I really felt that masking my true emotions was worth it. And into my teen years, I sort of just grew accustomed to doing that. It wasn’t until I was living on my own that the impact of that mindset became clear to me: I was alone. Nobody knew me. Oh sure, people knew who I was-my name was out there. But nobody actually KNEW me. And it was really scary, and really lonely.
I wish I could say that once I had this epiphany, my life magically transformed and I became a mature, well-adjusted, productive member of society. But, since I would never lie to you guys, I can’t say that because that’s not what happened. It took time. A lot of time, with a lot of very painful repercussions resulting from my journey of enlightenment. But, now, here I am. A bit worse for the wear, but soul utterly intact and identity firmly entrenched in each decision I make. Was it worth it? Absofreakinglutely. (WHAT IS THE NAME OF THIS LIT TERM???)
So, now it’s your turn.
What childhood memory thus far has shaped who you are? Do you want this memory to be the blueprint for which you design your “true Self?” If the answer is no, think about how you can change your perspective on it. What can you learn? If the answer is yes, talk about how you can impact the world and those in it who are most important to you. What lesson would you want to impart that has its root in this memory? I know this is hard; take your time. Nothing worth having is ever easy. And this answer is worth having. Trust me.
Monday, April 11, 2016
Quizlet Study Guides Link List
Please publish the links to your respective Quizlets here. Be sure to label each one.
"Platform 9 and 3/4 Right This Way..."
Did you hold the door open for anyone today? Did you let anyone step in front of you on your way into school, the cafeteria, a classroom? Lend anyone a pencil, pick up a fallen book or paper? For most of you, the answer is probably yes, you did in fact do one or more of those things. All of you are well-mannered, considerate and generally just a nice bunch of kids. So, for today, or the next 4 days as it were, let's take that one step further. This will require a bit of imagination, introspection and innovation, so again, don't sit down to this blog on Wednesday night at 11pm and think you can do a respectable job on it.
Ok, so imagine, one morning, after a kindly old wizard--who bears a striking resemblance to Albus Dumbledore--visits you in your dreams, you awaken with the power to give one person anything in the entire universe. (Nothing gross about a wizard from Harry Potter checking in on us from time to time, I say!) What would it be and why?
Now, that question, while startling limited in word content, is not as simple or straightforward as it seems.
I am not actually asking you to go ask someone what wish they would like to have granted (which seems like the obvious assumption given that I started off talking about wizards and magic); Instead, I am asking you what YOU want to give someone else if you had the power to give them anything, and I am asking you to explain that choice. Additionally, because there is always an "additionally," I would also like to know what advice you would give this person after you have bestowed this "gift" upon him or her.
Ok, so imagine, one morning, after a kindly old wizard--who bears a striking resemblance to Albus Dumbledore--visits you in your dreams, you awaken with the power to give one person anything in the entire universe. (Nothing gross about a wizard from Harry Potter checking in on us from time to time, I say!) What would it be and why?
Now, that question, while startling limited in word content, is not as simple or straightforward as it seems.
I am not actually asking you to go ask someone what wish they would like to have granted (which seems like the obvious assumption given that I started off talking about wizards and magic); Instead, I am asking you what YOU want to give someone else if you had the power to give them anything, and I am asking you to explain that choice. Additionally, because there is always an "additionally," I would also like to know what advice you would give this person after you have bestowed this "gift" upon him or her.
Monday, April 4, 2016
Mental Floss
I was perusing the internet over last year, over Easter weekend, and I came across a blog I used to follow quite regularly. It says things like "practical tips for productive living," and then it goes on to list things that would be good to think about during the daily grind. It's written by an annoyingly cute couple who obviously sit around thinking philosophically on the regular. I must say, I'm a tad jealous because, frankly, I don't have the energy.
Anyway, if you're interested in the site itself, I will give you the link, but I don't want to make it seem as though I am "sponsoring" it or anything here, because, well, that's illegal.
Soo, as I was browsing around the archives, I found some cool, thought-provoking questions that left me lost inside my own head for a good 2 hours or so. There were 50 of them and I am not going to list them all here, but I am going to post some of the more provocative ones. Obviously, you don't need to write volumes on each question--but expound on a few of the ones that really resonate with you and allow your mind to roam at will. Take your time and have some fun on the mental playground that these questions construct sort of naturally.
From time to time, I may pop in with my own answers to some of these--feel free to engage in conversation with me, or any of your classmates during the course of this week's blog!
1. How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you are? (I love this one!)
2. Which is worse, failing or never trying?
3. If life is so short, why do we do so many things we don’t like and like so many things we don’t do?
5. What is the one thing you’d most like to change about the world?
6. If happiness was the national currency, what kind of work would make you rich?
8. If the average human life span was 40 years, how would you live your life differently?
9. To what degree have you actually controlled the course your life has taken?
10. Are you more worried about doing things right, or doing the right things?
12. If you could offer a newborn child only one piece of advice, what would it be?
13. Would you break the law to save a loved one?
17. What one thing have you not done that you really want to do? What’s holding you back?
18. Are you holding onto something you need to let go of?
23. Have you been the kind of friend you want as a friend?
26. Would you rather lose all of your old memories, or never be able to make new ones?
34. Have you ever been with someone, said nothing, and walked away feeling like you just had the best conversation ever?
36. Is it possible to know, without a doubt, what is good and what is evil?
41. If you knew that everyone you know was going to die tomorrow, who would you visit today?
46. What would you do differently if you knew nobody would judge you?
Anyway, if you're interested in the site itself, I will give you the link, but I don't want to make it seem as though I am "sponsoring" it or anything here, because, well, that's illegal.
Soo, as I was browsing around the archives, I found some cool, thought-provoking questions that left me lost inside my own head for a good 2 hours or so. There were 50 of them and I am not going to list them all here, but I am going to post some of the more provocative ones. Obviously, you don't need to write volumes on each question--but expound on a few of the ones that really resonate with you and allow your mind to roam at will. Take your time and have some fun on the mental playground that these questions construct sort of naturally.
From time to time, I may pop in with my own answers to some of these--feel free to engage in conversation with me, or any of your classmates during the course of this week's blog!
1. How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you are? (I love this one!)
2. Which is worse, failing or never trying?
3. If life is so short, why do we do so many things we don’t like and like so many things we don’t do?
5. What is the one thing you’d most like to change about the world?
6. If happiness was the national currency, what kind of work would make you rich?
8. If the average human life span was 40 years, how would you live your life differently?
9. To what degree have you actually controlled the course your life has taken?
10. Are you more worried about doing things right, or doing the right things?
12. If you could offer a newborn child only one piece of advice, what would it be?
13. Would you break the law to save a loved one?
17. What one thing have you not done that you really want to do? What’s holding you back?
18. Are you holding onto something you need to let go of?
23. Have you been the kind of friend you want as a friend?
26. Would you rather lose all of your old memories, or never be able to make new ones?
34. Have you ever been with someone, said nothing, and walked away feeling like you just had the best conversation ever?
36. Is it possible to know, without a doubt, what is good and what is evil?
41. If you knew that everyone you know was going to die tomorrow, who would you visit today?
46. What would you do differently if you knew nobody would judge you?
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