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?
Monday, April 4, 2016
Sunday, March 20, 2016
"There is No Success Without Hardship"--Sophocles
So, I'm at BAM this weekend, and as usual, I become spellbound by all of the collective knowledge that is, literally, at my fingertips as I walk up and down the aisles. I find it absolutely mind-boggling that you can be in a single edifice, and hold the keys to the entire known universe- ( I was, coincidentally, in the space-exploration aisle). I suppose the same could be said if you are standing in a library, but there is something about those clear plastic wrappings they put on library books that makes what is contained within seem less accessible. But, as usual, I digress.
So, there I am, walking among the aisles of knowledge and I find myself in the self-help section looking at all the titles: The Success Book, How to Succeed in Business, Politics and Love (seems a bit broad to me), 7 Secrets of Successful Teens (almost picked that one up for our 204 library but I figure--one day one of you will write a way better one. PS--my money's on Bryan) etc.
All of these books, all dedicated to the notion of success. And I started thinking about how many of them there were. And the next thought was--how do these books ever sell? Aren't all individual ideas of what success is dramatically different? And now, here we are.
So, tell me--what is YOUR definition of success? What are the hallmarks, again, to YOU, of a successful person? How do you judge whether or not you are successful? Are there different levels, different measures of importance tied to levels? What do you need to have, to own, to acquire in order to feel successful? What types of things need to happen in order for you to see yourself as a success?
So, there I am, walking among the aisles of knowledge and I find myself in the self-help section looking at all the titles: The Success Book, How to Succeed in Business, Politics and Love (seems a bit broad to me), 7 Secrets of Successful Teens (almost picked that one up for our 204 library but I figure--one day one of you will write a way better one. PS--my money's on Bryan) etc.
All of these books, all dedicated to the notion of success. And I started thinking about how many of them there were. And the next thought was--how do these books ever sell? Aren't all individual ideas of what success is dramatically different? And now, here we are.
So, tell me--what is YOUR definition of success? What are the hallmarks, again, to YOU, of a successful person? How do you judge whether or not you are successful? Are there different levels, different measures of importance tied to levels? What do you need to have, to own, to acquire in order to feel successful? What types of things need to happen in order for you to see yourself as a success?
Saturday, March 12, 2016
Cartography and its Many Uses
Defeat is humbling.
I know this from myriad experiences, and trying to compose myself and my thoughts for a blog post that asks you to delve into the past is now one of them. I have been trying to figure out why, and the best I can come up with is exhaustion or stress, but both of those sound like excuses so I am reluctant to use them. Suffice it to say, although I am down, I am not out; I intend to post that blog at some point and when I do, it will be specfreakingtacular.
( Btw--if you have no idea what I'm going on about it's this: I had an idea for a blog post that was going to ask you to recreate a past event for the purposes of changing something--but there's a lot more to it than that)
So for now, onward and upward, and by that I mean let's talk about something else.
Based on some of the snippets of convos I've heard, and been a part of, not to mention those lists (sorry Tayla), college is a stressful topic.
Figuring out what you want to do, where you want to go, who you want to be...daunting questions, one and all. And somehow, some way, you're expected to have those answers at the ripe ol' age of 18--even though science tells us that you have not fully formed your decision-making skills by then-- something to do with the amygdala or whatever, but although it seems silly because of that, you're still expected to do it.
So, this week's blog is meant to start you on the road to discovery, and hopefully, that discovery will begin to morph into a kind of map that you can use to navigate through the rest of your high school careers. There are only three questions, which means my expectation is that they will all be INCREDIBLY, ARTFULLY, STYLISTICALLY, UNBELIEVABLY developed. I'm talking sensory, descriptive detail, strong doing verbs, a healthy mix of active and passive voice, maybe a lit device here and there...No pressure. :)
I promise, these questions all have a psychological undertone that can help you figure out some stuff--trust me.
1. Of what are you most proud in your room?
2. For what would you like to win a Nobel prize? (categories include: World Peace, Literature, Chemistry, Medicine)
3. What have you always wanted to learn: academically, spiritually, and emotionally/mentally?
These questions are not for the faint of heart--be brave, scholars. Self-exploration is a tangled maze of competing notions, confusing rules, and raging hormones. It's an arduous journey; one that requires Herculean honesty, and really good map-reading skills (that's what cartography is--the science of drawing maps). But, I promise, it'll be worth it.And, I don't take or make promises lightly.
