Curiosity Journal: July 13, 2011

July 13, 2011 By 7 Comments

Each Wednesday I’m recording a Curiosity Journal, a recap of the past week. Tag words are: reading, playing, learning, reacting and writing.

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Some of you have mentioned that you’re keeping a Curiosity Journal, as well. Leave your link in the comments so that we can visit and enjoy your weekly review.

Reading

I copied this down from Steven Pressfield’s quick read, The War of Art (he said he learned it from Robert McKee):

“A hack, he says, is a writer who second-guesses his audience. When the hack sits down to work, he doesn’t ask himself what’s in his own heart. He asks what the market is looking for…He writes what he imagines will play well in the eyes of others. He does not ask himself, What do I myself want to write? What do I think is important? Instead he asks, What’s hot, what can I make a deal for?” (Pressfield 152)

Even though it might pay off, Pressfield warns against creating content solely to please “the market.”

“Given the depraved state of American culture,” he says, “a slick dude can make millions being a hack. But even if you succeed, you lose, because you’ve sold out your Muse, and your Muse is you, the best part of yourself, where your finest and only true work comes from” (Pressfield 152-153).

I don’t believe in the ancient muses, nor do I feel it’s an accurate description of the best part of me; however, when I sit down to write, I do pay attention to what’s in my heart and I want to offer my “finest and only true work.”

If I may be so bold, though, I would go a step further than Pressfield and suggest that, as someone who belongs to Christ, I sense that my best work is a result of connecting with the Lord. I long to live my life interacting intimately with the Savior so that my heart naturally overflows with the good stuff of that relationship.

On July 11, I read Oswald Chambers’ thoughts in My Utmost for His Highest:

“The Holy Spirit is determined that we shall realize Jesus Christ in every domain of life, and He will bring us back to the same point again and again until we do. Self-realization leads to the enthronement of work; whereas the saint enthrones Jesus Christ in his work.”

I want to “realize” Jesus Christ in my writing, enthroning Him in my work.

That theology puts into perspective the self-realization and self-help ideas found in How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci: Seven Steps to Genius Every Day, by Michael J. Gelb.

I’m enjoying that book, but I mentally adjust the assignments and suggestions to line up with “realizing Jesus Christ in every domain of life.” I’m still in the section entitled, “Curiosità: An Insatiably Curious Approach to Life and an Unrelenting Quest for Continual Learning” (Gelb 48).

I did purchase a blank book to serve as a Leonardo-style journal. I’m happy with its functionality as I record quotations and confessions, questions and ideas, prayers and petitions, passages of prose and stanzas of poetry.

I was also struck that Leonardo, in his final days, was reportedly filled with repentance and apologized to “God and man for leaving so much undone.” (38)

Lord, help us all to explore our potential every day…to stay open and pay attention to Your inspiration; take risks; and see things through to completion, faithfully doing a little (or a lot) every day.

Playing

Well, I took the kids to the pool a couple of times.

And I’m enjoying snapping more pictures, playing around with my camera.

Learning

A post by Joshua Leatherman published at Michael Hyatt’s blog caught my eye: “How to Use Batching to Become More Productive.” Batching, Leatherman explains, is “dedicating blocks of time to similar tasks in order to decrease distraction and increase productivity.”

He cites a Harvard Business Review blog post in which the author claims our productivity goes down by 40 percent when we try to multitask. Technically, we aren’t doing several things at once when we multitask; rather, we are rapidly switching from one task to another. This switching back and forth interrupts our productivity.

Batching as a productive alternative to multitasking seems like an easy switch. Using a timer to dedicate a unit of time (25 minutes is recommended) to a particular task, Leatherman and the Pomodoro folks (coined the “Pomodoro” Technique for the tomato-shaped timer that the Italian creator utilized the first time he organized his work in blocks of time) claim we can get more done by staying focused and minimizing the distractions of e-mails and phone calls—that’s because those smaller tasks can be grouped into 25-minute units all their own.

Leatherman recommends the Pomodoro Technique:

Here’s how it works:

  1. Plan and prioritize the tasks that need to be completed, by writing them down.
  2. Set a timer for for 25 minutes and devote that time to a task, or to a group of similar tasks. Larger tasks can be broken into multiple blocks or “pomodoro’s,” and smaller tasks (responding to email, returning phone calls, etc) can be grouped into a single block. After completing each Pomodoro, you put an “X” next to it and mark the number of times that you were distracted.
  3. Take a 5 minute break.
  4. Begin another block of time or “pomodoro.”
  5. After completing 4 pomodoro’s, take an extended 20 minute break.

