These past three years have hit hard the average citizen who's spending money has diminished while unemployment numbers have risen along with the cost of living. The consumer market is down as is consumer spirit. Residents of nearly every city have seen stores close, and in every corner, "For Lease" or "For Sale" signs are posted in windows of vacant buildings. Store owners and managers wait anxiously for that one customer or two or few to come through their doors with the slim chance that they will make a purchase, and if they are to buy, they 'shop 'til they drop' for that bargain piece or advertised special. Many retailers have not survived; some are on their last leg, while others will survive, getting through the current hard times by identifying with the customer base they serve.
One such company is Stater Bros., the largest privately owned supermarket chain in Southern California and, according to the Daily Bulletin, the largest private employer in San Bernardino County with 19,000 employees. Last week, the chain reported a third-quarter decline of 60 percent in profits yet sales were down only 0.6 percent for the third quarter. Because their customers did not have the spending power, Stater Bros. cut prices on 10,000 items last year and absorbed a 66 percent reduction in profits to accommodate their customers. Costs rose but prices did not.
For the past 30 some years, I have shopped Stater Bros. because they have shown to be a community minded company with one set of prices (regular or sale) available to all their customers without club, saving or membership cards. Despite losses, the chain continues to support area charities, food banks and children's hospitals among other benevolent acts of giving. I encourage everyone to find and support a Stater Bros. within his/her community. There are 52 markets in San Bernardino County, 47 in Riverside County, 30 in Orange County, 25 in Los Angeles County, and 11 in San Diego County. I encourage you to find and sponsor companies, retailers, businesses and organizations that know the essential right actions, that once taken, will put their customers, the average citizen in step with the natural order of things and on course with what comes next. Gains and losses are built in to our lives, like windows and doors in a car. Companies like Stater Bros. understand this. We experience prosperity when our actions with respect to money are righteous actions--that is, actions of generosity, actions of offering. Companies that seek merely their personal gain do not have an understanding of what money will do for them and others to sustain us through the windows and doors of life. In the long run, businesses such as Stater Bros. will be the survivors hand in hand with their customer base.
This I humbly speak...
(No, I am neither the spokeswoman for Stater Bros. nor do I have a vested interest in the company.I do, however, support many of their charities and charity events.)
Monday, August 16, 2010
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
I Climb a Mountain
I stepped on the treadmill. Reluctantly, I pressed the speed to a crawl pace just to go through the motion of doing something after having pulled myself out of bed.
"Come on," urged Id. "Put more energy into it. You're not going to get away with that, not after all the nagging you've done in the past about 'discipline and good habits that become character'," he said, imitating my tone of voice.
"Well that was then," I said. "I now don't see the need to develop any one's character. I'm comfortable without the challenge."
"What happened to all those years of telling us to get out of our comfort zone?" chimed Soul.
"Yeah," said Id. "you were the one who always pushed and said that challenging yourself physically and mentally and getting out of your comfort zone by doing things you usually spend time and energy trying to avoid were the things that kept you going in life."
"Yes, but..."
"No buts." I was interrupted by Soul again. "You seem to have forgotten how you dragged me into a hike up Mt. Baldy on a Sunday morning when I certainly wasn't wanting to go and Id was doing all he could to also avoid the activity, and remember what you said?" she asked, questioning my ideology.
I smiled at the recollection. In those days, I literally thought that spending a morning on a weekend lounging around the house in front of a TV was not the best example of disciplined behaviour especially since I held on to the thought that actions become habits and habits become character. Of course I remembered! I had dragged Soul and Id with the promise of feeling ultimate delight when reaching the top of the mountain telling them "to concentrate on the end result and know that the way down is always easier than the way up, no matter where or in what situation you are in life. Besides," I had said, "when you reach the top, you'll see the valley meeting the ocean below, a view crafted by the hand of God." And with that, Soul and Id had reluctantly accompanied me to absorb whatever I fed them of life.
"Practice what you preach," chuckled Id and brought me back to the dreaded treadmill. "Concentrate on the end result."
"Okay! Enough already!" I brushed him off with annoyance.
Yet, the recollection of my past perseverance ignited a spark that fueled the drive to motivate the challenge within. I increased my speed to a fast walk as I felt the soft rolling floor of the treadmill beneath the soles of my feet. It did not compare to the rugged terrain of the mountain, yet the instrument through which life is lived is the human body. All our experiences are made manifest through the body dictated by the mind. The fatigue, the pounding heart, the surge of adrenalin and the ultimate delight in reaching the top are all part of the mind--body experience.
