Chapter four was about how precious time is, and how Randy felt it was best implemented. In his mind, time was like money, and should not be squandered on things that were less than worthwhile don't waste time on telephone recordings, and plans are a good thing. They can always be changed if need be; provided you have one. Delegation is also important. Know how and when to share the work. Time is saved by all in this manner.
Randy felt that the best way to spend time was to enable the dreams of others. His crowning acheivments, in his mind, were the dreams he enabled. Tommy Burnett got to work on the last three Star Wars movies, hundreds of students have benefited from the courses and programs he helped to develop. He brought an entire college together with a single class (BVW) and his Entertainment Technology Center has gone world wide. The really cool thing to me is that Travis has worked with another of his programs, Alice, and was surprised when he discovered I was learning about one of the people who helped develop it.
While short, this chapter was interesting. It showed the large-scale impact that one person can have on the world, and that maybe we aren't as small as we thought.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
The Last Lecture Chapter 3 Response
Chapter 3 began with how Randy and Jai found out that Randy had cancer, and exactly how serious his condition was. He discovered in 2006 that he had cancer and quickly learned as much as he possibly could about it. The doctors were initially optimistic thinking that he could be saved. After performing the "Whipple Treatment" they thought they were successful. However, in August of 2007, Randy came out of remission. Here, we really got to see what kind of man Randy was because shortly after counting his own tumors, all he could think about was why there weren't any tissues in the room. Then, a short while after receiving the news, a coworker saw Randy driving his convertible and was shocked to see how happy Randy seemed. Randy knew that moping and feeling sorry for himself would get him no where, he needed to really live what time he had left; not squander it with "what if"s.
Randy then, in an effort to make himself seem less a saint, went on to describe his less meritorious days back in college. Apparently, he can be arrogant and is quite capable of offending anyone he meets. He was comfortable in this fact until Andy van Dam, a professor from college, pointed it out to him in the nicest yet most cutting words Randy had ever experienced.
Next we discover that Randy's neice and nephew speant a lot of time with him as children. They went on trips and did other fun things together. But the major memory Randy chose to share was when he took the kids out in his new red convertible. His sister (their mother) made it very clear to them that they had to be careful not to make a mess in his new car. To teach the children a lesson and make them feel more comfortable about getting in the car, Randy proceeded to dump soda all over his back seat. He wanted the kids to know that people come before possessions. This turned out to be a good thing, because his nephew did not feel as terrible when he threw up in the back seat.
Upon discovering his condition, and realizing that this meant he would not be there to raise his children, Randy asked his neice and nephew who are now adults, to take them out from time to time. He wanted them to spend the kind of time with his children that he speant with them; and to allow some accidents because afterall, they were children too once.
Then came his biggest brick wall ever; Jai. In his younger years, Randy was a very content bachelor and wound up getting himself a reputation for being a bit of a player. Then he traveled to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to give a lecture on virtual reality technology. There he met Jai who was to be his host while at the college. He immediately liked her. Jai turned out to be as skittish as a colt; having just left one relationship she was not enthusiastic about taking more chances.
But, Randy won. After seeing each other for a little while and getting her to move to Pittsburgh (a true challenge) they wound up getting married. Their wedding was an event of course. After the ceremony, they departed in an air balloon and wound up nearly getting hit by a train when they landed.
Apparently, Jai had a thing for being tumultuous, because early in their marriage, she accidentally backed into Randy's car while he was at work. She was so worried that he would be upset that she arranged the perfect evening to come home to, and then broke it to him. To her surprise, he was not angry. He looked at the damage, they decided both cars would still run, and Randy declined the idea of fixing the dents. If the cars weren't broken, why fix them? Not everything has to be shiny and new. For a short time, Jai didn't understand this. But later, the dented cars came to be a symbol of that to them.
Here, I was reminded of life with my fiance. Travis finds it amazing, since we've been together, a wide variety of things household related items have wound up breaking, and he's learned that I am quite accident prone. The list of broken items includes two doors (I swear,the first one was not my fault, it fell on me! I did not break this one!), a window (that one was my fault), a shower rod, and a handheld mixer as well as several pans. My accidents on the first day of visiting him alone include getting a bloody nose within 10 minutes of arriving, being stung in the shoulder by a wasp, and being bitten between my toes by a fire ant. This was all in the same 45 minute period. And last night, he learned that I can twist my ankle stepping down no more than 10 inches (I fell, made lots of noise, and blushed like you wouldn't believe). But somehow knowing I'm not the only one makes me feel better.
Then came New Years, and with it the birth of their first son. Jai went into labor, but there were complications that put both she and the baby in danger; and she had to have an emergency c-section. Dylan was born pissed off; a very good sign. He stayed in ICU, and was later released to go home. They learned that keeping your head, even when you want to break down, can be the difference between a good turnout and a disaster.