According to the Pomodoro website, you should see noticeable improvements in your productivity almost immediately and mastery of the technique in 7–20 days.

Working from home, I feel that I can only chip away at tasks and to-do lists due to interruptions and distractions. Batching—dedicating a small chunk of time to a particular task—seems like a simple, reasonable solution to try. I hope to report back next week with impressive results.

(If you want to try the Pomodoro Technique but don’t have a cute tomato-shaped kitchen timer to keep you on track, turn up your computer speakers and try this online countdown timer.)

Reacting

Indiana has dropped cursive writing from its public school curriculum.

Is cursive handwriting obsolete in a high-tech world? Individuals and experts have been reacting to this news story, offering their thoughts and opinions. I didn’t scour the Internet for too many, but did note one in the print version of the Wall Street Journal entitled “The Handwriting is on the Wall.” The author reflected on his inky childhood and several handwritten assignments and tests that Indiana schoolchildren will never have the pleasure of enduring. What struck me most was his conclusion:

When I scrawled and blotted and smudged my way across the page, I had the feeling that, for good or evil, what I had done was my own and unique. And since everyone’s writing was different, despite the uniformity of the exercises, our handwriting gave us a powerful, and very early, sense of our own individuality.

Cursive writing was a way to make your mark, literally, and reflect or suggest something about yourself. Thinking back, I can recall the variety of handwriting I’d see on notes and papers: over-sized, loopy handwriting with hearts dotting the “i’s” allowed girls to express their femininity; artistic types employed curious curls or angles, depending on their mood; intense or shy students could compress their handwriting into tight, tiny script.

Students who don’t learn cursive and restrict their handwriting to print will have to find their personal expression of individuality elsewhere (they may also have to hire someone from out of state to sign their checks).

Another article from 2010 provides a scientific argument for “How Handwriting Trains the Brain“:

Using advanced tools such as magnetic resonance imaging, researchers are finding that writing by hand is more than just a way to communicate. The practice helps with learning letters and shapes, can improve idea composition and expression, and may aid fine motor-skill development.

It’s not just children who benefit. Adults studying new symbols, such as Chinese characters, might enhance recognition by writing the characters by hand, researchers say. Some physicians say handwriting could be a good cognitive exercise for baby boomers working to keep their minds sharp as they age.

Studies suggest there’s real value in learning and maintaining this ancient skill, even as we increasingly communicate electronically via keyboards big and small.

I’m on my computer a lot, but look what I did when I wanted to explore my questions and curiosity?

(blurred for privacy)

I turned to cursive handwriting, pen on paper.

If I didn’t know cursive, I guess I could print. But it’s slower for me than cursive. And I have so many questions, I could never keep up if I had to print them all.

I think it’s sad that so many Hoosier kids will grow up printing and typing, never knowing the fluid connections of cursive writing. And I’m glad I home educate. The public schools don’t have time to train their kids in keyboarding and cursive. So they gave up cursive to ensure that kids can type. At home, however, our family has enough time to teach our kids both; so I’m happy to report that cursive writing has not been dropped from our curriculum.

I wonder if public school families might start purchasing an inexpensive curriculum and try teaching cursive writing at home? They could leave notes for each other, requiring cursive, to make the process more fun and relational.

Writing

My journal. E-mails. Tweets. Blog posts. That blasted writing plan for fall (it haunts me, because I’m so behind; it’ll be the first thing to tackle in 25-minute “pomodoros”). My uninspiring list of writing projects does send me to my heart, to prayer, asking if there is something else to say—is there something more? something different? something more substantial?

Works Cited:

  • Gelb, Michael J. How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci: Seven Steps to Genius Every Day. New York: Dell, 1998. Print.
  • Pressfield, Steven. The War of Art: Winning the Inner Creative Battle. New York: Rugged Land, LLC, 2002. Print.
  • Images: “Question Proposed” photo by Ethan Lofton. Used under a Creative Commons license via Flickr.com. Journal and lifeguard stand photos by Ann Kroeker.

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    • Filed Under: creativity, reading Tagged With: , , , ,

    Curiosity Journal: June 8, 2011

    June 8, 2011 By 12 Comments

    I’m recording an occasional Curiosity Journal, a recap of the past week or so. Tag words are: reading, playing, learning, reacting and writing.

