Sometimes, poetry(ˈpōitrē,ˈpōətrē) is the best therapy(ˈTHerəpē) I can find

By Frank Buchar

Instead of opioids(ˈōpēˌoid), cannabis(ˈkanəbəs) or any other mind-altering(ˈôltər) substance(ˈsəbstəns), a personally(ˈpərsənəlē) chosen(ˈCHōzən) selection of poetry or poetic(pōˈetik) prose(prōz), committed(kəˈmitid) to memory, can have great therapeutic(ˌTHerəˈpyo͞otik) value. It’s not a quick fix. It’s much better than that. It has staying power. The great poets(ˈpōit,ˈpōət) and philosophers(fəˈläsəfər) are among the best company I can imagine, offering solace(ˈsäləs) and comfort that can at times be greater even than the words of your best friend.

I’ve always thought that in memorizing(ˈmeməˌrīz) a poem(pōm,ˈpōim,ˈpōəm) and reciting(rəˈsīt) it aloud, you are tracing(ˈtrāsiNG), in your own brain(brān), the same neural(ˈn(y)o͝orəl) pathways(ˈpaTHˌwā) that the writer(ˈrīdər) experienced(ikˈspi(ə)rēənst) in the finished creation. While there’s not enough space here to share entire masterpieces of surprise(sə(r)ˈprīz) and delight(dəˈlīt), I can offer snippets(ˈsnipit) from them, and I think you’ll get my point.

The poetic prose(prōz) of ancient(ˈānCHənt) Chinese philosopher(fəˈläsəfər) Zhuangzi, for example, is a stunning(ˈstəniNG) piece of compressed(kəmˈpres) thought and meaning with a deft(deft) touch of humour(ˈ(h)yo͞omər): ”The fish trap(trap) exists because of the fish; once you’ve gotten the fish, you can forget the trap. The rabbit(ˈrabət) snare(sne(ə)r) exists because of the rabbit; once you’ve gotten the rabbit, you can forget the snare. Words exist because of meaning; once you’ve gotten the meaning, you can forget the words. Where can I find a man who has forgotten words, so I can have a word with him?”

Whatever assails(əˈsāl) or assaults(əˈsôlt) you, counter it with a drugless sally(ˈsalē). Cannabis can’t compete(kəmˈpēt) with the contained(kənˈtān) emotions(iˈmōSHən) of a great poet. Once you’ve decided(dəˈsīdəd) what the poem says to you, commit it to memory and say it aloud. That’s the best way to make it yours. The important thing is to select the poems(pōm,ˈpōim,ˈpōəm) that speak to your heart, that strike(strīk) a chord(kôrd).

Take this epitaph(ˈepəˌtaf) found in Boothill Cemetery(ˈseməˌterē) in Tombstone(ˈto͞omˌstōn), Ariz.(ˌarəˈzōnə) Cowboy(ˈkouˌboi) country. It speaks to living an authentic(ôˈTHentik) life: “Be what you is, cuz(kəz) if you be what you ain’t(ānt), then you ain’t what you is.”

…
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/first-person/article-sometimes-poetry-is-the-best-therapy-i-can-find/

Meet(mēt) the man behind(bəˈhīnd) a third of what’s on Wikipedia(wikəˈpēdēə)

By CBS News

Steven Pruitt has made nearly 3 million(ˈmilyən) edits(ˈedit) on Wikipedia and written 35,000 original(əˈrijənl) articles(ˈärdək(ə)l). It’s earned him not only accolades(-ˌläd,ˈakəˌlād) but almost legendary(ˈlejənˌderē) status(ˈstādəs, ˈstadəs) on the internet.

The online encyclopedia(enˌsīkləˈpēdēə) now boasts(bōst) more than 5.7 million articles in English and millions more translated(transˈlāt,tranz-) into other languages – all written by online volunteers(ˌvälənˈtir). Pruitt was named one of the most influential(ˌinflo͞oˈenCHəl) people on the internet by Time magazine(ˈmagəˌzēn,ˌmagəˈzēn) in part because one-third of all English language articles on Wikipedia have been edited by Steven. An incredible(inˈkredəbəl) feat(fēt), ignited(igˈnīt) by a fascination(ˌfasəˈnāSHən) with his own history.