I know this from myriad experiences, and trying to compose myself and my thoughts for a blog post that asks you to delve into the past is now one of them. I have been trying to figure out why, and the best I can come up with is exhaustion or stress, but both of those sound like excuses so I am reluctant to use them. Suffice it to say, although I am down, I am not out; I intend to post that blog at some point and when I do, it will be specfreakingtacular.
( Btw--if you have no idea what I'm going on about it's this: I had an idea for a blog post that was going to ask you to recreate a past event for the purposes of changing something--but there's a lot more to it than that)
So for now, onward and upward, and by that I mean let's talk about something else.
Based on some of the snippets of convos I've heard, and been a part of, not to mention those lists (sorry Tayla), college is a stressful topic.
Figuring out what you want to do, where you want to go, who you want to be...daunting questions, one and all. And somehow, some way, you're expected to have those answers at the ripe ol' age of 18--even though science tells us that you have not fully formed your decision-making skills by then-- something to do with the amygdala or whatever, but although it seems silly because of that, you're still expected to do it.
So, this week's blog is meant to start you on the road to discovery, and hopefully, that discovery will begin to morph into a kind of map that you can use to navigate through the rest of your high school careers. There are only three questions, which means my expectation is that they will all be INCREDIBLY, ARTFULLY, STYLISTICALLY, UNBELIEVABLY developed. I'm talking sensory, descriptive detail, strong doing verbs, a healthy mix of active and passive voice, maybe a lit device here and there...No pressure. :)
I promise, these questions all have a psychological undertone that can help you figure out some stuff--trust me.
1. Of what are you most proud in your room?
2. For what would you like to win a Nobel prize? (categories include: World Peace, Literature, Chemistry, Medicine)
3. What have you always wanted to learn: academically, spiritually, and emotionally/mentally?
These questions are not for the faint of heart--be brave, scholars. Self-exploration is a tangled maze of competing notions, confusing rules, and raging hormones. It's an arduous journey; one that requires Herculean honesty, and really good map-reading skills (that's what cartography is--the science of drawing maps). But, I promise, it'll be worth it.And, I don't take or make promises lightly.
Sunday, March 6, 2016
Things We Leave Behind
In Buddhism, HH (which stands for His Holiness),the 14th Dalai Lama once said, "The creatures that inhabit this earth-be they human beings or animals-are here to contribute, each in its own particular way, to the beauty and prosperity of the world."
I am not sure where I heard or read that, most likely in a liturgy at a Temple I used to attend, or any one of a thousand (hyperbole) books on HH, but I think about that particular notion quite a bit. It goes along the same lines as that age-old query, "Why am I here?" I suppose, but when I think of my contributions to the world and what I can do to be a part of the sum total of beauty and prosperity, only two things ever come to mind.
One, of course, is you. Collectively.
I teach. That's something I can do because in so doing, I am afforded the opportunity to, hopefully, broaden minds and open hearts, which will in turn allow you to do the same things with whomever is lucky enough to come in contact with you as you dance through your time on Earth.
What do you do? What will you do? Do you believe in HH's idea about contribution? Does it make sense but seem impossible? Does it seem like a bunch of nonsense? What has been your greatest contribution so far? Don't say nothing or start wailing, "I'm only a teenager--I haven't done anything yet!" because that is a total cop-out. Think about all the people you have known, both superficially and deeply, and imagine how many more you have impacted in ways you might not even know yet. Maybe it's a friend, a sibling, a stranger on the street. Things that you may not even think twice about doing or saying can have an impact that changes someone's life forever. That's chilling and exhilarating and awe-inspring concept.
So, what do you think will your legacy be? And more importantly, what do you WANT it to be?
I am not sure where I heard or read that, most likely in a liturgy at a Temple I used to attend, or any one of a thousand (hyperbole) books on HH, but I think about that particular notion quite a bit. It goes along the same lines as that age-old query, "Why am I here?" I suppose, but when I think of my contributions to the world and what I can do to be a part of the sum total of beauty and prosperity, only two things ever come to mind.
One, of course, is you. Collectively.
I teach. That's something I can do because in so doing, I am afforded the opportunity to, hopefully, broaden minds and open hearts, which will in turn allow you to do the same things with whomever is lucky enough to come in contact with you as you dance through your time on Earth.
What do you do? What will you do? Do you believe in HH's idea about contribution? Does it make sense but seem impossible? Does it seem like a bunch of nonsense? What has been your greatest contribution so far? Don't say nothing or start wailing, "I'm only a teenager--I haven't done anything yet!" because that is a total cop-out. Think about all the people you have known, both superficially and deeply, and imagine how many more you have impacted in ways you might not even know yet. Maybe it's a friend, a sibling, a stranger on the street. Things that you may not even think twice about doing or saying can have an impact that changes someone's life forever. That's chilling and exhilarating and awe-inspring concept.
