Meishu, Leider, Ledare

The Power of Fear

In his inauguration speech, President Franklin D. Roosevelt stated, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself”. He followed this with gratitude, that the fears that were plaguing the nation at the time was not a disease, but financial constraint and that we as a nation could overcome if we worked together.  

Fear, is not all bad. In moments of danger, fear can kick start your reflexes allowing us a greater advantage and even in non-immediate danger fear can bring about clarity and a different way of thinking. But fear can also be blinding, and when left unchecked it can grow until it becomes all-consuming. It is important when dealing with one’s fear that you truly think about what you are fearing and where that fear comes from—choosing only to work with the fear of an actual threat.

Franklin D. Roosevelt explained in his speech that the fear people were feeling could paralyze them and make things worse if they let it, in these current times it is important to understand how these small fears can grow and manipulate and take over. There are the fears of many Americans are based in the unknown, fears of potential violence and financial loss. But those who are coming to this country have true fear, fear that powers them through hundreds of miles of desert, and starvation. Fear of starvation and violence, death and disease. They show how fear can produce action over insurmountable odds.

What we also must remember is again how this fear can grow and how it can be stopped. The United States entered World War II after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, but by then, fear of the unknown and fear of an uncertain future had killed hundreds, thousands and millions throughout the world due to famine, panic and genocide. While we all have our fears, we must also think about how we can act when that fear is small, easier to conquer and what it may mean for others who are living in more present danger than ourselves.  

 My family and I are alive today thanks to the countries that rose above their fear of the unknown to help those who were running for their lives, and the members of my family who were able to use that fear of death and persecution to empower them to walk at least 2,000 miles to start to a sanctuary, Tehran. We must not let our fear blind us to our potential and the true victims of hate and violence and the unknown.

Best Intros

1. Season Five, Episode Fourteen: Stress Relief Part One

     The Fire

2. Season Six, Episode Four: Niagara Part 1

When Dwight insists on eating an egg at his desk after Pam asks people to change some of their habits during the morning sickness part of her pregnancy; so then Pam throws up, then Andy, and Erin, Phyllis, Meredith, Oscar, Angela….Creed eating his noodles, and Pam just taps her mouth with a tissue

3. Season Eight, Episode Sixteen: After Hours

First Angela and Pam complain about Oscar and his dog,

Oscar and Angela complain about how Angela pretends her kids are more advanced than they are,

Angela and Oscar complain about Pam talking about two kids instead of just one, 

Then all three complain about Andy and his boat.

4. Season Two, Episode Nine: Email Surveillance

When Michael racially profiles the new IT guy, and turns off the office lights and has them all hide.

5. Season Five, Episode Twenty-Two: Dream Team

When Kevin is the receptionist. First, he forgets he’s supposed to answer the phone and second, we find out that he’s been having trouble understanding how to transfer so he just calls whoever the call is for to come up to reception.

Then, in this scene Jim reminds him how to transfer by hitting “transfer, extension, transfer” (Kevin had written it on his hands but then washed his hands and forgot) to transfer a call to Andy first transfers the call to the empty desk across from Meredith, then to Stanley, and then to Andy; all while politely speaking to the customer.

6. Season Three, Episode Fifteen: Phyllis’ Wedding

When Jim “Pavlov’s Dog” Dwight with an altoid whenever he reboots his computer

7. Season Four, Episode Three: Launch Party

The TV cube-corner countdown; it’s something we’ve all experienced, just as passionately.

There’s this cube on the screen that bounces around all day. And sometimes it looks like its hitting Right into the corner of the screen And then at the last minute it hits a wall and bounces away. And we are all just dying to see it go right into the corner.

8. Season Five, Episode Nineteen: Golden Ticket

“THE KGB WILL WAIT FOR NO ONE!”

9. Season Five, Episode Twenty-Six

When Michael had not a pot pie, or an entire pot pie but an entire, family-sized, chicken pot pie for lunch and after letting the office be dark and quiet for a while Jim changes the computer time, Pam changes his watch, and Dwight changes his car time so they can all get a half-day.

10. Season Three, Episode Eleven: Back from Vacation

When Jim starts tell lies about what Dwight is doing in the meeting since Dwight is recording the meetings since Michael is away with Phyllis and Karen joining in later

Jim “you’re not allowed to take your pants off at the office—oh my god, he has a knife”

Phyllis “Jim Carrey just walked in, oh Dwight, get his autograph for Michael, quickly”

Karen “Dwight, what is that on your stomach? Is that a “Muppet Babies” tattoo?”

Best Parties

1.      Benihana Christmas: Season Three, Episode Ten

2.      Launch Party: Season Four, Episode Three

3.      Email Surveillance: Season Two, Episode Nine

4.      Kelly’s day-late birthday party: Lecture Circuit Part One

5.      Dwight Christmas: Season Nine, Episode Nine

6.      Christmas Party: Season Two, Episode Ten

7.      The Dundies: Season Two, Episode One

8.      Booze Cruise: Season Two, Episode Eleven:

9.      Cocktails: Season Three, Episode Seventeen

10.   Season Five, Episode Nine: Frame Toby (Whatever party got Michael to go back to the annex and see that Toby had returned )

Charlie Weasley

Whatever it is, do it. If you love it, if you want it, just DO IT

Bill Weasley

I went back and forth with doing a “what I learned from Bill Weasley” because I feel like I barely know Bill.This is especially apparent in comparison with the rest of the Weasleys (sorry Charlie--ha). I know he’s a good son and husband. A werewolf and a hard worker. But not so much of Bill, as Bill.

