The Secret of my Success...and other Fallacies

So, I'm at my favorite bookstore, which I have to travel to Cherry Hill for, and as usual, I become spellbound by all of the collective knowledge that is, literally, at my fingertips as I walk up and down the aisles.
 I find it absolutely mind-boggling that you can be in a single structure or a building, and hold the keys to the universe if you look closely enough ( I was, coincidentally, in the space-exploration aisle).
I suppose the same could be said if you are standing in a library, but there is something about those clear plastic wrappings they put on library books that makes what is contained within seem less accessible. But, as usual, I digress.

So, there I am, walking among the aisles of knowledge and I find myself in the self-help section looking at all the titles: The Success Book, How to Succeed in Business, 7 Secrets of Successful Teens etc. All of these books, all dedicated to the notion of success. That was when it hit me--how do these books ever sell? Aren't all individual ideas of what success is dramatically different? And then, it hit me again..."I wonder what Lang kids view as definitions of success? Hmmmmmm...blog question!" And now, here we are.

So, tell me--what is YOUR definition of success?
What are the hallmarks, again, to YOU, of a successful person?
 How do you judge whether or not you are successful? A
re there different levels, different measures of importance tied to levels?
What do you need to have, to own, to acquire in order to feel successful?
What types of things need to happen in order for you to see yourself as a success?
(450 words/60pts)

Mental Floss

bout two years ago, I  was perusing the internet, over Easter weekend, and I came across a blog I used to follow quite regularly. It says things like "practical tips for productive living," and then it goes on to list things that would be good to think about during the daily grind. It's written by an annoyingly cute couple who obviously sit around thinking philosophically on the regular. I must say, I'm a tad jealous because, frankly, I don't have the energy.

Anyway, if you're interested in the site itself, I will give you the link, but I don't want to make it seem as though I am "sponsoring" it or anything here, because, well, that's illegal.

Soo, as I was browsing around the archives, I found some cool, thought-provoking questions that left me lost inside my own head for a good 2 hours or so. There were 50 of these mind bending questions (Originally I thought there were a hundred in two 50 question blocks, but I misread it), and I am not going to list them all here, but I am going to post some of the more provocative ones.

Obviously, you don't need to write volumes on any one question--but expound on a few of the ones that really resonate with you and allow your mind to roam at will. Take your time and have some fun on the mental playground that these questions construct sort of naturally.  You should answer AT LEAST 8 of them, and only 5 if you really go into detail.

From time to time, I may pop in with my own answers to some of these--feel free to engage in conversation with me, or any of your classmates during the course of this week's blog!

1. How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you are? (I love this one!)

2. Which is worse, failing or never trying?

3. If life is so short, why do we do so many things we don’t like and like so many things we don’t do?

5. What is the one thing you’d most like to change about the world?

6. If happiness was the national currency, what kind of work would make you rich?

8. If the average human life span was 40 years, how would you live your life differently?

9. To what degree have you actually controlled the course your life has taken?

10. Are you more worried about doing things right, or doing the right things?

12. If you could offer a newborn child only one piece of advice, what would it be?

13. Would you break the law to save a loved one?

17. What one thing have you not done that you really want to do? What’s holding you back?

18. Are you holding onto something you need to let go of?

23. Have you been the kind of friend you want as a friend?

26. Would you rather lose all of your old memories, or never be able to make new ones?

34. Have you ever been with someone, said nothing, and walked away feeling like you just had the best conversation ever?

36. Is it possible to know, without a doubt, what is good and what is evil?

41. If you knew that everyone you know was going to die tomorrow, who would you visit today?

46. What would you do differently if you knew nobody would judge you?

The Things We Leave Behind...

Well, here we are again...the LOVE blog...
With a twist.

So, here's your scenario--it's 20or so years in the future.  You have 2 children, boy and girl.  You may have given birth to these kids, adopted them, stolen them from bad homes like I do dogs, whatever--you have them.

Their ages are 12 and 13.  Your daughter is older.  Both of your kids are, of course, stunningly attractive and have each shown interest in romance (same sex/opposite sex--again, doesn't matter).

Based on your personal experiences, what do you want them to KNOW about love?
Will you tell them?
Will you let them find out on their own?

What are the most important and key pieces of information you want your kids armed with when it comes to notions and ideas about love?
How much of what you tell them will be based on your own experiences?

And finally, where did your own ideas about love come from? Do you think that had anything to do with how you feel about it now?


***PS--this blog was originally written as a story, but it wsn't working out the way I wanted it to, so...***

I Think; Therefore, I AM.

There is an old proverb that says, basically, if you cannot ask you cannot live.

Well, it sounds deeper and more profound than that but I can't think of the exact wording.
In preparation for your This I Believe presentation, which is a Bunje English assignment (that you won't actually get until May 14), vey cool, and usually fun to write, please carefully consider the questions below, and do your best to reflect and answer them as honestly as possible.

 1. What am I grateful for?

2. Am I honest?

3. What do I need to change about myself?

 4. Do I know what my talents are and do I utilize those talents?

 5. When I help someone, do I think, "what's in it for me?"

Again, answer honestly--no one will judge you, especially me. In fact, I will answer them too.