This I Believed

INCIDENT:
My friend just started a new blog with a great theme -- This I Believed. Many of you are probably familiar with the international essay project called This I Believe, which is often featured on public radio. This I Believe is intended for people to share the beliefs that guide their daily lives. This I Believed however is intended to reflect our changes in belief through the years.

MORAL:
I was asked to contribute to this new blog... and I how could I refuse? There are so many beliefs that I have had throughout my short life and the fact that they change and morph is incredibly reassuring. While it can be inspiring to see people hold true to certain core beliefs despite any opposition they may face because of those beliefs (read: voter rights, civil rights, etc.), the reality is that more of our beliefs have changed... or at least I hope they have changed.

I spent many nights debating my beliefs with friends in high school (we were a cool crowd). And it was early on in high school that I realized that I don't have to believe what my parents believe or what my teachers believe or what my religion dictates. I could and should question everything. How appropriate that I have ended up pursuing science...

Let's compost people!

INCIDENT:
My friend was recently on television demonstrating the ease of worm composting. It's easy and practical! After you watch her segment you will be sold too! What's great is that this segment was on Fox, reaching an audience that might not have been exposed to the benefits and ease of composting.



MORAL:
I am super excited to start composting. I have already been saving all of my food scraps for the worms that should be arriving any day now. My kitchen compost pail is already full of delicious decomposing food. It's like getting a new pet... except there are lots of them and they are very hungry hermaphrodites... oh, and you don't have to walk them. What more could you want?

What now?

INCIDENT:
I haven't posted in awhile cause I have been a bit busy with a momentous occasion in my life and it seriously took all of my focus and energies for the past couple of weeks (or rather months depending on how you count...). But now, that it is over I am left wondering, what next?

MORAL:
Have you ever worked towards a major goal? Where you are almost blinded by everything else that is going on around you and particularly by the goal itself that you can't see past it (or perhaps you just haven't thought about what happens after you accomplish it...). It's a strange place to be... somewhere in goal purgatory. It's a bit of an uneasy feeling not knowing what to focus on next, but it can also be a really wonderful place to be.

How often to you get to say that anything is possible at this moment? - A moment when in an instant you all of a sudden have more free time (well, at least perceived free time, since all those other obligations that you had before are probably still there)... A moment when you can start working on something that you have wanted to do for a long time... A moment to re-evaluate what is most important in your life. So it's really the perfect time to tackle one of those personally important things on your to-do list that doesn't have a due date. You know all of those dreams and thoughts that you have in any given day - to take up a new sport, to learn something new, or to start volunteering for a worthy cause. Do you ever wonder, when do people have time for all of these things? Well, the answer to that question is right now.

Get rid of the junk mail... please!

INCIDENT:
I sure do get a lot of junk mail. Everyday I go through my mail and end up recycling the majority it. What a waste of paper! And you can't even use it for scrap paper. So between the credit card offers, mailers, and crap from present and previous affiliations who have sold my information (I secretly hate you!), I am swimming in old growth forest in the form of glossy postcards and pre-approved credit card applications. It appears that our society might have our priorities all in a muck.

MORAL:
What can we do to stop the craziness? Well, it will take some leg work (or money if you have it to spare), but we can all cut down on the junk mail.

First up to bat is the website Green Dimes, which will pay you to get rid of your junk mail. What? Yes. They will pay you a dollar, give you a magazine subscription, or plant a tree if you join at the basic level. They claim that they can get rid of 90% of your junk mail for at least 5 years. Not too bad. If you have a little more dough you can get their Premium or Bundle service where you get a lot of extras like monthly junk mail list monitoring and more trees planted... not bad for a $20 one-time fee (protection good for 5 years).

Another option is Catalog Choice. If you are already receiving paper catalogs, then this might be a good option for you. You can opt out of receiving the paper catalogs. But you need the actual catalogs so that you can get off the proper list. This might also be helpful for those who get tempted to buy things when that new catalog arrives... you know I am talking to you.

And finally the big one is opting out of the credit card offers. So the good ole government has come through with a website to opt out of these offers. You can call toll-free 1-888-5-OPTOUT (1-888-567-8688) or visit www.optoutprescreen.com for details. You have to provide your name, telephone number, address, date of birth, and social security number. You might be wondering about providing your social security number but I assume that since it is a government website that it is legit.