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    Some of you have mentioned that you may begin posting a Curiosity Journal, as well. I think Monica may start up her Curiosity Journals again. If not, I’ll toss up a linky tool later today. [Read more...]

    Filed Under: creativity Tagged With: , , , ,

    Online, Are We Really Reading?

    July 28, 2008 By 3 Comments

    The New York Times had an article in Sunday’s paper entitled “Literacy Debate: Online, R U Really Reading?”

    It reminded me of the post I wrote about the Atlantic’s article, Is Google Making Us Stoopid? In fact, the author of this NYTimes article quotes from that Atlantic story.

    Trying to represent all sides, all angles, and all opinions, the author tapped into both professional (professors, teachers, reading experts, Web-proponents, and researchers) and lay people (parents and kids) who have formed a range of opinions.

    The article leaves us having to form our own conclusion.

    Here are a few callouts:

    As teenagers’ scores on standardized reading tests have declined or stagnated, some argue that the hours spent prowling the Internet are the enemy of reading — diminishing literacy, wrecking attention spans and destroying a precious common culture that exists only through the reading of books.

    But others say the Internet has created a new kind of reading, one that schools and society should not discount. The Web inspires a teenager like Nadia, who might otherwise spend most of her leisure time watching television, to read and write.

    Good points on both sides. Interesting thoughts. Here are some more:

    At least since the invention of television, critics have warned that electronic media would destroy reading. What is different now, some literacy experts say, is that spending time on the Web, whether it is looking up something on Google or even britneyspears.org, entails some engagement with text.

    Few who believe in the potential of the Web deny the value of books. But they argue that it is unrealistic to expect all children to read “To Kill a Mockingbird” [Ann's note: This book title should be italicized, not in quotation marks; a detail I wouldn't normally point out but decided to, since this article is about reading ability, which is closely related to editorial ability.] or “Pride and Prejudice” [Ann: ditto.] for fun. And those who prefer staring at a television or mashing buttons on a game console, they say, can still benefit from reading on the Internet. In fact, some literacy experts say that online reading skills will help children fare better when they begin looking for digital-age jobs.

    How about these two quotes on the “pro-book” side:

    “Whatever the benefits of newer electronic media,” Dana Gioia, the chairman of the N.E.A., wrote in the report’s introduction, “they provide no measurable substitute for the intellectual and personal development initiated and sustained by frequent reading.”

    Here’s the second:

    “Learning is not to be found on a printout,” David McCullough, the Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer, said in a commencement address at Boston College in May. “It’s not on call at the touch of the finger. Learning is acquired mainly from books, and most readily from great books.”

    Oh, here’s a third toward the end of the article, arguing for books:

    Critics of reading on the Internet say they see no evidence that increased Web activity improves reading achievement. “What we are losing in this country and presumably around the world is the sustained, focused, linear attention developed by reading,” said Mr. Gioia of the N.E.A. “I would believe people who tell me that the Internet develops reading if I did not see such a universal decline in reading ability and reading comprehension on virtually all tests.”

    An in-the-trenches perspective from a girl who loves to read online:

    Nadia said she preferred reading stories online because “you could add your own character and twist it the way you want it to be.”

    “So like in the book somebody could die,” she continued, “but you could make it so that person doesn’t die or make it so like somebody else dies who you don’t like.”

    Nadia also writes her own stories. She posted “Dieing Isn’t Always Bad,” about a girl who comes back to life as half cat, half human, on both fanfiction.net and quizilla.com.

    Nadia said she wanted to major in English at college and someday hopes to be published. She does not see a problem with reading few books. “No one’s ever said you should read more books to get into college,” she said.

    Really? No one’s ever said that? That’s strange. The College Board recommends a starter list of 101 books.

    Not that I’m showing my bias or anything.

    Because I have to concede that people in the article do make a few good points for the other side–that the Internet gets some kids reading who otherwise wouldn’t be:

    One early study showed that giving home Internet access to low-income students appeared to improve standardized reading test scores and school grades. “These were kids who would typically not be reading in their free time,” said Linda A. Jackson, a psychology professor at Michigan State who led the research. “Once they’re on the Internet, they’re reading.”