I increased the speed once more. I started running. I made my heart pound with a boom... boom. My sides pained sharply. There was no one ahead of me and no one behind me. Just the sound of my shoes slapping the rolling stretch of treadmill. Slap, slap, boom, slap, boom, slap, slap, boom. The rhythm was intoxicating like an incantation. I raised the incline to resemble the last stretch of mountain elevation, as I pictured myself on the slopes of Mt. Baldy or Faraya, Mt. Whitsett, Sannin, or the Cedars and all the peaks I'd climbed to watch the views "crafted by the hand of God." I was like a bird stretching her wings to fly over the hills; it felt like a song, a gush of wind, a breathtaking gulp of air, an exhilarating shout.
I slowed down at last, breathing heavily, almost crying, having used both body and mind to relive the ecstasy of having reached the finish line, as it were, and proving once more that the climb was always worth the effort.
"Well done," said Soul softly.
"Thanks," I panted.
"Not too bad," said Id, always leaving room for more.
"Thanks," I repeated.
Tomorrow, I'll climb another mountain.
This I humbly speak...
"Come on," urged Id. "Put more energy into it. You're not going to get away with that, not after all the nagging you've done in the past about 'discipline and good habits that become character'," he said, imitating my tone of voice.
"Well that was then," I said. "I now don't see the need to develop any one's character. I'm comfortable without the challenge."
"What happened to all those years of telling us to get out of our comfort zone?" chimed Soul.
"Yeah," said Id. "you were the one who always pushed and said that challenging yourself physically and mentally and getting out of your comfort zone by doing things you usually spend time and energy trying to avoid were the things that kept you going in life."
"Yes, but..."
"No buts." I was interrupted by Soul again. "You seem to have forgotten how you dragged me into a hike up Mt. Baldy on a Sunday morning when I certainly wasn't wanting to go and Id was doing all he could to also avoid the activity, and remember what you said?" she asked, questioning my ideology.
I smiled at the recollection. In those days, I literally thought that spending a morning on a weekend lounging around the house in front of a TV was not the best example of disciplined behaviour especially since I held on to the thought that actions become habits and habits become character. Of course I remembered! I had dragged Soul and Id with the promise of feeling ultimate delight when reaching the top of the mountain telling them "to concentrate on the end result and know that the way down is always easier than the way up, no matter where or in what situation you are in life. Besides," I had said, "when you reach the top, you'll see the valley meeting the ocean below, a view crafted by the hand of God." And with that, Soul and Id had reluctantly accompanied me to absorb whatever I fed them of life.
"Practice what you preach," chuckled Id and brought me back to the dreaded treadmill. "Concentrate on the end result."
"Okay! Enough already!" I brushed him off with annoyance.
Yet, the recollection of my past perseverance ignited a spark that fueled the drive to motivate the challenge within. I increased my speed to a fast walk as I felt the soft rolling floor of the treadmill beneath the soles of my feet. It did not compare to the rugged terrain of the mountain, yet the instrument through which life is lived is the human body. All our experiences are made manifest through the body dictated by the mind. The fatigue, the pounding heart, the surge of adrenalin and the ultimate delight in reaching the top are all part of the mind--body experience.
I increased the speed once more. I started running. I made my heart pound with a boom... boom. My sides pained sharply. There was no one ahead of me and no one behind me. Just the sound of my shoes slapping the rolling stretch of treadmill. Slap, slap, boom, slap, boom, slap, slap, boom. The rhythm was intoxicating like an incantation. I raised the incline to resemble the last stretch of mountain elevation, as I pictured myself on the slopes of Mt. Baldy or Faraya, Mt. Whitsett, Sannin, or the Cedars and all the peaks I'd climbed to watch the views "crafted by the hand of God." I was like a bird stretching her wings to fly over the hills; it felt like a song, a gush of wind, a breathtaking gulp of air, an exhilarating shout.
I slowed down at last, breathing heavily, almost crying, having used both body and mind to relive the ecstasy of having reached the finish line, as it were, and proving once more that the climb was always worth the effort.
"Well done," said Soul softly.
"Thanks," I panted.
"Not too bad," said Id, always leaving room for more.
"Thanks," I repeated.
Tomorrow, I'll climb another mountain.
This I humbly speak...
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Housewife, Homemaker, Domestic Engineer
Let's face it, women have made substantial gains in the field of law, business, medicine, behavioral sciences, engineering and other areas of professionalism that were traditionally thought to be man's domain. This is a direct result of the feminist movement which has brought a variety of social and cultural changes, impacting and affecting family relations, religion, the place of women in society, gendered language (the she/he factor) and relationships between women and men.