This reminded me of my youngest brother, Robert (Bear for short, thank you.) Bear and Marian (his twin, my youngest sister) were born November 26th, 2000. While in the birth hospital, both were given formula that was on recall and Bear wound up with a bad infection. Robert was home for only a day or two before he was being airlifted to Buffalo with a high fever and the beginning of what has been a nightmare for the family. The fever was inducing seizures. Unfortunately, they were not diagnosed for almost a year. I can not begin to describe for you the horror of his screams after an attack. No child should ever have to make those sounds. My mother figured out what they were, and even what his diagnosis was, on her own. Unfortunately, none of the doctors would listen to her, and it cost my brother dearly. It took a seizure in the office of his pediatrician during one of his routine checkups to get the doctors to listen. My brother had Wests Syndrome. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_syndrome Due to how late he was diagnosed and a relapse when he was around 2 years old, the seizures did a considerable amount of damage. He and Marian are 8 now. Marian is in third grade, and the most bright, talkative, energetic child you will ever meet. Last year, she was awarded a medal in school for passing her elder sister Marcia's high score for how many books she had read. Bear on the otherhand, made a rather large acheivement himself. For my father's birthday, he stood on his own and took two steps unsupported. It's the first time any of us have seen him walk without assistance. We're still working on getting him to take normal food again, but the feeding tubes from the hospital made it so bottles are the only thing he's comfortable with. He communicates without words, and spends a lot of time in a tripod position. The contrast between them tore my mother to pieces, but she still held strong and tried to get her child the care he needed. Were it not for her and her ability to keep her head, who knows what Bear would be like now.
While at his mother's home going through his father's things shortly after he passed, Randy made a discovery. His father had been awarded a the bronze star in WWII for valor. Randy asked his mother why he didn't know about this, and she replied that she didn't know about it. Throughout their marriage, it had never come up. Randy learned that humility was a virtue, and his father had it in excess.
The final lesson of this chapter was that Randy learned that his diagnosis had in fact, enriched their year. If he hadn't been diagnosed with cancer, they wouldn't have done half the things or had half the fun they did. Always keep things in a bright light.
Randy then, in an effort to make himself seem less a saint, went on to describe his less meritorious days back in college. Apparently, he can be arrogant and is quite capable of offending anyone he meets. He was comfortable in this fact until Andy van Dam, a professor from college, pointed it out to him in the nicest yet most cutting words Randy had ever experienced.
Next we discover that Randy's neice and nephew speant a lot of time with him as children. They went on trips and did other fun things together. But the major memory Randy chose to share was when he took the kids out in his new red convertible. His sister (their mother) made it very clear to them that they had to be careful not to make a mess in his new car. To teach the children a lesson and make them feel more comfortable about getting in the car, Randy proceeded to dump soda all over his back seat. He wanted the kids to know that people come before possessions. This turned out to be a good thing, because his nephew did not feel as terrible when he threw up in the back seat.
Upon discovering his condition, and realizing that this meant he would not be there to raise his children, Randy asked his neice and nephew who are now adults, to take them out from time to time. He wanted them to spend the kind of time with his children that he speant with them; and to allow some accidents because afterall, they were children too once.
Then came his biggest brick wall ever; Jai. In his younger years, Randy was a very content bachelor and wound up getting himself a reputation for being a bit of a player. Then he traveled to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to give a lecture on virtual reality technology. There he met Jai who was to be his host while at the college. He immediately liked her. Jai turned out to be as skittish as a colt; having just left one relationship she was not enthusiastic about taking more chances.
But, Randy won. After seeing each other for a little while and getting her to move to Pittsburgh (a true challenge) they wound up getting married. Their wedding was an event of course. After the ceremony, they departed in an air balloon and wound up nearly getting hit by a train when they landed.
Apparently, Jai had a thing for being tumultuous, because early in their marriage, she accidentally backed into Randy's car while he was at work. She was so worried that he would be upset that she arranged the perfect evening to come home to, and then broke it to him. To her surprise, he was not angry. He looked at the damage, they decided both cars would still run, and Randy declined the idea of fixing the dents. If the cars weren't broken, why fix them? Not everything has to be shiny and new. For a short time, Jai didn't understand this. But later, the dented cars came to be a symbol of that to them.
Here, I was reminded of life with my fiance. Travis finds it amazing, since we've been together, a wide variety of things household related items have wound up breaking, and he's learned that I am quite accident prone. The list of broken items includes two doors (I swear,the first one was not my fault, it fell on me! I did not break this one!), a window (that one was my fault), a shower rod, and a handheld mixer as well as several pans. My accidents on the first day of visiting him alone include getting a bloody nose within 10 minutes of arriving, being stung in the shoulder by a wasp, and being bitten between my toes by a fire ant. This was all in the same 45 minute period. And last night, he learned that I can twist my ankle stepping down no more than 10 inches (I fell, made lots of noise, and blushed like you wouldn't believe). But somehow knowing I'm not the only one makes me feel better.
Then came New Years, and with it the birth of their first son. Jai went into labor, but there were complications that put both she and the baby in danger; and she had to have an emergency c-section. Dylan was born pissed off; a very good sign. He stayed in ICU, and was later released to go home. They learned that keeping your head, even when you want to break down, can be the difference between a good turnout and a disaster.
