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teatimewithtess · 5 years ago

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My Experience at a 4 Week Summer School

Arkansas Governor’s School is a 4 week summer program where the 400 most gifted and talented students meet to discuss the future of the worlds’ current mindset while also gaining new insight from experienced college professors and top high school teachers. The daily schedule is divided into three areas: Area I, an assigned class focused on one specific education (i.e. English, math, social science, natural science, instrumental music, etc.), area II, a philosophy based course focused on critical thinking skills, and area III, the class where we used the critical thinking techniques from area II to apply them to the social issues of today, such as racism, school shootings, climate change, etc. In order to become a student of AGS, one must fill out the simple application process which includes the following: an essay regarding the provided prompt, 2 recommendation letters, a list of achievements/accomplishments in high school, a writing assignment about your reasoning for choosing your desired area I subject, and another essay about why you want to attend AGS. After completing all required materials in the admission process, you then wait until you receive an email granting your secured spot in attending AGS. Receiving that specific email was a step towards the road of change, and I was completely unaware.

Now, let me post a slight disclaimer: I might use the same type of wording in order to express how AGS went for me, but I simply cannot help it. I will not over hype nor will I under exaggerate the experience as a whole. I will speak of my time, what I did, who I met, and how I felt. Let us begin.

First, I wrote in a black leather bound journal every day. I titled each day “AGS Day -- July --” in order to keep my days straight because I honestly did not ever have an idea of what day it was, or what time it was. The first two weeks we were not allowed to have our phones and it was one of the most refreshing times, mentally. I was glad I never knew what time it was; I was going through each day with no worry. I never had a thought about who I need to text, what other people were up to, or what was happening in the news. Having met so many new, different people at one time without having my cellphone was an oasis for my mind. I could openly connect with other different ways of thinking, which overall affected me in a positive way because I forced myself to listen purely- not listen to speak. By speaking less and observing more, I was able to do so much more. For me, it was writing. Now, the writing in this journal was not for feelings and “he loves me, he loves me not” ideas, it was simply to physically document everything that happened that day because if I did not, I would forget them. Time shows no mercy for our memories, and I wanted to make sure that they lived forever.

Secondly, I took notes on EVERYTHING. When lectures occurred at 4:00pm and 6:00pm, I would go to as many as I could and gain as much knowledge as I could. With that, I now have many pages filled in my journal and many other notebooks of what experienced professors had to say. The topics ranged from food psychology to life beyond Earth, the ending of a story to the psychology of self talk in sports, and the debate between science and god to the dissection of short films. If you can think it, there was a lecture on it. Of course I did not want to forget any of those talks either, especially when they were delivering valuable information that is not even mentioned in high school, so I documented the ones that were most interesting to me. The memories of knowledge can be refreshed.

Next, one of the most impactful habits I began was writing down questions. Whenever I started to read philosophy about a year ago, I developed a new, open way of thinking. With this new way of thinking, I started to have more and more questions about everything, which eventually led me to discover the psychological side of it in philosophy via research papers. However, I never thought about writing these down because I thought they were ridiculous or other people would quickly dismiss them; but, as soon as I sat through the first day of area II realizing I had already written down a full page of questions, I knew I needed to continue this practice. Luckily, I met a few very impactful people that allowed me to ask these questions and actually nurtured the methodology I had.

With that, I prepare for the most important part of my AGS experience: the professors.

I met approximately 5 people that influenced me in the greatest of ways. The first one is a satirical, yet highly intelligent English professor that taught my afternoon area I class, English. He was the first person that noticed my reading of philosophy and became ecstatic at the idea of a student my age reading these works this early. I continued to converse with him occasionally after class and during lunch, where he introduced me to the process of acquiring a PhD in English, and English in college as a whole. He gave me many book titles, notes he took in college, and most importantly a confidence in sharing my ideas. Unfortunately, in my English area I class specifically, I encountered many roadblocks regarding peoples’ way of thinking that forced me to refrain from expressing my ideas/logic. This professor however witnessed I was occurring this phenomenon and later wrote to me that my ideas need to be spread. Since we are on the topic of English professors, there was another mentor that encouraged me to do more creative writing. This old fellow was a master of poetry, but somehow adored my work and pursued me to write a novel after reading one of my pieces. He also endorsed my reading of philosophy, and will also stay in touch post AGS. The instrumental music teacher and I became great friends after attending one of his many Jazz classes. He was a quirky professor of jazz that truly represented the epitome of what a musician is. You could see his love for music in his performing, and I respect and praise that from a student perspective, being a musician myself. He noticed how much I supported my fellow musicians and loved the idea of me doing so. He inspired me to keep smiling as much as I do, and that simple gesture stuck with me. No one has ever told me to continue ‘being happy’, they only question why I do smile. Coming from an older, loving musician, it meant a lot to me. I also met with a library technician that informed me on the world of publishing and writing for the public. She gave me tremendous advice that will help me as soon as I begin writing research articles in college, and I am forever grateful for her insight. Finally, there is one professor that influenced me the greatest. He is an optimistic psychologist that taught my area II class of philosophy/critical thinking. After talking to him several times post class, it gradually became a regular thing after lectures and movies, and even during dinner or lunch. After one specific talk, he helped me gain traction on what my career goals were. He introduced me to psychology, which I had never even thought about before, and unconsciously opened this academic door that will help me as I complete my final year of college and begin my long journey of becoming an academic. Each conversation posed new questions I immediately needed to document or write about later, and it all eventually led to my reading list reach an unfathomable amount. He nurtured my constant need of questions, unlike other teachers that quickly dismiss them to junk since I am still a teenager, which means it is irrational for me to ask such questions even though they themselves cannot likely define what irrationality is. I cannot praise in written word anymore how impactful this professor was. I will forever be in his debt.

The best part of AGS was the professors because they volunteered to work with these 400 kids. They helped shape me into me. They helped guide me into the right area of assessing who I am and what do I know, and who are the others and what do they know. The atmosphere they created was unlike any other; it was comforting, yet challenging, welcoming, but serious. Even in just the small time I had with these mentors, I believed I could trust them with any thought I had. In some ways, it felt as if they were trying to figure me out, which made the camp even more entertaining. They welcomed my thoughts and ideas with open arms which allowed me to grow exponentially.

Because of this whole experience, I resulted in developing particular habits that might not make much sense to many people but I know it makes sense to these mentors and fellow students of the camp.

1) Every time I have a memory, flashback, dream, nightmare, vision, or daydream, I write it down. I came to the conclusion that if I do not write down these events then I will forget them, and I need them to use as inspiration.

2) When I have a question, I write it down as well. I hope in the future I can answer some of them, but not all of them.

3) I read some type of research paper and/or listen to a podcast related to my future field of study.

4) I take a heavy amount of notes on everything I hear/read. I did not realize until after this camp how much I enjoy taking notes, especially when it is just verbal, so I have to exercise my comprehension skills. I also, depending on the importance of the talk, will record certain lectures given it is relevant information that I need later on.

Alongside these habits I also developed lasting friendships with fellow students all across the state. Our wavelengths are compatible, which presents positive signs for a lasting relationship with one another. I know I will see them in the near future.

