I'm at the library. I was all set on listening to music and catching up on House...but lately the library staff has put plastic ties on all the headphone chords so that they can't be taken from the computers. To the naked eye this seems like a very positive thing. But as we all know, sometimes intent has nothing to do with consequence.
The problem now is that the headphone chords themselves are tied in knots in order for the plastic ties to most securely adhere them to the computer. Sometimes when headphones are tied in knots like this, similar to a garden hose, the sound becomes distorted. At many work stations I can hear only fragments of sound, if that. This is obviously extremely annoying.
The question is then, "So what should the library staff do...take off the ties and allow people to take the headphones?" Obviously I don't want this either. But I wouldn't mind the concept of going back to the drawing board. I can't help but compare this situation to the general and most recent idea of government regulation...The notion of quick fixes that promptly solve the immediate problem but simultaneously create a brand new one. The decision-making process is a sacred one. It deserves respect. More on this later.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Monday, October 27, 2008
child obesity
There are of course many things that parents can do to their children that are obviously irresponsible and detrimental. One thing, however, that I believe goes far too overlooked is the issue of child obesity and the irresponsibility of parents therein. I'm sure there are some genetic and other uncontrollable factors that could account for some of these cases, but most certainly the parents are at the heart of the problem. Let me preface that I'm not talking about some children who may be a little overweight. I'm talking about kids who could, save for political correctness, be called fat; that their overweight-ness has progressed to the point of being unhealthy.
How is it responsible parenting to allow one's 6 year old to be 20lbs overweight? Children at that age, like it or not, are not entirely capable on their own to know what it is exactly that they need in order to function the most effectively and to foster optimum growth. Parents on the other hand possess this knowledge. Therefore, this issue is directly under the umbrella of what they're responsible for.
One reason, perhaps, as to why some parents don't have a sense of urgency when it comes to monitoring their kids' weight is that fat children of a certain age are generally no less happy than those that are not. The concept of peer pressure, social acceptance, and physical appearance hasn't maturely developed at this point. Kids like kids because they are kids. A child's self-awareness, too, isn't maturely developed at this point either. An overweight child's brain hasn't developed to the point at which they can say to themselves while looking in the mirror, "Wow, I am fat and can imagine that I don't look appealing to my peers, male and female." But, the time is not far off when children's brains start to develop a more acute sense of awareness when it comes to this. Soon, the fat kid is the one who is made fun of; the one who doesn't get any kisses on the cheek from the girls on the playground; and is the one who starts to feel worse about themselves because of the former. But is it their fault?
Parents must look ahead to what their child will face given a particular course of action. A child is fed ice-cream for the first time. The child likes what they taste. They ask for it again. The frequency grows until parents must make a choice: can we say no, only to see a child become angry, whiny, and seemingly unhappy when all it is is just a bowl of ice cream afterall; or do we say yes because we fear their unhappiness, thus creating a snowball effect which makes it increasingly hard to say no in the future, thus the child becomes increasingly overweight, but still happy, so we don't have the heart to say no? All children deserve the same opportunities in growing up healthily, both physically and emotionally, in this regard.
How is it responsible parenting to allow one's 6 year old to be 20lbs overweight? Children at that age, like it or not, are not entirely capable on their own to know what it is exactly that they need in order to function the most effectively and to foster optimum growth. Parents on the other hand possess this knowledge. Therefore, this issue is directly under the umbrella of what they're responsible for.
One reason, perhaps, as to why some parents don't have a sense of urgency when it comes to monitoring their kids' weight is that fat children of a certain age are generally no less happy than those that are not. The concept of peer pressure, social acceptance, and physical appearance hasn't maturely developed at this point. Kids like kids because they are kids. A child's self-awareness, too, isn't maturely developed at this point either. An overweight child's brain hasn't developed to the point at which they can say to themselves while looking in the mirror, "Wow, I am fat and can imagine that I don't look appealing to my peers, male and female." But, the time is not far off when children's brains start to develop a more acute sense of awareness when it comes to this. Soon, the fat kid is the one who is made fun of; the one who doesn't get any kisses on the cheek from the girls on the playground; and is the one who starts to feel worse about themselves because of the former. But is it their fault?