There was a time when women were called "housewives." Then came the time when housewives were called to work in industry to bear the burden of breadwinner and keep the home front operating while men were fighting or dying for country. Upon the return of men and "normalcy" of life, women became fed up with the gender inequality and took enormous steps to change that image. During the early '70's, some men, whether envious of a woman's option to choose to be employed or through unfortunate challenges, stayed home and became "househusbands." Meanwhile, women moved forward with their plight for equality through education and employment. The gender language changed, and "housewives" and "househusbands" became "homemakers," especially since wife and husband were becoming less of a necessary factor in creating a family. The idea of working for extra comfort and material things, and deriving pleasure from owning a house (or bigger house), a car (or luxury car) became not just status symbols of 'old fashioned' men, but the measure of a modern woman's hard earned success. Women became self reliant and career oriented, moving the gage on the "equal-meter" closer to the center. Meanwhile, educated women who chose to put career aside to raise a family moved from the warmer, more homey description of their title of homemaker to the colder, rigid, linear approach of today's "domestic engineer." Even Roseanne Barr of the Roseanne show said in one of her episodes, "I hate the word housewife; I don't like the word homemaker either. I want to be called Domestic Goddess."
Today, the educated young generation of women are reaching new peaks. According to a recent CNN research report, 22% of women are now better educated than their husbands or make more money. While it is wonderful to be part of a generation that has evolved from a society that traditionally assigned women the role of money handling to that of money-making, I fear we are in the middle of a culture in which instead of moving toward the center, we are switching sides. At the risk of being gender-incorrect, I see current culture defeminizing our women and feminizing our men, or as some might prefer, masculinizing our women and demasculinizing our men. Currently, more working men than women are unemployed,* and with the rise of women determined to crack the "glass ceiling" or raise the bar further to excel at all cost even if it entails becoming romance resistant, men are filling in the shoes of domestic engineers and adapting to the reversal of gender roles with ease. There are men out there who choose to become more of a family man than more of a business man. Yet, with all the liberated idealism, this is a choice that, unfortunately, is often frowned upon by the career woman. Women,(whether because of need or desire)once again are bearing the burden--or the opportunity--of being breadwinners. Whether woman wants to be a career woman who runs the rat race and cracks the glass ceiling, or she wants to be a domestic engineer who focuses on raising a family and molding children by her values and ideals, is a rightful choice she makes. I support her choice. By the same token, if a man chooses or wishes to become the domestic engineer while the woman earns the keep, he should be able to do so without demeaning commentary from existing culture. I support the man. And perhaps in a few short years, a well educated, high salaried, well established career woman might come his way and ask for his hand as the perfect domestic engineer to form a family partnership!
Maybe it's time to reconsider the Feminist title and change it to the Equalist.
What say you?
This I humbly speak...
*Current Population Survey and Employment Statistics, Bureau of Labor Statistics published in The New York Times, Business Section, Feb.6,2009
There was a time when women were called "housewives." Then came the time when housewives were called to work in industry to bear the burden of breadwinner and keep the home front operating while men were fighting or dying for country. Upon the return of men and "normalcy" of life, women became fed up with the gender inequality and took enormous steps to change that image. During the early '70's, some men, whether envious of a woman's option to choose to be employed or through unfortunate challenges, stayed home and became "househusbands." Meanwhile, women moved forward with their plight for equality through education and employment. The gender language changed, and "housewives" and "househusbands" became "homemakers," especially since wife and husband were becoming less of a necessary factor in creating a family. The idea of working for extra comfort and material things, and deriving pleasure from owning a house (or bigger house), a car (or luxury car) became not just status symbols of 'old fashioned' men, but the measure of a modern woman's hard earned success. Women became self reliant and career oriented, moving the gage on the "equal-meter" closer to the center. Meanwhile, educated women who chose to put career aside to raise a family moved from the warmer, more homey description of their title of homemaker to the colder, rigid, linear approach of today's "domestic engineer." Even Roseanne Barr of the Roseanne show said in one of her episodes, "I hate the word housewife; I don't like the word homemaker either. I want to be called Domestic Goddess."
Today, the educated young generation of women are reaching new peaks. According to a recent CNN research report, 22% of women are now better educated than their husbands or make more money. While it is wonderful to be part of a generation that has evolved from a society that traditionally assigned women the role of money handling to that of money-making, I fear we are in the middle of a culture in which instead of moving toward the center, we are switching sides. At the risk of being gender-incorrect, I see current culture defeminizing our women and feminizing our men, or as some might prefer, masculinizing our women and demasculinizing our men. Currently, more working men than women are unemployed,* and with the rise of women determined to crack the "glass ceiling" or raise the bar further to excel at all cost even if it entails becoming romance resistant, men are filling in the shoes of domestic engineers and adapting to the reversal of gender roles with ease. There are men out there who choose to become more of a family man than more of a business man. Yet, with all the liberated idealism, this is a choice that, unfortunately, is often frowned upon by the career woman. Women,(whether because of need or desire)once again are bearing the burden--or the opportunity--of being breadwinners. Whether woman wants to be a career woman who runs the rat race and cracks the glass ceiling, or she wants to be a domestic engineer who focuses on raising a family and molding children by her values and ideals, is a rightful choice she makes. I support her choice. By the same token, if a man chooses or wishes to become the domestic engineer while the woman earns the keep, he should be able to do so without demeaning commentary from existing culture. I support the man. And perhaps in a few short years, a well educated, high salaried, well established career woman might come his way and ask for his hand as the perfect domestic engineer to form a family partnership!
