Summer 2010 Goals!
-Learn how to swim
-Learn how to rollerblade
-Learn how to skateboard
Times to beat:
-Cross Country: 3mile- 18:33.3
-Track and Field:
--100 M Dash - 12.76
--200 M Dash - 26.10
--400 M Dash - 59.35
--800 M Dash - 2:20.69
--1600 M Run - 5:15.38
--3200 M Run - 11:32.24
--100 M Hurdles - 15.89
--300 M Hurdles - 46.35
--Long Jump - 16'3"
-Practice dance techniques and have better form
-Learn how to play the guitar
-Apply for scholarships
-Apply for college
-Write more often in my blog
-Declare a major
-Read books
-Write scripts and novels
-Create videos
-Learn how to cook
-Do community service projects
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Benjamin Franklin's thirteen virtues for moral perfection
The Summer Break 2010 quest towards moral perfection. Is it possible to be morally perfect? Well, just try it out and find out the answer for yourself.
1. TEMPERANCE. Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation.
2. SILENCE. Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation.
3. ORDER. Let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have its time.
4. RESOLUTION. Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve.
5. FRUGALITY. Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself; i.e., waste nothing.
6. INDUSTRY. Lose no time; be always employ'd in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions.
7. SINCERITY. Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly, and, if you speak, speak accordingly.
8. JUSTICE. Wrong none by doing injuries, or omitting the benefits that are your duty.
9. MODERATION. Avoid extreams; forbear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve.
10. CLEANLINESS. Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, cloaths, or habitation.
11. TRANQUILLITY. Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable.
12. CHASTITY. Rarely use venery but for health or offspring, never to dulness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another's peace or reputation.
13. HUMILITY. Imitate Jesus and Socrates.
These are Benjamin Franklin's 13 virtues for Moral Perfection. It is summer break, thus I advise you all to work on becoming morally perfect. I think it's best that you only focus on one virtue at a time and then add on to it. For example, you work on temperance for a week. For that week you would focus on moderating your food intake. Eat enough food that you know that you are full; do not overindulge and do not eat until you've got a food baby. Just eat enough food that it satisfies your hunger. Also, if you're a drinker, don't drink 'til you're drunk. I think it's best that you just stop drinking completely. It's summer break, so it's time to make some major modifications to your behavior!
After you've got temperance down, then you can add the virtue of silence. Thus, the second week, you would have to make sure that you work on both temperance and silence. At this point, temperance should be really easy, so you won't have to think about it as much. This week, though, you've got to work on silence. If you're a talker, then it'll be difficult; if you're timid, this might just be your virtue.
Silence, overall, is that you avoid superficial talk. Americans are famous for their superficial conversations. "Don't you just love the weather? I love the teacher's accent and your t-shirt." It's just conversations that really have no point except to break the silence. We do this all the time with people we don't like very much or don't know very well. Go past these superficial conversations and delve deeper into more personal areas. If there is no possibility of any personal conversations with this person, then don't say anything at all. Silence is better than superficiality.
So do you get my point? Of course, this is just one way to achieve moral perfection. You can think of your own way of achieving all thirteen virtues. Perhaps, you think it's better to just work on all thirteen at once over the summer break. Perhaps, you prefer that you attempt the easier virtues and wait until you're stronger to attempt the more harder ones. Perhaps, you would like to evaluate yourself before trying to become morally perfect; you record how many times you break a virtue over a course of a week. You can do whatever you want. You are free to try to become morally perfect or not. Benjamin Franklin attempted to become morally perfect and he realized that it might actually be impossible. Everybody should have a chance to find out for him or herself if they can achieve moral perfection.
Here's just a little summary of the other virtues:
Order: Organization. Are all your office supplies in the place where they belong? You can't work in an area that is disorganized because then your life is disorganized. Your time must be organized as well. Don't do things spontaneously. Have order in your life by planning and following suit. Both an organized environment and life is what you're trying to achieve.