Parents must look ahead to what their child will face given a particular course of action. A child is fed ice-cream for the first time. The child likes what they taste. They ask for it again. The frequency grows until parents must make a choice: can we say no, only to see a child become angry, whiny, and seemingly unhappy when all it is is just a bowl of ice cream afterall; or do we say yes because we fear their unhappiness, thus creating a snowball effect which makes it increasingly hard to say no in the future, thus the child becomes increasingly overweight, but still happy, so we don't have the heart to say no? All children deserve the same opportunities in growing up healthily, both physically and emotionally, in this regard.
Friday, October 24, 2008
positive reinforcement and that one guy on the bus...
I had a little run-in with that one guy on the bus that I mentioned a few posts earlier. He was doing his normal staring routine. But, this time, I felt his gaze on me...I didn't feel that it was sexual by any means. But I had to make a choice: was I to go on the defensive and let him stare at me, or was I to stare back to let him know that I wasn't going to allow him to invade my comfort. I chose to stare back. He didn't immediately break his stare, but eventually did, after about 3 or 4 seconds. I had won the battle, but I was sure that the war was far from over.
Then something unexpected happened. He showed civility and kindness to a fellow passenger. The passenger was sitting down and had her backpack on her lap, thus she couldn't reach the signal chord. The man saw this (because he was then staring at her) and reached for the chord. After the "thank you" and "you're welcome" ensued he looked at me and said, "I couldn't even lift that arm three weeks ago." I, of course, had to say, "Why not?" I indulged him and he ended up telling me about his being prone to accidents and his pain tolerance. I actually found his story amusing. He spoke fairly well and used some well-timed wit. As he was getting off the bus he told me to "have a good one."
Shortly after I was trying to reconcile these seemingly different (from the outside, granted) men. I think what this guy really is, is lonely. Staring at women is just a symptom of being lonely I suppose. I bet all he really wants is to be talked to. Maybe speaking to him is the best way in which to protect the women on the bus. It also helps out a lonely guy. We'll see what the next conversation entails.
If you are in a teaching position or any other position of authority, it is my opinion that positive reinforcement is generally a good idea. I'm all for expecting excellence, holding others to the highest standards, etc, but there comes a time when a human being needs to be told "Good job," or "it's coming along." Hearing this isn't just something to feed the ego, but it enables the subject in question to continually renew his motivation and vigor in what he or she is being evaluated on. Therefore, it shouldn't be patronizing or insincere, but well-timed and with purpose. Related to this, trying to understand students and subordinates as individuals is certainly a good idea. Don't just run through the check-list. Understand who they are, where they are coming from, and how best they can respond to your authority.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Great weekend and the legal drinking age
My brother and sister-in-law came down Saturday and Sunday. It was a great weekend filled with good drink, good food, and good conversation.
We went to a chic local coffee and dessert bar after dinner. I picked up a local paper and read an article on the front page. It was about a local beer-fest that was to take place soon. Something caught my attention. A student was about to turn 21 and was planning on going to the beer-fest first thing when he was of age. The article published him saying things like, "Well they're supposed to have about 300 beers to sample...I plan on not being able to count that high afterwards..." and, "After waiting 21 years I can finally go out and get wasted with my friends..."
Publishing strategies aside, this seemed to highlight the common topic of drinking age. Proponents routinely argue that the 21 year old's mind is much more suited to handling alcohol more responsibly than that of an 18 year old. Well...the 21 year old in this newspaper article isn't exactly helping this argument, and I have a feeling he's not the only soon to be 21 year old out there that is thinking along the same lines.
I wonder if society's pressure to stifle a young person's ability to consume alcohol legally ends up having a negative effect on that individual when it finally comes time to drink. Do I think that changing the drinking age to 18 will magically stop the "let's just get drunk to get drunk" mentality? No, but I think a much healthier relationship between young person, alcohol, and society could be possible if it was seriously considered.