Maybe it's time to reconsider the Feminist title and change it to the Equalist.
What say you?
This I humbly speak...
*Current Population Survey and Employment Statistics, Bureau of Labor Statistics published in The New York Times, Business Section, Feb.6,2009
Monday, July 19, 2010
Inception
There are movies that entertain and then there are movies that thoroughly engage and thrill you through action packed, brainy deep twists. INCEPTION, written and directed by Christopher Nolan, is one such mother of a movie.
It is a cleverly conceived maze of perceptions and ideas perfectly performed by a credible cast of characters. Leonardo DiCaprio plays a seriously credible spy who steals information by going into other people's dreams. He is on his last job. Equally captivating are Ellen Page, Tom Hardy, Dileep Rao, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Marion Cotillard, Ken Watanabe,and others who are either part of the scheme infiltrating the dream to be robbed or who are being robbed.
I recommend you make all your restroom stops prior to the start of the movie because you will need to engage yourself mentally and emotionally without losing a moment's worth of dialogue. If you thought a plot within a plot is complicated, then imagine a plot that engages a dream within a dream within a dream. Mind bending, to say the least. You'll be hopping in and out of different dreams involving all the characters.
Mind bending beautiful imagery, a cleverly crafted maze of intelligent entertainment.
Did I forget to say I highly recommend you see it once, and then perhaps twice.
This I humbly speak...
It is a cleverly conceived maze of perceptions and ideas perfectly performed by a credible cast of characters. Leonardo DiCaprio plays a seriously credible spy who steals information by going into other people's dreams. He is on his last job. Equally captivating are Ellen Page, Tom Hardy, Dileep Rao, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Marion Cotillard, Ken Watanabe,and others who are either part of the scheme infiltrating the dream to be robbed or who are being robbed.
I recommend you make all your restroom stops prior to the start of the movie because you will need to engage yourself mentally and emotionally without losing a moment's worth of dialogue. If you thought a plot within a plot is complicated, then imagine a plot that engages a dream within a dream within a dream. Mind bending, to say the least. You'll be hopping in and out of different dreams involving all the characters.
Mind bending beautiful imagery, a cleverly crafted maze of intelligent entertainment.
Did I forget to say I highly recommend you see it once, and then perhaps twice.
This I humbly speak...
Thursday, July 8, 2010
What Would You Do With a Million Dollars?
On my way to work, Id asked "What would you do with a million dollars? How would you spend it?"
I recall as children in elementary school,perhaps fifth or sixth grade, we were asked that similar question. It was one of those questions designed to reveal our way of thinking. What we would do with a million dollars would say a lot about the philanthropy in our hearts, our concern for the problems of the world, our concept of money and our knowledge of the cost of material things. At the time, most of the answers would reveal that the classroom had an over abundant share of philanthropists and humanitarians who would give more than 50% to charity while helping find cures for the ill, shelter for the homeless, food for the hungry, clothing for the poor, a house and/or car for our families, a trip around the world, ah yes, some games and toys for ourselves, and most of us would put money in a savings account. Once we entered high school the question of a million dollars was not asked again perhaps for fear that life values and cost of living had changed so drastically toward material gratification that the class would reveal an abundance of egoism and significant lack of philanthropists and humanitarians.
"How would you spend it?" repeated Id.
"I'm thinking," I said.
"What's there to think about? You know what you want, what you like, what you don't have, or could have, why should you think about it?"
"Because money can do a lot, and I want to make it work for me," I said with conviction.
"Spending it on what you want is making it work for you," said Id.
"That's too temporary," I said. "Remember years ago, when we were much younger, we tried spending an imaginary million dollars. We decided to spend on ourselves first, so we calculated to the dollar the price of our wants and desires. We went straight into redecorating with new furniture, new electronics, gadgets, vacation, wardrobe and still had money left over. So we decided to spend on remodeling the home, giving 5% to schools and 15% to charity, and putting aside enough for a few rainy days, with money left over for emergencies other than 'rainy days.'"
