Debate

I love Amy Poehler. Ever since my wonderful girlfriend introduced me to Parks and Recreation, I've been very impressed by Poehler and her character, Leslie Knope. And although they both make mistakes, in the end they are able to work out differences, change minds and make a difference.

The other day I held a debate in one of my classes. I let the students pick the topic, which ended up being the use of cell phones in class. Surprisingly, there were very strong feelings on both sides of the issue. As the debate went on, I was impressed by one students ability to meet every emotional debate with a calm, cool and collected response. Needless to say, this student and his team had my vote.
So many students (and adults) can't seem to understand this concept of respectful disagreement. Can you articulate your belief without insults? If so, can you change minds? Today on the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities campus, the 5th Annual Ag Awareness Day was held to spread the message of agriculture. Friends, students and agriculturalists - were you able to make a difference?

Same

Yesterday I wrote about how you can change your place, how change is inevitable. I thought it neatly dovetailed into today's Thought. Back on New Years Day, I found this picture and thought about the accuracy of it's message.

Despite all of our resolutions, promises and fanfare, 2014 is eerily the same as 2013. It's the same earth, same people, same day to day routine. But what about this change thing? Are you the same?

As I've alluded to, lack of change means stagnation. Change, although inevitable, must be purposeful if we are to make any headway toward our goals. Although things may seem the same, change is (and should be) happening behind the scenes, often in subtle, yet far-reaching ways. Move with purpose. Do the little things with the authority that comes from knowing the implications of your actions. Are you the same? I hope not.

Blindside

The seed for today's Thought was planted in the heat of battle. Here I was, feeling very overwhelmed by the sheer amount of work to be done. Even worse, this workload wasn't anticipated. I was blindsided. I think this comic from Calvin and Hobbes shows the issue of a blindside in a quite humorous manner. I think so many times I get in the mindset that I am invincible. I know everything that's going on, I know exactly what's coming my way and I am prepared to annihilate that task. Sometimes though, the Hobbes' of my life come in and show me that I am completely unprepared.

What is your blindside? What are we to do when we get totally overwhelmed, totally blindsided by life? I think a large part of life is learning to take all the curveballs and roll with them. I for one, have much work to do on this. Instead of hiding in my 'impenetrable' snow fort, I must make more of an effort to roll with the punches and truly be ready for anything.

Fresh

Well, yesterday it happened. It finally snowed. A good bit. 7" of heavy, wet, wonderfully white snow.

As I sat in my room trying to work on homework and final projects, my glance kept darting toward the window to see the falling snow. I wish I was able to get a good picture, alas, I had to use someone else's fresh-snow fall picture. I'm not sure what it is, but there's just something hopeful, an anticipation in the fresh snow.

What's fresh? Maybe you've had some life-change lately (or on the horizon) that you can't help gaze at in wonderment. It's that sense of anticipation. That sense of a fresh start that is so incredible. If you've never just sat and stared at the freshly falling snow, take a minute out of your busy day to do it. Think of those 'fresh' things in your life. Gaze in wonderment.

Evolution

Today's Thought comes from that wonderful beast known as the internet. I think this image of the ape beginning to walk is fairly synonymous with the idea of evolution. Today's post is not about how man came to be. Instead, it about this idea of evolution in our own, personal lives. Looking back at my own life, my career aspirations have evolved considerably. First, I wanted to be a marine biologist. Due to my intense enjoyment of fishing, I wanted to manage the fisheries I used. However, I gradually discovered my love of teaching and sought to make a career teaching agriculture.

How have you, in your own life, evolved? Perhaps your personal worldview has evolved. Like me, maybe your career aspirations have changed considerably. No matter what has evolved, I daresay each and every one of us can identify some form of evolution in our own lives. What has your evolution meant for you? We should all strive to make positive evolutions in our lives. Without positive change, what are we doing? Regressing, or even worse, stagnating? Don't stop evolving.

Constants

Today's Thought is courtesy of that wonderful television show known as Doctor Who. I think the message of this image is fairly clear. However, what about Doctor Who has allowed it to stick around this long? This isn't meant as an exhaustive essay on the merits of the show, rather a discussion and a question about the idea of holding power.

