Dear Reed,
Please take no offense that I have called you by your first name. However, all emails I receive from Netflix call me by my first name.
Let me tell you my beef. It aggravates me that you squandered my loyalty. I was touting the praises of Netflix to my uninitiated, technically-challenged friends years before anyone cared about your company. I got them to join and helped them maneuver their way through this new high tech concept. I bought my mother a six-month membership as a Christmas present. (It took her six months to work up the courage, but she finally used it and then joined.) I paid extra for blu-ray. I watched documentaries at my leisure through your streaming. I used my iPad and PS3 to enjoy those services.
My bill went from $17.99 to $26 a month.
I felt robbed. I had to choose Netflix or cable. A horrible choice. But in this economy I could no longer have both.
I miss my documentaries. I miss the movies that never made it to the big screen and were still amazing movies. I miss my Netflix. But I can't afford you.
I was faithful. I was loyal. I promoted your brand. In my estimation, Netflix owes me about a year of free service to make up for the business I brought to you. Don't worry. I know I won't get that.
I do want you to know that customer loyalty is an extremely important asset. I stay with companies who have a respect for my hard-earned dollar. I promote companies who do right by their customers.
Reed, you screwed up. Netflix is still a goldmine. But what have you done to restore their faith? If your hope is new customers, then I wouldn't count on good numbers for that. You need to do some serious advertising. Probably something funny with you admitting how much you screwed up. Funny would probably be your best approach. I don't know.,.something like Vin Diesel hanging you over the edge of the building making you promise to never make a dumb move like that again. (Obviously, you would not be literally hanging over the building.) Maybe buy some Superbowl advertising time.
But who am I? Just some nerd who watches documentaries, and occasionally gets stupid action and sci-fi movies for my nerdy husband.
Sincerely, an ex-Netflix supporter,
Jenbold@aol.com
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Government and Wall Street--Love the Way You Lie
"Statistics are like a bikini. What they reveal is interesting. But what they hide is vital."--Aaron Levenstein
Today was a special statistic. Unemployment is at the lowest level since 2008. And the crowd roars. The stock market rallies. It's all good in the US of A.
Conventional stock market wisdom says to "buy the rumor, sell the news". So is unemployment down?
I suppose if you spin the numbers enough. If you exclude those no longer eligible for unemployment benefits. If you exclude those who aren't on the rolls anymore because the government counts them as people who are no longer looking for jobs. If you include the underemployed who got hired on as seasonal workers for the last two months. I suppose you can make those numbers say whatever you want them to say.
I was never a conspiracy theorist, but...I now have this idea that we, the American public, have been played. And the government and Wall Street are just one big playa' calling us up in the middle of the night for a booty call. They gotta keep stringing you along, being just nice enough...so you will ignore the fact that you aren't the only one they're screwing. We will all be fine as long as we don't ask too many questions.
Just gonna stand there and watch me burn
Well, that's alright because I like the way it hurts
Just gonna stand there and hear me cry
Well, that's alright because I love the way you lie
--Eminem
Today was a special statistic. Unemployment is at the lowest level since 2008. And the crowd roars. The stock market rallies. It's all good in the US of A.
Conventional stock market wisdom says to "buy the rumor, sell the news". So is unemployment down?
I suppose if you spin the numbers enough. If you exclude those no longer eligible for unemployment benefits. If you exclude those who aren't on the rolls anymore because the government counts them as people who are no longer looking for jobs. If you include the underemployed who got hired on as seasonal workers for the last two months. I suppose you can make those numbers say whatever you want them to say.
I was never a conspiracy theorist, but...I now have this idea that we, the American public, have been played. And the government and Wall Street are just one big playa' calling us up in the middle of the night for a booty call. They gotta keep stringing you along, being just nice enough...so you will ignore the fact that you aren't the only one they're screwing. We will all be fine as long as we don't ask too many questions.
Just gonna stand there and watch me burn
Well, that's alright because I like the way it hurts
Just gonna stand there and hear me cry
Well, that's alright because I love the way you lie
--Eminem
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Reality TV Suicides
Russell Armstrong killed himself in August. Wesley Durden killed himself in October. Maybe the country's new year resolution should be to stop watching any of these reality shows. These are real people with real lives exposed to the world without publicists or bodyguards to hide behind.
Bring back the talented writers and actors and produce shows that don't exploit people's lives. Durden and Armstrong were just doing what all of us are trying to do--make a successful life for their families.
As hard as it will be to skip Survivor and the Real Housewives--I, for one, will not be watching!
Bring back the talented writers and actors and produce shows that don't exploit people's lives. Durden and Armstrong were just doing what all of us are trying to do--make a successful life for their families.
As hard as it will be to skip Survivor and the Real Housewives--I, for one, will not be watching!
Saturday, October 1, 2011
The United States' Illegal Immigration Dilemma
We have an imaginary line--a border if you will, that surrounds the United States. In some places we have fences marking those imaginary lines. Good fences make good neighbors, dontcha know! If you stay on the other side of that line, then everything will be copacetic, but...if you don't, that's an entirely different story. Now, we bought and paid for those lines long ago. We bought from the Dutch, stole from the British (heck, it's only treason if you lose--we didn't.) finagled with the French, and wrestled with the Spanish. And we won those lines. The survey marks there just like the imaginary lines surrounding your own property if you still own your own property.
But that imaginary line is a thing of beauty. If I take the risk...if I step over the line, then, maybe, my family can have a better life. Certainly, not always altruistic motives. That imaginary line can also hold untold fortunes for those who sell drugs or cars or...people. Those aren't the entrepreneuers we're looking for. But for the pure of heart, the line is important.
As US citizens we grow up being taught the value of ourselves, our liberty, and our unique ability to create our own success. The line doesn't apply to us unless we leave our own borders.
An ex-patriate with a need to see what's beyond those imaginary borders, I know what it feels like to live in other countries. In Japan, you are issued a gaijin card. You carry that card everywhere--by law. This is a country that expelled all foreigners for over two hundred years. There was not one time that I entered or left the country without getting pulled out of line and taken into a back room to question what I was doing, made to show my documents, and had my luggage opened, x-rayed, and put back together. Same held true in South Korea. Same in the Bahamas. Same in Jamaica.
All imaginary lines. All very real experiences.
But back to that line. If it's me and my family, then would I care about the line? If I knew, right over there is a better place, would I go even if I was there illegally?
Of course.
Remember, I came not only with my ideology set but my country's edicts, as well. I came with a certain set of God-given rights to make the best life that I know how. My individual rights far outweigh the laws of any land. I would weigh the penalties versus the possibilities of creating a better life for my family. My individual rights would always outweigh the imaginary line.
What our country forgets is the Eden that it represents for many. The bounty we so easily fail to see is not imaginary to others. What our country fails to see is that anyone who has the push and determination to come here for a better life is exactly the kind of person we want living here. We, a country of rule-breakers and rebels, should understand better than anyone else in the world the mindset of the illegal immigrant. You can build it here. You can dream it here. You can legitimize yourself here. You just have to be brave enough to cross the imaginary line.
As a US citizen, I like the imaginary line. As a US citizen, I also don't mind sticking my toe over any imaginary line, doing a little dance over that line, and crossing it just a little to see how far across the line I can get.
Don't worry, USA, you taught us all since birth to push the boundaries in thought, in mind, and in deed. You're not really surprised, are you, that others want to stick their toes over the imaginary line? Seems like if they are willing to take the risk on us, maybe, we should take the risk on them.
What's the worst that can happen? We won't be monoglots?
But that imaginary line is a thing of beauty. If I take the risk...if I step over the line, then, maybe, my family can have a better life. Certainly, not always altruistic motives. That imaginary line can also hold untold fortunes for those who sell drugs or cars or...people. Those aren't the entrepreneuers we're looking for. But for the pure of heart, the line is important.
