Learn Something New: Door2Challenge January 3 2018

Hope you took a few moments to notice human kindness Tuesday.  I didn't get out much, but my sweetheart rehung my bird feeders to protect them from the very fat squirrel that's been decimated them, and my pal and brother-in-law-in-law didn't gloat too much when they kicked my bootie in scrabble tonight.  Also, thanks for the encouraging remarks for restarting the 30 day challenge.

For Wednesday, the challenge is to learn something new.  As always, these are tiny resolutions.  You could make a new dish, learn a few words and phrases in another language, practice a song.  I'm planning to study up on pyrosomes in anticipation of a day at the beach.  I doubt I'll see a 60-foot long version, but I'm excited to get a chance to see some of these creatures that usually aren't visible unless you are deep-sea diving in warm water areas.  And did I mention that they GLOW?  Why are they here?  Why now?  I'm going to research and see what I can learn.Wish I had a non-copyrighted picture to pipque your interest.  Maybe this other random microbiota will do.  

Not a pyrosome.  Go look them up!  Everyone seems to think they look like translucent pickles.

 The learning brain is a happier brain. I try to fall down some educational rabbit hole everyday.  Last night I studied about Tibetian monks doing hard labor for the Chinese in Socialist Rehabilitation camps, and how they snuck their malas into their huts and chanted their prayers when the guards fell asleep.  The world's amazing.  Get out there and buddy up to all there is to know.

 Exercising your gray matter keeps you sharp and curious.  While you may not be as curious about primitive colonizing zooids, I bet you can learn something interesting today. Let me know what it is.

Jana

 

Tiny Resolutions January 3: Get Curious

"I think, at a child's birth, if a mother could ask a fairy godmother to endow it with the most useful gift, that gift should be curiosity."  Eleanor Roosevelt

Yesterday's tiny resolution was to send a thank you letter to someone whose work had enriched your life or inspired you.  I had lots of options, but the mail gave me direction.  After over a year of waiting, a paper microscope arrived from Stanford University.  Manu Prakash and a team of bioengineers developed a cheap, portable folding microscope they hope will open up the wonder of the micro-cosmos to the world.  I'm one of 10,000 beta-testers of all ages and backgrounds from over 130 countries who will be sharing this lovely invention.  I was positively giddy when I saw it in my mailbox.   I wrote them a letter to express my appreciation.

Today's challenge is inspired by the sweet letter that accompanied the microscope, in which their enthusiasm and curiosity was evident.  I want you to bring some of that magic into the world too.

The challenge:  Look a little harder at the world around you today, and find something that makes you curious.  Then take some time and explore it.  Take some pictures, go to the web or the library or to an expert and find out more.  Go deep.  See what you discover.

I look forward to sharing some of my microscope findings with you all.  And I hope you will take a minute and tell me what you see in the world today, and how it felt to be alive in wonder.

Jana

January 30th Challenge: Be passionately curious!

“I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious.”  --Albert Einstien

we BOTH were curious about the other

This morning's Corvallis Gazette Times had a profile of a remarkable man.  At 41, Bill Earl has had more health issues than most people face in a lifetime.  Diagnosed with Parkinson's 9 years ago,  he learned five years later that he has multiple system atrophy, a degenerative neurological disease.  His strength, muscle control and vision is failing.  Despite this, he continues courting his life-long love:  learning.  He's completed a master's degree, built rockets, learned to roll cigars, plays guitar and writes songs.  He credits his passions for keeping him alive.  “I have a friend who says I just dive into everything,” Earls said. “There’s no testing the waters or anything. I go all in with both feet. I’ve always been that way. It’s what keeps me going.”

Passionate curiosity keeps us learning, keeps our minds nimble and our hearts open.  Today, I challenge you to indulge yours.

Ways to meet today's challenge:

i was curious why my wheelbarrow handle broke.

1)  Dust off an old hobby and give it some new life.

2)  Memorize the spelling and meaning of an interesting new word or foreign phrase.  Get to know it well enough you can use it in your writing or conversation.

3) Visit and explore a new neighborhood, park, natural area or small town.

4)  Chat up a safe stranger.  Ask good questions, and listen hard.


5)  Learn something new:  a new song, how to tune a guitar, how to make a good pizza crust, some calligraphy, a math trick.  There are great visual instructables on line, like this one on making

a caramel apple pie.


6)  Go on an investigation tangent when you run across something interesting in your day.


Today I discovered a new poet because of a friend's friend on facebook.  Sadly, he died today, although it appeared he lived a long life and had a good death.  I looked him up on line and read his poems, including this beautiful piece on grief written in memory of his son:

 i.m. Hannes Hollo, 1959-1999

by Anselm Hollo

Fought the hungry ghosts here on Earth
"What is man?" asked the King
Alcuin’s reply: "A guest of space." And time yes time:
The past lies before us, the future comes up from behind
Walking on Primrose Hill or Isle of Wight beaches
Iowa City streets scrambling up snow-covered deer track
To Doc Holliday’s grave in Glenwood Springs
His helmet now shall make a hive for bees
He fought the hungry ghosts here on Earth
Strong & resourceful on his best days,
Patient kind and present
Returning those with him to here & now
But just as we settle in with our Pepsi and popcorn
THE END rolls up too soon always too soon

-----------------------------


I love that line: "A guest of space.  And time yes time".  I love the poem, which aids me in my own grieving.  And I love that I "met" a poet whose work may have otherwise not been known to me.

Go be curious.  See what you can find out there.  And let me know the results, here or on the facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/408167865930359/

Today's video:  How to Whistle With A Blade of Grass

 

The Curious Life of the Nerd

Do you have the enthusiastic curiosity of a child, filtered through an eclectic collective of knowledge?  Lucky you.

I found this poster on a Facebook page.  Wish I knew to whom I could attribute the image (and if you do, tell me) because I do so appreciate the sentiment. 

Here's to all of us unafraid to show love for our interests, who are unabashed in our passions and without apology for our obsessions.  I appreciate this particular human variation, and the variation of interests supported.  Being of limited lifespan, if we want to go wide we're not going to be able to go too deep.  For all  of those of you that do, I offer deep gratitude.  I may not be able to do or be all I want in this lifetime, but thanks to Geeks everywhere I can learn a little about a lot. 

Tonight on Krista Tippetts' On Being, I learned a few things about physics, thanks to string theorist James Gates.  At 61, he says he is having more fun than ever exploring math and science.  In the local Gazette Times, I read about OSU neuroscientist Sarina Saturn, who is providing evidence for what I have long suspected:  that variations in oxytocin levels influence individual's emotional states and levels of altruism and empathic ability.  And Kathleen McAulifee told me how my cat might just be making me crazy (via parasites) in her frightening but fascinating article in this month's Atlantic article. 

Thanks to you nerdy obsessives, I can now identify maybe thirty of the world's 75,000+ species of mushrooms, including three or four I enjoy eating and a dozen or so that would kill me.  I know a little about why certain music makes me anxious (see Radio Lab's Sound As Touch episode) and Why Penguins' Feet Don't Freeze (thanks, Mick O'Hare and readers of New Scientist).

I've been obsessed with information and learning since I was a kid.   I hungrily read the encyclopedia my parents were suckered into buying from a door-to-door salesman, as well as my mother's nursing books (ask me anything about elephantiasis-- that picture of the man with his testicles in a wheelbarrow is burned into my brain).  I may have missed learning how to do my hair and makeup, but I have a lifelong curiosity about the world  I'd never trade for a day on the Best Dressed.

So thank you, Nerds.  I only hope I am worthy of your title.

Off to read,
Jana