I’ve mentioned demeaning t-shirts in the past, but I figured it was worth another mention. Shirts like the one here are becoming more and more prevalent, at least it seems that way from the number of online stores selling them and ads on sites. Fortunately I haven’t seen many people wearing the sort of demeaning and derogatory shirts I’ve seen mentioned in blogs online.
The terribly sad thing is these shirts target teenagers, youngins right at that age where they are developing their perceptions of themselves and all that. Here we are allowing them to be shaped and reinforced by t-shirts that embrace sad stereotypes and oppressive roles we’ve worked so hard to overcome. We are putting shackles on our own feet now.
Monthly Archives: July 2006
Starting over: GTD and other organizing strategies
I realized last night, the best way to start applying a new system is to just start completely over. I really don’t have anything so pressing that I’m going to be in big trouble if I forget it, nor is there anything I won’t be able to find if I tuck it away for the moment.
That said I cleared out all my old notecards, papers, etc. I’ve stuck three index cards in my pocket labelled: Next Actions, Projects, @waiting (and a NOTES card too). I’m hoping to take the advice of the GTD system in a sort of dumbed down format and simply focus on putting single actions I can take on the Next Action card and list anything that takes more then one step on the Projects card.
I’ll let you know how the system goes.
This is my journal
I know I’ve mentioned this multiple times before, but I felt the need to say it again to remind myself. I really started this blog to serve as a place for me to share my thoughts with others, but mainly as an open notebook, not a polished presentation.
This might be better titled “Ariah’s Notebook,” but in a sense that is what this is all about. “Trying to Follow” is about my attempt to follow the truthes that I believe are right (I should probably write a few post explaining that title a little more).
So here is to more writing. More open thinking, more vulnerability. Please be kind.
Many uses for vacant campuses
Passing through Vanderbilt’s fairly vacant campus tonight, Mindy pointed out how sad it was that all these dormitories and other buildings sit pretty much vacant for about three months out of the year. At the same time, plenty of folks spend the nights out on the streets with no where to lay their head. The Fine brainstorm ensued and here where some thoughts the brilliant Mindy produced…
Imagine a three month rehabilitation center set up on vacant university campuses each summer. That is a good amount of time to offer a sort of detox and rehab program for a number of folks. It’d also be ample time to help diagnose mental health concerns and provide plans of care for those in need. Something like this could easily be supported by current students serving as interns and having an opportunity to gain some hands on real life experience related to their field of interest.
Another idea was to set up a three month summer education program for and put together by both students and community members (particularly those in need of living spaces). Imagine being part of a three month summer school that offered classes, workshops, discussion groups and more put together by college professors, students, homeless and formerly homeless persons, and a great many other people. Imagine living in a dorm with that sort of array of people and backgrounds. Imagine breaking bread together with folks from the other side of the tracks. Unfortunately, current colleges don’t seem to provide this, but what about the opportunity to offer these sorts of things on empty college campuses in the summer.
This is me thinking out loud.
What are your thoughts?
A lull in writing
Sorry I haven’t written much in the past few weeks. It seems like this is a time I should be writing the most, but my mind is sort of in limbo at the moment.
We are trying to figure out where we will be living next month and that’s sort of occupying the majority of my brain at the moment, leaving little room to sit for any period of time and type intelligibly.
Also on my mind:
My parent’s business
The Eikon Project
A possible web design job (side job)
All kinds of ideas for work
Living in Community
Reading and writing (see they are at the bottom of the list)
I hate to keep on setting up false expectations, but hopefully August will bring far more regular writing and a lot more regularity in podcasting (with a community focus). I’ll still be writing, just no guarantees on how many post will show up on this site.