Culture makes life rich

It will likely surprise no one that I am a frequent reader and follower of things like the Smithsonian magazine online, with an occassional NY Times article thrown in for good measure. I have it on good authority (thanks, Patriarch), that knowledge makes me a more interesting person. Having heard similar things from many other sources, in addition to studying Humanities, I'm become something of a sponge or magnet for depictions of culture and history... and daily news. Don't worry, this one is about culture, which is almost always the most interesting topic of the three. 

I ran across this article about the Krampus, the counterpart to Saint Nicholas in several European countries. It is absolutely fascinating to me that this ancient tradition has hung on into modern days! I also think there's something to be said for the idea of dualism it promotes... things come in pairs to maintain balance and order. Here's a little snippet from the article to introduce you to the other side of Christmas creatures!

Krampus creatures roam the streets in search of naughty children to punish during Krampusnacht, November 30, 2013, in Neustift im Stubaital, Austria. Sixteen Krampus groups including over 200 Krampuses participated in the first annual Neustift event. Krampus has been a part of Central European, alpine folklore going back at least a millennium, and since the 17th-century Krampus traditionally accompanies St. Nicholas and angels on the evening of December 5 to visit households to reward children that have been good while reprimanding those who have not. However, in the last few decades Tyrol in particular has seen the founding of numerous village Krampus associations with up to 100 members each, who parade without St. Nicholas at Krampus events throughout November and early December.(Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

Academic Chops

I decided to enter my thoughts into the HERA (Humanities) Conference for 2013. Why?? I don't know. I guess because parts of me miss academia and I knew my prior research fit will with the topic of sacred site/secular spaces. I may or may not be accepted... I'm sure they give precedent to actual scholars in school. And with the fee's I'd pay as a non-student... not sure I'd accept the invitation. But, nothing ventured, nothing gained. Here is my conference proposal. 

Ancient and Present Rhythms in Tap and Irish Step Dance

Thump-thump. Thump-thump. The body lives in a steady beat, drummed daily by the heart. It moves in rhythmic cycles, regulated by the beat and rhythm of nature. Humans have historically moved and been moved by the rhythms of the world. Urges to replicate, manipulate, and appreciate those natural cadences resulted in some of the greatest, most innovative works of art. Dance places rhythm and time at the forefront of its creations; the now mundane pulse of life becomes beautiful once again through dance’s interpretations. American tap and Irish step dance epitomize the expression of sacred rhythms in secular spaces, drawing on a heritage steeped in spiritual roots and thriving in the material world of entertainment.

The percussive dance stylings of tap and Irish step dance offer a rich comparison of how acoustic space can be utilized to shape histories. Shelley Berg notes the link forged between past and present through dance performance, stating, “[t]he past is shaped by the present and the present is reshaped by the past. At any given instant, we both live history and live in history” (225). Performers presenting tap or Irish dance simultaneously express the present – the rhythmic expressions created in the moment and existing in real time – while conjuring images of the past. For both forms, the sound expresses a much older beat, born of deeply ancient heritages. Tap and Irish dance use complex rhythms that evoke powerful cadences from the past, made relevant through present-ing. 

Doctor who?

For whatever reason, I've been thinking lately of going back to school. I know, am I insane? Probably! I have always enjoyed learning and school. Despite the associated stress, I quite enjoyed doing the research for those lengthy papers I wrote. I remember trying to squeeze oodles of information into my brain my first semester while still working full time. It was a challenge, but I loved it! 

I've come to realize something about myself lately... I don't generally settle for just okay. I like to move forward and upward. I think that's why I have always danced: there has always been something more to learn. Maybe that also explains why I haven't settled on a firm career path yet either. I know I can do many things well enough to get a foot in the door, and I know that once I'm in I will work to move up and improve. 

