Don’t be afraid(əˈfrād) to ask for favors(ˈfāvər).

By Derek Sivers

Have you ever asked for directions in a city? People get a little ego(ˈēgō) boost(bo͞ost) when they know the answer to something you’re asking. They’ll gladly(ˈgladlē) show off their knowledge.

So don’t be afraid to ask for favors. People like doing favors!

When I lived in New York City, one bold(bōld) musician I know called me and said, “I’m coming to New York in two months. Can you give me a list of all the important contacts you think I should meet?” I laughed because I admired his directness(dəˈrek(t)nəs)! Then I emailed him a list of twenty people he should call.

Sometimes you need to find something specific: a video director(diˈrektər, dīˈrektər), a JavaScript programmer, a sitar(siˈtär) player. Contact everyone you know and ask. Friends of friends will know how to get everything you want in life.

Some people have time on their hands and would rather help you do something interesting instead of watching TV. Need help doing promotion(prəˈmōSHən)? Need help getting equipment(əˈkwipmənt) to a show? Just ask them!

By making them feel important, connected, and needed, you’ll be doing them a favor, too.

https://sivers.org/favors

About Sierra(sēˈerə) Nevada(-ˈvädə,nəˈvadə) College

Welcome to Life-Changing Learning
There’s nothing passive(ˈpasiv) or conventional(kənˈvenCHənl) about life at SNC. Our status(ˈstādəs, ˈstadəs) as Nevada’s only accredited(əˈkredədəd), private(ˈprīvit), four-year institution(ˌinstəˈt(y)o͞oSH(ə)n), and our location high in the Sierra, on the shores(SHôr) of legendary(ˈlejənˌderē) Lake Tahoe(ˈtähō), all but guarantee(ˌgarənˈtē) that.

Action is in our DNA. Everything we do is dedicated to moving lives and learning forward, to engaging students and helping them become confident(-fəˌdent,ˈkänfədənt), collaborative(kəˈlab(ə)rədiv) critical(ˈkridək(ə)l) thinkers who are uniquely prepared to thrive(THrīv) in the real world. Four core(kôr) themes(THēm) define us: Entrepreneurial(ˌäntrəprəˈno͝orēəl) Thinking, Professional Preparedness, Liberal(ˈlib(ə)rəl) Arts, and Sustainability(səˌstānəˈbilədē). And we bring these themes to life for every student through active learning processes that foster problem solving, teamwork, and innovation(ˌinəˈvāSHən). It’s a culture(ˈkəlCHər) of competition(ˌkämpəˈtiSHən) where students learn to think on their feet, to communicate persuasively(pərˈswāsivlē, pərˈswāzivlē), and become active participants(pärˈtisəpənt) in their education.

At Sierra Nevada College, We Are Committed to Active Learning
Your education is a collaborative partnership between you, your teachers, and the College as a whole. Real learning comes when you are fully engaged in your own education – not passively(ˈpasivlē) sitting in a lecture(ˈlek(t)SHər) hall taking notes for the next exam(igˈzam). At SNC Tahoe, we spend an enormous(əˈnôrməs) amount of time thinking about how to make learning come alive for each of you, and to fully prepare you for the lifetime of opportunities and challenges that you will have after you leave here.

https://www.sierranevada.edu/about-snc/

How to Wake Up Feeling Totally(ˈtōdlē) Alert(əˈlərt)

By Steve Pavlina

Your alarm(əˈlärm) goes off at 5am, and you immediately get out of bed without a second thought. As you orient(ˈôrēˌənt) yourself to the waking world, you can barely(ˈbe(ə)rlē) detect(dəˈtekt) any lingering(ˈliNGg(ə)riNG) grogginess(ˈɡräɡē), even if you look for it. You stand up and stretch(streCH), feeling totally alert, fully conscious(ˈkänCHəs), and eager(ˈēgər) to start your day. The thought of going back to bed to get some extra sleep seems completely alien(ˈālyən,ˈālēən) to you.

It feels great to be up early, and you know you’ll put those early morning hours to good use. You’ll be able to exercise, shower, get dressed, eat a healthy breakfast(ˈbrekfəst), read some inspiring(inˈspīriNG) material(məˈtirēəl), and invest an hour in your home-based business — all before 8am. And you know that the habit of starting each day this way will serve you well for life.

