Salad

Although Ron Swanson adamantly claims that salad is rabbit food, I'd like to make another comparison. I've always thought of salad as a good break from the meath and potatoes of a meal. It's that moment to give your taste buds something different, something lighter. At least that's what my stomach always thinks, after eating a salad, I go right back to the meat and potatoes.

In life, I find those nice breaks to be the salad. For students and some teachers, that moment is in the summer. For many others, the salad is a vacation in the middle of the year. What is your salad? What are those respites, those moments where you step away from the meat and potatoes of a career to enjoy the lighter side of life? For me, those moments are time spent with my family and loved ones. Or a good fishing trip. Whatever you salad is, hold dear to it. Always keep it in mind those moments when things just seem to be going wrong. Just as in tricking a stomach during a meal, taking a short break will ultimately bring you more success. What is your salad?

Intense

Today's Thought is one that I've had floating around for a while, and yet I've never found a good way to present it nor discuss it. I think so much of the time we hear that people expect us to give 110% to any given activity or task. Without resorting to terms that Ron Swanson uses, I would tend to agree, it's silly to expect this kind of commitment.

As an agriculture teacher one of the biggest concerns that I have is becoming too committed to my work and burning out of a career that I love. It is important to remember that the intensity of which I pursue something, especially a career, must be carefully monitored.

Have you gone 110%? It usually doesn't work out too well. Find those things that keep you grounded. Find some hobbies. I'm the worst offender, sometimes I get so engrossed in something that I forget to eat. Truth be told, that level of intensity is never healthy. Don't give 110%. Give 100%. That's all you have.

Honor

In today's Thought I return once again to the manly mind of Ron Swanson. British english aside, I truly believe that this quote holds a lot of truth. As I've gone through a number of my courses designed to train me as a teacher, I have consistently found an issue explaining what I feel. It's as if I KNOW what the professors are talking about and I KNOW what it looks like in the classroom. Sometimes I even KNOW how to put an idea into practice. Yet despite all this, I can't explain it.

Honor is in the same boat. When people ask what it means to be an honorable person, I simply don't have an answer for them. It's something that comes from within. Like religion, it means something different to everyone else. And like my education ideas and concepts, it cannot be verbalized. If you need it defined in order to know if you have it, you don't have honor. It's one of those things that is only apparent and explainable through actions and thoughts. Can you define it? I say no.

One

Today's Thought comes from the character that is Ron Swanson of the television show that is Parks & Recreation. I apologize if anyone is upset by the language present in this piece, but I believe it is a great message.

How many times do we multi-task in life? Tonight at my fraternity's meeting, one of our advisors spoke a few words on the idea of multi-tasking. I'm not sure of the exact text of her speech, but it had something to do with this idea of doing too many things at once. When we divide our attention, we don't do any of our tasks justice. We must devote our full attention to one thing at a time.

Do you 'whole-ass' one thing? Or are you more of a person to nibble around the edges of multiple projects? I know in my life I have struggled at times to maintain the balance. At those times nothing that I was working on turned out very well. Correspondingly, when I focused my entire attention on one thing, it turned out pretty good. Don't divide your attention. Do one thing and do it all in.

Greatness

Today's Thought comes courtesy of Ron Swanson, of Parks and Recreation.  Throughout this show, he is highlighted as a gruff, well-meaning man's man.  He often talks in terms of being great, as in this quote.

What is greatness?  While I do believe it can be the best form of revenge, I also believe it is incredibly important to think of oneself as being 'great'.  Not in an arrogant or condescending way, but in a quiet confidence that shows you know you've 'got it'.  The truth is, greatness means something different to everyone.

In my fraternity, we welcome all the new members by doing a series of interviews.  These interviews are meant for them to get to know us and us, them.  One of the final questions that is always raised is a goal you have.  In my mind, this question inspires thoughts of grandeur - leading the charge on a breakthrough technology, being a world renowned 'expert'.  However, my answer that I tell these new brothers is very different.  I tell them how I want to be a good man: a good father, neighbor, brother, and friend.  See, when it comes down it, this is what it truly means to be great.  It doesn't matter what awards you win or how many people know your name.  Simply, greatness means to be the kind of person that you would look up to.  If you know you are being that kind of person, nothing else matters.  I'll leave you with this thought: Are you achieving greatness?