That said, I've been looking at doctoral programs. Mostly (only) at the University of Utah. Partly, that is because I have researched in the past and know some of what is available in other branches of my field in different states. Performance Studies- UCLA, UC -Riverside, NYU, and one in Illinois or Washington. Irish Studies - Boston, a school in New Jersey in quite literally the middle of nowhere. University of Texas is great for the Art History folks, as well as those interested in Pre-Columbian cultures in the Americas. While I haven't researched it a great deal, the University of Utah has a Ph.D. in Communications within the Humanities department. It has different aspects of emphasis, and I imagine they would yield to some interdisciplinary study that would facilitate my particular interests in the Humanities: dance and literature. 

What to do? Applications for the coming year are due fairly soon. As in extremely soon. If I can take a class or two and go slow, that is one thing. If the times require me to be a full-time student... well, I don't think that is the right option currently. I am leaning towards looking into it and seeing what is involved. That will also involve questions about career paths and job placement assistance post-graduation. (As a side note, I find it interesting that only a week after getting a full-time job, I get the impression that I might do well by returning to school. Fact? Fiction? Interesting at the very least!) What to do? What would you do? 

Think happy thoughts

I've been thinking a lot lately. The house is relatively quiet without my mom here to keep me busy with errands and cooking projects... and sure, I can do those on my own, but then I'll eat all that yummy goodness! And we don't need groceries, which takes out the need to shop.  Anyways, the free time flows slowly, I guess.  I've been seeing pictures of friends weddings and engagements... 'tis the season, to be sure! I've been thinking a lot about moving back to Utah and trying to find a job. Trying not to think about getting into the dating world. Sadly, I know I can't avoid it either - that solves no problems. Thinking about why I stayed  in that relationship for so long. Wondering if I should share that with people. Thinking about other trials I've worked through in the past six months. Wondering if I should share that with people. Thinking about how I miss academia and have lost some self-direction since not being a student anymore. Thinking about how I'm really missing Clog America right now, too. 

Admiring the intellectuality of friends I have who make excellent, insightful connections that make me feel smart just for reading what they've said. Admiring the spirituality and depth of friends who always lift me up personally and live their lives in Christlike ways.  Looking forward to living with friends who relish every opportunity in life: creating, sharing, loving, existing with so much joy and clarity. Wondering what I offer... am I helping others by how I live my life? I won't say I'm not.... but I might could do better. Sometimes I get filled with ideas, like creating a blog to document my impending dating discoveries, or creating another blog to share intellectual tidbits about art, humanities, philosophy, etc. 

Or, what about really getting that dance company set up? Once a week mandatory rehearsal for group numbers, forum to connect and develop solos/duets/small group pieces, any dance style accepted. Provo/Orem is a land of dance studios. Wouldn't it be easy to reserve rehearsal space somewhere? At a reasonable price so that members can participate with low monetary and time requirements? I guess it gets tricky finding performance venues, but a little ingenuity would solve that problem too. And money. Hmm. 

And I think of patterns. Circularity. Pitfalls. And I think I ought to say something about it to people, like here. But then I think, hey, I'm probably a little negative already, perhaps too personal already, and what will be accomplished by sharing? I haven't decided. It makes me think of spirals. The spiral is an ancient symbol. It suggests eternity, though I often find it relates well to my conception of life as I strive to draw closer to Christ. A finite spiral does have end points. You start at one and progress in circles to the other end. Life is so very circular!! It has to be. We gain knowledge, we act on that knowledge, and a consequence follows. Good consequences encourage us to repeat the acts that caused them, and sad consequences move us to repeat the process and use different actions or different knowledge. Ideally, our circular journey moves us upward and closer to our destination: living like Christ did. And ultimately, living with Him. 

Check out the spirals 

Budhha's got it going on

Ancient Celts had it figured out in the B.C's 

Nautilus by Edward Weston.
Spirals in nature: proof that's not man-made

Well, I suppose it's time to get to the real reason for the post. I saw a link to this great article on a friend's Facebook wall, and I thought it would be an excellent share! 