As US citizens we grow up being taught the value of ourselves, our liberty, and our unique ability to create our own success. The line doesn't apply to us unless we leave our own borders.
An ex-patriate with a need to see what's beyond those imaginary borders, I know what it feels like to live in other countries. In Japan, you are issued a gaijin card. You carry that card everywhere--by law. This is a country that expelled all foreigners for over two hundred years. There was not one time that I entered or left the country without getting pulled out of line and taken into a back room to question what I was doing, made to show my documents, and had my luggage opened, x-rayed, and put back together. Same held true in South Korea. Same in the Bahamas. Same in Jamaica.
All imaginary lines. All very real experiences.
But back to that line. If it's me and my family, then would I care about the line? If I knew, right over there is a better place, would I go even if I was there illegally?
Of course.
Remember, I came not only with my ideology set but my country's edicts, as well. I came with a certain set of God-given rights to make the best life that I know how. My individual rights far outweigh the laws of any land. I would weigh the penalties versus the possibilities of creating a better life for my family. My individual rights would always outweigh the imaginary line.
What our country forgets is the Eden that it represents for many. The bounty we so easily fail to see is not imaginary to others. What our country fails to see is that anyone who has the push and determination to come here for a better life is exactly the kind of person we want living here. We, a country of rule-breakers and rebels, should understand better than anyone else in the world the mindset of the illegal immigrant. You can build it here. You can dream it here. You can legitimize yourself here. You just have to be brave enough to cross the imaginary line.
As a US citizen, I like the imaginary line. As a US citizen, I also don't mind sticking my toe over any imaginary line, doing a little dance over that line, and crossing it just a little to see how far across the line I can get.
Don't worry, USA, you taught us all since birth to push the boundaries in thought, in mind, and in deed. You're not really surprised, are you, that others want to stick their toes over the imaginary line? Seems like if they are willing to take the risk on us, maybe, we should take the risk on them.
What's the worst that can happen? We won't be monoglots?
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
The Nation's Apathy--A Curable Cancer
Bill Cotterell: DOC has good reason to block Buss
Bill Cotterell: Forget the delegates, full speed ahead
A great friend of mine, a Democrat, recently turned me on to Bill Cotterell's column at tallahassee.com. He addresses all of the issues that thinking voters want to know about.
The two articles above are examples of his work.
The first article deals with Governor Scott's attempt to push through privatization of the Department of Corrections. Included in the push is the hope to shut up the man who could put the kibosh on making the deal attractive. Unfortunately, no one really cares who is housing our criminals.
The second article addresses the date of the Florida primaries. Great writing, again, but it fails to deal with the biggest disease facing our nation:
Apathy!
Who cares about privatization of the DOC? Once they are locked up, they are easily forgotten. Ask any of the inmates who were wrongly convicted, and spent twenty years trying to prove their innocence. My husband worked briefly for the Florida DOC. Have faith that those inmates will be treated poorly no matter who holds the keys. There will be some saints who work with the disenfranchised, but that work will largely go unnoticed. We like our criminals safely out of view, and we certainly don't want them in our back yard. Unfortunately, we failed most of them long before they were ever incarcerated. Ask any good teacher. He/She could pinpoint with a high degree of accuracy who is headed for trouble. Trust me, as a former teacher, you know! And if only 4% of the population is sociopathic in nature, it means...yikes...we might be able to get the other 96% of the prison population back on track. Heck, if you're in jail for selling drugs, or jacking car parts to sell on the street, you just might be smart enough to learn how to run a legitimate business. Learn how to screw THE MAN like the wealthy do--find tax loopholes and exploit them.
The second article addresses the date of the Florida primaries.
Again, who cares?
I have had many good friends (Democrats) apologize for casting a vote for Obama. I can't even say "I told you so!". Obama, like any good professor, spent years in a classroom talking about the way things oughta be. When you teach, you are often in a philosophical bubble. Students hang on your every word. You motivate them. You empower them. You teach them the way the world ought to be...they leave those halls ready to take on the world, and then they touch reality.
That's where we are now. And it's not just the college-educated holding the bag and disenchanted. It's the American public. We were lied to. We were told by our government that there were two types of good debt: mortgages and college education. Both are lies. They are just a form of enslavement that you can't shake off or get away from.
So after being lied to. After training our students from any early age that they must go to college for job security. After we have inculcated them for years that homeownership is THE American entitlement. We dare ponder their disillusionment.
But for a few, no one cares about the primaries. But for a few, no one cares about privatization of the DOC, the DOE, the DOT, heck, but for a few, no one cares about the privatization of our country's security. Easier to turn a blind eye.
And the truth is--save for a very few--they don't believe their vote matters. They don't believe that either party cares about them.
George Washington saw the handwriting on the wall regarding how our political parties endanger US citizens. He wrote the following in his farewell address:
24 It serves always to distract the Public Councils, and enfeeble the Public Administration. It agitates the Community with ill-founded jealousies and false alarms; kindles the animosity of one part against another, foments occasionally riot and insurrection. It opens the door to foreign influence and corruption, which find a facilitated access to the government itself through the channels of party passions. Thus the policy and the will of one country are subjected to the policy and will of another.
25 There is an opinion, that parties in free countries are useful checks upon the administration of the Government, and serve to keep alive the spirit of Liberty. This within certain limits is probably true; and in Governments of a Monarchical cast, Patriotism may look with indulgence, if not with favor, upon the spirit of party. But in those of the popular character, in Governments purely elective, it is a spirit not to be encouraged. From their natural tendency, it is certain there will always be enough of that spirit for every salutary purpose. And, there being constant danger of excess, the effort ought to be, by force of public opinion, to mitigate and assuage it. A fire not to be quenched, it demands a uniform vigilance to prevent its bursting into a flame, lest, instead of warming, it should consume.
So, President Washington, what do we do? Our country is tired. Our citizens are weary of both political parties. Our voices fall on deaf ears. And we bear the enormous burden of the nation's debt.
Looks like Alexander Hamilton won after all. The bank owns us. We don't own the bank.
The only cure, our only hope is not a rallying cry for patriotism. It is to teach our children self-reliance. To teach ourselves self-reliance. To teach our communities self-reliance. And without bloodshed or gunshot, we will starve out our greatest parasite and foe: our government. We can beat them at their own game. We have the tools at our disposal. We have always had them. We just have to think and in thinking we must make those thoughts actions. We must learn to dream again and use our own compass to find our way back to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. And make no mistake, it is the pursuit that counts. Our own pursuit.
Bill Cotterell: Forget the delegates, full speed ahead
A great friend of mine, a Democrat, recently turned me on to Bill Cotterell's column at tallahassee.com. He addresses all of the issues that thinking voters want to know about.
The two articles above are examples of his work.
The first article deals with Governor Scott's attempt to push through privatization of the Department of Corrections. Included in the push is the hope to shut up the man who could put the kibosh on making the deal attractive. Unfortunately, no one really cares who is housing our criminals.
The second article addresses the date of the Florida primaries. Great writing, again, but it fails to deal with the biggest disease facing our nation:
Apathy!
Who cares about privatization of the DOC? Once they are locked up, they are easily forgotten. Ask any of the inmates who were wrongly convicted, and spent twenty years trying to prove their innocence. My husband worked briefly for the Florida DOC. Have faith that those inmates will be treated poorly no matter who holds the keys. There will be some saints who work with the disenfranchised, but that work will largely go unnoticed. We like our criminals safely out of view, and we certainly don't want them in our back yard. Unfortunately, we failed most of them long before they were ever incarcerated. Ask any good teacher. He/She could pinpoint with a high degree of accuracy who is headed for trouble. Trust me, as a former teacher, you know! And if only 4% of the population is sociopathic in nature, it means...yikes...we might be able to get the other 96% of the prison population back on track. Heck, if you're in jail for selling drugs, or jacking car parts to sell on the street, you just might be smart enough to learn how to run a legitimate business. Learn how to screw THE MAN like the wealthy do--find tax loopholes and exploit them.
