Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

We respect all colors!

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Picture: http://www.dooleys-hotel.ie/content/images/st%20patricks%20day.jpg

Losing Freedom or Being Master? None!

A couple weeks ago, I watched Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Bird.” It was an incredible and creative film.

In one of the scenes, I noticed that one of the protagonists caught a bird and it took only a couple minutes to catch. Nevertheless, what I have also noticed was, it would take days or weeks or months or years to maintain that bird in the cage.

For the bird, it was obvious that she could not have true freedom.

She could be eating what the masters fed, while the other natural birds were fondly and freely searching and eating foods what they wanted.

She could be listening to the sounds what masters made or masters listened to, while the other natural birds were talking and singing around; making and listening to sounds what they wanted.

She could be seeing the same views where near around her, every single day, while the other natural birds were looking at the views; feeling in the beauties of natural views.

She could be flying from this side to that side of the cage (no longer than two feet), while the other natural birds were flying under the sky as longer as they could; as much as they wished.

She could probably be thinking how to escape from the cage, which part she should firstly eat (the same kind of) food that the masters feed every day, while the other natural birds were thinking, considering and creating things as much as they could.

(If we make more brainstorming, there could be more things to write the differences between the bird in the cage and the natural birds with freedom.)

Any way, how about in the side of human master/s?

They had to take care of that bird.
They had to feed the foods to the bird.
They had to defense from the enemies of the bird.
They had to clean bird’s cage (poops, etc).
Basically and precisely, they had to take total responsibility on that bird. I mean they had to pay the price for the appreciation of having a bird in the cage.

Then, you may ask me which one I would like to be – the bird (in the cage) or the masters?
My answer is – Neither one!

I only want to see natural birds that are flying and singing around under the sky as a normal, usual man, before I die.

I want neither one of losing my freedom or being a master!

I don’t want to lock my brain, my feelings, my senses, my creations, my ability and I don’t want to lock on the others, as well!

Thank you!

Picture: http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3043/3016077070_5135c41eda.jpg

What do I learn from Wii Sports?

A few months ago, we went for dinner to one of our friends’ house and we (our family) introduced Wii there for the first time. My 5 year old son, Izana and I liked playing Wii sports very much.

Last month, my wife bought a Wii set as special present for us. Since then, we play Wii sports very often.

There are five kinds of sports those we can play in the Wii set, which we have:
- Tennis
- Bowling
- Baseball
- Golf, and
- Boxing.

I often play Tennis, bowling and golf. (I rarely play baseball and boxing.) As far as I play, I notice the following terms in playing Tennis, Bowling and Golf.

TennisThe important thing, which I learn from playing tennis, is – we do not need to be good at striking all the time in playing tennis. I will say it is 50/50. In the game, we do not need to offense all the time. Offensive is only concerned for 50 percent. We just need to play with a right force and right hit, regularly. That regular playing makes the other 50 percent to win, because of our opponent’s false. This mean, in the game, like tennis, sometimes you just need to be a regular player with right hits, because of the others’ mistakes, you get the score.

Bowling
In bowling, this is little tricky - for the most times, the ball hits ‘strike’ when we throw with a twist. For example, right handed people need to throw the ball to (a little bit) right with a curve, but the ball will actually hit to one-third of left side. Then, it makes ‘strike,’ and player gets the highest score. For the left handed player, it is also vice-versa.

Golf
There are only a few things, such as your legs and handle positions to take care of (in present). Let us say it is only about 15 percent. The other 85 percent depends on your way to focus to the hole / flag (future).

Conclusion
Therefore, when we play the games like tennis, bowling and golf,
- Be a regular player.
- Try to throw the ball with a curve, rather than just throwing straight forwardly.
- Focus on future where 85 percent of finished line depends on.

Thank you and be the winner!

Picture: http://www.get-free-wii.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/wiisports.jpg

Great Words of the Week: But We Go On ForEver!

I choose the following words (in italic) as great words of the week because those meanly concern with future generation of America, which means future of the nation.
Besides, after I read them, I remember a couple lines of a poem, ‘The Brook,’ which was written by Alfred Lord Tennyson:
“For men may come and men may go,
But I go on forever!”

Whatever those are happening around us, we will be marching forward!

