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Showing posts from March, 2013

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Conservatism, Reaction, and the Elder's Responsibility: A Message to My Age Grade

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Conservatism, Reaction, and the Elder's Responsibility: A Message to My Age Grade Great Day, Fam. This one right here? It’s not for everyone. If you’re not at or approaching Eldership—defined in our tribe as about 55 years old and up—you might not feel all of this. But if you’re curious, or if you’re one of those younger souls already walking with wisdom, you’re welcome to keep reading. This message is for the Elders. For those of us who should know better. And yes—I’m including myself. Let’s Start With the Mirror I’ve got to confess something. I’ve been guilty. Guilty of being reactionary. Guilty of falling into the trap of conservatism. Guilty of romanticizing the past. Guilty of looking at our young people and calling them “soft”—as if we were born warriors, as if we didn’t have to become who we are through fire, failure, and guidance. Many of us Elders are stuck in a loop. We remember only the highlights of our youth—the toughest times we survived, the boldest moments ...

Sword and Sheild

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I haven't been writing on my blog or doing my radio shows for over a month. I have been engaged in a personal conflict, now I know that the uninitiated will hear this and be concerned. If you have been traveling with me on this Journey then you know that conflicts are good for a warriors soul. I have been engaged in figuring out how to help young people educate themselves using the internet. We are living in an amazing time and it is time that we start preparing ourselves and our future for it. I have taken the challenge, and will be successful at it. New challenges are good for several reasons: 1. They help us find out what we are made of 2. They force us to use our imagination, and channel our creativity into a new place 3. They force us to grow in new ways that may be uncomfortable but good 4. They prepare us for the next step in our life, and in many occasions they open the road for us to take the next step. For those who are on the Journey find yourself a challenge, som...

Using Technology to Help Students Educate Themselves

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Technology has come a long way and we now have tools that was not even a dream when i was in school. Just like technology it is time for education to leap forward. Schools are still using the same technology they have been using since the beginning. If we are going to prepare our children for the future we need to embrace new technology to move them forward. I recently accepted a challenge to work with some young people using some up to date technology, and I am finding that children can figure out anything if given the time. All they need is a challenge, and some subtle nudging. Of course we still have to help them adjust some behaviors, but the reality is that after they learn to read and can do basic math they can pretty much pick up on other skills. The technology that is in the world can be used to help them discover that the world is bigger than their neighborhood. In my search for tools I had the pleasure of running into Khan Academy, the concept of SOLE (a Self ...

Do You Own Your Life Or Do You Possess Your Life

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Do you Own your life, or do you possess your life, this question was presented to me by one of my brothers. We were having a conversation about how to change the world. He is always  able to bring out excellent questions that make me think. The question appeared simple at first, but when I let it roll around in my head I could see the difference. To own something means that it belongs to you in all ways. When you own something, you can actually do with it what you please. You can change it, build on it, or even destroy it. You in most cases to do not need anyone's permission to do any of these things. Ownership gives you power over a thing that you can use and benefit from.  You can possess something without owning it, although it appears to be yours it is not. You can't change it, or add to it. It can be taken away from you at any time. Many people can't seem to tell the difference between these two things. Since they don't recognize a difference they lose out. Whe...