Meta-meditating

My musings on meditation, sobriety, running, librarianship, and other important things. Tumblarian. Opinions my own.

[metameditating]

Dinner in 2 rounds

Round 1: Brown rice and black beans with 1/2 fresh avocado and a healthy dose of Cholula. Sliced raw green pepper and Sriracha hummus.

Round 2: Power greens with Goddess dressing, kimchi. 

[ppaction]

What’s the real story of abortion? 42 years legal, and incredibly safe — and we’re going to fight to keep it that way.

[metameditating]

The Likely Cause of Addiction Has Been Discovered, and It Is Not What You Think

New evidence about addiction isn't just a challenge to us politically. It doesn't just force us to change our minds. It forces us to change our hearts....

Sure, this is true sometimes. But addiction is not one thing. Sometimes it's loneliness. Sometimes it's mental illness. But some people have no other mental illness and love-filled happy childhoods and still become addicts. Beware of anyone claiming to sell the One New Answer to Rule Them All. 

[humansofnewyork]

I spent yesterday afternoon in a brainstorming session with Ms. Lopez and her assistant principal Ms. Achu, trying to think of creative ways that the HONY community could help further the vision of Mott Hall Bridges Academy. Our discussion covered many needs, but we kept returning to one in particular— the limited horizons of disadvantaged youth. Ms. Lopez’s school is situated in a neighborhood with the highest crime rate in New York, and many of her scholars have very limited mobility. Some of them are very much ‘stuck’ in their neighborhood. And many have never left the city. “It can be very difficult for them to dream beyond what they know,” Ms. Lopez explained.  So the three of us struck on an idea. (OK, it was Ms. Achu’s idea, but we all agreed.) We want to create a fund that will provide each incoming 6th grade class at Mott Hall Bridges Academy a chance to get out of their neighborhood and visit a new place. And that place is Harvard University. “I want every child who enters my school to know that they can go anywhere, and that they will belong,” said Ms. Lopez. So we’re going to try to make it happen! Let’s help this visionary educator enrich the lives of her students. 

[metameditating]

I liked the original kid's portrait. But I got a little icky feeling from the way Ms. Lopez talked when Brandon tracked her down. Sure enough, Mott Hall is a charter. I question charters, and I question taking these kids to Harvard as their view to another world. Is Harvard really our dream? I actually think we can do better! It's problematic. I love that the original kid is finding hope, and I think charter schools can do good things, but...

[schoollibraryjournal]

Elementary school librarian Tracey Wong leads a yoga session at P.S. 54 in the Bronx, NY. 

"Yoga in the Library" | School Library Journal 

[metameditating]

Yay! I teach/practice mindfulness in my information studies course. 

[whiscashremade-blog]

Stop pretending Native Americans are one single cohesive culture

[metameditating]

Oh wow. I just got told.

Lucy finished in the litter box and did her usual ineffective front paw scratching outside the box.

Then. THEN.

She walked over to her food dish, looked me in the eye, and did her litter box scratch to her food. 

OUCH Lucy. 

[tastefullyoffensive]

(photo via kingspanner)

[metameditating]

Some "friends" on an online running forum I frequent were decrying #BlackLivesMatter protests. "What have peaceful protests ever done?" I quietly reminded them today is nationally dedicated to Martin Luther King, Jr. 

Hm. Strange silence in the forum now. 

[archivlibrarianist]

Harvard librarian Emily Singley reviews current wisdom on student search habits.

We hear a lot about how college students “only search in Google these days” or “never look past the first page of results.”   How true are such commonly held assumptions?  Are they supported by recent examinations of student research behaviors?  For answers, I looked at seven studies published within the last three years.  Here is what I learned:

Her findings are:

While most students do use library databases, they tend to start their searches in Google or Google Scholar.

Instructors are generally satisfied with the resources students find; they are more concerned with students using said resources unimaginatively and uncritically.

Students overestimate their research abilities and so will rarely revise a search that has been unsuccessful.  They believe that if they can’t find it, the resources the need must not exist.

Because of confusing messages about “online” resources from instructors, students are uncertain about which “online” resources from the library are appropriate to use.

Students will stick to “tried and true” resources for their research and will rarely branch out to others, even if the resources they are using are not the best.

Wikipedia citations are used to help further research.

Students rarely look past the first two pages of results.

Students rarely use requesting services, preferring online, full-text sources to ones that have any sort of delay.

When students need research help, they turn to each other, their instructors, or their family— never librarians.

Interesting stuff— I have some ideas, but how might your library work through these issues?

[samuelandthewilburbots]

37 degrees in Minneapolis = 75 anywhere else

(Bryant Lake Bowl, Minneapolis, 1/18/15)

[loveable-sinner-deactivated2015]

[esteemsters]

The rage of the oppressed is never the same as the rage of the privileged.

bell hooks (via smallbodies)

To all “egalitarians”

(via earthmoonlotus)

[minnepixel-deactivated20260418]

Winter sunsets from Stevens Square.

[actegratuit]

One Student’s Epic Tweets Call Out the Biggest Hypocrites Marching for Free Speech In Paris

Adding to the symbolic weight of the demonstrations, more than 40 world leaders joined the start of the Paris march, linking arms in an act of solidarity. But as Reporters Without Borders points out, not every world leader present is really a defender of free speech.

[standwithpalestine]

😷

[mattyvogel-deactivated20211026]

minneapolis, mn

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[metameditating]

Running is so awesome. I gotta say.

I'm in a northwoods cabin with several sober friends for the weekend. It's cold and clear and sunny. The evergreens were calling. I bundled up and went out for 3 SUPER hilly miles. It was an amazing workout and felt good. I'm a lucky person.