This reminded me of my youngest brother, Robert (Bear for short, thank you.) Bear and Marian (his twin, my youngest sister) were born November 26th, 2000. While in the birth hospital, both were given formula that was on recall and Bear wound up with a bad infection. Robert was home for only a day or two before he was being airlifted to Buffalo with a high fever and the beginning of what has been a nightmare for the family. The fever was inducing seizures. Unfortunately, they were not diagnosed for almost a year. I can not begin to describe for you the horror of his screams after an attack. No child should ever have to make those sounds. My mother figured out what they were, and even what his diagnosis was, on her own. Unfortunately, none of the doctors would listen to her, and it cost my brother dearly. It took a seizure in the office of his pediatrician during one of his routine checkups to get the doctors to listen. My brother had Wests Syndrome. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_syndrome Due to how late he was diagnosed and a relapse when he was around 2 years old, the seizures did a considerable amount of damage. He and Marian are 8 now. Marian is in third grade, and the most bright, talkative, energetic child you will ever meet. Last year, she was awarded a medal in school for passing her elder sister Marcia's high score for how many books she had read. Bear on the otherhand, made a rather large acheivement himself. For my father's birthday, he stood on his own and took two steps unsupported. It's the first time any of us have seen him walk without assistance. We're still working on getting him to take normal food again, but the feeding tubes from the hospital made it so bottles are the only thing he's comfortable with. He communicates without words, and spends a lot of time in a tripod position. The contrast between them tore my mother to pieces, but she still held strong and tried to get her child the care he needed. Were it not for her and her ability to keep her head, who knows what Bear would be like now.
While at his mother's home going through his father's things shortly after he passed, Randy made a discovery. His father had been awarded a the bronze star in WWII for valor. Randy asked his mother why he didn't know about this, and she replied that she didn't know about it. Throughout their marriage, it had never come up. Randy learned that humility was a virtue, and his father had it in excess.
The final lesson of this chapter was that Randy learned that his diagnosis had in fact, enriched their year. If he hadn't been diagnosed with cancer, they wouldn't have done half the things or had half the fun they did. Always keep things in a bright light.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Last Lecture Response 1
Chapter One began with Randy discussing the preparations he and his family had made for their life after his departure, and how he had finally decided to do (and received the okay for) his Last Lecture.
Initially, the chapter depicts a meeting with their therapist where Randy and Jai (his wife) are trying to decide whether or not Randy is going to do the lecture. Jai obviously has qualms with the idea, given the short time they have left together and the large amout of time the preparation would take. Also, the Lecture would mean that she would spend her last birthday with Randy alone; a scary concept given the years to come.
I really connected with Jai here; with more than one expirience. I must admit, I had a hard time not crying through this segment. A couple years ago, my father was diagnosed with COPD, and was told that he only had at most six years left. I was still in highschool when I heard this. All of a sudden I got hit with all of the things my father would probably never get to do. My mother had just given birth to my youngest siblings Robert and Marian; would he get to see them graduate? Would he be able to teach them all the things he had shown me as I was growing up? What about we the older children? Would he ever see any of his girls become brides? How about teach his son how to drive? It was scary, and a lot to take in at once. Soon after, my eldest sister offered to let me go live with her in Boston; my original home. It's something I had wanted since I moved to New York; I wanted to go home. I chose to stay in New York to stay closer to my father. Knowing how little time he had, I didn't want to leave and then regret not having that time with him. Even now, my boyfriend (fiance to be) and I decided that rather than travel to get married, we are staying local so my father can see at least one of his little girls is taken care of.
My boyfriend is my other connection with Jai. From September 27th (my 18th birthday) to January 24th, he was away more than he was around. He would be home for a short time, and then gone for a far longer one (the most extreme example being home for an hour, then gone for 2 1/5 months) When he was home, I didn't want to share his time with anyone. The idea of how much it was going to hurt when he left again was indescribable. When during my mid-day astronomy class I received a call that he was on his way, and he didn't have long I hung up the phone, grabbed my things, and simply left class. I walked into the office and signed myself out, then walked off of school grounds to wait for him. I was with him for an hour, then he was gone. I hurt bad enough that when my best friend's brother/my tae kwon do instructor/ one of my best friends (all the same person) made a comment of happiness that he was gone, I started hitting him as hard as I could anywhere I could and did not stop until my friend pulled me off of him. He was thankful for that which made me want to curl up and not come out till my boyfriend came back. He and I have not spoken since. I was only losing my boyfriend temporarily, even if it was going to be a long time; he'd be back. I can only imagine how much agony the idea of losing time with Randy must have been.
But Randy also had several points; he needed to make his mark and he needed to leave a message for his children. In that context, Jai consented to Randy giving the lecture.
Again, I made connections here. The main connection I made was when I damaged my knee in 9th grade. My at the time friend (now fiance) and I had been sparring, and he had wound up tripping and landed full weight on my knee. My kneecap slid out of its tracks and never went back in correctly due to my musclular structure, a problem commonly known as Runner's Knee. Unfortunately, I couldn't take it to a doctor given the lack of transportation and time. That same week my gym teacher started the track unit and did not want to hear that I could barely bend my knee much less run. So, he pushed me hard. It looked like I was going to avoid any further damage until during the mile run when my knee gave out beneath me. I was taken to the nurse and spent three months in physical therapy only to be told there was nothing to be done. I could no longer participate in competitive sports; something I dearly loved. Then my best friend's brother offered to teach me Tae Kwon Do. Given that it mainly focuses on the legs, it may help improve my muscle strength. My parents were both very against it because neither wanted me to injure my knee further. I had to do it. It's funny, at both of my belt tests I was honored by the heads of the Quiet Society for being not only competent and willing to learn, but unwilling to accept 'oops' as an excuse. If I messed up, I got mad. When I left the society, I had just received my Green Belt and was supposed to be going to the first competition that the society had competed in for many years. Even wounded, I had to shine.
