ideas : People : stories.
the Human Being stuff
Maybe we're alone, or maybe there are billions upon billions of other planets and galaxies and life forms, just waiting to be discovered.
Maybe not.
Either way, "Stay curious."
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-N- Stuff : Life Questions : TED Talks
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Every now and again, a seemingly random idea or theme will emerge, in various forms, over a short period of time. I've written about it before. This week, it happened again.
A few days ago, on my way to work, I listened to a podcast from This American Life and instantly had to tell a few Shakespearean fans about it.
Take a few minutes (okay, more like 60) and listen to why Jack Hitt, A Shakespeare enthusiast and critic, who has seen Hamlet a dozen times, staring people like Kevin Kline, Diane Venora (three nights in a row), and "Ingmar Bergman's production done in Brooklyn, performed entirely in Swedish," say "this production was different. Because this is a play about a man pondering a violent crime and its consequences performed by violent criminals living out those consequences. After hanging out with this group of convicted actors for six months, I did discover something. I didn't know anything about Hamlet" (via).
Soon after, and about a month after teaching Hamlet for the first time, I came across this, from Great Big Story.
"According to the prison commissioner, 97% of the people locked up today will someday join us on the outside. Manuel is leaving for a halfway house in 48 hours. He could have been out weeks before but chose to stay in prison so he could finish the play. Hutch has a scheduled date for release. And a few more of the cast have parole board hearings coming up to decide whether they've changed enough and should be allowed to mingle with us on the outside. To that extent, this whole night, including the cast party, is just another rehearsal" (via).
Jack Hitt said he didn't know anything about Hamlet until watching it performed live, in prison. I wonder if he also learned about those living behind bars, those whom society considers only outcasts, criminals, and non-contributors. I wonder if he knew nothing about them too, just like me.
You can read more about Teaching Shakespeare in a Maximum Security Prison or watch some behind the bars footage of prisoners performing Shakespeare.
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-N- Stuff : Real People : Do we not bleed!
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Aerial photography platform SkyPixel received 27,000 entries to its 2016 competition. Here are the winning shots plus some of The Guardian's favorites.
Published by The Guardian
Wednesday 25 January 2017
A line in the sand ... SkyPixel’s competition was open to both professional and amateur photographers and was split into three categories: Beauty, 360, and Drones in Use. This image – of a camel caravan in the desert – won first prize in the Professional Beauty category.
Photograph: Hanbing Wang/SkyPixel
Dam near perfect ... second prize in the same category was of the Huia Dam in Auckland, New Zealand. Hong Kong-based SkyPixel was launched in 2014.
Photograph: Brendon Dixon/SkyPixel
Dead straight ... this image of a road bridge in the US won first prize in the Amateur Beauty category.
Photograph: SkyPixel
Green waves ... this shot, taken in Italy, won second prize in the Amateur Beauty category.
Photograph: Mauro Pagliai/SkyPixel
ce art ... third prize in the Amateur Beauty category. This image is of a frozen river in the US.
Photograph: SkyPixel
Catching the winning image ... fishermen close the net in Fujian province in China. This was the grand prize winner in the competition.
Photograph: Ge Zheng/Ge Zheng/SkyPixel
On the terraces … the competition – the first run by SkyPixel – attracted 27,000 entries, including this one of a rice terrace in China, which was one of our favourites.
Photograph: SkyPixel
Where did you park the car? Another of our favourites, though not a category winner, is of a huge parking lot.
Photograph: SkyPixel
City cool … people play amid the fountains.
Photograph: SkyPixel
And they were all yellow … uncredited landscape shot.
Photograph: SkyPixel
Rainbow lines … a track runs between the multicoloured lines of tulips in the Netherlands.
Photograph: SkyPixel
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-N- Stuff : On Living : Critical Thinking
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Admittedly, I started the below video a few days ago, then turned it off about two minutes in. I was bored.
Then, in the days to follow, I had a few interactions with various colleagues and friends and those brief two minutes kept coming back to me, because it was playing out in real life. So I went back to the video and, although it's a bit . . . dry maybe? I still came away with some key pointers and habits I'd like to fall into.
"Sincere deep connection eludes us" because we don't know how to have conversations - nobody really ever taught us. All too often, "we stay on the surface of events, neglecting how we felt or how it meant to us," because that's easy, and it's safe. Better to be thought boring and put-together than funny, yet a stupid, or a failure - I think we call those kinds of people "fools."
This surface-level type of discussion, though, is often stifling, and lonely, leaving everyone bored and disconnected. Because really, no one is actually says anything, and therefore, no one is truly connecting.
