When do you get your best ideas for anything? I've noticed that sometimes, actually most of the time, the best ideas for new posts come right before I go to bed - just before I nod off. It's a little annoying because most of the time, I tend to forget in the morning what that idea was but I remember that whatever it was, it was good.
I had a good idea for a post last night - and like the usual I forgot. Oops :) So I thought anyway I'd do a little research on how people generate ideas.
Occasionally, I am competent enough that I remember these late night ideas; when it happens (which is extremely rare) I write them down in the morning. I even have a friend who actually keeps a notebook next to her bed so that she can write them down. I fear that if I did the same, I would probably end up not going to bed at all and peruse the ideas all night long. Once I get started, it's hard for me to stop. But it's interesting to see that I never get this fountain of ideas in the daytime - so I did a little research.
According to an UK AOL My Daily article (http://www.mydaily.co.uk/2010/11/14/sleep-think-more-creatively/) it turns out that the brain reorganizes and reconfigures memory while you sleep. Interesting because a computer actually acts in a similar way. You know that defragmentation program you can run manually? Did you know on most modern computers it runs in the middle of the night? Kinda cute comparison. Not sure which came first, though... the computer or the human mind???
Another interesting article I read was on CBS (http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/01/21/tech/main594879.shtml). This article had an interesting paragraph on how Dmitri Mendeleev came up with the periodic table of elements that scientists still use today. Apparently, he had gotten frustrated for many days and suddenly he woke up to this new idea. Lucky guy!
As crazy as it sounds, it strikes a familiar chord with what I have experienced. I don't think of physical things when I sleep - it's just new ideas and not just limited to posts and things. Very frequently, the things I think of are problems that I had been solving for an entire day. For example, I did some programming the other day and couldn't debug the program. In my sleep (or perhaps right before) I thought of the error. Maybe I am just imagining it, but it turned out that error did cause the problem. So basically, all I did was think in a different way outside of the box. According to both articles, this seems plausible. A little daunting though when it happens in real life. Almost like an out of body experience.
Oh well... what is the message to take away from this post? I guess it is to go and get a good night sleep! And I think I'll do mine just now :) Night!
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Monday, June 6, 2011
Facebook Abstinence
I read a post recently (sorry, I forget whose it was) that talked about the appropriateness of "friending" various types of people on facebook and how that line is sometimes a bit shady.
I don't have a Facebook. Occasionally, I have had doubts about staying away from Facebook. Many of my friends have Facebook pages and have tried to convince me to join. I have never actually faced peer pressure that much before and my god, it is one of the hardest things to not succumb to especially if it is not something too dangerous that they are pressuring. But after reading innumerable accounts of haywire posts on Facebook and this last post that I mentioned I am certain that I have made the right decision. I'd like to share.
My number one point that I dislike about Facebook is what bugs a lot of people - privacy. I don't care about what the company says about improving security settings and all that. Unfortunately I can google peoples' names and find posts of theirs on Facebook even though I cannot access their account. On more than one instance that I tried this, I found a post that potential employers probably would not like to read. It is very difficult to make Facebook like email where only people you trust can see what you so openly and casually write. Many people consider Facebook as their primary means of communication between close friends and family. It's great, but it's dangerous. Not everything that you share with your family should be shared with your friends and vice versa. Sometimes what you want to share is to a very nit-picky set of people and Facebook doesn't allow that. It is way too easy to just post something and realize later the consequences of it, even though it had no value.
From what I have heard about Facebook, many people use it to share photos. Why not use some other tool for that? Picasa or Jalbum or the sort? For writing, I just simply disagree that Facebook is the proper form. Not only does it break down lines of privacy, but it also breaks down any intimacy. I remember even when email came out, people thought that was totally emotionless writing. It is why that when I thank people for anything, I handwrite my notes. Now Facebook is overpowering email. Email has more intimacy than Facebook. When I email a friend about something that has happened in my life that has caused a certain amount of emotional turbulence, the stuff I write is most definitely something cringe-worthy. However, I have that sense of relationship with that friend and I know that it will not be forwarded to the rest of the world. What we wrote stays between us forever. Not so with Facebook. If I were to do the same, who knows who will read that post? And by the time you realize, it may be too late.