The second article addresses the date of the Florida primaries.
Again, who cares?
I have had many good friends (Democrats) apologize for casting a vote for Obama. I can't even say "I told you so!". Obama, like any good professor, spent years in a classroom talking about the way things oughta be. When you teach, you are often in a philosophical bubble. Students hang on your every word. You motivate them. You empower them. You teach them the way the world ought to be...they leave those halls ready to take on the world, and then they touch reality.
That's where we are now. And it's not just the college-educated holding the bag and disenchanted. It's the American public. We were lied to. We were told by our government that there were two types of good debt: mortgages and college education. Both are lies. They are just a form of enslavement that you can't shake off or get away from.
So after being lied to. After training our students from any early age that they must go to college for job security. After we have inculcated them for years that homeownership is THE American entitlement. We dare ponder their disillusionment.
But for a few, no one cares about the primaries. But for a few, no one cares about privatization of the DOC, the DOE, the DOT, heck, but for a few, no one cares about the privatization of our country's security. Easier to turn a blind eye.
And the truth is--save for a very few--they don't believe their vote matters. They don't believe that either party cares about them.
George Washington saw the handwriting on the wall regarding how our political parties endanger US citizens. He wrote the following in his farewell address:
24 It serves always to distract the Public Councils, and enfeeble the Public Administration. It agitates the Community with ill-founded jealousies and false alarms; kindles the animosity of one part against another, foments occasionally riot and insurrection. It opens the door to foreign influence and corruption, which find a facilitated access to the government itself through the channels of party passions. Thus the policy and the will of one country are subjected to the policy and will of another.
25 There is an opinion, that parties in free countries are useful checks upon the administration of the Government, and serve to keep alive the spirit of Liberty. This within certain limits is probably true; and in Governments of a Monarchical cast, Patriotism may look with indulgence, if not with favor, upon the spirit of party. But in those of the popular character, in Governments purely elective, it is a spirit not to be encouraged. From their natural tendency, it is certain there will always be enough of that spirit for every salutary purpose. And, there being constant danger of excess, the effort ought to be, by force of public opinion, to mitigate and assuage it. A fire not to be quenched, it demands a uniform vigilance to prevent its bursting into a flame, lest, instead of warming, it should consume.
So, President Washington, what do we do? Our country is tired. Our citizens are weary of both political parties. Our voices fall on deaf ears. And we bear the enormous burden of the nation's debt.
Looks like Alexander Hamilton won after all. The bank owns us. We don't own the bank.
The only cure, our only hope is not a rallying cry for patriotism. It is to teach our children self-reliance. To teach ourselves self-reliance. To teach our communities self-reliance. And without bloodshed or gunshot, we will starve out our greatest parasite and foe: our government. We can beat them at their own game. We have the tools at our disposal. We have always had them. We just have to think and in thinking we must make those thoughts actions. We must learn to dream again and use our own compass to find our way back to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. And make no mistake, it is the pursuit that counts. Our own pursuit.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Monday, September 19, 2011
On the Incontinence of Man AKA Mom Ticking off THE MAN
Miquel de Montaigne--Father of the Essay
In 1571, he retired from public life to the Tower of the Château, his so-called "citadel", in the Dordogne, where he almost totally isolated himself from every social and family affair. Locked up in his library, which boasted a collection of some 1,500 works, he began work on his Essais ("Essays"), first published in 1580. On the day of his 38th birthday, as he entered this almost ten-year period of self-imposed reclusion, he had the following inscription crown the bookshelves of his working chamber:
'In the year of Christ 1571, at the age of thirty-eight, on the last day of February, his birthday, Michael de Montaigne, long weary of the servitude of the court and of public employments, while still entire, retired to the bosom of the learned virgins, where in calm and freedom from all cares he will spend what little remains of his life, now more than half run out. If the fates permit, he will complete this abode, this sweet ancestral retreat; and he has consecrated it to his freedom, tranquility, and leisure.’[10] (Wikipedia--yep, that's right...that's my source and I'm stickin' to it. Breaking all the rules my English teacher peeps!)
And what did he do? He wrote. He wrote his Essays. Oodles o' Essays.
The USA can stand proud and say that our kids write lots of essays, too. Why, little Johnny got a four on his holistically graded essay. He must be real smart. Can't spell to save his life...shhh...that won't matter not a bit. He don't know no real big words. But he don't need that. Naw. So long as he can spit out four, five, six paragraphs on command, won't matter that he ain't never finished the whole English grammar book his entire K-12 career. And if he can't read real great which might could help his writing, then we'll get him a special reading class. Get him some extra help. Don't matter none that the reading book ain't got no real stories in it. We'll pour some test-taking strategies into his noggin and he will be good to go come test season.
Standardized testing, No Child Left Behind, the frenetic drumbeat of rigor, and, indubitably, teacher accountability have worked together to KILL our children's love of writing. Essais translates literally to attempts (Wikipedia, again) Unskilled and not well-read, our children have had the "art" of essay shoved down their throats since they were in fourth grade.
Overwhelmed teachers have too little to work with and too much to teach. They must decide between holistic grading, old-school red penning, checkmarks, or the worst of all possibilities, simply skipping the essay. Ah, they don't get tested this year on essay writing. Let's leave that for the other grades.
Don't think that it's only the English teachers facing this madness! I have shaken my head when gung-ho administrators have said these famous words, "And it's not just gonna be the writing teachers teaching written responses. It's gonna be math and science and even you PE teachers." Brilliant! What a grand idea! We should definitely have our coaches enrich our students' writing. Or better yet, the school's resident physics teacher needs to assign a MANDATORY essay because some out-of-touch administrator has thought it was a good use of the teacher's time. And make no mistake--you kids know it's all a bunch of bull! You know that your peers are just doing the grind. They are not better writers; they are simply better at verbally vomiting whatever will get them their A! You, the United States of America, better hope to hell that they will even keep trying for the A. Because many of them don't care, won't care, and will hate writing until the day they die.
So, my beautiful daughters, why the diatribe? Why am I so passionate about this subject?
Because I want you to love writing.
I want you to know the power of the pen. I want you to write when your heart is on fire in love. Or when your soul is crushed with grief. I want you to write angry, impassioned letters to your politicians when they are not listening. I want you to write a brilliant snail-mail letter to the CEO of Apple when the link to buy gift cards doesn't work. I want you to write to your children--whatever you stand for and whoever you become. I want you to know that YOUR words matter...that YOUR thoughts are real and meaningful!
I don't care about how your mandatory essays are scored. I could care less. I care about YOUR excitement about YOUR words. I care about what YOU are passionate about.
I care about YOUR ATTEMPTS. Make a whole lot of attempts. Screw up! Write until you get it all out.
Like Anna Nalick's song "Breathe"--
2 AM and I'm still awake, writing a song
If I get it all down on paper, it's no longer inside of me,
Threatening the life it belongs to
And I feel like I'm naked in front of the crowd
Cause these words are my diary, screaming out loud
And I know that you'll use them, however you want to
And mark my words, those feelings will have to go somewhere. And when those thoughts have to come out with your words: you can right some of the wrongs of the world; you can mend your broken heart; you can comfort your loved ones; and after your hand is tired and you've nothing left to say, you can:
Breathe!
