Arrogance Experiment...

Good Morning,

I was given a task this weekend to practice being arrogant. One may assume that this is Devil's play but I assure you I had to look the word up.

arrogance- n. overbearing pride evidenced by a superior manner toward inferiors.

So, I put on my Chargers hat (the Chargers played the Chiefs this weekend) and headed out the door with my new attitude. Very quickly I learned at age 34 it is not possible to maintain "haughtiness" as I hopped in the car and recognized a Miley Cyrus song fired up on the radio “Party in the U.S.A.!!!”...and i'm kinda sorta nodding along...

Noddin’ my head like yea
Movin my hips like yea
I got my hands up,
They’re playin my song
I know im gonna be ok
Yea, It's a party in the USA
Yea, It's a party in the USA

okay, I thought, if arrogance is eluding me, perhaps I could aim for the lesser...confidence!

I drove toward KU campus…a haven, a place where I can experience the coolness of certainty. I would settle for Mr. Webster’s b. faith or belief that one will act in a right, proper, or effective way.

It was a football Saturday…

See photo.





On every corner young Jayhawks celebrated playing the drinking game beer pong!* I’m not sure the rules of this game but I had the sneaking suspicion that sitting in one’s car snapping photos of the novelty of it all is not the least bit right or proper…

So… unable to do arrogance or find confidence. I drove home.

(…more Party in the U.S.A.)

So I got my hands up
They’re playing my song,
And the butterflys fly away
I’m Noddin’ my head like yea
I’m movin’ my hips like yea

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M11SvDtPBhA

I thought I’d take a shot at fun. It has been many moons since I’ve danced…So experiment redux: arrogance and confidence, let me just say both are overrated. An hour of dancing ends in happy every time.

and a Jay Z song was on
and the Jay Z song was on
and the Jay Z song was on

So I put my hand up
They’re playin my song.

Happy Monday,

Alo

*notes:
- beer pong- skills required: aiming, taunting, alcohol tolerance
- cats are completely unimpressed with arrogance experiments

forensicating with strangers

Good Morning,

Well, at the "forensics" tournament this weekend I did not find any CSI criminal activity. What I found was a young woman talking to a plant...and it wasn't even a real plant. She was standing in the hall giving "the preponderance of evidence and sub point F..." to a 6 foot plastic tree with no one else around and no one seemed alarmed.

My second observation was thus...the art of the performance is in the details. Without a reliable frame for judging arguments my mind became stuck on WARDROBE!!!

When great communicators hit the real world they understand this and come prepared to influence the untrained mind subtly through appearance. The young snappy lawyer enters the courtroom in the finest wardrobe she can afford. Somehow the young college forensics student does not get this...

I will only briefly mention here that it was a SATURDAY and voluntarily dressing up in anything that is not warm and fuzzy on the inside and marked with a jersey number on the outside seems INSANE! I remember this from Middle school days. When I was in the middle school band, a forced activity that marked the low light of a compulsory education. the dress code was black SLACKS (no jeans)...We marched in TWO parades where no one actually wanted to go out and buy black pants for two parades...

perhaps in this same spirit? a majority of the young forensicators wore:

Ill-fitting black suits. They appeared to have been stuffed in a van, removed from the suitcase and worn. Young men favored dark solid colored shirts and bold striped ties... The womens' suits snug and painfully buttoned made me uncomfortably gasp when accompanied with high heels, hairpins and pantyhose.

Third observation- My first "judging" event was the Prose competition. Breathtaking, captivating when performed well. Each performer had 10 minutes to introduce a selected piece and then interpret it through voice, emotional build and resolution...

These fine young competitors had no one to clap for them. Interestingly, contestants quickly ran from room to room when finished. There was no bowing or marching back out onto the stage (which seemed fitting) to cries of ENCORE!!!

I felt bad judging or critiquing them so I sat and tried to listen with full-attention and open heart. The happiest moment of my day came when I was able to track one or two down in the hall and compliment them on their performances.

Fourth observation- The significance and importance of formal argument and debate is completely lost on some people.

Twenty minutes before the "Duo" (two-person debate teams) started, Full teams gathered and were given the topic:

"The Nobel Peace Prize committee got it right."

They had 20 minutes to prepare before breaking off into rooms...

My attitude? okay yes, i agree. Now why do we need to argue about this?

Fifth observation- Sometimes the best of the best like to "buzz the tower" or hot dog it a little bit by throwing bones to the audience. Thusly...

During the Persuasion event, an overly polished young man from a Bible college managed to alienate no less than three minority groups in one breath.

He sought to inform us that he was championing the causes "girls" in the sex trade, he had great knowledge of the lives of the Afro-Americans and...knew of the great gains we've made toward the handicapped.