    But will strong readers on the Web end up stronger than their book-reading counterparts?:

    Web proponents believe that strong readers on the Web may eventually surpass those who rely on books. Reading five Web sites, an op-ed article and a blog post or two, experts say, can be more enriching than reading one book.

    “It takes a long time to read a 400-page book,” said Mr. Spiro of Michigan State. “In a tenth of the time,” he said, the Internet allows a reader to “cover a lot more of the topic from different points of view.”

    Zachary Sims, the Old Greenwich, Conn., teenager, often stays awake until 2 or 3 in the morning reading articles about technology or politics — his current passions — on up to 100 Web sites.

    Also, the article pointed out that reading and researching on the Web is helpful for people with reading difficulties because the way that visual is mingled with text. A reader with dyslexia has found reading on the Internet more comfortable than trying to dig into a book.

    The two main sides are arguing different strengths, it seems. Reading on the Internet is a different kind of reading and for a different purpose. I don’t know that it’s bad–it depends upon the sites the user is visiting whether or not the content is valuable from a reading standpoint–but we must encourage our kids not to replace all reading with what they can glean from short articles on the Internet, or even, hee-hee, from a blog. They need to understand that the writing and research that goes into most Web articles falls short of that which is required for a good book.

    Sure, we can appreciate how fast we can look up information on the Internet regarding stain-removal, the birth of a baby panda, or Olympic long jump records. We can get up-to-date opinions and read stories people are churning out on their blogs and other spaces. That’s not bad.

    It’s just different.

    Far different from reading a book. The sustained attention required to dig into a thought-provoking novel, say, or an in-depth, heavily researched historical book, is a good skill to develop. We’ll gain information from these sources, but also develop skills of reasoning and focus.

    The article comes back to the importance of developing skills best acquired from reading something longer and more complex than snippets on the Internet:

    Some scientists worry that the fractured experience typical of the Internet could rob developing readers of crucial skills. “Reading a book, and taking the time to ruminate and make inferences and engage the imaginational processing, is more cognitively enriching, without doubt, than the short little bits that you might get if you’re into the 30-second digital mode,” said Ken Pugh, a cognitive neuroscientist at Yale who has studied brain scans of children reading.

    The Web is here to stay. It’s useful, it serves a purpose, and the information and ideas being published are helping us in countless ways.

    And to further muddle the conversation, I’d like to point out that we can access and read entire books online at places such as Project Gutenberg (over 25,000 titles available for free on their own site and over 100,000 available through affiliates and partners) and Christian Classics Ethereal Library. With resources like those, we can read a book, and be reading it online.

    I wonder what the experts think of that?

    The article caught my eye because I believe strongly that we should be reading and taking in ideas and stories in book form. Like David McCullough said in the excerpt above, I’m partial to great books because they engage me with the grand conversation over space and time; they reveal ideas, struggles, values, and questions I may not be exposed to on my suburban cul-de-sac while surfing the Web.

    But I’m also a heavy Internet-user and appreciate what I can find here.

    And I see that my kids are growing up with a comfort level online that needs balance. A professor was quoted in the article saying this:

    “Kids are using sound and images so they have a world of ideas to put together that aren’t necessarily language oriented,” said Donna E. Alvermann, a professor of language and literacy education at the University of Georgia. “Books aren’t out of the picture, but they’re only one way of experiencing information in the world today.”

    Children assigned a topic to research for school must use multiple sources. They can’t rely exclusively on Internet research. They need to find magazine articles, encyclopedia articles, Internet articles, and…books. The other sources may provide the sketchy skeleton that they need to figure something out, but many books, good books, more than one book on the same subject, can provide the meat.

    Feel free to utilize the fantastic resources at our fingertips right here online, but please don’t forsake books! Sometimes I wonder if our love of the Internet is tied in with our love of speed. We appreciate quick solutions and fast replies. The Internet feeds that. We usually get what we need within seconds.

    Books are slower.

    I propose we slow down enough to engage with time-tested texts that offer us much more.

    Today, I was reading aloud to my kids at lunch.

    Sometimes I read something as short as a headline from the newspaper, or a few lines from the news summaries.

    Sometimes I share an interesting tidbit I find online or summarize a story I read on a blog.

    Today, we were reading a book.

    A good, old-fashioned book.

    To read the entire chapter took about twenty minutes. The kids were sitting on hard, wooden chairs, listening the entire time, laughing at certain spots. The humor was subtle and the story slow. The author included long, descriptive passages to capture the scene, and they stayed engaged the entire time.

