For the last 12-15 years of my life I have been on a journey to "find myself" spiritually. Recently I have found myself reflecting more than normal about things regarding my beliefs or lack thereof and the existence of God or an afterlife. Much of this has been blogged and the few that read them and probably are reading this one are aware of this.
I was browsing some books this weekend looking for some material to read to my students and stumbled upon a book my brother and others in my family read years ago called "The Celestine Prophecy" and I recalled how caught up in it they were. So I decided it was time for me to read it. I also found myself looking through a book on the religions in Ohio. It was dominated by Christian denominations but had section devoted to others. I chose to read the section on Buddhism since it has piqued my curiosity of late.
I think I will save my reflections on "Celestine" for another blog. Right now I want to discuss my experience with this chapter on Buddhism. Vicki and I both are intriqued by the theology of Buddhism and Hinduism. They both have aspects appealing to both of us from respect of nature and animals (vic) to the ideas of "the right" and karma (me). I kid about the karma in relation to sports but I'm very serious about its application to real life and I want to pursue this further.
Long ago, I independently began a journey in my head trying to figure out what it is I feel in my heart when it comes to the mysteries that religions strive to explain. I have struggled to strip myself of the religion I was "born into" NOT to discredit it or prove it wrong or anything negative, but to keep myself as objective as I could. I doubt I have done that entirely. My whole framework comes from a Christian background and I cannot deny that. I have a major bias. But I have tried.
Here are a couple things I am becoming more and more certain of at this time in my life. 1) God is not a white bearded man sitting on a throne in the clouds but a greater energy that underlies everything we do and experience. It is part of nature, animals, humans and interactions between us all. 2) Doing good regardless of the reward is worthy and right in and of itself. 3) The afterlife is not as black and white as heaven and hell or even purgatory but part of a spectrum with hell on one end and heaven on the other. Where your soul is at the end of your time on earth determines your place on that spectrum. 4) Coincidences, miracles, emotions, ghosts, intuitions, psychics and the power to heal are all legitimate realities that somehow relate to a higher power or energy.
I'm finding as I read bits and pieces of Buddhism that much of what they believe parallels these things. In addition there are 4 Noble Truths regarding suffering and how to advance yourself past suffering. This journey to enlightenment is what life is to me. Doing the right thing. Passivism. There is much to this theology I want to learn about.
I realize this is not even the tip of the iceberg of this belief system and if one where to look at Christianity from the outside in this way they would think it is such a great religion as well. All the while I could sit here and trash it up and down with its hypocricies and contradictions and downright WRONG interpretations. The same is probably true with Buddhism.
Today....this is where I stand in my journey. You?
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Pandora's Box (Old Blog)
I woke up this morning and went outside to notice how beautiful the weather was today. I thought to myself how much I love this time of year and this temperature and the "feel" of this time with Halloween approaching, the leaves changing colors and falling on the ground, football, playoff baseball, Thanksgiving around the corner and many other things. Little things like hot chocolate and wearing jeans and football jerseys without sweat pouring out of my pores (how about those homophones? where are these when I'm teaching them?).
There is just so much I like about this time of year. But there is plenty about other times of year that I enjoy as well. This brings me to my point. I get caught up in all the negative things in this world like war, disease, cheating, power, greed, corruption, pain, heartbreak, lonliness, depression, anger, loss, death, cruelty, and fear. All those things in Pandora's box.
I used to wonder why anyone wants to be in this place. You watch enough tv or news and you wonder what is the point of being alive? All this stuff is so serious and heavy.
Here I go again referencing a children's lit book instead of heady philosophical works like I should, but Sharon Creech's Walk Two Moons mentions how Pandora's Box may have also had one more thing in it......hope. And that is why we continue on despite all these bad things. And it goes on about how there may be this other box with all the good stuff in it like football, victories, true love, romance, dedication, loyalty, friendship, excitement, college, 85, memories, runner's high, sportsmanship, your dad cheering for you on the sidelines of every one of your soccer games for ten years, sunny days, playoffs, babies, health, comebacks, charity, help, support, ice cream, home cooked meals, seeing your family during the holidays, reunions with loved ones and old friends, Cedar Point, fantasy football, march madness, golf, finding a twenty in your pocket you didn't know was there, and more. That feeling this morning would fall in this box.
