Jeff Tweedy on Composing

That’s something that I think as a songwriter you have to ask yourself– why you’re doing it. The world certainly doesn’t need more songs. Are you doing it just for your ego? At the end of the day you settle on this idea that it’s not hurting anybody to contribute anything to this larger body of human beings banging shit together and making sounds and expressing themselves. You know, in general it’s kind of putting it out there and hopefully giving someone an opportunity to make something with it and that’s all you can do.

Things to Bring to the First Day of Summer Institute (My Personal List)

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Yoga mat
Coffee Mug

Tea
iPod
Noise-Canceling Headphones
Computer

Computer Cord
Molskine

Binders

Cow Painting
iPhone
Toothbrush + Toothpaste
Lunch
Nametag
Calm

Black Cashmere Writing Scarf

————

A Poem about College vs Kindergarten

college vs kindergarten

Inspired by Auren Hoffman’s post here.

In college we learned to think critically.
In kindergarten we learned to play with others.

In college we learned to write properly.
In kindergarten we learned to communicate efficiently and make friends.

In college we learned to write a proper 20 page paper.
In kindergarten we learned to communicate our vision with simple finger paint.

In college we learned to research.
In kindergarten we learned to experience.

In college we studied the philosophy of management.
In kindergarten we learned the value of teamwork.

In college we learned the value of professionalism.
In kindergarten we learned the value of relationships.

80% of what fuels your life was learned in kindergarten.
20% of what makes you a professional capable of leading a team, managing others and speaking with executives, you learned in college.

Don’t discount the value of college.  But never forget kindergarten.

And never, never, never discount value of real life perspective.

via Jon Burg’s Future Visions: college vs kindergarten.

It Happened in Rwanda: Apoclyptic Aggression

Includes the following:

  • Dualistic Division: The world is divided into a good “Us” and a bad “Them.”
  • Demonizing Rhetoric: Our opponents are evil and subversive…maybe subhuman.
  • Targeting of Scapegoats: They are causing all our troubles–we are blameless.
  • An Apocalyptic Timetable: Time is running out and we must act immediately to stave off a cataclysmic event. (p. 10)

via cognitive dissident: toxic conspiracies and apocalyptic aggression.

How Might a Syndicated Course Work? Duke CIT Showcase 2009 Keynote Presentation: Jim Groom

YouTube - Duke CIT Showcase 2009 Keynote Presentation: Jim Groom.

Managing the Classroom Enviornment

Managing the Classroom Enviornment.

Infinite Jest Book Club

Why not join the Infinite Jest Book club?  I have. The David Foster Wallace masterpiece cracks me up!

How to present with visuals: From Trey Martindale

How to present with visuals.

Good Link on History of Propaganda

I received this note from a history student today.

I noticed you link to http://carmen.artsci.washington.edu/propaganda/ which appears to be a page on propaganda, though it appears to be down … May I offer a thought on a possible replacement page for the broken link?: http://www.surveillance-video.com/propaganda-june-2009.html. It looks like a fairly good resource on the basic overview on the history of propaganda, and links to some great resources.  I find it so resourceful that I’ve added it to my own bookmarks.

Have a wonderful day :)

Hulu - The Colbert Report: Watch The Interview with New Yorker Poetry Professor

Colbert’s poetry reading at the end of the show cracked me up. Hulu