So, I guess that last point stresses first impressions. Jumping to conclusions is something Facebook stresses because of its open nature. To those who use Facebook, I wish I could tell you to be careful, but you will not heed my advice. It leads me into my next point which is how it allows youngsters to register even though they are at an age that they know nothing about the cruelty of the world. They do not know or understand these intimate emotions and I personally think it is detrimental to their mental learning. Brevity is not always the best for writing. Good writing is eloquent and engaging. Good writing incite emotions in people while brevity kills them. Youngsters do not realize what impact writing can have and by allowing them input it to the world at such a young age, we are being careless. Protect them a little while longer. We should teach them how to write before we allow them to join the ultimate social network.
My last point about Facebook is one that a lot of people don't understand. I like having a few, close friends not tons of impersonal ones. To me, having one hundred people friend you on Facebook is more of a way to increase your self esteem. It makes you feel popular. Temporarily. What I enjoy from my friends is respect for being me. I can be me and they like it that way. My nuances and glitches are apparent to my friends and they accept me for that. To me, friends are the greatest gift. I can honestly contact them anytime when I need help. They are there to support me because they believe in me. And I only have a few. If a friend is worth keeping, then it shouldn't have to be kept over Facebook. Someone who randomly contacts you 20 years later on Facebook isn't one worth keeping in my opinion. I would like my friends to stand by me the whole time - even if it means that we do not have constant contact. A friendship bond should be bigger than contact - it is about giving something up for that person and being there when he/she needs it the most. Other than that, friends are more of acquaintances. People that I say hi to if I see them.
Perhaps I am bit harsh on what I expect from friends but I do not hesitate to say that I would do the same for them. For these reasons, I am extremely proud and happy that I have been obstinate about not getting a Facebook page. And guess what? I never have to complain about how addicting it is! I can put my time into something more meaningful... perhaps another post on this blog :)
I don't have a Facebook. Occasionally, I have had doubts about staying away from Facebook. Many of my friends have Facebook pages and have tried to convince me to join. I have never actually faced peer pressure that much before and my god, it is one of the hardest things to not succumb to especially if it is not something too dangerous that they are pressuring. But after reading innumerable accounts of haywire posts on Facebook and this last post that I mentioned I am certain that I have made the right decision. I'd like to share.
My number one point that I dislike about Facebook is what bugs a lot of people - privacy. I don't care about what the company says about improving security settings and all that. Unfortunately I can google peoples' names and find posts of theirs on Facebook even though I cannot access their account. On more than one instance that I tried this, I found a post that potential employers probably would not like to read. It is very difficult to make Facebook like email where only people you trust can see what you so openly and casually write. Many people consider Facebook as their primary means of communication between close friends and family. It's great, but it's dangerous. Not everything that you share with your family should be shared with your friends and vice versa. Sometimes what you want to share is to a very nit-picky set of people and Facebook doesn't allow that. It is way too easy to just post something and realize later the consequences of it, even though it had no value.
From what I have heard about Facebook, many people use it to share photos. Why not use some other tool for that? Picasa or Jalbum or the sort? For writing, I just simply disagree that Facebook is the proper form. Not only does it break down lines of privacy, but it also breaks down any intimacy. I remember even when email came out, people thought that was totally emotionless writing. It is why that when I thank people for anything, I handwrite my notes. Now Facebook is overpowering email. Email has more intimacy than Facebook. When I email a friend about something that has happened in my life that has caused a certain amount of emotional turbulence, the stuff I write is most definitely something cringe-worthy. However, I have that sense of relationship with that friend and I know that it will not be forwarded to the rest of the world. What we wrote stays between us forever. Not so with Facebook. If I were to do the same, who knows who will read that post? And by the time you realize, it may be too late.