    Then I closed the book until tomorrow’s lunch, we cleaned up the dishes, and guess where we are now?

    Well, I’ve logged on to finish this post, and the kids are playing a game online.

    There’s not an easy answer here, not for us, not right now.

    Somehow, I hope to find a balance.

    But I will say this:

    If something’s going to give, if we have to cut something out of their lives…

    it ain’t gonna be the books.

    Filed Under: blog, blogging, books, children, family, lifelong learning, mind, motherhood, parenting, reading, self-discovery, simplicity, slowing Tagged With: ,

    The Simplicity of Reading

    March 7, 2008 By Leave a Comment

    I recently came across a passage in a book called Graceful Simplicity.

    In a chapter entitled “The Politics of Simplicity,” in a section subtitled “Education for Simple Living,” the author claimed that “In educating for simple living, three building blocks stand out: fostering a love of books, developing a stronger aesthetic sensibility, and enhancing our ability to create things of beauty.”

    The quote I offer you today is from the section on “A Love of Books”:

    If one loves books, if one loves to read, if in a family people read to each other, then a foundation has already been laid for a simple life of great pleasure at little expense. Entering this world–provided that one has learned to love what is within it, and has developed the appreciative skills required to fully participate in it–is to have the key to the central repository of human wealth. Reading good books can serve as the central emblem of a life of simplicity. *

    Read together.

    Read alone.

    Read silently or aloud.

    Read to yourself.

    Read to your kids.

    Read, read, read.

    read-033.jpg

    (Consider joining Callapidder Days’ Spring Reading Thing 2008.)

    * p. 111, Graceful Simplicity: Toward a Philosophy and Politics of Simple Living, by Jerome M. Segal, Henry Holt and Company, New York, NY, 1999.

    Filed Under: books, children, family, frugality, lifelong learning, mind, motherhood, parenting, reading, slowing Tagged With: , , , , , ,

    Official Bloggy Giveaway Winner Declared

    February 2, 2008 By Leave a Comment

    The drawing for a copy of The Contemplative Mom was held today at 4:50 p.m. Eastern Time. The Belgian Wonder, a certified Project Manager and Computer Science major, oversaw the entire process. He was particularly delighted with the Random Integer Generator technology and assured me of its objectivity and fairness.

    After numbering the entries and eliminating a few duplicates and a stray pingback, we have selected a winning number:

    Random Integer Generator

    Here are your random numbers:

    81

    Timestamp: 2008-02-02 21:45:39 UTC

    This corresponds to Christina. Congratulations, Christina! I’ll be contacting you by e-mail shortly with the news.

    Again, friends, thank you for your wonderful comments and interest in the book.

    And be thinking about what fun you’ll generate for Monday FunDay, because you’re invited to start your week by participating in Monday FunDay–just write up a short post about something fun you’ve done or plan to do (it can be very specific and even silly–check out what Amy and Deb posted last week), and then join the links via Mr. Linky.

    Even if you don’t want to do or write up anything fun, be sure to hop over and see what other people are doing to brighten their Mondays. Maybe their own stories will inspired you to dance a jig, write a poem, or pick up the phone and call an old friend.

    Because it’s fun to have fun, but you have to know how.

    [Return to the Bloggy Giveaway list of winners.]

    Filed Under: books, reading Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

    Bloggy Giveaway and Other Fun

    January 29, 2008 By

    ** IMPORTANT UPDATE **

    I’m so impressed with the response to my book giveaway–thank you for your interest and great comments! I’ve decided to accept entries until 4:00 p.m. this Saturday, February 2. I’ll hold the drawing shortly thereafter.

    How was your Monday? Was it really so miserable that nobody had anything fun to share?

    Of course, I understand that springing it on you late in the day like I did may have caught you off guard. And I also understand if life just isn’t very fun for you. I’m very sorry if you couldn’t even smile about something yesterday. Here–this is for you:

    [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mT8jqRZHUW8]

    And if you just forgot to smile or laugh yesterday, or nothing was really very funny, then this card is for you.

    What I suspect, however, is that many of you were actually having a ton of fun exploring the many Bloggy Giveaway offerings popping up all over blogdom.