In the next section, Randy had to come up with his topic; he knew he did not want the lecture to be about his death, but rather about his life and what made him unique. In the end he decided to give his lecture about his childhood dreams.
For the lecture, Randy did not wear the standard attire. Instead, he opted to wear his imagineer shirt; a blatant symbol of one of his numerous accomplishments.
(To be continued)
Initially, the chapter depicts a meeting with their therapist where Randy and Jai (his wife) are trying to decide whether or not Randy is going to do the lecture. Jai obviously has qualms with the idea, given the short time they have left together and the large amout of time the preparation would take. Also, the Lecture would mean that she would spend her last birthday with Randy alone; a scary concept given the years to come.
I really connected with Jai here; with more than one expirience. I must admit, I had a hard time not crying through this segment. A couple years ago, my father was diagnosed with COPD, and was told that he only had at most six years left. I was still in highschool when I heard this. All of a sudden I got hit with all of the things my father would probably never get to do. My mother had just given birth to my youngest siblings Robert and Marian; would he get to see them graduate? Would he be able to teach them all the things he had shown me as I was growing up? What about we the older children? Would he ever see any of his girls become brides? How about teach his son how to drive? It was scary, and a lot to take in at once. Soon after, my eldest sister offered to let me go live with her in Boston; my original home. It's something I had wanted since I moved to New York; I wanted to go home. I chose to stay in New York to stay closer to my father. Knowing how little time he had, I didn't want to leave and then regret not having that time with him. Even now, my boyfriend (fiance to be) and I decided that rather than travel to get married, we are staying local so my father can see at least one of his little girls is taken care of.
My boyfriend is my other connection with Jai. From September 27th (my 18th birthday) to January 24th, he was away more than he was around. He would be home for a short time, and then gone for a far longer one (the most extreme example being home for an hour, then gone for 2 1/5 months) When he was home, I didn't want to share his time with anyone. The idea of how much it was going to hurt when he left again was indescribable. When during my mid-day astronomy class I received a call that he was on his way, and he didn't have long I hung up the phone, grabbed my things, and simply left class. I walked into the office and signed myself out, then walked off of school grounds to wait for him. I was with him for an hour, then he was gone. I hurt bad enough that when my best friend's brother/my tae kwon do instructor/ one of my best friends (all the same person) made a comment of happiness that he was gone, I started hitting him as hard as I could anywhere I could and did not stop until my friend pulled me off of him. He was thankful for that which made me want to curl up and not come out till my boyfriend came back. He and I have not spoken since. I was only losing my boyfriend temporarily, even if it was going to be a long time; he'd be back. I can only imagine how much agony the idea of losing time with Randy must have been.
But Randy also had several points; he needed to make his mark and he needed to leave a message for his children. In that context, Jai consented to Randy giving the lecture.
Again, I made connections here. The main connection I made was when I damaged my knee in 9th grade. My at the time friend (now fiance) and I had been sparring, and he had wound up tripping and landed full weight on my knee. My kneecap slid out of its tracks and never went back in correctly due to my musclular structure, a problem commonly known as Runner's Knee. Unfortunately, I couldn't take it to a doctor given the lack of transportation and time. That same week my gym teacher started the track unit and did not want to hear that I could barely bend my knee much less run. So, he pushed me hard. It looked like I was going to avoid any further damage until during the mile run when my knee gave out beneath me. I was taken to the nurse and spent three months in physical therapy only to be told there was nothing to be done. I could no longer participate in competitive sports; something I dearly loved. Then my best friend's brother offered to teach me Tae Kwon Do. Given that it mainly focuses on the legs, it may help improve my muscle strength. My parents were both very against it because neither wanted me to injure my knee further. I had to do it. It's funny, at both of my belt tests I was honored by the heads of the Quiet Society for being not only competent and willing to learn, but unwilling to accept 'oops' as an excuse. If I messed up, I got mad. When I left the society, I had just received my Green Belt and was supposed to be going to the first competition that the society had competed in for many years. Even wounded, I had to shine.
In the next section, Randy had to come up with his topic; he knew he did not want the lecture to be about his death, but rather about his life and what made him unique. In the end he decided to give his lecture about his childhood dreams.
For the lecture, Randy did not wear the standard attire. Instead, he opted to wear his imagineer shirt; a blatant symbol of one of his numerous accomplishments.
(To be continued)
Thursday, December 4, 2008
On Course Chapter 5 Summary
Chapter Five centered mainly around interaction with people and the level of maturity displayed by each variety.