So, I guess that last point stresses first impressions. Jumping to conclusions is something Facebook stresses because of its open nature. To those who use Facebook, I wish I could tell you to be careful, but you will not heed my advice. It leads me into my next point which is how it allows youngsters to register even though they are at an age that they know nothing about the cruelty of the world. They do not know or understand these intimate emotions and I personally think it is detrimental to their mental learning. Brevity is not always the best for writing. Good writing is eloquent and engaging. Good writing incite emotions in people while brevity kills them. Youngsters do not realize what impact writing can have and by allowing them input it to the world at such a young age, we are being careless. Protect them a little while longer. We should teach them how to write before we allow them to join the ultimate social network.
My last point about Facebook is one that a lot of people don't understand. I like having a few, close friends not tons of impersonal ones. To me, having one hundred people friend you on Facebook is more of a way to increase your self esteem. It makes you feel popular. Temporarily. What I enjoy from my friends is respect for being me. I can be me and they like it that way. My nuances and glitches are apparent to my friends and they accept me for that. To me, friends are the greatest gift. I can honestly contact them anytime when I need help. They are there to support me because they believe in me. And I only have a few. If a friend is worth keeping, then it shouldn't have to be kept over Facebook. Someone who randomly contacts you 20 years later on Facebook isn't one worth keeping in my opinion. I would like my friends to stand by me the whole time - even if it means that we do not have constant contact. A friendship bond should be bigger than contact - it is about giving something up for that person and being there when he/she needs it the most. Other than that, friends are more of acquaintances. People that I say hi to if I see them.
Perhaps I am bit harsh on what I expect from friends but I do not hesitate to say that I would do the same for them. For these reasons, I am extremely proud and happy that I have been obstinate about not getting a Facebook page. And guess what? I never have to complain about how addicting it is! I can put my time into something more meaningful... perhaps another post on this blog :)
Saturday, June 4, 2011
It's Really Really Rude
What's rude? Texting.
Haha.... I just noticed that the word "texting" has a red underline in it. Seems kind of ironic that a word we use so frequently and execute so many times as to cause me to vent about it, isn't even a valid word.
I just came back from a friend's debut performance very vexed with what I saw. No, not the performance itself - it was with the way that the younger members of the audience conducted themselves throughout the performance. Texting texting texting. God, they were texting more than probably the top CEOs in the nation do. I was upset by the fact that the friend had spent a good amount of time working her ass off to make this performance a successful one and these inconsiderate young girls spent the entire time glued to their phones and not even bothering to look at what was going on on stage. The entire time. I am not kidding. At least they sat up in the balcony of the performance hall, but there were people (like me) behind them because they sat in the first row. It was extremely rude of them to have their smart phones constantly lit up and do the whole flying fingers thing which was extremely distracting for me. I really wanted to thwack their heads with my program flyer!
So I guess the key thing is that there are no etiquette rules to texting and there should be. I never got a phone until I really needed one and even then, I was not allowed to text. I got texting, again, when I truly needed it - when I was actually leading projects in college and for other reasonable and practical reasons. Looking back, I am ridiculously glad that I did that. I cannot believe the girls' ignorance when it comes down to phones. Scratch that - I cannot believe all teens' addiction to phones. What need is there to be texting that frequently? What need is there, at that age, that they need smart phones with unlimited texting and unlimited data plans to access the internet every where they go? Honestly, I believe it is all a distraction to what they should be concentrating about at that point of their life. Don't mistake me, I am not saying that having a phone is a bad thing - in fact I believe that cellular phones are truly one of the smartest inventions of all times. But like any good thing, too much is just well, too much. I like to compare it to wine - a little is excellent for the heart, but too much caused addiction and poor health.
