WhatIHaveLearned
WhenIthinkaboutwhatcountsaslearningtome,IthinkaboutmylifeJustbeingabletolivein thisworldtomeisalearningexperience,becauseIfeelthatmylifeisfulloflessonsandIbelieve thatittakeslessonstolearninlife.IfeelthatIhavelearnedtounderstandlearningmoreandtoalso understandthevalueoflearning.AsIgetolderIcancomprehendsubjectmattersmorethanIcould everdobefore.IamlearningtobemoreseriousandIfindmyselfnottakinglifeforgranted anymore
IalsofeelthatmaturingcountsaslearningformebecausegrowingupIwascontinuouslybeing calledimmatureForme,maturingcountsaslearningbecauseIfindmyselfdoingthingsInever thoughtI...showmorecontent...
IfeelthatIhavetogetridofbadhabitsinordertomakeroomforbetterhabitsthatIneedfor everydaylife.Iamlearningbetterhabitseveryday.EventhoughIdidbadonmyfirstexamIfeel thatcountedaslearningformebecausenowIknowwhatittakesformetoreceiveahighgradeon anytestItake
Thebiggestlearningexperiencetomesofarislifeitself.Ifeelthatwaybecausethereissomuchto learninlife.Ittakesgrowingupformetolearninlife.Iamnowbeginningtounderstandthevalue oflearningbecauseayearagoIdidnotappreciatelearning.IdidnotvalueitlikeIvalueitnow.I tookitforgrantedasiflearningcouldjustbegiventomeIrealizenowthatithastobeearnedMy attitudeinhighschoolwasbadbecauseIreallydidnotfeelIwaslearning,soItookitforgranted. InhighschoolIfeltasiftheteacherswerejokesandIalsofelttheydidnotcareabouteducatingme properlyIamnowstartingtolearnthevalueofaneducationInowlookforwardtolearningnew thingseveryday.IfeelthatIambeginningtohaveapassionforlearning.IneverthoughtthatI wouldfeelthiswayaboutlearningbecauseIneverdidappreciateitlikeIdonow.Inowactually yearntolearn;IfeelthatIneedtolearnnewthings.EveryassignmentIhavedoneincollegeis teachingmesomethingnew.IthinkIfeelthiswaybecauseIammaturingandInowviewlearning differentlythanIdid
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MyWritingExperiencesMyexperiencesinwritinghavebeenminimal.Ihaveonlylearnedthe basicsofwriting,likeputtingtogethersentences,formingparagraphswithsentences,andthingslike that.SinceIhavebeentakingcollegeEnglish,Icantellmywritinghasimprovedalot.Inthefuture, Ihopetobeabletoimprovetremendouslyatwritingessays,paragraphs,researchpapers, documents,andstoriessothatIhaveverylittletonoerrorswithdraftingandfinalproductsI predictIwillbeawellroundedwriterwhenIgraduatefromcollege.Writinginthepaststartedin kindergarten.MyteachertaughtmehowtowritemynameoverandoveruntilIcouldwriteitwith noerrorsAllthroughelementarymyteacherstaughtmeshowmorecontent
IneedtolearntoquitthinkingasmuchonwhatIwanttowriteaboutandhowtowriteaboutatopic andjuststartingjottingstuffdowninoutlineformasitcomestomind.Run–onsandfragmentsI needtobeabletospotandfixrightawayorIreallyneedtonothaveanyinmypapersatall.My goalsaretowritepapersandnothavetoreassuremyselfthatmaybeIneedtodomoreresearchor havemoredataorevenhavetorethinkmywholetopicoverIwouldlovetohavetheknowledgeto beatutorsomedayandteachotherpeoplehowtoproperlywritepapers,paragraphs,essays,and maybeevenbooks.Tohaveexcellentskillsinwritingwilldefinitelybeagreatadvantageinmy nursingprofession.Innursing,Iwillhavetodolotsofchartingonmypatients.Iwillhavetodo healthpresentationsonvarioussubjectssuchasexercising,howoursocietyeats,andsexeducation ifIwanttobeacourseinstructorResearchinginformationonallofthosetopicsIwillhavetomake sureIdoanexcellentjobonandcollectaccurateinformationandstatisticssothatIcancompareto othersources.DictatingtothedoctormeansthatIwillneedtowriteproperlysothatheunderstands whatIamsayingOthernurseswillhavetobeabletounderstandwhatIamtalkingaboutbymy writingskillswhendoingshiftchanges.Iwillhavetobeveryprecisesothatothernurseswillnot