    And so today, because I forgot to do it yesterday while I was so busy laughing and doodling and figuring out Mr. Linky, I’m posting my own little Bloggy Giveaway. It’s a repeat of last season’s:

    Your very own copy of my book, The Contemplative Mom. You can enjoy it yourself or wrap it up as a gift for the weary and heavy-laden mom in your life.

    This is open to all readers, not just stateside, as I know that some of my Internet friends log on from overseas. I’ll probably choose media mail to ship it, because I’m not only contemplative; I’m also kind of cheap.

    The winner will be drawn sometime this weekend. I haven’t decided precisely when. I’ll come back and update this post when we get closer and let you know the time and day.

    Enter by leaving a comment (include an e-mail or some means of contacting you). Be sure to add some thought (could be fun, creative, deep, or contemplative) to your comment instead of just typing out your name and contact information; it makes the whole process so much more, well, fun.

    I’ll select a number randomly to determine the winner.

    I hope your Tuesday is a fun day, too. If it isn’t, it will be after you view some of the cute (and free) and creative items people are offering, so head on over and check it out.

    Filed Under: blog, blogging, reading, writer, writing Tagged With: , , , , , ,

    Three Tips for Efficient Periodical Perusing

    January 16, 2008 By Leave a Comment

    The Belgian Wonder had accumulated a lot of frequent flyer miles, but not quite enough for a free flight, doggone it. He said they would expire at the end of ’07, and we were able to apply them toward magazines.

    Oh, my, do I love magazines–well, I love reading material of all kinds. “A-B-A-B,” or, “Always Bring A Book” actually includes magazines and newspapers. I suppose I should broaden it to be “A-B-R-M”; that is, “Always Bring Reading Material.” It’s just not as catchy. But I do stuff both books and periodicals into my bags as I head out the door.

    Anyway, the reading materials are finally starting to arrive. There’s more to come (insert giddy squeal)–but already I’m receiving:

    The Economist (it’s not really all about economics)

    The Wall Street Journal (it really is all about Wall Street…or money in general)

    Scientific American

    (I’m tired of looking up links)

    The Week

    Redbook

    Time

    And a friend had subscribed to Better Homes and Garden for me, and my parents got me Runner’s World and U.S. News & World Report! Oh, and I just got my LAST COPY of Family Fun…at least that’s what they told me in all caps with the latest issue.

    Whew! That’s a lot of reading material!

    So as I read, I find things of interest and want to tear them out. Sometimes I’m saving them for a writing project or the blog, and sometimes I find a topic that I think could interest a friend or family member. In any case, I don’t save the whole magazine; I tear out only what I need and recycle the rest of it when I’m done perusing the thing.

    But…oh, my, you should have seen the scraggly edges that my earnest attempts at careful tearing produced. They looked like they were handled by a clumsy kindergartener…until…I grabbed my trusty ruler.

    Tip #1: Read periodicals with a ruler in hand.

    The simplicity and practicality of a straight edge is not to be underestimated. Set the ruler down along the edge of the article–make sure it’s on a flat surface–then carefully tug at the top or bottom of the page. Once the tearing begins, pull steadily against the side of the ruler. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll end up with a neat and tidy edge every time, unless you get distracted and lose focus. This works great when clipping coupons, too, by the way. So fast. So straight.

    Tip #2: Read periodicals with a marker

    Then I write the person to whom it is destined at the top, next to the headline. If appropriate, I circle quotations or references of particular interest to save them time, unless I think it’s something that person might want to keep for posterity. I do this for my own filing purposes, too, because if I don’t, I’ll forget what stood out to me in the first place and lose all that inspiration. If I think my friend or I will be saving it for a scrapbook, then I don’t write on it at all; I use a Post-It. I make piles for each person until I’m done or run out of time or the oatmeal is bubbling over and needs to be stirred.

    Tip #3: Stick articles in envelopes. Mail or hand-deliver. Make some people happy that you thought of them.

    I sometimes recycle junk mail envelopes to store articles for the people I’ll see in person. I usually store the to-be-hand-delivered envelopes in my purse. Of course, I use a new envelope if I’m going to stick it in the mail for somebody who lives farther away. It’s fun to get snail mail–does anybody keep in touch that way anymore? Jot a little note and send it off–they’ll be thrilled, even if they don’t really care about that article on people in Indian slums who recycle disposable plastic cups.

    Then I recycle the raggedy leftovers and move on.

    And those, Works For Me Wednesday followers, are my low-key, low-tech solutions for sharing reading material.

