This blog details my adventures in learning. I strive to study everything under the sun, including the humanities, the sciences, languages, and various skills. If you have a topic you think I should examine, drop me a note!
Today was my first 'free day' of this system I have going (it was supposed to be yesterday, but come on...it was Friday!).
As mentioned in my Tuesday post, I ended up watching the biopic on Temple Grandin, a woman who is very influential in the world of animal science and autism.
The Source
The HBO film, "Temple Grandin", with actress Claire Danes playing the part of Dr. Grandin.
The Reason
I was very interested in learning more about Dr. Grandin after listening to her TEDtalk on Tuesday. I honestly didn't have many expectations going into this, but the few I did have were definitely met.
What was Learned
The film did a good job of reinforcing for me what I learned on Tuesday, from the autism lectures. It made the concepts more concrete. Here are a couple moments from the movie that particularly stood out to me:
The way sound was portrayed throughout the film made it clear that Dr. Grandin, and people like her, must live a life where they are perpetually being bombarded with too much sensory stimulation.
Dr. Grandin's visual method of thinking was also depicted very well. In her TEDtalk, she mentioned that she could recall specific objects and encounters from her life, almost like a photographic memory. Taking this into consideration, it becomes clear why many autistic people have some sort of sensitivity to sensory stimulation. When an individual's mind is preoccupied with hundreds of images and experiences from the past, any additional stimulation is likely to push them over the edge. (I realize that not all autistic individuals think in pictures, so maybe this sensitivity is something that is linked solely to people like Temple? I'm not sure, I'd have to gather more information on the subject.)
It seems like people with autism have different percepts than neurotypical people. Example: When Temple was denied access to the stockyards because she was a woman, she changed herself into (what she believed) was a man -- someone who drove a dirty truck, was covered in mud, and communicated in grunts. While the rest of us can acknowledge that this is indeed NOT what makes a man (these are just things that men might have in common), to her it seemed like they were defining characteristics.
The fact that Dr. Grandin built herself a "squeeze machine" (more commonly known today as a "hug box" for autistic children) displays something vital; the need for affection and emotional consolation is still present within autistic individuals. People with autism may be more in tune with the world of things instead of the world of people, but that doesn't mean that they too don't deal with basic human needs, including the need for comfort. It makes sense that someone who is more connected to objects would seek that comfort from that world. After finishing the film, I did a little more research on Dr. Grandin and discovered that she no longer uses her "hug box" -- she now prefers hugs from other people. (This in itself is another important detail: it shows that autistic individuals can learn social skills that were previously lost. With a gentle push from mentors, family, and friends, people with autism can slowly make the transition from the world of objects to the world of humans. Whether it's possible to completely make the transition is unknown to me -- but if it is, I assume it is very rare.)
Reactions and Conclusions
Blown away. Those are the first words that come to mind after watching this biopic. I do believe that Dr. Grandin has become a personal hero of mine. I respect her so much for her determination to continually push herself into situations that initially made her uncomfortable. She realized very early on that by doing this, a person can conquer the world and lead a full and enjoyable life.
I was also very touched by the funeral scene in the film, where she said her final goodbyes to her high school mentor, Dr. Carlock. There was a specific line Temple said that really moved me: "I said goodbye when I saw him, he isn't there. I've got him in my mind."
At this point, I could think only one thing: "What a blessing to have a mind like Temple's!" Yes, a mind where you are unable to forget images and experiences from the past can be a bit of a hassle at times. But to have that ability when you lose someone you love....that's a blessing.
I mentioned in my first post this week that a family member of mine passed away about a month ago. It was my father. A couple of days after he died, I sat down and typed up everything I could remember about him -- his nicknames for me, a couple funny stories about him. I did this because I was terrified I would not be able to remember them. I was terrified that one day, I would forget the things I loved most about him. Perhaps this is part of the reason why it is so difficult to say goodbye to people. Perhaps we don't trust ourselves to remember them and the times we had with them.