Maintaining(mānˈtān) this habit is easy for you. You don’t have to force yourself out of bed, and it doesn’t seem to require much discipline(ˈdisəplən) at all. It feels normal and natural to be alert and active at this time.

If this scenario(səˈnerēˌō) closely matches your current daily reality(rēˈalədē), you can stop reading now. But if it sounds like pure(pyo͝or) fantasy(ˈfan(t)əsē), then read on…

…
https://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2007/10/how-to-wake-up-feeling-totally-alert/

Review of “Lost in Translation(transˈlāSH(ə)n, tranzˈlāSH(ə)n)”

Bill(bil) Murray’s(ˈmərē) acting in Sofia(sōˈfēə,ˈsōfēə) Coppola’s(ˈkäpələ) “Lost in Translation” is surely one of the most exquisitely(ekˈskwizətlē, ˈekˌskwizətlē) controlled(kənˈtrōl) performances in recent movies. Without it, the film could be unwatchable(ˌənˈwäCHəbəl). With it, I can’t take my eyes away. Not for a second, not for a frame(frām), does his focus relax(rəˈlaks), and yet it seems effortless. It’s sometimes said of an actor that we can’t see him acting. I can’t even see him not acting. He seems to be existing(igˈzistiNG), merely existing, in the situation created for him by Sofia Coppola.

Is he “playing himself”? I’ve known Murray since his days at Second City. He married the sister of a girl I was dating. We were never friends, I have no personal insights, but I can fairly(ˈfe(ə)rlē) say I saw how he behaved in small informal(inˈfôrməl) groups of friends, and it wasn’t like Bob Harris(ˈharəs), his character in the movie. Yes, he likes to remain low key. Yes, dryness and understatement come naturally to him. Sharing a stage(stāj) at Second City with John(jän) Belushi(belo͝oshē), he was a glider(ˈglīdər) in contrast(ˈkänˌtrast) to the kamikaze(ˌkäməˈkäzē) pilot(ˈpīlət). He isn’t a one-note actor. He does anger(ˈaNGgər), fear, love, whatever, and broad(brôd) comedy(ˈkämədē). But what he does in “Lost in Translation” shows as much of a reach as if he were playing Henry(ˈhenrē) Higgins. He allows the film to be as great as Coppola dreamed of it, in the way she intended, and few directors(diˈrektər, dīˈrektər) are so fortunate(ˈfôrCHənət).

She has one objective: She wants to show two people lonely in vast(vast) foreign(ˈfär-,ˈfôrən) Tokyo and coming to the mutual(ˈmyo͞oCHo͞oəl) realization(ˌrē(ə)ləˈzāSHən) that their lives are stuck. Perhaps what they’re looking for is the same thing I’ve heard we seek in marriage: A witness(ˈwitnəs). Coppola wants to get that note right. There isn’t a viewer who doesn’t expect Bob Harris and Charlotte(ˈSHärlət) (Scarlett Johansson) to end up in love, or having sex, or whatever. We’ve met Charlotte’s husband John (Giovanni Ribisi). We expect him to return unexpectedly from his photo shoot and surprise them together. These expectations have been sculpted(skəlpt), one chip(CHip) of Hollywood’s(ˈhälēˌwo͝od) chisel(ˈCHizəl) after another, in tens of thousands of films. The last thing we expect is… what would probably actually happen. They share loneliness(ˈlōnlēnəs).

…
https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/great-movie-lost-in-translation-2003

One man, eight years, nearly 20,000 cat videos, and not a single viral(ˈvīrəl) hit

How an animal(ˈanəməl) lover’s hobby(ˈhäbē) of recording himself feeding stray(strā) cats exemplifies(igˈzempləˌfī) the glory(ˈglôrē) of the anonymous(əˈnänəməs) web.