Basically, there are four varieties: Dependency, Codependency, Independency and Interdependence. When you are dependent, you believe you cannot acheive your goals without the assistance of others. Codependent people tend to put the needs and goals of others before their own. Independent people prefer to work alone; thereby assuring that their own needs and goals are met. Interdependent people work in groups to ensure that the goals of all are met. As a person progresses from one to the next, they become more mature. Dependent people are at the lowest rank of maturity, while interdependent people are the most mature.
I had to disagree with this. Yes, those who are dependent on others are are far less mature than those who do not. But, when it comes to whether independent or interdependent people are more mature; it is a matter of personal preferance. Not all independent people are incapable of working with others, many of us simply choose not to. I would much rather be responsible for myself rather than have to depend on someone else to be responsible for even part of my grade. Why should I be graded based on someone else's work? It's like asking a peer to review my work; if they have errors on their work, how can I possibly expect them to catch the ones in mine? Or if they are unfamiliar with how I think, how can they hope to correctly interpret what I have written into what I meant to write? I have my 'editor' who knows me and how I think, and he does an excellent job of aiding me in turning what I write into what it's meant to be. I personally see no need for 'class feed-back'.
Yes, the ability to work in a group is essential, but it is not required that a student find this to be the best manner in which to get through school.
Chapter Five also explained the importance of active listening and effective communication. The sum of it all was that a person must listen to understand; not to merely look for a chance to insert their own opinion and they must be assertive in communication, but avoid arrogance.
All things considered, I feel this chapter was at least somewhat beneficial, if only people could get past their bias towards herd-mentality.
Basically, there are four varieties: Dependency, Codependency, Independency and Interdependence. When you are dependent, you believe you cannot acheive your goals without the assistance of others. Codependent people tend to put the needs and goals of others before their own. Independent people prefer to work alone; thereby assuring that their own needs and goals are met. Interdependent people work in groups to ensure that the goals of all are met. As a person progresses from one to the next, they become more mature. Dependent people are at the lowest rank of maturity, while interdependent people are the most mature.
I had to disagree with this. Yes, those who are dependent on others are are far less mature than those who do not. But, when it comes to whether independent or interdependent people are more mature; it is a matter of personal preferance. Not all independent people are incapable of working with others, many of us simply choose not to. I would much rather be responsible for myself rather than have to depend on someone else to be responsible for even part of my grade. Why should I be graded based on someone else's work? It's like asking a peer to review my work; if they have errors on their work, how can I possibly expect them to catch the ones in mine? Or if they are unfamiliar with how I think, how can they hope to correctly interpret what I have written into what I meant to write? I have my 'editor' who knows me and how I think, and he does an excellent job of aiding me in turning what I write into what it's meant to be. I personally see no need for 'class feed-back'.
Yes, the ability to work in a group is essential, but it is not required that a student find this to be the best manner in which to get through school.
Chapter Five also explained the importance of active listening and effective communication. The sum of it all was that a person must listen to understand; not to merely look for a chance to insert their own opinion and they must be assertive in communication, but avoid arrogance.
All things considered, I feel this chapter was at least somewhat beneficial, if only people could get past their bias towards herd-mentality.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
GNH... can or should it be measured
I will be honest with you; due to a lack of interest in this topic, I have not really done much further research into it. As it was described to me in class, as an alternative to gross national prosperity; it seems neither measurable nor necessary.
I am reminded of highschool. My senior class officers had to come up with topics for the 'Class Personalities', and the officer in charge of selecting the topics chose only topics which she felt she herself could win. Sure enough, she wound up winning one of them. There had been a standard set of 'personalities' for several years, but because she did not like her chances of getting in she eliminated some of them while adding in those that would play to her strengths.
This appears to be very much the same idea as Bhutan's gross national happiness. They can not compete with other countries for gross national prosperity so they came up with something they stand a chance in. I love rooting for the underdog, but the underdog has to play by the same rules as everyone else lest they come out looking like a whiny spoiled brat. It is not an acheivement if you set the rules so that you cannot lose; it is an acheivement if you have the setback, fight it, and come out on top.
I am reminded of highschool. My senior class officers had to come up with topics for the 'Class Personalities', and the officer in charge of selecting the topics chose only topics which she felt she herself could win. Sure enough, she wound up winning one of them. There had been a standard set of 'personalities' for several years, but because she did not like her chances of getting in she eliminated some of them while adding in those that would play to her strengths.
This appears to be very much the same idea as Bhutan's gross national happiness. They can not compete with other countries for gross national prosperity so they came up with something they stand a chance in. I love rooting for the underdog, but the underdog has to play by the same rules as everyone else lest they come out looking like a whiny spoiled brat. It is not an acheivement if you set the rules so that you cannot lose; it is an acheivement if you have the setback, fight it, and come out on top.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Controversial paper topic
So I've basically decided my paper is going to be proving that Wicca/Paganism is not in fact Devil worship, and give brief history on why this misconception arose. No, I do not have any specific cites yet, but I'm sure that between my fiance and I, we can come up with more than enough information.
Friday, October 31, 2008
On Course Chapter Two Summary
Chapter Two was mainly about accepting personal responsibility. Personal responsibility is accepting the fact that we are resposible for the decisions we make and therefore, how our lives turn out as a result of those decisions.
