Literary Snob

For her birthday yesterday, I gave my mom the book Fall Down, Laughing by David L. Lander. David Lander played the part of Squiggy in the old '70s TV show Laverne and Shirley that my mom really likes. When we found out that one of the actors was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (which my mother was diagnosed with almost ten years ago), I knew I had to get the actor's autobiography about his journey through life with MS for my mom for her birthday. It came in the mail two days before her birthday, and I sat down to skim through it to see how good it was. I was sorely disappointed.

Although it provides many interesting facts and anecdotes about the actor, the book is poorly written. It wasn't until my mom had read a few chapters and we talked about them that I realized how my literary tastes have been shaped by just one semester in Torrey. I discovered that the way Fall Down, Laughing was written disgusted me. The few crass words in the first few chapters could have been replaced with so many other words that would have more accurately portrayed how the author felt or what was going on. I caught sentencing typos and even a misspelling of the name of the director of the hit show David Lander co-starred in. The only positive element I could see in his writing was that it sounded very similar to the way Squiggy (the character Lander is famous for playing) talked: unsophisticated and crude, which may be the way the writing was meant to sound.

At first I thought I just didn't like Lander's writing style, but as my mom and I talked about it, we agreed that my education and the books I had been reading lately had taught me what good writing truly is. I had learned words that could effectively capture a mood or feeling. I had been struck by so many beautiful analogies and metaphors, and sometimes I found myself underlining a sentence or stanza in a book simply because the imagery or diction made me see the story in a new light.

I am tempted to think that I have become a literary snob. Maybe I have. However, I think I have actually learned how to appreciate good writing (and old writing). I have learned what it means to be educated: in my case, to read hard books and think deeply about them and the ideas they present. The books I read shape who I am and how I learn. Anna Karenina has brought to mind new definition and thoughts about love, truth, honor, respect, fidelity, hope, joy, and God's provision. Dante's Divine Comedy taught me to appreciate language, heritage, the epic tradition, and the incomprehensibility of God. Faerie Queene taught me about truth, deception, virtue, how much the writers of the past relied on Christianity, and even the evolution of the English language. So much is learned from the books of the past, and I wish more people could have this type of education so that thought and writing in this country might be a little better.

Wow.

Dr. Jeff Myers. Awesome speaker with brilliant ideas. Check out his stuff: passingthebaton.org
A friend gave me a CD of this man speaking about discovering your God-given design when she found out that I was having trouble deciding on a major. I listened to it (twice) when I drove to Biola and back today. When I got home, I googled this man and came up with this article written by him, which blew my mind. He is so right! Please read it.


Entertainment-Soaked Culture Damages Kids’ Brains; Here’s the Antidote

Over consumption of media among Christians is an enormous concern. According to a study I conducted in 2003, the average Christian young man is involved in 33.25 hours a week of “screen time” (watching movies, playing video games, surfing the internet). Girls averaged 27 hours a week – the difference being that boys play a lot more video games.

That was seven years ago. Since then, the advent of Wii, smart phones, Blu-ray, and hyper-realistic video games have certainly only made the problem more acute.

While all of these so-called advancements have been coming about, brain scientists have been busy doing some fascinating research of their own – studying the hi-tech culture’s effect on the brain. And the conclusions are simply startling.

How the Brain Works

We only have to understand a few basic brain functions to grasp how our entertainment-soaked culture affects the brains of teens. Bear with me for a quick anatomy lesson.

Take a look at this picture of the human brain. The frontal lobe, shaded in purple, is the executive center. This part of the brain lights up when you come up with a plan and execute on it. In the center, in red, is the nucleus accumbens – a collection of neurons that forms the brain’s pleasure center. When a person experiences pleasure, this part of the brain displays stimulation.
Here’s what to keep in mind: the brain was designed in such a way that work and accomplishment stimulate the executive center of the brain (purple), which in turn stimulates the pleasure center of the brain (red). Work brings satisfaction, and the desire for life satisfaction motivates people to work.

The Effect of an Entertainment-Soaked Culture on Kids

So what does a culture like ours do to the brains of teens?

In his book Boys Adrift Leonard Sax reported on a study of 7 to 14-year-old boys which found that playing video games lights up the pleasure center of the brain while simultaneously shutting off blood flow to the executive center of the brain. In effect, these games offered boys the sense that they had accomplished something without actually having done so.*

Consider the shocking implications. The games children play are designed to bring effortless pleasure (movies and music have the same effect). Over time, this slickly produced entertainment “tricks” the brain into by-passing the executive center, making it more rewarding to pursue entertainment and less rewarding to accomplish anything of value. Academic work plummets. Social relationships suffer. And massive entertainment corporations make out like bandits, reaping billions in profits.

