What We Lose(lo͞oz) When We Go From the Classroom to Zoom

Like other utopian(yo͞oˈtōpēən) dreams, the fiction(ˈfikSHən) of equality(əˈkwälədē) has its value.

By Karen Strassler

When life was normal, my students and I gathered in classrooms.

My favorites are the small intimate(ˈin(t)əmət) ones where we face each other around a seminar(ˈseməˌnär) table and conversation flows(flō) easily. Midsize classes meet in a square(skwe(ə)r) room with windows along one side. Around this time of year it becomes unbearably(ˌənˈberəblē) hot in the afternoon, as the spring sunshine streams in. My students slouch(slouCH) drowsily(ˈdrouzəlē) in those uncomfortable chairs with built-in desks, arranged in haphazard(ˌhapˈhazərd) rows, while I pace(pās,ˈpäˌCHā,ˈpāˌsē) at the front of the room, trying to arouse(əˈrouz) their interest in some arcane(ärˈkān) anthropological(ˌanTHrəpəˈläjək(ə)l) subject. Sometimes I’m successful. Introductory(ˌintrəˈdəktərē) classes are held in a large lecture(ˈlekCHər) hall, and from my vantage point at the bottom of the room, I see rows of students fanned(fan) out neatly(ˈnētlē) before me. I recently started wearing(ˈwe(ə)riNG) prescription(prəˈskripSH(ə)n) glasses so I could distinguish their faces, which were beginning to smudge(sməj) together as a result of encroaching(enˈkrōCH) middle age.

Each type of classroom presents(priˈzent,ˈprezənt) distinct challenges and pleasures, but they all have one thing in common. In these classrooms, students meet one another as apparent(əˈparənt,əˈpe(ə)r-) equals(ˈēkwəl). They sit in the same chairs.

Now we have lost our classrooms and, I fear, something vital(ˈvīdl) along with them.

At the entrance(enˈtrans,ˈentrəns) to the building on the Queens College campus in Flushing, Queens, where I have taught for 14 years, I am greeted with a quote(kwōt) by the cultural(ˈkəlCHərəl) critic(ˈkridik) bell(bel) hooks: “The academy is not paradise(ˈparəˌdīs). But learning is a place where paradise can be created.” In the book from which these words are taken she continues: “The classroom, with all its limitations(ˌliməˈtāSHən), remains a location of possibility.”

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https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/04/sunday-review/zoom-college-classroom.html

The Joy of Bone(bōn)-Exhausting(igˈzôstiNG) Work

By Leo Babauta

Over the last week, my family and I moved to a new home, away from San Diego(di’āgo) and into the suburbs(ˈsəbərb) east of Los Angeles (to be near family). As usual, we did all the moving ourselves, and it was exhausting!

We don’t have a crazy amount of stuff for a family our size, but all of our furniture(ˈfərniCHər) seems to be made of incredibly dense(dens), heavy wood. Even with three strong sons helping me move, we were all wiped out after one day of loading a huge moving truck(trək), and another day of unloading.

Sore(sôr) and tired, to the bone.

I’m still recovering. But I have to say, this deeply tiring physical work was a time of joy for me. It was stressful, my body suffered, it wasn’t easy or comfortable(ˈkəmfərdəb(ə)l, ˈkəmftərbəl). But some of the best experiences can have all of that, mixed in with satisfaction(ˌsadəsˈfakSH(ə)n), appreciation(əˌprēSHēˈāSHən), and joy.

You pour(pôr) yourself into something, and are completely(kəmˈplētlē) present. It demands all of your focus, and you aren’t running to distractions and comforts(ˈkəmfərt). You have to take on difficulty, overwhelm, and stress — so you just accept it, and do it without complaint(kəmˈplānt) or looking for the exits(ˈegzit,ˈeksit).

How can we create that in our daily lives, without needing to take on hard physical labor(ˈlābər)?

You collapse(kəˈlaps) afterward, lying on the floor panting(ˈpantiNG), your muscles screaming for rest. You look back on the day with the satisfaction of accomplishment, knowing that you did your best and achieved a big chunk of work for the day.

How do we create that satisfaction and feeling of accomplishment in our daily lives?

You spend a few days taking it easy, resting and recovering. Nourishing(ˈnə-ri-,ˈnəriSHiNG) your body. Taking naps(nap) when needed. Deep rest, deep sleep. Full appreciation for your body. Healing(ˈhēliNG). Taking care of yourself. Knowing that this recovery is so important to growth. Knowing that you deserve some delicious rest.

How do we create this sense of self-care and nourishing and true rest, in our daily lives?

