Passion

I love people who are passionate about the things they do. There is something about them that just exudes life. It's easy to see passionate people as they really are because you are actually seeing their true selves, not just a facade. And their connections are much deeper. Just a few people that I know that exemplify this:
Austin Craig
Dave Peterson
Melanie Orton
Nathan Robbins
Logan Bradford
Ryan Darton
Kara Stowers
Crystal Young-Otterstrom
Colbi Crawford
Kenji Hood

Well I've been watching these inspiring talks on ted.com and of course, I've been inspired. What is ted about? Well they can explain it better than I can. But to try to sum it up, TED tries to make the world a better place by sharing ideas from our greatest thinkers. These people are world leaders in their fields. They love what they do and their drive, ambition, hard work and passion is changing the world. They are true, real and passionate. Some of their talks will outrage you, some of them will make you smile, all will leave you inspired.

Connecting the dots and Peggle

Lately I've just been thinking about what has gotten me here, mainly because my students have been asking. It's been an intense and rockin' ride to see how things have unfolded. But with graduation which has just passed I have been thinking a lot along the lines of what Steve Jobs said to Stanford graduates a few years back.

On another note, Conan O'Brien is my hero. He gives great advice too.  I only took his advice more fully the last year of college than all my other years in school.

 

P.S. - Here's how I can connect the dots one little way to graduation.  I was addicted to Peggle earlier this year after being introduced to it from hanging out at Paul Louthan, and Nate and Matt Jorgenson's place.  I was skipping out on my Stats 221 class because as soon as I would wake up, I would play Peggle.  It then became apparent I wasn't going to pass Stats so I dedicated my final exam to Conan O'Brien.  In the testing center, I was feverishly filling in dots not even opening my test packet.  One can only wonder what the freshman sitting next to me was thinking.  

My final exam score: 4%  My final Peggle score: 21,713,800

Not suprisingly I got an E in the class.  So I take it again Spring Semester, hire a wonderful tutor to help me through the wretched course and I amazingly got a C-.  I thought I was going to fail again, Hayley worked a miracle...really.  I passed the class, I graduate with a minor in business management, and I become a Peggle Grand Master.  Yeah for me!

So sad yet so funny

Lately I've been reading garfield minus garfield and happily yet sadly, it's becoming more funny.  Is it because I long for a cat I don't have?  Is it because we share the common thread of living in perpetual singledom?  Is it because I'm the isolated young everyman?  Is it because I'm losing a battle against loneliness and depression in a quiet Canadian suburb?  Or is it because it's absolutely hilarious and it identifies and exposes something that very well could be each one of

 us?