Quite frankly, if you’re a parent, teacher, or youth minster, this is horrible news. How could we have allowed the most privileged generation in history – in terms of spendable income, opportunity for education and travel, and access to information – to quietly amuse itself to death?**

The Antidote is Not What You Would Expect

If you’re thinking, “Well, the damage is already done,” here’s some good news.
There is a clear, simple way to rescue teens from the cultural addiction: engage them in conversation in the context of doing real things. Let’s look at two aspects of this answer.

1. Do real things. A Christian school headmaster friend of mine was recently approached by several parents whose children had been prescribed medications for ADHD and bi-polar disorder. They trusted their doctors but wondered, “Is there any way we can help our kids without having to turn to these strong medications?” The headmaster wisely proposed the parents give the following plan a try:

Take out TVs, Ipods, video game consoles, and computers from your kids’ bedrooms.
Allow no more than 30 minutes of video gaming per week.
Set a bedtime of 9pm on weeknights, 10pm on weekends.
Provide three nutritious meals a day (note that the headmaster had to define “nutritious” for the parents).
Plan for one hour of playing outside every day, and three hours on the weekend days.

Amazingly – after a few months of this regimen – all of the children showed far fewer symptoms and were doing significantly better in school (without medication!). For these kids, there was an undeniable connection between unplugging and thriving.

In a similar vein, many parents are starting to take seriously studies done by Dina Borzekowski, Linda S. Pagani and others that demonstrate a correlation between a child’s relatively innocuous television viewing and lower test scores. In fact, public health advocates have caught on and launched a “No Child Left Inside” initiative that appears to be gaining steam.

A quick word of warning: An entertainment-soaked culture affects the brain in similar ways to a chemical addiction. So don’t be surprised if heavily plugged-in kids express bitterness, anger, accusation and even paranoia when they get unplugged. Many parents will cave in to the pressure because they can’t handle seeing their children be unhappy, even for a short time. A few parents, however, will find wise ways to replace screen time with real things and intentional conversation. In the long run, kids who overcome this withering addiction will be significantly better prepared to live healthy, purposeful lives.

2. Engage them in conversation. Language lights up the brain. And as David Caplan, a neurologist at Massachusetts General Hospital, points out: in order to trigger the use of language, both motivation (from the executive center) and arousal (from the pleasure center) are required.

Language seems to be a bridge that reconnects the broken-down relationship between the executive and pleasure centers of the brain. Notice that this involves active language use, not just passive language reception. We’re talking two-way, engaging, in-person conversations. And that puts the ball squarely in your court to communicate with kids in a way that engages them in communicating with you.

Isn’t it interesting that expressing thoughts through language helps remediate the damage done by a culture built on amusement? The ancient Greeks called this kind of linguistic expression “logos.” It’s the same word used in John 1:1 to describe the ministry of Jesus: “In the beginning was the Word.”

Reclaiming the Ancient Art of Life-on-Life Discipleship

Jesus is the model for engaging people in conversation while doing real things. One scholar estimates that Jesus spent 13 months of his three year ministry just walking from place to place. All the while, he engaged others in conversation: Paul Stanley says that Jesus asked 288 questions in the gospels.

“Come, follow me,” Jesus said. They did. And along the way he equipped them to change the world, and they did that, too.

Jeff Myers, Ph.D.
Passing the Baton
——————————————————————————-
*See Leonard Sax, Boys Adrift. New York: Basic Book, 2007,p.91.
**This phrase is drawn from Neil Postman’s book, Amusing Ourselves to Death. I strongly recommend that you read it.

(Taken from http://thewarriordaily.wordpress.com/2010/11/16/great-article-from-dr-jeff-myers-have-boys-must-read/)

A Weird Feeling

On New Year's Eve, I went shot-gun shooting with my dad and my brother and a bunch of Boy Scouts. I came back home and took a two-and-a-half-hour nap. Then I crashed an hour before midnight and slept for nine straight hours. I haven't slept that much since I got sick right around mid-terms. And I wasn't even doing anything hard or exhausting. In fact, an average day at Biola crams in more activity than I've done in the last two weeks.