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Since I am almost completely a sewing novice, today's session was spent mostly familiarizing myself with the tools in my travel sewing kit, and learning how to blind stitch a hem. (Note: As stated in one of my earlier posts, I'm going to be switching out skills every month. For the following four weeks, I'm focusing solely on hand sewing.)
I've wanted to learn to sew since I was a little girl. My mom is a pretty skilled seamstress, so I would always ask her for instruction, but she was too busy to sit me down for a lesson. (She's also very big on self-teaching, so there's that.)
I'd like to be able to make small modifications to some of my clothes with my hand sewing skills, and even be able to do other household crafts like making pillows or sewing curtains. Ideally, someday I'd like to be able to create a piece of clothing purely out of my own skill -- but that's a lofty goal that will be achieved one stitch at a time!
What was Learned
The first revelation of the night: the needle threader. There exists a tool that allows you to pull a piece of thread through the eye of a needle quicker than a blink of the eye. I'm not joking! I was so blown away by this nifty gadget I had never known existed! I can't even begin to describe how many past hours had been spent in frustration unable to successfully thread a needle -- and the solution was lying in my sewing kit the whole time!
Second: the purpose of a thimble. That was another tool in my bag with seemingly no purpose. Apparently seamstresses use it to protect their fingertip from pricks as they work. I have never seen anyone wear a thimble while they sew, so it's unlikely that I'll give it a try, but it's nice to know it has a use.
And finally, the blind stitch. Initially, this was a little tricky for my mind to wrap around. One of the first descriptions I read stated that the stitch should be "invisible from the outside". Umm. What? INVISIBLE? How would the stitch hold in the first place then? Eventually, the realization hit -- not invisible, just REALLY difficult to see. I was extremely excited when I understood the mechanics of this technique, and can't wait to practice it more.
Reactions and Conclusions
I have very little patience for learning skills. In all seriousness though, this was probably my most trying day this week. Today wasn't about listening to a lecture or reading up on a topic. Today I had to use my hands and get down to business. I found that I became increasingly frustrated the longer it took me to perform the act correctly. At times, I was tempted to give up (yes, even on such a small task!). But I persevered, and for that, I am proud of myself.
It seems like sewing isn't that difficult, at least for me. The challenge lies in the learning. Similar to a thought I brought up in my previous post, it's the disparities in the resources that throw me for a loop. I had to click on at least 4 video tutorials before I found one that was on my thought wave. Once I understood the concept, I executed it with ease. Therefore, the issue lied not in the execution, but rather the comprehension.
I'll keep practicing the blind stitch over the week, and maybe even try out a couple more. Next week, I plan to tackle an actual item of clothing: I have a blouse that is a little too big on me that I'd like to take in. Perhaps that will be the subject of next Thursday's post. Until then!
I was sort of having a bad day yesterday, so this is about 12 hours late....but that just means I'll be doing two posts today! Whoo hoo!
The Source
An article from "Omniglot", found here >>>> http://www.omniglot.com/writing/irish.htm
The Reason
I've been in love with Ireland for as long as I can remember. I'm not entirely sure why -- I've never visited, but I have never felt so pulled towards a place in all my life. I hope to eventually live there at some point, but until then, I must satisfy myself by learning as much of the culture as I can!
What was Learned
This article went into the basics of where Gaelic came from, when and where it was used, and gave examples of the written language, as well as audio examples.
Reactions and Conclusions
I would love to learn to write in Archaic Irish (using an alphabet system known as Ogham). For now, though, I'm still struggling with pronunciations. Teaching yourself a language using resources online can be more difficult than you'd expect. Different dialects mean different pronunciations and having to decide which one you should stick to.
One thing I did find interesting thing about Irish is that the alphabet does not use the letters j, k, q, v, w, x, y, & z. It's essentially an 18-letter alphabet!