I will never forget this meta strophic event that planted itself in my teenage years, and I hope my search for the same atmosphere I was in for 4 weeks is successful.

#philosophy #philosophical #writing #writer #creative wrting #my wrting #mentor #experimental #Thoughts #spilled thoughts #new blog #blogger #personal blogging #consciousliving #science #neuroscience

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lindaisrael · 3 years ago

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Pocket Folio Tutorial

Sharing a Pocket Folio Tutorial, this is the July 2022 Challenge project inside the Friendly Junk Journal People Facebook group. Using a book page, digital images, stamps and more I show how to create a cute pocket folio that can be glued to a journal page or used as a floating item in a journal. Pocket Folio Tutorial Video. The video is a live premier will show July 4, 2022 at 3:45 pm central…

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aerialovely · 3 years ago

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My spread for Day 8 of #junkjournaljuly. My momentum stalled slightly because of life, but I'm trying not to think that I'm "behind." I think that way of thinking for us creatives and memory keepers is what halts us. It overwhelms us for no apparent really and we do it to ourselves—not all of us though, but if you're like me, the thought is crippling. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ So I've been trying not to think of these sort of challenges with a time limit. I would probably be helpful to not even call them by their "days," but for some reason that seems more universal than saying "prompt 7." But anyway, I'm trying to not see myself as behind in this journal challenge. I'm 100% ready to take Junk Journal July into August. It keeps me motivated and inspired to continue journaling the way that I have despite life being incredibly busy. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Anyway, this prompt was Wanderlust and oh boy do I miss traveling a lot! I had these cute little suitcases I cut out of a @daphnes.diary magazine that were just begging for me to use on this spread. I wrote out a short list of all the places I've been wanting to visit or go back to. I definitely have a way longer list that this, but I just scribbled the places that popped into my head first! I can't wait until it's safe again to travel. https://www.instagram.com/p/CRZVArrJHM7/?utm_medium=tumblr

#junkjournaljuly #my journals #personal

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art-of-manliness · 6 years ago

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A Peek at The Strenuous Life: August 2018

Last year we launched The Strenuous Life: an online/offline platform that’s like a scouting program for grown men. Each month, members receive The Strenuous Life Bugle, a newsletter that highlights what’s been going on at TSL. We thought AoM readers might enjoy a peek at it every now and then. If you’re interested in becoming a member yourself, sign up for updates here; the next enrollment (and the final enrollment of 2018) opens in September. The 50-Mile Challenge Hall of Fame Page I’ve created a page on which I’ve listed those TSL members who have completed one of the most strenuous of challenges — the 50-mile march/hike — along with the time they did it in. A hearty huzzah! to these intrepid and hardy souls. Teddy would be proud of you. Congratulations to Those Who Did 52/52 Agons! The original cohort of TSL Classes — Classes 000-004 — recently passed the year mark of their journey on The Strenuous Life. Out of these 738 individuals, an elite 20 completed a tremendous achievement: they did every single weekly Agon for 52 weeks. To have done this despite sick days, holidays, vacations, job stress, relationship and financial variations, general life changes, and the simple mood fluctuations that all happen over the course of a year is truly an impressive achievement. These men not only did hard things, but did the hardest thing of all — they did hard things consistently! My hat’s off to them: * Dustin B., Class 001 * Mike P., Class 001 * Mark M., Class 001 * Louis V., Class 001 * Merlin H., Class 001 * Steve J., Class 001 * Andrew M., Class 001 * Jason C., Class 001 * Steven C., Class 001 * Nate H., Class 002 * Christian T., Class 002 * Joshua S., Class 002 * Michael D., Class 002 * Bill D., Class 003 * Jack G., Class 003 * Adam H., Class 003 * Erik W., Class 004 * Justin H., Class 004 * Tanner S., Class 004 * Brian N., Class 004 Badge Work How’s your badge work been going? I love going through the forums and seeing how many guys have done something for the first time while working on a badge requirement — first time going camping and making a fire, first time roasting a chicken, first time changing their car’s oil . . . that’s what The Strenuous Life is all about — going outside your comfort zone and expanding your horizons! For the Microadventure Badge, @tobi hiked a little outside his hometown in Germany and set up a bivvy to sleep the night in a nice hidden spot in a field, while @nhadley hiked to the top of 10,457′ Lassen Peak in Lassen Volcanic National Park with his family. @rahorst81 finished the Jumpstart Journaling Challenge for the Journaling Badge, and @neil7t took in a classical concert at the Musikverein concert hall in Vienna for the Music Badge. @mattdesroches1 tracked the cycles of the moon and @desertchristian took a shot of Venus for the Astronomer Badge. For the Handyman Badge, @rspollock organized his garage by throwing away junk and putting up more racks and shelves. For the Hacker Badge, @gledel built his first Arduino project and has a goal to make a thermometer for his girlfriend’s pottery kiln that sends a notification to her phone when the oven reaches certain temperatures. For the Mountain Ranger Badge, @s-c-hughes climbed the the Zugspitze, the tallest mountain in Germany, and @davidadav climbed Mailbox Peak (twice) and Alta Mountain in WA. @whisper mastered the required knots (and took notes on them) for the Knotsmanship Badge, and @rspollock copied the poem “If” for the Penmanship Badge. @monrovia-damon hosted a Fourth of July party, and @justinhartling87 held a dinner and game night for the Host Badge. @rayperts rucked an hour a week with a 40-lb weight for 4 consecutive weeks for the Rucking Badge. @amendez_831 went camping for the first time in his life and also made his first fire! He worked on several requirements for the Firemanship Badge, including making a teepee and upside-down fire, and starting a fire with flint and steel. I like his review of his first camping trip: “Wow what an experience. I never thought in a million years that camping would be so fun. It was a great combination of working at your craft of becoming a well-rounded man as well as bonding with your loved ones. We only camped one night and I felt closer to my love then I have in a while. An amazing experience!” For the Backyard Farmer Badge, @rscore harvested his first eggs from a chicken coop he built and populated with chicks several months ago, @mswilkes started his first garden and grew squash, bell peppers, jalapeños, tomatoes, and cabbage, and @franz grew 3 kinds of herbs and moved them right from field to plate. @blairbrown changed the oil on his car for the first time (and thought it felt pretty manly to do), @armstrong read five biographies for the Biography Badge (looks like someone is a big fan of McCullough), and @wanderingmonkey took a tour of the Arizona State House for the Citizenship Badge. @ringo learned how to take a bearing with his compass for the Scout Badge, @tridder practiced his squat form, and @disfocus took a dip, in the buff, at a beach near Bicheno (on the east coast of Tasmania), in water that was about 50 degrees Fahrenheit, for the Rough Rider Badge. For the Orator Badge, @clarkp dropped in to his local Toastmasters chapter as a walk-in guest to check it out, and ended up giving an impromptu speech on “A Person Who Had Great Success.” He discussed Theodore Roosevelt’s contribution to the development of America, and when everyone voted on the best impromptu speech, he won! Bully! @franz knocked off a requirement for the Craftsman Badge by making a frame (his first time making one) for his badge mat. He made it out of mesquite and gave it a coat of clear shellac to bring out the leather-brown color in the grain. He used cross lap joints to assemble the frame and added a quarter-inch birchwood backing board to attach the mat to. He also used a Forstner bit to drill out a spot for his TSL Challenge Coin on the top. Very nice indeed! Geographic Group Meet-Ups Here’s a look at some of the meet-ups that happened on July’s Strenuous Saturday (the third Saturday of every month), and otherwise; it’s awesome seeing the international meet-ups and men living strenuously around the world! Sydney, Australia Meet-Up @msligo, @rival-dawn, and @lachlan went for a hike in the Blue Mountains, and then afterwards enjoyed a drink and meal at a small town pub nearby. Feuchtwangen, Germany Meet-Up German members @s-c-hughes, @tobi, and @alessandro had intended to do some traditional cross-cutting work on a few logs that are going to be used for a small building, but when rain interfered with their plan, they made the most out of it by doing indoor activities such as lock picking and firewood splitting. During periods with less rain, they fit in some heavy lifting to get a massive stone into place for the building project, lifted sandbags, and got a fire started with flint and steel. They even enjoyed a barbecue in the rain. Stephen and Tobi finished the day with a microadventure by sleeping outside on straw under a tarpaulin cover. Louisiana Meet-Up Members in Louisiana met up for a hike/ruck at Chicot State Park. They each carried 20 pounds in their packs, as preparation for the Pearl Harbor GoRuck they plan on doing in December. Afterwards, the men went out for some delicious Mexican food. New Jersey Meet-Up Jersey members @jonathan-a, @kgreen, @billdean104, and @joshg138 met up for a ruck/hike at Hacklebarney State Park, and also tried to start a fire with a magnesium fire starter while they were there. Vermont Meet-Up VT members @dberry and @paquette-jim hiked up the Halfway House Trail to the Chin on the top of Mt. Mansfield and back down the Sunset Ridge Trail for a total of approximately 8.5 miles and over 2,600’ of elevation. They discussed their first year in The Strenuous Life, badges completed, favorite Agons, as well as improving their future potential meet-ups. Idaho Multi-Day Camp Out Idaho TSL members spent the weekend camping together, beginning on Friday night and finishing on Sunday morning. The men hiked, swam, and trained with tomahawks and knives. Steak was pan-fried, eggs and bacon were cooked, homemade mead was drunken, and great conversations were had. Calgary, Canada Weekly Ruck @calgarytrav inaugurated a weekly rucking meet-up for TSL members in Calgary. For this initial outing, the men went to Fish Creek Park for a 6.7km ruck, which they spent catching up and spotting some deer. I appreciate Travis’ leadership in getting this going! Class Call-Outs Class 018 finalized their logo: Class 019 is so strenuous, they decided to design two badges for themselves: one for the Class as a whole, and one for those who completed the Challenge: If you don’t already, follow The Strenuous Life (@strenuous.life) on Instagram; you may see your badge work or meet-ups featured there! Keep living strenuously, everyone! “There is need to do all the ordinary, commonplace duties as they arise, or we will be in no shape to meet the crisis that calls for heroism when that crisis arises.” –Theodore Roosevelt The post A Peek at The Strenuous Life: August 2018 appeared first on The Art of Manliness. http://dlvr.it/Qfx6N3