Resolution: Did you set any goals for today? If you did, then you'd better go through with it. Ddi you have any New Year's Resolutions? If yes, you better get working on them! You planned to achieve those goals and that is exactly what you'll do!
Frugality: It speaks for itself. It's all about altruism. Whatever that you're doing better benefit others or yourself. Don't behave in a way that it hurts yourself or others.
Industry: No more Facebook or listening to music if it's just to pass the time. Be productive in everything you do! Do not waste precious time; get rid of all the distractions that prevent you from doing so.
Sincerity: Always speak the truth. You might end up getting slapped by your girlfriend for telling her that she looks hideous in that dress, but it's the truth. Telling her the truth, making her mad, and forcing her to change clothes is much better than lying and having to go to the party with this beast.
Justice: Do what is your duty. If you said that you would take out the trash, do it! If it's your responsibility to clean the dog, then freaking clean the dog already! It's your job-your responsibility.
Moderation: Overall, moderation in everything that you do. Do not overindulge. Moderation of sleep, exercise, baseball, Edward Norton, or whatever you do. Don't go overboard with all behaviors.
Cleanliness: Speaks for itself. Go out and clean your body, clothes, and house! Your thinking will be more clear!
Tranquility: Stop looking at the past. If you made a major mistake, don't think about it again. "Keep Moving Forward." (loving motto of Meet the Robinsons) Don't regret anything. It was meant to happen for a reason, so just look forward to the future.
Chastity: Have sex only for reproduction. Who the heck does this nowadays? Benjamin Franklin didn't achieve moral perfection because of this. So, he really shouldn't have put it as a requirement for moral perfection!
Humility: Be prideful, but not too much! A good example of this is that you tell your colleagues that you spend only 10 minutes on a presentation (but the truth is that you stayed up all night working on it) so the presentation is really good and your colleagues think you're absolutely amazing to have done so in just 10 minutes. Be prideful of your hard work, but don't make it seem like you're an absolute genius of something.
1. TEMPERANCE. Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation.
2. SILENCE. Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation.
3. ORDER. Let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have its time.
4. RESOLUTION. Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve.
5. FRUGALITY. Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself; i.e., waste nothing.
6. INDUSTRY. Lose no time; be always employ'd in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions.
7. SINCERITY. Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly, and, if you speak, speak accordingly.
8. JUSTICE. Wrong none by doing injuries, or omitting the benefits that are your duty.
9. MODERATION. Avoid extreams; forbear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve.
10. CLEANLINESS. Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, cloaths, or habitation.
11. TRANQUILLITY. Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable.
12. CHASTITY. Rarely use venery but for health or offspring, never to dulness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another's peace or reputation.
13. HUMILITY. Imitate Jesus and Socrates.
These are Benjamin Franklin's 13 virtues for Moral Perfection. It is summer break, thus I advise you all to work on becoming morally perfect. I think it's best that you only focus on one virtue at a time and then add on to it. For example, you work on temperance for a week. For that week you would focus on moderating your food intake. Eat enough food that you know that you are full; do not overindulge and do not eat until you've got a food baby. Just eat enough food that it satisfies your hunger. Also, if you're a drinker, don't drink 'til you're drunk. I think it's best that you just stop drinking completely. It's summer break, so it's time to make some major modifications to your behavior!
After you've got temperance down, then you can add the virtue of silence. Thus, the second week, you would have to make sure that you work on both temperance and silence. At this point, temperance should be really easy, so you won't have to think about it as much. This week, though, you've got to work on silence. If you're a talker, then it'll be difficult; if you're timid, this might just be your virtue.
Silence, overall, is that you avoid superficial talk. Americans are famous for their superficial conversations. "Don't you just love the weather? I love the teacher's accent and your t-shirt." It's just conversations that really have no point except to break the silence. We do this all the time with people we don't like very much or don't know very well. Go past these superficial conversations and delve deeper into more personal areas. If there is no possibility of any personal conversations with this person, then don't say anything at all. Silence is better than superficiality.