    Filed Under: lifelong learning, mind, reading, simplicity, works for me wednesday, writer, writing Tagged With: , , , , ,

    A Mind Alive

    January 11, 2008 By Leave a Comment

    Cerebral calisthenics.

    Brain Fitness.

    Brain food.

    Miracle-Gro for the Mind.

    These phrases seem to complement (or trump) my “Six Ways to Refresh Your Mind” post from long ago. I hope to keep my mind refreshed, fit and alert over the long haul, so I’m always on the prowl for helpful mind-building exercises and advice. 

    Because of this, I took note of the post in which Mental Multivitamin alerted her readers to a resource for keeping one’s mind youthful, alive, and refreshed: a book called The Intellectual Devotional, a secular collection of 365 lessons intended to inspire and invigorate the mind of an aspiring intellectual every day of the year.

    What’s more, she pointed out that Prevention magazine seems to have partnered with the publisher or author to deliver similar “Brain Fitness” assignments in an eNewsletter.

    She also pointed to another article in the December issue of Prevention that promotes trying something new every day to shake up old habits and kick into learning mode, encouraging the brain to grow new cells and develop new branches and pathways.

    The list of suggestions included: “Eat at an ethnic restaurant.”

    I thought of that and felt so very smart last week when I went out with two friends to an Afghani restaurant. After, we headed to a small cafe where I ordered their specialty, Algerian tea. A treat to go with it? Crepes! (It was my friend’s birthday, so we calorically splurged). In one evening, I enjoyed a taste of three different countries, all delicious. I’m sure my dendrites were sizzlin’.

    To keep up that alert feeling, I signed up for the Prevention newsletter. But I warn you, I’ll have to practice shaking up any old blog-habits I might have gotten into. I tell you, you’ll log on to this blog and won’t know what to expect (not that you ever do anyway). 

    E=mc2 

    “We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union….”

    “Et tu, Brute?”

    However, before going too far, I want to add something in hopes of providing perspective: I don’t want to buy into the wisdom of the world–after all, God will destroy the wisdom of the wise and set aside the cleverness of the clever. In Christ Jesus, God has made foolish the wisdom of this world.

    Yes, He gave us these fantastic minds to develop. It’s a privilege to stretch them and keep them in shape, but that alone can’t bring about transformation. We need Truth.

    Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will (Romans 12:2).

    Sure, I’ll enjoy great writing, beautiful art, delectable foods, and maybe even try some math puzzles…maybe…but for true renewal of the mind, I will spend time with the Lord in prayer and study of His Word. Really.

    Foolish? The world might think so.

    For me, the fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom. And knowledge.

    It all starts with Him. Otherwise, it’s chasing after the wind. Apart from Him, I can do nothing. Learn nothing. Comprehend nothing.

    A mind alive finds its life and energy in Christ.

    Filed Under: blog, blogging, change, creativity, lifelong learning, mind, reading, self-discovery Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

    Five Writing Strengths

    November 26, 2007 By 12 Comments

    I was tagged a while back for a writer-meme.

    The Instructions:

    So, here’s the challenge: make a list of five strengths that you possess as a writer/artist. It’s not really bragging, it’s an honest assessment (forced upon you by this darn meme). Please resist the urge to enumerate your weaknesses, or even mention them in contrast to each strong point you list. Tag four other writers or artists whom you’d like to see share their strengths.

    Five Writing Strengths:

    1. The ability to sit still for long stretches of time.

    Not everyone can do this, you know. Some people get antsy, restless. After a few minutes of sitting still, they fidget and have to get up and make hot chocolate or call a friend. Writers need to be able to sit still for hours in order to get their work done. I can’t help but think of that famous advice writers hear at conferences and in books–how does one become a successful writer? “Apply [bottom] to chair.”* I can do that. I admit that I do head into the other room to grab a handful of nuts now and then, or fix a cup of tea. But I can sit still when need be.  

    2. Curiosity.

    Each person I meet knows something that I don’t–I can always learn something new if I ask the right questions. All it takes is a little curiosity. Whether working for a newspaper or corporate client, finding interest in some aspect of a new industry, person, story, or methodology is a strength–if I myself am interested in it, the way I write about it will probably be more interesting, as well.

    3. A Commitment to Lifelong Learning.

    I’ve abandoned the pursuit of higher education in a formal sense, but Autodidact Ann lives (and reads and researches) on. The more I learn, the more I have to write about.