By Joe(jō) Veix

Eight years ago, a middle-aged Japanese(-ˈnēs,ˌjapəˈnēz) man started a YouTube(ˈyo͞oˌt(y)o͞ob) channel(ˈCHanl) and began posting videos of himself feeding stray cats. A lot of videos. Usually one per day, every day. As of this year, he had posted over 19,000 times. If you put all his videos into one big playlist and turned on autoplay(ˈôdōˌplā), it would take you roughly(ˈrəflē) six and a half days to reach the end. It’s possibly(ˈpäsəblē) the most prolific(prəˈlifik) non-automated(ˈôdəˌmāt) channel on YouTube.

It’s also one of the loneliest(ˈlōnlē). Over the long existence(igˈzistəns) of his channel, most of his videos only ever got five or so views, and had only 100 subscribers(səbˈskrībər). Yet he kept posting. When the channel was linked to on Reddit’s r/DeepIntoYouTube board(bôrd) in March of 2019, he suddenly gained(gān) a whopping(ˈ(h)wäpiNG) 2,000. Despite(dəˈspīt) this influx(ˈinˌfləks), it didn’t really make him a celebrity(səˈlebrədē). Most of the videos still typically(ˈtipik(ə)lē) receive(rəˈsēv) less than 50 views(vyo͞o).

The lack of popularity(ˌpäpyəˈlerədē) is perhaps because the videos aren’t that interesting, at least not technically(ˈteknək(ə)lē). They seem almost antiviral(ˌantēˈvīrəl,ˌantī-) by design. For one, the videos are all untitled(ˌənˈtīdld). Each just uses the default filename provided by his camera, a code and a string of numbers. The current filenames (DSCNXXXX) suggest that at least one of his cameras is a Nikon(nīcän) Coolpix. And indeed, these are some cool pix(piks).

…
https://theoutline.com/post/7709/meet-the-man-who-has-spent-the-past-years-making-over-19000-videos-of-himself-feeding-cats

The Practice of Listening to Find Purpose

“Let yourself be silently(ˈsīləntlē) drawn(drôn) by the strange pull of what you really love. It will not lead(led,lēd) you astray(əˈstrā).” ~Rumi

By Leo Babauta

Very often, our lives are so filled with busyness and distraction that we have no space to actually(ˈak(t)SH(o͞o)əlē) listen to what life is calling us to do.

Think about your day so far, and your day yesterday: how much of it was spent in busywork and distraction? Messaging, social media, videos and news, reading favorite websites, answering emails and doing errands(ˈerənd), replying and reacting.

In the middle of this craziness(ˈkrāzēnəs), do we ever have space for silence? For creation, contemplation(ˌkäntəmˈplāSHən), reflection? And for a practice that I think we do too little of much of the time: listening.

The practice of listening is about creating a little space for silence, and then listening to what you need to do right now:

What have you committed to doing that you’re not doing?
Why is what you’re doing now important?
What do you need?
What do the people you care about need?
What are you being called on to do?
What would be the most impactful or meaningful thing you could do right now?
How do you want to spend the next month of your life?
What do you care most deeply about? Are you willing to commit yourself to it?

These are the kinds of questions to ask in this purposeful listening practice. But more important than the questions is how you listen:

Create some space by taking a break from devices and busyness. Stop and get somewhere where you can have stillness — a walk in nature, dropping into sitting meditation, dropping into child’s pose(pōz) on the floor, having a cup of tea, sitting out on your porch(pôrCH), finding a bench(benCH) in a park.
Now just find silence and stillness and ask a question. You can ask any of the questions above, or whatever feels important for you right now. One of my favorites is, “What am I being called to do right now?”
Keep yourself in that stillness and silence, and listen for the answer. Breathe(brēT͟H) deeply. Feel how your body feels right now. And then listen to the answer that comes up for you. Your gut(gət) has an answer. Maybe it’s not the perfect answer, but it’s something to start with. Listen until you have clarity(ˈklerədē).

It’s that simple. Pause in a moment of stillness and silence. Ask a question. Listen for the answer.

This can be used in all areas(ˈe(ə)rēə) of your life: your relationships, your health, your finances(fəˈnans,ˈfīnans), your work, your meaningful contribution to the world.

