I turned 25 yesterday.  ....

This is one of my favorite songs by one of my favorite artists.  Kings of Convenience, "24-25" from Declaration of Dependence.

Last night I finished Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl.  It's an amazing book.  I highly recommend it.  At any rate, via the miracle of YouTube, this man's search for videos of Dr. Frankl eventually led me to some interviews with Carl Jung, and from there, logically, Will Smith. The son of West Philadelphia alludes to The Alchemist by Paulo Coehlo, and speaks about that magical "Universe" business.

"The first step in transforming a society into one in which people live a good life is to teach people how to make their happiness depend as little as possible on their external circumstances.  The second step in transforming a society is to change people's external circumstances.  If we fail to transform ourselves, then no matter how much we transform the society in which we live, we are unlikely to have a good life."

- William Irvine, A Guide to the Good Life: The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy

Haven't read this book yet...stole the quote from Derek Sivers' notes.

Sam Harris explains how science can lead us to an objective morality that fosters individual and collective well-being.  This talk is absolutely genius.

http://www.ted.com/talks/sam_harris_science_can_show_what_s_right.html

Anyone who knows me knows I love Phish.  I could write a novel about how important they've been in my life, but I'll spare you and just say, watch this video, because these guys continue to stand for the fact that if you dream big, work hard, and believe in yourself, anything is possible.

junoday.com has been replaced by TED.com.  Welcome.

Brené Brown shares with us the power of embracing vulnerability, which leads to "WholeHearted" living.

http://www.ted.com/talks/brene_brown_on_vulnerability.html

TED obsession continues...this talk is so awesome.  William Ury is the co-author of Getting to Yes, which is a worthwhile read if you're interested in negotiating and conflict resolution.  He's also a great speaker.

http://www.ted.com/talks/william_ury.html

Recently I've been starting my days off with breakfast and a TED talk.  This one really resonated with me.  Three lessons for what we should emphasize in teaching today:
     1) experiential learning
     2) student voice
     3) embracing failure

http://www.ted.com/talks/diana_laufenberg_3_ways_to_teach.html