I can't wait till I'm at least mildly fluent in Irish. I really hope that someday I'll be able to visit the Emerald Isle and will be given the opportunity to practice what I've learned, perhaps with an older Irish citizen who is one of the few natives still familiar with the language.
Until next time (i.e. later today...), Slan! (Goodbye)
The first two videos in the Yale Autism Seminar on iTunes U, including lectures by Fred Volkmar and Ami Klin.
Two TEDtalks, one by Ami Klin and the other by Temple Grandin (an individual who has autism and is also an activist).
The Reason
A while ago, I was watching the news, and heard a segment dedicated to a new technology that could be used to help autistic children. I was very interested in the piece, but a couple minutes in realized something crucial -- I could not effectively define autism! So today, I set out to change that.
What was Learned
I found that the more I researched the topic, the easier it became to understand. Here are the key concepts:
Autism is primarily a social disorder. It comes in a variety of degrees, so is sometimes referred to as a "spectrum" of disorders, ranging from least severe to most.
It begins presenting itself very early on in life, and, if caught at this time, can be "cured" through hours of sessions and therapy. This is not to say that an individual can be certifiably cured of Autism -- it just means that, with treatment, an individual can usually regain the skills that he/she needs to lead an active and functioning life.
The big difference between people with Autism and the unaffected population is how they perceive the world. Most people are born with an innate desire to want to be around other people, to hear human voices, look into other humans' eyes, etc. Autistic individuals are born with this instinct as well -- but somewhere early in development, they lose it, and instead tend to feel more comfortable in the world of things instead of people.
Reactions and Conclusions
I think much is to be benefited from the creation of an actual spectrum that could be used to diagnose individuals (i.e. 1=least severe, 5=moderate, etc). This is a condition that needs to be researched quite a bit more. I also wonder if there is any sort of connection between individuals who are self-proclaimed introverts and autistic individuals. To me, autism seems almost like a shyness that is so extreme, it is downright debilitating. (Of course, this is just an oversimplification, and I am not in ANY WAY claiming that autism is something that can be overcome with just a bit more effort.) Overall, a very fascinating subject. Hearing Temple Grandin's talk was especially intriguing -- I might even watch the biopic about her ("Temple Grandin" with actress Clare Danes) this Friday.
So, it's been a month since I last wrote here, and I apologize for that. I know I initially intended to begin posting immediately, but unfortunately someone very close to me passed away that week. Things have been a whirlwind since then, but I figured now would be a better time than ever to get back into this.
That being said....away we go with the FIRST post of this crazy plan I cooked up!!
The Source
"A romp through the history of philosophy from the Pre-Socratics to the present day." (A lecture by Marianne Talbot in the "Philosophy for Beginners" section of iTunes U)
The Reason
I have a couple of friends who are very interested in philosophy, and hearing them speak about the subject always baffled me. It has always seemed like an interesting topic, albeit one that requires an immense amount of thought, and an open and willing mind. I would love to get into more specific genres of this area, especially logic and ethics, but since I know next to nothing about the matter, I started with the obligatory "Philosophy for Beginners".
What was Learned
The lecture was about an hour and a half long, but I only viewed one hour and 15 minutes worth of it. In that time, the professor covered four basic schools of philosophical thought (Rationalists, Empiricists, Utilitarians, and Deontologists) as well as three individual philosophers (Democritus, Plato, and Aristotle).
Some key concepts that really caught my eye:
Democritus' belief that nothing comes from nothing. Nothing comes into existence, and nothing goes out of existence. (I thought this was reminiscent of Newton's principles on mass.)
Precept vs. Concept: How the world actually is vs. how we can imagine it. One is backed by evidence (Precept) while the other is not. However, concepts allow us to make plans, be creative, and set goals.
The Rationalist vs Empiricist belief on where our concepts come from. Rationalists believe many of our concepts are innate. Empiricists believe we develop concepts through experience, which begs the question, is it possible to truly experience something? Can causality be determined with absolute certainty?