I also have read that Winston Churchill once was asked the words for success in life. Churchill said seven words for success in life: “Never Give Up! Never Never Give Up!” The seven words!

Now, here are Great Words of the week:

“So the students are going where the scholarships are, even if it’s not their first choice. They’re applying to public schools more often than private schools. And some are starting out at community colleges to save money, hoping to transfer later to more costly four-year schools. There’s one thing they’re not doing: giving up.”

Source: Chicago Tribune (Friday, March 6, 2009)
Picture: http://photos.state.gov/libraries/usinfo/30145/ejs/USA-Maps-Cover.jpg

We fail to give our thanks to our benefiters!

Today, I read a poem, which names ‘Our Farm.’ It makes me to remember my farmer's life, the oxen and cows from our farms.

On the first day of our political science class, we had to introduce each other with a few information of each of us. One of the information that we had to talk about was ‘favorite animal.’ Actually, I did not have any kind of animal, which I like or love specifically. Roughly, I don’t love any animal or I love all animals. One after another, my classmates introduced and in soon it could be my turn. I did not have favorite animal yet. Then, as time went by, it was my turn. I said ‘Cow’ as my favorite one as it came up into my idea and remembrance.

Why did I choose ‘cow’? Because, we, human beings take too many advantages from cows.

In many countries, farmers are still plowing their farms with cows.

Often or very often, we eat meat, which is one of mean products of cows.

We drink cows’ milk and eat cheese, which comes from cows’ milk, almost every day.

There are drums, shoes, gloves, clothes, bottles, carpets, bags, blankets and many others, which made by cows’ skins those we are using in our daily lives.

We prefer bangles, shoes, rings, combs, guitar picks, glasses, furniture and many other materials, which made by cow’s horns.

There are cups, hooks, folders, earrings, bracelets, beads and many others we are using daily those comes from cow’s bones.

We deliciously eat cow hooves and also make many other materials from cow hooves.

A cow is born to give her whole life and body for benefits of human beings.
How many of us truly remember to give our thanks to our real benefiters?

Pictures: http://pro.corbis.com/images/MY004539.jpg?size=67&uid=%7BF78A096B-B109-411D-BE9F-A7F10AA58464%7D
http://www.plan59.com/images/JPGs/meat47hands01.jpg
http://blogs.nlb.gov.sg/ask/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/cheese2.jpg
http://www.muaythaistuff.com/picture/RAJ-RFM3-BLACK.jpg
http://www.germes-online.com/direct/dbimage/50160882/Men_s_Cow_Skin_Jacket.jpg
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWhaqBsRrOgbfz7fmh3lbcbGIGcC8OzA3YLE20hhHscGyeQa6HfdwDgJQVQqr9EKYROIIQPX8ZD1U8smYGqg2EvAjPzXUTqM5n9WQ54IeHOcktlMW3qR7yZ7loKPH9i2X0Cibn2mzEAc6w/s320/shoes4.jpg
http://www.downstar.co.uk/hossite/shoppics/BassSets.jpg
http://www.africadreaming.com.au/store/html/images/jewellery/cowhornring.jpg
http://www.onyako.com/large/71.jpg
http://www.swahiliwholesale.com/shop/images/ae340.jpg
http://site.blackpearldesigns.net/images/makau-fishhook2.jpg
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_jRQCL7gF5ZU/Rujt5Cw2OrI/AAAAAAAABwI/X4QlaOssuu8/hooves+-+small.jpg
http://blog.pennlive.com/bizarrebazaar/2007/10/large_Cow.jpg

True Theme of Philosophy

Thomas Hobbes

Francis Bacon

Yesterday afternoon, I was listening to books in tape. One of the books in tape, which I listened to, was “The Birth of the Modern Mind: An Intellectual History of the 17th and 18th Century by Professor Alan Kors, University of Pennsylvania.

In lecture three of the program; it was about thinking ways and ideas of Francis Bacon. I liked and agreed with most parts of Bacon’s thoughts. One of the points, which I fully agree with Bacon was – “Knowledge is power of human and strengths of humans suppose to be for humans’ well being, but not for humans’ suffering.”