"Yeah, I remember," nodded Id with a smile that stretched from ear to ear as he delighted in the memory. "I was so excited. I clipped pictures of everything I wanted with their price tags attached...from the latest PlayStation and games to cars and bikes, we put it all on paper, our wants and desires. We really indulged in our fantasy."
"We sure did," I said as I took a short moment to bask in the memory of our indulgence. "But, that's all it was, want and desires," I said, coming back to reality. "Wants and desires fade and change. I need something more lasting and meaningful."
"Here we go again," said Id as he sighed and rolled his head in frustration. He knew where I was headed.
"Money needs to reflect who I really am and what is important to me in life," I continued.
"I know," said Id, exasperated. "For you it's people first, then money."
"Precisely. So I'll need to take care of loved ones first. It's as if by taking care of others--those to whom I gave life, those who helped me enter the world and especially those who helped and guided my passage through life--I will have responded to the higher values of my existence. Can you understand that?" I asked in earnest. "It's as if I'm giving thanks on a material level."
"Absolutely. But, you're not in fifth grade anymore. You can think differently, you know." Id nudged me. "Besides, that's a long list of people and organizations, and what if they don't need your help?" Typical Id. Always asking the "what if..?"
"Everybody needs help," I said. "Anyway, people always welcome gifts."
"Yeah, well, don't forget to throw a bone or two my way once in a while," he said with his usual humor.
I laughed. "I'll do even better than that. I'll buy a couple of dogs to go with the bones."
"You mean we'll indulge?" he asked with sarcasm.
"Yep, I have it all calculated and there still will be some left over for a few wants and desires," I chuckled.
"Aren't you missing something?" asked Id.
"What?"
"The million!?" he exclaimed.
"I thought YOU had it," I smiled.
"Would I be here if I did?" asked Id. His face looked...I don't know...unguarded.
"If you had a million, I wouldn't be here either," I whispered softly.
On my way to work...
This I humbly speak...
I recall as children in elementary school,perhaps fifth or sixth grade, we were asked that similar question. It was one of those questions designed to reveal our way of thinking. What we would do with a million dollars would say a lot about the philanthropy in our hearts, our concern for the problems of the world, our concept of money and our knowledge of the cost of material things. At the time, most of the answers would reveal that the classroom had an over abundant share of philanthropists and humanitarians who would give more than 50% to charity while helping find cures for the ill, shelter for the homeless, food for the hungry, clothing for the poor, a house and/or car for our families, a trip around the world, ah yes, some games and toys for ourselves, and most of us would put money in a savings account. Once we entered high school the question of a million dollars was not asked again perhaps for fear that life values and cost of living had changed so drastically toward material gratification that the class would reveal an abundance of egoism and significant lack of philanthropists and humanitarians.
"How would you spend it?" repeated Id.
"I'm thinking," I said.
"What's there to think about? You know what you want, what you like, what you don't have, or could have, why should you think about it?"
"Because money can do a lot, and I want to make it work for me," I said with conviction.
"Spending it on what you want is making it work for you," said Id.
"That's too temporary," I said. "Remember years ago, when we were much younger, we tried spending an imaginary million dollars. We decided to spend on ourselves first, so we calculated to the dollar the price of our wants and desires. We went straight into redecorating with new furniture, new electronics, gadgets, vacation, wardrobe and still had money left over. So we decided to spend on remodeling the home, giving 5% to schools and 15% to charity, and putting aside enough for a few rainy days, with money left over for emergencies other than 'rainy days.'"
"Yeah, I remember," nodded Id with a smile that stretched from ear to ear as he delighted in the memory. "I was so excited. I clipped pictures of everything I wanted with their price tags attached...from the latest PlayStation and games to cars and bikes, we put it all on paper, our wants and desires. We really indulged in our fantasy."
"We sure did," I said as I took a short moment to bask in the memory of our indulgence. "But, that's all it was, want and desires," I said, coming back to reality. "Wants and desires fade and change. I need something more lasting and meaningful."
"Here we go again," said Id as he sighed and rolled his head in frustration. He knew where I was headed.
"Money needs to reflect who I really am and what is important to me in life," I continued.
"I know," said Id, exasperated. "For you it's people first, then money."
"Precisely. So I'll need to take care of loved ones first. It's as if by taking care of others--those to whom I gave life, those who helped me enter the world and especially those who helped and guided my passage through life--I will have responded to the higher values of my existence. Can you understand that?" I asked in earnest. "It's as if I'm giving thanks on a material level."
"Absolutely. But, you're not in fifth grade anymore. You can think differently, you know." Id nudged me. "Besides, that's a long list of people and organizations, and what if they don't need your help?" Typical Id. Always asking the "what if..?"
"Everybody needs help," I said. "Anyway, people always welcome gifts."
"Yeah, well, don't forget to throw a bone or two my way once in a while," he said with his usual humor.