Creech continues that if hope was in Pandora's Box, wouldn't worry then be in the good box? I always find that part interesting. It makes perfect, logical sense.
So on days I feel like this world is such a horrid place, I gotta remember this box of good stuff that also exists and are just as legit. I just pray Pandora's list of things don't overpower the others. Maybe that's what I'm worried about. There's no doubting good stuff exists, it's whether it can maintain and continue to exist with all the other stuff here too. This world may not be big enough for all of it right?
There is just so much I like about this time of year. But there is plenty about other times of year that I enjoy as well. This brings me to my point. I get caught up in all the negative things in this world like war, disease, cheating, power, greed, corruption, pain, heartbreak, lonliness, depression, anger, loss, death, cruelty, and fear. All those things in Pandora's box.
I used to wonder why anyone wants to be in this place. You watch enough tv or news and you wonder what is the point of being alive? All this stuff is so serious and heavy.
Here I go again referencing a children's lit book instead of heady philosophical works like I should, but Sharon Creech's Walk Two Moons mentions how Pandora's Box may have also had one more thing in it......hope. And that is why we continue on despite all these bad things. And it goes on about how there may be this other box with all the good stuff in it like football, victories, true love, romance, dedication, loyalty, friendship, excitement, college, 85, memories, runner's high, sportsmanship, your dad cheering for you on the sidelines of every one of your soccer games for ten years, sunny days, playoffs, babies, health, comebacks, charity, help, support, ice cream, home cooked meals, seeing your family during the holidays, reunions with loved ones and old friends, Cedar Point, fantasy football, march madness, golf, finding a twenty in your pocket you didn't know was there, and more. That feeling this morning would fall in this box.
Creech continues that if hope was in Pandora's Box, wouldn't worry then be in the good box? I always find that part interesting. It makes perfect, logical sense.
So on days I feel like this world is such a horrid place, I gotta remember this box of good stuff that also exists and are just as legit. I just pray Pandora's list of things don't overpower the others. Maybe that's what I'm worried about. There's no doubting good stuff exists, it's whether it can maintain and continue to exist with all the other stuff here too. This world may not be big enough for all of it right?
Best Buckeye QB Ever
My buddy Chad (aka C-Murder) brought up an interesting topic of discussion today and we thought it would be fun to post for more to join.
He mentioned that he disagreed with all the people who claim Troy Smith was the best QB in OSU history. So I bit.
Let me preface this by stating that my frame of reference only encompasses the QBs from the balding Greg Frey era on and even the Frey years (and immediate years following) are kind of hazy. But it can also be said that QBs from the pre-Cooper days were limited in comparison to the signal callers of today. The three yards and a cloud of dust style of Woody and Bruce keep QBs from putting up the same numbers as the men under center nowadays. I am aware of the great Rex Kern and Art Schliester, but don't know enough to do them justice. I just know there was a lot of option plays back then.
We began the deabte by comparing Smith to Krenzel. He obviously took Krenzel and I took Smith since I am not a racist against the black quarterback. Chad is a closet Rush Limbaugh fan.
No. I'm kidding.
For real, that has nothing to do with anything. We were taking sides for the sake of debate.
I think first of all we need to agree upon our definition of a "best QB." What is the criteria? Wins? Clutch plays? Leadership? Off the field problems? Stats? And what stats matter? And the players they played with play a role too, right? Does winning the Heisman itself matter or have we already accounted for that by taking the attributes that won him that trophy into account already?
I'm gonna pass on the stats for now but I am willing to bet off the cuff that Smith has better numbers than Krenzel. And I remember how hard it was to watch that offense that year. Krenzel just wasn't that good, or was his hands tied by Tressel's conservative mindest? Or was his mindset conservative because Krenzel wasn't that good? Chicken or the egg?
Both guys seemed to be leaders, especially on the field. Was Smith's problems off the field taking money from boosters and beating up students outside north campus dorms take from his leadership? Krenzel was getting a degree in microbiology when he wasn't leading on the field.
I feel like Troy was better on the field because the offense was much better with him at the helm than with Krenzel. But is that because Smith has more weapons? Both QBs could run, but Smith was more athletic and explosive. Krenzel was clutch. Let's enjoy reliving the the pass to Jenkins against Purdue. The big throws in the Fiesta Bowl in '03 ('02 season). Other big plays in nailbiter games that season. But what about Smith's BIG games every year against UM or Bowl games.