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Lightpollutionhappenedslowlyatfirstwhichwasseveraldecadesagoitwasaprocessthatwas hardlynoticeable.Alighthere,alightthere,burningwayintothedarknighttimerealm,helpingus seeinthedarknesswhenpeoplealltheirourbedsfastasleep.Theprocessstillcontinuestoday,with littlethoughtevergiventowhatwearestealingaway.Ourintentionsaregoodbutourmethodsneed adjustment,andtheyneedstobedoneimmediatelyInfact,ourmethodsshouldhavebeenchanged yearsago,butnearlyeveryonehasresisted,perhapsduetoaprofoundlackofawareness.Theuseof toomanylightsatnightcancauseenvironmentalpollution,knownaslightpollution.Lightpollution canblockourabilitytoseetheoriginalshowmorecontent
Soifacrashingcometwascomingtowardsearthforimpact,theastronomersmightnotgettoseeit untilitmightbetoolateforthegovernmenttodosomethingtodestroyitinasafedistancefrom earth.Butweareluckythattheonlytimethishappenedbeforewasintheinstancewherethecomets werethesizeofbriefcasesandtheyevaporatedintheatmosphere,butmaybethenexttimemankind mightnotbesolucky
Sobyusingonlytheamountoflightweneedindifferentareas,wewouldbeabletoproperly manageourlightresourceandeasilysolvethisproblem.Thiswillsavetowns,itscitizens,andits businessowner'slotsofmoney.Itwillimprovethequalityoflifeforeveryonewhohasdirected lightunnecessarilybeamingintotheirwindowsandacrosstheiryardsatnight.Itwillvastlyimprove thesafetyforalldriversandpedestrians,anditwillgreatlyenhancethenighttimeappearanceof people'scommunity'sbyremovingtheneedlessvisualclutterandglarethatisalwaystypicalof obtrusiveoutdoorlighting.
Thereareseveraltypesoflightpollution,suchasglare,thelightthatblindsandharmsoureyes; lighttrespass,whichiswhensomeoneusesalightresourcethatoffendsus;clutter,thatmakesthe objectsdifficulttoseeatnight;andenergywaste.Lightpollutioniscausedbylightcomingfrom improperlydesignedstreetand
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TheMeaningofLife
Myfewyearsonthisplanethavebeenabitconfusing.Ihavelearnedofmanyaspectsoflifefrom whichonecandrawmeaning,ifindeedsuchmeaningcanbedrawn.Ihavealsolearnedthatthere canbenosingularmeaningoflifetostandforusall,orevenanyoneofusWhatIhavelearned aboveallisthattryingtoputwordstothemeaningoflifeisataskofabsoluteabsurdity.Thisisnot tobeconfusedwiththeideathatlifehasnomeaning,forlifecertainlyhasmeaning.However,there isnosinglemeaningoflifetobedefined–lifeisdifferentforusallTherefore,ratherthandefine lifeforanentireplanet,IshalltrytoexplainwhatlifemeansasIperceiveit,andwhyitmeans so.showmorecontent
Lifeisacomplicatedtwistofsuffering,laughing,andlearningallmergingtotellagreatstory–or greatmanystories.Basedonthisview,"itisnottheendgoaloroutcomeoflifethatgiveslife meaningbutratherthequalityofthestory,thequalitywithwhichonelivesoutanddevelopshisor herrole."