A good conversation is not just about what we say - how vulnerable we are - but even more so on how we listen. "Most of us think we have communicated when we have told someone something," George Bernard Shaw argues, "but {communication} only occurs when someone effectively listens . . . It’s the recipient, not the author" that allows for a deep and meaningful conversation.
The Chinese character for "listen" is a conglomeration of four characters and encompasses this idea.
To listen, to engage fully in a conversation, we need to hear with our ears, our eyes, and our heart, and we need to treat the other person as King - we give them our undivided attention.
Theodore Zeldin, author of Conversation: How Talk Can Change Our Lives, says that conversation "is an adventure in which we agree to cook the world together . . . and make it taste less bitter." True meaningful conversation - where we are open and vulnerable and where the audience is receptive and engaged, and respectful - allows us to connect intellectually, emotionally, and, consequently, personally. It is a place where we are no longer alone, and were we can grow.
"A conversation is a dialogue" says Truman Capote, "Not a monologue," and unfortunately, we have too many monologues and not enough dialogues. One reason for this might be that we are more concerned about sharing our ideas, our thoughts, and our stories than we are about listening to another, than we are about learning. Often, we'd rather teach and be treated like the king, rather than the other way around.
Another reason might be because we're afraid to be wrong.
"If you start a conversation with the assumption that you are right or that you must win, obviously it is difficult to talk." I resonate with this Wendell Berry quote because, if I'm honest, it is often my default. I want people to think I'm smart, that I've read that book or watched that movie or researched that topic - and that I know all about it. Listening with a willingness to be wrong has subjective connotations; it implies an inferiority - of knowledge and personally. And I hate feeling inferior, or worse, an outsider - of knowledge and personally.
But that's the heart of listening. Treating another as more important than self. Because they are the King, and the King deserves our respect, even if I disagree with them. Scratch that. Especially if I disagree with them.
How this looks, though, is difficult to capture because, at least for me, it is a complete conundrum.
In a recent discussion with a colleague (Ed Blanchard), I discovered that whenever I'm engaged with someone, when I am connecting with their thoughts and ideas, I interrupt them - a lot - because I'm all in. My mind is wrestling with the ideas, my heart is pounding and excited, and I want to clarify, to build off whatever is said, and I want to engage - here and now. If I'm quiet, if I'm sitting back and simply staring, more times than not, it's because my mind is somewhere else. My interrupting is because I'm invested.
But when I'm speaking, being interrupted is annoying because I want to be heard. Because my ideas are brilliant, and your breaking up my train of thought (curse you!).
This, as you can probably see, causes problems.
I'm currently engaged in an email discussion with a friend, Warren MacLeod over a book we've both recently read entitled Silence. The email discussion is interesting because, although the pacing is frustrating, it is also enlightening. In an email, I have to to read and reread Warren's thoughts without the pleasure of interrupting them. In turn, my thoughts are a bit more planned out and articulate because I can read and reread what it is I've said. I even put some of my answers on pause, go to the bathroom, get more coffee - whatever - then return to his question and my thoughts (is there a better place for thinking than in a bathroom?). Our conversation then, is patient, and it is extremely purposeful. We say what we want to say and mean what we say. It takes time, but the end product has a depth to it I don't always experience.
This type of conversation can happen in person too, I'm just not good at it. But my wife is, and recently, a friend affirmed her in it, and it convicted me. Her friend told her that recently, when her and her husband asked their middle school aged daughter, "Who do you want to be like when you grow up?" the daughter said, "Mrs. Miller." Why? "Because she looks at me when I talk to her, laughs at my jokes, and cares about what I have to say."
She listens with her eyes, ears, and heart - she treats her like a Queen.
Several years ago, a friend once told me to hold people's memories and stories like an antique, China glass - with extreme care and gentleness. "If you crack it," they said, "likely, they won't let you hold it again." I think the same can also be applied to any conversation, and I think Theodore Zeldin would agree. "The idea of friendship" he argues, "has, over the centuries, changed radically and has created a new pressing issue for humanity, the need for real conversation. It is not new lands we need to be discovering but other people's thoughts."
We live in an age where we can communicate faster and easier than any other time in history, yet, we are still disconnected. We are still alone.
The art of conversation is difficult, but it's vital. More than ever. We need to set down our phones, look people in the eye, and listen. Truly. With our eyes and ears and with hearts that are eager to discover new lands of thoughts and relationships.
We need to have conversation.
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-N- Stuff : On Living : Critical Thinking
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I'm not really a movie person. In general, they tend to be too long and I'm too tired because we won't start watching till after the kids go to bed, which means play won't even be pressed till around 8/8:30 and, well, with a bedtime around 9:30, it's a struggle.
Also, after watching a trailer and thinking, "Yes, that looks GREAT!" I forget about them and end up never watching them, or watching them too late. After everyone else has moved on.