So, what do you think will your legacy be? And more importantly, what do you WANT it to be?
Saturday, February 20, 2016
Self Reflections
We were supposed to start commenting this week, but the nature of this blog won't really allow for that UNLESS you have some helpful advice for your peers. So, we will start the list for comments next week.
OK, ladies and gentlemen. You have done it. Well, almost.
The year is 3/4 over-and even more than that for AP folks because your year ends sooner than everyone else's.
So, now is the time for some introspective reflection. And, while this is not the original blog idea (the words for the other idea I have aren't arranging themselves in my brain so I need more time with them), it is equally if not more important.
As you answer the questions, I want you to keep you in mind: how you learn, what shuts down your learning, and what you can do or I can that will improve upon, and remedy those things.
What do you know now that you didn't know on September 1?
What kinds of things still give you fits because you can't seem to grasp the concept?
What would you like to focus on moving forward?
What would you like to see more of? (might be the same as the last question--might not)
Do you feel like your getting the most out of the class?
Are you living up to your own expectations?
What can you do better, differently
And, most importantly--are you learning?
Take your time, think about your answers and tell me how you feel. I will use your responses as a means to plan out the rest of our year. If there are other things you would like to say, tell me, vent about (respectfully) etc feel free. If you feel you cannot do this in a public forum, you know what to do.
PS--this is still a blog--it's not a worksheet--please don't answer the questions one by one.
OK, ladies and gentlemen. You have done it. Well, almost.
The year is 3/4 over-and even more than that for AP folks because your year ends sooner than everyone else's.
So, now is the time for some introspective reflection. And, while this is not the original blog idea (the words for the other idea I have aren't arranging themselves in my brain so I need more time with them), it is equally if not more important.
As you answer the questions, I want you to keep you in mind: how you learn, what shuts down your learning, and what you can do or I can that will improve upon, and remedy those things.
What do you know now that you didn't know on September 1?
What kinds of things still give you fits because you can't seem to grasp the concept?
What would you like to focus on moving forward?
What would you like to see more of? (might be the same as the last question--might not)
Do you feel like your getting the most out of the class?
Are you living up to your own expectations?
What can you do better, differently
And, most importantly--are you learning?
Take your time, think about your answers and tell me how you feel. I will use your responses as a means to plan out the rest of our year. If there are other things you would like to say, tell me, vent about (respectfully) etc feel free. If you feel you cannot do this in a public forum, you know what to do.
PS--this is still a blog--it's not a worksheet--please don't answer the questions one by one.
Monday, February 8, 2016
World Views and Other Scenic Vistas
Genuine tragedies in the world are not conflicts between right and wrong. They are conflicts between two rights. ~Georg Hegel
Yesterday, I had a conversation with an old friend from college. It was more of a spirited debate, actually, about the nature of good and evil, right and wrong etc. My world view, will, I'm quite sure, be of no surprise to you since you all know me--I believe good is a matter of perspective and that right is determined by whoever has "the bigger gun" so to speak. I believe that is way of the world, and it is too few and far between that the good people of the world outweigh the bad. My perspective on this rarely shifts, and is also reinforced when tragedies such as the one in Newtown, Connecticut, or Ferguson, MO, or San Bernardino, CA occur. I believe it is an objectively unfair universe we inhabit, although I have a hunch it has a way of righting its ownself from time to time. So the debate between my friend and I ensued.
My friend's world view was quite a bit different than mine--much more idealistic and much more indicative of his personality. In his eyes, is is certain that good always conquers evil, the meek shall inherit the Earth, all you need is love etc etc etc. He goes on to posit that good things come to good people and eventually, all the pieces will fall into place if you live a good life.
(I keep him around, this college buddy, because he gives me hope, and when I am feeling way too misanthropic and cynical for my own good, he gives me balance. All of the other times I mock him shamelessly for his "dreamy" and (what I consider to be) unrealistic view of the world).
So, my question(s) for you this week is--where in our spectrum does your world view fall? Do you think people are mostly bad or mostly good? What determines that? Do you think that the person who does the right thing always wins? If so, what's the prize? Are there clear-cut answers about what's right and what's wrong? How is it all measured? Let's get a little Lang-y and tell a story (real or metaphorical--no matter) to illustrate/exemplify your points.