12 Happy Thoughts for Troubled Times By Marc

People and circumstances will occasionally break you down.  But if you keep your mind focused, your heart open to possibility, and continue to put one foot in front of the other, you will be able to quickly recover the pieces, rebuild, and come back much stronger than you ever would have been otherwise.

Here are a few happy thoughts to ponder on those days when the whole world seems like it’s crashing down around you.

1. Down days are completely normal, and not something you should feel guilty about having.  Happiness is never constant.  Surrendering to your sadness, or whatever negative emotion is trying to come to the surface, does not make you a bad person.  But remember, if you aren’t sincerely thankful for every smile, don’t be totally shocked by every tear.  Keep things in perspective.  Read Happiness Is a Serious Problem.
2. When you are at your lowest point, you are open to the greatest positive change.  Happiness is not the absence of problems, but the strength to deal with them.  Strength doesn’t come from what you can do; it comes from overcoming the things you once thought you couldn’t do.
3. There is a huge difference between giving up and moving on.  Moving on doesn’t mean giving up, but rather accepting that there aresome things that cannot be.  Moving on can mean that you’re making achoice to be happy rather than hurt.  For some folks, good situations last a lifetime, but for many, not knowing when to move on can hold them back forever.
4. Life rarely turns out exactly the way you want it to, but you still have an opportunity to make it great.  You have to do what you can, with what you have, exactly where you are.  It won’t always be easy, but it will be worth it in the end.  Remember that there is no perfect life, just perfect moments.  And it’s these moments you must cherish; it’s these moments that make the whole journey worthwhile.
5. Most people ask for happiness on condition, but long-term happiness can only be felt if you don’t set conditions.  Accept life unconditionally. Realize that life balances itself between the ideal and the disappointing.  And the disappointments are just life’s way of saying, “I’ve got something better for you right around the corner.”  So be patient, live life, accept what is, and have a little faith.
6. Too often, we carry around things from our past that hurt us – regrets, shame, anger, pain, etc.  Don’t let these negative points from the past rob your present happiness.  You had to live though these things in the past, and although unfortunate, they can’t be changed.  But if the only place they live today is in your mind, then let go, move on, and be happy. Read Change Your Thoughts - Change Your Life.
7. You can choose to view things differently.  Pick one part of your life that you are unhappy with and look at it from a different point of view.  See the rain as nourishment for future growth.  Consider being alone for awhile to create the solitude you need to hear your inner voice.  Think of your lack of funds as an opportunity to experience the simple things in life.  Right now, you can choose to allow the light to shine in your life.  It is a choice.  Why not allow it?
8. Once you embrace unpleasant news, not as a negative but as evidence of a need for positive change, you’re learning from it and growing.  Whatever life throws at you, even if it hurts, be strong and fight through it.  Remember, strong walls shake but never collapse.  Life always offers you another chance – it’s called tomorrow.
9. When your flaws are stitched together with good intentions, your flaws make you beautiful.  It’s better to be true to yourself and risk being ridiculed by others, than to be false, and miss out on the beauty of being YOU.  Never be bullied into silence.  Never let someone else tell you who you are.  Accept no one’s definition of your life, except your own.
10. You have the ability to heal yourself.  Just like lava flowing slowly out of a volcano, you must create a healthy outlet for your pain and anger.  It’s important after you’ve been hurt to take some time to think about your pain, and address it calmly and consciously, so you can thwart the possibility of more pain brewing from your own negativity.
11. There’s a lot of life left to be lived.  The real tragedy in life is not death, but the passion we let die inside of us while we still live.  Remember, troubles from the past cannot define you, destroy you, or defeat you all by themselves.  As long as you keep pushing forward, they can only strengthen you.  Read You Can Heal Your Life.
12. You are a work in progress; which means you get there a little at a time, not all at once.  Today is a brand new day – a fresh start.  Replace negativity with positivity.  Think happy thoughts.  Exercise.  Drink lots of water.  Fill your body with fuel.  Healthy is happy.  Inspire yourself.  Create.  Laugh.  Play.  Love.  Learn.  Give someone a compliment.  Perform a random act of kindness.  Take a chance on an idea you believe in.  You have the opportunity to do these things every single day – to make the necessary changes and slowly become the person you want to be.  You just have to decide to do it.  Decide that today is the day.  Say it: “This is going to be my day!”