I think I'm older than I think I am.
Anyway. Here are a few movies I'm either intrigued enough to stay up the extra hour or so for to give it a good hardy try, or I'm going to brew another pot of coffee for because, damn, it looks good and I have to watch it.
Make Coffee: This is either going to be a knock-down, heart wrenching, artistically brilliant, beauty of a movie, or the complete opposite of that. And I'll be ticked because I'll have wasted good coffee. And I love my coffee.
Intrigued: This seems a bit darker than I normally like, but I'm a sucker for anything portraying brothers as bothers should be - loyal. And this one could be one of those.
Make Coffee: When Owen Wilson plays characters that aren't Owen Wilson, often, they're pretty good. Throw in Julia Roberts and a kid being bullied for being different but overcoming and changing the school and surrounding community . . . coffee please. And some Kleenex.
Intrigued, with coffee on hold: Not because I don't think it will be a fully entertaining movie, in the shallowest sense of the world, but because racial movies make me nervous. Movies that attempt to tackle racial tension, especially when they bring light to a difficult and misunderstood moment in history, are golden. But movies that don't can be horrifically damaging. So, I'm nervous. But also intrigued.
Intrigued: Like movies that portray brothers as brothers should be, I'm also a sucker for any movie where old people figure out life, reconcile with family, and head into their final days with their heart at peace. This could be one of those. Or it could be super cheesy and drastically unrealistic. It might be best to watch this one on a Sunday afternoon so I can end the weekend well, either with a feel-good movie, or a great nap.
Make Two Pots of Coffee: Out of them all, this one seems to be the most sure-fire. To the point that I might not even need coffee for the movie, but for the hour or so afterwards where I'll want to sit and talk or think or write about how powerful and funny and beautiful it was. And then I'll watch it again with friends. And then again with family over Christmas or Thanksgiving. And then again, several years from now when I can quote it and laugh at it and cry with it, even before the scenes and lines come. I'm pretty stoked about this one.
If you have any suggestions, write them in the comments. I'd love to hear it!
I look forward to talking about them, over coffee, preferably before 8:30pm.
For more on . . .
-N- Stuff : Movies : Movie Clips
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Recently, and not so recently, I've been wrestling with the difference between critical thinking and criticism because, in and out of the classroom, the seem to have become synonymous. And they shouldn't be.
As in most cases, somebody has done a study on why this is, why we tend to criticize rather than encourage, and, as in most other cases, I disagree with the findings.
Teresa Amiable, director of research for Harvard Business School, says we tend to focus on criticism because of hypercriticism and the idea that when we hear negative statements, we think they’re inherently more intelligent than positive ones (via).
Teresa began exploring hypercriticism back in the 1980s when "she took a group of 55 students, roughly half men, half women, and showed them excerpts from two book reviews printed in an issue of The New York Times. The same reviewer wrote both, but Amabile anonymized them and tweaked the language to produce two versions of each—one positive, one negative. Then she asked the students to evaluate the reviewer’s intelligence" (via).
For the excerpt that was negative, the students thought the author, “definitely smarter" and "more competent," but also “less warm and more cruel, not as nice."
“The brain," according to Prefessor Nass, "handles positive and negative information in different hemispheres," and "Negative emotions generally involve more thinking, and the information is processed more thoroughly than positive ones. Thus, we tend to ruminate more about unpleasant events — and use stronger words to describe them — than happy ones" (via).
Negative emotions involve more thinking, and are processed more thoroughly, which is why they are regarded as higher levels of thinking. It's also why "almost everyone remembers negative things more strongly and in more detail.”
Roy F. Baumeister, a professor of social psychology at Florida State University and co-author of “Bad Is Stronger Than Good,” agrees. “Research" he argues, "over and over again shows this is a basic and wide-ranging principle of psychology," because “It’s in human nature, and there are even signs of it in animals." He did a lot of experimenting with rats and concluded that, “Bad emotions, bad parents and bad feedback have more impact than good ones. Bad impressions and bad stereotypes are quicker to form and more resistant to disconfirmation than good ones.”
Although I resonate with much of Baumeister's findings, his research method also points to the fallibility of the solution. Namely, we're not rats. We're humans, and as such, we are able to reason, discern, and, through sincere analysis, change our habits, and our way of thinking.
We are not creatures of instinct and survival alone. We are extremely complex, and fully human - we are set apart from the animal kingdom.
Yet, the findings are hard to refute, and I find myself nodding along to Professor Amabile's conclusions that "the negative effect of a setback at work on happiness was more than twice as strong as the positive effect of an event that signaled progress. And the power of a setback to increase frustration is over three times as strong as the power of progress to decrease frustration" (via).