We went to a chic local coffee and dessert bar after dinner. I picked up a local paper and read an article on the front page. It was about a local beer-fest that was to take place soon. Something caught my attention. A student was about to turn 21 and was planning on going to the beer-fest first thing when he was of age. The article published him saying things like, "Well they're supposed to have about 300 beers to sample...I plan on not being able to count that high afterwards..." and, "After waiting 21 years I can finally go out and get wasted with my friends..."
Publishing strategies aside, this seemed to highlight the common topic of drinking age. Proponents routinely argue that the 21 year old's mind is much more suited to handling alcohol more responsibly than that of an 18 year old. Well...the 21 year old in this newspaper article isn't exactly helping this argument, and I have a feeling he's not the only soon to be 21 year old out there that is thinking along the same lines.
I wonder if society's pressure to stifle a young person's ability to consume alcohol legally ends up having a negative effect on that individual when it finally comes time to drink. Do I think that changing the drinking age to 18 will magically stop the "let's just get drunk to get drunk" mentality? No, but I think a much healthier relationship between young person, alcohol, and society could be possible if it was seriously considered.
Friday, October 17, 2008
the elevator, the half-yard, and Obama
After an orchestra concert I joined some fellow musicians at the local Irish pub and had my first half-yard. I then had another half-yard. A full yard ended up being plenty for me since I was driving, but others ended up going...well the whole nine yards. It was definitely a fun time and I recommend half-yards to everyone. It adds some nice aesthetics to an already flawless activity.
Do you ever notice where people look when in an elevator? If you find yourself in an elevator with strangers take a second to see where everyone is looking. They either look up at the changing numbers or down at the floor. Why doesn't anyone look straight ahead?
Whenever we are in situations like that, somewhat vulnerable social ones, we feel like we have to do something. It's hard to just sit/stand still and be comfortable in our own skin. This is, of course, applicable to plenty of other situations.
Do we really need to look up to watch the numbers go by when going from floor 1 to floor 3? Should we feel the need to look down as to avoid any further contact with these people and perpetuate our self-consciousness? What do we do when we are the only person in the elevator? I find that I just keep looking forward and think about whatever I'm thinking about, so lately while in the elevator I've made a point to do just that. Next time you're in the elevator make an effort to not be influenced by the fact that other people are around you.
I saw a black student wearing a tshirt the other day that said "Obama is my homie." Is this the best way to support Obama? You're not allowed to play the race card...unless he's your homie?
Do you ever notice where people look when in an elevator? If you find yourself in an elevator with strangers take a second to see where everyone is looking. They either look up at the changing numbers or down at the floor. Why doesn't anyone look straight ahead?
Whenever we are in situations like that, somewhat vulnerable social ones, we feel like we have to do something. It's hard to just sit/stand still and be comfortable in our own skin. This is, of course, applicable to plenty of other situations.
Do we really need to look up to watch the numbers go by when going from floor 1 to floor 3? Should we feel the need to look down as to avoid any further contact with these people and perpetuate our self-consciousness? What do we do when we are the only person in the elevator? I find that I just keep looking forward and think about whatever I'm thinking about, so lately while in the elevator I've made a point to do just that. Next time you're in the elevator make an effort to not be influenced by the fact that other people are around you.
I saw a black student wearing a tshirt the other day that said "Obama is my homie." Is this the best way to support Obama? You're not allowed to play the race card...unless he's your homie?
Monday, October 13, 2008
The art of conversation
I believe there is such a thing. I'm sure many of you do, too. Whether we follow its general principles at all times is another story; not to mention it's impossible to agree on a universal set of general principles themselves.
This afternoon I was sitting outside at a local coffee shop enjoying my croissant. Next to me, sitting at the table was a group of three. They were music students. To some, this may actually switch the light bulb on in your head as to why they acted how they did.
First of all, I believe there should be a standard window of variance when it comes to pure decibel level of the conversation. Generally speaking I tend to find it in poor taste when I can hear someone else's conversation, not because of how close I am to them, but more because they simply aren't aware of, or don't care about, the sheer volume in which they are speaking. Obviously there are certain unavoidable circumstances which may cause a party to speak louder than they would in a private setting.