I was sitting in my chair...

i sucked in my breath. oh no, you just didn't...(it's people with disabilities!!!...we're really not doing that well...)

my ears perked. maybe the expert judge had missed it? i heard the pen scratching down the evaluation sheet...i smelled smoke rising from the judge's ears. he'd just tried to wield his weapon of influence on a judge with 20 yeas of national championships coaching experience...and a handicapped girlfriend.

baaaaad idea : ).

okay, have a great day. happy monday.

Amanda

a top notch judge

Good Morning,

It is a well-known fact that public speaking is often reported as one of peoples’ greatest fears. This is why it might surprise you to find out there's this entire mass of incredibly articulate young people descending upon college campuses eager to give speeches... They are debaters, impromptu and extemporaneous speakers...

I am from the world of the runny mind.

All of which should combine to make for an interesting day next weekend. Next Saturday I will be sitting in as a guest judge at a forensics tournament. If you are like me, (and I assume you are if you are reading this…) "forensics" evokes thoughts of the TV show CSI where hot detectives use hotter DNA evidence to track down the perps!


I’ve learned however that forensics can also mean “The art or study of formal debate; argumentation.” An intercollegiate forensic tournament is where young men and women (typically aspiring lawyers and politicians) get together and compete in a series of “big-braind-ed” events.

For example,

Impromptu Speaking- Contestants are given a topic on the spot. They then have 7 minutes to prepare a coherent, well-informed speech with prompts such as

“A balanced mind and body is a balm to the soul.” (stopwatch click!) okay, discuss...

or

Extemporaneous Speaking- 
Contestants are given three topics in the general area of current events. They then choose one, and have 30 minutes to prepare a 7 minute speech.

“okay, my topic is Afghanistan…”

Each competitor typically prepares to compete in 2 to 5 of their strongest of the ELEVEN events!!!

What qualifies me to judge? Well, basically, I know someone who knows someone…and I am very good at sympathetic looks and coming up with creative compliments. I’m also able to really “step it up a notch” when there’s a sports topic!!! (The NFL, have we gone too far with the new roughing the quarterback rule?)

Of the ELEVEN events (???!!), most likely, I will be lending my ear to an hour of...

Poetry or Prose Interpretation- Here each competitor selects an existing work by some author, commits it to memory and performs it. Top competitors will have combed through tombs of literature in preparation.



So, this morning, in preparation, I opened my poetry book and plopped my finger down to do a little preparin’ too…I'm hoping my selection is not prophetic : )

...from Shel Silverstein “A Light in the Attic”

GOD’S WHEEL

God says to me with kind of a smile,
“Hey how would you like to be God awhile
And steer the world?”
“Okay,” says I, “I’ll give it a try.
Where do I set?
How much do I get?
What time is lunch?
When can I quit?”
“Gimme back that wheel,” says God,
“I don’t think you’re quite ready yet.”

Happy Monday, Have a great week.

Amanda

Random acts of senseless kindness

Good Morning,

I had a joyful moment this weekend and the bone chilling CERTAINTY of a howling Kansas wind that announces our warm summer days are ending...

The moment of joy came when I realized I have a spiritual practice... Without much thought, through setting intentions and developing a good habit I've synced my brain to the phrase WWBTGD? What Would Buddha Teacher Gil Do? : )

So, instead of getting blown....spiraling down the path of cold and darkness out there, I'd like to share the results of a little exercise I've been doing lately (as per Buddha Teacher Gil's request). I thought it might encourage you also to look for those opportunities to put more joy into your world.

For the week of 9/28 - 10/4,

10 Random Acts of Senseless Kindness (there were more, I hope, but these were my most memorable)

1. sang loud at church

2. took a photo of myself outside the local "adult entertainment" store suggesting it as my whereabouts to help spice up the data set of a graduate student I'm helping with her pilot research

3. stopped at the local soccer complex and cheered for little kids at randomly selected soccer games

4. picked up a dropped water bottle for a lady at the gym

5. walked very slowly so people behind me could stop and enjoy a beautiful Fall day

6. paid for brunch

7. when new toothbrushes were purchased, i took the ugly toothbrush

8. stopped for a high school homecoming parade and waved encouragement to kids on the floats

9. listened intently to the salesperson at Hallmark offer promises of a free pumpkin tea light

10. gave football scores via phone to someone who couldn’t check media outlets (TV, web) for 5 days

okay, please remember this is just a sample list and the intent is to add more joy to YOUR day. remember just ask WWBTGD and act random, senseless, and above all kind.

Happy Monday,

Amanda

This is the homecoming parade and howling wind!