So with these tools in hand you should be well on your way to reducing your junk mail and saving some trees. Next task saving the world.

Garfield minus Garfield

INCIDENT:
Growing up I use to read the comics every Sunday at the kitchen table. I usually started out with Peanuts (my favorite!), then Calvin and Hobbes, a quick glance at Family Circus, and then of course finishing with Garfield. But who knew that Garfield (the comic) without Garfield (the character) holds an even more interesting commentary about modern life and mental illness.

MORAL:
I guess comics were meant to be funny and not somewhat tragic observations about life... well at least not the comics in the Sunday newspaper. It is really interesting to see how the exclusion of one element can completely change how we perceive a situation. By removing Garfield we go from an amusing comment on relationships to a sad portrayal of life for a lonely person. This one change... isn't this the real difference in our everyday situations? The difference between happiness and sadness is our perception of the situation. And this perception is based on how the situation is viewed... what elements we include and exclude in our evaluation... perhaps it could make all the difference. Have you wondered... What are we not seeing?

Back to the Grind

INCIDENT:
Bart: "Look at me! I'm a grad student. I'm 30 years old and made $600 last year."

Marge: "Bart! Don't make fun of grad students, they just made a horrible life decision, that's all."

MORAL:
Terrible life choice, eh? Well it's a bit too early in the process for me to even comment on that statement. And sure grad school is not so glamorous. But it's one of those choices that you make because you love what you do... right?

Well either way... it's pretty hilarious clip.

Email v. Phone

INCIDENT:
How the hell did we communicate before email? I was in high school when AOL AIM was catching fire, but even then it was a novelty and we still talked mostly in person or on the phone as a matter of necessity. But now we have all sorts of modes of communication that match people's personalities and preferences much better -- email, instant messaging, mobile phones, text messaging, video conferencing, web phones, etc. The two fundamental concepts underlying all of these different modes of communication are spoken communication (aka the telephone) and written communication (aka electronic mail).

When I was working a pseudo-office job, I realized that people are either email people or they are phone people. You will get an optimal response from only one of these modes of communication for any given individual. I have yet to meet someone who uses either equally as much.

MORAL:
Spoken and written word both have different advantages and disadvantages. When you talk on the telephone you can hear the intonations in the person's voice. You can tell more easily if they are being sarcastic or serious, and you can shape your response appropriately. While in email, you can develop your thoughts in a more concise and cohesive way. It can be less reactive and more thought out.

I prefer email. And I am realizing it's because when I talk to someone in person or on the phone, I usually end up saying things that I don't mean. Or rather I say things that are misinterpreted from my original meaning. This happens to me a lot. It's because I think externally. I need to articulate my thoughts and feelings in order to organize and develop my perspective. I realize that many people do this process internally, but I have a hard time doing so. This is why I like email. I can think about my response and type it out but not send it. I guess this is also why I like blogs. I can ruminate on life in a way that fits my mindset.

I want to be a Tigger!

INCIDENT:
Randy Pausch is a Computer Science professor at my Alma mater, Carnegie Mellon University (CMU). He was well known for his interdisciplinary classes and work, particularly the "Building Virtual Worlds" course. Pausch has been fighting pancreatic cancer and recently found out that there was nothing more that they could do, he has 6 months to live. As part of a lecture series at CMU, Pausch presented his "Last Lecture." It has gained momentum online and now it has more than one million views. Recently, Pausch presented a condensed version of his talk on Oprah.

Complete Video - Randy Pausch's Lecture - "Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams"

10-minute Condensed Oprah version - "Randy Pausch's Last Lecture"

Randy Pausch Lecture Website (includes transcript and links)

I recommend watching at least the 10 minute version of his talk, though you'll probably want to watch the full version after you see the condensed version.

MORAL:
This gets back to the idea of perseverance and attitude. And if you are not inspired by this lecture then I am guessing you might be an Eeyore. But don't fret... there is still hope.

Many of the themes in Randy's lecture echo the ideals that I try to live by. And while it is difficult at times to maintain high energy and a positive attitude, I do believe it goes a long way. Good karma does come if you recognize it. It's also true that you should never give up on your childhood dreams and even more so... you should always encourage the dreams of others.

Global Problem

INCIDENT:
I thought I would diverge from my normal "empowerment of the individual" posts and look at the global picture. But I want to preface my thoughts with the statement that I do truly believe we should "think globally and act locally." So please keep that in mind.

