Tuesday, February 9, 2010

This weekend calls for unabashed ridiculousness. I really, really need a good crazy-lady laugh.

Damn you, Google. Damn you! I am PMS-ing. This Sunday is Valentine’s Day. And I’m crying at work because of you.

off the grid (sorta)

sometimes you take stock of what’s on your plate and then you freak out. to gain some semblance of control, i’m going to try to minimize my number of distractions.

so facebook is gone til at least march 15th or so. laying off the twitter as well. tumblr will stay for now…mostly because i can’t do the temporary deactivation like on fb. however, it will be deleted from the bookmarks bar of my browser.

i’ll miss you, Internet and internet friends! you know how to reach me IRL.

Monday, February 8, 2010

The law of love

notesfromminneapolis:

In a letter from Tolstoy to Gandhi,

The longer I live–especially now when I clearly feel the approach of death–the more I feel moved to express what I feel more strongly than anything else, and what in my opinion is of immense importance, namely, what we call the renunciation of all opposition by force, which really simply means the doctrine of the law of love unperverted by sophistries. Love, or in other words the striving of men’s souls towards unity and the submissive behaviour to one another that results therefrom, represents the highest and indeed the only law of life, as every man knows and feels in the depths of his heart (and as we see most clearly in children), and knows until he becomes involved in the lying net of worldly thoughts.

Via Harper’s. Read the full correspondence here.

Sunday, February 7, 2010
Charity is also a necessary response to injustice—but it isn’t sufficient. Systemic injustice requires systemic response. Correct. (via edkohler)
Saturday, February 6, 2010

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

LoveLiveLearn and her man are engaged to be married!

When I heard the news, my heart filled up with incredible love and happiness. I also screeched really loudly in my office at school.

So now when we have Chili’s reunions, you’re going to be the one w/ the “married life” stories. Charlotte?

:D

Transformative Works

A few of books that have changed the way I see the world, my relationships, my work, and my life:

  • Erich Fromm, The Art of Loving
  • Paolo Freire, Pedagogy of the Oppressed
  • Howard Zinn, A People’s History of the United States of America
  • bell hooks, All About Love
  • Jonathan Kozol, Savage Inequalities

What are yours?

Love, in principle, is indivisible as far as the connection between “objects” and one’s own self is concerned. Genuine love is an expression of productiveness and implies care, respect, responsibility, and knowledge. It is not an “affect” in the sense of being affected by somebody, but an active striving for the growth and happiness of the loved person, rooted in one’s own capacity to love. Erich Fromm, The Art of Loving
Infantile love follows the principle: “I love because I am loved.”
Mature love follows the principle: “I am loved because I love.”
Immature love says: “I love you because I need you.”
Mature love says: “I need you because I love you.
Erich Fromm, The Art of Loving
If I love the other person, I feel one with him or her, but with him as he is, not as I need him to be as an object for my use. It is clear that respect is possible only if I have achieved independence; if I can stand and walk without needing crutches, without having to dominate and exploit anyone else. Erich Fromm, The Art of Loving