Yesterday, I had a conversation with an old friend from college. It was more of a spirited debate, actually, about the nature of good and evil, right and wrong etc. My world view, will, I'm quite sure, be of no surprise to you since you all know me--I believe good is a matter of perspective and that right is determined by whoever has "the bigger gun" so to speak. I believe that is way of the world, and it is too few and far between that the good people of the world outweigh the bad. My perspective on this rarely shifts, and is also reinforced when tragedies such as the one in Newtown, Connecticut, or Ferguson, MO, or San Bernardino, CA occur. I believe it is an objectively unfair universe we inhabit, although I have a hunch it has a way of righting its ownself from time to time. So the debate between my friend and I ensued.
My friend's world view was quite a bit different than mine--much more idealistic and much more indicative of his personality. In his eyes, is is certain that good always conquers evil, the meek shall inherit the Earth, all you need is love etc etc etc. He goes on to posit that good things come to good people and eventually, all the pieces will fall into place if you live a good life.
(I keep him around, this college buddy, because he gives me hope, and when I am feeling way too misanthropic and cynical for my own good, he gives me balance. All of the other times I mock him shamelessly for his "dreamy" and (what I consider to be) unrealistic view of the world).
So, my question(s) for you this week is--where in our spectrum does your world view fall? Do you think people are mostly bad or mostly good? What determines that? Do you think that the person who does the right thing always wins? If so, what's the prize? Are there clear-cut answers about what's right and what's wrong? How is it all measured? Let's get a little Lang-y and tell a story (real or metaphorical--no matter) to illustrate/exemplify your points.
Saturday, January 30, 2016
"That was so COOL..and When I Say COOL I Really Mean..."
(NOTE: I have reverted back to original font size. Please forgive my past font transgressions, Bry.)
Let me take you to a place you may have been countless times in your life--I know I have. Your telling someone--your best friend, significant other, parent, teacher or whatever--a story. It's a great story, rife with vivid imagery and catchy dialogue and suspense and just...well, all the hallmarks of a great story. And then, you get to the best part, the juiciest detail, the apex of this recount that is going to knock your listener right on his or her butt, and you are trying to describe this one moment...and you can't think of the word to give that moment its due justice.
You are literally stumped for a word and you end up going with some lame synonym that pops into your head (probably from Bunje's damn SAT Vocab list) but you know that your story falls flat because that was SO not the word you wanted. Ever happen to you? Why, do you think?
Well, I have a theory. It's in its nascent stages, but a theory nonetheless. I have procured said theory by perusing ( a word that does not mean what many of you think it means, incidentally) The Global Language Monitor. This site is dedicated to tracking trends in language, specifically the English language, and it is chock full of all kinds of fascinating facts about word etymologies, global trends, colloquialisms etc. It's really cool, especially if you're a geek like me (and many of you are--don't even try to front).
Anyway, it was while I was on this site today that my theory began to crystallize about why we, at the worst possible moments, are suddenly at a loss for words.
According to the GLM, English passed the 1,000,000 threshold on June 10, 2009 at 10:22 am.
SIDEBAR: 1,035,877.3 (January 1, 2016 estimate) Go here to learn more: http://www.languagemonitor.com/
Know what the millionth word was?? "Octomom." Such a disappointment. Which is just one more posit to the idea that popular culture is the crux of societal knowledge. (If the blog had emojis, I'd put the one that looks like it is contemplating something, here)
Anyway, 1,000,000 is a pretty impressive number by any standard, especially when you consider that the French Language has fewer than 100,000 words total. The average human has approximately 14,000 words in his or her repertoire. Shakespeare had 24,000--1,700 of which he made up--floating around his brilliant brain. Man, I love that guy.
So, all this to say..what? Well, even with all of those words zooming through the ether, the bottom line is there is sometimes no word to describe, define, pinpoint or whatever, the "undefinable." That's why we can't finish the story in the scenario I mentioned earlier. Undefinable words usually fall into one of three categories: feelings, abstract concepts and phenomena.
When I say feelings, I mean like, that sensation that washes over you the first warm day after a long, cold winter when you are driving in a car with all the windows down and radio tuned into your favorite song. Or, the feeling you get when you just get your crush's phone number and you're staring at your cell phone, sweating, pacing, wondering if you should start to text.
Occasionally, mixed in with feelings are some abstract concepts, like the idea of strength, character, courage etc.