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davekatzdefensesquad · 1 year ago

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@ megjournals || July junk journal challenge 2023

#July junk journal challenge #instagram #instagram challenge #mine #my edits #shuffles #pinterest shuffles #pinterest

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fitnessmantra · 4 years ago

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How to lose weight fast after 40.

If you're over the age of 40, you may have noticed that losing weight in your mid-section is a bit harder than it used to be. That's not just in your head — a combination of many different factors, including hormone changes and a decrease in metabolism, make losing belly fat more difficult as you get older.

Here's precisely what's to blame for some of the weight gains you may be seeing in your belly — and how you can fight it.

There are two types of fat in the body: the softer kind right beneath the surface, called subcutaneous fat, and visceral fat, which is harder and stored deeper in your abdomen and wrapped around organs, explains Sherry Ross, MD, an ob-gyn and women's health expert at Providence Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica.

Visceral fat is a concern because it's linked to a slew of health issues, such as insulin resistance, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and an increased risk of cancer, Dr. Ross says. Belly fat is often comprised of visceral fat, and it's the kind that can be increasingly difficult to lose as you age.

So, why is belly fat harder to lose after 40? There are a few factors:

1. Age

Age alone doesn't necessarily change where visceral fat is stored, Dr. Ross says. But for many people, the proportion of visceral fat starts to increase as they age. This is because of a combination of factors, including the fact that our diets usually change, we burn fewer calories as we age and we tend to exercise less, all of which contribute to weight gain and ultimately, gaining fat in the abdominal area, Dr. Ross says.

2. Hormones

Fat gain and loss are hormone-driven, explains Kristi Veltkamp, RDN, a Spectrum Health outpatient dietitian. Storage-wise, women tend to store more subcutaneous (soft) fat in the abdominal and thigh area and men store more visceral (hard) fat in the abdominal area.

Those types of differences become apparent in puberty when both sexes increase in weight — men will typically see more muscle gains from higher testosterone, while women will gain more curves, due to estrogen.

As we age, however, and as women go through perimenopause and menopause, fat storage tendencies shift. As men age, they gain more "soft" fat while women gain more "hard" abdominal fat due to lower testosterone and estrogen levels.

3. Perimenopause

Speaking of hormones, perimenopause in those with female reproductive organs can impact abdominal fat. As the shift occurs from perimenopause into menopause, hormone levels that previously helped keep weight in check start to fluctuate, Dr. Ross says.

On a technical level, during perimenopause, estrogen begins to decrease, explains Mir Ali, MD, bariatric surgeon and medical director of MemorialCare Surgical Weight Loss Center at Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, California.

And because estrogen affects the fat disposition, when it goes down, it can lead to increased visceral fat stores. There are additional metabolic disturbances that occur with menopause, such as insulin resistance and glucose and lipid metabolism disturbances, per a June 2017 overview in Menopause Review. All of these factors, combined with a gradual decline in muscle mass, tend to increase weight gain in the abdomen and mid-section over age 40.

4. Metabolism

Our metabolism starts to slow down as we age, which means we burn fewer calories, start to lose muscle, and can see weight gain, Dr. Ross explains.

According to Dr. Ali, for each decade we age over 40, our metabolic rate slows down at an increased rate. That's backed up by a July 2014 review in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, which found that the resting metabolic rate decreases with age. Plus, hormones tend to continue to decrease, so the combination makes maintaining muscle more challenging, Dr. Ali notes.

5. Stress

Stress can also affect fat storage, Veltkamp says. And long-term stress over time can add up.

"High-stress lifestyle leads to increased cortisol levels in the body and the 'fight or flight response," Veltkamp explains. "Since we are usually not running from danger, having this reaction constantly firing in our system can be very detrimental. Cortisol causes fat to be stored or taken from other areas of the body to be stored in the abdomen area."

In addition to the direct impact that cortisol can have in adding fat to the abdominal area, it can also have an indirect effect — higher baseline cortisol levels and increases linked to stress lead to more fat cell development increased blood glucose, and insulin suppression, and more cravings for junk food, per an April 2017 article in Obesity.

