Library letters and TED talks
Pep of the day: Letters of Note, a series of letters from authors to the children of Troy, Michigan congratulating them on their new library and explaining the joys of having a library and reading. Really cute. I liked EB White's letter the best
A library is many things. It's a place to go, to get in out of the rain. It's a place to go if you want to sit and think. But particularly it is a place where books live, and where you can get in touch with other people, and other thoughts, through books. If you want to find out about something, the information is in the reference books---the dictionaries, the encyclopedias, the atlases. If you like to be told a story, the library is the place to go. Books hold most of the secrets of the world, most of the thoughts that men and women have had. And when you are reading a book, you and the author are alone together---just the two of you. A library is a good place to go when you feel unhappy, for there, in a book, you may find encouragement and comfort. A library is a good place to go when you feel bewildered or undecided, for there, in a book, you may have your question answered. Books are good company, in sad times and happy times, for books are people---people who have managed to stay alive by hiding between the covers of a book.
Yes, yes, and yes. Libraries are my sanctuary, the place I go when I need to recenter or when I am feeling lost. Also generally the first place I go (that or a bookstore) when I'm traveling in a new city and am feeling overwhelmed.
TED Talks: I was doing some data entry for Craig, so seeing it was mindless work, I started listening to TED Talks. Though I discovered that I get the alumnae-achievement-award-syndrome ("omg why am I just sitting here, I need to be out THERE doing something! Saving the world!") after about a couple hours, I found some interesting talks.
Jamie Oliver: Teaching Every Child About Food. Jamie's been heading these anti-obesity programs in schools, teaching them what vegetables are (amazing to me that some children can't even recognize vegetables, both in the US and the UK). Powerful stories about how we need to eat better and teach our children to eat better and cook meals rather than eat processed foods.
Jennifer 8. Lee's Search for General Tso's Chicken. Really funny ancedotes on Chinese food, how those take out favorites like chop suey and General Tso's chicken came to be. Anthropologically fascinating how Chinese food has been embraced and molded all across the world - in every country I've been, I've eaten some version of Chinese food, though I didn't see the fried gelato ice cream that Jennifer mentioned in Italy. Jennifer 8 Lee actually came to Wellesley for a lecture, and I fucking missed it because I had orchestra rehearsal!! Boo!! I read her book though, The Fortune Cookie Chronicles, really funny.
Suzanne Lee: Grow Your Own Clothes. Really cool idea! I think it rains too much in Melbourne for me to experiment though.
Nigel Marsh: How to Make Work Life Balance Work. Good points to remember, it's the little things that you do that make the difference, like spending more time with your loved ones, rather than the epic life altering actions.
Mitchell Besser: Mothers Helping Mothers Fight HIV. Inspiring organization that brings together a network of HIV positive mothers, each supporting the other to break down the stigma against HIV and get more people to talk about it, get help for it, and prevent it.
Jessica Jackley: Poverty, Money, and Love. The co-founder of Kiva.org talking about microloans and how that really empowers the poor. I really like the microloan model, have read about it in quite a few places already. This one was inspiring for me, it's good to know that you can just drop everything and go for an idea that helps people help themselves. =D
ETA: A quote I like from collapsingnight -
I learned something important that night. You shouldn't try and stop everything from happening. Sometimes you're supposed to feel awkward. Sometimes you're supposed to be vulnerable in front of people. Sometimes it's necessary because it's all part of you getting to the next part of yourself, the next day. The diary isn't always right.
- The Book of Tomorrow by Cecelia Ahern; page 173.
A library is many things. It's a place to go, to get in out of the rain. It's a place to go if you want to sit and think. But particularly it is a place where books live, and where you can get in touch with other people, and other thoughts, through books. If you want to find out about something, the information is in the reference books---the dictionaries, the encyclopedias, the atlases. If you like to be told a story, the library is the place to go. Books hold most of the secrets of the world, most of the thoughts that men and women have had. And when you are reading a book, you and the author are alone together---just the two of you. A library is a good place to go when you feel unhappy, for there, in a book, you may find encouragement and comfort. A library is a good place to go when you feel bewildered or undecided, for there, in a book, you may have your question answered. Books are good company, in sad times and happy times, for books are people---people who have managed to stay alive by hiding between the covers of a book.
Yes, yes, and yes. Libraries are my sanctuary, the place I go when I need to recenter or when I am feeling lost. Also generally the first place I go (that or a bookstore) when I'm traveling in a new city and am feeling overwhelmed.
TED Talks: I was doing some data entry for Craig, so seeing it was mindless work, I started listening to TED Talks. Though I discovered that I get the alumnae-achievement-award-syndrome ("omg why am I just sitting here, I need to be out THERE doing something! Saving the world!") after about a couple hours, I found some interesting talks.
Jamie Oliver: Teaching Every Child About Food. Jamie's been heading these anti-obesity programs in schools, teaching them what vegetables are (amazing to me that some children can't even recognize vegetables, both in the US and the UK). Powerful stories about how we need to eat better and teach our children to eat better and cook meals rather than eat processed foods.
Jennifer 8. Lee's Search for General Tso's Chicken. Really funny ancedotes on Chinese food, how those take out favorites like chop suey and General Tso's chicken came to be. Anthropologically fascinating how Chinese food has been embraced and molded all across the world - in every country I've been, I've eaten some version of Chinese food, though I didn't see the fried gelato ice cream that Jennifer mentioned in Italy. Jennifer 8 Lee actually came to Wellesley for a lecture, and I fucking missed it because I had orchestra rehearsal!! Boo!! I read her book though, The Fortune Cookie Chronicles, really funny.
Suzanne Lee: Grow Your Own Clothes. Really cool idea! I think it rains too much in Melbourne for me to experiment though.
Nigel Marsh: How to Make Work Life Balance Work. Good points to remember, it's the little things that you do that make the difference, like spending more time with your loved ones, rather than the epic life altering actions.
Mitchell Besser: Mothers Helping Mothers Fight HIV. Inspiring organization that brings together a network of HIV positive mothers, each supporting the other to break down the stigma against HIV and get more people to talk about it, get help for it, and prevent it.
Jessica Jackley: Poverty, Money, and Love. The co-founder of Kiva.org talking about microloans and how that really empowers the poor. I really like the microloan model, have read about it in quite a few places already. This one was inspiring for me, it's good to know that you can just drop everything and go for an idea that helps people help themselves. =D
ETA: A quote I like from collapsingnight -
I learned something important that night. You shouldn't try and stop everything from happening. Sometimes you're supposed to feel awkward. Sometimes you're supposed to be vulnerable in front of people. Sometimes it's necessary because it's all part of you getting to the next part of yourself, the next day. The diary isn't always right.
- The Book of Tomorrow by Cecelia Ahern; page 173.