In 1571, he retired from public life to the Tower of the Château, his so-called "citadel", in the Dordogne, where he almost totally isolated himself from every social and family affair. Locked up in his library, which boasted a collection of some 1,500 works, he began work on his Essais ("Essays"), first published in 1580. On the day of his 38th birthday, as he entered this almost ten-year period of self-imposed reclusion, he had the following inscription crown the bookshelves of his working chamber:
'In the year of Christ 1571, at the age of thirty-eight, on the last day of February, his birthday, Michael de Montaigne, long weary of the servitude of the court and of public employments, while still entire, retired to the bosom of the learned virgins, where in calm and freedom from all cares he will spend what little remains of his life, now more than half run out. If the fates permit, he will complete this abode, this sweet ancestral retreat; and he has consecrated it to his freedom, tranquility, and leisure.’[10] (Wikipedia--yep, that's right...that's my source and I'm stickin' to it. Breaking all the rules my English teacher peeps!)
And what did he do? He wrote. He wrote his Essays. Oodles o' Essays.
The USA can stand proud and say that our kids write lots of essays, too. Why, little Johnny got a four on his holistically graded essay. He must be real smart. Can't spell to save his life...shhh...that won't matter not a bit. He don't know no real big words. But he don't need that. Naw. So long as he can spit out four, five, six paragraphs on command, won't matter that he ain't never finished the whole English grammar book his entire K-12 career. And if he can't read real great which might could help his writing, then we'll get him a special reading class. Get him some extra help. Don't matter none that the reading book ain't got no real stories in it. We'll pour some test-taking strategies into his noggin and he will be good to go come test season.
Standardized testing, No Child Left Behind, the frenetic drumbeat of rigor, and, indubitably, teacher accountability have worked together to KILL our children's love of writing. Essais translates literally to attempts (Wikipedia, again) Unskilled and not well-read, our children have had the "art" of essay shoved down their throats since they were in fourth grade.
Overwhelmed teachers have too little to work with and too much to teach. They must decide between holistic grading, old-school red penning, checkmarks, or the worst of all possibilities, simply skipping the essay. Ah, they don't get tested this year on essay writing. Let's leave that for the other grades.
Don't think that it's only the English teachers facing this madness! I have shaken my head when gung-ho administrators have said these famous words, "And it's not just gonna be the writing teachers teaching written responses. It's gonna be math and science and even you PE teachers." Brilliant! What a grand idea! We should definitely have our coaches enrich our students' writing. Or better yet, the school's resident physics teacher needs to assign a MANDATORY essay because some out-of-touch administrator has thought it was a good use of the teacher's time. And make no mistake--you kids know it's all a bunch of bull! You know that your peers are just doing the grind. They are not better writers; they are simply better at verbally vomiting whatever will get them their A! You, the United States of America, better hope to hell that they will even keep trying for the A. Because many of them don't care, won't care, and will hate writing until the day they die.
So, my beautiful daughters, why the diatribe? Why am I so passionate about this subject?
Because I want you to love writing.
I want you to know the power of the pen. I want you to write when your heart is on fire in love. Or when your soul is crushed with grief. I want you to write angry, impassioned letters to your politicians when they are not listening. I want you to write a brilliant snail-mail letter to the CEO of Apple when the link to buy gift cards doesn't work. I want you to write to your children--whatever you stand for and whoever you become. I want you to know that YOUR words matter...that YOUR thoughts are real and meaningful!
I don't care about how your mandatory essays are scored. I could care less. I care about YOUR excitement about YOUR words. I care about what YOU are passionate about.
I care about YOUR ATTEMPTS. Make a whole lot of attempts. Screw up! Write until you get it all out.
Like Anna Nalick's song "Breathe"--
2 AM and I'm still awake, writing a song
If I get it all down on paper, it's no longer inside of me,
Threatening the life it belongs to
And I feel like I'm naked in front of the crowd
Cause these words are my diary, screaming out loud
And I know that you'll use them, however you want to
And mark my words, those feelings will have to go somewhere. And when those thoughts have to come out with your words: you can right some of the wrongs of the world; you can mend your broken heart; you can comfort your loved ones; and after your hand is tired and you've nothing left to say, you can:
Breathe!
Montaigne--The Father of the Essay (Attempts)
http://essays.quotidiana.org/montaigne/inconstancy_of_our_actions/
To read my next essay, you will need to read the essay at the site listed above. The essay is long. It is difficult reading. It is worth it. Nuff said.
To read my next essay, you will need to read the essay at the site listed above. The essay is long. It is difficult reading. It is worth it. Nuff said.
Friday, September 16, 2011
On My Christian Faith without Apology
John 14:6
New International Version (NIV)
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
If you are a Christian, then this is the paramount truth in your belief. When I attend church, I always see the words and people in the Bible as very real. Not literal--real. I also play Devil's Advocate. Of course, as a person of words, that term must be defined:
Advocatus Diaboli (Advocate of the Devil), a popular title given to one of the most important officers of the Sacred Congregation of Rites, established in 1587, by Sixtus V, to deal juridically with processes of beatification and canonization. His official title is Promoter of the Faith (Promotor Fidei). His duty requires him to prepare in writing all possible arguments, even at times seemingly slight, against the raising of any one to the honors of the altar. (The Original Catholic Encyclopedia)
In essence, that officer is to search for truth within the church itself. In playing Devil's Advocate while at church, I do not believe that I am committing a sin. I believe that God gave me a gift and talent for seeing the world through a different set of Lenscrafters. I am old enough now to see that value and use it to further my own faith. (Of course, this relates to yesterday's post.). I tread lightly here because I treat my Christian faith and the Jewish faith with great respect. I will not be addressing the obvious other religions and faiths of Eastern and Western cultures. That can be considered a flaw in my argument which negates anything further I write. But guess what? This is a monologue not a dialogue. The detractors or critics will have to craft their own arguments. Thank God and our founding fathers that they have that right in this country. I welcome those with an established faith. I do not, however, have great esteem for the faithless; I find them pitiable. With all the exclusions, forewarnings, caveats--here goes...here's what your mother believes.
I think of Jesus as both man and divinity...but, and there's always a big but...
Others did not and do not.
Imagine the outrage if you are a faithful Jew to those words. Imagine the anger and rage at Christ for them. He is calling himself the Messiah. The Son of God. His words are inflammatory and heretical. His very words would justifiably have incensed his fellow Jews. He furthers the injustice later on by saying that man would receive comfort from the Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost. And with that, he commits another sin. For now, he has spoken of a Holy Trinity: God, the Father; God, the Son; and God, the Holy Spirit. Rabbi Stuart Federow addresses this issue in 2003: "Jews are taught that God is One, God is Indivisible, and this is found throughout the Hebrew Scriptures. Isaiah 44:6 tell us that, "I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God."
Houston, we have a problem.
If God is Indivisible in the Jewish faith and a Trinity in the Christian faith, then Christ's words are fighting words for one and hope for the other. Which brings us back to finding the truth.
And finding the truth is not always easy to get to. Let's pin it down, then:
What is truth?
In Christianity and my faith, God is truth. But, for me, that means I ascribe to a Holy Trinity. And this I take on total faith. The same kind of faith that I have when I believe that my husband will come home after each day of work. For make no mistake, that is faith. I am believing based on past history that he will return. Pure faith--nothing more.
So, in my spiritual life--Christianity is truth. I will also put forth that I have a greater puzzlement of those who hold no faith--atheists and agnostics. Their truths are far different than mine. In my estimation, to be faithless is to be hopeless. Can you imagine having faith in nothing? That means no faith in people, causes, anything good, true, and beyond oneself.
Atheists would argue that they can be good people, but they have already turned me off because they have arrogantly decided on a truth that they cannot prove. If we are creatures even capable of pondering our own existence and afterlife, then it is impractical to me that we are able to think existentially without existing beyond the here and now. I mean this seriously--they HAVEN'T EVEN DIED yet. To accurately determine there is no God means you have to be dead. The act of being undead disqualifies you from any empirical data to support your case.
