AUGUST 2018 Part I – Somehow Someway

This blog might be a tad controversial.  Not because of anything inflammatory, but because I’m going to challenge you with some tasks that can require considerable time and energy – resources that are always in short supply.

 

 

SONG INSPIRATION

This blog was inspired by one of my favorite tracks from Mila J’s EP, June 2018.

 

 

LEARNING A NEW LANGUAGE

OK, let’s kick off the controversy.  Everyone should learn a new language.  If you’re bi- or multilingual, maybe not.  But actually you should too.  There’s a big difference between being a native speaker and a non-native speaker.  I’m not advocating you learn a new language to participate in multiculturalism or study abroad (although those are great reasons).  I think you should learn a new language, because in doing so, you will learn a lot about how you think, learn, and grow.  You’ll learn patience, how to handle frustration, how to set long term goals, and – perhaps most importantly – you’ll learn how to appreciate incremental progress.

 

I studied Japanese in college for four semesters.  Due to scheduling conflicts when I switched majors, I wasn’t able to take anything beyond Japanese IV.  From 2010–2016, I lost a great deal of Japanese vocabulary (but not all of it, because I maintained an interest in Japanese media and because I’m a boss).  I returned to my studies via Memrise in late 2016/early 2017.  Sure, I’d forgotten a lot, but I also realized how much I remembered!  In mid-2017, I switched to Duolingo and it’s been a match made in purgatory ever since.  I thought I’d have no time to study a language in addition to grad school and life, but just 15–30 minutes daily has improved my skills tremendously.  Wow, I sound like an infomercial.  In the last 6 months, I’ve started speaking Japanese more frequently and confidently – much to everyone’s dismay around me.  I even dream in Japanese sometimes.  I’m not advocating Japanese specifically.  It’s harder than diamond shit.  But learning a new language (or in my case, relearning) has really opened my eyes to what I’m capable of.

 

Advice:  You don’t have time.  Everyone is busy.  Therefore, it’s a piss poor excuse.  Learning a foreign language isn’t the only way to challenge yourself, of course.  But it does offer a unique perspective on the lessons to be learned.  That’s probably because language shapes our thinking and attitudes.

 

 

MAKE TIME FOR POLITICS

No one wants to hear this.  It’s frustrating.  It’s another thing to do.  You experience the worst in people.  OK.  But if you’re a young adult, a graduate student in STEM, or John/Jill Q. Public, and you’re choosing to remain on the sidelines, I invite you to watch The Handmaid’s Tale.  Then, report back to me.  In all seriousness, politics is people.  The loudest voices get heard.  If you’re a graduate student in STEM, your funding depends on it.  If you’re a woman, your rights depend on it.  If you’re anyone, your anything depends on it.

 

One of the common misconceptions about political activism is that it takes too much time.  In graduate school, we’re swamped with research, teaching, mentoring, coursework, etc.  Other professions and lifestyles have their own demands.  But one thing I’ve learned in recent months is that being politically active can take surprisingly little time and energy and achieve a tangible, fulfilling result.  That’s because there are lots of low hanging fruit, especially at the state and local level.  The government is understaffed, overcommitted, and poorly informed.  So a small change can have a huge effect.

 

Advice:  Marching is fine.  Voting is best.  But there’s a lot to be done in between those extremes.  There’s fundraising, phone banking, canvassing, driving around candidates, addressing your city council/state legislature in-person, and the list goes on.  Some of these activities require only a couple of hours per month.  Don’t assume other people will protect your rights.

 

 

AGE – A STATE OF MIND

This might sound downright insulting coming from a 28-year-old, but hear me out.  I don’t think I’m old or close to it.  In fact, in my opinion, old is 70+.  Apologies to any older readers.  But age really is a state of mind.  You’re basically just counting orbits around the sun.  The concept of age has been buzzing around my head in recent weeks as I approach, pass, and/or reflect on certain milestones that I’d set for myself as a kid.  In many cases, I failed to accomplish certain things that I hoped to by my mid-to-late 20s.  And I’m learning that’s okay.  You can’t schedule your life and expect everything to go off without a hitch.  Instead, you have to accept it.  For instance, I always planned to finish graduate school by 27.  That ain’t happening.  I planned to be married (back when I believed in such things) by 25.  Psh!  The male body, on average, peaks around 25–26.  So I assumed I would be in my best physical shape at that age and slowly watch my body slide down the hill into oblivion.  But I’m in the best physical shape of my life right now at almost 29.  I wanted to publish a novel in my 20s.  Yeah right!  I wanted to visit more countries, date more, have more money, blah blah blah.  The list goes on and on.  With age, I’m learning that if you put in the hard work, those things can come in due time.  Some of them will never come.  And that’s okay too.  I expect to achieve a variety of things over the next few years.  I just have to keep working toward them.

 

Age:  Constantly berating your age and lack of accomplishments by predefined benchmarks is a recipe for anxiety, depression, and demotivation.  You haven’t done that thing yet?  OK.  Start working toward it now.  You could go hard toward a goal or make incremental progress.  Still don’t have abs?  OK.  Start cutting those carbs.  Start doing crunches.  Doesn’t matter if you’re 25, 35, or 45.  You’d be surprise what you can accomplish when you stop thinking and talking and start doing.

 

 

CURRENT SHOWS

Recently finished:  911; Good Morning Call (s1); Law and Order: SVU (s19); Love & Hip Hop:  Atlanta (s7); Luke Cage (s2); Marcella (s2); The Handmaid’s Tale (s2)

 

Currently watching:  Good Morning Call (s2); Ninja Scroll; Orange is the New Black (s6)

 

 

Thank you for reading!  Please feel free to share this blog or website with others.  As usual, I invite you to like, comment, and follow my page.  My next blog is scheduled for Thursday, August 30^th.  Until next time….