In working on a multitude of college campuses over the last several years, I have experienced an interesting trend among students and colleagues in being afraid or hesitant to talk about the successes–personally or professionally–that matter to them.

I’ve thought about how this trend might be explained, whether it’s simply borne out of a desire to not be “that person,” the insufferable, annoying self-promoter, or whether it’s a trend away from deep, spiritual thinking about one’s self. Often, I return back to an observation that in many of our communities, in which interactions are unfortunately less spontaneous, we simply don’t have the space to share our stories or our experiences–especially those things we’re most passionate about or most proud of.

If we don’t have that space, it just seems easier to hold on to that information, submerge it in our consciences somewhere, and basically, forget about it. Shying away from deeper, more spiritual thinking is wrapped up in the micro-political systems we navigate everyday, walking across campus, in classrooms, in The Commons, or even in Chipotle. Our natural inclination to follow norms, to not appear “too crazy” about something, governs us.

I’m writing this post, though, to subvert that inclination. We should absolutely have a place to reflect on what we do well, those powerful experiences that have shaped us and brought us here, and which form the foundations on which we are building everything else.  And we should be able to share these with each other.

So, consider this an opportunity to explore and hone your talents: what accomplishment in your life do you treasure the most and why? It can be as simple or as grand as it needs to be. Whatever it is, do yourself and all of us a favor and share it!

–
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Dr. Felix's Spring 2012 office hours for the March are:

March 8th, 2-4pm in Patapsco Hall

March 14th, 10-12pm in Potomac Hall

March 28th, 2-4pm in Erickson Hall

Stop by for assistance finding study groups (MATH150/151/152/155, BIOL141/142, CHEM101/102, ENME110, and more)

Questions?  Contact me at tfelix1@umbc.edu or 410.455.3173.

On Friday, March 2^nd, Mainstreet was taken over by a cooking demonstration. Participants were actively encouraged to take part in the production of their free samples. There were five dishes being created.

“Flax! At the Disco” was an oatmeal dish with bananas, apples, and cinnamon. Perfect for breakfast, this dish can be customized in many different ways to please the taster.

“O.D.B.’s Pad Thai (Oh, I like it raw!)” was a salad with zucchinis, bean sprouts, nuts, peppers, onions, and spices. Olive oil held everything together and provided some consistency.

“A Pasta to Remember” was another zucchini dish that can be made without having to heat anything up. Using a blender and a myriad of accenting spices, a healthy Italian entree can be created in just minutes.

“The Artist Formally Known As Banana Non-Dairy Ice Cream” was a sweet blend of frozen bananas nuts, and agauve. This dessert is sure to please all different taste buds!

Be sure to check out other (seb) events where you can make your own food or just try some free samples!

ryanjon:

Joseph Kony and his killers have abducted more than 30,000 children from their families, forcing young boys to murder their parents and become child soldiers and the girls to work as sex slaves.

Make KONY Famous is aiming to raise global awareness of Kony - to make him famous - “not to celebrate him, but to raise support for his arrest and set a precedent for international justice”.

As the filmmaker Jason Russell explains, less than one per cent of the world knows who Kony is, however, if people knew what he had done, they would demand action.

Watch the video … spread the word

KONY 2012 from INVISIBLE CHILDREN on Vimeo.