Graduation Program here.
ACRES OF DIAMONDS /
°
“Do human beings ever realize life while they live it—every, every minute?”
We don't have Doug's speech, which takes its title from a concept the great physicist Niels Bohr introduced over 100 years ago,
but we do have one thing.
Niels Bohr’s "jumping electron" concept (1913) proposed that electrons orbit the nucleus in fixed, quantized energy levels, not spiraling inward.
Electrons "jump" between these shells, absorbing a photon to move to a higher energy level and emitting one to return to a lower, more stable
state.
ACRES OF DIAMONDS /
JUMPING ELECTRON
°
“Do human beings ever realize life while they live it—every, every minute?”
These are the words of Emily Gibbs, a young woman who has just died in childbirth. As Emily takes her place in the little churchyard on
the hill, she tearfully says goodby to the world. “Goodby to clocks ticking…and Mama’s sunflowers. And food and coffee. And new-ironed dresses
and hot baths…and sleeping and waking up.” And the audience watching Thornton Wilder’s play, Our Town, painfully realizes, along with Emily, that
the living never really appreciate life. The living don’t realize the joy of new-ironed dresses and hot baths. The living don’t recognize the
thrill of just being on earth. Perhaps, when we’re old, when the joy and thrill of living is almost over, we finally wake up to life; and
together with Emily, we stare through eyes filled with tears at the precious substance that slipped through our fingers so easily. We’re like the
Indian tribe that was told by its old chief that in the bed of a distant stream they would find magic sand, which would make them both happy and
sad. The Indians returned to camp with handfuls of the strange sand. Looking at it closely, they found that the sand was filled with flecks of
gold. The Indians rejoiced at having discovered the precious metal; but at the same time, they bitterly regretted not having returned with more of
it. Each one of us holds a handful of magic sand, a handful of life which we’re letting slip through our fingers unappreciated. We’re going to
recognize the value of life just in time to regret having wasted it.
Fall in love with life tonight! Fall in love with life! Open your eyes to the beauty of just living! One of the greatest
mistakes of modern man is his constant search for beauty. Surrounded by beauty, he searches for beauty. Surrounded by life, man believes he
must search for life, But was life ever more real than it is tonight, here in this very room? It’s simply a question of waking up to life, of
opening our eyes to the beauty around us. Thoreau said, “Heaven is under our feet as well as over our heads.” We’re nothing but blind men in
paradise. One of the most dramatic examples of this blindness, this weakness of man, is the story of a prosperous Persian farmer. Ali Hafed, as
Russell Conwell said, “was contented because he was wealthy, and wealthy because he was contented.” But one day Ali Hafed heard of the sparkle
of diamonds and the wealth that they could bring; so selling his farm, and deserting his family, the restless man set out in search of the
precious stones. Years later, penniless and old from endless wandering, Ali Hafed learned that the farm which he had sold had become the world’s
wealthiest diamond mine. The home that Ali Hafed left became India’s Golconda Mine, the mine which later supplied gems for the crown jewels of
England and Russia. How often we shut our eyes to diamond mines in our own backyards and stumble off in search of beauty somewhere else. Let’s
open our eyes to the beauty around us! I don’t ask for a diamond mine, I just want to be able to say with Thoreau: “The true harvest of my daily
life…is a little stardust caught, a segment of the rainbow which I have clutched.”
But why do the living fail to wake up to life? How can we shut our eyes to diamond mines? Because we’re suffering
from an overdose of beauty. An overabundance of beauty, rather than shortage of it, keeps us from waking up to life. The glitter of too many
diamonds makes us shut our eyes to diamond mines. A field of flowers overwhelms our senses. A roomful of people dulls our appreciation. A sky
filled with birds blinds our eyes. Why does the poet shout about the first flower of spring? Why does the writer picture the last person on
earth? Why do we welcome the first robin of spring and ignore one thousand robins that follow? Because oneness is precious,
Anne Morrow Lindbergh said, “It is only framed in space that beauty blooms.” We have to frame the world around us in space. We have to isolate
beauty in order to appreciate it. We have to learn to look at flowers, people, robins, one at a time. We have to wake up to life gradually
because we’re drugged by too much beauty; we’re suffering from an overdose of life. We must not let ourselves be overwhelmed by the abundance
of life which surrounds us; because life is precious and we mustn’t let it slip through our fingers unappreciated. What do I want from life?
Awareness, because I realize that to be unaware of life is to be mentally, spiritually dead. I am determined that, for me, old age will not be
a time of regret. My goal is that of Thoreau: “If the day and night are such that you greet them with joy, and life emits a fragrance like
flowers and sweet-scented herbs—that is your success."
-----Katherine Knowles
* * *
We don't have Doug's speech, which takes its title from a concept the great physicist Niels Bohr introduced over 100 years ago,
but we do have one thing.
Tom tells us: "The only thing I remember Doug saying was that if all the tiny bouncing molecules happened to move in
the same direction at the same time a chair could lift off the ground."
