Electricity

Here's a post from a LONG while back (Jan, '06). Wish I put it up, not sure why I didn't.
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I was re-inspired this past week to teach myself useful things. There was a looming possibility (and still may be) that I would take this semester 'off' from school, and instead, do independent study from the numerous resources I have already. In part, this would be a negative thing, as I would not be drawing closer to achieving a major, but it would be beneficial in giving me another opportunity for self-discipline, and gaining REAL skills that can be immediately turned over for my own, and others, benefit.

I've realized that my family seems to have a surprising strain of 'dreamer'. We tend to be solid, critical and even somewhat cynical, but... we're not entirely utilitarian. The fact that we have so many artists in the family testifies of that. But I think we have a stronger 'dreamer' strain than even that. Peter went off on the ship, came back to the US, and is now in Cambodia teaching, soon to get married. Many of us savor the idea of living in another country. I found myself researching work abroad today (not for the first time), though I'm very content with the place I'm at right now. I just like to keep the possibility real in my mind. Helps me have a goal of sorts; what skills I need to gain, what fields I need to study, etc... I feel much more motivated to be a learner after doing such research. Perhaps we're just more open to what the real possibilities are than other people. Not sure what to think about that, any thoughts?

Here's a quick list of my interests:

Electricity/circuitry/wiring (more a desire for being useful, than actual desire to merely learn)

Business (international in particular)

Language acquisition

Helps (technical help/know-how)

Communication (effective, concise, and relational)

History (I'm pretty severely deficient in this regard, with no fault from my parents.. but I'm seeing it as super necessary as a resident of this world)

Politics (sadly enough, this is the same as the prior entry, though I have a distaste for it, I see it as a necessary thing to know)

Classic and Modern Literature (possibly the most difficult item on the list as it take SO much intelligence, which I feel I do not have).. what is difficult about this is that I do not want to be changed internally by modern literature, as, in my current state, I do not value highly the minds of those filled with post-modern writings. I know that is arrogant of me, but such is the case, and I fear that reading Modern Literature, with my weak mind, will change it irreparably.

I suppose knowing what various key philosophers meant would go with the literature, but i have the same wariness for that.

Exercise that engages the mind (martial arts comes to mind, but I'm ultra competitive, and therefore.. do not like to compete).

Ancient Greek- I hear that the scriptures have infinitely (mild exaggeration) more meaning in the original greek than the modern translations.

Ruby (remarkable programming language) coupled with Rails.

I'll come back sometime later and link up this page with relevant links. A little patience, if you will.