How can you practice this throughout the day?

https://zenhabits.net/listening-to-purpose/

This is Water

By David(ˈdāvid) Foster(ˈfäs-,ˈfôstər) Wallace(ˈwôləs)

Greetings(ˈɡrēdiNG) parents and congratulations(-ˌgrajə-,kənˌgraCHəˈlāSHən) to Kenyon’s graduating(ˈɡraj(ə)wət) class of 2005. There are these two young fish swimming along and they happen to meet an older fish swimming the other way, who nods(näd) at them and says “Morning, boys. How’s the water?” And the two young fish swim on for a bit, and then eventually one of them looks over at the other and goes “What the hell(hel) is water?”

This is a standard requirement of US commencement(kəˈmensmənt) speeches(spēCH), the deployment of didactic(dīˈdaktik) little parable(ˈparəbəl)-ish stories. The story thing turns out to be one of the better, less bullshitty(bo͝olˈSHidē) conventions of the genre(ˈZHänrə), but if you’re worried that I plan to present myself here as the wise(wīz), older fish explaining what water is to you younger fish, please don’t be. I am not the wise old fish. The point of the fish story is merely(ˈmi(ə)rlē) that the most obvious, important realities(rēˈalədē) are often the ones that are hardest to see and talk about. Stated(ˈstādəd) as an English sentence(ˈsentns), of course, this is just a banal(-ˈnäl,bəˈnal,ˈbānl) platitude(ˈpladəˌt(y)o͞od), but the fact is that in the day to day trenches(trenCH) of adult(əˈdəlt,ˈadˌəlt) existence(igˈzistəns), banal platitudes can have a life or death importance, or so I wish to suggest to you on this dry and lovely morning.

…
https://fs.blog/2012/04/david-foster-wallace-this-is-water/

Happy Mid-Autumn(ˈôdəm) Festival

Today is Mid-Autumn Festival, which I know is traditionally a day of family reunion(rēˈyo͞onyən) in China. Today is a day of family reunion for me, because my parents arrive this afternoon from the United States.

My parents have visited China four times before. The first time was for a couple(ˈkəpəl) of weeks before I took a junior(ˈjo͞onyər) year abroad(əˈbrôd) at Tsinghua; the second was when we got married in 2004; the third was in 2009 when they stayed with us and learned Chinese for a month; and the fourth was shortly after our first son was born. This time they are coming to meet our second son, and also to visit my parents-in-law in southern(ˈsəT͟Hərn) China.

I know that some people don’t get excited about holidays, but they mean a lot to me, especially the holidays involving families coming together. I have so many wonderful memories of family gatherings(ˈgaT͟HəriNG) over Thanksgiving and Christmas when I was a child, and those gatherings still mean very much to me. In some ways they mean more now that we have children of our own.

It can be hard to prioritize(prīˈôrəˌtīz) family gatherings, especially when family lives far away. Since my parents live in the US and my wife’s parents live in southern China, this is definitely(ˈdef(ə)nətlē) the case for us. Still, though, we do our best to make it home for Christmas and Chinese New Year, even if it’s not possible every year.

Mid-Autumn Festival isn’t a festival that I grew up celebrating, but I’m grateful that we are able to celebrate it with my parents this year.

My old clothes(klō(T͟H)z) don’t fit(fit)

By Derek Sivers

I was uncomfortable(-ˈkəmftərbəl,ˌənˈkəmfərtəbəl), unhappy, and restless(ˈres(t)ləs). I didn’t want to meet new people, because I felt I was giving the wrong impression. Something wasn’t right. It took me months to figure out the real problem: My clothes don’t fit anymore!

Once I realized this, I had to decide what new clothes would fit the new me. Like many of us, I looked to the style of glamorous(ˈglamərəs) and successful people. I should wear(we(ə)r) what they wear since it works so well for them. I tried on many of their outfits, but nothing fit. That was really disappointing, because I thought that’s why they share their choices with the world — so we can do what they do. I thought it would be that easy.

Eventually, after a lot of searching, I found clothes that are just my size. But I couldn’t get them on! There was no room at all. I’m embarrassed(emˈbarəst) to say I overlooked something obvious(ˈäbvēəs). I was trying to wear new clothes on top of the old ones. I didn’t realize I had to completely remove my old clothes before putting on something new.