I laughed. "I'll do even better than that. I'll buy a couple of dogs to go with the bones."
"You mean we'll indulge?" he asked with sarcasm.
"Yep, I have it all calculated and there still will be some left over for a few wants and desires," I chuckled.
"Aren't you missing something?" asked Id.
"What?"
"The million!?" he exclaimed.
"I thought YOU had it," I smiled.
"Would I be here if I did?" asked Id. His face looked...I don't know...unguarded.
"If you had a million, I wouldn't be here either," I whispered softly.
On my way to work...
This I humbly speak...
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Freedom
"No one is free when others are oppressed."
(Author unknown)
"Freedom is the best gift given to man. It lives in the heart, the actions and deeds of man, and it must be practiced daily to keep it alive so man can maintain his right to own it." (Silver Lining)
This I humbly speak....
(Author unknown)
"Freedom is the best gift given to man. It lives in the heart, the actions and deeds of man, and it must be practiced daily to keep it alive so man can maintain his right to own it." (Silver Lining)
This I humbly speak....
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Mathematics Is an Art
"Mathematicians are born, not made." I quote Jules Henri Poincare, one of the last universal mathematicians whose words I can attest to because I was not born with a natural understanding of mathematics. My strength lies in language. This past week, I attended a graduation at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada. I witnessed over 500 young women and men earn their bachelor, master and doctoral degree in some aspect of math or computing. I say some aspect because math exists at different levels, just as the English language ranges from primary to higher syntax of poetry. We all learn elementary math; a small number of us study higher math and an even smaller number become the thought behind a new equation; in other words, those few become what mathematicians oddly enough tend to compare themselves to, "the poets of their profession."
This past week, I spent time among these "poets." I learned that mathematics is the purest form of thought, and though we often think of mathematicians in the image of the absent minded professor, a nerd, or someone submerged in a solitary world, they are indeed expressive, interactive and emotional people who are fond of music. Of course, just because mathematicians are fond of music doesn't mean that all musicians are fond of mathematics. (Did I just put an algebraic equation into words?) Mathematicians seem to approach life in its simplest and purest form...where external factors are removed. They perceive beauty and harmony in the relationship between objects and elements, and the external world becomes non-existent. Jules Henri Poincare had a great reverence toward beauty of life but was quick to define beauty as..."that profounder beauty which comes from the harmonious order of the parts, and which a pure intelligence can grasp."
The air that day among the 500 and some graduates and professors carried a childlike innocence, resonating with sounds of harmonious pleasure, delighted at the gathering of creative minds. There were graduates from all fields of math... Real Math, Applied Math, Absolute Math, Algebra, Celestial Math, Calculus, Computer, Discrete Math, Experimental Math, Geometry, Game theory, Information theory, Optimization, Recreational Math, Probability and Statistics, Quantitative Math, Topology, Mnemonics, and...need I say more? Math is in every aspect of our lives.
Until this last week, mathematics was an enigma characterised by the impression of numbers and calculations and tables taught at school. I used to think it was strictly rational, abstract, cold and soulless. I stand corrected. Though I am not born a mathematician and know that I cannot be made one, I now appreciate that mathematics, in a way, is as much an art as it is a science.
"A real mathematician has to have the soul of a poet." (Mathematician Karl Weierstrass)
FYI, the person near and dear to my heart whose graduation I attended is a beautiful young woman who literally is a poet of her profession.
This I humbly speak.
This past week, I spent time among these "poets." I learned that mathematics is the purest form of thought, and though we often think of mathematicians in the image of the absent minded professor, a nerd, or someone submerged in a solitary world, they are indeed expressive, interactive and emotional people who are fond of music. Of course, just because mathematicians are fond of music doesn't mean that all musicians are fond of mathematics. (Did I just put an algebraic equation into words?) Mathematicians seem to approach life in its simplest and purest form...where external factors are removed. They perceive beauty and harmony in the relationship between objects and elements, and the external world becomes non-existent. Jules Henri Poincare had a great reverence toward beauty of life but was quick to define beauty as..."that profounder beauty which comes from the harmonious order of the parts, and which a pure intelligence can grasp."
The air that day among the 500 and some graduates and professors carried a childlike innocence, resonating with sounds of harmonious pleasure, delighted at the gathering of creative minds. There were graduates from all fields of math... Real Math, Applied Math, Absolute Math, Algebra, Celestial Math, Calculus, Computer, Discrete Math, Experimental Math, Geometry, Game theory, Information theory, Optimization, Recreational Math, Probability and Statistics, Quantitative Math, Topology, Mnemonics, and...need I say more? Math is in every aspect of our lives.