And this brings me to an interesting point. His final game was BAD. He never won a ring. Krenzel did. Bottom line.
This debate can go on and I hope it does. There is more for me to say but somehow I got most of this deleted once already and don't want to risk that again. Plus I'm tired.
How about Joe Germaine?
He mentioned that he disagreed with all the people who claim Troy Smith was the best QB in OSU history. So I bit.
Let me preface this by stating that my frame of reference only encompasses the QBs from the balding Greg Frey era on and even the Frey years (and immediate years following) are kind of hazy. But it can also be said that QBs from the pre-Cooper days were limited in comparison to the signal callers of today. The three yards and a cloud of dust style of Woody and Bruce keep QBs from putting up the same numbers as the men under center nowadays. I am aware of the great Rex Kern and Art Schliester, but don't know enough to do them justice. I just know there was a lot of option plays back then.
We began the deabte by comparing Smith to Krenzel. He obviously took Krenzel and I took Smith since I am not a racist against the black quarterback. Chad is a closet Rush Limbaugh fan.
No. I'm kidding.
For real, that has nothing to do with anything. We were taking sides for the sake of debate.
I think first of all we need to agree upon our definition of a "best QB." What is the criteria? Wins? Clutch plays? Leadership? Off the field problems? Stats? And what stats matter? And the players they played with play a role too, right? Does winning the Heisman itself matter or have we already accounted for that by taking the attributes that won him that trophy into account already?
I'm gonna pass on the stats for now but I am willing to bet off the cuff that Smith has better numbers than Krenzel. And I remember how hard it was to watch that offense that year. Krenzel just wasn't that good, or was his hands tied by Tressel's conservative mindest? Or was his mindset conservative because Krenzel wasn't that good? Chicken or the egg?
Both guys seemed to be leaders, especially on the field. Was Smith's problems off the field taking money from boosters and beating up students outside north campus dorms take from his leadership? Krenzel was getting a degree in microbiology when he wasn't leading on the field.
I feel like Troy was better on the field because the offense was much better with him at the helm than with Krenzel. But is that because Smith has more weapons? Both QBs could run, but Smith was more athletic and explosive. Krenzel was clutch. Let's enjoy reliving the the pass to Jenkins against Purdue. The big throws in the Fiesta Bowl in '03 ('02 season). Other big plays in nailbiter games that season. But what about Smith's BIG games every year against UM or Bowl games.
And this brings me to an interesting point. His final game was BAD. He never won a ring. Krenzel did. Bottom line.
This debate can go on and I hope it does. There is more for me to say but somehow I got most of this deleted once already and don't want to risk that again. Plus I'm tired.
How about Joe Germaine?
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Being a Better Person
Lately I have been trying to improve myself. I suppose I always have, but its been more prevalent of late. My wife is a driven woman and gets stuff done. I, on the other hand, have comfortably settled into a lazy state of being. It started in middle school allowing myself to settle for Bs in school so I could somehow (in my mind only) avoid being called a nerd. I still did. I began a pattern of laziness because I could and still get decent grades. I haven't been the same since turning into a underacheiver in many things. Being lazy is also so stinkin' easy!
So living with someone who actually DOES the things on the to do list has been getting in my head. I want to be more like that. I know better though. It can't happen overnight. So I am attempting little things. And easy things. I am trying to exercise more. Read more. Write more (hence, this blog). Drink more water (failing miserably). Spend more engaged time with my daughter. And I am trying to be more calm and positive.
I am really struggling with positivity. I naturally fall into a "poor me" drama anytime I encounter difficult things in life. I also am afraid to say anything positive about myself for fear of hearing how wrong I am and how much I suck. I am supersensitive to these things.
We all talk about things are hard to do but we must do them anyway, but man some things REALLY are. It is hard remarrying with a daughter from a previous marriage. It is hard everyday! It is hard breaking old habits. It is hard everyday! It is hard finding the beauty and love in things in the middle of January, with disrespectful people surrounding you at work. It is hard dealing with people who don't "get it" telling you what to do and how to do it despite the success you may have had before doing it another way. It is hard for me to listen and to trust that maybe I'm wrong. It is hard to see the other side and I try so very hard to do that. I really do.