It was easy to take off my old clothes for a few days, but just having them around made it too easy to put them on again. They were so comfortable! I’d been wearing these things for so many years that they really became my identity(ˌīˈden(t)ədē). If you put my old clothes on a mannequin(ˈmanəkən), it would look like me. What does that say about me, then? We are what we wear? Clothes make the man?

So, I had to completely discard them. It was sad — I thought those clothes would last forever. I documented(ˈdäkyəmənt) them for archive’s sake(sāk,ˈsäkē), then gave them away. I’m glad someone else can use them.

In this transition, before I put on my new clothes, I’m naked(ˈnākid).

It feels weird(wi(ə)rd). I’m surprised I’m allowed to go out like this.

Old friends hardly notice, but new people I meet are confused and can’t tell why I’m not wearing something. An outfit would show them how I can help. (And that’s all most people want to know.)

A power suit would show I can help their business.
A monk’s(məNGk) robe(rōb) would imply(imˈplī) I could help their soul(sōl).
Explorer’s(ikˈsplôrər) gear(gi(ə)r) would prove I could lead(lēd) an adventure.
A clown(kloun) costume(ˈkäsˌt(y)o͞om) might at least make them laugh.

But nothing at all? They probably can’t use me for anything.

I get invited(inˈvīt) to speak at events(əˈvent), but it’s clear that they really just want the outfit I used to wear. I explain that it doesn’t fit, but they’re upset that I won’t put it on just one more time.

Don’t worry — I’m not going to be a nudist(ˈn(y)o͞odəst) now. That’s inconsiderate(ˌinkənˈsid(ə)rət) to almost everyone. I’ll put on my new clothes soon.

But I’m just sharing this story in case your discomfort(disˈkəmfərt) might just be that your old clothes don’t fit anymore.

https://sivers.org/clothes

UNC-Chapel(ˈCHapəl) Hill(hil) Student Groups

At UNC-Chapel Hill, we think the best education includes finding ways to explore(ikˈsplôr) your passions(ˈpaSHən).

You won’t have to look too far to find a student group that matches your interests. Clubs here focus on topics such as music or computer science(ˈsīəns) or politics(ˈpäləˌtiks) or sustainability(səˌstānəˈbilədē) and so much more.

Discover the unique opportunities Carolina(ˌkarəˈlīnə) has to offer. Go, have fun!

Celebrating(ˈseləˌbrāt) the arts
Interested in the arts? There’s a student group waiting for you. Carolina is home to clubs that focus on everything from music to dance to comedy(ˈkämədē) to crafts(kraft).

In particular(pə(r)ˈtikyələr), Carolina boasts(bōst) nearly a dozen a cappella(kəˈpalə) groups with styles(stīl) ranging from R&B and pop hits(hit) to religious(rəˈlijəs) and Asian(ˈāZHən) fusion(ˈfyo͞oZHən). Groups have become a staple(ˈstāpəl) of Carolina traditions with performances at Convocation(ˌkänvəˈkāSHən), Sunset Serenade(ˌserəˈnād) and Commencement(kəˈmensmənt).

The University’s first a cappella group, the Clef(klef) Hangers(ˈhaNGər), formed more than four decades ago and led(led) the way for groups like the Harmonyx and many others.

Staying active
Carolina’s varsity(ˈvärsədē) athletes(ˈaTHˌlēt) aren’t the only ones representing(ˌreprəˈzent) the Tar(tär) Heels(hēl) on the field.

Through athletic(ˌaTH(ə)ˈledik)-focused student groups and Campus Recreation’s Sport Clubs program, thousands of students compete(kəmˈpēt) in Carolina blue on the weekends. From soccer(ˈsäkər) and ice hockey(ˈhäkē) to quidditch and ballroom dancing, the teams play at some of the highest levels of their sports.

Supporting the community
Tar Heels give back. Heel Life hosts a plethora(ˈpleTHərə) of service-based organizations so students can find ways to make a positive difference in their communities.

Here are just a few examples: Carolina For The Kids has raised(rāzd) nearly $6 million for the UNC Children’s Hospital through its annual(ˈanyo͞oəl) Dance Marathon(ˈmarəˌTHän) and Music Empowerment provides free music classes to young community members.

https://www.unc.edu/story/find-your-place-at-carolina/