Showing posts with label Life. Show all posts

1/25/20

Always go too far

7/15/18

Literacy is a fundamental human right.

A couple of years ago, I got good and pissed reading the following headline:

State of Michigan says literacy is not a fundamental right

Really, State of Michigan, really? Tell me more about your talent problem.

Sadly, we have fools at the federal judicial level (I'm looking at you, Judge Stephen Murphy III) who agree with the goons in Lansing. Here is the headline that got me fired up more recently, about the very same issue:

Federal judge dismisses suit over literacy rights in Detroit

Um, what now?

Let's think about this. If we as Americans believe in unalienable rights like Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness, than how does one expect to improve their life, be liberated from the bonds of ignorance and be happy without knowing how to read or write, pray tell?

Life
How can you be safe if you can't read? If you can't read street signs and you turn the wrong way? You can't read ingredients to avoid the one you're deathly allergic to? Dispute a billing error? How can you use the power of tools like books, the internet and, frankly, instructions, if you cannot read? How do you apply for jobs if you cannot read and write? How do you read stories to your children?

Liberty
How do you know the law, the rules of society? How do you know your rights without being able to read? How can you gain skills that get you a better job, liberating you from poverty, if you cannot read and write? How do you accurately do your taxes and make sure you are abiding by other laws to stay out jail? You know what the founding fathers did? They WROTE the Declaration of Independence.

Pursuit of Happiness
Ignorance is not bliss. Who the hell said that? Why would people proudly tout that they are ignorant? Why would anyone be proud to pass along that kind of attitude to their children? How do you read stories that you relate to? How do you select something new and delicious off the menu? When you ignore the world - complex issues, art, different cultures, politics, poetry, whatever - you do not give yourself the chance for a meaningful life. And when you can't read, you have talking heads feeding you those issues with their spin and their agenda. You don't need spin. You don't need to be part of other people's agenda. You have your own mind and you need your own voice.

So anyway, LITERACY IS A FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN RIGHT. There is nothing anyone can tell me to think otherwise. This is not a debatable issue for me. People can transform their lives and the lives of their families through reading and writing. I can see why people in power would not like that. As I think of this, I think of the activist Assata Shakur's quote:

“No one is going to give you the education you need to overthrow them. Nobody is going to teach you your true history, teach you your true heroes, if they know that that knowledge will help set you free.”

Read.

Write.

Let knowledge set you and your family free from whatever it is that has you in chains.

Related links:

1/8/18

The "Why" Statement

Why do I do what I do?

Is it to collect a paycheck? No, but that is a benefit of what I do.
Is it because I'm a total UM fan girl? No, but that helps.
Is it due to the experience that I had? That others had? Now we're getting somewhere.

The reason that I do what I do for a living is to change peoples lives for the better through education. Whether I'm wearing my fundraiser hat or my librarian hat, my goal is to empower and transform people through education.

This might seem broad, but it's actually the very core of why I do what I do. I have been changed and transformed by the experiences and knowledge gained at UM-Dearborn. Many have. It is critical to me that others are able to unlock their own potential. In my heart and soul, I believe that UM-Dearborn and the library are where that can happen.

I came back to this today because I returned to work after a LONG vacation and I just needed to get myself pumped up. My break was wonderful and even though I love my work, there's always a pinch of dread having to again wake up again at an early hour and get back to the grind. I am in a class right now and one of the instructors suggested to go back to your why statement for this and other reasons, such as:

Addressing something at work frustrates you
The need to prioritize your to-do list
Having a low-energy day

What is your why statement? I recommend trying to write it out. My first draft was full of drivel and tangents, but after refining and being true to myself and my goals, that's at the core of what kind of work I choose to do in this short life.

6/21/17

Greatness.

The surest sign of greatness is lifting others up.

6/14/17

Truth.

5/24/17

Work according to Studs

"Work is about a search for daily meaning as well as daily bread, for recognition as well as cash, for astonishment rather than torpor; in short, for a sort of life rather than a Monday through Friday sort of dying."