With that in mind, here is
an accordion you can open
should you have any interest in:
* Jumping electrons overview.
* An interesting article about the concept.
an accordion you can open
should you have any interest in:
* Jumping electrons overview.
* An interesting article about the concept.
Niels Bohr’s "jumping electron" concept (1913) proposed that electrons orbit the nucleus in fixed, quantized energy levels, not spiraling inward.
Electrons "jump" between these shells, absorbing a photon to move to a higher energy level and emitting one to return to a lower, more stable
state.
Fixed Orbits: Electrons revolve around the nucleus in specific circular paths with quantized energies.
The "Jump" Mechanism: Electrons cannot exist between these fixed orbits; they instantly transit between them.
Photon Emission/Absorption: When moving to a lower energy state (closer to the nucleus), the electron releases energy as a photon of light.
Conversely, absorbing a photon moves the electron to a higher energy level.
Spectral Lines: This model was developed to explain the spectral lines of hydrogen, as each jump corresponds to a specific wavelength of light.
Limitations: While revolutionary, this model works perfectly for hydrogen but is less accurate for more complex atoms.
This concept is key to understanding quantum mechanics and how atoms radiate energy.
The article:
Quantum jumps: How Niels Bohr’s idea changed the world.
Graduation stage pic here.
Villanelle by Eva dell’Acqua
Wendy's comments today on her graduation performance:
Open this only if you are inclined
Villanelle by Eva dell’Acqua
Lyrics by Frederic van der Elst
I have seen the swallow fly over
In the clear morning sky:
She was flying by wing
To the land to which she is called
By the sun and the jasmine.
I have seen the swallow fly over!
I have followed for a long time with my eyes
The flight of the traveller...
Since then, my dreaming soul
accompanies her through the skies.
Ah! ah! to the mysterious land!
And I would have wished like her
to follow the same path...
-----Wendy John, Soprano
~ Back in 1904 ~
Wendy's comments today on her graduation performance:
"I can't believe I sang this rather quaint, antiquated, somewhat flowery (pretentious?) song,
nor can I believe I hit high B-flat several times throughout the performance.
Eva was an amazing composer (and singer) although in June 1959 I had no idea who she was and had really no way to find out.
Ray Carr instigated and facilitated this choice for a graduation song. Bless his musical heart!
* * *
Lacking a copy of Teun's speech, and since he (at this time soon-to-be Princeton's no-hit pitcher) doesn't recall almost seven decades later what it was about, the only thing we can offer - unless one of his classmates can remember something about it (email us if you can) - is an accordion.
Open this only if you are inclined
to see totally random links
the web throws up when
searching for "Catching On."
°
BE AGREEABLE /
BE AGREEABLE /
THE DECISION IS YOURS
Both of the speeches given by Dave and by Shirely have vanished into the ether, alas, and - unsurprisingly - there's no recollection
nearly seven decades later by either of what their speech contained.
We should add, however, that we're delighted this project enabled us to make contact
finally with Shirley, who lives in Arkansas.
We do have the titles, of course.
And so -- for those of us who like web searches
here are two accordions
based on using those two titles.
The first has an article published in Door County, WI in 2014 which happens
to have the exact same title Dave chose.
The second has famous quotes on decision-making.
Be Agreeable
By Door County Pulse, Peninsula Pulse — June 12th, 2014
If civility represents the space between people, then being agreeable is the gold standard of civil behavior. People who are agreeable generally have positive regard for others: are warm, generous, affectionate and pleasant to be around. They readily help others and cooperate well in group situations.
In other words, agreeable people are highly pro-social. People who are low in agreeableness show the opposite behaviors, including being difficult and demanding, being oppositional, being untrusting of others’ intentions, and lacking in social skills. So at first glance, in a civil society, it stands to reason there is no such thing as “too much of a good thing,” that is, being too agreeable.
Contrary to what we might wish about the positive value of being agreeable, it turns out that nice guys do finish last…in the workplace. Large-scale studies spanning multiple professions found that men high in agreeableness earn about 18 percent less than disagreeable men and also get fewer promotions. The same patterns hold true for women, though at a weaker statistical level.
From an interpersonal perspective, “going along to get along” results in a loss of respect and credibility from others. The over-agreeable person is discounted, considered a person without worthy opinions and one who lacks assertiveness. Further, if you are someone who always says yes, you can count on being exploited by others, always getting left with the scut work.
Obviously, the key to optimum agreeableness is to strike a balance between being too agreeable for your own good and too disagreeable for everyone else’s good. Fortunately, most of us fall somewhere in between those two poles. Agreeableness is considered one of five basic dimensions of personality, the others being extraversion, conscientiousness, neuroticism, and openness.
Each of these broad categories includes many personality traits and represents a continuum between two extremes. Each is remarkably universal, and has its origin in biology (our genes). While all behavior involves the interaction between biology and situational variables (nature and nurture), personality is complex and generally quite consistent over time. Thus, it is not amenable to significant change. Pretty much, you are stuck with your personality.