It is easy to get caught up in the little picture. I mean the little picture is really equated to our day-to-day lives. But I have always believed that it is important to question everything (at least once in awhile). It is easy to assume that things that we consider constants will remain that way. But really everything is changing. And certainly the earth is one of those things.

MORAL:
We are told to recycle, reduce, and reuse. We are told to boycott certain irresponsible companies. We are told not to buy bottled water. We are told to use public transportation instead of driving our personal cars. In fact we are inundated with these types of messages everyday. And while these are all well and good, aren't these just bandaids for a much bigger problem? Why are we not critically questioning the way we live as people? Or our processes?? And not only the obvious processes such as manufacturing, farming, industrial, etc. but also financial, governmental, health, science, etc. I am talking about questioning how we have developed as a society and asking whether there is a better way. We have created a society that is not sustainable. So aside from superficial gestures that allow us to continue this wasteful lifestyle (though be it a bit less wasteful... it is wasteful nonetheless), what can we do as humans to change how we interact with each other and the planet?

I have no answers or suggestions. It is a monumental task. And the unfortunate thing is that they say monumental change does not occur until something devastating happens, and even then it is not certain if that change will last. But we have to be willing to make drastic changes in how we live. Now that we see and are all too aware of our fate if we continue this path, will we have the resolve and courage to do what is right? Or will we wait as we always do and resort to more bandaids?

Sore and really sore

INCIDENT:
It has been two months since I moved and during that time I didn't workout once. Considering that my routine is all out of whack and I can't seem to find any stability in my schedule, I thought that I should start by working out again. While searching for a gym with heavy bags (there are none), I stumbled upon a small boxing gym. While I am not too hot on the name, I am in quite a bit of pain, which means that it's working. They say in boxing that pain is weakness leaving the body. And apparently I have a lot of weaknesses to let go.

MORAL:
I have been trying to restore aspects of my life here that were part of my daily routine back in SD. It makes the move a bit easier when I feel like there is still some consistencies and everything is not completely novel. It is very easy to fall into a funk, but by reintroducing some regularities into my life perhaps I can be less preoccupied with the way things were and focus more on what they could be.

It's snowing and it is only September

INCIDENT:
It was raining this morning... an all around deary day. I had gone to workout and I came back to eat before I did some work. But as I was leaving again this afternoon, I opened the door only to stare out into whiteness. It was snowing. And it is only September.

MORAL:
It is dang cold out here. I thought maybe I am just a big weather wuss after three years in San Diego. Well at least that is what my east coast friends tell me. But now that it is snowing I know that I am not crazy. It is cold here.

There is going to be a lot more to get use to then I consciously anticipated.

Concentration

INCIDENT:
Since I moved, I haven't been able to concentrate all too well. It's either that or I have the worst time management skills. But I hoping for the former, not that identifying the problem gets me any closer to addressing it.

MORAL:
I keep reassuring myself that my head is simply somewhere else and that is why I can't concentrate. But I'm not exactly sure that this is exclusive to my graduate school experience. It could be a self-defeating mentality that I have been reinforcing over the past couple of years. But why would I foster willing or unconsciously a self-defeating mentality? Perhaps because it gives me an excuse in case of failure. I mean if you fail before you even complete something then you can never truly be judged on that criteria. It's a bit backwards... I know... but I'm not the first to employ this tactic.

I wasn't always like this... I remember a time when I constantly exposed myself to failure. And at times, I did fail and other times I was successful beyond my own expectations. But over time I have become hesitant in many ways and I look back envious at what I once was... Can I get back there?

Last week I saw Jet Li's Fearless and the main character Huo Yuanjia imparts one liner wisdom throughout the film. But one piece of relevant insight has stuck with me.

“Competition uncovers weakness and leads to self-discovery” - Huo Yuanjia, Fearless

I have a strong fear of exposing my weaknesses. But as I have been told, graduate school is all about risk. And if I can get over myself, then perhaps I'll find success.

Hope

INCIDENT:
I have been watching a lot of movies lately since there doesn't seem to be lots of worthwhile television shows on (well at least with the strange program schedule here). Last night I watched one of my favorites... The Shawshank Redemption. There is nothing better to uplift the spirits then to watch a movie about someone overcoming injustice with determination and the strength of human will.