Until this last week, mathematics was an enigma characterised by the impression of numbers and calculations and tables taught at school. I used to think it was strictly rational, abstract, cold and soulless. I stand corrected. Though I am not born a mathematician and know that I cannot be made one, I now appreciate that mathematics, in a way, is as much an art as it is a science.
"A real mathematician has to have the soul of a poet." (Mathematician Karl Weierstrass)
FYI, the person near and dear to my heart whose graduation I attended is a beautiful young woman who literally is a poet of her profession.
This I humbly speak.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Praise the Man
Much is said of the woman who works hard in and out of the home. Much is said of the woman who strives for equality in the work force and whose monetary reward earned, or lack thereof, becomes the measure of her equality. (Another subject altogether to be left for another day.) Much is said of the working woman. But what of the working man? I think he deserves mention.
I admire the working man of today. He has stepped in to take on some of the responsibilities that woman has worked hard to shed off her shoulders in the process of attempting to lose the title of homemaker. Man now helps with the budgeting, planning meals, shopping, cooking, laundry, washing, getting children ready for school, taking them to school, bathing and dressing them, feeding them, reading to them, playing with them, putting them to bed, fixing things, entertaining guests, and, often solves a problem without bitching and moaning. Man is a problem solver. He is brought up to be one. He finds a solution and he goes straight to it, regardless of whether it is what you want. He is pragmatic and solves your problem with a simple "you should..."
I appreciate the working man of today. He takes responsibility for his actions. He doesn't make excuses. He is, afterall, brought up to be the designated risk-taker even if the risk is emotional. Is not man the one who takes the ultimate emotional risk when, not knowing the outcome, he makes the first move by asking "Will you marry me?"?
I value the working man of today. He suppresses his sense of isolation when women or daughters are recognized as caregivers to parents even though in 2004, the NAC/AARP found 40% of all caregivers to be men. And though man is often made to feel less needed by the modern woman's lack of regard for his masculinity by seeking to be a single parent, he is still the first to rush women and children out of burning buildings, put them in lifeboats first and help navigate them through high waters.
I praise the working man of today. He is still chivalrous despite being "scolded" for his lack of sensitivity toward his "equal" counter-gender. Next time a car breaks down, chances are, it's a man whose going to stop and offer to help. Carrying something heavy? Chances are a man is going to offer his help with it.
I like the working man of today. He is as educated as his female equal. He holds a full time job. He takes on the homemaker responsibilities with pleasure and enjoys time with his children. He is responsible and takes over what once was the predominantly female role of caregiver. He is not as emotionally shut down as once thought he was, and he does not bitch and moan. He is helpful off-road and in house. He is chivalrous; and if his upbringing to protect and shelter has not been altered, he will do so with blind faith for his family, his spouse and child. Praise the man, for he is found in your father, your brother, your husband, and your son. Praise the man.
This I humbly speak...
I admire the working man of today. He has stepped in to take on some of the responsibilities that woman has worked hard to shed off her shoulders in the process of attempting to lose the title of homemaker. Man now helps with the budgeting, planning meals, shopping, cooking, laundry, washing, getting children ready for school, taking them to school, bathing and dressing them, feeding them, reading to them, playing with them, putting them to bed, fixing things, entertaining guests, and, often solves a problem without bitching and moaning. Man is a problem solver. He is brought up to be one. He finds a solution and he goes straight to it, regardless of whether it is what you want. He is pragmatic and solves your problem with a simple "you should..."
I appreciate the working man of today. He takes responsibility for his actions. He doesn't make excuses. He is, afterall, brought up to be the designated risk-taker even if the risk is emotional. Is not man the one who takes the ultimate emotional risk when, not knowing the outcome, he makes the first move by asking "Will you marry me?"?
I value the working man of today. He suppresses his sense of isolation when women or daughters are recognized as caregivers to parents even though in 2004, the NAC/AARP found 40% of all caregivers to be men. And though man is often made to feel less needed by the modern woman's lack of regard for his masculinity by seeking to be a single parent, he is still the first to rush women and children out of burning buildings, put them in lifeboats first and help navigate them through high waters.
I praise the working man of today. He is still chivalrous despite being "scolded" for his lack of sensitivity toward his "equal" counter-gender. Next time a car breaks down, chances are, it's a man whose going to stop and offer to help. Carrying something heavy? Chances are a man is going to offer his help with it.
I like the working man of today. He is as educated as his female equal. He holds a full time job. He takes on the homemaker responsibilities with pleasure and enjoys time with his children. He is responsible and takes over what once was the predominantly female role of caregiver. He is not as emotionally shut down as once thought he was, and he does not bitch and moan. He is helpful off-road and in house. He is chivalrous; and if his upbringing to protect and shelter has not been altered, he will do so with blind faith for his family, his spouse and child. Praise the man, for he is found in your father, your brother, your husband, and your son. Praise the man.
