Six Seasons and a Movie

I love Community. I've always said that there can never be a comedy show as good as Arrested Development, with as much self-referencing gags, recurring jokes, and overall creative genius.... But after finishing Community's third season, I am blown away and needing to ice my abdomen from constant laughter.

Community, time and time again, continues to poke fun at both itself and just about the majority of current television lineup or film clichés. About 5 minutes into season three's episode about Troy and Abed's pillow war, I realized the entire thing was done in the model of Ken Burns' legendary documentary, The Civil War. It's moments like this that make me truly proud to be a huge nerd.

If you are reading this and have not seen an episode of NBC's Community, you need to check it out. It's hands down, without a doubt, the best television on television.

#SixSeasonsAndAMovie

Arab Hospitality... Complete with Arabic vocab!

It's Ramadan (رمضان) here in Jordan (الأردن), the Islamic holy month where Muslims fast during daylight hours and turn their attention to Allah (الله) and purity in their action... It's a Tuesday evening. The sun (شمس) has just set. I can hear the sundown call to prayer (المغرب) from the mosque (مسجد) just around the corner. I'm with my roommates Jordan and Alex. We had just walked to the Iraqi Shawerma (شاورما) restaurant down the block, and are returning with our take-out to our Humble Abrode to feast on the finest food in all of Amman (عمان).

We're passing by the housewares shop on our street (شارِع), Stylish Home, as we see a group of men gathered around an epic plate of Mansaf (منسف). Mansaf is the oh-so-delicious national dish of Jordan--lamb cooked in a dried yogurt sauce, atop Egyptian rice and nuts.

Sers. Look at all this yum.

We pass by the feasting men and say good evening (مساء الخير). Without hesitation, they immediately call us closer and invite us to dine with them, right there on the sidewalk. As per the custom, we declined at first; when they insisted, we knew their offer was genuine and it would have been rude not to partake. We happily grabbed spoons and began digging away at the 20-or-so pound dish.

After our bellies were satisfied, we shook hands, made introductions, told them it was great to meet them, and went on our way for the night. No obligation, no expectation... Just good old, generous Arab culture in the spirit of Ramadan.

Causa Latet Vis Est Notissima

Α Σ Φ

Silence
He has the strength to embrace silence and the will to build an interior life founded upon an honest desire to truly listen to others. Trust in silence transcends the gulf that is created when men feel the need to compete in action or rhetoric. He is introspective and self-reliant.

Charity
He is charitable in the broadest sense of the word. A man who strives for a life of charity and service is more patient, kinder, and more forgiving of the flaws of others. A charitable man sacrifices of himself to help others and seeks no recognition in return. He is humble, reverent, and generous.

Purity
He consistently strives for purity of mind, body, and soul. The man who is pure of thought, word, and deed does not shrink from adversity or lofty goals. There is no self-pity, rationalizations, or apologies. He is moral and a gentleman in the finest sense of the word.

Honor
He lives a life of personal integrity, thereby accruing honor. An honorable man lives up to promises made— to others and to himself. A man of honor is not vain, and is willing to endure scorn or ostracism rather than conform to the pressures of peers, superiors, or the fashion of the day. He is ethical, honest, and trustworthy.

Patriotism
He loves his country, remaining consistently engaged in its affairs. He seeks to know his country and to pass that knowledge on to others. He is devoted to the principles of personal freedom, justice, and civic responsibility embedded in the U.S. Constitution that have made our country. He is loyal, proud, and humble.

A History of Religious Expansion

An interesting, albeit incomplete, look at how the world’s largest religions grew.



Nirvana is this moment seen directly.

There is nowhere else than here. The only gate is now. The only doorway is your own body and mind. There's nowhere to go. There's nothing else to be. There's no destination. It's not something to aim for in the afterlife. It's simply the quality of this moment.

Just this. Just this. This room, where we are. Pay attention to that. Pay attention to who's there. Pay attention to what isn't known there, pay attention to what is known there. Pay attention to what everyone is thinking and feeling. What you're doing there. Pay attention.

