Oh my Gawd, Joe, why couldn't you have given this lecture at the beginning of the semester? Ever since 2000 when I started going to Sierra I've been nothing but confused and lost as to what I want to do with my life. I've never had a helpful counseling experience, and no other methods of figuring out what I'd like to do have panned out. Your speech gave me so much encouragement. I haven't had a chance to check out the sites you gave us, or the handouts, what with finals and all, but there's nowhere else I can really turn to. I've always been indecisive. I've loved every class I've ever attended, and have been good at every job I've ever applied myself to. But being versatile has hurt me in that I don't know what I really want to do. I like everything, but haven't found anything I truly love. Some of the suggestions you gave out in class got me thinking.
In particular was your speech about getting into a career that you're happy with. I mean, something that benefits society rather than just yourself. Being able to live and finish each day knowing that you've done good for the world and have something to show for yourself. Something ethical, something that benefits mankind, something that has a future. Whether its a green collar job, helping out with education, or working for the Peace Corps, something you can be proud to tell your friends and family.
Mind you finals are a bit stressful for this week, so I still doubt I could concentrate much on doing a self survey to find my true purpose right now, but just five more days and I'll be all over it.
Thank you Joe Medeiros!
Sunday, May 3, 2009
If you're not for Zero Waste, how much waste are you for?
Gary Liss has to be one of the most animate speakers we have had this semester. Like a salesman who thinks he's sold his most expensive product, he finished the class with the biggest grin I think he could possibly muster.
That doesn't say much for his taste in clothing, though.
When I first saw Mr. Liss my eyes fell on his dirty shoes. If you're going to wear a suit, at least wear decent dress shoes. I know it sounds miniscule and unimportant, but I was raised that first impressions can't be taken back, and Gary didn't start off well in the appearance department. His suit also just didn't fit him well. His pants were saggy and he kept pulling them back up to his waist. At least tighten your belt a notch. And he smelled like his jacket and trousers had been in a dry cleaner bag for a year. When he pulled out a comb in the middle of class it occurred to me he could just do for a haircut instead.
Again, I know, miniscule and unimportant, but I remember his wardrobe vividly, and it detracted from his speech a bit.
All that said, his topic of Zero Waste was inspiring. This weekend I went down to the coast for my field project, to Mt. Tamalpais, and drove by a sea of those green waste garbage containers. It must have been trash day, or maybe tomorrow. These were the green, blue, and black containers. Very picturesque, although I would imagine few visitors to the city would know exactly what they were for or what their purpose was other than to dispose of garbage.
Zero Waste should be how we do business. Native Americans survived for thousands of years doing it just fine, who are we to continue to screw it up when we know we can clean it up instead? Mind you I'm no economist, or accountant, but it seems pretty clear to me that companies could start going Zero Waste today and not need to look back. And not just companies, but communities, too. Even though I live with three of the laziest roomates imaginable, and probably the most wasteful to boot, if our entire neighborhood got in the mood I'm sure they wouldn't want to be the only wasteful ones.
Great speech Gary, but next time, clean up the suit ;)
That doesn't say much for his taste in clothing, though.
When I first saw Mr. Liss my eyes fell on his dirty shoes. If you're going to wear a suit, at least wear decent dress shoes. I know it sounds miniscule and unimportant, but I was raised that first impressions can't be taken back, and Gary didn't start off well in the appearance department. His suit also just didn't fit him well. His pants were saggy and he kept pulling them back up to his waist. At least tighten your belt a notch. And he smelled like his jacket and trousers had been in a dry cleaner bag for a year. When he pulled out a comb in the middle of class it occurred to me he could just do for a haircut instead.
Again, I know, miniscule and unimportant, but I remember his wardrobe vividly, and it detracted from his speech a bit.
All that said, his topic of Zero Waste was inspiring. This weekend I went down to the coast for my field project, to Mt. Tamalpais, and drove by a sea of those green waste garbage containers. It must have been trash day, or maybe tomorrow. These were the green, blue, and black containers. Very picturesque, although I would imagine few visitors to the city would know exactly what they were for or what their purpose was other than to dispose of garbage.
Zero Waste should be how we do business. Native Americans survived for thousands of years doing it just fine, who are we to continue to screw it up when we know we can clean it up instead? Mind you I'm no economist, or accountant, but it seems pretty clear to me that companies could start going Zero Waste today and not need to look back. And not just companies, but communities, too. Even though I live with three of the laziest roomates imaginable, and probably the most wasteful to boot, if our entire neighborhood got in the mood I'm sure they wouldn't want to be the only wasteful ones.