If you are speaking loudly enough for those around you to hear, you must be aware of the fact that now that we can hear you, your words are under scrutiny. We are listening to what you are saying and are unconsciously and consciously forming opinions about your statements.
In this particular group there was a jokester, a romantic, and a carefree. This actually is a pretty interesting mix of people. The problem was that they all adhered to their idiosyncrasies at the exact same time. No one actually listened to what each other was saying. It was a talking contest. I'm not sure if there was any actual communication going on.
The romantic would get serious for a moment and talk about his tumultuous love-life; the jokester would make a joke about it when most likely the romantic really didn't care to hear it; and the carefree was just singing a song that he heard being played in a car that recently drove by. He wasn't singing it to himself, but in a way in which he wanted his friends to hear as well, so that they knew that he knew the song and that it was funny and/or cool to sing it out loud. Meanwhile the romantic is obviously going through some sort of social crisis and is receiving no support from his friends. There must be give and take in order to most effectively communicate, in my opinion.
On a happy/cute note: I was walking to rehearsal today with my large, heavy trombone case in one hand and my music and mute in the other. I was coming to a set of double doors and it was obvious that I couldn't open it myself. Two little girls, probably about 7-10 years of age who were probably on campus for lessons, saw this and opened the door for me. One girl tried by herself but the door was too heavy! So the other one came to help and they tag-teamed the door. I was speechless (but gave my thanks of course).
This afternoon I was sitting outside at a local coffee shop enjoying my croissant. Next to me, sitting at the table was a group of three. They were music students. To some, this may actually switch the light bulb on in your head as to why they acted how they did.
First of all, I believe there should be a standard window of variance when it comes to pure decibel level of the conversation. Generally speaking I tend to find it in poor taste when I can hear someone else's conversation, not because of how close I am to them, but more because they simply aren't aware of, or don't care about, the sheer volume in which they are speaking. Obviously there are certain unavoidable circumstances which may cause a party to speak louder than they would in a private setting.
If you are speaking loudly enough for those around you to hear, you must be aware of the fact that now that we can hear you, your words are under scrutiny. We are listening to what you are saying and are unconsciously and consciously forming opinions about your statements.
In this particular group there was a jokester, a romantic, and a carefree. This actually is a pretty interesting mix of people. The problem was that they all adhered to their idiosyncrasies at the exact same time. No one actually listened to what each other was saying. It was a talking contest. I'm not sure if there was any actual communication going on.
The romantic would get serious for a moment and talk about his tumultuous love-life; the jokester would make a joke about it when most likely the romantic really didn't care to hear it; and the carefree was just singing a song that he heard being played in a car that recently drove by. He wasn't singing it to himself, but in a way in which he wanted his friends to hear as well, so that they knew that he knew the song and that it was funny and/or cool to sing it out loud. Meanwhile the romantic is obviously going through some sort of social crisis and is receiving no support from his friends. There must be give and take in order to most effectively communicate, in my opinion.
On a happy/cute note: I was walking to rehearsal today with my large, heavy trombone case in one hand and my music and mute in the other. I was coming to a set of double doors and it was obvious that I couldn't open it myself. Two little girls, probably about 7-10 years of age who were probably on campus for lessons, saw this and opened the door for me. One girl tried by herself but the door was too heavy! So the other one came to help and they tag-teamed the door. I was speechless (but gave my thanks of course).
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Trying something new
I am going to attempt to live a life without internet at my place of residence. As of Friday I have cancelled my high speed inet. I wasn't completely happy with how I was delegating my time when at home. I would find myself too often spending an hour here and an hour there watching tv shows and trolling youtube. Given the intensity of my schooling right now, I figured it would be worthwhile to allow myself a better chance to proactively study and work ahead while at home.
Instead of sitting at the computer I'm going to try to read and work ahead for class and do other things that directly affect my success as a student. I will have plenty of time to attend matters that require the internet during the day while on campus. My blog will not be affected.
The ball is rolling...
Instead of sitting at the computer I'm going to try to read and work ahead for class and do other things that directly affect my success as a student. I will have plenty of time to attend matters that require the internet during the day while on campus. My blog will not be affected.
The ball is rolling...
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