In lecture six, it was about Thomas Hobbes’ ideas and opinions. Hobbes also thought similar way to Bacon’s for some points, and I also agreed with. Hobbes said that “True theme of philosophy should be to increase human’s well being, but not for humans’ suffering.”

Picture: http://emsworth.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/francis-bacon1.jpg
http://pages.pomona.edu/~mjg14747/033-2006/pix/hobbes.jpg

Depend on how far we are going!

It was about 2,600 years ago. One day, a man came to the Buddha. The man said he had to go for a trip and asked what he should prepare for his trip.

The Buddha asked the man how far was his trip. The man said he did not know exactly yet.

Then, the Buddha said, “Alright, I will give you three kinds of nature of preparations for three kinds of trips. If you are going for a short term trip, you need to prepare your energy because the success of a short term trip usually depends on the strength of (physical) power. If you are going for a mid term trip, you need to practice to make determinations because the success of a mid term trip usually depends on rightness of making serious decisions. If you are going for a long term trip, you need to have strong mind and spirit because the success of a long term trip usually depends on the strength of will power.”

What we should prepare depends on how far we are going.

Thank you and have a good day.

Picture: http://ugaol.files.wordpress.com/2007/05/buddha.jpeg

Quote of the Week: We will ReBuild!

“We will rebuild, we will recover, and the United States of America will emerge stronger than before!”

President Barack Obama

Source and Picture: CNN / BBC

Advice: 3 Rs to Rebuild;
Reduce (reconsider) all unnecessary costs and efforts.
Recharge.
Renew American family spirit (as always).

The Greatest Gift for a Teacher

Today, I met one of my teachers who taught me English speaking in our ELI class. My teacher and I had some conversation around. One of categories during the conversation was about my former classmates who transferred to four year colleges. My former classmates are now studying in several fields, such as business management, dentist, nursing, sociology and so on. I told my teacher to take a great appreciation on it and it is the greatest gift for a teacher.

When I was a teacher, I always told my students that ‘let me look at you above so high!’ I told them I would like to see that you guys become presidents, ministers, generals, doctors, engineers, managers, teachers, etc. ‘Let me see your strength! Let me see your growth!’ And when they become the persons who own high positions with high responsibilities, I really appreciate on it as “Look at my students! Look at that general, that doctor, that engineer! He is my boy. She is my girl. They are from my class!”

That appreciation is the greatest gift ever for a teacher in his or her life, since teachers are half-parents! Nothing can replace on that appreciation in a deepest place of a teacher's heart!

Thank you.

Picture: http://www.thedctraveler.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/03/jefferson-memorial-at-cherry-blossom-time.JPG

I will think Twice.

Through out the phone calls, e-mails and personal discussions, I have chance to realize that on my blogging pages – sometimes, people do not understand what I mean, or they misunderstand. Why have those things been happening? I evaluate by myself. The followings are a few mean reasons to answer that question:

(1) English Skill

I can write, read, speak and listen to English, but none of them is perfect, yet. One of the mean reasons for creation this blog was – to enhance my English writing. Within four years in the United States, my English writing has improved for some points but for the most parts, I cannot exactly write - what do I mean; what do I want to express, yet, because of lack of vocabulary, lack of grammar, lack of writing experience, etc. Nevertheless, I will be trying my best to be available to express exactly what I mean.

(2) High Level International Experience

I had some life experiences in several fields because I was a clerk, a merchant, a soldier, a university student, a teacher, a boatman, a Buddhist monk, a farmer, a factory worker, etc. None of them was high level international standardized, which means my postings will not be standardized or perfected. But I will be trying to be more completed as much as I can.

(3) Dreams, Wishes and Sharing

Many pages are just expressing my dreams and wishes openly; sharing with my readers. It does not mean ‘a project’ or ‘a plan’ or ‘a procedure’ or ‘something for list to do.’ Through out my seeing, hearing, acting, reacting, and so on, sometimes, I also write my feelings as I wish. Sometimes, it is just a suggestion about – this could probably be better; this could probably work; etc.

I will be thinking Twice.

Whatever it is, later, I will think twice before I post my pages on the following two areas:
First: Whether if it is exactly what I mean or not.
Second: What are positives and negatives?

Thank you for your understanding.

Have a good day!

Picture: http://markwilcox.files.wordpress.com/2008/01/thinker.gif