A normal teen should be having some of the best social life of their lifetimes and should be gearing up to be successful in life by concentrating on excelling at school. They should be in their prime of communication. Texting is not a form of communication. When someone communicates, there should be emotions involved. Words should have meaning and should impact the listener. This even includes one girls physically talking to another girls about a hot new guy at school. With this example, there are emotions involved, hand gestures, and tones. All of which make a memorable conversation. This is communication. You may say that then I characterize blogs and newspapers and magazines as not being communication. No, I say that they are. Why? Because they impact the reader. When bloggers blog and writers write, they do it with some meaning in mind. There is a reason and they wish to impact someone with their writing. So it is good. What impact does it have if someone picks a dozen contacts out of their contact list and texts them "dont have nething 2 do"? Exactly nothing. No impact no nothing. This is useless writing and will get them no where.
I admire parents who limit the amount of texting their children are allowed to do and wish that this rule was universal. There are certain cases where unlimited would be OK but for the majority as far as I have seen, it should be completely and utterly banned. Teens have not yet learned what is considered too much and clearly have not been taught yet on the basic rules of etiquette in life. I was extremely displeased with what I saw today and wish that it did not happen. Perhaps it is time go backwards a little in technology to see the benefits of life without cell phones. But perhaps we have already gone too far.
Haha.... I just noticed that the word "texting" has a red underline in it. Seems kind of ironic that a word we use so frequently and execute so many times as to cause me to vent about it, isn't even a valid word.
I just came back from a friend's debut performance very vexed with what I saw. No, not the performance itself - it was with the way that the younger members of the audience conducted themselves throughout the performance. Texting texting texting. God, they were texting more than probably the top CEOs in the nation do. I was upset by the fact that the friend had spent a good amount of time working her ass off to make this performance a successful one and these inconsiderate young girls spent the entire time glued to their phones and not even bothering to look at what was going on on stage. The entire time. I am not kidding. At least they sat up in the balcony of the performance hall, but there were people (like me) behind them because they sat in the first row. It was extremely rude of them to have their smart phones constantly lit up and do the whole flying fingers thing which was extremely distracting for me. I really wanted to thwack their heads with my program flyer!
So I guess the key thing is that there are no etiquette rules to texting and there should be. I never got a phone until I really needed one and even then, I was not allowed to text. I got texting, again, when I truly needed it - when I was actually leading projects in college and for other reasonable and practical reasons. Looking back, I am ridiculously glad that I did that. I cannot believe the girls' ignorance when it comes down to phones. Scratch that - I cannot believe all teens' addiction to phones. What need is there to be texting that frequently? What need is there, at that age, that they need smart phones with unlimited texting and unlimited data plans to access the internet every where they go? Honestly, I believe it is all a distraction to what they should be concentrating about at that point of their life. Don't mistake me, I am not saying that having a phone is a bad thing - in fact I believe that cellular phones are truly one of the smartest inventions of all times. But like any good thing, too much is just well, too much. I like to compare it to wine - a little is excellent for the heart, but too much caused addiction and poor health.
A normal teen should be having some of the best social life of their lifetimes and should be gearing up to be successful in life by concentrating on excelling at school. They should be in their prime of communication. Texting is not a form of communication. When someone communicates, there should be emotions involved. Words should have meaning and should impact the listener. This even includes one girls physically talking to another girls about a hot new guy at school. With this example, there are emotions involved, hand gestures, and tones. All of which make a memorable conversation. This is communication. You may say that then I characterize blogs and newspapers and magazines as not being communication. No, I say that they are. Why? Because they impact the reader. When bloggers blog and writers write, they do it with some meaning in mind. There is a reason and they wish to impact someone with their writing. So it is good. What impact does it have if someone picks a dozen contacts out of their contact list and texts them "dont have nething 2 do"? Exactly nothing. No impact no nothing. This is useless writing and will get them no where.
I admire parents who limit the amount of texting their children are allowed to do and wish that this rule was universal. There are certain cases where unlimited would be OK but for the majority as far as I have seen, it should be completely and utterly banned. Teens have not yet learned what is considered too much and clearly have not been taught yet on the basic rules of etiquette in life. I was extremely displeased with what I saw today and wish that it did not happen. Perhaps it is time go backwards a little in technology to see the benefits of life without cell phones. But perhaps we have already gone too far.