The Best Ways to Lose Belly Fat

Abdominal fat can be reduced similarly to any approach to losing weight, with a healthy diet, reduced calories, and exercise, Veltkamp says.

It's important to remember that spot reduction fat loss is not possible, so the only way to reduce belly fat is to reduce your overall body fat, Dr. Ross says. Here's how to target belly fat, especially over the age of 40.

1. Exercise

Exercise can be one of the most effective strategies — and not for merely burning calories, Veltkamp notes. "Exercise helps to reduce insulin resistance and cortisol levels, which both lead to visceral weight gain if left unchecked," she says.

There's evidence that strength training can be effective for fat reduction, Dr. Ross notes. For instance, strength training with weights, in combination with a low-calorie diet, was more effective in reducing fat and maintaining lean muscle in adults than exercise with just cardio and diet alone, per an October 2017 study in Obesity, which looked at more than 200 adults over age 60.

While increasing your exercise levels drastically isn't always an option, changing up your exercise routine typically is, Dr. Ross notes. She recommends incorporating some high-intensity interval training (HIIT) as a way of raising your game. Interval training may be especially effective for targeting belly fat. For instance, among adults in their 70s, interval training helped reduce overall body fat and central obesity, per an April 2019 study in the Journal of American Geriatrics Society.

Many forms of exercise can be used for weight management. The most important thing is to work out consistently, Dr. Ross says. Her recommendation: Find a workout that you enjoy and can stick to.

2. Stress Management

Visceral fat storage tends to be higher with a high-stress lifestyle, leading to increased cortisol levels and high insulin resistance. And because cortisol is a hormone that both increases visceral fat stores in the body and raises your hunger levels and cravings for unhealthy foods, it can lead to a vicious cycle of fat gain.

Since stress is so highly linked to abdominal fat, finding ways to lower and manage your stress levels can be a helpful way to also manage visceral fat. You could try strategies such as yoga, meditation, a spiritual practice, or journaling to help reduce your stress.

3. Dietary Changes

Veltkamp specifically recommends a low-glycemic Mediterranean diet, because it will not lead to blood sugar spikes or insulin resistance. Additionally, a Mediterranean diet is linked to decreasing levels of visceral fat, per a May 2019 study in the Journal of Hepatology.

The Mediterranean diet is focused on foods that have a lot of fiber, are minimally processed, and low in added sugars, along with lower levels of animal products such as dairy and meat. Following this diet means eating whole grains, beans and legumes, fresh fruits and vegetables, and anti-inflammatory fats, such as olives, nuts, seeds, and fatty fish.

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businessesconsultant · 4 years ago

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“Take what you can from your dreams; make them as real as anything”- Dave Mathews

If there is one thing that humans are blessed with it has to be the power of having dreams. You are blessed if you have a dream you are passionate about. And, if you have a dream that does not let you sleep and makes you get up, every single morning with a true determination to fulfill it, you are alive.

Many people dream about starting their businesses, based on their ideas and expertise. They want to break free from a mundane 9 to 5 job and want to bring a revolutionary product to the world.

However, dreams without action are nothing but a world of illusion.

According to a report published in INC.com, ‘science says that only 8% of people who set a goal, actually work on them and eventually achieve their goals, the rest of the 92% of people never actually achieve them.’

Failing to meet goals can be frustrating. However, where there is a will, there is a way! If you are truly determined to reach your set goal, we have a well-defined process for you.

If you are interested in what those eight percent of people do that the rest of the 92 percent of people are missing out on then keep reading. Today, we are going to tell you 5 powerful ways that will turn your big entrepreneurial dream into reality:

1. Bring your Forgotten Dreams back to life

We have certain dreams, at a certain age. But with each passing day, those dreams tend to lose their shine. Dreams can be incredibly inspiring, but unless you start working upon them they are little more than just dreams.

Hence, revive that forgotten dream again. Remind yourself about how passionately you want to achieve them. Re-remind, cross remind and double remind yourself if requires. Why? Unless you dream with your eyes open, your dreams will never become your reality.

2. Clarity, Clarity, Clarity

Yes, we very well know that we might have written the term ‘CLARITY’ just once, but so many people overlook this simple, yet effective term in their journey that writing it thrice feels justified.

It is imperative to have clarity in our minds when setting goals. You must know where you are headed. Just like while booking a flight, you know where you want to go, it is essential to have a clear goal. Always ensure that you understand the path to your final destination. After all, a ship without a destination is just a lost ship.

Write your goal on a paper. The thing about all the challenges you might have to face, and the work you will have to do to get there. Break down it into sub-goals and list out all the resources that you will need to support you along the way.

3. Build a support system

Young and aspiring people don`t do it all alone. High performers and productive people understand that they can achieve more in less time with the right guidance and help of a mentor, best business consultant, coach, and advisor. You can also watch some inspiring video, by clicking here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfDfoQE2iyM

If you wanted to get better at cricket, you will go to a coach or hire an instructor who would help you to get better at your game. Similarly, if you have a business idea or an entrepreneurial dream, it is better to consult one of India`s best motivational coaches or business consultants.

Look for allies, and build a network of experts who will guide you with their expertise and care about your success. Meet with them regularly to seek their wisdom and ask for their advice.

4. Set specific & Challenging Goals

Research conducted by Edwin Locke and Gary Latham found that when people set a clear and challenging role, 90 percent of the time it leads to higher performance.

For instance, if your goal is to lose 20 pounds by the end of the year, it will not work out. While it does sound challenging, it lacks clarity. Instead, if you decide to lose five pounds by July by reducing sugar, soda, bread, and junk along with a workout, you will have a clear goal in mind. When you have a clear goal the chances of hitting the goal increase, rapidly.

5. Practice the popular 52 and 17 Rule

While working towards your goal, try the most popular and effective 52 minutes of work followed by 17 minutes of rest. This is known as “interval training” in sports. According to a study, it is an effective way to enhance productivity in a work routine.

Working for long hours is not the best way to retain productivity towards working your goal. Working smartly with frequent breaks is the ultimate key to achieve your goal.

So as soon as you start to pursue a dream, your life comes alive and everything has meaning. You start living and stop existing. You can take guidance from the best motivational speaker in India.

#bigdreams #action plan #drvivekbindra #motivation #learningbybadabusiness #dailymotivation #goldenstatement #business #massiveactionplan #motivationalvideoforstudents

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marlaluster · 4 years ago

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Emptying the cliptray...

