Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Think Tank, Pt. 1

It seems that lately I’ve been doing a lot of heavy reading.  Intellectually heavy.  I just keep coming across these articles and quotes and things that get the ole wheels a turnin’.  Although I suppose that’s a good thing, seeing as how my brain hasn’t been quite as sharp since school got out.  It took me 3 tries to remember how to properly write a capital G a few weeks ago.  Senility sets in quickly.  But!  I thought I would share some of them, as I feel like I learned a great deal from each one after giving them some extra mulling.  So here’s some reading and you can mull it yourself, if you’re interested:

This is a blog post by a man who is gay and his wife, to whom he has been happily married for 10 years.  Let me preface this by stating that this is in no way an implication as to how I think people should live their personal lives.  I did, however, find it to be beautifully written and an exemplary piece on relationships, priorities, and sacrifice.  I feel it also presents a completely new and interesting perspective on a very controversial topic:



A graduation speech in which the speaker informed the graduates that they were nothing special.  I think this was good for them to hear, as I worry that certain aspects of our individualistic society have the tendency to engender a sense of entitlement and false expectations:



A quote from a wise man:

"Never before have so many been educated in the learning of the world. With so much knowledge available, one would think that the world might well be near a state of perfection. Yet we are constantly made aware of the other side of the coin - Each day we are made increasingly aware of the fact that life is more than science and mathematics, more than history and literature. There is need for another education, without which the substance of secular learning may lead only to destruction. I refer to the education of the heart, of the conscience, of the character, of the spirit—these indefinable aspects of our personalities which determine so certainly what we are and what we do in our relationships one with another."

- President Gordon B. Hinckley


A quote from another wise man:

“I have learned that … if we live our lives right, when we reach the end of one phase the Lord has already given us all of the tools, talents, and abilities necessary to take on the next phase of life.”

-Past/Future Roomie


The next two are on the same subject, and this is probably going to get more treatment in a forthcoming blog post.  The first was a book review I read on a recent plane ride.  The book, titled The Woman Who Changed Her Brain, was written on the emerging science of neuroplasticity, which postulates that we, through changes in behavior, thinking, etc., can change the way our brain functions.  I found it fascinating and I’ve been toying with the idea of how my newfound interest in the subject could affect future plans and whatnot.  But I digress.  The second is simply the wikipedia page on neuroplasticity.  Come and learn:


This may become a regular thing.  We’ll see.

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