Art Wars

Here is an excerpt from Michael J. Lewis' piece After the Art Wars concerning the NEA and reading in Commentary Magazine.

Another proper area of public action is the precipitous decline in recreational reading on the part of young Americans, a decline with not only cultural ramifications but ominous practical ones—including the future ability of the American labor force to read and write reports, interpret instructions, and analyze problems verbally. Even at the risk of falling prey to an instrumental view of the arts, one would do well to support the NEA’s recent focus on studying the condition of American literacy and instituting programs for advancing it.

The entire piece is worth a read. It is on the government's support of the arts and how America sponsors controversial artists, the politics of tax-payer funded art and thoughts on why we fund the arts.

Joel Osteen

Great podcast from Joel Osteen. I signed up for this daily devotion and weekly video.

Salvation in Words

There is a great piece in the Christian Science Monitor Opinion Page about reading as a saving grace. Danny Heitman's "Don't just Read for Fun" reminds us of the really comical and sad history of why there are "Reading is Fun" posters in the public library. They are the not so subtle motivation from a group of about 100 writers back in the 50's to jump start reading amongst young people, if not the older generations too.
Although reading is a pleasurable pastime it can also be much more. Heitman reminds us of Atticus Finch who read to deepen his soul. He read in privacy and in anticipation of danger. He read as a salvation. It was deeply renewing to his soul. My only question is, what was he reading?

New Year's Resolution Update 011208

I was listening to Dennis Prager's Talk Show, specifically his happiness hour. This week's topic was addiction where he spent the most time talking about television addiction. He explained that any addiction takes the user away from people. I would say that most modern comforts give people immediate gratification but no satisfaction. Technology, is a modern convenience. It is to eliminate work. But the elimination of the work aspect also eliminates the long term satisfaction, health, and self-reliance that we should gain from it.

TV is a modern convenience to entertainment that has long ago ceased to be entertaining. It is mindless, cheap, and destructive. It takes so much time out of actually creating and thinking. And most of the stuff I do watch is reruns.

So I want to stop watching for a full month. I will make an exception for only one show because I think it is great and they are new episodes. I do use my television as a computer screen and for Xbox. Since I do not watch Youtube and do quite a bit of reading I will allow fair use of it. I do not play Xbox anywhere near what I believe to be deleterious, I am actually finding most of the games somewhat boring.

Happy UP!!!

Great Blog from Nutter's Notes gives more than 340 days of continuous gratitude. He finds gratitude and reward from small, yet significant, things such as restraint against candy or a good moment at work. Yes, just a few little things a day. He thinks about three things a day that makes him happy, how it happened and why that makes him happy. Wonderful. This must turn into a daily read.

New Year's Resolution Update

I called for a flute teacher...with no return phone call yet.
I have cut down on my Coke intake.
I am signed up for an Anatomy class.

New Year's Resolution Post

"Life is beautiful...you should never be bored."

I am hearing a great deal about people's New Year's Resolutions. I have one problem with them, they are made only once a year. That is why I think they should be made more frequently. That is why I want to write about mine daily. Maybe I won't write about them everyday but I want to reflect on what I have or have not done most everyday. Here are some resolutions for the new year.

* Exercise More - such as at least walking more.
* Eat better
* Find things I like to read and complete reading it.
* Write more - like this blog, my journal and essays
* Write more lists and do them
* Clean something
* Prepare something - anything
* Be More Methodical about reading the news - while keeping it fun


Specific Goals
Buy a Microscope and make my own samples
Finish my model
Be more familiar with my records and new music
Play the Flute More - and play by ear more
Complete Aspernomine

Reading List
Uncle Tom's Cabins
Diary of Anne Frank