~ Studs Terkel

7/3/16

Book Review: Getting Things Done

Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity by David Allen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this book a lot, even though there were some rough patches. By page 40, I actually put the book down and started implementing some of the common sense tactics that David Allen describes. He does mention that he repeats a lot and while that's true, I felt that helped. The Getting Things Done (GTD) system is really, really great. Once I started practicing the method, I noticed better results, less stress and more control over my work.

One thing I will share is that while I gave this four stars, I think a lot of people might find it boring. Even I was a little bored at some parts and I LOVE reading about productivity. It's a really great system and if you can keep with it, I do suggest finishing it, because there are a couple really strong chapters at the end.

View all my reviews

Some notes:

Choose one project that is new or stuck or could simply use some improvement. Think of your purpose. Think of what a successful outcome would look like ... Brainstorm potential steps. Organize your ideas. Decide on next actions. Are you any clearer about where you want to go and how to get there? p. 63
"I always wanted to be somebody. I should have been more specific." ~Lily Tomlin p. 71
The more novel the situation, the more control required. p. 188
Checklists at all levels: job duties, annual goals, weekly reviews, training, people to stay in touch with, year end (FY and CY). p. 189
Get clear, current or creative. p. 195
Things that have your attention need your intention engaged. p. 268
You can create the right placeholder for any type of potentially meaningful data. p. 294

5/15/16

Hello, again. Let's upgrade.

Life is wild. It really is. I will spare you the details of the craziest ~4 years of my life. Instead, I want to share what I have been inspired to do because of all those trials:

Writing to live. I have returned to writing in a lot of different ways. I have a personal journal, a work journal and a learning journal. I write appeals and those are really, really taking me back to my journalism roots - be factual, be compelling, be genuine. I am in the process of writing a FY17 plan, helping me back to my management roots, which is an exhilarating feeling. Writing, all of my writing in the last months, has been cleansing. The act of writing calms me down. It helps me learn. It helps me work through problems. Writing is life.
Reading: books, blogs, articles -- all the reading. Well, I'm like a million books behind schedule already, but I'm trying my hardest and the reading I'm doing is helping me with my writing, as it should. Plus, I'm reading a lot more news and professional writing to support my work, which is great.
Learning hard AF, daily. Something I realized while viewing old Facebook posts was that I used to post more quotes and more thoughtful statements. I do that when I'm learning a lot and my brain is running on all cylinders. While I'm not particularly interested in going back to sharing more on Facebook, I do want to get back into the groove of SHARING KNOWLEDGE. With everyone: my coworkers, students, friends and, frankly, complete strangers. I'm kind of addicted to sharing information and that's my librarian background talking. Good thing I got this here blog, eh? Plus, as I mentioned, I'm keeping a learning journal, where if I don't decide to share online, I have a little book with big learning nuggets.
Regularly hearing the song of my creativity muse. This I have found to be true: when I read and write more, creativity comes easily and naturally. When I was in K-8, high school and college, I wrote excessively. I had things to say and a platform to say them on, through homework assignments, newspapers, etc. Now, I still have things to say and have found that there are still platforms, new ones, for those messages. My work, my life, my reading and my writing all combine for me to be more creative, spread good messages, and find better ways to tell stories. What a time to be alive.
Listening. Well, if there's ever been a crappier Gemini, only child, attention deficit disorder-ridden, passive listener than myself, I have yet to meet or know of them. Active listening is a huge area of growth for me. I don't do anyone any favors by not listening. I must be better. I have improved, but not nearly enough for my liking. The first step is admitting you have a problem, right?
"Change my life." This is what I replace "diet and exercise" with. I'm not on a diet. I'm changing my life to include nutritious, planned, homemade meals. I'm not exercising more, I'm trying to change my life where I get up and move every single day. If I don't eat well or exercise every day of my life, than I'm not being good to myself. Diet and exercise plans are temporary. I want to live a long, active, truly healthy life, with a few fun and glorious departures from responsibility, like champagne cocktails, ladies' brunches, Opening Day (and the rest of the season), and beer festivals.
Getting in good sleep and waking early. All I have to say about this is that this is the pinnacle of being a 30-something. I find the Sandman is knocking on my door promptly at 10pm each night and, well, I am happy to oblige. The next morning, my early curfew is rewarded with energy and the will to conquer the day.