Agnostics, I don't think of as arrogant. I think they are clueless. Giver-uppers. Mamby-Pambies. Willy Nilliers. In the words of Rush (Not Limbaugh): "If you decide not to decide/ You still have made a choice." Their truth, then, is a simple ,"I don't know what to think; I don't have enough evidence one way or another to make a determination." Are you kidding me? You don't know what to think? Really? Not knowing what to think is frightening to me because it means you have given up on the search. You are too lazy, too slothful, too apathetic to even bother to continue the search for truth. I'm just thinking...that's pathetic. And that's what I am doing...thinking. You know Descartes, "I think, therefore, I am" and all that jazz.
So that's my Truth. My belief. My faith. You, in your life, will determine your own spiritual Truth. And you will have to live and die with that Truth. And for Heaven's sake, have enough chutzpah to have a belief, a truth, a faith. Search it out. Dig for it. Spend every day until your mortal body ceases to breathe looking for Truth. Because to do otherwise means your very existence is unimportant, and for me, that is not Truth. That is the absence of Truth. And the absence of Truth is a lie, a falsehood. Your existence is important. The existence of others is important. Believing in existence beyond earth and death--that belief, that faith is Truth!
New International Version (NIV)
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
If you are a Christian, then this is the paramount truth in your belief. When I attend church, I always see the words and people in the Bible as very real. Not literal--real. I also play Devil's Advocate. Of course, as a person of words, that term must be defined:
Advocatus Diaboli (Advocate of the Devil), a popular title given to one of the most important officers of the Sacred Congregation of Rites, established in 1587, by Sixtus V, to deal juridically with processes of beatification and canonization. His official title is Promoter of the Faith (Promotor Fidei). His duty requires him to prepare in writing all possible arguments, even at times seemingly slight, against the raising of any one to the honors of the altar. (The Original Catholic Encyclopedia)
In essence, that officer is to search for truth within the church itself. In playing Devil's Advocate while at church, I do not believe that I am committing a sin. I believe that God gave me a gift and talent for seeing the world through a different set of Lenscrafters. I am old enough now to see that value and use it to further my own faith. (Of course, this relates to yesterday's post.). I tread lightly here because I treat my Christian faith and the Jewish faith with great respect. I will not be addressing the obvious other religions and faiths of Eastern and Western cultures. That can be considered a flaw in my argument which negates anything further I write. But guess what? This is a monologue not a dialogue. The detractors or critics will have to craft their own arguments. Thank God and our founding fathers that they have that right in this country. I welcome those with an established faith. I do not, however, have great esteem for the faithless; I find them pitiable. With all the exclusions, forewarnings, caveats--here goes...here's what your mother believes.
I think of Jesus as both man and divinity...but, and there's always a big but...
Others did not and do not.
Imagine the outrage if you are a faithful Jew to those words. Imagine the anger and rage at Christ for them. He is calling himself the Messiah. The Son of God. His words are inflammatory and heretical. His very words would justifiably have incensed his fellow Jews. He furthers the injustice later on by saying that man would receive comfort from the Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost. And with that, he commits another sin. For now, he has spoken of a Holy Trinity: God, the Father; God, the Son; and God, the Holy Spirit. Rabbi Stuart Federow addresses this issue in 2003: "Jews are taught that God is One, God is Indivisible, and this is found throughout the Hebrew Scriptures. Isaiah 44:6 tell us that, "I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God."
Houston, we have a problem.
If God is Indivisible in the Jewish faith and a Trinity in the Christian faith, then Christ's words are fighting words for one and hope for the other. Which brings us back to finding the truth.
And finding the truth is not always easy to get to. Let's pin it down, then:
What is truth?
In Christianity and my faith, God is truth. But, for me, that means I ascribe to a Holy Trinity. And this I take on total faith. The same kind of faith that I have when I believe that my husband will come home after each day of work. For make no mistake, that is faith. I am believing based on past history that he will return. Pure faith--nothing more.
So, in my spiritual life--Christianity is truth. I will also put forth that I have a greater puzzlement of those who hold no faith--atheists and agnostics. Their truths are far different than mine. In my estimation, to be faithless is to be hopeless. Can you imagine having faith in nothing? That means no faith in people, causes, anything good, true, and beyond oneself.
Atheists would argue that they can be good people, but they have already turned me off because they have arrogantly decided on a truth that they cannot prove. If we are creatures even capable of pondering our own existence and afterlife, then it is impractical to me that we are able to think existentially without existing beyond the here and now. I mean this seriously--they HAVEN'T EVEN DIED yet. To accurately determine there is no God means you have to be dead. The act of being undead disqualifies you from any empirical data to support your case.
Agnostics, I don't think of as arrogant. I think they are clueless. Giver-uppers. Mamby-Pambies. Willy Nilliers. In the words of Rush (Not Limbaugh): "If you decide not to decide/ You still have made a choice." Their truth, then, is a simple ,"I don't know what to think; I don't have enough evidence one way or another to make a determination." Are you kidding me? You don't know what to think? Really? Not knowing what to think is frightening to me because it means you have given up on the search. You are too lazy, too slothful, too apathetic to even bother to continue the search for truth. I'm just thinking...that's pathetic. And that's what I am doing...thinking. You know Descartes, "I think, therefore, I am" and all that jazz.
So that's my Truth. My belief. My faith. You, in your life, will determine your own spiritual Truth. And you will have to live and die with that Truth. And for Heaven's sake, have enough chutzpah to have a belief, a truth, a faith. Search it out. Dig for it. Spend every day until your mortal body ceases to breathe looking for Truth. Because to do otherwise means your very existence is unimportant, and for me, that is not Truth. That is the absence of Truth. And the absence of Truth is a lie, a falsehood. Your existence is important. The existence of others is important. Believing in existence beyond earth and death--that belief, that faith is Truth!
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Questioning Authority/Trusting Yourself
A psychologist by the name of Stanley Milgram conducted an experiment about obedience to authority. His study was a social experiment in which people (subjects) were put into two separate groups: teachers and students. The shocking part of this experiment was literally that--shocking. The "teachers" were to teach the "students" a number of word pairings. If the student subject got the answer wrong, then the teacher was instructed by an accompanying scientist to give an electrical shock each time. With each incorrect answer from the student, the teacher was supposed to increase the electrical shock, thereby, increasing the student's pain.
However, unbeknownst to the "teacher" subjects, they were the actual subject of the study. Although they believed they were causing the students pain (they were not), the teachers were being tested to see at what point they would disobey the orders. Astonishlngly, horrifyingly, 65% of the "teacher" subjects obeyed orders EVEN THOUGH they knew they were causing pain and that they should not administer increased electrical shocks.
Milgram's study, understandably, caused outrage...in the psychology community, but it sparked debate. Always a good thing for people to think. After reading about the holocaust, my students wanted to know why people would have done that. I believe it is based on one thing:
Fear of questioning authority.
Often, our leaders, teachers, parents, bosses, doctors and people in positions of power are given respect based solely on being authority figures. Put an M.D., a PhD., or a title on the beginning or end of their names, and they will be given even more unearned respect.
Your whole life will be a series of questioning. Sometimes your questions will be silent and kept to yourself. Sometimes your questions will be vocal and asked with respect. But sometimes you, with your own heart and soul and intuition, will answer the question alone. Sometimes you will stand alone for what is right.
It is scary to stand alone. It is scarier, still, to not stand up against an injustice.
Just as John Mayer sings:
"Even when your hands are shakin'
And your faith is broken...
Say what you need to say."
© 2003 by The Regents of the University of California. Printing this electronic Web page is permitted for personal, non-commercial use as long as the author and the University of California are credited.
However, unbeknownst to the "teacher" subjects, they were the actual subject of the study. Although they believed they were causing the students pain (they were not), the teachers were being tested to see at what point they would disobey the orders. Astonishlngly, horrifyingly, 65% of the "teacher" subjects obeyed orders EVEN THOUGH they knew they were causing pain and that they should not administer increased electrical shocks.
