Frustration - Issac Azimov - Making no Progress

Seldon shugged. "Why does one usually feel frustration? I'm tackling something in which I am making no progress."

from:  Issac Azimov,  Prelude to Foundation

I have been following Stephen King's admonition about writers should read. However, I may be cheating? I am listening to books on tape (has that become an anachronistic term?) while I exercise and do various and sundry distractions from achieving overall goals. Previously I would listen to political podcasts, but the quality of speech and the repetition of ideas has become boring.

Currently, I am listening to the first Foundation book, Prelude to Foundation explains the origins of Hari Seldon, the birther of Psychohistory which predicts overall future trends. I haven't read Azimov's books in a long time and I have become struck in the similarity of the royal play that occurs in Game of Thrones and Dune.

I am struck that since I want to write stories, perhaps I am cheating by listening and not seeing the words on the page. However, I am unable to read books during these times, so perhaps I am accomplishing something.

This quote struck me in that currently I am frustrated. I am on the last of eight weeks of Tim Clare's writing class in which we are working on our novel. It has become evident that I need to structure an overall plot and organize all of the notes and ideas. The overall feeling is that I am stuck, I am 'making no progress.'

I am also not making progress at teaching. I have plans to produce a system to motivate underperforming students. Like my novel, notes and ideas are everywhere.

Previously, I wrote about how "planning the perfect day" would require planning and performing the 'perfect' previous day. Things need to get accomplished to set up a perfect day. And now it is an immediate issue. Perhaps Stephen Covey had something with 'sharpening the saw.'

Gratitudes: Everyday is a new day, flowers, and income.

Comments

Don't trust a skinny cook - Vinne Vrotny - Teacher Hypocrisy

Adults want comfort, but expect students to go into [the] discomfort zone. Are we hypocrites? from Vinnie Vrotny - Blog post Multi-faceted Refractions I live with the thought that I am a hypocrite. I am a teacher almost every day I implore, cajole, push, and pull students to learn more about the immediate subject and themselves. And yet I feel guilty when I don't do the same thing. To find today's quote, I Googled "quotes teacher hypocrisy" and got no love. I got quotes from Don King, Malcom X, Alan Dershowitz (black pot) and others. But no listed, no famous quotes about teachers and hypocrisy. Then I Googled "teacher hypocrisy" and oh boy, were there hits!. Grass roots education ; Condor Voice ; I, Hypocrite Teache r; and today's quote were just a start. I realized that I am not alone. I must admit I also hate lazy teachers. They are robbing students' time. Teaching is a hard job, both emotionally and phy

We shape our buildings - Winston Churchill - Be in action

We shape our buildings, and afterwards our buildings shape us. from: Winston Churchill, Painter , Political Survivor, Orator , and Nobel Prize for Literature Winner So much negativity in the world and in my thoughts. Originally, I was looking for a quote about the benefits of having positive thoughts. Sigh. There are many quotes like that out there, but the ones I found where either by celebrities or self-help gurus. Not that what they are saying is not useful, it is just I wanted elegant, powerful bon mots from a profound source. So, Churchill. I'd written down in my notes about this quote. It was made in a speech to rebuild the House of Commons after a bombing raid. I noted the quote because it agrees with my belief that architecture influences those who encounter it, whether for good or bad. But in this case, I am presenting it to my gentle readers as a metaphor. Like: "You reap what you sow," or "You've made your bed, so go lay in it."

Anger and Work - Toni Morrison - Tired of being angry

I get angry at things, then go on and work. from: Toni Morrison Author and Teacher Disclosure: I know little about Toni Morrison. Yes, I should read her writings. But I have my own writings to get out of my head. I found this quote because I have become tired of being angry. Maybe I should just scream myself into a coma, but I think I would still wake up anger. Screw the Serenity Prayer. Stuff admonitions of how anger is caused by fear. Stifle thoughts of turning the other cheek. Suffocate ideas of rising above. Smother the idea that this is not productive. But then, a sliver of sanity and the simplicity of Morrison's quote. As I have written before, I like to find the origin of quotes I use, and this one I found (unless this is photoshopped ) So, my two options are to keep my hand in the fire or to move into action. Since I am writing this, I have chosen movement. This entry can be considered the equivalent of picking myself up and brushing myself off.

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