Hope you can into some of these grooves in your life. It's not easy. You have to make the time and commitment. When you're brain and body are active, you are your best.

7/17/15

Year of Gratitude - Day 198 - Fitbit

My husband bought me a Fitbit today. Much like my iPod did many years ago, this is the device that is going to help me change my life. I am grateful for tools like this, MyFitnessPal and the countless cooking sites I use to change the way I eat and exercise.

7/8/15

Year of Gratitude - Day 189 - Mama

It is my mom's birthday. I don't feel that I need to expound about all the reasons I love my mom. She is literally half the reason I came into this world. The sacrifices that she has made for me, both on her own and with my dad, ensured that I would have a chance to succeed in life. For that, there is no repayment and we do not have enough time or words to share what that means to me.

I love you, mama!

6/16/15

Year of Gratitude - Day 167 - A bit of perspective on financial judgement

Today I saw a woman that said something to the effect of "I can't believe someone wouldn't even have enough money for a down payment on a house." It really made me think about my own house hunting situation and how hard it was to collect the money. And both my husband and I work. It was interesting to me that someone had such a short-sighted perspective, as if people who couldn't afford a down payment on a house really messed up in their life somehow. And, well, it was interesting someone would share their crappy sentiment without understanding how unemphatic it is. While it would be nice to grow up in some bubble that gave me such a naive perspective, I'm grateful that I am in a place that I can truly appreciate what I have.

6/10/15

Year of Gratitude - Day 161 - Dr. Strecher, Julia and the Dung Beetle

Yesterday at the Development Council at the University of Michigan, we heard an absolutely incredible speaker, Dr. Victor Strecher. He is the author of On Purpose, a graphic novel-like book that "shows that self-directed, positive change is possible and that pursuing a self-transcending life purpose is one of the keys."

His story is heartbreaking and inspirational. His message spoke to me so much that I sat with a frog in my throat and tear welling in my eyes. And, Dr. Strecher started talking existentialism.

He also has a website that helps you to start seeking and realizing your life's purpose. Check out: http://www.dungbeetle.org.

And check out the book, too: http://www.dungbeetle.org/buy-the-book/.

I am so grateful to have had the chance to hear Dr. Strecher speak.

4/27/15

Year of Gratitude - Day 117 - Mentors & Anti-Mentors

No longer am I considered an "entry-level" employee, but I was graced with many wonderful mentors back when I was. I still have great mentors that I keep relationships with and am very grateful for those people.

Some people have been my "anti-mentors" - excellent examples of what I DON'T want to be like when I grow up. I think that having the anti-mentors is just as important as having the positive mentors.

Both of these kinds of people will bring to a higher understanding of who you are and are not. It is important not to disregard the people who appear to be unworthy of your attention. Everyone has something to teach us.

4/14/15

Year of Gratitude - Day 104 - Faulkner

"You cannot swim for new horizons until you have courage to lose sight of the shore."

William Faulkner

3/19/15

Year of Gratitude - Day 78 - Time to Enjoy

I'm really grateful that I have the time to sit down and just relax sometimes. Read a book, play a game on my phone, write, cook...I should try to mix in a little exercise!

3/16/15

Year of Gratitude - Day 75 - John Steinbeck

John Steinbeck, East of Eden
(source: http://www.aseaofquotes.com/post/113011387190/john-steinbeck-east-of-eden)

3/15/15

Year of Gratitude - Day 74 - Henry Ford Health System

This one's a repost, but worth repeating...

I am extremely grateful for Henry Ford Hospital and the Henry Ford Health System. My family and I have always received the best care here. Also, I am grateful for organ donors.