Pruitt is deeply obsessed(əbˈses) with history, and his love of opera(ˈäp(ə)rə) inspired(inˈspīrd) his Wikipedia username: Ser Amantio Di Nicolao, his favorite opera character(ˈkariktər).

“My first article was about Peter(ˈpēdər) Francisco, who was my great great great great great great grandfather … and if we had an hour I could probably(ˈpräblē,ˈpräbəblē) go into the full story,” Pruitt said. “He was a sergeant(ˈsärjənt) in arms in the Virginia(vərˈjinyə) Senate(ˈsenət) and there’s kidnapping(ˈkidˌnap), potential(pəˈten(t)SHəl) piracy(ˈpīrəsē). If you read the story you would not believe any of it happened.”

Still living with his parents in the home he grew up in, Pruitt has always remained(riˈmān) true to his interests.

“I think for a long time there was an attitude(ˈadəˌt(y)o͞od) of, ‘That’s nice, dear. The boy’s crazy. I don’t know why he wastes(wāst) his time, the boy’s crazy,’” Pruitt said of what his parents think of his volunteer gig(gig).

That may have changed when Time magazine named him one of the top 25 most influential people on the internet, alongside President Trump(trəmp), J.K. Rowling(ˈrouliNG) and Kim Kardashian West.

…
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/meet-the-man-behind-a-third-of-whats-on-wikipedia/

Ask yourself questions(ˈkwesCHən), then question your answers.

By Derek Sivers

Whether(ˈ(h)weT͟Hər) in your daily diary, or the “Thoughts On” journals, I find the single most useful thing has been using it as a place to ask myself questions, and answer them.

If I’m planning(ˈplaniNG) on doing something, I ask myself what I hope to get out of it, why, and whether there are other ways to get what I want.

When I’m feeling conflicted(ˈkänˌflikt), especially(iˈspeSHəlē), I’ll ask myself a bunch of questions to work through my feelings, looking for the source of the conflict, then ask myself more questions around the clash(klaSH) in values, and work through other alternate(ˈôltərˌnāt) ways I’d like things to be.

I answer with my initial(iˈniSHəl) thought first, but then question it afterwards with skepticism(ˈskeptəˌsizəm), and consider different perspectives. I hear this is similar to cognitive(ˈkägnətiv) behavioral therapy(ˈTHerəpē) — and I’ve been meaning to learn more about that. But whatever you call it, I think it’s been the single most important thing to my intellectual(ˌintlˈekCHo͞oəl) and emotional(əˈmōSH(ə)n(ə)l) development(dəˈveləpmənt).

Almost all the thoughts I have on any subject are the result of writing in my diary and journals, then questioning myself and working through alternate ways of thinking about it, and finally returning to the subject days or months later with a clear head and updated thoughts, seeing how they’ve changed or not over time.

I hope it helps you too.

https://sivers.org/dj

Begin with the attitude(ˈadəˌt(y)o͞od) of expecting(ikˈspekt) mastery(ˈmast(ə)rē).

By Steve Pavlina

Whenever you attempt to learn something new, go into it with the expectation(ˌekspekˈtāSHən) that you’re eventually(əˈven(t)SH(o͞o)əlē) going to master it, however long that will take. Expect to become an expert. Think of yourself as a top pro(prō) in training.

If you’re learning to play golf(gälf,gôlf), think of yourself as a future professional(prəˈfeSHənl) golfer. If you’re learning leadership skills, see yourself as a future world leader. If you’re learning martial(ˈmärSHəl) arts, imagine you’re the next Bruce Lee. It doesn’t matter if you ever actually achieve mastery. That’s not the point. The point is that focusing(ˈfōkəs) on the goal of ultimate(ˈəltəmit) mastery will sharpen(ˈSHärpən) your present focus. If you imagine that someday you’re going to be leading your country, you’re going to pay a lot more attention to learning how to lead and manage(ˈmanij) people on small projects.