Some theorists speculate this mindset, this way of thinking, is evolutionary and beneficial because in the ancestral environment, "focusing on bad news helped you survive" (via).
This is difficult to swallow because, even if it is true, that focusing on bad news helps us survive, I don't think it's what any of us want, to merely survive. We want us to thrive. And constantly pointing out someone's errors and where they could have improved, how they could have said something better, or how their actions (or inactions) were offensive doesn't help anyone to thrive and live and grow. It breaks down and destroys. It creates a culture of disappointment and fear.
A few months ago, while waiting in line to buy some baozi, I noticed the shirt of the woman standing behind me. It was all black with a simple white font that read, "If you reach out and touch the darkness, the darkness will touch you back." When we focus on bad news, when critical thinking becomes synonyms with criticism, we begin to not only reach out and touch the darkness, we embrace it, cling to it, and all to quickly we begin to drown in it - kicking, scratching, and fighting. Surviving.
What would happen if we focused on critical thinking yet pointed out the positives? And I don't mean the "everyone is a hero" or "everyone deserves a trophy" sort of positives, because that isn't critical thinking. It's the complete opposite. That's why it's been so damaging to an entire generation.
To be a critical thinker means spending time with something, dissecting and analyzing something (or someone) and formulating an educated opinion of it (or them). Great movies are, "Critically acclaimed masterpieces" because they've been vetted and the movie critic can give clear and articulate reasons why they loved it, why it was brilliant, and why we, the audience, should spend our time with it. This is very different than the "A for effort" sort of mentality. It's critical and deeply analyzed, and although flawed, it still has plenty to celebrate.
But this also, I think, articulates the difference of positive and negative criticism.
Think back to a time when someone gave you positive criticism, and then when someone gave you negative criticism. Then think of another time. And another.
I bet, if you think through these moments long enough, something like this will emerge.
Over the past ten years of teaching and public speaking, I've had a decent amount of responses from the student or audiences, and it's the negatives that have stuck with me over the months and years that follow, which isn't surprising. Negative experiences tend to do that. Recently, however, I've begun to believe that negative experience carry more weight not simply because they're negative, but in how they are negative. They are more specific.
For example. Last fall, after giving a presentation entitled Stories Matter at the ACSI Teacher Conference, an elderly woman, who sat in the front row with a head of thinning white hair (she reminded me a lot of my grandmother), found me and said, "I loved it. It touched me here (she pointed to her head) and here (and pointed at her heart). Thank you." I was touched, and fully encouraged. But only for a short while because there was nothing specific about it. It was too generic. I know she meant well and truly it meant a lot that she sought me out to say something, but because there was nothing to grab hold of and use and grow on for the next time, it paled in comparison to the person who could articulate with rather acute specifics, where the presentation floundered.
Whenever people criticize, most of the time, it's with specifics. They'll say, "When you said (something), I was offended" or "The way you did (this other thing), it was hurtful" and "When you act like (something else), it's immature. I've never had someone come in and say, "What you said or did was terrible. All of it. Just terrible." They come in with specifics. Things I can hold on to.
But I have had people praise that way. "Thank you," or "You did a really good job, really good" and things of this nature, which is great and I truly do believe they mean well - and it's far better than saying nothing at all. But it leaves me with nothing to hold on to. And when the rain and winds come, I need something strong and concrete to grab hold of. Otherwise, I kick and scratch and scream and try to survive.
Being critical thinkers does not mean we have to be criticizers. But it does mean we have to work hard at changing the way we think. Finding why we disagree or how we're offended has become too easy - its' second nature. But is also touches the darkness. Critically encouraging someone, with detailed and concrete specifics, offers light in a dark world . . . or when all other lights go out (does anyone else having running Lord of the Rings quotes forever in their head?).
Teresa Amiable says we tend to focus on criticism because of hypercriticism and the idea that when we hear negative statements, we think they’re inherently more intelligent than positive ones. I think it's time we holistically disagree with this statement.
We're not rats. We're not animals. We're deeply complex and intelligent humans who can critically analyze situations, make predictions, and act based on intelligence, not instinct. And our goal is not mere to survive, but to thrive.
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-N- Stuff : On Humanity : On Living
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"I have one word for you: story." - Hans Zimmer
Vivaldi's "Four Seasons" isn't new to anyone, even if they've never consciously listened to it - because it's everywhere, as the following clip says. But the detailed beauty in "Four Seasons" is astounding, especially for someone like me, an infant in the understanding of classical music.
Previously, I understood "Four Seasons" as more of creating-a-mood sort of listen, not a detailed story with specifics in mind. But now that I see it, I can hear it, and this 42 minutes of storytelling is about as good as any short story I've ever read.