Atthetime,thiseventseemedratherinsignificantanddidnotmeritremembrance.However,its catastrophiceffectsonmyattitudethateveningmayhavehelpedtomoldmeintothepersonIhave becomeIlearnedthatsufferingthroughsuchanevent,aschildishasitwas,isquitenecessaryin anylife.Suchpainsarepartofaninterminablecycleandonlygeneratebalanceinone'slife(p.62, 'LifeasSuffering').Despitemyhorridtimespentthatevening,thelaughterbroughtsincethe incidentisaworthytradeoffLaughterisanalltoonecessaryfunctionoflife,justassufferingand thewiderangeofotheremotions."Somethinkerswouldemphasizetheimportanceofsophistication inhumor,butotherswouldsaythatlaughteritselfiswhatisimportant."Whateverthecasemaybe, laughterisanimportantingredientinlife,andmustnotbetakenforgrantednorignored.
Despitesuchemotionaltiestolife,IhavealsolearnedthatlifeisnotonlyaboutemotionsThose emotionsaregeneratedfromthechainreactionscreatedendlesslyin
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Mypersonaldefinitionwouldnotinclude"stuff"atall.Noonewillcare(andneitherwillyou)what kindofcaryourdroveorhowbigyourhousewaswhenyou'reonyourdeathbedYourthoughts willnotbeaboutyourjob,theofficeorhowmuchmoneyyoumade.
PersonalsuccessisdefinedbyhowcontentandenjoyableyourlifeisThatisnottosaythat challengesanddisappointmentsaren'tincludedinthis.Arich,eventfulandchallenginglifedoing whatyouenjoyandpositivelyaffectingothersseemstometobejustaboutright.Findajobyou loveandyou'llneverworkanotherdayinyourlife.IknowIwon't.Inmyshowmorecontent Past,presentandfutureareallimportanttokeepinperspective.Lookingbackandnothaving regretsisextremelysatisfyingYourcurrentsituationandyourcontentmentwithitarealsovery important,andhavinggoalsandmilestonestoworktowardinthefuturekeepsyoumotivatedand keepslifeinterestingandchallenging.
Inthisageinwhichwelive,successisgenerallymeasuredbytheamountofmoneyyouearn,orthe amountofwealthorpowerornumberofpromotionsyou'veaccumulatedIfindthattheolderI grow,themoreIviewthepeoplewhoaremosthappyandcontentwiththeirlivesasthemost successful.Rich,poororinbetween,they'vetendedtotreatlifeasajourney,notafinaldestination. Theytookthattripwhentheywere25eventhoughtheyreallycouldn'taffordit,theyorderedthe $55bottleofwinewiththeirfiletbecausetheyknewthateventhoughitwasexpensiveitwould enhancethemealsomuchmorethanwaterwould.Theytookachanceonastart–upcompany, movedtoEuropeorAsiaandexperiencedthingsthatmostpeopleonlydreamabout.Ifthey managedtogrowwealthyfromtheexperience,somuchthebetter.Aslongasmoderationwithmost thingsispracticed,thingswon'tspinoutofcontrol
Bottomlinerulesforasuccessfullife: Alwaystrynewthings
Listentwiceasmuchasyoutalk. Travelasmuchasyoucancomfortablyafford Faithandfamilyalwayscomefirst–
"Trynottobecomeamanofsuccess,butrathertrytobecomeamanofvalue."
–AlbertEinstein––
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MyBirthStory
Ababy'slifehelpstoformandshapethefutureforthatchild;thisgoesthesameforme.Mybirth, mysign,andmyname,allrelatetothewayIliveandacttoday.Manypeoplemaynotseethis connectionforthemselves,butittakesalittlebitofresearchandthinkingtocometorealizewhy peoplearethewaytheyare.Everydayandeveryactionthatachildexperiencescaninfluencetheir actionsasanadult.