1. silt /silt/ Learn to pronounce noun fine sand, clay, or other material carried by running water and deposited as a sediment, especially in a channel or harbor. Similar: sediment deposit alluvium mud slime ooze sludge sand clay clag verb become filled or blocked with silt. "the river's mouth had silted up" Similar: become blocked beco 2. https://www.google.com/search?q=silt+definition&oq=silt+de&aqs=chrome.0.0j69i57j0l3.5650j1j9&client=ms-android-mpcs-us-revc&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8 3. https://www.instagram.com/p/CEsQaQxpxkP/?hl=en 4. Liked by chris_hemsworth_peru and 1,510,495 others chrishemsworth Really enjoyed speaking with @davidyarrow for the launch of “In Focus” – an international journal with photography and film as its genesis, and collaboration and philanthropy as its backbone. David is an incredible photographer, a true humanitarian and conservation warrior. Through his images David Yarrow combines passion, art, and wild places. As a human he embodies the spirit of adventure, humility and conservation of Nature’s last true vestiges. @otishopecarey @wild.ark @davidyarrow #davidyarrowphotography View all 2,737 comments debi832018 😍😘😘😘😘 sonuaryan4632 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 20 HOURS AGO 5. 85,690 views behatiprinsloo Last week @adamlevine and i joined @FerrariUSA to announce this Fall we will be a part of auctioning off a brand new... more View all 97 comments aliziatomiko ❤️ memories44 All these charity's you help out but do you actually give money to help? Or do you just ask people with no money to help out? JULY 29 6. https://www.instagram.com/p/CDPIeSdHga1/?hl=en 7. 78,497 views behatiprinsloo July 31 is World Ranger Day - but every hour of every day, trackers and rangers are on the frontline, dedicated to protecting wildlife in the most difficult circumstances and at the most difficult of times. Funding patrols, rations and salaries for these men and women is a challenge, especially in this current economic climate. I want to thank B2Gold for their generous donation of 1,000 ounces of gold to community-backed rhino conservation. If you are interested in buying a limited edition rhino gold bar and helping to support this incredible cause, the link is in my bio. 🦏 @savetherhinonamibia View all 112 comments steve_stephen_stepehnson Black Lives Matter Just kidding 1odd_mischief_managed ❤️🔥🔥 JULY 31 8. https://www.instagram.com/p/CDUaGcTHKPx/?hl=en 9. mind one evening leaving from a place where I saw the person 10. https://vote.elections.virginia.gov/Registration/DmvLookup 11. https://youtu.be/XElPwrhQ6tU 12. https://www.instagram.com/p/CEuvs8bJ2mk/?hl=en 13. https://youtu.be/LBsbxFKBr98 14. Transaction ID: 3742957 15. Call the Cover Virginia Call Center at 1-855-242-8282 (TDD: 1-888-221-1590) to apply on the phone Mon - Fri: 8:00 am to 7:00 pm and Sat: 9:00 am to 12:00 pm 16. tern1 /tərn/ Learn to pronounce See definitions in: All Bird Gambling noun a seabird related to the gulls, typically smaller and more slender, with long pointed wings and a forked tail. Tip Similar-sounding words tern is sometimes confused with turn and terne Definitions from Oxford Languages 17. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-8700009/amp/Chris-Hemsworth-inch-doting-dad-takes-children-school-playdate.html 18. "Marla, the fact that the children are barefoot is saying so many things that he cannot be," something said in my mind. 19. SPF2007, Staffordshire , United Kingdom, 1 day ago Why do the kids never have shoes on. If him and his wife chose not to fine but the kids should. New3828 4 replies View all replies A-Z, Neveryoumind, United Kingdom, 1 day ago Damn look at all that junk in that trunk New8 20. Berryfay, Here and there, United Kingdom, 1 day ago I think I would actually enjoy the school run if my kids were at his school New7162 Ella1983, Glasgow , United Kingdom, 1 day ago There he is.. sigh... New7108 benjaminarthur, London, United Kingdom, 1 day ago His kids never wear shoes. Fine in the beach but on hot roads? New3646 1 reply View all replies MVDTOTHEWORLD, Somewhereinthe, United States, 1 day ago Never judge a book by its cover, but...He seems like a very nice family man. New7181

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nelliievance · 5 years ago

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Baby Steps, Or Push Back On All Fronts?

Many people assume willpower is a limited resource, so if we try to improve in multiple areas at once, like say working out more and resisting junk food more at the same time, we will wear it out. Scientific justification for this came from a meta-analysis published in 2010 [1]. Based on this, you may find authors recommending, for example, that you don’t try to start eating healthier and a new exercise program at the same time.

Stephen Guise’s mini-habits books are good examples of an approach based on this concept [2]. This can work really well, causing you to make “relentless forward progress”, taking one small step at a time. Take one small step, say eating an extra piece of fruit a day. Establish it as a habit. Then take another step, cutting out potato chips. Establish it as a habit. Keep going, and don’t backslide on any of the progress you’ve already made.

But in a more recent analysis, the data the “limited willpower” is based on has been challenged [3]. The new analysis was far stricter in choosing only studies that used tasks well-established in the literature as ways to challenge willpower, while the original analysis was looser in its criteria. The new analysis found little support for the limited resource idea, and even found evidence for the notion that willpower is improved by successively challenging it, which is referred to as “Learned Industriousness“. So rather than willpower being a limited “fuel tank”, it might be more like a muscle that can be trained to have more stamina.

All of this is explained nicely in an article in the research digest of the British Psychological Society, which is recommended reading.

The first thing to note is that this does not invalidate the mini-habits or baby steps approach. Even if our willpower is a trainable “muscle”, it might still be weak to begin with due to lack of use. But maybe after a few weeks of baby steps when you’ve made and sustained some significant changes, the steps could be made a little bigger. Maybe in the same week introduce 2 more mini-habits instead of one, like cutting back on another type junk food and walking further.

If willpower is truly not as limited a resource as previously thought, it also opens up the possibility of more aggressive changes. An obvious example is tv weight loss “makeover” shows. I recently streamed a fun one from Australia on Netflix called “Bringing Sexy Back”. The format is to take an overweight and usually sedentary person, and throw them in the deep end with both dramatic boot camp type workouts and major dietary cleanup simultaneously. This often involves the trainer showing up at their house and going through the pantry and frig and throwing away all the not so good food choices. The participants learn to eat better and work out more, and after a few months achieve dramatic results. We don’t know how it works out for them long term. Bad news came out about that about 3 years back concerning “biggest loser” participants: many gain the weight back, and further, have lower metabolisms so it’s harder to keep weight off. But the biggest loser competitors go through a drastic regimen of very restricted calorie intake and hours per day of exercise. Maybe the “push back on all fronts” approach would work better if the exercise and dietary changes were less drastic? There was only one season of Bringing Sexy Back, so it’s a small sample size, but it appears at least half the participants are still doing well several years later. The changes made during the makeover on that show were less drastic. I’ll revisit the idea of how big a change is too much below.

Makeover Show Before and After Picture (From “Bringing Sexy Back”)

But there’s another drastic change many of us go through, and are woefully unsuccessful at, every year: New Year’s resolutions. We get pumped up by reading “New Year, New You!” articles late in the year, maybe have gained a few over the holidays, and are motivated to make dramatic changes in January. And it all fizzles out by february.

I think there’s a couple of main reasons this happens. The first is that it is often outcome oriented, not process oriented. The desired outcome is usually moving the needle down on that blankety-blank scale. Motivation can stay high as long as that happens, but peter out when we get a bad result or hit a plateau. This is yet another reason why the focusing on health, not weight approach is a good idea, it emphasizes the process (healthier habits), more than the outcome.

The second is that the changes made are too drastic and not sustainable. What if the changes were more reasonable, like maybe averaging a half hour a day of some enjoyable physical activity, while cutting back on junk and eating more fruits and veggies? The results would be more gradual but maybe the success rate would be higher.