I have a weird feeling of being refreshed because I've had time to rest, yet feeling useless because I haven't been doing much of anything lately. Then I see my friends who are taking interterm classes, working, or making progress on next semester's reading, and then I look at myself. I have done pretty much nothing. I feel lazy and a bit ridiculous sitting at home, or thrift store shopping instead of working.

I also have a weird mix of wanting to go back to Biola, but at the same time dreading going back (or at least dreading registration). I desperately want to see my friends. But, I'm worried about working out the details with paying tuition and making a decision about my major.

Then, I'm feeling relieved to be home, where I have my own room, a kitchen to cook in, time to watch movies, parents who will buy food and other things for me, a car, a ranch in the country to visit, and a church full of people who have watched me grow up. At the same time, being home makes me frustrated and angry when I see my dad get angry, or make snide remarks to me or my brother, or embarrass me in front of my entire church. Or when I see my mom struggling to walk. Or when my brother has a strange mix of cockiness and apathy and I'm not sure what to do with him and my temper gets the better of me.

Part of me feels like I belong here, in the house I have lived in all my life, where I constantly run across reminders of my childhood, what I once loved to do, my joys when I was a kid. I found tons of pictures from my childhood while I was looking for pictures for my brother's Eagle Scout Court of Honor. I found pictures of me and him playing together, riding a rocking horse, playing dress-up, and helping my dad. I found pictures of myself: dressed up like a pioneer girl, reading a book, playing or posing with my friends. These pictures remind me of my past, who I was, who I am. My past (and my home) will always be a part of me...yet while I have this new-found appreciation of my past and my childhood, I feel like I don't belong here. I keep remembering that I will be moving back to Biola in a few weeks, and I am excited to plan what my dorm room will look like next semester. I feel comfortable enough at home, that I might actually miss it when I move back to Biola.

Part of me wants to dream, imagine, and wish for the future, while another part of me is afraid of the future and knows that my imaginings won't work out the way I wish. Instead, problems will arise, and I will be disappointed.

And all mixed in with this, I have a strange desire to hide from God, forget about Him, and take a break from Him...yet at the same time, I long to rest in His love and the knowledge that He has a plan for my life, and it's better than I can imagine. In almost every area of my life, I feel pulled in two directions: two responses to God, two homes, two views of my past and my family, two views of my future. It leaves me at a stalemate, so to speak. In so many areas, I don't know what to do or where to go or how to act, so I do nothing. I need courage to act, courage to keep going when I'm afraid, courage to make a decision, courage to do the right thing. And as I write this, the words from Joshua that seem to keep turning up run through my mind: "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."

On Loving Something Because It's Hard

I was brought up in a culture where the easy stuff is considered the most appealing. Students take certain classes because they can get an easy A. I bought into that mentality very easily. After all, who wants to work twice as hard and do twice as much homework if you can get the same grade by doing less work?

High school debate was my introduction into loving something because it was hard. I was most definitely not a good debater. But I loved it anyway. It presented a challenge, and it gave me incentive to work and learn in a different way than I was used to. It stretched me more than I could ever imagine. It also brought me some of my greatest joys from high school.

Torrey is something else that I love because it is hard. It requires hours reading books that were written centuries ago. It requires pulling all-nighters to write a ten-page paper. It requires deciphering Spenserian poetry. But I love it anyway. More accurately, I love it because it's so hard. It challenges me. It teaches me things that cannot be learned from reading a textbook. It brings meaning to my life and teaches me to appreciate the vast amount of history that occurred before my lifetime.

It may be weird to say that I love Torrey because it is so hard for me, but it's true. Needless to say, I will still worry about Don Rags until tomorrow morning when it is over.

A Few Thoughts on Education

Last night, I spent somewhere close to seven hours studying for Don Rags. It was intense and it was wonderful. The above image is the result. By listing out characters, talking about themes and conflicts, and comparing with biblical characters and themes, so much of what I have read this semester came together. It was beautiful.

As I was sitting looking at all this, I smiled. This is what education is really about. It's not about tests, papers, and attendance records. It's not about being on time or learning to behave. It's about learning. Education is about the "ah ha!" moment I got when I compared the major conflicts within all the epics we have read this semester. It's about understanding why all of these books are great books. It's about thinking.

I learned more from that seven hour stake-out in the conference room of the Production Center than I do in some sessions. When I realized it was 2 in the morning and I was getting tired, I was still energetic to keep diagramming, talking, hypothesizing, and thinking (but I figured I had better go to bed). I wasn't exhausted, but invigorated.

If this is education, I really love it.