Milgram's study, understandably, caused outrage...in the psychology community, but it sparked debate. Always a good thing for people to think. After reading about the holocaust, my students wanted to know why people would have done that. I believe it is based on one thing:
Fear of questioning authority.
Often, our leaders, teachers, parents, bosses, doctors and people in positions of power are given respect based solely on being authority figures. Put an M.D., a PhD., or a title on the beginning or end of their names, and they will be given even more unearned respect.
Your whole life will be a series of questioning. Sometimes your questions will be silent and kept to yourself. Sometimes your questions will be vocal and asked with respect. But sometimes you, with your own heart and soul and intuition, will answer the question alone. Sometimes you will stand alone for what is right.
It is scary to stand alone. It is scarier, still, to not stand up against an injustice.
Just as John Mayer sings:
"Even when your hands are shakin'
And your faith is broken...
Say what you need to say."
© 2003 by The Regents of the University of California. Printing this electronic Web page is permitted for personal, non-commercial use as long as the author and the University of California are credited.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
India Moral Story
We have often discussed that although money does not buy happiness, it surely enables us to buy experiences that will enrich our lives. I wonder, though, what about those experiences that are not bought and paid for? What about those experiences that are from self-sacrifice and without any form of payment? What about the goodness and light that we bring to others without hope of fame and fortune or recompense? What about when we take in and accept the goodness and light of others? When they help us along this journey by a kind word or deed? Aren't those shared experiences of the highest value? If I gave you girls billions of dollars yet failed to give you love, what joy would your money bring? If I paid for you to train as an artist, or a doctor, or an actress, or a singer, and did not take joy in watching you do what you love, would the money invested in the experience be worthwhile? Wouldn't I have robbed you of joy and happiness? For all that truly matters is love and sharing it. And even though there are sometimes those who can't return our love, it does not mean that we must harden our hearts to the rest of the world. We are blessed with one another, and we should stand more in amazement in that love than amazement of any manmade monolith.
Love u mostest!
Mom
A wise woman who was traveling in the mountains found a precious stone in a stream. The next day she met another traveler who was hungry, and the wise woman opened her bag to share her food. The hungry traveler saw the precious stone and asked the woman to give it to him. She did so without hesitation. The traveler left, rejoicing in his good fortune. He knew the stone was worth enough to give him security for a lifetime. But a few days later he came back to return the stone to the wise woman.
"I've been thinking," he said, "I know how valuable the stone is, but I give it back in the hope that you can give me something even more precious. Give me what you have within you that enabled you to give me something more precious. Give me what you have within you that enabled you to give me the stone.
Author Unknown
Love u mostest!
Mom
A wise woman who was traveling in the mountains found a precious stone in a stream. The next day she met another traveler who was hungry, and the wise woman opened her bag to share her food. The hungry traveler saw the precious stone and asked the woman to give it to him. She did so without hesitation. The traveler left, rejoicing in his good fortune. He knew the stone was worth enough to give him security for a lifetime. But a few days later he came back to return the stone to the wise woman.
"I've been thinking," he said, "I know how valuable the stone is, but I give it back in the hope that you can give me something even more precious. Give me what you have within you that enabled you to give me something more precious. Give me what you have within you that enabled you to give me the stone.
Author Unknown
Friday, September 9, 2011
The Beatitudes--Christ's Words
Alex,
I always think of you as a peacemaker. Among your family and friends, you always strive to make things right. My wish for you today is to feel at peace internally. For your entire being to know your value and worth.
Love u mostest,
Mom
The text of St. Matthew runs as follows:
Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Verse 3)
Blessed are the meek: for they shall possess the land. (Verse 4)
Blessed are they who mourn: for they shall be comforted. (Verse 5)
Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after justice: for they shall have their fill. (Verse 6)
Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. (Verse 7)
Blessed are the clean of heart: for they shall see God. (Verse 8)
Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. (Verse 9)
Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Verse 10)
I always think of you as a peacemaker. Among your family and friends, you always strive to make things right. My wish for you today is to feel at peace internally. For your entire being to know your value and worth.
Love u mostest,
Mom
The text of St. Matthew runs as follows:
Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Verse 3)
Blessed are the meek: for they shall possess the land. (Verse 4)
Blessed are they who mourn: for they shall be comforted. (Verse 5)
Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after justice: for they shall have their fill. (Verse 6)
Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. (Verse 7)
Blessed are the clean of heart: for they shall see God. (Verse 8)
Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. (Verse 9)
Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Verse 10)
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
God--Be Still
Alex,
After this weekend, I am trying hard to Be Still. Maybe this will help both of us.
Love u mostest!
Mom
Surrender . . .
God's Irrepressible Care of the World
by John J. Parsons
Printer Version
"Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth." (Psalm 46:10)
AS THE CLIMAX of Psalm 46, this verse is not so much about meditation as it is about the mediation of God's kingdom in the heart of faith. The command to "be still" comes from the Hiphil stem of the verb (רפה) rapha (meaning to be weak, to let go, to release), which might better be translated as, "cause yourselves to let go" or "let yourselves become weak" (in poetic contexts, the noun form rephai'im was sometimes used as a synonym for "the place of the dead").
But to what end are we to "be still," "let go," "surrender," and even to "die to ourselves"? In Hebrew grammar, the emphasis of coordinate imperatives ("be still!" and "know!") is on the second imperative. In other words, we surrender in order to know that God is in control as Ribbono Shel Olam – the Master of the Universe. We "let go" in order to objectively know the saving power of God in our lives. We give up trusting in ourselves and our own designs in order to experience the glory of God's all-sufficiency (Ex 14:14).
When we surrender to the sure truth that the LORD God of Israel is in complete control of this world, we will find peace and be delivered from our temporal fears. Indeed, even though the present world be shaken (v 2), with the nations raging and the kingdoms of men tottering (v 6), we will not fear, since we know that God is our present help in time of trouble (v 1).
The city of God will one day be established upon the earth
(vv 4-5), and the schemes of the "princes of this world" will all become desolate (vv 8-9), but in the coming kingdom the Lord Most High (El Elyon) will be exalted among the nations, and Yeshua will forever be exalted among His original covenant people Israel.
Meanwhile, "set your minds on things that are above, not on things on the earth; for you are dead, and your life is hidden with the Messiah in God. When the Messiah who is your life appears, then you will also appear with Him in glory" (Col 3:2-4).
Time is indeed very short, friends, and the world is tottering in fear. Soon and very soon we are going to see our King! So let's "be still" – in order to know that "the LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge" (v 11).
Transliteration:
Harpu u'de'u ki-anokhi Elohim
arum baggoyim, arum ba'aretz
Download Hebrew Study Card
<< Return
Hebrew for Christians
Copyright © John J. Parsons
All rights reserved.
After this weekend, I am trying hard to Be Still. Maybe this will help both of us.
Love u mostest!
Mom
Surrender . . .
God's Irrepressible Care of the World
by John J. Parsons
Printer Version
"Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth." (Psalm 46:10)
AS THE CLIMAX of Psalm 46, this verse is not so much about meditation as it is about the mediation of God's kingdom in the heart of faith. The command to "be still" comes from the Hiphil stem of the verb (רפה) rapha (meaning to be weak, to let go, to release), which might better be translated as, "cause yourselves to let go" or "let yourselves become weak" (in poetic contexts, the noun form rephai'im was sometimes used as a synonym for "the place of the dead").
But to what end are we to "be still," "let go," "surrender," and even to "die to ourselves"? In Hebrew grammar, the emphasis of coordinate imperatives ("be still!" and "know!") is on the second imperative. In other words, we surrender in order to know that God is in control as Ribbono Shel Olam – the Master of the Universe. We "let go" in order to objectively know the saving power of God in our lives. We give up trusting in ourselves and our own designs in order to experience the glory of God's all-sufficiency (Ex 14:14).
