Deciding to Pay Attention

Since returning school I have had quite a few text books and articles to read. Surprise! :) Many of them are pretty dense and I can read them and not take in anything but I can also choose to digest it. This takes a lot more time and effort but I think it is definitely worth it. I mean really how helpful is it to read it to just say you have read it? 

Sometimes the digesting is nigh on impossible usually because of brain burn out (or too high of a cognitive load if you want to sound smart) or because there are too many distractions but I have been amazed at how much just the decision to want to understand can make. These are some of the things I do to understanding text (or lectures) that are at first pretty dense:

• Decide to pay attention
• Look up words I don't know
• This is particularly important if they show up more then once
• Not only do I look up the definition but I like to look up the etymology because it helps me remember it better
• Be willing to read a sentence or paragraph more than once if I don't get it the first time
• Look at the figures preferably when the text is talking about it
• Make notes
• If I have to think about something for a little bit before I get it I like to paraphrase it in the margin afterwards

Alright, most of those things are probably pretty obvious but I have to admit again how surprised I've been by how much just deciding that I can understand makes. 

I came across a scripture today that kind of said the same thing "...I am left to mourn because of ... the ignorance... of men; for they will not search knowledge, nor understand great knowledge, when it is given unto them in plainness, even as plain as word can be." (2 Nephi 32:7 emphasis added).

It is sometimes (always) just easier (lazier) not to try to figure it out, but it is incredibly satisfying to figure it out. The big words are not generally there just to be big and intimidating and to make the author look smart (although that does happen sometimes) they are there because they are more precise and actually convey the meaning better than a bunch of easier but imprecise words.

What looks good

I took a class about the History of Clothing. It was fascinating, but not until recently have I really seen/noticed fads in my life time. When I was in highschool flared pants were popular with form fitting shirts. Now it seems like almost the opposite. Loose blouses and tight legged pants.

I've heard people talk about how wearing those tight pants makes you look good, shows off your figure, etc. I feel like the same arguments were made when I was in high school about a completely different fashion. Also, because of that class I took, it seems as if it has always been that way. Personally I've always liked pants to go over the top of boots not tucked inside them. Now my question is, do I like that look better because when I was developing what little fashion sense I have that was the fashion or is there some other reason.

It just all seems so arbitrary, and it makes me wonder why you should even bother because it will never last. Once I heard a quote that said something like "Fads come and go but you can always be classy."

Shirt Design

I was sitting in class this week when I randomly had a cool idea for a T-shirt. The first row is my Doppler effect T-shirt.
Bottom left is my Brandon Sanderson shirt, and the bottom right is a Mormon or Christian shirt based on 1 Peter 2:2.
I feel like there are other geeky ideas for shirts that I have thought of before but I can't think of them now.

Funny thing is. I rarely wear shirts with words on them or even well know symbols or designs. I don't like the idea of making it too obvious what kind of person I am, or the things I like just by what I wear.... Of course the styles I choose to wear say some things already, but still.

Controversial Majors

As I have joined the geology department I have heard quite a few people talk about how the age of the earth is controversial among some religious individuals, as in the age was built in literally seven days (or at most 7000 years).
When I was studying anthropology evolution came up several times. Did  humans really evolve from apes (usually I say monkeys because it sounds better even though it is not accurate)?
Neither of these topics really seemed like a big issue to me. I believe in an old earth and that evolution takes place and even though I don't know how human evolution worked I know we are literally children of God. Although I do have my opinions I certainly don't doubt the compatibility of science and religion.
The part I think is funny though is how I seem to pick the controversial majors, and I don't even notice it until I am in it. Who knew I was such a radical thinker :).