This I humbly speak...
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Celebrate the Graduate
Thirty some years ago I stood behind a podium and presented the valedictorian address to the graduating class of a small private college in the city of La Verne, California, known as the University of La Verne. Now, as I recall the "speech," I come to realize that the message then was rooted in dreams and passions of making the world a better place. Not much has changed today. We celebrate our graduates at the threshold of their lives and give them the same weight of responsibility to become extraordinary citizens of humanity, to serve mankind and to leave the world better than they found it.
Today, I celebrate the graduate. I ask that you keep an open mind and recognize the wisdom revealed by life as a crucial catalyst to your education. The process of learning is life long. I recall a few years back when I saw my father look through TIME magazine, intrigued by news and science articles highlighted on the cover. He scanned the articles, shook his head as he put aside the magazine with a forlorn smile and said, "So much more to read, so much more to learn, yet so little time." My father was 93.
Most of you will choose to seek further studies and attain higher grounds. You will be challenged, you will compete and you will perform with professionalism achieving the highest points of your desires. As important as your obligations are as doctors, scientists, lawyers, business leaders, athletes, educators, remember that you are human beings first and your human connections, parents, family, spouses, children, friends are the most important investments you will make. Do not fall prey to becoming victims of your lives. Become the heroes.
Find humor in your lives. Take time to laugh with your human connections. Your view of the world will become more realistic. You will become less egocentric and more humble when you reach that "AHA" moment, the moment of success. But more importantly, humor will make you feel less defeated in times of trouble, because inevitably, you will meet failure, you will meet disappointment. And when you have to face the dilemmas of good and evil, and are lost in the delicate shadings between the two, remember your purpose, remember this day, the day when classmates, family, faculty and friends celebrated you as a graduate and entrusted you with the future. Surround yourself with those human connections who will remind you of your beauty when you feel ugly; who will believe in your innocence when you feel guilty; who will make you whole again when you feel crushed; and who will set you on the right path when you feel you have strayed.
Education is a life long process. And in the process do not neglect to pay your debts owed for your existence. Remember that the higher your achievement in the measure of your success, the greater your debt to the past. Do not let it be said of you what Voltaire the French poet said of one of Louis XIV ministers that "this man is guilty of all the good he did not do." Pay your debts of the past through deeds of love and service. Root your lives in justice, compassion and humility and listen to the voice of your heart's knowledge even when nobody else is looking.
Think all this, do all this with a strong faith in humanity, and you will have done an extraordinary task in a world that will be a better place.
Congratulations, Graduate!
This I humbly speak ...
Today, I celebrate the graduate. I ask that you keep an open mind and recognize the wisdom revealed by life as a crucial catalyst to your education. The process of learning is life long. I recall a few years back when I saw my father look through TIME magazine, intrigued by news and science articles highlighted on the cover. He scanned the articles, shook his head as he put aside the magazine with a forlorn smile and said, "So much more to read, so much more to learn, yet so little time." My father was 93.
Most of you will choose to seek further studies and attain higher grounds. You will be challenged, you will compete and you will perform with professionalism achieving the highest points of your desires. As important as your obligations are as doctors, scientists, lawyers, business leaders, athletes, educators, remember that you are human beings first and your human connections, parents, family, spouses, children, friends are the most important investments you will make. Do not fall prey to becoming victims of your lives. Become the heroes.
Find humor in your lives. Take time to laugh with your human connections. Your view of the world will become more realistic. You will become less egocentric and more humble when you reach that "AHA" moment, the moment of success. But more importantly, humor will make you feel less defeated in times of trouble, because inevitably, you will meet failure, you will meet disappointment. And when you have to face the dilemmas of good and evil, and are lost in the delicate shadings between the two, remember your purpose, remember this day, the day when classmates, family, faculty and friends celebrated you as a graduate and entrusted you with the future. Surround yourself with those human connections who will remind you of your beauty when you feel ugly; who will believe in your innocence when you feel guilty; who will make you whole again when you feel crushed; and who will set you on the right path when you feel you have strayed.
Education is a life long process. And in the process do not neglect to pay your debts owed for your existence. Remember that the higher your achievement in the measure of your success, the greater your debt to the past. Do not let it be said of you what Voltaire the French poet said of one of Louis XIV ministers that "this man is guilty of all the good he did not do." Pay your debts of the past through deeds of love and service. Root your lives in justice, compassion and humility and listen to the voice of your heart's knowledge even when nobody else is looking.
Think all this, do all this with a strong faith in humanity, and you will have done an extraordinary task in a world that will be a better place.
Congratulations, Graduate!
This I humbly speak ...
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