It is very hard to hear you are wrong. Change is hard. Even change for the good. It is so very difficult to battle with yourself. You know you need to change. You tell yourself you do. Then you fight yourself to do it when you try to do it. What a contradiction! And I hate being a hypocrite. But I am.
So I am going to continue to at least try to keep my life and energy evolving in a positive direction. I am going to try to be more like my wife and DO things I say I am going to do even when it is ME that is stopping me from doing them.
So instead of continuing with this blog I will go grade my quarterly assessments and informational reports like I said I would. Then I can do my report cards this week without being in the usual panic I go into 4 times a year.
So living with someone who actually DOES the things on the to do list has been getting in my head. I want to be more like that. I know better though. It can't happen overnight. So I am attempting little things. And easy things. I am trying to exercise more. Read more. Write more (hence, this blog). Drink more water (failing miserably). Spend more engaged time with my daughter. And I am trying to be more calm and positive.
I am really struggling with positivity. I naturally fall into a "poor me" drama anytime I encounter difficult things in life. I also am afraid to say anything positive about myself for fear of hearing how wrong I am and how much I suck. I am supersensitive to these things.
We all talk about things are hard to do but we must do them anyway, but man some things REALLY are. It is hard remarrying with a daughter from a previous marriage. It is hard everyday! It is hard breaking old habits. It is hard everyday! It is hard finding the beauty and love in things in the middle of January, with disrespectful people surrounding you at work. It is hard dealing with people who don't "get it" telling you what to do and how to do it despite the success you may have had before doing it another way. It is hard for me to listen and to trust that maybe I'm wrong. It is hard to see the other side and I try so very hard to do that. I really do.
It is very hard to hear you are wrong. Change is hard. Even change for the good. It is so very difficult to battle with yourself. You know you need to change. You tell yourself you do. Then you fight yourself to do it when you try to do it. What a contradiction! And I hate being a hypocrite. But I am.
So I am going to continue to at least try to keep my life and energy evolving in a positive direction. I am going to try to be more like my wife and DO things I say I am going to do even when it is ME that is stopping me from doing them.
So instead of continuing with this blog I will go grade my quarterly assessments and informational reports like I said I would. Then I can do my report cards this week without being in the usual panic I go into 4 times a year.
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Why The Cavs Will Return To The Finals
The Cleveland Cavaliers may be under .500 right now, the Celtics may have all the headlines with their offseason acquisitions (see Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen) and the Detroit Pistons may still have the best starting 5 in basketball as they continue to win game after game. But I still feel like the Cavs have a fighting chance at returning to the NBA Finals. Here's why:
1) It is long season and 8 teams get in the playoffs. They just need to get in brackets. They don't need to have a better record than the Celts and Pistons.
2) LeBron Freaking James. Take your Kobe, Iverson, Shaq, DWade but LeBron is so good he was able to carry this team of average-at-best players past those mighty Pistons last year. Think about it. The best starting five versus the best starting one. 5 on 1. And he won. Some may blame coaching stating Flip Saunders tired his starters throughout the regular season by never playing his bench. But seriously, look at the other side.....Mike Brown? Outcoached by Mike Brown? Doubt it. "The Squint" isn't a 50 win coach. He has a 50 win player on his team. So the King has proven to me he can carry this team in a best of seven series.
3) Underrated supporting cast. I undertand this may seem like a contradiction to my last point but hang in there with me. National media types, fans in other markets, casual fans and haters love to point out that LeBron doesn't have a second hand man or a "Scottie Pippen" to help him. They are quick to say the supporting cast around James is not good enough. And for the most part they are correct. I, too, think Ferry needs to draft or sign a legitimate number 2 (preferably a point guard) to ease James' burden. BUT....while the current supporting cast may not have a consistent go to guy, it has a bunchof guys who could. So I argue that volume is a strength for the Cavs. On any given night, one of these guys may step up and play the role of "Robin" to LeBron's Batman. Then someone else steps up the following night. Hughes could drop 25 and persky defense, Ilgauskas could get 25 and 12 with key offensive tips or boards, Gooden could go 18 and 10 and show some passions, Gibson could light up 4-5 threes and fearless drives to get to the line where he's pure, Pavlovic could get 15 points with some surprisingly strong takes to the bucket. In a seven game series, that is all you need. A different guy each night adding to James' patented playoff line of 27 points, 10 assists and 7 rebounds unless he needs to go for 40.