IwasbornonaMondaymorningat5:33.Althoughmymotherwasnotinlaborforlong,shedid takehertimegettingtothehospitaltogivebirth.IwasbornonApril23,1984,thedayafterEaster asaTaurus.Ingeneral,Taurus'arestubbornpeopleandcanbringharmonyfromchaos.Taurean women...showmorecontent...
Iamadjustinglikeanychildwouldtotheirnewsurroundings,andgettingusedtodailylifeasa collegestudent.IcametoNAUalone,muchlikeIwasbornanonlychild.However,inthenext year,IknowIwillmakefriendsandmeetpeopletoenjoycollegelifewith,muchlikewhenmy brotherwasborn,Ihadanewplaymateandsomeonetogrowwith.
TaureansarealsoknowntohaveverystrongopinionsandastrongvoiceAllthroughmiddle school,myvoicewasn'talwaysusedforacademics;allmyreportcardssaid:"...She'sagood student,buthasatendencytosocializetoomuchduringclass".Throughouthighschool,my teachershavebeenabletotellwhenIhaven'tdonemyhomeworkbecauseIdidn'thaveanythingto sayaboutthebookorthearticleweread.Iwasknowntobesocialoccasionallyandastrongvoice ineverydebateordiscussionthattookpartduringtheclass.MyBioethicsteacheroncetoldme "...Cammy,givesomeoneelseachance,you'remonopolizingtheclass"Iwasalittleshocked,butI knewshewasrightandshutup.
AsaTaurus,Ialsohaveaninclinationtomakesurepeoplearetakencareof,especiallyinmyown homeormy"territory."AlthoughIdon'thostmanyparties,whenIdohaveguests,Iliketobesure thattheyarecomfortableandhaveeverythingtheyneedForexample,aboutaweekago,my roommateandI
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TheArtistandtheArt
Thehistoryofartdatesbacktoancienttimes.Artworkcanbe,andwas,foundaroundtheworld. Whatmakesartinterestingisthatitcanbecreatedinanyway,shapeorformwithanymaterials.It seemsthattheartworkcanalsotellusalotabouttheartistArtseemstobesimply,adirect,visual reflectionoftheartist'slife.Therefore,onecanassumethatanartist'slifeexperiencesandbeliefs directlyinfluencetheirart.Ifwelookatexamplesfromdifferentperiodsofartwewillbeabletosee theconnectionbetweentheartistandtheart
OneoftheearliestexamplesofbeliefsandtraditionaffectingartcanbeseeninAncientart.The ancientEgyptianshadastrongshowmorecontent
Thiscouldbetrue,butitjustshowshowlifeexperiencesalsodirectlyinfluencetheoutcomeofa piece.Ifwelookatperiodsclosertothepresentwecanalsoseeotherstrongexamplesofthe relevancebetweenartandtheartist
Impressionismbeganduringthe19thcentury.Anexampleofanartist'sbeliefsinfluencinghisart canbeseenintheworksofPierreAugusteRenoir.Itisdocumentedthathefeltthatartshouldbe differentfromtherealworld,whichcanbecoldandharsh.Hesaid,"Whyshouldn'tartbepretty?" and"Thereareenoughunpleasantthingsintheworld."Anexampleofhisattitudetowardsartcan beseenin'AGirlwithaWateringCan'from1876Thispicturecaneasilybeinterpretedasbeing beautifulandthereforeitprovesthathisbeliefofartistrue.'DanceatBougival'from1883,isyet anotherexampleoftheartistandtheinspirationfortheart.Bypaintinganattractivescenewithtwo peopledancingaccompaniedbylaughingfacesinthebackgroundweseeacorrelationbetweenhis quotesaboveandthispiece.Therefore,onecanconcludethatRenoirpaintedmostlybeautifuland attractiveart.
Unfortunately,forsomeartists,therealityoflifeisn'tsobeautiful.Oneofthemosttalented,yet mentallyillartistsofalltimewasVincentVanGogh.Hewasalsofromthe19thcenturybelonging tothepost–impressionistsInorderforonetoanalyzetheartof
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