Here are some interesting facts about the piece:
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-N- Stuff : Fanfare for the Common Man : Music
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By Alan November
05/18/2017
Fifteen years ago, a student I never taught forever changed my perspective on how students perceive authentic teaching and learning. This was one of the more auspicious turning points of my career, and the experience continues to challenge and inspire my thinking to this day.
My daughter Jessy, who was 11 at the time, was enamored with a phenomenon called “fan fiction.” Fan fiction encourages young fans of various genres of literature to write chapters and publish work in the style of their favorite authors. On fanfiction.net, authors are able to share their writing with the world, and readers can leave comments on the work that is posted to the site. As they make their pieces public, writers are actively learning from other aspiring writers. Notably, the site originated before MySpace, Facebook, and Twitter altered the face of online social interaction.
At the time, the Harry Potter series was all the rage, and Jessy quite literally could not get enough of it. As was the case for many young readers, she felt J. K. Rowling simply could not pump out books fast enough to satisfy her. Having to wait an entire year to experience more of Harry’s adventures was torturous. So she got her Harry Potter fix by reading work published to fanfiction.net as did thousands of young people aspiring to write in the style of the world-famous author. Jessy read the site voraciously, leaving thoughtful comments and feedback for many of the authors. She even developed many favorites on the site and returned frequently to check out their work.
When my daughter showed me the site and how she was using it, I was blown away. Here were young authors participating in one of the most genuine teaching and learning experiences I had encountered. Students were practicing their writing skills while publishing to a global audience that gave meaningful, in-the-moment feedback. Talk about continuous, authentic assessment. This site quickly became a subject of my presentations at schools across the country.
I was discussing the work of one of Jessy’s favorite authors on fanfiction.net at a private middle school when a student in the audience raised her hand. This was her work. Entirely coincidentally, one of my daughter’s favorite fan fiction authors was sitting 10 feet away. Shocked (and feeling a bit embarrassed to be presenting the work of someone in the room!), I instinctively called her up to speak about her work and experience on the site. This young author had around 12 stories posted on the site, and you could clearly see her development as a writer across her portfolio of work. She captivated the audience, and when she finished, students were lining up to ask her how they could create their own account on the site. She was an absolute rock star.
After all of the students had filed out of the auditorium, the student’s English teacher approached me. His words remain imprinted in my memory: “That was an inappropriate acknowledgement of that student. She used to be a great student, but recently she has not been completing assignments and has shown indifference in class. You made her look like a world-class writer.” I was stunned by the teacher’s observation, but also by the teacher’s claim that the same student who wrote and spoke so beautifully could be struggling in her English class.
That night, at a dinner event held at the school, I had an opportunity to pull the student aside to ask about the inconsistency. When I asked her why she was so motivated to write online yet not finish her homework assignments, she explained matter-of-factly, “Every day when I wake up I have an important decision to make. Do I write for my teacher or publish to the world? I prefer to publish to the world.” As the British would say, I was gobsmacked.
This response has enormous implications for how educators structure learning experiences for students. Although this student may seem exceptional, countless students yearn for an audience that values their work beyond a grade. They seek learning communities that support their growth and share their passion. Above all, they value authenticity and purpose in their work.
The story highlights the virtues of shifting the focus from an audience of one (the teacher) to a more global audience. The teacher’s response to my commendation of his student reflects the fears of many who resist this sort of shift. For this particular teacher, the student’s activity on the fan fiction website represented a loss of control and a distraction from the learning environment he sought to establish in his classroom. Being fixated on the student’s recent negative behaviors, he failed to see the ways in which he could leverage this online tool to motivate his student to achieve both in the classroom and beyond.
Thankfully, many teachers are working to provide a global audience for their students, understanding that such outreach can be key to investing them in lifelong learning. When students see that others value their work, they are more likely to invest time and effort into the assignment and more inclined to act on feedback that will improve their products.
It is incumbent upon us as educators to continue to craft meaningful, rigorous assignments that students believe are worth sharing with the world. With the rise of modern social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook, in addition to a wide array of blogging software, students have more opportunities than ever to publish their work to the world. As this story illustrates, students are already doing this—the challenge is for teachers to take advantage of these online tools to build learning communities that are inspiring and valued by students.
One of my most re-tweeted lines over the years has been, “Stop saying ‘Hand it in,’ start saying ‘Publish it.’” This paradigm shift from an audience of one to an audience of the world will inspire more students to achieve their potential, while instilling a lifelong passion for genuine learning.
Alan November is an international leader in education technology. He was named one of the United States’ 15 most influential thinkers of the decade by Tech and Learning magazine. Alan has worked with schools and universities in 40 countries to improve learning through innovative practice.
alan@novemberlearning.com
www.novemberlearning.com
For more on . . .