There is deep joy in bone-wearying(ˈwirēiNG) physical work. But this can be an awakening lesson for our daily lives. Let’s create the same deep joy, every damn(dam) day.

https://zenhabits.net/bone-weary/

Iron(ˈīərn) and the Soul(sōl)

By Henry Rollins

I believe that the definition(ˌdefəˈniSHən) of definition is reinvention(rēinˈven(t)SHən). To not be like your parents. To not be like your friends. To be yourself.

Completely(kəmˈplētlē).

When I was young I had no sense(sens) of myself. All I was, was a product of all the fear and humiliation((h)yo͞oˌmilēˈāSHən) I suffered. Fear of my parents. The humiliation of teachers calling me “garbage(ˈgärbij) can” and telling me I’d be mowing(ˈmō-iNG) lawns(lôn) for a living. And the very real terror(ˈterər) of my fellow students. I was threatened(ˈTHretn) and beaten(ˈbētn) up for the color of my skin and my size. I was skinny(ˈskinē) and clumsy(ˈkləmzē), and when others would tease(tēz) me I didn’t run home crying, wondering why.

I knew all too well. I was there to be antagonized(anˈtagəˌnīz). In sports I was laughed at. A spaz(spaz). I was pretty good at boxing but only because the rage(rāj) that filled my every waking moment made me wild and unpredictable. I fought(fôt) with some strange fury(ˈfyo͝orē). The other boys thought I was crazy.

I hated myself all the time.

…

Then came Mr. Pepperman(ˈpepər), my advisor(ədˈvīzər). He was a powerfully built Vietnam(vēˌetˈnäm, vēˌetˈnam) veteran(ˈvedərən, ˈvetrən), and he was scary(ˈske(ə)rē). No one ever talked out of turn in his class. Once one kid did and Mr. P. lifted him off the ground and pinned him to the black board. Mr. P. could see that I was in bad shape, and one Friday in October he asked me if I had ever worked out with weights. I told him no.

He told me that I was going to take some of the money that I had saved and buy a hundred pound set of weights at Sears(si(ə)r). As I left his office, I started to think of things I would say to him on Monday when he asked about the weights that I was not going to buy. Still, it made me feel special. My father never really got that close to caring. On Saturday I bought the weights, but I couldn’t even drag them to my mom’s car. An attendant(əˈtendənt) laughed at me as he put them on a dolly(ˈdälē).

…

It wasn’t until my late twenties that I learned that by working out I had given myself a great gift. I learned that nothing good comes without work and a certain amount of pain. When I finish a set that leaves me shaking, I know more about myself. When something gets bad, I know it can’t be as bad as that workout.

…

Muscle mass(mas) does not always equal strength. Strength is kindness and sensitivity(ˌsensəˈtivədē). Strength is understanding that your power is both physical and emotional. That it comes from the body and the mind. And the heart.

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https://www.oldtimestrongman.com/articles/the-iron-by-henry-rollins/

It’s OK to be casual(ˈkaZHo͞oəl)

By Derek Sivers

My hiring(hīr) policy(ˈpäləsē) was ridiculous(rəˈdikyələs).

Because I was too busy to bother, I’d just ask my current employees if they had any friends who needed work.

Someone always did, so I’d say, “Tell them to start tomorrow morning. Ten dollars an hour. Show them what to do.” And that was that.

The thought was that it’s almost impossible to tell what someone’s going to be like on the job until he’s actually on the job for a few weeks. So I’d hire lightly and fire lightly. Luckily we didn’t need to fire that often.

But maybe the fact that the new hires were friends of friends helped with the trust part.

To be fair, this was a mail-order CD store, so most of my employees were in the warehouse. But I also took this same casual approach when I needed an important high-tech systems administrator(ədˈminəˌstrādər).

“Anyone have a friend who’s good with Linux? Yeah? Is he cool? OK, tell him to start tomorrow.”

The first time I did that I found Ryan(ˈrīən). The second time, I found Jason(ˈjāsən). Both guys are amazing and are key people at CD Baby to this day.

Don’t try to impress an invisible(inˈvizəbəl) jury(ˈjo͝orē) of MBA professors. It’s OK to be casual.

https://sivers.org/casual

Why I’m Learning More With Distance Learning Than I Do in School

I’m 13 years old. I don’t miss the other kids who talk out of turn, disrespect(ˌdisrəˈspekt) teachers and hit one another.

By Veronique Mintz

Talking out of turn. Destroying(dəˈstroi) classroom materials(məˈti(ə)rēəl). Disrespecting teachers. Blurting(blərt) out answers during tests. Students pushing, kicking, hitting one another and even rolling on the ground. This is what happens in my school every single day.