When I started to learn public speaking, I began with the expectation that I’d eventually be one of the top speakers in the world, even if it would take me decades to get there. This gave me a context(ˈkänˌtekst) for working really hard on the basics(ˈbāsik) over the past year because a top pro must be able to handle the basics nearly flawlessly(ˈflôləslē).

Another way to apply(əˈplī) this idea is to imagine that you’ll eventually have to teach whatever you learn to someone else. If that works better for you, great — use it.

https://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/03/master-the-basics/

How Long Is a Day on Saturn(ˈsadərn)?

The answer was hiding(ˈhīdiNG) in the planet’s(ˈplanət) rings.

By Nadia Drake

For decades, it was a nagging(ˈnagiNG) mystery(ˈmist(ə)rē) — how long does a day last on Saturn?

Earth pirouettes(ˌpirəˈwet) around its axis(ˈaksəs) once every 24 hours or so, while Jupiter(ˈjo͞opədər) spins(spin) comparatively(kəmˈperədivlē) briskly(ˈbrisklē), once in roughly(ˈrəflē) 9.8 Earth-hours. And then there is Venus(ˈvēnəs), a perplexingly(pərˈpleksiNG) sluggish(ˈsləgiSH) spinner(ˈspinər) that takes 243 Earth-days to complete(kəmˈplēt) a full rotation(rōˈtāSHən).

With Saturn, it turns out the answer rippled(ˈripəl) in plain(plān) view, in the planet’s lustrous(ˈləstrəs) rings.

After reading small, spiraling(ˈspīrəl) waves(wāv) in those bands, sculpted(skəlpt) by oscillations(ˌäsəˈlāSHən) from Saturn’s gravity(ˈɡravədē), scientists reported this month in the Astrophysical(ˌastrōˈfiziks) Journal(ˈjərnl) that one Saturnian(səˈtərnēən) day is a mere(mi(ə)r) 10 hours, 33 minutes and 38 seconds long, measured(ˈmeZHərd) in Earth time.

“The rings are not only beautiful, they’re very diagnostic(ˌdīəgˈnästik) of what’s going on inside the planet,” said Linda Spilker, project scientist for NASA’s(ˈnasə) Cassini mission(ˈmiSHən), which studied Saturn for more than a decade.

Saturn has been stubbornly(ˈstəbərnlē) secretive(ˈsēkritiv) about its days. Its buttery(ˈbətərē) clouds(kloud) don’t bear helpful markings that scientists might use to track(trak) the planet’s rotation, and they can’t easily use its nearly vertical(ˈvərdək(ə)l) magnetic(magˈnetik) axis — as they have for Jupiter’s more off-kilter(ˈkiltər) alignment(əˈlīnmənt) — to gather clues(klo͞o) about the planet’s interior(inˈti(ə)rēər).

Scientists long relied on other, ultimately(ˈəltəmitlē) misleading(misˈlēdiNG) clues to figure out how fast the ringed world turns. Not until the Cassini(kəsini) spacecraft(ˈspāsˌkraft) swooped(swo͞op), flipped and twirled(twərl) through the Saturn system did scientists realize that the answer was outside the planet itself, etched(eCH) into its icy(ˈīsē) rings.

…
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/25/science/saturn-day-length.html

1000 Days

By John(jän) Gordon

Today is the 1000th day of our Morning Reading Club. For one thousand days, I’ve shared a new recording with you each and every day. There were a couple of days when the recording was late, and there was even one day when I re-recorded a passage(ˈpasij) that I forgot I’d recorded before, but I never missed a day, and I’m proud of that.

The first recording was done on top of an AirBnB in Kyoto(kēˈōtō), Japan. I was looking out over the city as I recorded, and you could hear the sounds of the city. I’ve made recordings in dozens of cities across the world since then. Hopefully the recording quality has gotten better over time!

I started the Morning Reading Club nearly three years ago based on a simple idea: learning English is simple but not easy, and providing learners(ˈlərnər) with a passage to practice each day would help people move towards their goal of improving their English. I still deeply believe that, and I’m very grateful for the community that has grown up around the club.