So do you get my point? Of course, this is just one way to achieve moral perfection. You can think of your own way of achieving all thirteen virtues. Perhaps, you think it's better to just work on all thirteen at once over the summer break. Perhaps, you prefer that you attempt the easier virtues and wait until you're stronger to attempt the more harder ones. Perhaps, you would like to evaluate yourself before trying to become morally perfect; you record how many times you break a virtue over a course of a week. You can do whatever you want. You are free to try to become morally perfect or not. Benjamin Franklin attempted to become morally perfect and he realized that it might actually be impossible. Everybody should have a chance to find out for him or herself if they can achieve moral perfection.
Here's just a little summary of the other virtues:
Order: Organization. Are all your office supplies in the place where they belong? You can't work in an area that is disorganized because then your life is disorganized. Your time must be organized as well. Don't do things spontaneously. Have order in your life by planning and following suit. Both an organized environment and life is what you're trying to achieve.
Resolution: Did you set any goals for today? If you did, then you'd better go through with it. Ddi you have any New Year's Resolutions? If yes, you better get working on them! You planned to achieve those goals and that is exactly what you'll do!
Frugality: It speaks for itself. It's all about altruism. Whatever that you're doing better benefit others or yourself. Don't behave in a way that it hurts yourself or others.
Industry: No more Facebook or listening to music if it's just to pass the time. Be productive in everything you do! Do not waste precious time; get rid of all the distractions that prevent you from doing so.
Sincerity: Always speak the truth. You might end up getting slapped by your girlfriend for telling her that she looks hideous in that dress, but it's the truth. Telling her the truth, making her mad, and forcing her to change clothes is much better than lying and having to go to the party with this beast.
Justice: Do what is your duty. If you said that you would take out the trash, do it! If it's your responsibility to clean the dog, then freaking clean the dog already! It's your job-your responsibility.
Moderation: Overall, moderation in everything that you do. Do not overindulge. Moderation of sleep, exercise, baseball, Edward Norton, or whatever you do. Don't go overboard with all behaviors.
Cleanliness: Speaks for itself. Go out and clean your body, clothes, and house! Your thinking will be more clear!
Tranquility: Stop looking at the past. If you made a major mistake, don't think about it again. "Keep Moving Forward." (loving motto of Meet the Robinsons) Don't regret anything. It was meant to happen for a reason, so just look forward to the future.
Chastity: Have sex only for reproduction. Who the heck does this nowadays? Benjamin Franklin didn't achieve moral perfection because of this. So, he really shouldn't have put it as a requirement for moral perfection!
Humility: Be prideful, but not too much! A good example of this is that you tell your colleagues that you spend only 10 minutes on a presentation (but the truth is that you stayed up all night working on it) so the presentation is really good and your colleagues think you're absolutely amazing to have done so in just 10 minutes. Be prideful of your hard work, but don't make it seem like you're an absolute genius of something.
Monday, June 14, 2010
Philosophy on Craigslist's Missed Connections
Let's face it.
I am addicted with reading Missed Connections on Craigslists.
I love romance, okay?? The thing about the Missed Connections is that it's all about love at first sight. These people share one moment together. Whether that moment was through eye contact or simply one smile, one comment, one action, one touch, it was powerful enough to make one of the person believe that there was a strong connection. That moment, however, was not long enough for the two to really get to know each other. Perhaps, there was no time to share names or numbers. Perhaps, he or she was too shy to confront this beautiful being. Whatever the case, one of them wants to reunite with the person that they immediately fell in love with.
However, we've got to get past all of this lovey-dovey stuff and look at reality. These people are likely to never see each other again (Luckily, they might be able to and I hope this happens). The person who wrote the missed connection regrets not asking their crush's phone number or ask him or her out. Poor thing. Yet, one might just get a second chance to finding their love and the answer is to post a Missed Connection on Craigslist. Let's just say it's like posting a Missing Person ad.. Well.. at least they are trying! And, it gives me something to read and enjoy. Some Missed Connection posts are truly romantic, inspiring, hilarious, and out-right crazy. I have yet to see a true romance movie come out of the Missed Connections on Craigslist. I truly hope these men and women find the person they are looking for. Let's just hope that they don't let that "damsel walking down campus" or "muscle hunk of Best Buy" slip away from them a second time.