And I know we have all experiences some weird phenomena-type occurrences that we write off as "coincidence" which is a catch-all word that doesn't really encapsulate the notion that, for example, when someone you know gets pregnant suddenly all you see are pregnant women or maternity stores or baby paraphernalia. Or, when you buy a new car you begin to notice that there are 4 of that same car within a mile of your house.
All of these things and so many more, despite the much-vaunted number the GLM is broadcasting about the English Language, simply do not have a word that really captures the essence of their true meaning.
That is, until this blog.
Your task this week, Langers, is to put a word to those notions, concepts, feelings and/or phenomena. So, first I want you to think of one of those moments--the feelings, concepts or phenomena that you personally have experienced. Then, I would like you to talk about the "synonym" that would closely describe it, even though you know in your heart that synonym doesn't do it justice. Then, in a whimsical fit of language acquisition, I want you to MAKE UP a word that would better describe what you're talking about. Hell, if Mary Poppins can do it, why can't we? :)
Let me take you to a place you may have been countless times in your life--I know I have. Your telling someone--your best friend, significant other, parent, teacher or whatever--a story. It's a great story, rife with vivid imagery and catchy dialogue and suspense and just...well, all the hallmarks of a great story. And then, you get to the best part, the juiciest detail, the apex of this recount that is going to knock your listener right on his or her butt, and you are trying to describe this one moment...and you can't think of the word to give that moment its due justice.
You are literally stumped for a word and you end up going with some lame synonym that pops into your head (probably from Bunje's damn SAT Vocab list) but you know that your story falls flat because that was SO not the word you wanted. Ever happen to you? Why, do you think?
Well, I have a theory. It's in its nascent stages, but a theory nonetheless. I have procured said theory by perusing ( a word that does not mean what many of you think it means, incidentally) The Global Language Monitor. This site is dedicated to tracking trends in language, specifically the English language, and it is chock full of all kinds of fascinating facts about word etymologies, global trends, colloquialisms etc. It's really cool, especially if you're a geek like me (and many of you are--don't even try to front).
Anyway, it was while I was on this site today that my theory began to crystallize about why we, at the worst possible moments, are suddenly at a loss for words.
According to the GLM, English passed the 1,000,000 threshold on June 10, 2009 at 10:22 am.
SIDEBAR: 1,035,877.3 (January 1, 2016 estimate) Go here to learn more: http://www.languagemonitor.com/
Know what the millionth word was?? "Octomom." Such a disappointment. Which is just one more posit to the idea that popular culture is the crux of societal knowledge. (If the blog had emojis, I'd put the one that looks like it is contemplating something, here)
Anyway, 1,000,000 is a pretty impressive number by any standard, especially when you consider that the French Language has fewer than 100,000 words total. The average human has approximately 14,000 words in his or her repertoire. Shakespeare had 24,000--1,700 of which he made up--floating around his brilliant brain. Man, I love that guy.
So, all this to say..what? Well, even with all of those words zooming through the ether, the bottom line is there is sometimes no word to describe, define, pinpoint or whatever, the "undefinable." That's why we can't finish the story in the scenario I mentioned earlier. Undefinable words usually fall into one of three categories: feelings, abstract concepts and phenomena.
When I say feelings, I mean like, that sensation that washes over you the first warm day after a long, cold winter when you are driving in a car with all the windows down and radio tuned into your favorite song. Or, the feeling you get when you just get your crush's phone number and you're staring at your cell phone, sweating, pacing, wondering if you should start to text.
Occasionally, mixed in with feelings are some abstract concepts, like the idea of strength, character, courage etc.
And I know we have all experiences some weird phenomena-type occurrences that we write off as "coincidence" which is a catch-all word that doesn't really encapsulate the notion that, for example, when someone you know gets pregnant suddenly all you see are pregnant women or maternity stores or baby paraphernalia. Or, when you buy a new car you begin to notice that there are 4 of that same car within a mile of your house.
All of these things and so many more, despite the much-vaunted number the GLM is broadcasting about the English Language, simply do not have a word that really captures the essence of their true meaning.
That is, until this blog.
Your task this week, Langers, is to put a word to those notions, concepts, feelings and/or phenomena. So, first I want you to think of one of those moments--the feelings, concepts or phenomena that you personally have experienced. Then, I would like you to talk about the "synonym" that would closely describe it, even though you know in your heart that synonym doesn't do it justice. Then, in a whimsical fit of language acquisition, I want you to MAKE UP a word that would better describe what you're talking about. Hell, if Mary Poppins can do it, why can't we? :)
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