Thank you for practicing, thank you for your comments(ˈkämˌent) and messages, and thank you for sharing my articles with your friends so that more people can benefit from the practice we do here!

Remember, the key to learning English is being able to answer yes to the following question: Did you practice English today?

I hope that our Morning Reading Club can help you answer “yes” on more days than not. Keep up the good work!

https://j.youzan.com/7HS6q9

The Enchanted(enˈCHant) Hour: The Miraculous(məˈrakyələs) Power of Reading(ˈrēdiNG) Aloud(əˈloud) in the Age of Distraction(dəˈstrakSH(ə)n)

By Meghan Cox Gurdon

Introduction

The time we spend reading aloud is like no other time. A miraculous alchemy(ˈalkəmē) takes place when one person reads to another, one that converts the ordinary stuff of life—a book, a voice, a place to sit, and a bit of time—into astonishing(əˈstäniSHiNG) fuel(ˈfyo͞oəl) for the heart, the mind, and the imagination.

“We let down our guard when someone we love is reading us a story,” the novelist(ˈnävəlist) Kate(ā) DiCamillo once told me. “We exist(igˈzist) together in a little patch(paCH) of warmth(wôrmTH) and light.”

She’s right about that, and explorations(ˌekspləˈrāSHən) in brain(brān) and behavioral(bəˈhāvyərəl) science are beginning to yield(yēld) thrilling(THril
) insights into why. It’s no coincidence(-ˌdens,kōˈinsədəns) that these discoveries are coming during a paradigm(ˈparəˌdīm) shift in the way we live. The technology that allows us to observe(əbˈzərv) the inner workings of the human brain is of a piece(pēs) with the same technology that baffles(ˈbafəl) and addles(ˈadl) and seems to be reshaping(ˌrēˈSHāp) the brain. In a culture undergoing what’s been called “the big disconnect(ˌdiskəˈnekt),” many of us are grappling(ˈgrapliNG) with the effects of screens and devices, machines that enhance our lives and at the same time make it harder to concentrate(ˈkänsənˌtrāt) and to retain(riˈtān) what we’ve seen and read, and alarmingly(əˈlärmiNGlē) easy to be only half present even with the people we love most. In this distracted age, we need to change our understanding of what reading aloud is, and what it can do. It is not just a simple, cozy(ˈkōzē), nostalgic(näˈstaljik,nə-) pastime that can be taken up or dropped without consequence(-ˌkwens,ˈkänsikwəns). It needs to be recognized(ˈrekigˌnīz,ˈrekə(g)ˌnīz) as the dazzlingly(ˈdaz(ə)liNG) transformative(tran(t)sˈfôrmədiv) and even countercultural act that it is.

For babies and small children, with their fast-growing brains, there is simply nothing else like it. For that reason, I’ve devoted(dəˈvōdəd) a substantial(səbˈstan(t)SHəl) proportion(prəˈpôrSHən) of this book to the young. They respond in the most immediately consequential(ˌkänsəˈkwenCHəl) ways when someone reads to them, and as a result they are the subject of most research on the topic. As we shall(SHal) see, listening to stories while looking at pictures stimulates(ˈstimyəˌlāt) children’s deep brain networks, fostering(ˈfäs-,ˈfôstər) their optimal(ˈäptəməl) cognitive(ˈkägnətiv) development. Further, the companionable(kəmˈpanyənəbəl) experience of shared reading cultivates(ˈkəltəˌvāt) empathy(ˈempəTHē), dramatically(drəˈmadəklē) accelerates(akˈseləˌrāt) young children’s language acquisition(ˌakwəˈziSHən), and vaults(vôlt) them ahead of their peers when they get to school. The rewards of `early reading are astonishingly(əˈstäniSHiNGlē) meaningful: toddlers(ˈtädlər) who have lots of stories read to them turn into children who are more likely to enjoy strong relationships, sharper(ˈSHärpər) focus, and greater emotional(iˈmōSHənəl) resilience(rəˈzilyəns) and self-mastery(ˈmast(ə)rē). The evidence has become so overwhelming that social scientists now consider read-aloud time one of the most important indicators(ˈindəˌkādər) of a child’s prospects(ˈpräsˌpekt) in life.