I suppose it's every girls' dream to have a guy post a missed connection about them on Craigslist. I know I want to be someone's Missed Connection!
Wouldn't it be such a wonderful feeling to know that someone out there in the world fell in love with you the very moment they laid eyes on you or first talked to you? That person is out there regretting not getting to know you more. That person is currently kicking him or herself because they didn't tell you their true feelings. That person thinks you're gone-out of his or her life. This person wants you, loves you, needs you and will do anything to find you - even if that means posting a Missed Connection on Craigslist.
I am addicted with reading Missed Connections on Craigslists.
I love romance, okay?? The thing about the Missed Connections is that it's all about love at first sight. These people share one moment together. Whether that moment was through eye contact or simply one smile, one comment, one action, one touch, it was powerful enough to make one of the person believe that there was a strong connection. That moment, however, was not long enough for the two to really get to know each other. Perhaps, there was no time to share names or numbers. Perhaps, he or she was too shy to confront this beautiful being. Whatever the case, one of them wants to reunite with the person that they immediately fell in love with.
However, we've got to get past all of this lovey-dovey stuff and look at reality. These people are likely to never see each other again (Luckily, they might be able to and I hope this happens). The person who wrote the missed connection regrets not asking their crush's phone number or ask him or her out. Poor thing. Yet, one might just get a second chance to finding their love and the answer is to post a Missed Connection on Craigslist. Let's just say it's like posting a Missing Person ad.. Well.. at least they are trying! And, it gives me something to read and enjoy. Some Missed Connection posts are truly romantic, inspiring, hilarious, and out-right crazy. I have yet to see a true romance movie come out of the Missed Connections on Craigslist. I truly hope these men and women find the person they are looking for. Let's just hope that they don't let that "damsel walking down campus" or "muscle hunk of Best Buy" slip away from them a second time.
I suppose it's every girls' dream to have a guy post a missed connection about them on Craigslist. I know I want to be someone's Missed Connection!
Wouldn't it be such a wonderful feeling to know that someone out there in the world fell in love with you the very moment they laid eyes on you or first talked to you? That person is out there regretting not getting to know you more. That person is currently kicking him or herself because they didn't tell you their true feelings. That person thinks you're gone-out of his or her life. This person wants you, loves you, needs you and will do anything to find you - even if that means posting a Missed Connection on Craigslist.
Speechless.
It is the second week of my Summer break and I am completely speechless. I haven't written in this blog in a while. I took an excerpt from my essay and I copied it into my previous post. I just don't know what to write. I continue to try and fill in the empty spaces with nonsense. I am sure you are tired of hearing me talk about my life. You don't want to listen to it any longer. You are here for philosophy. Thus, philosophy you'll get.
Saturday, June 5, 2010
The summary of my junior year in high school 2009-2010
School. The word that causes even the strongest students to cry. Students dread having to wake up early in the mornings only to be bombarded by tests and assignments. Students are afraid of having to sit next to the noisy or stinky students. This is all what students really think about. Students don't take advantage of school; therefore, they take very little out of it. They don't encode the true meanings behind what their teachers are talking about. They don't understand the true purpose of their teacher's lessons. The students don't think on their own, create their own answers, art, and theories. Students don't answer "why?" They don't notice that their life is filled with life lessons. They go into the world both lost and afraid. I am constantly asked with this one question, "what do I want to do with my life?" Right now, I am not sure of the answer. I seem to be lost like every other student, but I've got one more year in my high school education to restart, to reborn, to begin my education anew with a new way of thinking. A new way to see the world and the lessons given to me. Away from limits, to flourish as an independent thinker in a society that prevents it.
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