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Currently Reading Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ By Daniel Goleman see related

Its been a minute so I figured that I would update on aspects of life.

Mental
Doing only average here. I have been trying to work on certain exercises everyday to keep me sharp and when I do them they really seem to work well. But for some reason I have been really tired this week and its been tough. Nonetheless I have been just chewing through book after book recently which is productive. I started reading the above last week and I really find it to be quite helpful, me being an engineer and all. It really aids me in getting in touch with my basic emotions.

Physical
This, in the last week, has been going spectacular. I managed to tweak my diet a bit (I should be able to do this; its my job) and just a little change in calories and a little change in timing has gotten me past my weight and strength plateau. I have added about 5-10 lbs to each lift and have gained about 5 lbs (mostly muscle) in the last 3 weeks which is almost unbelievable. Dude I’m hyuoooge! Cardio is going less than spectacular though, but I am keeping it up enough to keep my bodyfat down and keep my heart healthy. Go heart!

Social
Unfortunately this is not going quite as well as I would like. While my interactions are almost everything that I could ask for, I just don’t get to meet enough people because of my schedule. I am really bummed. Hopefully things will cool down soon and I’ll be able to spend more time with friends and new acquaintances. I meet a really nice girl who was my waitress last night. Really fun chica. And she loved the Tigers which is always a plus.

Spiritual
Meditation has really helped out my prayer life and enhanced my understand of faith and of the world a lot. Also I have been reading some early Church writing which are quite interesting. Actually Youth Group is really helping me because I get to present info on topics that I am interested in so I get to learn along with everyone else about things pertaining to the Church. Sometimes I feel a bit inadequate because I don’t have a lot of knowledge about topics; even the kids know more about it than I. But its not about the destination anyway...

All in all I would say that I am doing about a 8 on a scale of 1 to 10, which is quite good. I hope that number keeps going up everyday.

So that’s about it. I have to get going to the gym and then to work (yes I am driving into work on a Saturday). Hope that everyone is having a great week and I will c-ya laterz.

Once there lived a powerful warrior who was growing old but could still beat any challenger he met. He was known throught the land and many students sought him out so they could study under him and learn his warrior ways.

One day, a much younger and aspiring warrior arrived at the older warrior’s village. The young warrior was determined to be the first to succeed in defeating the old master. He was not only a powerful, strong young man, but he had a discerning eye and could spot the weakness in another that would prove to be the key to victory. He always waited for his opponent to strike first so he could detect whatever weakness the other man had. Then he would strike fast and hard. He always won his battles this way.

The old master’s students were worried. They did not want their great teacher to take up the challenge of the stranger who had entered the village. But the old master was firm in his decision and prepared to fight the younger man.

The fight started with the young man hurling one insult after another at the old man. He whipped dir into the old mans eyes and spit in his face. For long hours he verbally abused the old man, calling him names, insulting his family, and yelling every curse imaginable to stir the old teacher into action. But the old warrior was wise and stood his ground, waiting still and calm for the storm to stop. At long last, the young warrior wore himself out and fell down in exhaustion. He was shamed and defeated.

While his students were greatly relieved that their master was not harmed, they were somewhat disappointed that he had not taken up arms against the annoying and rude young warrior. They asked him ‘How could you put up with so much indignity? How did you defeat him?’

The master replied with a question of his own. ‘If someone comes to give you a gift and you do not receive it, to whom does the gift belong?’

First, read my previous post if you haven't because it pertains to this one.

Concerning the book Living Buddha, Living Christ, I found the following passage on interreligious dialogue to be quite interesting.

In a dialogue, both sides are willing to change. We have to appreciate that truth can be recieved outside of-not only within-our own group. If we do not believe that, entering into dialogue would be a waste of time. If we think that we monopolize the truth and we still organize a dialogue, then it is not authentic. We have to believe that by engaging in dialogue with the other person, we have the possibility of making a change within ourselves, that we can become deeper. Dialogue is not a means for assimilation in the sense that one side expands and incorporates the other into its ‘self.’ Dialogue must be practiced on the basis of ‘non-self.’ We have to allow what is good, beautiful, and meaningful in the others tradition to transform us.

This last snipet is from Christian (credit Charisma Arts) concerning the anxiety of approaching women you don't know. An interesting thing to think about when you are nervous.

The Slipstream of Humanity
Five feet between the two of you. A gap that space and time and circumstance have made possible, a gap that becomes actual with your passage. "The space between, your heart and mine, is the space we'll fill with time." (DMB)

Four seconds to cross that gap. Four seconds where everything in the world is happening at once. Babies are being born. Fathers are coming home to their children. Couples are making love. You act or you do not act and the moment is gone.

Three steps to bring your body next to hers. Three steps where anything is possible and nothing is yet determined.

Two people with hopes and fears and experiences and beliefs. Two people who are doing the best they can to make it from day to day. Two people whose meeting could be inconsequential, or whose union could give birth to the child who cures cancer.

One word is all it takes: "Hello"

Deep, eh? Think about it the next time you really would like to talk to someone but are too nervous to say anything.

Currently Reading Living Buddha, Living Christ By Thich Nhat Hanh see related

Well, since I have been prompted by her highness (Miss Ellen) to post an update, I will do so now because I am at home, sick on a Friday night. Last weekend was a long weekend for me with a business seminar and the GMAT test thrown in. I did a lot of talking and mingling with people; that plus the lack of sleep is probably was caused my cold. Oh well.

For those of you who were at Franks Place I told you a little bit about my story. For those that were not, here you are.

I took a ‘personal communication’ seminar this weekend and it had a profound effect on me. Actually, I can name 3 points at which my life changed: one was graduation from college, one was my Confirmation and the last was this. I don’t really know how to explain it so I will tell you a snippet of a story.

We were downtown Ann Arbor last Saturday night, myself and some new friends. Nice evening, comfortable weather and some good conversation. I was feeling excessively positive after the seminar on Saturday in sort of a weird way. Anyway, long story short, I end up talking to this girl who really was not the type of person I normally enjoy interacting with. But that was old me, a bit too judgmental, a bit close minded, a bit off-putting, just not all that friendly. Once I started talking to her I was thinking ‘what did I get myself into?’. But my new attitude is something like ‘She’s a person just like me: we have similar thoughts and feelings despite our superficial differences. I know there is something interesting about her I just have to find out what it is.’ So it turns out she’s like a supergenius, owning at least one and probably more US patents. And her way of thinking and outward feelings that she expressed to me were amazing. After I had that conversation I had realized that if I hadn’t had the nerve to approach a stranger and I hadn’t had the foresight to realize that she was interesting, I never would have known this person existed.

I don’t really know what the Christian term would be but it was like a moment of Zen: when other things besides self realization just seemed to melt away. It was like a bubble that shielded me from forces outside of the conversation. I was just able to be in the moment with someone else. It was so cool I can’t even express it with words.

One of the instructors asked us to tell them what we gained from the seminar. I said that I am now much more observant; people are no longer obstacles, they are unique entities with interesting qualities just like me. It makes every day activities like going to the grocery store so much more entertaining.

So that’s it. I don’t know if you really learned anything from this post, but hopefully in future interactions it will be clear. Until then....

Live Long and Prosper,
Luke