But no matter how hard-wired your personality is or where you are on the agreeableness continuum, one area that is open to change is learned skills, particularly conflict resolution skills in regard to being agreeable. If you choose, it is possible to remain true to yourself and learn how to disagree without being disagreeable. Practicing some seemingly small shifts in thinking and acting will yield big rewards in being the agreeable person you want to be. In a conflict or disagreement with someone, start by keeping an open mind and considering that you might be wrong – or right. Listen first to learn and understand rather than attack. Acknowledging the other person’s viewpoint is not the same thing as agreeing with it. Still, do look for areas of alignment, avoid using “don’t,” and do say, “Yes and…” rather than, “Yes, but…” Depersonalize your comments, distinguishing the opinion from the person holding it. Frame your suggestions in the context of the intended outcomes or objectives. Doing these things allows you to disagree without being seen as arrogant or righteous and helps keep others’ defenses down. Learning to disagree without being disagreeable is about making a point without making an enemy.
By Door County Pulse, Peninsula Pulse — June 12th, 2014
If civility represents the space between people, then being agreeable is the gold standard of civil behavior. People who are agreeable generally have positive regard for others: are warm, generous, affectionate and pleasant to be around. They readily help others and cooperate well in group situations.
In other words, agreeable people are highly pro-social. People who are low in agreeableness show the opposite behaviors, including being difficult and demanding, being oppositional, being untrusting of others’ intentions, and lacking in social skills. So at first glance, in a civil society, it stands to reason there is no such thing as “too much of a good thing,” that is, being too agreeable.
Contrary to what we might wish about the positive value of being agreeable, it turns out that nice guys do finish last…in the workplace. Large-scale studies spanning multiple professions found that men high in agreeableness earn about 18 percent less than disagreeable men and also get fewer promotions. The same patterns hold true for women, though at a weaker statistical level.
From an interpersonal perspective, “going along to get along” results in a loss of respect and credibility from others. The over-agreeable person is discounted, considered a person without worthy opinions and one who lacks assertiveness. Further, if you are someone who always says yes, you can count on being exploited by others, always getting left with the scut work.
Obviously, the key to optimum agreeableness is to strike a balance between being too agreeable for your own good and too disagreeable for everyone else’s good. Fortunately, most of us fall somewhere in between those two poles. Agreeableness is considered one of five basic dimensions of personality, the others being extraversion, conscientiousness, neuroticism, and openness.
Each of these broad categories includes many personality traits and represents a continuum between two extremes. Each is remarkably universal, and has its origin in biology (our genes). While all behavior involves the interaction between biology and situational variables (nature and nurture), personality is complex and generally quite consistent over time. Thus, it is not amenable to significant change. Pretty much, you are stuck with your personality.
But no matter how hard-wired your personality is or where you are on the agreeableness continuum, one area that is open to change is learned skills, particularly conflict resolution skills in regard to being agreeable. If you choose, it is possible to remain true to yourself and learn how to disagree without being disagreeable. Practicing some seemingly small shifts in thinking and acting will yield big rewards in being the agreeable person you want to be. In a conflict or disagreement with someone, start by keeping an open mind and considering that you might be wrong – or right. Listen first to learn and understand rather than attack. Acknowledging the other person’s viewpoint is not the same thing as agreeing with it. Still, do look for areas of alignment, avoid using “don’t,” and do say, “Yes and…” rather than, “Yes, but…” Depersonalize your comments, distinguishing the opinion from the person holding it. Frame your suggestions in the context of the intended outcomes or objectives. Doing these things allows you to disagree without being seen as arrogant or righteous and helps keep others’ defenses down. Learning to disagree without being disagreeable is about making a point without making an enemy.
Door County Pulse. Each month we are highlighting one of the nine principles of the Door County Civility Project. This month Door County Civility Project team member Susan McAninch writes about Principle No. 6: Be Agreeable.
* * *
"In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing,
and the worst thing you can do is nothing." — Theodore Roosevelt
"Our lives are fashioned by our choices. First we make our choices. Then our choices make us." — Anne Frank
"It is in your moment of decision that your destiny is shaped." — Tony Robbins
"The worst business decision you can make is no decision." — Unknown
"Good decisions come from experience. Experience comes from bad decisions." — Mark Twain
"Sometimes you make the right decision, sometimes you make the decision right." — Phil McGraw
"No sensible decision can be made any longer without taking into account not only the world as it is, but the world
as it will be." — Isaac Asimov
"Decision is a sharp knife that cuts clean and straight; indecision, a dull one that hacks and tears and leaves ragged
edges behind it." — Unknown
"You and only you are responsible for your life choices and decisions." — Robert T. Kiyosaki
"If you have quick consensus on an important matter, don't make the decision." — Peter Drucker
Actionable Principles
from Quotes:
Overcome Fear: "A decision made from fear is always the wrong decision".
Prioritize Speed: "The turning point was when they made a clear, specific unequivocal decision that they were going
to achieve success."