-N- Stuff : On Creativity : Do schools kill creativity? : Smartest Kids in the World
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"The worst crime you can commit is telling the audience something they already know."
and
Dialogue should sound like music.
I like these. They're simple, and I'm pretty jacked on hearing more (no, this isn't a commercial and no one is paying me to write this, unfortunately). Several times, over the past few weeks, adds for MastersClass has crept onto my computer screen, and just yesterday, I finally bit on it.
I'm glad I did. Even though I'm not paying for a single class - not yet, anyway.
Just browsing through the trailers and teasers is enough for now, because that don't cast a thing! And there's plenty of small nuggets in each of the forty second-ish clips. Like this one, from my one of my favorite film score producers, Hans Zimmer:
Music is a conversation, and anyone can have it, we just need to break through the myth that tells us otherwise. Pretty brilliant, Mr. Zimmer. Pretty brilliant.
Masterclass has classes on singing, cooking, writing, stand up comedy, architecture, sports, and many, many others. Check it out. You won't be disappointed.
And if you decide to order a class, let me know. I'd love to hear about it.
For more on . . .
-N- Stuff : Pixar's FREE classes : 9 TED talks from writers : Vonnegut's greatest writing advice
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Whatever you're drink, tea, coffee, or mate, it doesn't matter to me. Just as long is a book is somewhere close. A real book. Non of that ereader crap (I'm lookin at you, Jeff Birdsong!)
For more on . . .
-N- Stuff : The world's smallest cup of coffee : A peek at the history of coffee
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Using data from The Neighborhood Archive, Owen Phillips charted the color of every sweater Mister Rogers wore on his PBS television program from 1979 to 2001 (via).
Some sweaters were worn once and then never again, like the neon blue cardigan Rogers wore in episode 1497. Others, like his harvest gold sweaters, were part of Rogers’ regular rotation and then disappeared. And then there were the unusual batch of black and olive green sweaters Rogers wore exclusively while filming the “Dress-Up” episodes in 1991.
His mother knit the sweaters . . . I'm gonna let that sink in for a bit. His mother. knit. ALL of his sweaters! Because that's how she loved people, by making them sweaters. “I guess that’s the best thing about things. They remind you of people.” Good GOD he's good.
To enjoy more of Mr. Rogers' brilliance, you can watch them on Amazon Prime.
I recommend closing your eyes for the ten seconds when Fred Rogers says, "I'll watch the time."
I did: Eric Beard, Eric Trauger, Mr. and Mrs. Hampstra, Paul and Dorothy Keisling, Mr. Paladino, Diane Larson, Grandpa and Grandma Miller, and in younger years, my parents.
Luka Sulic and Stjepan Hauser of 2CELLOS performed an incredible cover of the song “May It Be” from The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring with the London Symphony Orchestra. The mesmerizing track is from 2CELLOS‘ new album, Score, which is now available to purchase from Amazon (via).
The music is amazing. The video is . . . eh. When I closed my eyes, I enjoyed it much more.
I'm a soundtrack guy, especially powerful, world changing soundtracks. Now We Are Free is another one 2Cellos covers beautifully, even a clean cello is a poor replacement for the woman singing in the background.
For more on . . .
-N- Stuff : Music : Movies without Soundtracks : Lord of the Rings
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There is growing research and discussion about a new(er) intelligence: CQ
"Cultural intelligence (CQ) is the capability to relate and work effectively in culturally diverse situations. It goes beyond existing notions of cultural sensitivity and awareness to highlight a theoretically-based set of capabilities needed to successfully and respectfully accomplish your objectives in culturally diverse settings" (via).
"Awareness is the first step, but it’s not enough. A culturally intelligent individual is not only aware but can also effectively work and relate with people and projects across different cultural contexts" (via).
Awareness is a first step, but being aware and doing nothing about it is almost worse. Because then it's blatant disrespect. What I like about these little blurbs though is that they doesn't say we have to agree on anything to be culturally aware. But we do need to be respectful and work hard at finding ways to relate - by embracing the cognitive friction. Which also means we need to be consciously looking beyond the single story.
Stereotypes aren't untrue, they're simply incomplete. For all of us. Being culturally sensitive allows for stories that go beyond the superficial and offensive - that build walls. Rather, it allows for stories that builds bridges and opens doors.
You can take a CQ test here. It's okay. It's one of those tests where you know what you should say, so you say it, because nobody wants a bad score, but the questions are worth thinking about. Especially the last question.
I think this guy would score very, very . . . very low.
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-N- Stuff : Diversity : Stereotypes
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I'm not sure which came first, the elephant or it's egg, but the video to this not-to-bad song is, like most of Felix Colgrave's work, confusing and entertaining and always unsatisfying - begging for more and more and more. And there is plenty more.