There are two kinds of people, with varying degrees of each. There are Creators who change their behaviors to obtain the best outcome possible of any situation, and there are Victims who keep doing what they've been doing all along, even when it is obviously not working. Creators accept personal responsibility for their lives while Victims blame everything that goes wrong on outside forces. Being a Victim means that while bad things may happen to you, you let these events ruin the rest of your life as opposed to a victim, who is a casualty of misfortune, but attempts to set their lives back on course.
Choice is a big factor of personal responsibility. The first part of how a choice dictates whether you are a Creator or a Victim is the incorporation of a stimulus, which a person responds to, depending on their choice. A victim resorts to blaming, complaining, excusing, and repeating their behavior and as a result rarely acheives their goals. A Creator responds by seeking solutions, taking action, and trying something new if their method does not work. Creators frequently acheive their goals because they know they are responsible for creating their lives as they want them to be. They evaluate their lives and decide whether or not their outcomes and expiriences are what they want them to be and if they are, they do as they've always done. If not, they make new choices.
Self talk is also important in taking personal responsibilty. Again, the Creator and the Victim are very different.
A Creator listens to their Inner Guide which makes the best of any situation and tells the impartial truth.
A Victim listens to their Inner Critic or Inner Defender. The Inner Critic judges a person as inadequate, and blames them for everything that goes wrong in their lives. The Inner Critic frequently sounds like a judgmental adult from their child hood. The Inner Defender blames everyone and everything around the person for what goes wrong in a person's life. It usually is drawn from a person's childhood self.
A person must be careful when making their choices, as they decide who they are. Making wise decisions helps get us the results we want out of life, which essentially allows us to create our fates.
The wise choice process requires you to assess your present situation, and compare it to what you want it to be. Then you evaluate your options, and the outcome of each choice. After all of this consideration, you make your decision. Hopefully, after all this brainstorming you have come up with the best possible outcome for the situation. In this situation, the Creator makes their decision while a Victim 'goes with the flow' and then blames someone else when things don't turn out right.
Sadly, most of the time it's not the actual problem that upsets a person, but what they think is the problem. By listening to the Inner Critic or Inner Defender, a person will often respond to a problem that's not really there; an irrational belief. But if a person listens to their Inner Guide, they look at the situation, offer evidence that the judgments are incorrect while finding a positive explanation. They then question whether the issue is important, and if the judgments turn out to be true, improve the situation.
Personal responsibility is a wide and extremely varied subject. With topics such as choice and irrational beliefs, there were many personal expirience segments throughout the chapter. The chapter emphasized the fact that it is important to take personal responsibility for your life so that you may shape it to be what you want it to be.
There are two kinds of people, with varying degrees of each. There are Creators who change their behaviors to obtain the best outcome possible of any situation, and there are Victims who keep doing what they've been doing all along, even when it is obviously not working. Creators accept personal responsibility for their lives while Victims blame everything that goes wrong on outside forces. Being a Victim means that while bad things may happen to you, you let these events ruin the rest of your life as opposed to a victim, who is a casualty of misfortune, but attempts to set their lives back on course.
Choice is a big factor of personal responsibility. The first part of how a choice dictates whether you are a Creator or a Victim is the incorporation of a stimulus, which a person responds to, depending on their choice. A victim resorts to blaming, complaining, excusing, and repeating their behavior and as a result rarely acheives their goals. A Creator responds by seeking solutions, taking action, and trying something new if their method does not work. Creators frequently acheive their goals because they know they are responsible for creating their lives as they want them to be. They evaluate their lives and decide whether or not their outcomes and expiriences are what they want them to be and if they are, they do as they've always done. If not, they make new choices.
Self talk is also important in taking personal responsibilty. Again, the Creator and the Victim are very different.
A Creator listens to their Inner Guide which makes the best of any situation and tells the impartial truth.
A Victim listens to their Inner Critic or Inner Defender. The Inner Critic judges a person as inadequate, and blames them for everything that goes wrong in their lives. The Inner Critic frequently sounds like a judgmental adult from their child hood. The Inner Defender blames everyone and everything around the person for what goes wrong in a person's life. It usually is drawn from a person's childhood self.
A person must be careful when making their choices, as they decide who they are. Making wise decisions helps get us the results we want out of life, which essentially allows us to create our fates.
The wise choice process requires you to assess your present situation, and compare it to what you want it to be. Then you evaluate your options, and the outcome of each choice. After all of this consideration, you make your decision. Hopefully, after all this brainstorming you have come up with the best possible outcome for the situation. In this situation, the Creator makes their decision while a Victim 'goes with the flow' and then blames someone else when things don't turn out right.
Sadly, most of the time it's not the actual problem that upsets a person, but what they think is the problem. By listening to the Inner Critic or Inner Defender, a person will often respond to a problem that's not really there; an irrational belief. But if a person listens to their Inner Guide, they look at the situation, offer evidence that the judgments are incorrect while finding a positive explanation. They then question whether the issue is important, and if the judgments turn out to be true, improve the situation.
Personal responsibility is a wide and extremely varied subject. With topics such as choice and irrational beliefs, there were many personal expirience segments throughout the chapter. The chapter emphasized the fact that it is important to take personal responsibility for your life so that you may shape it to be what you want it to be.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
New Media Blog 1 Continued (Short Paragraphs)
If asked to choose which of my strengths I connect with in particular, I would have to say deliberative and belief.