When we surrender to the sure truth that the LORD God of Israel is in complete control of this world, we will find peace and be delivered from our temporal fears. Indeed, even though the present world be shaken (v 2), with the nations raging and the kingdoms of men tottering (v 6), we will not fear, since we know that God is our present help in time of trouble (v 1).
The city of God will one day be established upon the earth
(vv 4-5), and the schemes of the "princes of this world" will all become desolate (vv 8-9), but in the coming kingdom the Lord Most High (El Elyon) will be exalted among the nations, and Yeshua will forever be exalted among His original covenant people Israel.
Meanwhile, "set your minds on things that are above, not on things on the earth; for you are dead, and your life is hidden with the Messiah in God. When the Messiah who is your life appears, then you will also appear with Him in glory" (Col 3:2-4).
Time is indeed very short, friends, and the world is tottering in fear. Soon and very soon we are going to see our King! So let's "be still" – in order to know that "the LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge" (v 11).
Transliteration:
Harpu u'de'u ki-anokhi Elohim
arum baggoyim, arum ba'aretz
Download Hebrew Study Card
<< Return
Hebrew for Christians
Copyright © John J. Parsons
All rights reserved.
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Buddha--on Silence
Alex,
You have a gift for being silent. Because of your silence, others seek you out for your advice. Today, I am going to try to imitate your quietness, so that I won't feel out of sorts. Today, I will listen more and talk less.
Love u mostest!
Mom
This was copied from the spirituality today website:
TRUTH AND SILENCE
In the stories and discourses attributed to Buddha, one can clearly see a close link between Truth and Silence. Wherever Truth is mentioned in reference to Buddha it is always said in relation to Silence. In fact, popular Buddhist religious tradition attests that whenever someone asked Buddha to explain the Truth, he invariably answered by Silence. Thus he gave a new and deep significance to both Truth and Silence. His silence was not a mere absence of speech or words. Buddha's silence was eloquent! It was so blissful and ecstatic that it always provided the perfect answer to those akin to the philosopher in the above anecdote who sincerely sought for the Truth.
For Buddha, Silence as the inevitable path that leads to the Truth is not distinct from the Truth itself. That is, as the way to the Truth, Silence already contains the reality of the Truth. They are two aspects of the same reality.(6) It is no wonder that even in Christian tradition silence is spoken of as the language of God.7 In Christian terms, we may say that for Buddha, Silence is the sacrament of the Truth.
Satya, the word translated "truth" in English, is one of the oldest words in the Indian religious heritage. It too has a wealth of meanings. Derived from the root sat, meaning "being," "existence," "pure," "holy," "perfect;"(8) etc., satya signifies the Truth in all its unlimited perfection and plenitude. As the ground of all existence, satya can only be experienced through the medium of Silence. It cannot be expressed. The moment one tries to express it, one runs the danger of falsifying it, of rendering it asatya, "untruth." The fountain of Silence is the sole medium that is capable of delivering the Truth.
Buddha did not communicate any knowledge with his Silence, but he nevertheless communed with seekers of the Truth. He did not offer them a part of his knowledge, but imparted to them an aspect of his being. He used neither words nor the wordless (signs and gestures). Rather, the language he used was Silence in the sense of an effulgent mauna. That is why even a philosopher who counted rational power as the sole source of true knowledge could accept the failure of logic and reason and surrender to Buddha, asking him for the Truth in a medium that does not involve words and the wordless. Perhaps the experience disclosed to the philosopher both the poverty of words and concepts and the paucity of wordlessness, thereby motivating him to choose a medium that transcends them.
Buddha's Silence was not wordlessness or noiselessness. It had a transforming power, permeating and filling the atmosphere around him with such intensity that people seated at his presence experienced "the ineffable and the inexplicable." His Silence had no movement, yet people around him moved closer to the Truth just by being in his presence, permeated and filled by the effulgence of his joyous stillness. His Silence was contagious. It was like the unseen powers of a magnetic field or the invisible sound waves that travel in the atmosphere.
The close affinity that is said to enjoin Truth with Silence is not uncommon in the mystical traditions of other religions including Christianity. Whether it be in the Sufism of Islam or in the Hasidim of Judaism, silence is always referred to as the prerequisite for an interior experience of the divine. Silence is often eulogized as the language of the heart. Buddha's Silence reveals to us the nature and significance of an ideal form of silence. This becomes more evident when we contrast the mauna with our ordinary experience of silence.
You have a gift for being silent. Because of your silence, others seek you out for your advice. Today, I am going to try to imitate your quietness, so that I won't feel out of sorts. Today, I will listen more and talk less.
Love u mostest!
Mom
This was copied from the spirituality today website:
TRUTH AND SILENCE
In the stories and discourses attributed to Buddha, one can clearly see a close link between Truth and Silence. Wherever Truth is mentioned in reference to Buddha it is always said in relation to Silence. In fact, popular Buddhist religious tradition attests that whenever someone asked Buddha to explain the Truth, he invariably answered by Silence. Thus he gave a new and deep significance to both Truth and Silence. His silence was not a mere absence of speech or words. Buddha's silence was eloquent! It was so blissful and ecstatic that it always provided the perfect answer to those akin to the philosopher in the above anecdote who sincerely sought for the Truth.
For Buddha, Silence as the inevitable path that leads to the Truth is not distinct from the Truth itself. That is, as the way to the Truth, Silence already contains the reality of the Truth. They are two aspects of the same reality.(6) It is no wonder that even in Christian tradition silence is spoken of as the language of God.7 In Christian terms, we may say that for Buddha, Silence is the sacrament of the Truth.
Satya, the word translated "truth" in English, is one of the oldest words in the Indian religious heritage. It too has a wealth of meanings. Derived from the root sat, meaning "being," "existence," "pure," "holy," "perfect;"(8) etc., satya signifies the Truth in all its unlimited perfection and plenitude. As the ground of all existence, satya can only be experienced through the medium of Silence. It cannot be expressed. The moment one tries to express it, one runs the danger of falsifying it, of rendering it asatya, "untruth." The fountain of Silence is the sole medium that is capable of delivering the Truth.
Buddha did not communicate any knowledge with his Silence, but he nevertheless communed with seekers of the Truth. He did not offer them a part of his knowledge, but imparted to them an aspect of his being. He used neither words nor the wordless (signs and gestures). Rather, the language he used was Silence in the sense of an effulgent mauna. That is why even a philosopher who counted rational power as the sole source of true knowledge could accept the failure of logic and reason and surrender to Buddha, asking him for the Truth in a medium that does not involve words and the wordless. Perhaps the experience disclosed to the philosopher both the poverty of words and concepts and the paucity of wordlessness, thereby motivating him to choose a medium that transcends them.
Buddha's Silence was not wordlessness or noiselessness. It had a transforming power, permeating and filling the atmosphere around him with such intensity that people seated at his presence experienced "the ineffable and the inexplicable." His Silence had no movement, yet people around him moved closer to the Truth just by being in his presence, permeated and filled by the effulgence of his joyous stillness. His Silence was contagious. It was like the unseen powers of a magnetic field or the invisible sound waves that travel in the atmosphere.
The close affinity that is said to enjoin Truth with Silence is not uncommon in the mystical traditions of other religions including Christianity. Whether it be in the Sufism of Islam or in the Hasidim of Judaism, silence is always referred to as the prerequisite for an interior experience of the divine. Silence is often eulogized as the language of the heart. Buddha's Silence reveals to us the nature and significance of an ideal form of silence. This becomes more evident when we contrast the mauna with our ordinary experience of silence.
Friday, September 2, 2011
Code of Conduct
Alex,
It was very popular and fashionable in early America to write out a Code of Conduct. All the greats--Franklin, Jefferson, Washington...you get the idea...they all copied the popular code first, and then they created their own rules to live by. When I taught American lit, my favorite assignment was having students write their own code of conduct. Today I am sending you what George wrote out. Eventually, he created his own shorter list, as did Jefferson and Franklin. You, too, should think about writing your own.