(listening to this while trying to get work done . . . brilliant!).
"A creature is just an animal that’s wrong. Be wrong lots, and when you’re wrong in a way you like, try getting that wrong and repeat forever." - Colgrave
This guys imagination is a playground worth wasting time on.
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-N- Stuff : Short Films : Art
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Every now and then, a certain theme will creep into life in various ways. This past week, justice and the role humanity plays, has been one such theme.
It started out with the podcast, "A forgotten History of How the U.S. Government Segregated America," which left me fully frustrated and at a loss on what to do. On what role I can play.
This one, "Null and Void," cheered me up a bit.
Should a juror be able to ignore the law? From a Quaker prayer meeting in the streets of London, to riots in the streets of LA, we trace the history of a quiet act of rebellion and struggle with how much power “we the people” should really have.
Not only does it offer some hope that the power still resides in the people - the conscious of America - it is an honest portrayal of the complexity of mankind. And I love that.
The discussion near the end is one of the best things I've ever heard on a Podcast - an sincere discussion, with strong disagreements, yet fully civil and appropriate.
Later in the week, I was shown this video from a young brilliant mind, Davis Campbell. His thoughts on the matter are worth reading.
The video is worth watching.
Like the " . . . U.S. Segregated America," podcast above, this video left me fully frustrated and at a loss on how to change the rules of the game.
This TED Talk helped a bit.
I don't have any answers to these seemingly impossible problems, except this. And it comes from the philosophy of J.R.R. Tolkien: All I have to decide is what to do with the time that is given me and to do what is good for all, not just myself.
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-N- Stuff : Humanity : History
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Anytime someone can find the ordinary and make it extraordinary, I'm all in. The vast skills and abilities it takes to create these songs is astounding. But there's also a healthy dosage of patience, persistence, and . . . what's another "p" word . . . let's go with personal confidence involve here too, which creates a few minutes of pure entertainment.
You can learn more about Music in Objects, click here.
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-N- Stuff : Art from War Weapons : Escobar's Son Building Peace
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In elementary school, my best friend was Ronnie. He lived a few blocks down, was always game for building a fort or playing football or basketball, and was either, at all times, my best friend or my worst enemy.
Some of the greatest memories of my childhood come and go with the smile and laugh of Ronnie because for a few years we were inseparable. I remember he had a scar on his arm, a nasty, cool lookin thing that ran like a thick vain up his forearm. He got it from trying to catch a football and, instead, ran through a glass door.
When Judah was five, he fell through a glass floor and cut his arm pretty bad. He received seven stitches but should have had about twice as much, but because we didn't take him to a doctor and a local friend stitched him up, without Novocain, he only got seven. Now, he has a nasty, cool lookin scar that runs up his arm like a thick vain, and every time I see it, I think of Ronnie.
In my first year living in China, after years of being out of touch, I found out, via Facebook, that he had died a few years prior. Ever since, Ron, more than ever, has been constantly on my mind. Every time I think of him, when I get lost in memories of flashlight tag, peeing the bushes beneath the front window of his house, or wasting hours on Nintendo 64 with my good friend, I can't help but think of his mom, because she was always there.
I was recently chatting with a friend about the importance of parents and how each parent seems to have a specific role in the development of a child. They mentioned that they often hear me talking about and telling stories of my dad, about how he taught me to take care of another's property, how to work hard and be diligent in our given tasks, and how to be a man of character. Then they expressed how they often feel lost, how they don't know how to parent and work through various struggles, because they're mother never taught them because she was consistently absent.
Dads seem to bring the affirmation and approval side of life. When he slaps you on the back after cleaning the garage and says, "Nice job - this looks great," that means a whole lot. More than any allowance.
But moms bring the, no matter what happens, you're accepted, side of life. Their love is unconditional, and it builds a wall of safety around the heart and mind of a child. They might fight for Dad's approval, but beneath it all, they know they're safe, because Mom is always there.
As my friend continued to share her heart, I thought of my childhood and the many mistakes I made, and that lead me once more to Dianne Larson.
She was great mom, to Ronnie, and to me. And I've never forgotten her.
One memory that often clings to the front of my thoughts is of a time I was at Ronnie's house, killing time in his room, a few days after his birthday. Ronnie stepped out for something, leaving behind a twenty-dollar bill on his dresser, and I had to have it.
I remember working through, rather quickly, the rights and wrongs of the situation, and how I would explain it. I didn't really know, but I had to have it. So I took it, just in time, then told Ronnie I had to go home for something. About an hour later, Ronnie's mom called, "Hey Brian, did you see a twenty-dollar bill on Ronnie's dresser?"
"No."
"Really? Because it was there this morning."