I have personally experienced success with ��Pushing Back On All Fronts”, but it usually happens when I have an athletic goal to focus on. I always lost weight and ate healthier the times I trained for marathons, for example. The long term goal of the race a few months away was good sustainable motivation for training, but I knew better than to ramp it up too fast because that could lead to injury. And as I got fitter I would seem to naturally crave healthier foods a bit more over junk.

More recently, since my post on July 29th I made serious but sustainable changes to both eating and exercise, and it has gone well. Of course that was actually a happy medium between a baby step and major change, as I was already exercising and eating reasonably healthily, I just got more serious about both.

I’m curious as to how small steps vs more major changes have worked out for other people, and invite comments on it.

References

Haggar, M, et al, “Ego depletion and the strength model of self-control: a meta-analysis”, Psychol. Bull, 2010.

Guise, S, Mini Habits: Smaller Habits, Bigger Results, Amazon Digital Services , 2013.

Carter, E, et al “A Series of Meta-Analytic Tests of the Depletion Effect: Self-Control Does Not Seem to Rely on a Limited Resource”, Journal of Experimental Psychology, 2015.

Baby Steps, Or Push Back On All Fronts? published first on https://steroidsca.tumblr.com/

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pixiealtaira · 8 years ago

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Things to be Happy About

Pairing: None really, it is a friendship fic...Kurt, Elliot and Dani

Author’s note: So..last year I decided to do a journal prompt challenge. Or, rather, I thought about it. I wrote down all the prompts in a notebook...and it sat and sat and sat. The ridiculous thing of course being it was a 30 days of lists, about as easy a journal challenge as you get...but I was not feeling it at all. So June of last year come around with the stupid notebook still sitting there mocking me and with me at an impass on the long fic that is still in progress, but not at the same point which is good....and I thought, I need something else to write on but I want to still be playing with the character’s I’m am writing so that stall Harry Potter fic isn’t an option...wait a minute! And thus this series of fics was born. The titles will be kinda...bah, However, each title is the journal prompt. So maybe someone out there might want to write the prompt for their own 30 days (plus one) of Lists.

Kurt slid the door to the loft open as he finally reached home after his long day. He was really tempted to shoot whoever was in charge of scheduling for year three at NYADA and he half suspected that Rachel quit simply because she’d heard all about what her next year would have had in store for her. First semester was the work-study project, the screen and play writing class, one of the playwrights in depth classes, and the “from script to concept’ class. The latter three could be taken as on-line courses if one’s work project was out of the city as long as one also attended a summer workshop in each the next year to get the ‘physical’ parts completed, but if one’s work study was near-by each class took time on campus. The second semester was what was lovingly called the practical semester. Of course, Kurt was also half certain somehow Rachel would have convinced everyone that SHE didn’t need to take stage craft (which at NYADA consisted of everything not included in the other classes, pretty much), or makeup arts, or costume design, or sound and lighting and that her spot in Funny Girl should negate a work-study project. Nor did she need to read or write anything, it was all about the acting…or rather the singing. Somehow she would have just ended up with the voice workshops and dance class. She somehow managed it her freshman year, after all. Anyways…Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays Kurt spent from 9 to noon working with make-up and costuming and from 1 to 4pm working stagecraft and with the sound and lighting, about half and half. He understood it, really. He agreed, too. Simply knowing what all went into a production was fine and dandy, if one even got that far. He didn’t think Rachel ever did, nor did Blaine. They saw “sing” “act” “dance” as all they needed to even contemplate. However getting down and dirty with the rest of it was a whole other ballgame. Doing the behind the scenes work made him respect the whole process even more. He could already tell it made a difference in the few auditions he’d managed after starting this semester. Tuesday and Thursdays were spent at dance class and the music workshops. He had Madame Tibideaux’s voice workshop in the round from 9 to 11 on Tuesdays and Thursdays, followed by dance from 1 to 3 and the whole aptly named ‘How to be a proper part of the Chorus” workshop from 3:30 to 5pm. And Monday through Friday his had his voice and speech practicum from 8am to 8:55. He seriously wasn’t sure which days were longer.

From school he headed to one of his jobs. He’d worked at Vogue.com, which was a part time paid job now. He enjoyed it, even though he wasn’t Isabelle’s personal assistant anymore. He worked with wardrobe right now, until he had more time to be the type of assistant Isabelle needed. He rather loved it. A lot was done in the evening and night, after those working the more normal hours had made the decisions and then gone home. It also tended to be a bunch of work at once time but then light hours day to day. Only once had he ever had to choose between work and class, and a once in a long while work emergency had not been a problem. Besides, it was like doing make-overs all the time. It was a good job for now. He also had the diner job. He’d nearly given it up, but after Rachel had quit and Santana had quit and he’d given the owner time to calm down while showing up for work on time and doing all he was expected without pushing for more, it had ended up a much more pleasant experience. On top of those, he’d picked up a few mechanic jobs over the past few months since Blaine had left. He’d been looking desperately to pick up something extra that he could do when he needed just that little bit more cash for rent or bills or to eat.

It was a Wednesday. Stage craft had involved creating the backdrops. It involved hammers, bruises…caused by himself and others, a first coat of paint which needed much better ventilation than was to be had, and a headache. Lighting and sound had involved creating thunder and lightning in many different forms. Costume design was working with sewing machines, all 20 going at once, to finish a commission the costume design teacher had taken on and not followed through well with and thus was overdue on. Make-up design was ‘gore’ this week. Work had been from 4:30 to 11:30 at the diner and he had to be at Vogue by 6am to get the last minute items set for a photoshoot the next day. He’d had an hour of sleep the night before, covering his shift at the diner till 11:30pm and then opening for a sick co-worker starting at 5am, plus getting the last minute work done for his costuming class (steampunk Westside Story…he’d been in charge of two Jets costumes) and redoing a series of props for stage craft that he’d missed half the assignment instructions on. The night before that hadn’t been much better. Kurt was dragging. It was nearly half past midnight when Kurt got home. He wasn’t even certain if he ought to eat and shower, or just fall into bed for his four hours of sleep.

His apartment wasn’t empty. Dani and Elliot were there, kicked back on his couch watching TV and chatting.

“Oh Please don’t tell me I missed a rehearsal that I scheduled?” Kurt asked.

“You’re home!” Elliot exclaimed.

Dani rushed over to Kurt, removed his bag and sat him right in the middle of the couch. Before he could even say anything a bowl of curry over rice was handed to him. It was warm and smelled so good.

“Nope.” Dani said. “It’s just we noticed your schedule on the wall at the rehearsal Sunday night and decided you needed some TLC.”

“We’ll be over Friday night for a movie night and some good old fashioned chilling. I’m bringing the fruit and other snacks.” Elliot added. “I let Dani pick the movie and games.”

“Now eat up so your bath doesn’t get cold. I added just the right oils for relaxation and sleep aid. There is yogurt, granola and fruit for your breakfast. I will know if you didn’t eat.”

With that Dani and Elliot both kissed his forehead and headed out the door, closing it tight behind them.

As he finished his dinner and washed his bowl and fork, realizing all his other dishes he hadn’t been able to do were done and shopping was done and things were cleaned, he pondered his life’s turns.