You may think I’m joking, but I swear(swe(ə)r) I’m not.

Based on my peers’ behavior, you might guess that I’m in second or fourth grade. But I’m actually about to enter high school in New York City, and, during my three years of middle school, these sorts of disruptions(disˈrəpSH(ə)n) occurred(əˈkər) repeatedly(rəˈpēdədlē) in any given 42-minute class period(ˈpi(ə)rēəd).

That’s why I’m in favor of the distance learning the New York City school system instituted when the coronavirus pandemic(panˈdemik) hit. If our schools use this experience to understand how to better support teachers in the classroom, then students will have a shot at learning more effectively(əˈfektəvlē) when we return.

Let me explain why.

I have been doing distance learning since March 23 and find that I am learning more, and with greater ease, than when I attended regular classes. I can work at my own pace(pās,ˈpäˌCHā,ˈpāˌsē) without being interrupted by disruptive(disˈrəptiv) students and teachers who seem unable to manage them.

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https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/05/opinion/coronavirus-pandemic-distance-learning.html

Children’s Day

Today is International Children’s Day, so I thought I’d share some thoughts on children.

The children of the world are our future. They represent(ˌreprəˈzent) possibility, innocence(ˈinəsəns), and hope. The children of today will discover things about the world that we don’t yet know, and they will shape(SHāp) the direction of technology, art, and society. Their eyes, hands and minds will shape our world.

My own children have brought more joy and learning to my life than I ever could have imagined. They remind me of my youth, and help me find the youth that still resides(rəˈzīd) in me. I see how they learn and I am reminded how I learn. I see the world anew through their eyes.

Joe is five, and every moment is a story. His imagination overflows into every aspect(ˈaspekt) of his life. His curiosity about the world and his creativity in approaching it bring joy to each person he interacts with. Joe has taught me how to lose myself in play.

Alex is one, and he is brimming(brim) with excitement(ikˈsītmənt) as he learns something new each day. He squeals(skwēl) with satisfaction(ˌsadəsˈfakSH(ə)n) as he learns to stack(stak) blocks, open drawers(ˈdrô(ə)r), and use every piece(pēs) of furniture(ˈfərniCHər) at home to walk and climb(klīm). Alex has taught me to find delight in simple things.

Our children are our future. We watch them grow. We smile as we see who they have become today, and we feel a tinge(tinj) of grief(grēf) as we realize that we will never meet again the child we knew from yesterday.

68 Bits of Unsolicited(ˌənsəˈlisidəd) Advice

By Kevin Kelly

It’s my birthday. I’m 68. I feel like pulling up a rocking chair and dispensing(dəˈspens) advice to the young ‘uns. Here are 68 pithy(ˈpiTHē) bits of unsolicited advice which I offer as my birthday present to all of you.

• Learn how to learn from those you disagree with, or even offend(əˈfend) you. See if you can find the truth in what they believe.

• Being enthusiastic(inˌTH(y)o͞ozēˈastik, enˌTH(y)o͞ozēˈastik) is worth 25 IQ points.

• Always demand a deadline. A deadline weeds out the extraneous(ikˈstrānēəs) and the ordinary. It prevents you from trying to make it perfect, so you have to make it different. Different is better.

• Don’t be afraid(əˈfrād) to ask a question that may sound stupid because 99% of the time everyone else is thinking of the same question and is too embarrassed(əmˈberəst) to ask it.

• Being able to listen well is a superpower. While listening to someone you love keep asking them “Is there more?”, until there is no more.

• A worthy(ˈwərT͟Hē) goal for a year is to learn enough about a subject so that you can’t believe how ignorant(ˈignərənt) you were a year earlier.

• Gratitude(ˈgratəˌt(y)o͞od) will unlock all other virtues(ˈvərCHo͞o) and is something you can get better at.

• Treating a person to a meal never fails, and is so easy to do. It’s powerful with old friends and a great way to make new friends.

• Don’t trust all-purpose glue(glo͞o).

• Reading to your children regularly will bond you together and kickstart their imaginations(iˌmajəˈnāSHən).

…
https://kk.org/thetechnium/68-bits-of-unsolicited-advice/

Daily Reminders(rəˈmīndər)

By Steve Pavlina

I normally review my quarterly(ˈkwôrdərlē) goals each morning, which is a good habit for staying focused on them throughout(THro͞oˈout) the quarter. One new habit I’ve started is to also review a daily reminders list. This is a list of good practices that I want to refresh in my mind each morning, so I can remember to practice them.