Saturday, May 28, 2011
The Most Beautiful Profession
It is an amazing day when you first realize that for the first time in your life, you are proud of an accomplishment. Done by someone else. Although we thing it happens often, think about a time when you saw someone else achieve something and you watch without even a trace of jealousy. Just pure pride. I witness it in two cases only - one is parenting. The other is what I think is the most honorable and truly beautiful profession that anyone can take - and that is teaching. When I first started teaching, honestly, I did it for the money. I wasn't a professional teacher or anything, just a high school student that wanted to make some extra easy cash. But I have grown to love teaching inside and out. There is something remarkable about watching your students grow and know that it was because of you and solely because of your teaching. I have not even begun of thinking about children yet because of my goals to grow professionally, but each student is a child to me. It is one thing to hear about this relationship like this - even in elementary school, teachers always go on about how each class is a class of children. I thought it was all bull. It is not.
What is probably the most revealing aspect of teaching is that is turns selfishness into dust. It is spiritually engaging and mentally clearing. If I didn't know what I wanted to do with my life, I think at this point I would say teaching just because of how it affects me mentally. Yesterday I was growling in frustration. After putting on a happy face for my student, a half hour later, I was in great spirits. No lie.
So what is my point? Maybe sometimes we take teaching for granted. However, I feel like becoming a teacher is one of the greatest efforts you can put in towards making society a better place. You take a step towards becoming a better person while changing the world. What more beautiful profession can there be?
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Learn it damn it!
I speak to all of America. Why won't you get an education? Why won't you take the time to open your textbook in grade school and then proceed to go to college. I don't give a crap about what your reasons are - getting an education is better for YOU and for AMERICA. What irritates me most is the people who love to comment on how the American economy sucks and how people don't have jobs. Stop complaining, damn it. Make it better. And let me tell you exactly how: Get an Education.
Can't afford it? Well, yes you can. There are millions of scholarships out there - did you know that? You know those people who say that they got enough scholarship to be paid to go to college - it didn't come easy for them. They studied their asses off in grade school and did well on standardized testing and they spent hours at a computer trying to find money and sending out essays to get it. You can do it too! Well, only if you have the drive to do it. Tell me one good reason why you shouldn't have that kind of drive.
OK, so your poor and your parents won't let you pay, or you have a family to take care - then fill out one application - the FAFSA. Tada! You get an outpouring of money. Are you African-American or Hispanic? Well now is the time to shout it out proudly to the entire world, because you can get scholarship money like it falls from trees. No, I am not bitter because I am not either one, but I am shocked that it is not being utilized.
And by the way, did anyone force you to go to an excellent top notch school? Is that what I said. NO! I said get an education! Did you know that College Board said that to go to a community college while staying at home costs about $2352. This was in 2008. OK, give a couple thousand dollars more. Still not bad, right? I don't think you need a 20 year loan to pay that much off.
OK, so you end up taking on some debt after going to college. Do I need to regurgitate the statistics behind going to college? Apparently I do. Here you go.
This is from he Bureau of Labor Statistics. Click the picture to get the big picture. The unemployment rate for someone with a high school degree is about 10%. The unemployment rate for someone with Bachelor's degree is 5.4%. Almost half. Not convinced enough? The average high school diploma earned $626 per week. The average person with a Bachelor's degree made $1038 per week. That's about $50,000 per year. I truly, honestly believe that getting an education is the best thing you can do for you and you dependents. Take the time and effort NOW to do this and the benefits will be countless! Please please please!
You are part of American, now it's your time to help clean it up.
Many thanks. :)
Can't afford it? Well, yes you can. There are millions of scholarships out there - did you know that? You know those people who say that they got enough scholarship to be paid to go to college - it didn't come easy for them. They studied their asses off in grade school and did well on standardized testing and they spent hours at a computer trying to find money and sending out essays to get it. You can do it too! Well, only if you have the drive to do it. Tell me one good reason why you shouldn't have that kind of drive.