Cool Art

One day I will teach Humanities again, and this will be a cool thing to talk about! Interesting, isn't it, how so much in life is all about perspective?

Diversity Day

That sounds like the title to an episode of  The Office.... Today in class we read a Persian folk tale. Three brothers are rug weavers and the prince of Persia has to marry the princess of Bagdad (their spelling, not mine) and he runs a competition for rugs... long story short, the brothers argue over who makes the best contribution (dyeing, designing, or weaving) and should get the prize. They finally realize they must all work together, not be selfish. Alone they are breakable like sticks, but united they can do much more!! (Go Processing Center!) Okay, obscure personal references aside, today was eye-opening. One of my students excitedly raised her hand and proclaimed that she is Persian! What?? Never would have guessed, although having seen her mom I knew she had some foreign ancestry. Persian. Now, my class of 26 is pretty diverse, so I asked how many of them, besides my Persian who speaks Persian (Farsi?) and German, spoke different languages. 


All but about 3 raised their hands. 3/26. One knows Egyptian. Another knows Russian. Urdu. Tamil. Mandarin. German. Spanish (this was the answer I got from a few of my white students). I didn't even have time to poll everyone. The other cool thing? Well besides having an extremely diverse class, I can say hi to most of them in their own language. Except Egyptian. And Farsi. And maybe a few others I haven't uncovered yet. But..... I said most, not all. Bam. Win for my students for being awesome. 

Lessons Learning

So my dad would write my missionary brothers each week on their missions. Having never served, I sometimes envied them for the contact and attention they got. I love my dad and we have good talks, but I generally talk to my mom when I call home. So a few years ago we struck a plan to improve our communication across the distance and busy lives we lead. Every so often (and generally when they're most needed personally) my dad sends me a thought of the day. Truly, many of them have come at inspired moments. The other ones are great reminders of his love, and help me consider my day and activities. 


For example, this week my dad sent me a quote by Galileo. 

I have never met a man so ignorant that I couldn't learn something from him.   -Galileo Galilei, physicist and astronomer (1564-1642)

This week part of our math lessons involved learning the names of lines: horizontal, vertical, and oblique. A very smart teacher would find ways to incorporate those terms during other lessons throughout the day. It took one of my students to make me realize this. We were doing editing marks in grammar and she said to put an oblique line through the letter (a slash to show the capital letter should be lowercase). Brilliant!! I was thrilled with her answer and used her example for myself, to then incorporate those terms the rest of the day. Obviously, I know way more than a 6 year old. I can talk about all sorts of crazy theories and concepts. But it took my student to help me see how to weave my curriculum together for my students. Everyone has something to teach us. 

Thanks for that reminder, Dad! 

Not blogging

I'm fairly certain that it's a good thing I haven't finished the last blog post I was working on. It makes me feel like I can't write more until I complete it. Obviously not stopping me right now but...  It's going to be a really awesome treatment of modern Halloween and its connection to the beginnings of opera in Venice around the 1500's. And Carnival. I promise that it makes total sense... or it will once I get my thoughts finished. I started it on Friday after finishing teaching and I guess all those 6 yr olds just drained my mental faculties enough that I couldn't finish. But it really is a great concept, and I know you're all dying to read it. 