Great speech Gary, but next time, clean up the suit ;)
Friday, May 1, 2009
Extra Credit - Under Our Skin
Last night I went to see that documentary on Lyme disease, "Under Our Skin", and I have to say it probably earned the distinction of being the creepiest show I've seen on campus. Easily 15 minutes into it I kept scratching my leg, neck, or arm, imagining some tick crawling through my hair. The documentary was around an hour and a half long, and at times I was squirming so much my chair would creak audibly, which made me even more nervous. The student sitting next to me would repeatedly shake her leg up and down as well, and reajust in her seat from time to time. She must have been as uncomfortable as I was.
And that had to be the intention of the filmakers. I dreamt about events from the movie in my sleep, and couldn't stop talking about it at work today. If their purpose was to be to spread the word about the dangers of Lyme disease, they achieved their goal with me.
For those that didn't go, the film wasn't just 24-hour footage of ticks crawling over people biting them in their sleep. It followed several people in their fight to overcome the harsh symptoms of living with late stage Lyme disease. Most of these people were nothing more than average Americans, regular folk from all walks of life, young and old. One couple, I believe their name was Jenn and Sean, although I couldn't take notes in the darkness, had it particularly rough. Jenn was filmed in so much pain she could barely control her body, went through seizures, had to inject her own antibiotics through a catheter, and all the while doctors were saying there was nothing wrong with her.
The film touched on the troubling realities of insurance providers refusing to pay for treatments or canceling full coverage all together for people that needed them to pay for the thousands of dollars of medical bills they accrued. It linked together corrupt doctors to national guidelines for treating the disease that insurance providers would reference in court cases. One doctor who represented insurance companies would claim in an interview that there was no such epidemic of Lyme disease, while another would be asked the same questions and say its unmistakable. Although the filmakers likely tried to skew some of these interviews to help present their cause, it was hard for me to find much fault in what was said by both sides.
The overall feeling portrayed about the plight of people with Lyme disease was grim. Doctors that legitimately agree to help people are few and far between, and research is lacking in the field for effective treatments. Some people have lived with pain and other symptoms for 15 years or more, and several have died. Babies would either be miscarried or born with physical deformaties. There seemed to be a glimmer of hope at the end, though, that the corrupt financial aspects of curing Lyme disease and the lack of knowledge on the subject were finally being dealt with.
Despite the overall creepiness feeling, I thoroughly recommend you all to go watch this movie. I think they said it would be out in theatres in a couple months, hopefully nation-wide. At work today it was funny; everyone I talked to about the disease seemed to know everything the movie said was uncommon knowledge. Most people I talked to knew somebody living with Lyme disease or someone who had contracted it in the past. Maybe it is more of an epidemic after all.
And that had to be the intention of the filmakers. I dreamt about events from the movie in my sleep, and couldn't stop talking about it at work today. If their purpose was to be to spread the word about the dangers of Lyme disease, they achieved their goal with me.
For those that didn't go, the film wasn't just 24-hour footage of ticks crawling over people biting them in their sleep. It followed several people in their fight to overcome the harsh symptoms of living with late stage Lyme disease. Most of these people were nothing more than average Americans, regular folk from all walks of life, young and old. One couple, I believe their name was Jenn and Sean, although I couldn't take notes in the darkness, had it particularly rough. Jenn was filmed in so much pain she could barely control her body, went through seizures, had to inject her own antibiotics through a catheter, and all the while doctors were saying there was nothing wrong with her.
The film touched on the troubling realities of insurance providers refusing to pay for treatments or canceling full coverage all together for people that needed them to pay for the thousands of dollars of medical bills they accrued. It linked together corrupt doctors to national guidelines for treating the disease that insurance providers would reference in court cases. One doctor who represented insurance companies would claim in an interview that there was no such epidemic of Lyme disease, while another would be asked the same questions and say its unmistakable. Although the filmakers likely tried to skew some of these interviews to help present their cause, it was hard for me to find much fault in what was said by both sides.
The overall feeling portrayed about the plight of people with Lyme disease was grim. Doctors that legitimately agree to help people are few and far between, and research is lacking in the field for effective treatments. Some people have lived with pain and other symptoms for 15 years or more, and several have died. Babies would either be miscarried or born with physical deformaties. There seemed to be a glimmer of hope at the end, though, that the corrupt financial aspects of curing Lyme disease and the lack of knowledge on the subject were finally being dealt with.
Despite the overall creepiness feeling, I thoroughly recommend you all to go watch this movie. I think they said it would be out in theatres in a couple months, hopefully nation-wide. At work today it was funny; everyone I talked to about the disease seemed to know everything the movie said was uncommon knowledge. Most people I talked to knew somebody living with Lyme disease or someone who had contracted it in the past. Maybe it is more of an epidemic after all.
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