But, while we don’t learn much about Bill directly, he does remind us of some things quite prominently. From his relationship with Fleur, we are reminded that relationships are deeper than appearances, the importance of being a good person and son with his relationship with his parents (and especially his mother), and from his experiences with Goblins and at Gringotts the importance of deep respect and politeness. Finally, do not be a prat. as he was so excited to join his mother at Hogwarts to wish Harry good luck before the third task of the Triwizard tournament. 

So thank you Bill, we might barely know you, but you still have taught us well. 

Teenager and Grandson of Holocaust Survivors Demands Climate Action

…

His movement, his story, his heartbreak, everything. This was just so beautifully done and moving. You cannot hate him or this speech

Cinderella--Grimm

There are a million different ways we can all go into the Disney manipulation, white-washing and ending the loss of the Grimm stories that managed to capture the ‘grandfather tales’ passed down thru generations, previously only spread by word-of-mouth. 

Rook di goo, rook di goo! There's blood in the shoe. The shoe is too tight, This bride is not right! 

But sometimes, the joy of truth is just that it’s funny

A Circle of Chaos

So, who puts in the effort to try and ban or challenge a book? I would think, and could agree to a certain extent, that parents are those who attempted to restrict their children’s access to books (thou I don’t know why they just don’t do it as parents instead of loophole out of their authority and try to use someone else’s) at their child’s school depending on their age (where some of their authority has temporarily been given over to the teacher or administration). However, while parents make up the second largest percent of challenges against books (32%) only 37% of all challenges occur at schools or school libraries with the majority happening at public libraries (59%) by other local library users (33%).

Books are also not the only things get challenged and for some, removal of the book includes vandalism, theft and destruction (burning books). In 2018 62% of all challenges or censorship actions in libraries were against books, but 15% of challenges were against meetings, 10% were against databases, films and games and 6% were about artwork. This scope of the challenges is the reason for the focus of censorship during banned books week as these challenges extend past the idea usually presented that books are banned because the material is “too mature” for the age group it was recommended too but has to do more with the prejudice behind those promoting the bans and can create an horrific self-fulfilling prophecy as those who were limited in the experiences and connections to these book will remain close-minded and become the passionate censorship leaders of our future.

http://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks/frequentlychallengedbooks/statistics

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Any possibility of Harry having a nice life, died, mercilessly, with this book, starting with him again not being to just be on the sidelines and ending with the full return of Voldemort. Okay, so it starts off with a horrible scene but actually the beginning is quite lovely as Harry writes to Sirius for help because he finally has someone he can write to with his problems that’s like a parent and then following the silliness of the Weasleys sending a letter with about 10 thousand stamps (why did no one give them basics after the phone call and really, Muggle Studies should be mandatory for everyone, is there really that little contact) and then of course, the Quidditch World Cup (see—Muggles).

But quickly the main themes of Harry being cursed (seriously—why did he keep going back) and teenage drama (Ron v. any and all sensibility) took over, but with some new dimensions. This was the beginning of true social justice for Hermione, something that she would stick with the rest of her life, and I love how it a) was for those who weren’t fighting for themselves, and b) wasn’t based on blood status. The choice and dedication she had to fight for equality and for others made sense as it was an extension from her fight the year before for Buckbeak and wasn’t for her, but something for others that was not related to school, but important, and a part of her and would’ve come out eventually, one way or another. In relation to the parallels created, the introduction of Rita Skeeter, her rumors, and the brainwashing of the media we later also see in Year Five are important parallels to our non-magical world. This extends to how we shouldn’t always trust those we believe we should and we should remain skeptical of those we don’t truly know (Alastor Moody, Lugo Badman, Molly Weasley with Hermione and Rita and others). These are lessons that we understand adults have not all mastered. Additional lessons can also be shown in the three tasks. The First Task reminds us to be creative with your knowledge as Krum hadn’t thought of summoning a broom to help him. The Second and Third Task make me think of moral fibre and compassion, and to not let the competition take over what you know is right. 

This book was long, and had a lot, but most importantly it stood as the midpoint, the break between young Harry Potter and older Harry Potter as the coming years would get even darker, and the lessons he learned this year and previously (along with the friendships he gained) would be more valuable in coming times than expected. Unrelated, the beginning chapter of this was so anti-Harry Potter, it had no magic, was complete mysterious and dark but not overdone, it was beautiful and sucked me in so much; truly showed how JK Rowling was a brilliant writer even outside the magical world she created. Also, would’ve loved a scene with Hermione showing Draco she captured Skeeter, once again showing how completely brilliant she is in having figured it out, also, badass!!