Dean of Students

Archive for January, 2012

January 30

Early Valentine Note: Finding Passion in Pop Culture

I’m on a roll! Lately, I’ve been smitten by podcasts, video, TV shows, commercials, and movies about matchmaking – they share wisdom about finding a date, dating, finding love, and true passion. I’m not about to trash this meme – I find it inspirational. I’m still in the finding passion and love game. Some wisdom about searching for love and passion is in this stuff.

The search for love and passion is bumpy. It means trying on the new. Accepting that you deserve to be elated. And, knowing that your heart will be broken – sorry. Above all, you’ve got to keep trying. Here’s the rest of the secrets I’ve unlocked from the entertainment on dating, relationships, and finding love:

  • Finding your passion, love, or a date is really awkward for everyone involved. Get “comfortable” with it. Own it and you’ll do better.
  • Adages from the street are still important when making that first contact: “Give ‘em a chance to look at you” and “Look ‘em in the eye, but don’t stare”
  • Now is the time to make a decision to be a confident person. The best passion-finders I see or know are able to handle themselves. They let themselves shine; they say what they feel; and, they are real. But what stands out is their confidence.
  • Do you! You’re worthy of attention, love, and having passion in your heart. Be your authentic self. Your game will not work if you’re trying to be someone else or to play a game by someone else’s instruction.
  • Careful not to take advantage of others.
  • Work on being interesting – be in the know about culture, fashion, news, and lifestyle issues. Passion – and a good date or networking session – demands that you’re able to chat with authority.
  • It’s not enough to show a “look.” Get comfortable also showing how you “feel.”

A few simple suggestions for dating and finding another person, but is this the stuff that works for job hunting, figuring out what you want to do with your life, and old-school-face-to-face “networking.”

Peace.

January 26

Coffee & Conversation: It’s 2012, Do We Need Religion?

Time to go there! I saw this message on the tube – it’s must watch stuff:

More than 16 million peeks and a response battle going on! What’s this about?

Some of the most terrible, out of touch people, cruelest, meanest, worst, most frightful, unsettling, close-minded folks that I don’t want to be around our religious.

Some of the coolest, most wonderful, exciting, inspiring, and best people on the planet are religious.

If we live through our institutions don’t we still need religion to sustain us?

Are we actually more religious and not very spiritual?

So let’s go there. Time to talk about religion in our lives and in the future. Can I get the hopes and the dreams without the war and backwards mess. So this Friday I’ll see you at the Howard Thurman Center – 3 to 5 p.m. —  loaded with cookies and coffee; you bring the cosmic crisis.

January 23

Keep Fire Safety In Mind

Two off-campus fires have affected our community since the beginning of the spring semester. Regardless if you live on or off campus, it is always important to review key fire safety information. Please visit Boston University’s Fire Safety website for crucial tips.

January 19

Coffee & Conversation: Catch Up and Look at the Web

From Wired: http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2012/01/sopa-piracy-costs/

From Wired: http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2012/01/sopa-piracy-costs/

What’s happened while we were away?

The satire hits the American political system:

 

The troops are home and war is over?

Religious devotion breaking out in the middle of crowds.

US able to shut down spots on the Web on word from tattletales about possible copyright infringement. Power? Is this just a fight between two sets of content distribution industries? Ticked me off that I couldn’t look up a few things up, but does this law really matter to most people?

This is about lobbying, right? Tech lobbying in ways that they rarely do and the movie people trying – again – to stop us from acting the way we do. Battle between people who see a future for the internet versus folks looking to slow progress? Or, is this yet another example of out-of-touch-behind-the-times government representatives? Hey! Wait a minute! What about the creators and the artists?

So much to discuss; so little time. This week is a Coffee and Convo combo – catch up on what’s been going on during the break and chat about recent legislation for our use of the Web (and international copyright violations). Whew! I’ll see you on Friday at the Howard Thurman Center – 3- 5 p.m. – with a mess of cookies and plenty of coffee and tea. No conversation takedowns allowed.

Peace.

January 15

Humanity Remixed: Celebrating Martin Luther King

Martin Luther King Jr. in his vestments outside his Montgomery, Ala. church, circa 1953. Photo © Michael Evans/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Martin Luther King Jr. in his vestments outside his Montgomery, Ala. church, circa 1953. Photo © Michael Evans/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Big ups to alumnus Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. I stand as a witness to his activism and an example of our dreams.

He certainly made “hope and history rhyme” but he also beatmatched  expectation and destiny.

He schooled us on trainspotting the crowd, the country, and the world.  He cued the intelligent and the indie before any of us could think about the channels of poverty, militarism, going global.

Doc King rocked the crossfade and balance control without tech.  Back in the day, he ripped, transformed old jams in his remixes, and got the word out in ways we only dream about – he was an original.

Do your self a favor and read – or re-read – one of my favorite remixes: “Letter From Birmingham Jail.” And, if you’re able, reflect with us today and tomorrow.

Peace.

Read the DOS FYI Student Blog