Even though school was full and wild and work was busy, Kurt was pretty happy. He actually was enjoying his classes and learning tons. Even if he never made it to Broadway, what he was learning now was providing the information he would need to help start community theater groups when he was older. He loved costuming, he liked props, and he had fun working sets and managing a stage. It didn’t make him want to give up his dreams of starring in a show like Rachel had yelled over the phone that it would, but it gave him a greater appreciation for the whole theater experience. He had fun in dance (oddly enough Ms. July was decent now that Blaine and Rachel weren’t there and hadn’t that been a disturbing few days of contemplation) and he learned a lot in his vocal courses, enjoying those as well. School was worth it.

His band was still together and they still performed, in fact they had a small following that would hound them for the next show date and would always show up. They never played to a room smaller than 50 now. All three and the band were fine with this, because they were all just in it for fun and enjoyment. They played with genre and costumes and did theme nights and it was fun. They’d even done weddings and birthday parties.

He had a lovely flat, which he had an extra room which he could rent out when he choose to but which working like he did he could cover on his own if he needed to. He controlled his own food. He didn’t have to worry about if Rachel was being a vegetarian that day or not, or about someone trying to fatten him up to relieve their own self-doubt. He could sing when he wanted and dance when he wanted and watch his own TV.

He had friends and wasn’t that an eye-opener, having real friends. He’d forever be grateful that Elliot got back from his retreat when he did. Elliot missed the whole break-up and the next several weeks while they still had to share the loft until the end of school…during which Kurt went to school and went to class and took his tests and sang when he was supposed to and did his assignments and went to work so rent could be paid and picked up the loft and Blaine went out and partied it up, coming home drunk and skipped classes and blew off June (for whom he was already skipping classes to start off with) or lay on the couch bemoaning life and moaning about how everything and everyone hated him, eating junk food and take out and not doing anything except moan and then yell and throw things. Elliot missed the spectacular melt down when Blaine was informed he flunked out. He missed the movers coming in the next day and Kurt having to stay home from work after watching Blaine trying to pack stuff that wasn’t his for fifteen minutes.

Elliot was home, though, by the end of that move-out week. He had popped over to discuss keeping the band going when the first of the angry texts came from Sam, and then from Brittany and Santana and Mercedes. The texts accusing Kurt of making Blaine flunk out, of making teachers give him bad grades. The ones accusing him of throwing Blaine out the moment they broke-up (which he didn’t) and stealing Blaine’s money by taking rent when he wasn’t even living in the apartment anymore (Blaine hadn’t even paid rent for the last two months) and taking all Blaine’s stuff. Elliot was there the day Kurt came home from his first psychologist visit (with the same guy that encouraged Rachel to see having an understudy as a plot against her and who told Blaine that it was healthy for him to be the alpha gay and Kurt to always be less than him, two confident people cannot work as a relationship, one must always be subservient and lying to each other only gave a relationship spice) and Elliot was there to point out that Kurt thought the guy was insane when Rachel and Blaine were seeing him, why would he think what the guy said to him to be less insane now? Elliot called Dani, who gave Kurt the name of several other individuals, all of whom were more comfortable to talk to and within which he found a psychologist who really did help.

Dani was home by the time he was ready to even consider starting to date, and before that Dani and Elliot dragged him out to other places and encouraged him to make friends at work and school. Chase was the one who suggested speed dating and got him a spot, Dani was the one he complained to about the guy who said he wasn’t over his boyfriend and also the one to suggest maybe it wasn’t Blaine they were talking about. Ellie, who he worked with at wardrobe, sat with him as he called the Apples he knew were still around, apologizing to them and asking for Adam’s contact information. Elliot held his hand while he called Adam and apologized. Elliot and Dani both insisted on meeting Adam, and they all talked as Kurt and Adam become friends again.

Kurt was able to rejoin the Apples and work with them. He reconnected to friends he’d started to make there. He connected again with friends he’d made in his stage combat and mime classes, and joined other clubs again.

Dani and Elliot and all the Apples around at the time were waiting at the coffee house kitty corner to the spot where everyone was supposed to meet up in 6 months’ time, and stayed until Kurt gave up. They took him out clubbing and reminded him why he was in New York. Dani called Chase who called Isabelle, who invaded the loft the next night with a party on the go, just to cheer him up. Elliot called Adam, who flew in over the weekend and they teamed up to drag Kurt sightseeing, to all those places Kurt had not taken the time to see since he was living there and not a tourist.

Kurt came back to New York after running to answer Rachel’s call, instead of staying in Lima. Instead of having the bad advice of that first psychologist and the old-flame speed dating guy in his head shouting and mixing with Rachel’s wish and desire to see them back together, Kurt had other voices. Ones who showed him what he’d suspected all along and told him that yes, choosing each day to love someone and trust someone was a good way to deal after they continually hurt you…however, that didn’t make it the only answer ever. The next day you can choose something else and it is not a failure. He was able to watch Blaine and David together and cry in the bathroom at the loss of a relationship he’d invested so much in, but he was also able to say NO. No to Rachel, No to the relationship and No to trying to fix something that had been so broken for so long. Furthermore, he realized he didn’t even have to start dating just yet. There was nothing that said he had to have a boyfriend at all times to be enjoying life.

His bath was still warm and even the towels were heated. Kurt laughed. He knew Dani liked to toss them in the microwave to heat. He relaxed and reached for the body wash Dani had set out. It was a favorite sleepy time mix that she’d found worked to combat insomnia.

He’d come home to New York. He did his work-study at the same home where he’d done Peter Pan. He helped them put on the musical Annie and the play Barefoot in the Park. He also picked up some extra hours helping a small children’s theater group just down the street from his loft put together a production of Alice In Wonderland after one of the aides at the old performers home found out he had done costumes when he was in high school. It wasn’t working with Broadway babies, heck some of the kids couldn’t sing what they were supposed to and not many could dance at all, but it was fun and so fulfilling to help provide the chance for the kids to be able to get up on a stage and perform to the best ability they could. He was able to take the classes he needed to take at the school and sing with the Apples again and perform with his band. He auditioned. He even managed to end up at two call-backs. Sure, he hadn’t made it onto the stage yet, but a call-back wasn’t anything to be laughed at. He’d played chorus parts in both NYADA musicals since the break-up. He’d scored near the top on all showcase performances he’d done. He was holding his own and he was doing well.

And with him not back in Lima, his dad and Carole had had to come to New York. His dad had had to take a vacation. Carole had had to take a vacation. His dad was able to meet Elliot and Dani and watch the band play on Elvis night. Carole was able to go to work with him at Vogue, and meet Isabelle and watch a photoshoot he’d worked wardrobe on. They went and watched a show. They talked about Finn without despair, able to laugh about what he’d have thought. It was good.

Kurt got out of the tub. He dried off, drained the water, and headed to his bed. He found the comfiest flannel PJs he owned on his bed, his blankets turned down, and Bruce in place. Somehow, he thought he might just have the best life ever.