“Hope is a good thing, maybe the best thing, and no good thing ever dies” - Andy Dufresne, Shawshank Redemption

MORAL:
Hope is a good thing. Without it, what would we have to live for? Or in some cases to die for? When life seems so overwhelming that you don't know how to deal with it, it's hope that gets you through it all... hope for something better... hope that things could be better. We can't live without hope in our lives, and somehow that is something that is easily taken for granted. But it doesn't take much to be reminded. We just have to be open to seeing it.

Connections

INCIDENT:
I was walking across campus as classes where letting out. As a walked past a stream of people, several were talking with one another, while others were on their cell phones. And it occurred to me that people want to be connected. As the internet explodes with social networks, blogs, shared databases, wikis, etc., perhaps it is all because we inherently want to feel connected with someone even if that connection is anonymous or without obligation.

MORAL:
I certainly have the desire to be connected with others. I think it has something to do with feeling accepted or perhaps affirming yourself and your choices. There is a level of comfort and reassurance from the support or even the simple presence of others. On the grander scale of things, we are all going through the same things - joy, tragedy, loss, admiration, inspiration,.... And that is forever comforting.

Theory of Convergence

INCIDENT:
I was watching "Say Anything" the other day, which is always a good watch. And Diane Court brings up her "theory of convergence" that good things always happen with bad things. And of course they usually occur at the same time.

MORAL:
I have been thinking about this for a while now... reviewing my life and picking out possible examples and counter examples. It does seem true that with the good comes the bad. But perhaps is all a matter of being hyper aware of our personal situation. When something incredibly fortuitous occurs, we become tuned into our mental and emotional states more so than in our day-to-day. We are sensitive to our choices and our relationships. And this heightened awareness might make seemingly mundane occurrences (the ones that we would deal with without much thought), more salient in your experience. Comparing anything against something so good could never live up.

Through the Lens of War

INCIDENT:
James Nachtwey's photography has recently received lots of attention as his new exhibition titled "The Sacrifice" opens at the 401 Projects in the West Village of New York City. This new exhibition documents the sacrifice being made overseas by medics, physicians, and soldiers in Iraq. Nachtwey's talents was also recently acknowledged by his award of a 2007 TED prize.

World’s Cruelty and Pain, Seen in an Unblinking Lens

Shattered 9/11/2001: a remarkable collection of photographs by photojournalist James Nachtwey

James Nachtwey

MORAL:
It is easy to separate ourselves from the war abroad. Ironically we are disconnected from the reality of the Iraq war even though we experienced the very real reality of 9/11 and knew firsthand how devastating it was to every American. But somehow we are immune to the news stories about the tragic deaths of soldiers or of innocents, or of entire towns being leveled in the Middle East. Nachtwey's work is an important reminder.

"I have been a witness, and these pictures are my testimony. The events I have recorded should not be forgotten and must not be repeated." - James Nachtwey

Hope for the Masses

INCIDENT:

MORAL:
This video is so ridiculously adorable and at the same time restores some of my hope for the world. It is a simple gesture that embodies so many things... among them trust, peace and love.

Restless Nights

INCIDENT:
So for about two months now I have been having some problems sleeping. I can't seem to have one night of restful sleep. As a side note... to top it all off, I read an article this morning about research from the University of Bristol that coffee (rather caffeine) does not make someone more alert than normal. What?!

Coffee 'no boost in the morning'

MORAL:
Perhaps it is anxiety or stress or maybe the fluctuating temperature in the apartment, but I have tried almost everything to address this increasing problem in my life. It's amazing how annoying it is not to be able to sleep well day after day. It affects everything.

I am not alone!

INCIDENT:
Happy Slip :: www.happyslip.com

MORAL:
Apparently all Filipino moms are about the same. This vlog hits home almost too much. Welcome to my home life.

In an Instant

INCIDENT:
My friends are now the proud parents of two beautiful little boys. The babies were due in mid-March but they just couldn't wait! So they will be spending the next couple of weeks in the NICU just to be sure everything is okay. I visited them the other day and they are absolutely adorable and healthy.

MORAL:
It is amazing how life can change in an instant. Our level of preparation for foreseeable change makes a huge difference in how it is handled and perceived. Something that could seem so overwhelming and tremendous in scope for one person can be a pure joy for another. It is all a matter of perspective.