If I were to waste time tonight and blog when I should finish my other, more educated and enlightening post, I might comment on how I am legitimately starting to like my job. I might also comment on how many dates I've gone on lately, and how surprising most of them have been. I could add a sidenote about how I really am an intellectual snob (of sorts) and that I don't think I will ever change that for dating purposes. Nope. I'm 25 and have a master's degree. What have you done? Hint: if you're male and over the age of 26, the answer should be along the lines of "I graduated with a bachelor's and am interested in furthering my career/education."  I might also share a personal anecdote of how I felt like the 5 foolish virgins the other day when I went to the temple, but you'll have to ask me in person to see if I'll tell you that one. I might also mention that I'm moving to a new area (Cottonwood Heights/Fort Union) and how most days I'm fairly convinced I will not marry for.... well a long time at the very least. It's that last part that I'm trying not to blog about. People like positivity, and while I'm not upset about that sense I have, it's not exactly a rainbow and ponies statement. 


And that's what I might blog about, if I had finished that last amazingly intelligent and erudite treatise on Halloween. Which I haven't. Which is why I'm not blogging tonight. 

Gifts for teacher

One young boy in my class gave me my first gift of teaching. He said "Ms. Burgin?  You make me feel good inside." 


It's a job with few worldly accolades, but of the things that matter most, teaching ranks pretty high. Moments like this one remind me of that. 

Good news minute

Remember, friends, I'm not in Provo anymore. That means this good news minute has nothing to do with engagements, dating, or exams. It has to do with my ...

new job!!

That's right, I'm now a first grade teacher at Challenger School in Salt Lake City. Technically, I'm not a "teacher" yet, but by the end of the month I will be taking over my class of 27-28 students. The school is pretty rigorous, so I don't have much (read: any) latitude in decorating my classroom. Campuses are in California, Utah, Nevada, and maybe another state, and they want uniformity for the students. So, if you go to a 1st grade class in California, then transfer to mine, it will look the same. I didn't become a teacher to decorate, though, so that's not a big deal to me. 

Why did I become an elementary school teacher?? That's a good question, and I'm not sure I have the answer. Obviously, I needed a job. And I have experience teaching, albeit at the college level. And I quite enjoy teaching, on a personal level. If I could make the bookoo bucks at any occupation, I would teach college. If I had desired to teach elementary students, I would have majored in that. For whatever reason I'm unsure of, I felt like teaching was the right step for me to take. I surely prayed, fasted, and attended the temple enough that I trust  the Lord helped me find this position. Whatever happens, I feel like I can make a small difference in the lives of these children. I know they will make a difference in mine, if only to train me how to handle young children! I also get the benefit of being able to continue pursuing my hobbies of dancing and traveling. 

The Lord works in mysterious ways. I don't usually understand the why until long afterwards, if it even comes then. But I do know it is worth it. Now I can focus all my prayers on some unsuspecting young man....... that might take a bit longer than finding a job did!!

Poetry

Poetry on Prezi

Wish me luck.

I am teaching ridiculously smart 1st graders tomorrow. 

Most first graders are just learning how to read. 

I am assured that these students can read quite well. 

Even a poem by Robert Louis Stevenson. 

I just hope I make a good connection with this poem

And how to use patterns to learn about writing. 

Really, wish me luck. 

I'm scared that I'll fail. 

And part of me might be afraid to succeed? 

An Apple for the Teacher?

Well friends, I applied to be a teacher. I know, I thought it was too late this year too!! But a charter/private school in Salt Lake said they're accepting applications so I decided to throw my hat in the ring. I've always said that I'd prefer to teach older students (aka college-age), but maybe I've been limiting my vision. I'm currently waiting to hear back on another job I interviewed for last week. It would be very exciting to work there, and I would be very happy to get an offer. But, I trust that the Lord is guiding my job quest, so if I don't get an offer, then I know that it's not where I need to be. In an effort to pull my life together, I have decided that if that job doesn't work out, I'll contact the local school district and become a substitute teacher! They don't require a teaching certificate; plus, my masters degree and college teaching experience ought to serve as some type of qualification. It's so interesting to see how life morphs from one expected pathway to another unforseen trail. Is there a God? With all that has happened in my life, I think the more appropriate question is, how could there not be?? I'm ever so thankful that He is.