4) Defense wins championships. One thing I will credit "The Squint" with is his defensive emphasis. I like it. I think it is critical to keep other teams from lighting us up. I recall Mike Fratello taking an undermaned Cavs team to the playoffs by slowingt he game down. I recall good old Tressel Ball ( a blog for another time) of punt play defense, win field position battle and score on short fields to grind out 10-6 games winning a championship in '02. Defense levels the playing field. Brown is a defensive guy. Good for us.
5) The team is finally together. Andy V may not be a great player in and of himself, but I truly believe he is the glue to keeps the team together. He is the energy that runs the machine. I really do.
This is a case where I'd say the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Look out KG, Ray ray and Pierce. Watch your back (again) Rasheed, BBBBBBBillups and Rip. Here come our Cavs. And King James is taking no prisoners!!!!
1) It is long season and 8 teams get in the playoffs. They just need to get in brackets. They don't need to have a better record than the Celts and Pistons.
2) LeBron Freaking James. Take your Kobe, Iverson, Shaq, DWade but LeBron is so good he was able to carry this team of average-at-best players past those mighty Pistons last year. Think about it. The best starting five versus the best starting one. 5 on 1. And he won. Some may blame coaching stating Flip Saunders tired his starters throughout the regular season by never playing his bench. But seriously, look at the other side.....Mike Brown? Outcoached by Mike Brown? Doubt it. "The Squint" isn't a 50 win coach. He has a 50 win player on his team. So the King has proven to me he can carry this team in a best of seven series.
3) Underrated supporting cast. I undertand this may seem like a contradiction to my last point but hang in there with me. National media types, fans in other markets, casual fans and haters love to point out that LeBron doesn't have a second hand man or a "Scottie Pippen" to help him. They are quick to say the supporting cast around James is not good enough. And for the most part they are correct. I, too, think Ferry needs to draft or sign a legitimate number 2 (preferably a point guard) to ease James' burden. BUT....while the current supporting cast may not have a consistent go to guy, it has a bunchof guys who could. So I argue that volume is a strength for the Cavs. On any given night, one of these guys may step up and play the role of "Robin" to LeBron's Batman. Then someone else steps up the following night. Hughes could drop 25 and persky defense, Ilgauskas could get 25 and 12 with key offensive tips or boards, Gooden could go 18 and 10 and show some passions, Gibson could light up 4-5 threes and fearless drives to get to the line where he's pure, Pavlovic could get 15 points with some surprisingly strong takes to the bucket. In a seven game series, that is all you need. A different guy each night adding to James' patented playoff line of 27 points, 10 assists and 7 rebounds unless he needs to go for 40.
4) Defense wins championships. One thing I will credit "The Squint" with is his defensive emphasis. I like it. I think it is critical to keep other teams from lighting us up. I recall Mike Fratello taking an undermaned Cavs team to the playoffs by slowingt he game down. I recall good old Tressel Ball ( a blog for another time) of punt play defense, win field position battle and score on short fields to grind out 10-6 games winning a championship in '02. Defense levels the playing field. Brown is a defensive guy. Good for us.
5) The team is finally together. Andy V may not be a great player in and of himself, but I truly believe he is the glue to keeps the team together. He is the energy that runs the machine. I really do.
This is a case where I'd say the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Look out KG, Ray ray and Pierce. Watch your back (again) Rasheed, BBBBBBBillups and Rip. Here come our Cavs. And King James is taking no prisoners!!!!
Finally, A Sports Blog
My Buckeyes lost again in the BCS Championship. I guess that's a good thing. The fact that they were in it two seasons in a row. But both humiliating losses just uel the nationwide disrespect toward Buckeye Nation.
As we speak cries of "Suckeyes" and "Luckeyes" are resounding around sportsbars, living rooms and radio sportstalk. Admitedly our fanbase is quite large and obnoxious creating this overwhelming backlash of spiteful, bitter venom, but I'm tired of hearing it.
I'd rather be hated out of jealousy because we keep winning titles or go undefeated like the Pats instead of disrespect because we are overrated and a joke.