"Uhh, nope, I don't think so."
"Okay. He must have lost it somewhere. Thanks Brian."
"You're welcome," and I hung up the phone, feeling terrible and wishing I wouldn't have taken it. I remember talking on the phone, in my parent's kitchen, wishing I could just tell her the truth, but I couldn't, because then she wouldn't let me come over anymore. So goes the mind of a ten year old.
I knew, deep down, that she knew I took that money - of course she knew - but what has stuck with me after all these years is how she knew, and what she did about it.
She let Ron invite me over the next day. And the day after that. She didn't stop letting me into her house, feeding me Ravioli dinners (which I loved!) and letting me go camping with the family, or ride around looking at Christmas lights. Her love for me was unconditional. And she was, and is, a great mom.
Judah has his own Momma Diane, and the way Judah and her son play and fight and laugh remind me so much of Ronnie and me. And his Diane reminds me so much of mine. When Judah shares random stories about what Mrs. Diane did or said or where she brought them to eat or to what crazy activity she found for them, I smile with endless gratitude because I know how much Momma Diane's can mean, and how much they are loved in return. Even if we don't say it.
Dianne Daum Larson, happy Mother's Day! I love my memories with your son, and I truly thank you for loving me like one.
Diane Sonam, happy Mother's Day! The memories you have built with my son, the love you have shown him and the care you have given him is a blessing I cannot express. I just know how much it means to him, and how much it's shaping him.
To both Dian(n)es, thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
To all mothers, happy Mother's Day! Your role is more crucial than any of us know.
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-N- Stuff : Parenting : Other Holiday Thoughts
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This scene has been in my mind lately, because I resonate with it.
But it's the next line, the, "I need a holiday. A very long holiday. And I don't expect I shall return" that I struggle with. In the scene that follows, he puts on the Ring and walks off and gives up.
Later, when Frodo considers a sort of giving up, he's rebuked.
"I wish none of this had happened."
So who all who live to see such times, but that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that was given to us."
When we're stretched and tired and exhausted, we have a decision: give up, or keep walking, fighting, and trying.
It may seem impossible, or we might be lost and alone, but "there are other forces in this world, besides the forces of evil. . ." Forces that want to help, encourage, and support.
Forces that want to improve and build, not destroy.
"And that is an encouraging thought."
This "thesis statement," that all we have to decide is what to do with the time given us, coupled with the encouragement that there are other forces besides evil, is then supported throughout the story.
With Aragorn:
After he realizes he can no longer help Frodo, Aragorn makes the decision to rescue Sam and Pippen from the orcs. Because the fight is not yet over, and it's the right thing to do.
With Haldir:
History and past wrong doings don't influence Haldir's decision, because what was is not for him to decide. All he has is the time given to him, and the decision to make. To honor an aligence.
With Theoden:
Gondor calls for aid, the same Gondor that has abandoned and seemingly ignored Rohan when they were in need. The same Gondor that incited Teoden to earlier spit, "Where was Gondor when the westfold fell? Where was Gondor when our enemies closed in around us? Where was Go-."
But when Gondor calls for aid, when the beacons are lit, Theoden and Rohan answers the call.
With Sam:
This is why Sam is the hero of this journey - because his hope, his resolve, and his courage is what carries Frodo to the end. Even when Frodo abandons him, when he gives up and feels thin, like butter spread over to much bread, Sam carries him. With all that he has, and with whatever he has left, he decides to use it all, to give it all, because he is the other force besides evil.
And that is an encouraging thought.
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-N- Stuff : On Living : Humanity : Movie Clips
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ParrotRead has compiled a list of books recommended on Twitter by the speakers at the recently concluded TED 2017 conference in Vancouver. Some highlights:
Success Through Stillness: Meditation Made Simple by Def Jam cofounder Russell Simmons. “Simmons shares the most fundamental key to success — meditation — and guides readers to use stillness as a powerful tool to access their potential.” Recommended by Serena Williams, who also recommended Eat Yourself Sexy.
A Place of Greater Safety by Hilary Mantel. Recommended by Atul Gawande.
The Machine Stops by E.M. Forster. Classic sci-fi about humans living underground with all their needs being met by machines. Recommended by Elon Musk, who kinda wants to do that for realsies?
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot. Lacks’ cells were taken without her knowledge and used to develop medical breakthroughs worth billions of dollars. Now an HBO movie starring Oprah Winfrey. Recommended by Lisa Genova.
SuperBetter: The Power of Living Gamefully by Jane McGonigal. “She explains how we can cultivate new powers of recovery and resilience in everyday life simply by adopting a more ‘gameful’ mind-set.” Recommended by Tim Ferriss (via).
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-N- Stuff : TED Talks : Book Recommendations
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