OK, so your poor and your parents won't let you pay, or you have a family to take care - then fill out one application - the FAFSA. Tada! You get an outpouring of money. Are you African-American or Hispanic? Well now is the time to shout it out proudly to the entire world, because you can get scholarship money like it falls from trees. No, I am not bitter because I am not either one, but I am shocked that it is not being utilized.
And by the way, did anyone force you to go to an excellent top notch school? Is that what I said. NO! I said get an education! Did you know that College Board said that to go to a community college while staying at home costs about $2352. This was in 2008. OK, give a couple thousand dollars more. Still not bad, right? I don't think you need a 20 year loan to pay that much off.
OK, so you end up taking on some debt after going to college. Do I need to regurgitate the statistics behind going to college? Apparently I do. Here you go.
This is from he Bureau of Labor Statistics. Click the picture to get the big picture. The unemployment rate for someone with a high school degree is about 10%. The unemployment rate for someone with Bachelor's degree is 5.4%. Almost half. Not convinced enough? The average high school diploma earned $626 per week. The average person with a Bachelor's degree made $1038 per week. That's about $50,000 per year. I truly, honestly believe that getting an education is the best thing you can do for you and you dependents. Take the time and effort NOW to do this and the benefits will be countless! Please please please!
You are part of American, now it's your time to help clean it up.
Many thanks. :)
Monday, May 16, 2011
No fairy stories
An interesting story I read online: http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_thelookout/20110516/us_yblog_thelookout/stephen-hawking-says-afterlife-is-a-fairy-story
Perhaps I will blog about it tomorrow. After I think about it...
Perhaps I will blog about it tomorrow. After I think about it...
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
The Sun Got in My Eyes
SPOILER WARNER: I will be giving away many details of Albert Camus' L'Etranger today, so if you do not wish to know the ending of the book, please do not read any further.
I came upon an interesting theory as I was researching about existentialism for this post. It really delves deep into the fact that humans are fundamentally free to make choices. So free that sometimes, it is terrifying. The example I cam across looks at a person who is standing atop a cliff. That person may feel the fear of falling but also dreads choosing to throw him or herself off of the cliff. Basically, nothing is there to hold you back from choosing to fall or to stand, one way or another. This kind of freedom is fundamental and powerful, therefore terrifying. Connecting this situation back to existentialism, the truth is that every single action we humans take, is laden with choices such as these. We can blame the result on, really no one but ourselves. This is a hard concept to grasp and one that Meursault is able to, awaiting his day of execution. To put it crudely, the universe simply does not "care" about us. The world will continue to spin if we commit an error or if we do something awesome or if (like Meursault) we kill someone. Kinda scary. Actually really scary if you think about it too much. But I'll leave with a happy idea that stems from this kind of philosophy.
My parting thought: Don't take your mistakes so seriously. Enjoy what you have and don't dwell on the past. Another day will come and the earth will keep spinning, even though you erred. Embrace your life and forgive your mistakes. :)
I came upon an interesting theory as I was researching about existentialism for this post. It really delves deep into the fact that humans are fundamentally free to make choices. So free that sometimes, it is terrifying. The example I cam across looks at a person who is standing atop a cliff. That person may feel the fear of falling but also dreads choosing to throw him or herself off of the cliff. Basically, nothing is there to hold you back from choosing to fall or to stand, one way or another. This kind of freedom is fundamental and powerful, therefore terrifying. Connecting this situation back to existentialism, the truth is that every single action we humans take, is laden with choices such as these. We can blame the result on, really no one but ourselves. This is a hard concept to grasp and one that Meursault is able to, awaiting his day of execution. To put it crudely, the universe simply does not "care" about us. The world will continue to spin if we commit an error or if we do something awesome or if (like Meursault) we kill someone. Kinda scary. Actually really scary if you think about it too much. But I'll leave with a happy idea that stems from this kind of philosophy.
My parting thought: Don't take your mistakes so seriously. Enjoy what you have and don't dwell on the past. Another day will come and the earth will keep spinning, even though you erred. Embrace your life and forgive your mistakes. :)
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