    4. Love of Reading.

    Numbers 2, 3, and 4 are suspiciously interrelated. It might seem that I’m taking one idea and stretching it out to fill space–which might be yet another strength in itself–but I do think they deserve to be singled out. Curiosity often leads to learning and reading, and one often learns via reading. But there are other ways to learn and satisfy curiosity, and there is more than one motivation to read. Yet (and this is the point) reading inevitably enhances writing–the content may inspire (or not), the writing style may be worth imitating (or not). Either way, reading widely only helps a writer. Storylines linger, nonfiction facts inform, ideas from texts comingle with others in my mind to form something new. A writer who doesn’t read is doomed to compose in a narrow style and draw from a limited library of ideas. I relish a good book, and I believe that makes my writing richer.

    5. Perseverence.

    I wrote about this in a previous post. Never, never, never give up. Stick with it. Persist. I may not have the greatest writing talent–I know I don’t–but I stick with it. I try to improve and learn from my mistakes, continuing to forge ahead the best I can. As a friend of mine said (I paraphrase), the most successful writers are not necessarily the ones with the greatest talent; they’re the ones who persevere.

    Now.

    It’s your turn. I’m tagging any and all who read this. You don’t have to be a professional writer–if you blog, you’re a writer; so give it some thought:

    What are five writing strengths that you possess? 

    Please write a post with your own ideas and link back, so we can read and learn!

    * NOTE: For family-friendly reasons, I’ve edited this quote slightly, substituting the more economical and punchy three-letter synonym for a posterior with the far tamer “bottom.”

    Filed Under: blog, Blogger, blogging, books, creativity, lifelong learning, mind, reading, self-discovery, writer, writers, writing Tagged With: , , , , ,

    Ten Trite Things for Which I'm Thankful

    November 20, 2007 By 6 Comments

    [a continuation of the One Thousand Gifts that I'm listing over time--this, a far less spiritual grouping]

    3.  Free range turkey for Thanksgiving.

    4.  Chocolate chip cookies straight from the oven. Very gooey.

    5.  Unexpectedly warm temperatures today. It’s in the 60s F.

    6.  This laptop. I always dreamed of being able to move around the house at will–or to a bookstore, library, or coffee shop–and still be able to work. Thanks to this Dell laptop, I can.

    7.  The first year that Thanksgiving dinner will be prepared on the sleek new flat-top stove and roasted in the big, gleaming oven. What a difference compared with the Tan Clunker (may it rest in peace).

    8.  Free magazine subscriptions. This calls for a brief explanation–The Belgian Wonder accumulated enough frequent flyer miles to get something, but not enough for a free flight. The miles were about to expire, so we had to act fast. They offered us some free magazine subscriptions–The Belgian Wonder tossed the flyer over to me one evening and asked if any of them interested me. Did any of them interest me? I love magazines! They’re just so doggone expensive, I never get them. Oh, people, the list included The Week,  which gathers from news sources around the world article and opinion pieces about the week’s top stories and issues; several food and health magazines (I blush to admit that I can’t even remember all that I ordered); The Wall Street Journal; and The Economist.  I went wild checking all those boxes and filling in the codes–all of them free, free, free! They haven’t all started to arrive, but I’ve gotten one issue of The Week, and my first of The Economist. Mmmm…..magazines. I’m very happy to know that this wide range of satisfying reading material is going to start appearing in my mailbox. It almost makes up for the fact that we aren’t going to fly anywhere interesting using those miles. In fact, I think some of the magazines deserve their own separate listings. Number 8 represents the fact that I got all of them free.

    9. The Economist. I’d been thinking for some time that I wanted to subscribe to The Economist after reading several recommendations–an educator raved about the depth of reporting, and I recently noted that Mental Multivitamin praised it. A day or so later, I received my first copy. I think it’s going to help me understand complex issues a little better than a typical news magazine.

    10. The Week. I’d been sharing a subscription with a friend, but now I get my own copy!

    11. The Wall Street Journal, assuming the subscription goes through.

    Finally, to round out the list of ten trite things for which I’m grateful, a non-magazine-related item:

    12. Goodwill. We’re regulars. I even visited two Goodwills on my birthday last year–check out the link for pictorial proof. Plus, my brother’s advertising firm does the commercials. I liked this one. And this one, too. 

    Filed Under: One Thousand Gifts, reading Tagged With: , ,