Music

August 5th, 2011 → 7:13 am

“To know the cause why music was ordain’d!  Was it not to refresh the mind of man after his studies or his usual pain?” – The Taming of the Shrew

Recently I was given an H2O audio for my iPod shuffle.  It lets you listen to music underwater while you swim.  I notice the reviews of the product are hit or miss – some people give it a 5 star, some a 1 star, few a moderate rating inbetween – but my H2O audio is great.  Listening to music (or, sometimes, podcasts) somehow makes swimming laps lighter, faster, and easier.  What is the magic of music that makes this happen?

Filed under: Blog & Other & Self/My Life

Minority Youth Program

August 4th, 2011 → 7:02 am

“Was not that nobly done?  Ay, and wisely too.” – Macbeth

I read this morning that Mayor Michael Bloomberg is using $30 million of his own fortune to prop up a plan to aid minority youth in New York.  I am so impressed.  I teach at an urban university, and one of the things I notice, every single semester that I teach, is the relative lack  of minorities (men, in particular, which the program targets) in the classroom.  Where are all the beautiful black and Latino boys?  It really sticks out, their absence.  Programs to improve opportunities for minorities at an early age, like the program Bloomberg is supporting, are extremely important.  After all the negative news about budget deals, murdering mothers, and mideast dictators, it was nice to read such a positive story this morning.

Filed under: Blog & Other

Interconnectedness of Life

July 30th, 2011 → 7:01 am

“A man may fish with the worm that hath eat of a king, and eat of the fist that hath fed of that worm.” – Hamlet

I just like this quote.  It reminds me that we are all connected.  It reminds me that even kings end up as fishbait.  It reminds me that nature is cyclical and our earth a wonder.  Happy start of the weekend, by the way!

Filed under: Blog & Other

Humility

July 28th, 2011 → 7:02 am

“The blessedness of being little.” – King Henry VIII

Anyone who knows me knows that I am small (less than 5′!), but this quote rang true for me for its applicability to mental ego as well as physical stature.  If only there was more humility in the world, then maybe the budget negotiations in Congress wouldn’t be so crazy, maybe the petty fights at work wouldn’t happen as often, and maybe the personal grudges amongst kin would disappear.  If only more people were little the world would be, if not a better place, I imagine maybe a smoother place?

Filed under: Blog & Other

Catharsis

July 26th, 2011 → 7:25 am

“Sorrow concealed, like an oven stopp’d, doth burn the heart to cinders where it is.” – Titus Andronicus

My husband and I watched the film Antwone Fisher last night (we both ended up in tears).  One of the things it reminded me of was the power of catharsis, often helped along through the aid of a good psychologist (my mother was a psychologist, and the movie also reminded me very much of her).  I had a sound disagreement with my Aunt once, who told me that a person should never voice their hurts and their feelings because it’ll just make other people feel bad.  I have never disagreed with anything more.  As the quote above eloquently states, sorrow concealed only does damage in the end.

Filed under: Blog & Literature/Theatre/Art & Other

Heat

July 23rd, 2011 → 7:08 am

“Why, this is very midsummer madness.” – Twelfth Night

I couldn’t decide this morning whether I wanted to write about the Midwest’s record-breaking heat wave, or the incomprehensible budget talks in Washington.  And then, I came across this quote that applied equally well to both!  I can’t believe this unyielding 100+ degree heat, and as well, I can’t believe the infantile behavior of our politicians in Washington.  Sigh.  I pray both trends break soon…

Filed under: Blog & Other & Politics/Politicians

Megan Fox

July 22nd, 2011 → 7:38 am

    “We’ll live,
    And pray, and sing, and tell old tales, and laugh
    At gilded butterflies.” – King Lear

I just found out that Transformers movie star Megan Fox has this Shakespeare quote on her right shoulder.  Actually, she has “We will all laugh at gilded butterflies” tattoed on her shoulder, which is a bit different, but still.  Apparently it is to remind her not to become caught up in the Hollywood scene, not to become a “gilded butterfly,” pretty, but weighed down and unable to fly.  Not a bad tattoo!

Filed under: Blog & Other

Mondays

July 18th, 2011 → 8:11 am

“To business that we love we rise betime, And go to’t with delight.” – Antony & Cleopatra

It’s Monday.  I’m tired from the weekend.  I’d rather turn around and crawl back into bed.  If you feel like I do, here’s hoping you at least like your job, so rising on Monday morning and getting to it, if not a “delight,” at least isn’t half bad.  😉

Filed under: Blog & Other

Summer Heat

July 11th, 2011 → 7:56 am

“Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines.” – Sonnet 18

There is an extreme heat advisory in St. Louis today.  It is supposed to top 100 degrees, with a heat index approaching 117.  I noticed last night, at around 10:30 p.m. it was 95 degrees!  At 10:30 p.m.!  Stay cool everyone…

Filed under: Blog & Other

4th of July

July 4th, 2011 → 7:11 am

“Liberty!  Freedom!  Tyranny is dead!” – Julius Caesar

I’ve been rather negative in this blog so far, on politicians, the economy, people.  So I decided it was about time to show a little positivity!  America does a lot of things wrong – and god knows I’ll continue commenting on them in future blog posts - but in truth, it does even more right.  Happy 4th of July everyone!  Whoop Whoop!

Filed under: Blog & Other