As we speak cries of "Suckeyes" and "Luckeyes" are resounding around sportsbars, living rooms and radio sportstalk. Admitedly our fanbase is quite large and obnoxious creating this overwhelming backlash of spiteful, bitter venom, but I'm tired of hearing it.
I'd rather be hated out of jealousy because we keep winning titles or go undefeated like the Pats instead of disrespect because we are overrated and a joke.
Saturday, January 5, 2008
Right Vs. Wrong (Old Blog Reposted)
Awhile ago I got into a heated political debate with a conservative, right winged friend of mine. I use the term friend loosely. At one point we ended a round with this:
I said if no harm is done, how is something wrong? I'm not married to this statement, I want to test it. He responded with "there are plenty of things that are wrong that don't involve harming someone, Huey." I challenged him to give me one. I haven't heard one yet.
I thought about this the other day in the car. There HAS to be something we can agree is universally wrong without someone getting harmed right? I think I came up with one but I have since forgotten it.
I need replies to this blog. What are some wrong things that don't involve harming another person? And I would like to examine why they are wrong?
This loosely connects to my thoughts and why people do good. This dives more into the semantics of good and bad I guess. (I hope I used semantics correctly in that sentence)
I said if no harm is done, how is something wrong? I'm not married to this statement, I want to test it. He responded with "there are plenty of things that are wrong that don't involve harming someone, Huey." I challenged him to give me one. I haven't heard one yet.
I thought about this the other day in the car. There HAS to be something we can agree is universally wrong without someone getting harmed right? I think I came up with one but I have since forgotten it.
I need replies to this blog. What are some wrong things that don't involve harming another person? And I would like to examine why they are wrong?
This loosely connects to my thoughts and why people do good. This dives more into the semantics of good and bad I guess. (I hope I used semantics correctly in that sentence)
Best and Worst Day of Your Life (Old Blog Reposted)
I hope there is a God who is omnipotent and will listen to and answer a billion questions I have when I die. I want to know all kinds of things.
I would love to know the truth from all the times I was lied to or thought wrongly of something or somebody was wrong about something and I believed them. I would like the know what certain historical and personal events were REALLY like. I would love to know why alot of things happened or how they happened. I would love to know how things work like computers because I'l never have the patience to figure them out in my lifetime. I would like to see how dinosaurs really looked. I would like to know the answers to different scientific things like evolution. Yes, evolution....even God knows there was no Adam and Eve, it's just a story. But I guess I don't really know so I would like to know the truth about this adam and eve thing. Which leads me to asking it the definitive answers to moral questions or solutions to moral problems.
But I also would like to take a personal inventory. Like what day was the best day of my life? The worst? Why? Would it be a big day like the birth of my child? Graduated? Got a job? Or would it be a common day where everything went right? Or a day that seemed normal but ended up being really significant? Like the day I met Aaron Stratman who I eventually befriended and which led me to a friendship with Norman through whom I have met so many friends and shared so many enjoyable experiences. Would that day be the best day of my life since it was the genesis of so much good in my life?
I would love to know the truth from all the times I was lied to or thought wrongly of something or somebody was wrong about something and I believed them. I would like the know what certain historical and personal events were REALLY like. I would love to know why alot of things happened or how they happened. I would love to know how things work like computers because I'l never have the patience to figure them out in my lifetime. I would like to see how dinosaurs really looked. I would like to know the answers to different scientific things like evolution. Yes, evolution....even God knows there was no Adam and Eve, it's just a story. But I guess I don't really know so I would like to know the truth about this adam and eve thing. Which leads me to asking it the definitive answers to moral questions or solutions to moral problems.
But I also would like to take a personal inventory. Like what day was the best day of my life? The worst? Why? Would it be a big day like the birth of my child? Graduated? Got a job? Or would it be a common day where everything went right? Or a day that seemed normal but ended up being really significant? Like the day I met Aaron Stratman who I eventually befriended and which led me to a friendship with Norman through whom I have met so many friends and shared so many enjoyable experiences. Would that day be the best day of my life since it was the genesis of so much good in my life?
Insignificance (Old blog reposted)
Have you ever had a time in your life where you felt like something horrible or absolutely awesome happened but later forgot about it or didn't think of it with the same intensity? Like making a high school sports team? Or dealing with an extremely embarassing moment you thought you'd never live down? Maybe an end to a relationship? There are all kinds of examples and I am willing to bet many of us have experienced this on some level more than once.