It would be a mistake, though, to relegate(ˈreləˌgāt) reading aloud solely(ˈsōl(l)ē) to the realm(relm) of childhood.

…
https://www.amazon.cn/dp/0349422958/

The Best Things I’ve Learned About Raising(rāz) Children(ˈCHildrən)

By Leo Babauta

I don’t consider myself a parenting(ˈpar-,ˈpe(ə)rənt) expert(ˈekˌspərt), but I have helped raise six kids (along with their mothers), and being a father has been one of the most rewarding(riˈwôrdiNG) things in my life.

And while I’m not a perfect father, I think I’m pretty(ˈpridē) good at it. Mostly because I absolutely love it.

Eva and I also have some slightly(ˈslītlē) non-conventional(kənˈvenCHənl) parenting ideas that might be useful to parents who are always looking for new ways of thinking about things.

So I’m going to share the best things I’ve learned about raising children, not because my way is the best, but because it’s always helpful to have a discussion(dəˈskəSH(ə)n) about parenting.

A really important note: Much of the work of parenting, if not most, was done by my kids’ moms (my wife Eva and my first two kids’ mom). I can only take a little credit(ˈkredit).

Here are some of the best things I’ve learned:

Your main job is just to love them.

Don’t hover — let them fall sometimes.

Harsh(härSH) disciplinarian(ˌdisəpləˈnerēən) methods are more hurtful(ˈhərtfəl) than helpful.

Reading to them regularly is one of the best things I’ve ever done.

Let them direct their own learning.

But give them fun challenges and encourage them to try new things.

Teach them to do things on their own, early.

Let them take charge of things or participate(pärˈtisəˌpāt) in work when you can.

Try a democratic(ˌdeməˈkratik) process of decision(dəˈsiZHən)-making.

Practice mindfulness with them.

The main(mān) way you teach them is by your example.

Don’t pretend(priˈtend) like you know everything.

Admit(ədˈmit) when you’re wrong.

Let them earn and pay for things early.

Don’t shield(SHēld) them from sex and drugs and technology.

It’s OK to hang out without them, and let them have separate time from you.

Parenting ain’t(ānt) over when they reach adulthood.

In the end, they will be the person they are. You don’t get to decide who that is.

I’m still learning. I still don’t know what the hell(hel) I’m doing. And yet, I hope some of what I’ve learned so far will help a few of you.

I love being a dad. It’s an incredible(inˈkredəbəl) privilege(ˈpriv(ə)lij), and one of the deepest joys in my life. Thank you kids. And moms.

https://zenhabits.net/childs/

Time

INT: A FUNERAL(ˈfyo͞on(ə)rəl) HOME

Patrick(ˈpatrik) is the funeral director(diˈrektər) at the funeral home that he owns.

PATRICK

They say that time is the great equalizer(ˈēkwəˌlīzər), but time is really aggressively(əˈɡresivlē) unequal(ˌənˈēkwəl), is it not? You look at redwoods(ˈredˌwo͝od) and tortoises(ˈtôrtəs) and even crocodiles(ˈkräkəˌdīl) that were indifferent to humanity((h)yo͞oˈmanədē) during the Civil(ˈsivəl) War and you see how they continue their endless, marching(märCH) crusade(kro͞oˈsād) of general ambivalence(amˈbivələns) even now. Time shines(SHīn) its light a bit more cruelly(ˈkro͞oəlē) on humanity. We start to show our wear(we(ə)r) and tear(te(ə)r,ti(ə)r) early. We strive(strīv) to preserve(priˈzərv) freshness and-barring(ˈbäriNG) that-we cling(kliNG) to the people and things that we believe give life meaning.

I have watched so many families come through these doors. I have washed(wäSH,wôSH) and dressed so many bodies. None of these people expect to end up here, not really. It’s a fear, but not a belief. There is no faith(fāTH) in death, although that may be the one thing you can have absolute(ˈabsəˌlo͞ot,ˌabsəˈlo͞ot) faith in.

