Welcome Back, Happy December

A couple years back a speaker for a teacher's workshop opened up our session with a question for a man. Would you swim across a pool of sea water for $10? No. $100. Sure. $10,000. Of course. Now, said the speaker, let's say there's a shark in the water. The man said, "No, not for $10,000". What about a million? The man paused and then said no again. Ten million, the speaker proposed? Maybe, the man considered. What if your child was in the water, the speaker posed? Without pause, the man said, "Yes, I'd get in the water".

I found the question and answer fascinating. How much is our life worth? How much do we value money or what is empowers? How much do we love those closest to us?

A second anecdote from college comes to mind. Back in the days of Freshman Psychology we learned of a case where a woman was brutally raped and murdered outside of her apartment building. Dozens of people watched from their apartment windows while this horrific crime occurred and yet no one, not one single person, called for help.

I believe it's rather extraordinary the way human beings can be remarkably passionate and engaged and also conciliatory and silent. Why do we function at such extremes? And why did a mob of people storm a Walmart and trample a male worker? Were the deals so great that a person couldn't go without? What about mob mentality- a shared thinking and or action- encourages reckless, selfish behavior whether through action or inaction? Puzzling. Feel free to respond.

This week we're going to do a Writing Bootcamp of sorts. Each day I'm going to have you write about writing, practice various exercises, etc. Today, I'd like you to open up with a blog about your weekend and any musings you might have. Please include in this blog your favorite words or expressions and why you have affection for them. Then, I'd like you to go to freerice.com and do the vocabulary exercises. Please strive to donate at least 2000 grains of rice. While doing this, please jot down 3-4 words that you learn and like. Remember them for tomorrow because I'll be asking you to incorporate them into your next post. Note: freerice.com measures your right answers against your incorrect ones and then sets a level of words. If you strive to do well, your level and the difficulty will increase: this is the goal!

Additional note: Friday will be the last day you can post any of the assigned November posts for partial credit. I always award quality writing, even if it comes in somewhat tardily. Shoddy writing that is completed after its original due date will have points deducted.

Happy Writing!