As Sharon Creech wrote in her book, "Walk Two Moons," (a book directed more towards middle school kids or younger but loved by me and read to my 4th graders at the end of every school year no matter what)...."In the course of a lifetime, what does it matter?" I started thinking about this and thought you could really get technical and step back REALLY far from, not only your life, but the lives of everyone on this planet and really think EVERYTHING that happens in this world means very little.
Couldn't you?
I mean even death and disease and genocide and murder and war and Mother Tereasa and Ghandi and Hitler and George Bush and marriage and love and sorrow and right or wrong of homosexuality or abortion or death penalty or gun control and you name it.
I thought once that there could be no heaven or hell because they are for eternity and the time we are on earth is such an infinitely small fraction of eternity that no matter how much bad or good you did, it couldn't justify eternity in either of those places. As bad as Hitler was and good as Mother Teresa was, does several decades deserve infinity in paradise or torcher? Really?
And can any of us common folk who flick people off or make someone feel bad or cheat someone out of some money really derserve hell? How about those of us who side more with goodness and help old ladies across the street, smile whenever we can, support people, give to the needy and all that? Do we really deserve eternal happiness for several decades of good deeds?
Really?
What do you think?
As Sharon Creech wrote in her book, "Walk Two Moons," (a book directed more towards middle school kids or younger but loved by me and read to my 4th graders at the end of every school year no matter what)...."In the course of a lifetime, what does it matter?" I started thinking about this and thought you could really get technical and step back REALLY far from, not only your life, but the lives of everyone on this planet and really think EVERYTHING that happens in this world means very little.
Couldn't you?
I mean even death and disease and genocide and murder and war and Mother Tereasa and Ghandi and Hitler and George Bush and marriage and love and sorrow and right or wrong of homosexuality or abortion or death penalty or gun control and you name it.
I thought once that there could be no heaven or hell because they are for eternity and the time we are on earth is such an infinitely small fraction of eternity that no matter how much bad or good you did, it couldn't justify eternity in either of those places. As bad as Hitler was and good as Mother Teresa was, does several decades deserve infinity in paradise or torcher? Really?
And can any of us common folk who flick people off or make someone feel bad or cheat someone out of some money really derserve hell? How about those of us who side more with goodness and help old ladies across the street, smile whenever we can, support people, give to the needy and all that? Do we really deserve eternal happiness for several decades of good deeds?
Really?
What do you think?
Motivation
Why do you do good?
Do you do good things just to receive good back? Do you do good not to do bad? Or do you fear or just want to avoid the negative consequences of doing bad? Basically are you motivated by extrinsic reasons or intrinsic?
As a society wouldn't we all be better off doing good with no expectation of good happening back to us? If so, how do we get people to buy into that when we are so controlled by extrinsic rewards or lack of negative consequences? Lately, I find myself interested in Buddhism. I have read bits and pieces about it and noticed the whole idea of karma for years. Wouldn't this go against the idea of karma?
Of course, who is to say what is good as well? What one considers good or bad could be totally different than another and what makes one persons' values better or more important or legitimate than anothers? Should we trust someone to dictate what is good? And therefore, if one is doing good for the sake of good, is it really good to others? Would the world in fact be a better place then?
This is mainly a bunch of questions. I guess I have no real substance to this blog. I just wonder as I teach and use rewards to motivate my students to behave or listen knowing full well I'd much rather foster an intrinsic value for doing good, behaving positively or listening in class. The thing is: how do I do this?And are we even capable of doing good just because it is good?
Do you do good things just to receive good back? Do you do good not to do bad? Or do you fear or just want to avoid the negative consequences of doing bad? Basically are you motivated by extrinsic reasons or intrinsic?
As a society wouldn't we all be better off doing good with no expectation of good happening back to us? If so, how do we get people to buy into that when we are so controlled by extrinsic rewards or lack of negative consequences? Lately, I find myself interested in Buddhism. I have read bits and pieces about it and noticed the whole idea of karma for years. Wouldn't this go against the idea of karma?
Of course, who is to say what is good as well? What one considers good or bad could be totally different than another and what makes one persons' values better or more important or legitimate than anothers? Should we trust someone to dictate what is good? And therefore, if one is doing good for the sake of good, is it really good to others? Would the world in fact be a better place then?
