"Every moment of one's life, one is growing into more or retreating into less." - Norman Mailer

Thursday, February 22, 2007

Seeker

My horoscope du jour:

A creative project of some kind might render it necessary for you to dig into obscure sources in order to secure some information that isn't easily found. You might feel as if you're playing detective! Whatever it is you seek to learn today, Clare, you're probably going to find it. Your mind is especially sharp right now, you're particularly curious, and you have the ingenuity to make the best of use of what you find.

I really like this horoscope. This is a theme that I have been meditating upon a lot lately, as my studies bring into sharper and sharper focus my priorities. The more Anthropology I study, and the more I immerse myself in the intellectual life of the campus and myself, the more grounded and confident I feel. The importance of learning, of thinking, of realizing is becoming more and more evident; I know that thinking and learning are what I want to do with my life. And I think the best way to accomplish this is to teach. One learns by teaching, by explaining and talking through and reconsidering and listening and observing. I want to do this. I do do this; but I want to get paid for it. :) So I will teach.

I have a biological anthropology test today (woohoo; we're related to apes. Whoop-dee-do). I have little passion for this branch of anthropology, but it heartens me to realize that it is certainly not beyond me. In fact, my professor said that there are opportunities to do research in the field at UofL, specifically looking at cytokines and their role in autism and their genetic origins. Cool, eh?

I frequently want to post lists that I have read in McSweeney's Book of Lists, but I am intentionally staying away from it so as only to read school-related material. Amina Wadud is great and everything, but she's not nearly as funny as McSweeney's. Something about women's rights in Islam that doesn't have the same zing to it.... :)

1 comment:

Elizabeth said...

I've been thinking about this lately too...clearly, because our brains are synchronized. Especially when I'm working, and I apply something from a class to what I'm doing - I can practically feel the neural connection growing. Thinking, and thoughtfulness, are things that not enough people do, not enough of the time. It's a simple concept, but it's undervalued and so valuable.

That was a rather vague comment, but...you catch my drift. Thank you for being thoughtful and thinking.