I believe that the major(ˈmājər) religions(riˈlijən) understand this. I am a Christian(ˈkrisCHən), myself. It does not escape(əˈskāp) me that the finality(fīˈnalədē, fəˈnalədē) of death that I see at my job every day is heavily(ˈhevəlē) juxtaposed(ˈjəkstəˌpōz,ˌjəkstəˈpōz) by the idea of resurrection(ˌrezəˈrekSHən). The verse(vərs) I always come back to, though, is from the Book of Matthew(ˈmaTHyo͞o): “Are not two sparrows(ˈsparō) sold for a cent(sent)? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father(ˈfäT͟Hər).”

What a marvelous(ˈmärv(ə)ləs) take on death, is it not? Time is not kind to birds, who are given a few years on Earth and then die without anyone taking account of their accomplishments or the meaning of their lives. God does not keep them from dying, nor does he tally(ˈtalē) up their actions, good or bad; he simply watches them fall, and takes note.

I speak of the kindness of time, but that is merely(ˈmi(ə)rlē) more of the same human wishful(ˈwiSHfəl) thinking. Time, like the redwood, is indifferent to us and in that, I suppose, it does indeed make all of us equal(ˈēkwəl).

https://www.instantmonologues.com/preview/Time

University(ˌyo͞onəˈvərsədē) of Oxford(ˈäksfərd): Introduction(ˌintrəˈdəkSHən) and history

As the oldest university in the English-speaking world, Oxford is a unique(yo͞oˈnēk) and historic(-ˈstär-,hiˈstôrik) institution(ˌinstiˈt(y)o͞oSHən). There is no clear date of foundation, but teaching existed(igˈzist) at Oxford in some form in 1096 and developed rapidly(ˈrapədlē) from 1167, when Henry(ˈhenrē) II(the second) banned English students from attending the University of Paris(ˈperəs).

In 1188, the historian(hiˈstôrēən), Gerald of Wales(wālz), gave a public reading to the assembled(əˈsembəl) Oxford dons(dän) and in around 1190 the arrival(əˈrīvəl) of Emo(ˈēmō) of Friesland(ˈfrēzlənd), the first known overseas(ˈōvərˈsēz) student, set in motion the University’s tradition of international scholarly(ˈskälərlē) links. By 1201, the University was headed by a magister(ˈmajəstər) scholarum Oxonie, on whom the title of Chancellor(ˈCHans(ə)lər) was conferred(kənˈfər) in 1214, and in 1231 the masters were recognised(ˈrekigˌnīz,ˈrekə(g)ˌnīz) as a universitas or corporation(ˌkôrpəˈrāSHən).

In the 13th century, rioting(ˈrīət) between town and gown(goun) (townspeople and students) hastened(ˈhāsən) the establishment(əˈstabliSHmənt) of primitive(ˈprimətiv) halls(hôl) of residence(ˈrez(ə)dəns,ˈrezəˌdens). These were succeeded(səkˈsēd) by the first of Oxford’s colleges, which began as medieval(ˌmed(ē)ˈēvəl,ˌmid-,ˌmēd-) ‘halls of residence’ or endowed(enˈdou) houses under the supervision(ˌso͞opərˈviZHən) of a Master. University, Balliol and Merton Colleges, which were established between 1249 and 1264, are the oldest.

Less than a century later, Oxford had achieved eminence(ˈemənəns) above every other seat(sēt) of learning, and won the praises(prāz) of popes(pōp), kings and sages(sāj) by virtue(ˈvərCHo͞o) of its antiquity(anˈtikwədē), curriculum(kəˈrikyələm), doctrine(ˈdäktrin) and privileges(ˈpriv(ə)lij). In 1355, Edward(ˈedwərd) III paid(pād) tribute(ˈtribyo͞ot) to the University for its invaluable contribution to learning; he also commented(ˈkäment) on the services rendered to the state by distinguished Oxford graduates(ˈɡraj(ə)wət).

https://www.ox.ac.uk/about/organisation/history