131 posts tagged “qotd”
What project are you working on right now that's not work related?
For many people, their lives are segmented into a wide variety of personal projects. I am no exception because at any given moment, I am working on several projects of varying importance. One of the largest projects I have worked on in my life, a bachelors degree, is coming to a close. In September, I will undergo another large academic project by starting to work on earning a Master of Arts degree in the History of Christianity.
Reading is a broad category that is like an umbrella over several small projects. I consider every book I read a project. To date, I have completed 22 book reading projects. My current reading project is:
A long term reading project is to make a serious dent on the 1001 Books I Must Read Before I Die list. I have read 21 books on the list (2.1%). It would take 82 years to finish the list at a pace of one book per month. Since I am 32 years old now, I would be 114 years old before the project would be complete. While this is not impossible, I would like to enjoy my century years without the suffocating burden of completing this project. If I increase the pace to one book every two weeks, I can finish the list in 38 years.
Unfortunately, I like to read books that are not on the list. This is a problem because I do not think I can do both. I have resigned myself to the fact I will not read every book on this list. If I resign myself to only reading half of the remaining books on the list (490 books), I can complete that project in 41 years. I think I can commit to that.
Friday was the summer solstice for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere. How did you celebrate the arrival of summer and the longest day of the year?
My trip to Stonehenge fell through, so I spent this summer solstice at home, hiding from the sun's deadly rays.
Which one book do you wish everyone in your life would read?
There are actually two different questions being asked here. The title of the post wants me to tell which book I think everyone should read. I will not answer this question because I do not believe I am in any position to say that everyone should read Book X or Book Y. I think people should be free to read whatever book they want, free from any coercion from an outside party.
However, wishing people in my life would read a certain book is a different matter. I suppose I would be in a position to wish this because of a need for the people in my life to understand me by reading the books I consider to be excellent. Like all things, there is not simply one book that does the job. It depends on what you want to know about me. Like many people, books have had a tremendous influence on the person I am today. Each book I read changes me as a person and adds something to my psyche.
Yes, there is never a simple answer to any QotD, at least when I am involved.
What could we do to create a world with less violence?
A single person can attempt to control his or her own actions. For example, one can refuse to watch and listen to violent media. One can also avoid endorsing businesses and other groups that exploit and degrade other people for their own profit and gain. A person can also limit the violent speech thoughts, and actions he or she may commit.
However, we all should be realistic and understand that we are powerless to eliminate violence from the world. The natural world is full of violence and constantly reminds and influences humanity.
Who was the meanest teacher you had in school?
There were many teachers during my academic career (including the present day college professors) that I would consider to be mean. However, they were always mean to others. I always managed, through sucking up and unfathomable guile, to evade the wrath of these educators. When the other students were slacking off by handing in their assignments late, I was there turning in my work early. When Ericka and her hoods were out playing golf and buying shoes, I was in class learning. When other students constantly badger the professor with questions that are totally off the subject, I patiently wait for the lesson to proceed again.
You can always find that one soft spot in the mean teacher to exploit and use to your advantage. Some people buck the system because they cannot stand the tyrannical oppression. Most people either fight the teacher or avoid him or her altogether. I, on the other hand, calmly wait for the opening in the teacher's personality that is vulnerable to ego stroking. For example, one of my high school social studies teachers loved to demean students he felt were dumb, especially tenth graders. After learning this in a tenth grade U.S. history class, I chose to take the other U.S. history class with him in eleventh grade. By doing this, I avoided his fierce disdain of sophomores while stroking his ego. This tactic helped earn me one of several A+ grades.
How are you spending this Memorial Day? How will it differ from Memorial Days past?
I went fishing here today.
The weather on the lake was tough for Memorial Day. Yesterday was 75° and sunny at 3:30 pm. Twenty minutes later, my fishing partner and his friend experienced a severe thunderstorm while fishing on this very lake. He was about five feet away from a four foot diameter tree falling on his head while ducking softball sized hail on shore. Fortunately, today's weather was far different: temperature around 55°, mostly cloudy with a north wind at 13 mph, with gusts around 25 mph. Strangely enough, I experienced a sunburn on my hands and knees.
What's the oldest book you own?
Submitted by Lies.
Regarding other matters, I made a decision to apply to Luther Seminary to obtain a M.A. in church history. I believe that I am more of an academic than a chaplain/pastor. I asked my adviser, who agreed with this latest self-assessment. He said, "While I do not mean to insult you, everything I have read that was written by you indicates that you have the writing and thinking skills of an academic and you are better suited for academic work than pastoral work." Needless to say, this helped confirm my decision was the right one. My application and autobiography/faith statement have been submitted and once my references submit their letters of recommendation, I hope to hear some good news.
In the meantime, I am concentrating on my last three classes as an undergraduate: Beginning Spanish II, Graphic Design, and Weight Training. I have a major Spanish exam next Tuesday night about food, double pronouns, and stem-changing verbs in the preterite tense. There is an oral portion of the exam where I have to stand in front of the class and recite three sentences in Spanish. I plan on saying the following sentences:
Today, I put my academic work on hold and performed some needed car maintenance. I changed oil in three vehicles, installed new front brake pads in Ericka's German nightmare, and replaced Jodi's alternator. I managed to do all of this in five hours. At the end, I was filthy and had sand in my hair. Now I can relax and hopefully enjoy some Memorial Day fishing.Para el desayuno, yo como los hueves y las banana y bebo el café.
Para el almuerzo, yo como la ensalada y la hamburguesa y bebo la leche.
Para la cena, yo como la langosta y la sopa y bebo la cerveza.
Where do you want to be in ten years?
Submitted by baby3194.
I should not even be messing around with the ten-year forecast because a hundred million different things may happen between now and then that would change any prediction I might make today. Moreover, the present time I am in has enough challenges and action to occupy my attention.
However, in the spirit of QotD, I will play along in the speculation. This subject was addressed in a Vox Hunt on January 4, 2008. I displayed two pictures: one of Mt. Hood in Portland, Oregon, and one of a chaplain.
In 2018, all of the master’s degrees and PhDs should be finally complete. God
willing, I should have completed my work at Luther
Seminary and have started my first book or have my
first teaching assignment (or both). Ideally, I would like to be out of Minnesota. Since both of
the children will be done with high school and be off doing their thing, we
would be free to go wherever the wind may take us. Naturally, I would be
intensely fanning the wind and lobbying to move to such places like Portland, Toronto, Honolulu, and London.
Share some news stories you're following right now.
U.S. soldier uses Quran for target practice; military apologizes
This is a disgusting act committed by this soldier. What a terrible act of ignorance, arrogance, and stupidity. Obviously this soldier needs some education about the Qur'an specifically and religion in general.
Groups finds Starbucks logo too hot to handle
I personally liked the old logo better, although I am not a fan of their coffee.
Long Weekend Weather Not A Washout, But It Won't Feel Like Summer
Tomorrow is Victoria Day in my favourite city of Toronto.
Einstein Letter on God Sells for $404,000
I'm sure this will ruffle the feathers of a few people.
The black experience in America...
Read this.
What are your "go-to" movies? The ones you watch when you need to just get away from it all?
Submitted by uncagedbird.
This is tough because I come from the HBO generation. This means that I am in the habit of watching movies over and over again because I grew up watching HBO play movies over and over again.
This question is also difficult because I don't watch movies to get away from it all. Despite this, I do have a core of movies that I will watch whenever they are on the tele. Although I could go on all night listing movies, these five are absolute necessities for me.
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