This is mainly a bunch of questions. I guess I have no real substance to this blog. I just wonder as I teach and use rewards to motivate my students to behave or listen knowing full well I'd much rather foster an intrinsic value for doing good, behaving positively or listening in class. The thing is: how do I do this?And are we even capable of doing good just because it is good?
Me and my lack of manliness
As I have progressed through my life I have come to the conclusion I am just not much of a man's man. Most of the time I am ok with it. I even take pride in it at times. Other times I feel inadequate. I have voiced this to my wife on numerous occasions. Ironically, she feels quite the opposite saying that I am "just a typical guy" and most of our disagreements are results of the fact that I am stereotypical man she is a stereotypical woman. You know, battle of the sexes thing.
Well, today she witnessed just what I mean. We are working on the house to improve it. Why now? Well despite living here for 6 years I have done nothing to the house. It needs alot of TLC as they say. Getting my point yet?
Today we did the simple project of putting shelving in the closet to turn it into a much needed pantry. Nothing to it right? Not when Huey is on the case. Anything remotely requiring the manly skill of using tools and building stuff or putting stuff together is a laborious pain in the...
We had to use these things called Mollies. Huh? The lady at Home Depot told us how to use them and I obviously didn't understand as I struggled through the entire afternoon with them. We needed to put up a bar to stablize the shelves. Unfortunately it was too long so we needed it cut. Someone said we could get it cut there. Apparently not. But we could just use a hacksaw the other guy said. Now this is embarassing. I wasn't sure what kind of saw was a hacksaw. Luckily, either did the wife and she asked the guy saving me from my humiliation.
Home Depot just makes me uncomfortable. All this stuff and no idea how to use any of it. Guys working there speaking English to me but using words that I have no clue about. Everybody just assume I know stuff that I don't. And when I go with my wife they always look at me when they explain things. Uhhhh, don't look at me buddy.
Same thing goes with cars. I don't have a freaking clue what anything under the hood is except the windsheild washer fluid place and the oil stick thing. I'll meet guys and they start talking all this car talk and I'm lost. Inevitably after it becomes blatantly obvious I am zoning, they go to the "tits and ass" talk. Ok, I can participate in that, but it just doesn't feel right. I love those qualities in woman but there is a line. Respect maybe.
So anyway, today was a day of inadequacy for me. Maybe tomorrow when I'm on the couch watching the NFL playoffs and eating too many potato chips and longing for an ice cold beer, admiring the looks of the women in the commercials I will feel like more of a "man."
Well, today she witnessed just what I mean. We are working on the house to improve it. Why now? Well despite living here for 6 years I have done nothing to the house. It needs alot of TLC as they say. Getting my point yet?
Today we did the simple project of putting shelving in the closet to turn it into a much needed pantry. Nothing to it right? Not when Huey is on the case. Anything remotely requiring the manly skill of using tools and building stuff or putting stuff together is a laborious pain in the...
We had to use these things called Mollies. Huh? The lady at Home Depot told us how to use them and I obviously didn't understand as I struggled through the entire afternoon with them. We needed to put up a bar to stablize the shelves. Unfortunately it was too long so we needed it cut. Someone said we could get it cut there. Apparently not. But we could just use a hacksaw the other guy said. Now this is embarassing. I wasn't sure what kind of saw was a hacksaw. Luckily, either did the wife and she asked the guy saving me from my humiliation.
Home Depot just makes me uncomfortable. All this stuff and no idea how to use any of it. Guys working there speaking English to me but using words that I have no clue about. Everybody just assume I know stuff that I don't. And when I go with my wife they always look at me when they explain things. Uhhhh, don't look at me buddy.
Same thing goes with cars. I don't have a freaking clue what anything under the hood is except the windsheild washer fluid place and the oil stick thing. I'll meet guys and they start talking all this car talk and I'm lost. Inevitably after it becomes blatantly obvious I am zoning, they go to the "tits and ass" talk. Ok, I can participate in that, but it just doesn't feel right. I love those qualities in woman but there is a line. Respect maybe.
So anyway, today was a day of inadequacy for me. Maybe tomorrow when I'm on the couch watching the NFL playoffs and eating too many potato chips and longing for an ice cold beer, admiring the looks of the women in the commercials I will feel like more of a "man."
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