I connect with deliberative because out of all the 'strengths', this is the only one that sounded anything like me. I am not someone who gets along well with people; their stupidity and the effects their decisions have on my life irritate me. Most people lie to your face without even thinking about it and still refer to themselves as your friend; and many have issues respecting the boundaries of personal space such as not standing directly behind you while you are working on an assignment. My boyfriend frequently is displeased by my lack of enthusiasm for associating with others, but it is how I feel safest. It is far better than leaving yourself open to the assaults of everyday interaction over and over again; if you do not block something out, eventually you crumble.
*to be continued*
I connect with deliberative because out of all the 'strengths', this is the only one that sounded anything like me. I am not someone who gets along well with people; their stupidity and the effects their decisions have on my life irritate me. Most people lie to your face without even thinking about it and still refer to themselves as your friend; and many have issues respecting the boundaries of personal space such as not standing directly behind you while you are working on an assignment. My boyfriend frequently is displeased by my lack of enthusiasm for associating with others, but it is how I feel safest. It is far better than leaving yourself open to the assaults of everyday interaction over and over again; if you do not block something out, eventually you crumble.
*to be continued*
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
New Media Blog 1- Strengths Quest & Set-Up Beliefs Definitions
Input- I take great interest in the world around me and find it to be exciting. I enjoy discovering and collecting new things; I'm a pack-rat.
Ideation- Ideas give me a sense of excitement; they are intriguing. It's nice to be able to find a new way to deal with a current issue.
Deliberative- I have survival instincts. I know that the world is not a fairy tale, and that there are real dangers present. I try to keep to myself because I do not trust other people, and see no real reason to do so.
Belief- My values guide me in my life and aid in my decision making. Life is more than the material.
Empathy- I am in touch with the emotions around me. I'm good at knowing how the people around me are feeling, and how to respond.
Ideation- Ideas give me a sense of excitement; they are intriguing. It's nice to be able to find a new way to deal with a current issue.
Deliberative- I have survival instincts. I know that the world is not a fairy tale, and that there are real dangers present. I try to keep to myself because I do not trust other people, and see no real reason to do so.
Belief- My values guide me in my life and aid in my decision making. Life is more than the material.
Empathy- I am in touch with the emotions around me. I'm good at knowing how the people around me are feeling, and how to respond.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Nichols Pond Clean Up
Dear... (Insert Name/Title Here)
I realize it is the wrong time of year to be bringing up such matters as this, but after winter comes spring, and with it will come one of the more... distasteful attributes of this issue. So here it goes.
I live in Spencer, it's a small rural community between Van Etten and Candor, and about 23 miles from Ithaca. It's a pretty nice town, there's a supermarket, gas station, a few churches, pizza place and bank. Your typical upstate New York town. Unfortunately, in the center of town just across from the super market is Nichols Pond. I suppose it must have been pretty nice originally, but now it is merely an eyesore. The surface of the pond is coated in algae, the spread of which is only slightly ebbed by the fountain that was recently put in. No one goes in the pond due to the fact that it is in dire need of a good dredging, and in the spring time the nearby school playground stinks from the dead fish floating on the surface and collecting near the banks.
I realize that funding for such a clean up is not easy to come by, but I think it would be beneficial to the town if it were to be done. We can spend millions on unnecessary additions to the school, but naught on the cleanliness of the town?
I realize it is the wrong time of year to be bringing up such matters as this, but after winter comes spring, and with it will come one of the more... distasteful attributes of this issue. So here it goes.
I live in Spencer, it's a small rural community between Van Etten and Candor, and about 23 miles from Ithaca. It's a pretty nice town, there's a supermarket, gas station, a few churches, pizza place and bank. Your typical upstate New York town. Unfortunately, in the center of town just across from the super market is Nichols Pond. I suppose it must have been pretty nice originally, but now it is merely an eyesore. The surface of the pond is coated in algae, the spread of which is only slightly ebbed by the fountain that was recently put in. No one goes in the pond due to the fact that it is in dire need of a good dredging, and in the spring time the nearby school playground stinks from the dead fish floating on the surface and collecting near the banks.
I realize that funding for such a clean up is not easy to come by, but I think it would be beneficial to the town if it were to be done. We can spend millions on unnecessary additions to the school, but naught on the cleanliness of the town?
Mirror Images Chapter Two
Traditional Means of Establishing Context and Discovering Your Argument
Define 'Traditional' for me? It seems that this chapter should cover the 'old' method of establishing what it is you care enough about to write an argument for, and how to put it into context? Wouldst thou bequeath unto mine ears the meaning of yon statement?
(So, who wants to play old-school?)
Define 'Traditional' for me? It seems that this chapter should cover the 'old' method of establishing what it is you care enough about to write an argument for, and how to put it into context? Wouldst thou bequeath unto mine ears the meaning of yon statement?
(So, who wants to play old-school?)
Mirror Image Chapter One
I must admit, I saw the title of the first chapter "A Brief Introduction to Argument" and showed it to my boyfriend. He snickered. Apparently he thinks I am already pretty adept with this topic.