The reminders list is good for habits that are difficult to anchor(ˈaNGkər) to just one time of day. This can include mindsets(ˈmīn(d)set), frames, values, and practices that I may want to embody(emˈbädē) throughout the day. The list is very flexible though, so I can also use it to remind myself of positive habits and their benefits.

My reminders list is pretty long – too long actually – so I want to cull(kəl) it down to make it more succinct(sə(k)ˈsiNG(k)t). I started by making an exhaustive(igˈzôstiv) list. I can strip(strip) away the less important items that really don’t need a daily reminder. I think it’s good to get the list down to a page or less, so it can be reviewed more quickly.

Here are some ideas for what you could include on a daily reminders list:

Your favorite morning routine(ro͞oˈtēn)
Your favorite evening routine
Your favorite weekend activities
Reminders about how to use your personal time purposefully(ˈpərpəsfəlē)
Your key areas(ˈe(ə)rēə) of focus: health, relationships, business, etc.
Your favorite habits that benefit you
New habits in progress(ˈpräɡres)
The current book you’re reading

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https://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2020/04/daily-reminders/

Does the pandemic(panˈdemik) mean we’ll never shake(SHāk) hands again?

By Allan MacDonald

How many people have you shaken hands with over the course(kôrs) of your life? It’s one of our oldest and most revered(rəˈvir) customs. Two people clasping(klasp) hands is a cornerstone(ˈkôrnərˌstōn) of civilization(ˌsivələˈzāSHən), of human interaction and social order. It’s a gesture(ˈjesCHər) that predates(prēˈdāt) recorded history. With the rise(rīz) of COVID-19, however, the handshake may be done for. We’re going to miss it.

We’ve been encouraging each other to “put ‘er there” for a long time. Some scholars(ˈskälər) trace(trās) the handshake back to ancient(ˈānCHənt) Rome(rōm), circa(ˈsərkə) eighth century BC. Others date it back even farther(ˈfärT͟Hər) – and place it elsewhere – to 12th century BC and ancient Greece. Like fire and the wheel((h)wēl), no one is certain when or where the handshake originated(əˈrijəˌnāt), but we do know a bit about why.

In ancient times, when you greeted someone by extending your hand, you showed that you were not armed. This is why you shake hands with your right hand, which is the hand you’d likely use to wield(wēld) the dagger(ˈdagər) concealed(kənˈsēld) in your toga(ˈtōgə).

I also like the theory(ˈTHi(ə)rē,ˈTHēərē) that the actual(ˈak(t)SH(o͞o)əl) shaking of the hand (not just clasping it); was intended to shake loose any weapons you may be hiding(ˈhīdiNG) in your sleeves(slēv).

Most of these theories are just that – theories. Evidence is scant(skant), it’s pretty murky(ˈmərkē), especially the farther back you go. The true origins(ˈôrəjən) of the handshake, it seems, are lost in the mists(mist) of time.

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https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/first-person/article-does-the-pandemic-mean-well-never-shake-hands-again/

How I Built A $100 Drive-In Movie Theater(ˈTHēədər) To Hang(haNG) Out With Friends While Social Distancing(ˈdistəns)

By David Tracy

In an attempt to hang out with friends without risking(risk) the spread of coronavirus, I’ve built a drive-in movie theater in my backyard. Here’s how I did it.

Right now, Michigan’s(ˈmiSHigən) strict(strikt) Stay-At-Home order limits travel between households, so I can’t hang out with my friends—only virtually(ˈvərCHə(wə)lē). But even after the governor’s(ˈgəvə(r)nər) order lifts, it’s likely that federal(ˈfed(ə)rəl) social distancing guidelines will remain in place for quite some time. When that happens, I want to find a way to hang out with my friends without spreading this awful(ˈôfəl) virus.

I don’t want to be limited to active, outdoor activities, because sometimes it’s nice to just chill(CHil) with people and do something that requires very little thought(THôt). Like watching a movie, for example. We could do that virtually, but to me, that’s lost its luster(ˈləstər) by now. Having folks(fōk) over to watch inside my house wouldn’t really work, because I just don’t have the square(skwe(ə)r) footage(ˈfo͝odij) or the screen size to allow us all to stay six feet apart. Plus, being in the same enclosed space isn’t great.

The ticket, then, is the drive-in movie theater—a relic(ˈrelik) of the past that, through(THro͞o) a horrible tragedy(ˈtrajədē), is getting its chance at redemption(rəˈdem(p)SH(ə)n). I just built a drive-in at my house, and it is awesome(ˈôsəm). Here’s what I did to make it a reality.

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https://jalopnik.com/how-i-built-a-100-drive-in-movie-theater-to-hang-out-w-1843109912