Love u mostest,
Mom
Washington's Rules of Conduct
The stories and pictures on this page
(and on the cover) are from Johnson's
Fourth Reader - by Miss Louis Manly.
Richmond VA, B.F. Publishing
Company, 1897, and The Beginners
American History by D.H. Montgomery.
Boston, MA., Ginn & Company, 1892.
George Washington's father died when George was only eleven years old, leaving him, with his brothers and sisters, to the care of a most excellent and sensible mother. It was that mother's influence, more than anything else, which made George the man he became.
George went to a little country school, where he learned to read, write, and cipher. By the time he was twelve, he could write a clear, bold hand. Here is Washington's signature at the age of twelve:
In one of his writing-books he copied many good rules and sayings. Here are some of these sayings:
Labor to keep alive in your breast that little spark of celestial fire called conscience.
Undertake not what you cannot perform, but be careful to keep your promise.
Be not forward, but friendly and courteous.
Be not curious to know the affairs of others, neither approach to those that speak in private.
Be not tedious in disclosure.
Speak not evil of the absent, for it is unjust.
Let your recreations be manful, not sinful.
When a man does all that he can, though it succeeds not well, blame him not.
Mock not, nor jest at anything of importance; break no jests that are sharp-biting, and, if you deliver anything witty and pleasant, abstain from laughing thereat yourself.
Use no reproachable language against any one, neither curse nor revile.
Associate yourself with men of good quality, if you esteem your own reputation.
Be not immodest in urging your friend to discover a secret.
Speak not of doleful things in time of mirth, nor at the table.
Break not a jest where none takes pleasure in mirth.
Laugh not aloud, nor at all without occasion.
When you speak of God or His attributes, let it be seriously, in reverence.
It was very popular and fashionable in early America to write out a Code of Conduct. All the greats--Franklin, Jefferson, Washington...you get the idea...they all copied the popular code first, and then they created their own rules to live by. When I taught American lit, my favorite assignment was having students write their own code of conduct. Today I am sending you what George wrote out. Eventually, he created his own shorter list, as did Jefferson and Franklin. You, too, should think about writing your own.
Love u mostest,
Mom
Washington's Rules of Conduct
The stories and pictures on this page
(and on the cover) are from Johnson's
Fourth Reader - by Miss Louis Manly.
Richmond VA, B.F. Publishing
Company, 1897, and The Beginners
American History by D.H. Montgomery.
Boston, MA., Ginn & Company, 1892.
George Washington's father died when George was only eleven years old, leaving him, with his brothers and sisters, to the care of a most excellent and sensible mother. It was that mother's influence, more than anything else, which made George the man he became.
George went to a little country school, where he learned to read, write, and cipher. By the time he was twelve, he could write a clear, bold hand. Here is Washington's signature at the age of twelve:
In one of his writing-books he copied many good rules and sayings. Here are some of these sayings:
Labor to keep alive in your breast that little spark of celestial fire called conscience.
Undertake not what you cannot perform, but be careful to keep your promise.
Be not forward, but friendly and courteous.
Be not curious to know the affairs of others, neither approach to those that speak in private.
Be not tedious in disclosure.
Speak not evil of the absent, for it is unjust.
Let your recreations be manful, not sinful.
When a man does all that he can, though it succeeds not well, blame him not.
Mock not, nor jest at anything of importance; break no jests that are sharp-biting, and, if you deliver anything witty and pleasant, abstain from laughing thereat yourself.
Use no reproachable language against any one, neither curse nor revile.
Associate yourself with men of good quality, if you esteem your own reputation.
Be not immodest in urging your friend to discover a secret.
Speak not of doleful things in time of mirth, nor at the table.
Break not a jest where none takes pleasure in mirth.
Laugh not aloud, nor at all without occasion.
When you speak of God or His attributes, let it be seriously, in reverence.
Thursday, September 1, 2011
On Inspiring Others to Greatness
Alex,
Although we are not often up to the task, those who are most worthy almost always feel unworthy. This is one of my favorite things that George Washington said. It is his speech to Congress on accepting command of the army. Washington, by lack of experience was NOT up to the task. He had to bring in help after he barely kept his army alive, knew nothing about military drills, and almost handed the country back to the Brits on a multitude of occasions. The people who forged this country are remembered not because they were great but because they inspired others to be great.
Love u mostest!
Mom
Page 92 | Page image
Esqr. that he had the order of the Congress to acq[ain]t him, that the Congress had by a unanimous vote made choice of him to be general and com[mander] in chief to take the supreme command of the forces raised and to be raised, in defence of American Liberty, and desired his acceptance of it. Whereupon Colonel Washington, standing in his place, spoke as follows:
"Mr. President,
"Tho' I am truly sensible of the high Honour done me, in this Appointment, yet I feel great distress, from a consciousness that my abilities and military experience may not be equal to the extensive and important Trust: However, as the Congress desire it, I will enter upon the momentous duty, and exert every power I possess in their service, and for support of the glorious cause. I beg they will accept my most cordial thanks for this distinguished testimony of their approbation.
"But, lest some unlucky event should happen, unfavourable to my reputation, I beg it may be remembered, by every Gentleman in the room, that I, this day, declare with the utmost sincerity, I do not think myself equal to the Command I am honored with.
"As to pay, Sir, I beg leave to assure the Congress, that, as no pecuniary consideration could have tempted me to have accepted this arduous employment, at the expence of my domestic ease and happiness, I do not wish to make any proffit from it. I will keep an exact Account of my expences. Those, I doubt not, they will discharge, and that is all I desire."1
[Note 1: 1 This reply, in the writing of Edmund Pendleton, with a single line added by Washington, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 152, vol. I, folio 1.]
Upon motion Resolved, That a committee of three be appointed to draught a commission and instructions for the general.
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Although we are not often up to the task, those who are most worthy almost always feel unworthy. This is one of my favorite things that George Washington said. It is his speech to Congress on accepting command of the army. Washington, by lack of experience was NOT up to the task. He had to bring in help after he barely kept his army alive, knew nothing about military drills, and almost handed the country back to the Brits on a multitude of occasions. The people who forged this country are remembered not because they were great but because they inspired others to be great.
Love u mostest!
Mom
Page 92 | Page image
Esqr. that he had the order of the Congress to acq[ain]t him, that the Congress had by a unanimous vote made choice of him to be general and com[mander] in chief to take the supreme command of the forces raised and to be raised, in defence of American Liberty, and desired his acceptance of it. Whereupon Colonel Washington, standing in his place, spoke as follows:
"Mr. President,
"Tho' I am truly sensible of the high Honour done me, in this Appointment, yet I feel great distress, from a consciousness that my abilities and military experience may not be equal to the extensive and important Trust: However, as the Congress desire it, I will enter upon the momentous duty, and exert every power I possess in their service, and for support of the glorious cause. I beg they will accept my most cordial thanks for this distinguished testimony of their approbation.
"But, lest some unlucky event should happen, unfavourable to my reputation, I beg it may be remembered, by every Gentleman in the room, that I, this day, declare with the utmost sincerity, I do not think myself equal to the Command I am honored with.
"As to pay, Sir, I beg leave to assure the Congress, that, as no pecuniary consideration could have tempted me to have accepted this arduous employment, at the expence of my domestic ease and happiness, I do not wish to make any proffit from it. I will keep an exact Account of my expences. Those, I doubt not, they will discharge, and that is all I desire."1
[Note 1: 1 This reply, in the writing of Edmund Pendleton, with a single line added by Washington, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 152, vol. I, folio 1.]
Upon motion Resolved, That a committee of three be appointed to draught a commission and instructions for the general.
Sent from my iPad
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