Given the title, I guess it would be safe to say that I expect this chapter to cover the basis of argument. Its definition, the different types, ect.
(Though, it would be nice if it could help me win more arguments with my boyfriend...)
Given the title, I guess it would be safe to say that I expect this chapter to cover the basis of argument. Its definition, the different types, ect.
(Though, it would be nice if it could help me win more arguments with my boyfriend...)
Open Handbook Notes
Given that the first chapter of the book is titled The Writing Process, I would expect that this section will contain the 'basics' of how to write an essay. The first thing I notice is that it discusses purpose and audience... I was under the impression that such things would have been covered in Academic Writing I? I also note that it discusses reading critically, I am not so sure why this is for Academic Writing II rather than an intro to writing course.
Happiness (Edited)
Happiness is defined as a state of well-being characterized by emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy. Even in the happiest life, there are moments that stick out as being uniquely 'happy'; each has their own unique characteristics that make them memorable or force them to stand out against the rest. For some it is the day they graduate high school, the senior prom, the senior trip, a competition, the day they met their significant other or the day they received an accolade. In my life, I have experienced my own versions of these events, and none of them begins to compare with the happiness I felt when I saw my child for the first time. I do not think I will ever forget what it was like when I went to my first ultrasound. I was lying on the hospital examination bed feeling nervous; what if something was wrong with the baby? What if there was something wrong with me? So many worries were going through my mind. I know I envied my partner's ability to consume caffeine at that point. All through the preparation I was worried, though I doubt it lasted more than three minutes. Then, my baby was there on the screen; and it was moving. I could see its little heart beating and watch its feet twitch. They may seem like small things, but relief and joy flooded over me. I started crying; that was my baby on the screen. The pride and happiness I experienced were like nothing I had ever felt before. Everyone experiences happiness in their lives, and each person has a different way of ranking the joyful moments in their lives. Some reflect on that last big win, others have their own milestones. For me, actually being able to see the life that my partner and I created surpasses any other. I'm pretty sure seeing my partner hold his first child will probably surmount it, and being able to hold the child myself will crown even that. But for now, nothing compares to the sight of my child for me; it will be with me for the rest of my life. It shows to me without a doubt, that though a person may be happy with their life as it is, there is always some way for that little extra happiness to show through.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Happiness essay... (Time to hang myself)
There are many happy moments in a person's life; each has their own unique characteristics that make them memorable or force them to stand out against the rest. For some it is the day they graduate high school, the senior prom, the senior trip, a competition, the day they met their significant other or the day they received an accolade. In my life, I have experienced my own versions of these events, and none of them begins to compare with the happiness I felt when I saw my child for the first time.
I do not think I will ever forget what it was like when I went to my first ultrasound. I was lying on the hospital examination bed feeling nervous; what if something was wrong with the baby? What if there was something wrong with me? So many worries were going through my mind. I know I envied my partner's ability to consume caffeine at that point. All through the preparation I was worried, though I doubt it lasted more than three minutes.
Then, my baby was there on the screen; and it was moving. I could see its little heart beating and watch its feet twitch. They may seem like small things, but relief and joy flooded over me. I started crying; that was my baby on the screen. The pride and happiness I experienced were like nothing I had ever felt before.
Everyone experiences happiness in their lives, and each person has a different way of ranking the joyful moments in their lives. Some reflect on that last big win, others have their own milestones. For me, actually being able to see the life that my partner and I created surpasses any other. I'm pretty sure seeing my partner hold his first child will probably surmount it, and being able to hold the child myself will crown even that. But for now, nothing compares to the sight of my child for me; it will be with me for the rest of my life.
I do not think I will ever forget what it was like when I went to my first ultrasound. I was lying on the hospital examination bed feeling nervous; what if something was wrong with the baby? What if there was something wrong with me? So many worries were going through my mind. I know I envied my partner's ability to consume caffeine at that point. All through the preparation I was worried, though I doubt it lasted more than three minutes.
Then, my baby was there on the screen; and it was moving. I could see its little heart beating and watch its feet twitch. They may seem like small things, but relief and joy flooded over me. I started crying; that was my baby on the screen. The pride and happiness I experienced were like nothing I had ever felt before.
Everyone experiences happiness in their lives, and each person has a different way of ranking the joyful moments in their lives. Some reflect on that last big win, others have their own milestones. For me, actually being able to see the life that my partner and I created surpasses any other. I'm pretty sure seeing my partner hold his first child will probably surmount it, and being able to hold the child myself will crown even that. But for now, nothing compares to the sight of my child for me; it will be with me for the rest of my life.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Project topic
I am thinking I may wish to base my project around the pond in the center of Spencer. It is located directly on Mainstreet, and yet is one of the filthier aspects of the town, and the fountain they tried to use for beautification does nothing but draw attention to the large ammounts of algae just out of its reach. The pond smells horrible in the spring, due to the large ammounts of dead animals and other debris. The attractiveness of the town would be augmented by transforming this eyesore into a landmark or scenic tourist attraction. They have been attempting to clean it up for at least five years, but thus far, little or no progress has been made.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
First Blog
Hey! I finally figured out how to set up my blog! I'm still not exactly sure what I am expected to type here... but at least I got it up, right?
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