Think back to you own life. How many things have changed since you were born? What has stayed the same? The first thing I think of is technology. Even in the last five years, the changes have been stark. However, the thing that hasn't changed is the fact that we still need people to use technology. Despite our best efforts, we still can't replicate the human touch. Thank goodness for that, without this impossibility so many of us, myself included, would be out of a job. I suppose it is a little scary to think of how rapidly change happens. However, I also think it is very reassuring that some things haven't changed. Despite all the changes, we still have constants to hold onto. What has stayed the same?

Perspective

I must confess, today's Thought was posted yesterday, I simply forgot to write a blog post. But all wrongs are righted and so here I am. I'm not sure when I first heard this, but I can't help but think back to my own personal experience. As a senior in college, you tend to reflect back on the past 12 years of your life. What has changed? Have I changed?

Looking back at my years, I have indeed changed. I can't help but give a little cringe when I think back to myself in freshman year. Just the way I held myself was very different than it is today. I'd like to think that most of this change is for the better. I'd like to believe that I'm a better person than I was four years ago. So what has changed? My perspective.

Do you see the world the same today as you did four years ago? Perspective is a powerful thing. It affects how we act, how we speak, how we dress, even who our friends are. As we get older I am convinced that we become wiser. That's not to say that our young perspective is bad, it simply isn't as well developed. How do you look at the world today? Has your perspective changed?

Change

I must say this Thought called out to me today. Perhaps it's because I just watched the episode of Fringe in which this statement is made. Perhaps it's just fate. At any rate, here it is. I'm not sure if this takes into account the give-and-take in a relationship. Both sides of a relationship have to act in order to affect major change. But I maintain that everything you come in contact with, every person, every animal, every experience, leaves you changed somehow. These things touch us.

I think back to when I first moved down to Kansas City at the beginning of the summer. It was a new city, a new experience. Looking back, everyone I have known and interacted with has touched me. Around the lunch table today I made some smart-alecky comment in response to a question, a response that I would not have made at the beginning of the summer. You see, those people around the table with me, they changed me. At the beginning of the summer, they were simply people sharing the same office-space as me. However, as the summer went along, I somehow became to know these people more. I'm not sure if I had this sense of humor before (I'm sure certain individuals would say that I did), but I can't help but feel like I've been changed this summer. Maybe it's just an external change, an awakening and refining of my innermost traits. It is a change, nonetheless.
The key, is harnessing this change and making it a change for the better. Certainly there are relationships out there that bring you nothing but bad. You aren't improving from those. They aren't making you better. Are you willing to recognize change? Embrace the good and ignore the bad. Believe me, it's not an easy process. I'm not even sure if it's something that can be consciously done. I'm still not sure how my change this summer came about. I know I wasn't trying that hard. Perhaps the key is to keep moving. Constantly evaluating, adjusting, changing. Eventually, you might stumble on something great.

Change

Today's thought comes from the popular show How I Met Your Mother.  The show's premise is that this man, Ted Mosby, is telling his kids the story of how he met their mother.  Now I won't spoil the entire show, but I will say that fate and the yellow umbrella he's holding are both major parts of the story.  He asserts that no matter what the day, something could happen to you that will change your life.  You don't always have to go out making change.  Sometimes you just have to wait for it to arrive at your doorstep.

Looking back on my short life, the most important things that have happened to me had very little to do with choices I made, or action I took.  I remember back to December 2012.  I was trying to figure out what I was going to do with my summer.  I knew I needed something to change it up.  Somewhere to move away to.  New scenery and new people.  At the end of that month, a friend of mine encouraged me to apply for this internship with an organization in Kansas City.  After dragging my feet a bit, I finally filled out and sent in my application.  Long story short, I interviewed and received an offer for my internship that I am currently on in Kansas City, MO.

Looking back, I didn't do anything to get the opportunity to apply for the internship.  It just sort of happened.  Granted, once I heard about it, I had to apply, interview, and accept the internship, but I'd like to focus on the part before that.  Looking back, I am so happy that I ended up taking action on the opportunity.  This summer has been a blast, giving me a whole new outlook on life and a fresh start.  It was just one of those things that happened.  I was able to step out the front door and recognize something that has changed my life forever.

So often we get caught up in trying to make change happen.  Sometimes, you can't force it.  Change happens.  Will you let it happen?