Interview

I will be interviewing Brother James this wednesday Nov. 12th

YouTube Video Summary

Ted Talks. "The Art of Misdirection." YouTube. YouTube, LLC. 13 September 2013. Web. 5 November 2014.

In this Video Apollo Robins shows us the art of misdirection. He uses a very odd way to show this. He is a pickpocket and uses this to show us how we often have our mind set to one thing and that's all we pay attention to. We end up losing sight of everything else. The volunteer went up and just by focusing on a chip he lost sight of Robbins taking his watch and money and other things. Since our mind is focused on one specific thing, everything else seems to just whirl by. It's amazing how misdirection can lead us to forget or to lose sight of other things. I found it as a symbol of life and how we may find ourself focusing on one thing and lose track of everything else. I also saw it as our lost opportunities. What if in life we've been focusing all our time in the wrong things? What if there's more to it than just that one thing? We need to pay attention to all the other things around us. They may add more to our life. What is your purpose in life? What is motivating you? Take a look around you. I bet you could find much more than the answers you gave. 

Academic Article summary

Robles, Janell. "Barriers to Success: A Narrative of One Latina Student's Struggles." Harvard Educational Review 79.4 (2009): 745-754, 784. Web. 3 November 2014.

    This Review about this Latina Undergraduate Student, Janell Robles is very encouraging. It goes on to talk about her struggles to success. For Janell most of her life has been defined by how she grew up. In other words her ethnicity, although she wasn't born in Mexico, she grew up near it and therefore considered herself Mexican. When she went to study abroad in Mexico City, many of her ideas were shut down. No one knew what to make out of her, she wasn't Mexican because she is from Houston, Texas, but she wasn't white either. Janell was raised with many Mexican traditions and therefore could relate a lot to them. Life is sometimes defined by the way we were raised and how we see ourselves despise where we grew up. We choose who we are just like Janell felt she was Mexican.
    Janell also did her research on Latino's. Most others didn't find that scholarly, yet she continues to do her research. She is a motivation to any reader. Life is also defined by what we do, if we let people run our lives, we will only get to where THEY want us to be. Our life is ours, so why not live it how we want it? Take a chance, life is all about taking chances and risks. Sure we'll make mistakes, but that's life. So live it and follow your dreams just like Janell has.

Academic Sources

Source One: This article goes on to explain about the past and how it plays a huge role in our future. It is something that changes our life and also determines our future.

Albarracin, Dolores. Wyer, Robert S. Jr. "The Cognitive Impact of Past Behavior: Influences on Beliefs, Attitudes, and Future Behavioral Decisions." Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 7.9 (2000): 5-22. Web. 27 May 1999.


Source Two: In this journal article, the meaning of life is discussed and how we all have different ways of defining it and how sometimes it's best not to go into depth about the definition of life.

Gayon, Jean. "Defining life: Synthesis and Conclusions." Origins of Life and Evolution of Biospheres 40.2 (2010): 231-244. Web. Apr. 2010.


Source Three: This narrative of Janell's life goes on to talk about her own struggles as she came from Mexico and her lack of adjustment. It goes on to be an inspirational story about how to succeed in life, specifically in our education.

Robles, Janell. "Barriers to Success: A Narrative of One Latina Student's Struggles." Harvard Educational Review 79.4 (2009): 745-754, 784. Web. Winter 2009.

Paper topic

As I mentioned in my last post, I've always wondered what life is? It is everywhere but there's so many things that come with this idea of life. There's many different views on what life is and it just sparks curiosity in me to know what life really is.
- what defines life?
- does life ever end?
- is life just humanity?
- is life what defines who we are?
- where does this idea of life come from?
- is there an after life?
- is there a right way of living life?
- is life choices or destiny?

What is Life?

My favorite question to ask has always been, "What is life?" I say it in a jokingly way, but today as I was walking through our campus in the morning, I watched all around me. The beauty of all the leaves on the ground, all the colors of fall. I thought to myself, life is beautiful. Life is a gift, just like everything else we have. Another day on this earth is a blessing. Sometimes we may feel overwhelmed and feel like we just want to quit, but why quit now when you've gotten this far??? For me I realize life is everything. When asking others, they say life is just the people and the animals inhabiting this earth. I believe it is much more than that. Life is birth, it is death, sorrow, love, and so much more. We make mistakes and we learn from them (sometimes, hopefully we do...). I watched the movie, Heaven is for real, amazing movie by the way, very touching and something I remember from the movie is what the dad said, we all have had a piece of heaven, whether it is when we carry a child for the first time, when we leave our parents for the first time and see how much they mean to us, etc. If things like those small pieces of heaven make us feel so much, can you imagine what the real heaven is like? Life is a piece of heaven. Cherish it, enjoy it, live it. "We only live once, but if we do it right, once is enough."

‘Search until you find a passion and go all out to excel in its expression’

    That is how Alvin Powell, a Harvard Staff writer, depicts E.O. Wilson's devotion in his life to understanding the workings of the natural world. The review from Harvard Gazette is indeed a very interesting one and rare. Wilson was born in Alabama and as he said, "There weren’t many options growing up in Alabama." Wilson is pursuing his PhD in Harvard, he is a biologist, researcher, theorist, author, but the most curious thing is his biological specialty in myrmecology, which is the study of ants. His fascination as a young boy hasn't changed the least bit now, "[he's] still basically a boy who's excited by what's going on." Throughout the review we go from Wilson's childhood to his accomplishments. Two Pulitzer prizes, the national medal of science, and the Crafoord Prize from the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. Some of the questions asked also include why Wilson had such interest in them and the answer was his childhood and his fascination with nature. For me this story was such a great motivation. In life most people pursue a career based on the income they will receive, Wilson pursued a career which he felt a calling for. It was his dream and his passion as it is stated in the heading. He never mentions money, he just mentions his deep love and fascination for what he does, which is what we all should do. Pursue what we love and just make the best out of it. Who knows maybe we will win the next Pulitzer prices. I feel E.O. Wilson is a representation of hope to others in just following their own dreams and having a wonderful life doing what they love. If one person can do it, then it is possible. Whether its studying ants or doing something else, just find your passion and follow on through with it!


http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2014/04/search-until-you-find-a-passion-and-go-all-out-to-excel-in-its-expression/