Archive for the ‘fun’ Category
March 12th, 2010
Besides the sights, food, and sense of adventure that comes with the appeal of studying abroad, there are other elements to the program that can be beneficial to a student’s future. If you are a student, and money is not the main issue that you consider before studying abroad, perhaps you should think about these other facts about studying abroad that will help broaden and nourish your education. You will notice that each point builds off of another.
#1 Become Cultured
Being cultured does not mean that a person becomes snooty. It is becoming well-versed and knowledgeable with other’s surroundings, becoming aware that there are other cultures and people who live different lives than your own. Being cultured is a form of education because you are learning about other people, which actually make you also learn more about yourself.
#2 Learn Independence
This may actually be the immediate appeal of studying abroad for some people – getting away from authority figures. Depending on whether it is a foreign exchange or a group study abroad program, there are still people who you have to check-in with and answer to. However, being without your ordinary care-givers and learning the rules of another chaperone actually forces you to depend on yourself to deal with the changes around you. You may need to go shopping for yourself, get used to the foreign transportation, and learn to communicate with new people. Adjusting to the different lifestyle and regimen makes you depend on your own ability to mature with an ever-changing life, whether it is in a foreign country or when you eventually go back to your own home soil.
#3 Become a Better Student
Learning independence can greatly improve your study habits, which in effect creates a better student. Although there is much to offer with the surroundings in a foreign country, a study abroad program forces students to study hard. If you believe that you are traveling to a foreign country to slack off, you are under the wrong impression. Study abroad programs keep their students busy with classes and homework. A friend of mine told me that his trip to Spain kept him so busy with his school work that he only had time to sight-see on the weekend. And, having spent the money as well as the effort of getting into the program, students feel more inclined to do a good job, and learn to depend on themselves to get a good grade since there isn’t really anyone else to force you to do your homework except for you. But, with all of your new friends around you studying hard, you can feel inspired to try just as hard as everyone else.
#4 Learn a Second Language
Usually, students who study abroad visit with a country that speaks another language. Although this is not always the case, since students could easily study in England, Ireland, or Scotland where they speak English, if you do go to a country with a different language, you are forced to pick up some of it. Even if you do not become fluent in the language, you will at least learn enough to have broken conversations or get by. Knowing a second language is extremely beneficial in regards to your education since schools want students to learn a second language anyway, and speaking at least two languages is even beneficial to your career since most jobs are impressed with applicants who speak more than one language.
#5 Improves Resume
Learning a second language, earning independence, and become cultured are all parts of studying abroad that impress employers. Everything that you can gain from a study abroad program will help you be a better worker in the future, and employers recognize that. Putting your study abroad program on your resume is a great addition to the skills and education you have earned.
March 3rd, 2010
It’s cold and wet outside, so there aren’t many options for entertaining activities. Oh sure, you could turn on your television and sit on your butt for the next several hours, but there is only so much time you can spend watching daytime soap operas or court TV. Instead of just staring at a screen, letting your mind go sedentary, there are some exciting books to read that are just perfect for those stuck-in-the-house rainy days. One or two suggestions may be educational, but they are too fun to read to even notice that you’re brain is keeping active.
Whale Talk by Chris Crutcher
Do not let the name fool, there isn’t anything about marine life in the book. The main character, T.J. Jones, is an adopted teenager who is smart, funny, and an all-around cool guy, who is incredibly humorous to read about. The story deals with a team of underdog swimmers, and T.J. just happens to be the only popular guy on the team. Acting as the wise-butt hero at times, this book had me stifling my own laughter because I was afraid someone would hear me guffaw too loudly.
Darwin Awards Books
For those who are not familiar with the Darwin Awards, they are a comical competition that relay the odd, stupid, and funny things people do in life, as well as the interesting outcomes of these actions. There are at least seven of these books by now, so the options are wide and the hilarity of man’s stupidity just continues to entertain readers. If for some reason you cannot finish one of the books, there is no harm in putting it aside to come back to it on another rainy day. The chapters do not have a sequence of events, so there is no plot to keep up with. You can read one funny story after another. Or, if you somehow finish one book in a day, there are more to read out of the series.
A Bad Beginning, A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snickett
Yes, it is part of a series, but what better day is there to try out a new series of books than on a rainy day? And, there is never a dull moment in A Bad Beginning, not to mention it is a relatively shorter book, which also makes it a quick read. Funny, exciting, and sometimes creepy, the Series of Unfortunate Events relays the story of the cruel Count Olaf, who is trying to take the inheritance of three incredibly talented orphaned children. Don’t knock it just because it’s in the young adult section; this book even has adults enthralled to read the whole series.
Short Stories by Nikolay Gogol
For those who want a fun, yet slightly more sophisticated read, the short stories by Nikolay Gogol never seem to disappoint. Although most short stories are a good pick for rainy days, Gogol’s are both deep and amusing at the same time. Stories like “The Nose” is so incredulous to have a nose as the supporting role, while “The Diary of a Madman” is so funny, I almost felt guilty as I laughed at the poor narrator. Gogol’s short stories are a bit longer than others, but you can still several with a day’s time. And, with a collection of shorts, it is easy to just put the rest of the book aside once you have finished a particular story. There is no commitment to reading all of the short stories if you do not have time.
