1.26

Moments Moments classify our lives.  We live, we breathe, we remember, we experience many events in our world.  Some moments are more prominent than others but each step matters on this journey. We all pick out a few moments that are landmark events of our lives.  We often define ourselves by these special moments. Every moment of life is important and, in some way, can be marked as valuable.      [...

Read More

1.24

Grateful Experience I had the opportunity to experience something else new this month:  news anchoring.  I auditioned and was selected as one of two positions for winter term anchor.  This position is for our campus-wide news program, Phoenix14News. I will start by saying that the business is definitely team-oriented.  Without the work of reporters, producers, directors, and the complete staff, nothing productive would get...

Read More

1.23

Trial Expiration Date Don't you love free samples?  There's also something special about the different packaging that some trial-size items come in.  It's really fun to try something knowing that you don't have to be committed to it forever.  In a trial run, we have the opportunity to just experiment and see if we like or dislike the idea, activity, or lifestyle.  It is important to have an open mind when going through...

Read More

1.22

The Classics What makes something a "classic?"   Classical -ancient Greek or Latin writers or literature -typical, acknowledge model or standard -highly developed civilization Classics -excellence or importance -of highest model or standard -timeless -of high calibre A problem with these two terms is that many treat the words as synonyms.  However, the two refer to completely separate topics.  The adjective 'classic' refers to the highest quality or class.  The adjective 'classical' pertains to Greek or Roman antiquity....

Read More

1.21

Happy birthday wishes go to my best friend. The Importance of Appearance How valued is appearance?  I think it is highly important.  The way a person presents himself or herself is extremely valuable.  Remember the old age saying that claims you only have one chance to make a first-impression.  Appearance shows a person's inner character.  The way one dresses and behaves both are key to determining a true personality.  Thus, an upgrade in style or a quest for higher standards is a perfect compliment to creating...

Read More

1.19

The Stereotype I think of prejudice as not only negative thoughts about something but just as our general view on a subject.  Stereotypes are like expectations we have for a certain person.  Look at a pirate.  We expect a pirate to be savage, pillaging, unloving, and dirty.  We expect a cat to be lazy, cunning, yet comforting.  So how do we form stereotypes?  When we stereotype something, we essentially represent the predetermined beliefs of a society.  Many times our beliefs come from our prior experiences....

Read More

1.18

Looking at a Rose Rose. Denotation - dictionary terms, scientific classification a : any of a genus (Rosa of the family Rosaceae, the rose family) of usually prickly shrubs with pinnate leaves and showy flowers having five petals in the wild state but being often double or partly double under cultivationb : the flower of a rose Kingdom: PlantaeDivision: MagnoliophytaClass: MagnoliopsidaOrder: RosalesFamily:...

Read More

1.17

A Hero Now another question:  Does this painting depict heros or victims? El Tres de Mayo, by Francisco de Goya The discussion of a hero has different meanings for all people.  Some think Cinderella, Batman, and the Joker are all heros.  We see there may be one arguable character in that list for many as to whether he is to be considered a hero or not.  The concept of heroism is on a sliding scale.  This ambiguity...

Read More

1.14

A brief look at dealing with a demise. A tough subject. Often the end of a life comes way too early, and people have to deal with emotions probably much more complex than they could handle in that moment.  As part of the acceptance stage, everyone has to work out their thoughts and "move on." For some, they deal with the matter on a daily basis.  It has to be rough.  Constantly hearing, seeing, and speaking about the passing must really tear up someone on the inside.  But how can they handle this process? The easiest way...

Read More

1.12

How long will you wait? Wait For Me (3 Minute Documentary) In 1985, John Ewing Dreyfous, a young man from a well-to-do family took a bicycle trip across southern Europe, wandered into Bangladesh, traveled through India, and vanished while hiking in the rugged foothills of the Himalayas. He was never seen or heard from again.WAIT FOR ME is the story of a mother’s spiritual and emotional search for her son—a ceaseless trek, propelled by an unconditional love and an unwavering belief that he may still be alive.Hope is what keeps dreams alive. There...

Read More

1.11

Acceptance of Change Recognize this painting? What about this one? A good friend brought to my attention the update to another iconic American symbol.  The painting, Washington Crossing the Delaware by Emmanuel Leutze, may not be a completely accurate depiction of the events happening on that cold Christmas Day.  By today, someone has reexamined the facts and created the latter, updated painting. This idea...

Read More

Airport Safety in Academic and Popular Sources

Airport Safety in Academic and Popular Sources      Americans enjoy traveling every day. Whether to a local business, to a distant university, or to a vacation destination, everyone moves to some location. Individuals decide which method of transportation is best for their needs, and the choice varies on efficiency and availability. However, the security of a method serves as a large factor in deciding if one form of transportation should be used over another. Many choose flying on an airplane because there is increased efficiency,...

Read More

1.8

Rest. whatever the circumstance the cause the moment it is healthy and good for a human Re...

Read More

1.7

Whitney Houston as Soup Can Let's try to make some interdisciplinary connections.  I will simply bullet point a couple of thoughts, and we can use the points to expand and create our own ideas.   John Gasper's Flag We may quickly pass by this art piece and see it as nothing more than an iconic symbol of American culture.  But if we learn the process used to create this piece, then we may discover something greater in meaning. There...

Read More

1.5

What is culture, what is nature? Here are more words that will help in understanding these two concepts:      Culture:  learned, society, meaning, values    Nature:   instinct, fact How culture and nature interact with the individual can be seen in several models.  Some call the interaction nature vs. nurture but the concept is the same.  1.  N     C     2. N    3....

Read More

1.4.b

What is art? Many more questions come through critical thinking in the humanities. To answer the question about art, let me share some words that come to mind when thinking about what art is. This list is only a very selective group, and much time can be spent thinking about what each word means, how it connects to the subject, and why it defines 'art.'           purpose           form                  expression    ...

Read More

1.4.a

Thanks for joining me this month.  I am calling January 2012 "my month of reading and critical thinking."  There are multiple questions to answer right from the start. First, why create a blog?  January is a time for new.  To keep that long tradition, I have decided to use a form of communication which is normally unappealing to me.  However, for only a month, I will post longer messages and ideas through this form; hopefully, in an appealing manner to you, my amazing audience.  With that second point, it is good...

Read More