#glee fanfic #Kurt Hummel #elliot gilbert #Dani

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feed-our-souls-too · 6 years ago

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Art, Film, Faith (part 2)

This is post 2 of 3 from a friend and fellow artist (find her Instagram here). She took a class on faith and film and we both found that the journalling and conversations that resulted from it were thought-provoking and, as such, worth sharing here. ~Julie (The Hopeful Raincoat)

Entry 3

In the class, there has been a lot of commentary about having discretion and understanding the perspective from which we view movies, but not very much about being a ‘glutton’, or the risks that might lead to it. In Through a Screen Darkly, Overstreet comments about a time when he was employed at a video store and had viewing access to a wide variety of films. “I wasn’t thinking about whether my intake of mediocrity and cinematic junk food was doing any damage or dulling my intellect,” then later, “I might have become an addict, hooked on something unhealthy that would slowly corrode my imagination.” This made me think about one of my concerns with striving to find what was underneath a movie to discover meaning, intention, and spots of light in a dark world. I feel like there is a point when the excitement to find these things might lead to shoving them into the narrative in order to justify watching the movie – a symptom of addiction.

The book implies being an addict is mindlessly watching movies for superficially interesting content. However, for Christians well aware of the standard their peers want them to hold to – whatever is pure – their symptom of addiction might be to shove in whatever is pure without much consideration. When I discovered comics in the Seattle Public Library, I ate them up, because I loved and knew the characters from the movies but had never had access to comics before. (It was probably a similar situation to working in a video store – unlimited access all of a sudden.) For the most part, I watched out for content that is corrupting and harmful, but if I could find just one little thing that related to a moral, or a ‘Christian’ value, I probably read it at face value, and was inconsiderate of any other impact it might have had on my thinking.

In the film Wings of Desire, the angel Damiel sees Marion take off her acrobat uniform and then gently touches her neck. An argument is made in the reading that says this is not intended to be a ‘celebration of lust,’ but a moment of admiration for physical beauty. There is merit to this, as Damiel may primarily see her as a creation of God with a unique experience, Marion is a ‘fine sculpture’. I sometimes worry that these kinds of arguments are a mere justification to watch the film without regard for the potential of negative implications. In the case of Wings of Desire, if the argument had stopped at, “It only showed her back,” that may be a sign of addiction because that is an excuse. It is a minor justification using face value without any thought about the significance of the moment.

LATER EDIT: Christians must have personal discretion for everything that they interact with, we must be critical thinkers. We must not be flippant, positively or negatively, with the content we interact with, whether it is the latest adaptation of a Steven King novel or the most innocent children’s television.

Entry 4

I am still not satisfied with my questions from the last journal entry – when does film become just another piece of entertainment with a ‘fulfilling’ excuse? In Braveheart, fans might excuse the long, drawn-out battles because it is retaliation against oppression. The main character’s violent actions in The Patriot were justified for a similar reason. I remember my brother was pretty excited about the patriot’s original commitment to nonviolence. It might be because avoiding war is not the big picture most Americans think about when reflecting on the American Revolution, so this plot feels like a unique twist, which is a strategy that writers use for building viewer interest. However, I wouldn’t say we watched the entire movie just because the patriot wanted to avoid war in the first twenty minutes.

In the discussion of heroes and characters viewers admire (chapter five of Through a Screen Darkly), The Lord of the Rings was given credit for being a “meaningful mythology of longsuffering, sacrifice, and hope.” I totally agree. But I tend to be skeptic about the next sentence. “Somehow, Tolkien’s “Catholic work” resonated with viewers who flinch at the word religion.” Did it? I’m not sure – I do not really know people’s minds when they watch movies. What kind of response was it? What did they ‘resonate’ with? What is resonance anyway, does it come on a scale from one to ten? Does seven qualify as ‘adequate resonance to be considered a moving experience’ and therefore acceptable content? The success of The Lord of the Rings might demonstrate that the series is an exceptional work of art, meaning that it was ‘moving’ for the majority of those exposed to it. However, the films are not without the mindless entertainment of intense action that draws theater crowds in droves for other movies. The craftsmanship of the film is top notch, a fantasy world brought to life with outstanding realism, truly a spectacle to see. How can we be sure when art has moved beyond that?

Something that comes to mind is conversations with random people. Is it not the small, unexpected conversations with random people that have exponential value? It is highly unrealistic, perhaps outright false, to expect that sharing God’s love with those around us will bring in “results” every single time, or even ninety percent, eighty percent, fifty percent. Why should I expect that standard from art, even if it is exceptional? In light of this, I was actually a little bit comforted that even Gladiator, with a similar surface value as Braveheart and The Patriot, has some sort of undercurrent value that can be read into, and apparently people occasionally see that. But alas - another question surfaces - is the risk of becoming numbed to violence and caught up in the frenzy worth a sliver of a chance to experience something meaningful? If the film challenges itself in regard to violence, acknowledging the moral conflict and implications as in Munich or Unforgiven, (films that were discussed in Through a Screen Darkly, but I have not seen them) perhaps yes.

Entry 5

One of the lines from Through a Screen Darkly in a chapter on humor and comedy that stood out to me was, “It takes humility to accept such a public critique.” This was in the context of laughing at the mistakes that humans make, including the mistakes we make ourselves. It made me think about learning to take jabs – basically my dad telling me to tough it up when my older brother name called. The resolving family policy ended up being if you can’t take it, don’t give it. Our inter-sibling relationship now looks dangerously similar to Ruffnut and Tuffnut from How to Train Your Dragon (the ‘nut’ relationship is much more refined in the Netflix series), and I love it. My little brother and I in particular are willing to take the brunt of a joke just to generate a good laugh. I think that I had that mindset even for political jokes when I first came to Seattle from Montana, laughing along to jabs about Republicans that my classmates, professors, and even church leaders made. It’s a joke, it’s supposed to be funny, I can see why they think it is, I was willing to accept that. However, I think I stopped chuckling when I realized there was no reciprocal (which is also true of my hometown…) and it was not going to stop. Ever.

Receiving a joke from film is different than in-person interactions, whether it is about Christian beliefs and/or hypocrisy, or something else I relate to. It is a lot harder to be humble when there is distance between viewer and director (a growing problem in our media-directed world), and it is easy for a viewer to think that a director is trying to be degrading. Generally, I trust that people willing to make jokes about me to my face do so out of good humor. I am not sure if I can say the same about filmmakers, I do not know them. After some consideration, even if I do not find the jokes humorous, it can still be an opportunity for reflection on why the director thought it would be funny, which could be revealing in itself. If humor is acknowledging an err (a concept that Overstreet develops in his book, and a definition of humor I find to be very accurate), then there might be an err the viewer has not recognized.

The other portion of this reading that I was troubled with was the contrast of fools in real life and film. It seems like a narrative tactic to give a character who behaves against common unspoken (maybe even spoken) rule, opportunity to reveal something great. People do not expect this in real life, so it a surprising twist in a story and adds contrast. A fool in a story can be crafted and designed. But what about the Parry’s (Parry is a character from a film Overstreet mentions, I do not recall what movie he is from, only that he is homeless and seemingly a lunatic) that might cross our paths while we are visiting the downtown cinema? People usually avoid them. There are a lot of different issues in this situation (such as personal safety), but I find it ironic that people let fools inform us in film, but not on the street. Human interactions are supposed to be more effective than electronic ones.

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