The Utilitarian argument vs The Deontologist one. This part of the lecture dealt mainly with determining whether an action was "right" or "wrong". Utilitarians claimed an action was "right" if it produced the greatest amount of happiness for the largest number of people (i.e. genocide could be considered "right" if it made most of the population happy). Deontologists argue that there is a universal moral law that applies to EVERYONE, whether they know it or not, and that it is THIS that determines whether an action is right or wrong. (Under this belief, it would be considered "right" to not kill 4 innocent men, even if it meant the death of 700 other innocents.)
Reactions and Conclusions
I actually split the hour up into two parts, and I realized when I came back to watch the second half, I understood the material from the first half a lot better. While I was watching those first 30 minutes for the first time though...it was rough! At times it felt like my brain was so close to being able to wrap itself around an idea, only to fall short.
By the end of the video, I felt a bit baffled too. Sure, Philosophy posits all these amazing ideas, and new ways to view the world...but at the end of it, it seems like it leaves its students with more questions than answers. It gives its pupils the tools to more effectively search for the Truth, and yet no definitive answers have been established!
Still, I enjoyed the hour I spent with this video, and plan to watch a couple more in the series.
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I established a system almost immediately after my first post, but things have been so crazy with me these past couple of days. At last though, things have settled down a bit and I can finally get back to this blog.
Anyways, I'll make this entry short & sweet. Here are the basics for this project that I'm going for.
I will be sticking to a 5-day-a-week schedule, M-F, with the weekends holding the position of off/catch-up days (in case I miss a post or two during the week).
I will alternate between four specific categories: the humanities (on Mondays), the sciences (on Tuesdays), languages (on Wednesday), and skill sets (on Thursday).
I'll reserve Fridays as a sort of "free space" -- a day to study any subject, regardless of category. This day could also be used to further my studies in a topic I've already learned about that week.
I will spend at least one hour every weekday learning about the assigned topic (the topics will be chosen at random sometime during the previous weekend, to minimize research time and allot the most time possible to actually learning).
After my learning experience, I'll create a new entry at this blog detailing what I enjoyed about the topic, what I thought was a useful, etc.
Some miscellaneous details:
When it comes to learning new languages, it's obviously going to take more than an hour a week to make it happen. Therefore, I will dedicate my hour on Thursday to one language (Irish), probably for about a year. After that point, I can switch to another language. Since it's also a bit difficult to blog about learning a new language, I'll post a variety of information related to Gaelic/Ireland.
A similar situation arises with the problem of studying certain skills for one hour. As a solution, I will study one skill for one month (i.e. drawing) then blog about a topic related to the skill, or even post some of the progress I've been making in my studies.
And that's it! I start Monday, and I am very looking forward to it! Once again, I'd appreciate any suggestions on topics to study. Thanks!
Up until today, my tumblr has been dedicated to re-posting photos and thoughts of other people that I found interesting.
I didn't find that very fulfilling -- I think I only re-posted about nine items within the last year and a half!
But lately, I have been entertaining the idea of developing a plan that will promote self-growth and allow me to learn about a variety of topics.
So, here's the basics:
- within the next couple of days, I'll update this site with another post detailing what the learning schedule will be like
- the topics I cover have absolutely no limits -- movies, music, history, philosophy, science, languages, political science, etc
- I will (try to) spend an hour every day learning about this topic, then compose a post discussing what I have learned, what I liked about it, what I didn't enjoy, etc
I hope that by publishing this information in the format that I am, I will be able to look back on my experiences easily, therefore being able to refresh my memory on what I've learned. I would also love to assist anyone else who is interested in pursuing knowledge in a similar manner.
A quick word about the title: I chose the title 'Interval Intellect' because I believe that people don't need to spend hours on end learning new things. Any spare moments can be dedicated to creating yourself -- what matters is that your pursuit is endless, and that you throw your whole soul and spirit into it.
Thanks for reading, and I'd like to end this first post by inviting you to experience this journey with me!
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
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Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
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