Something Pretty Awesome

Right now I am listening to my high school mentor, Dustin Adams, interview Dr. John Mark Reynolds, the founder of the Torrey Honors Institute. Two of the greatest men in my life talking to each other over the radio. The two men who really get me to think are talking about philosophy. The two men who have taught me the most are sharing ideas. Pure amazingness.

By the way, this is just more evidence that I am a Torrey nerd and proud of it.

My Assessment of The Iliad

-Achilles needs some anger management classes.
-I applaud Odysseus. I think he is a pretty swell guy. Honest, brave, smart, respected, faithful.
-Zeus is a nut job and not only needs anger management classes, but also a reality check. The world doesn't revolve around him (though as head god, I guess he would think it does).
-I actually like Hector. For a Trojan, he's a nice guy. He loves his wife and his son, and works hard to defend his city.
-Paris is an absolute jerk. You don't steal another man's wife and then let your city fight a war over it.
-Hera is a witch.
-Athena...good job for standing up to your father who is absolutely insane.
-Women are not objects to be bought and sold, objects to be used for bribery, materials for a treaty, or items to be stolen and used. I'm not a feminist by any standard, but women are not to be treated like this!

College decisions

I have written about college before, but that was a month ago, and I am still having college woes. I actually started filling out applications the other day. So far, Biola University, Westmont, and Point Loma Nazarene University are on my list. I think I'm going to check out Azusa Pacific as well. I now have essays to write, SATs to retake (even though my first attempt wasn't too shabby with well over 600s in every category. But when Frank Thiessen is your college counselor, be expected to work your heart out.) I also have to fill out the FAFSA, find scholarships, get teacher reccommendations, find some way to pay for room and board, take the ACT...just thinking about all of this gives me a headache. Of course, my four AP classes at my high school cannot suffer during this season either. And debate season officially opens this weekend and will last, Lord willing, until June.
But I am thoroughly convinced that I can handle all this. After all, the trying times are the times when I discover what I am really made of. I have survived Mrs. Walker's AP English Language class, so I am convinced I can survive the college search chaos and college itself.
I am sorry to bore anyone with this college stuff, but it has been on my mind recently. Anyone else have college stresses to share?

The Infamous College Search

College is a major decision in the lives of most teenagers, myself included. I am on the brink of deciding where I will spend the next four years of my life. God's will is a buzzword in Christian circles discussing college, majors, and life plans. I am right, smack in the middle of figuring all this out.

For the first time I can remember, I am making a major live-changing decision. And my parents can't make it for me. I remember when I used to just give it all to my parents and let them decide my future. Those days are long gone... I'm on my own as far as decisions are concerned. And I have never enjoyed making big decisions, which doesn't make this one any easier.

Although I am excited about pursuing a career and making my own future with my own hands, I am a bit apprehensive, as many people are. What if I choose the wrong college? Is that even feasible? The only thing I can do, outisde of tons of research, is pray that God will show me where He wants me.

I have long thought that I would attend a Christian college. But lately I have been re-thinking this. My debate coach once told me that "the darker areas need what you have to offer." Is t God's will that I go to some liberal, secular university in order to be a light? Or am I still too impressionable which means I should go to a private Christian college and spend time being influenced by Christian friends and professors?

Funny...the older you get, the more complicated things get...

Books, Books, Books

In my opinion, you can tell the most about a person by what books a person likes and who the person aspires to be like. I would like to tackle the first on the list today. So, in no particular order...

• To Kill a Mosckingbird by Harper Lee
• A Snowball's Chance by ted Duncan
• Kathleen: The Celtic Knot by Siobhan Parkinson (not me)
• A Walk to Remember by Nicholas Sparks
• Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis
• The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
• The Last Battle by C.S. Lewis
• Jamie O'Rourke and the Big Potato by Tomie de Paola
• The Christy Miller series by Robin Jones Gunn
• A Torch for Trinity by Colleen L. Reece
• Do Hard Things by Alex and Brett Harris
• Abram's Daughters series by Beverly Lewis
• Annie's People series by Beverly Lewis
• Christy by Catherine Marshall
• God's Smuggler by Brother Andrew
• The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom
• Shadow of the Almighty by Elisabeth Elliot
• Passion and Purity by Elisabeth Elliot
• More Than a Carpenter by Josh McDowell

I highly recommend any of these books. Do you have any amazing books that you think I would like? Or any that you think people who read this blog would like? Please comment!

Soli Deo Gloria,

Siobhan