Thing 2: thoughts on lifelong learning

would you believe it took a project at work to make me find the discipline and time to create and perpetuate a blog. and believe me, some of them do perpetuate! but i'll vent under another post. this one is dedicated to homework...

so i've watched the video, graciously provided by charlotte mecklenburg - thanks! and here's what i find the easiest as well as hardest habits of learning.

like 99.9% of living breathing human beings, i find having fun to be very easy. i'll always make time for something that amuses me e.g. petting an animal, or cruising the bay in my kayak. okay - maybe that's not learning, but it's fun assuming you don't capsize or get bitten.

anyway, i also find it easy to use technology - it really is our friend - used in moderation as in all things. i also have no problem in creating a toolbox of things that will aid me in learning. of course, i can't always find a screwdriver when i need one, but i know i've gathered it at some point.

what else do i find relatively easy...seeing problems as challenges in certain cases. if it's a technological problem - then i can really dig my teeth into it to which my colleagues will attest. it may take awhile, but patience and logic will prevail! some other types of problems cause a bit more angst such as interpersonal ones - unless it's someone else's personal problem and then it's so easy to solve, right?

as for what i find to be more difficult...hmm...perhaps having the end in mind. i usually have a goal when undertaking learning, but it may not be the end one. e.g. i wanted to learn french and the francophones in my life tell me i've done well with it. if you ask me, however, i should have been more specific in my goal - like i want to be able to understand the french radio or tv, so i can appreciate those perplexing french films in their 'version originale'. except if you watch some french films like "cache" it won't make sense no matter what language you try. think i'll go for swahili next time.

and i suppose i find it difficult to tackle the teaching/mentoring piece. i usually enjoy it once underway, but i have to get over that mental block of "well, i know there's someone out there that knows this stuff better than i do..." gee - guess we hit on another one - the having confidence thing.

at the same time - i do believe the choice of words we use to apply to ourselves is extremely important. words have energy and thoughts are the precursors to reality. but don't get me started on that topic, either. this is library homework after all.