Psych – A Mind is a Terrible Thing to Read by William Rabkin
If you are a fan of the show, you are going to love the books, particularly this one. Although many popular shows are providing a series of books alongside their show, Psych is one of those shows that is both smart and funny at the same time, which is exactly what the books are like, too. A Mind is a Terrible Thing to Read happens to be only 273 pages, which makes for a quick read with all of the dialogue and humorous activities.
February 8th, 2010
By Julia H. Jackson
I recently heard an interview with Keith Lowell Jensen, the self-described “atheist comedian” who tours with the Coexist Comedy Tour. Their tag line: “A Muslim, a Christian, a Hindu, a Jew, an Atheist and a Buddhist Walk Into a Bar.” Jensen describes their shtick as a volley of religious jokes and plays on identity, suggesting that perhaps “political correctness” is a form of comedy in and of itself. His troupe represents an increasing trend in comedy today—the tendency for comics to label themselves by a singular standout characteristic. Just what is comedy anyway? And what, if any, educational value might it have? Today we’re inviting five of our favorite comedians into the classroom, comics who are more than just funny; in many ways, they are historic. And yes, we’ll give you yet another reason to watch Comedy Central.
Chances are, if you are between 20-30 years old, the first things you think of when you hear Cosby’s name are jello and the celebrated Cosby Show. But Cosby’s repertoire goes back much further than that; this 1963 interview is a good snapshot of the underlying social issues that inspired his work. Cosby was the first African-American to co-star in a dramatic television series (I Spy), and his comedy albums have collected their fair share of notable awards, including five Grammys. Perhaps what is most revealing about his work is not his identity as a black man, nor his gentle approach to storytelling, but the wonderful way in which he blended the two in such a subtle, sometimes subversive way. Makes you want to eat some jello.
Mel Brooks (born Melvin Kaminsky) is, without a doubt, the true American renaissance man of the past century. He is perhaps most famous for his films (Blazing Saddles, Robin Hood: Men in Tights, Young Frankenstein, and his The Producers, which he made into a smash Broadway hit in 2001), but he is also a renowned comedy writer, director, producer, and, yes, actor. His recording of The 2000-Year-Old Man with Carl Reiner is a classic example of his ability to incorporate elements of his Jewish immigrant voice into the canon of popular comedy. And yet, he had funny things to say about Christianity, too, as you’ll see in this excerpt from his famous History of the World, Part 1.
Margaret Cho’s personality and comedic style reflects the setting and environment where she grew up: Haight Street, San Francisco, during the 1970s. She won her first comedy competition at 16, which gave her the opportunity to open for Jerry Seinfeld, and she hasn’t really stopped since. Not only has her stand-up and one-woman shows garnered international attention (she was named the Chief of the 2008 Mardi Gras Parade in Sydney, Australia), but her messages about cultural identity have earned her honors from GLAAD, the ACLU of Northern California, the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund, and American Women in Radio and Television. What makes her so smart? Her straight-talking style cuts through taboos on every level: she confronts racism, sexism, heterosexism, and xenophobia with a sense of humor that has, in many ways, set a precedent. Still not sure what we mean? Check out this clip, one of many featuring an impression of her Korean mother:
Janeane Garofalo is a comedian on a mission. She wants laughs, yes, but she also has an argument to make, and she’s going to find a compelling way to make it. Her film credits include The Truth About Cats and Dogs, Steal This Movie, and Reality Bites, as well as TV roles on The West Wing and 24. Garofalo is an outspoken political critic and engaged debater; in 2004 she helped found the progressive radio program Air America Radio, where she hosted the show “The Majority Report.” She was a frequent guest on national news and political talk shows during the Bush administration, thanks to her passion for honest media and her growing career as a peace activist. And yet, she has become the master of the devil’s advocate; check out this clip from her argument that money is not the root of all evil at the 2009 Melbourne International Comedy Festival’s Great Debate.
Eddie Izzard, long identified as Britain’s top “executive transvestite comedian,” has an established career both in the United Kingdom and in the United States. His stand-up includes Dress to Kill, Glorious, Sexie, and now Stripped; titles meant as pop facades for what his stories really are: eloquently-written, expertly-performed history lessons. Izzard is famous for his explanations of European history (“I’m from Europe, where history’s from…we’ve got castles!”), his in-depth satires of Noah’s Ark and the Anglican Church (“Welcome to the Church of England. Would you like cake or death?”), and his debunking of popular myths surrounding transvestites and sexuality (“Many male transvestites fancy women…we’re kind of like male lesbians”). For a taste of a classic Izzard history lesson, check out this fast summary of religious history in England.
The story of great comedy is still being written. This list represents a fraction of the truly smart comedians out there; we’ve left out so many obvious greats, such as Lenny Bruce, Richard Pryor, the Marx Brothers, Monty Python, Ellen DeGeneres, Gilda Radner, Eddie Murphy, Mike Birbiglia, Maria Bamford, and, who knows—you?
