The Power of Zero can be a motivator
My friend, a high school teacher, was telling me her latest frustrations of the changing tide of education. She was told that she needed to accept late work until the end of the term, which meant grading papers, projects, or homework up to three months late.
For students who did no work at all, she was supposed to record their grade as a 50 rather than a zero. Why? Because a zero would make the student “lose motivation.”
In three or four years, I’ll see these students in my class. Although I don’t accept work later than five days past…
Let it begin with you.
My childhood chorus used to sing “Let There Be Peace on Earth” during our Christmas concerts. It was such an easy melody with simple words, even if it ended with high notes some kids couldn’t reach.
Although the song itself is a prayer for peace, it implores us to take action. We encourage the peace within when we sing, “And let it begin with me.”
Outward circumstances might disrupt us and cause us to respond with rage, but peace has to arise somewhere. Martin Luther King, Jr. …
It did with me this week.
My 15-year-old dog took a turn for the worse early Sunday morning. In fear, I rushed him to the emergency room and was thankful that he could be seen right away. After the doctor gave me her initial report, the front desk called me with her estimate of my dog’s plan of care.
The high estimate was $4300.
My heart sank, knowing that this would not only deplete my savings, but also my monthly responsibilities to my bills. People assume college professors are affluent. That assumption is often incorrect, especially for me. …
It wants what’s best for you.
My senior dog’s heart condition drags me out of bed at 3 a.m. After taking care of his business, I retreat to bed, of course bringing my phone. I order the senior dog some more of his senior food.
I check the news. Looks like Warnoff won a Senate seat. I might have to wait a few hours to hear about Ossoff. Stacy Abrams really knows how to get things done.
Let me check Instagram before going back to sleep. Wow, that’s a beautiful picture from National Geographic. Trevor Noah cracks me up. …
Satire
If only job ads could tells us what they really want from us.
The Department of Name Your Major is seeking candidates for the position of Assistant Professor. We are looking for a highly talented and dedicated individual who will spend countless hours feeding the beast. We especially desire candidates who work well with others and possess integrity, although eventually we will promote candidates who step on others’ toes and throw others under the bus. We value hard work, but we can only pay you a salary that will encourage you to teach extra courses during the summer to help you pay the bills.
We believe the right candidate should adhere to the…
It might even help you finish it.
I am one of the world’s biggest procrastinators. I can’t tell you how many projects I’ve started but not completed. In fact, I bought a book on procrastination and didn’t finish it.
Working in the news industry didn’t allow me to procrastinate because each project had to be finished by 11 p.m. — or sometimes earlier. Big projects that took several months or years were more difficult. The only reason I finished my Ph.D. in three years was that I was tired of the meager graduate school stipend.
I’ve been working on the same project for about eight months now…
Hint: It’s not all about you.
When I was a kid, my neighbor took me to her bible class, where we watched a video that still sticks in my mind 43 years later. It depicted a young man attending his Sunday services, singing praises to God, and showing his affection to his community.
Once he left the church and arrived at a stoplight turning green, the car in front of him didn’t move. Impatient, the man yelled out of his window, “The light isn’t going to get any greener!”
This depicted an inconsistency that might exist in all of us. For the man, he was a…
You just need a life.
One of the health incentives at my former job was to schedule a call with a “health coach.” This person would ask me several questions regarding my lifestyle, like how many servings of fruits and veggies I got per day and how often I exercised.
On the overall health assessment, I typically scored “above average,” although my feelings about my job actually pulled down my score. Yet this “health coach” wanted to give me some advice about how I could incorporate more vegetables in my diet. It was basically 15 minutes of my life wasted.
My friend Jennifer and I…
We’re not living authentically if we overly identify with our social roles.
One of my former students, a popular Instagram figure, had painted beautiful murals on the walls of her apartment. When it was time for her to move out, she had to repaint the walls white.
Although it somewhat pained her to cover her beloved lion mural, she gave her viewers a lesson in non-attachment. “The lion is still there, knocking around,” she said. “He’s just wearing a mask.” However, we do this ourselves throughout our lives, painting various layers over our true selves.
The problems with our masks
We put on various masks to shield ourselves from the world. We put on several masks to…
Sitting in the restlessness can make you more grounded with others.
When the possibility arises for you to spend an evening alone, what is your first thought? Perhaps some feel a sense of missing out on what others are doing. Others might fear for their physical safety. Some might fear their own thoughts, yet others might embrace the need for self-reflection.
Although I can relate to the fear of being alone in an empty place, particularly after watching a creepy movie, how we relate with ourselves alone can ground us in a world that might seem chaotic. The more secure we are in being alone, the less tumbled we are by…