Fearing the Loss of Passion

"A lot of people, when they enter meditation, are kind of afraid, especially artistic people... they're afraid that if they pursue this path, they'll lose all their passion, they'll lose all their desire, they'll lose all their suffering; and then they won't--this is especially true of artists--be able to continue. And that's bullshit. It's not gonna happen.

You might wish you can relieve all your suffering; you're not gonna do it. Nobody's ever succeeded; Buddha himself didn't succeed.

You develop a different kind of relationship to your suffering, and that is important. And that can transform it utterly."

-Brad Warner, founder of Dogen Sangha Los Angeles

I can attest to this. As a practicing Buddhist, I can share,  through firsthand experience, that meditation does not force one to lose passion or a vibrant or dynamic personality. As Brad Warner puts it, "they were able to be the kind of distinct personalities they were because of their practice. Because the practice had allowed them to uncover the reality of what they actually were, beyond what they might have imagined they were."


So what does it mean to "be a Buddhist", if we must use those terms? It's really just about trying to conduct your actions with a moral center, and involves a certain level of mindfulness of one's present experience. That's about it.

Simple Wisdom

What the Buddha found, we can find...

No matter what your circumstance is, you will end up losing everything you love, you will end up aging, you will end up ill, and the problem is that we need to figure out how to make that all be all right.

What He actually said was that life is blissful; there’s joy everywhere, only we’re closed off to it. His teachings were actually about opening up the joyful or blissful nature of reality. But the bliss and the joy is in the transitoriness.

Do you see this glass? I love this glass. It holds the water admirably. When I tap it, it has a lovely ring. When the sun shines on it, it reflects the light beautifully. But when the wind blows and the glass falls off the shelf and breaks, or if my elbow hits it and it falls to the ground, I say, “of course.” But when I know that the glass is already broken, every minute with it is precious.

Everybody, every human being, wants happiness. You are your own master. Future, everything, depends on your own shoulders. Buddha’s responsibility is just to show the path. That’s all.

From:

The Buddha: Story of Siddhartha, A Film by David Grubin

Imagine for a moment...

Any thoughts on Ron Paul aside, one cannot deny that this is a powerful speech. Great empathy.

Heroes of every variety

The brilliance of this speaks for itself.

Prophet Muhammad & Khadija bint Khuwaylid: The Greatest Of All Love Stories

Khadija bint Khuwaylid was one of the noblest women around, coming from a very prominent family. She was also an accomplished businesswoman, running her own band of merchants. One of her employees, an illiterate oprhan named Muhammad ibn Abdullah, ran a merchant caravan from Sham in the north (present-day Syria) to Mecca in the South. Muhammad was known for having an impeccable moral character, and was widely known as one of the most honest men around. Khadija was attracted to this. They married. He was 25 and she was 40. They were married for 25 years, and she bore him seven children : 3 sons and 4 daughters, ho0wever, none of their sons survived infancy.

One day, while Muhammad was meditating in the cave of Hira, the Angel Jibreel came to the Prophet Muhammad and revealed to him the first verses of the Quran and declared to him that he was to be a Prophet. Jibreel commanded him to "READ", and this frightened Muhammad. The experience terrified the Prophet Muhammad, and he ran home, jumping into Khadijah’s arms crying, “Cover me! Cover me!” She was startled by his terror, and after soothing and comforting him for a while, the Prophet was able to calm down and relate to her his experience.

The Prophet feared he was losing his mind or being possessed. Khadijah put all his fears to rest: “Do not worry,” she said, “for by Him who has dominion over Khadijah’s soul, I hope that you are the Prophet of this nation. Allah would never humiliate you, for you are good to your relatives, you are true to your word, you help those who are in need, you support the weak, you feed the guest and you answer the call of those who are in distress.”
She then took him to her cousin, Waraqah ibn Nawfal – a scholar well-versed in the Judeo-Christian scripture – and he confirmed to the Prophet that his experience was Divine and he was to be the Last Prophet.

Khadija was fiercely supportive and stood by the side of the Prophet until her death.
In my opinion, this is one of the greatest love stories I have ever heard.

Common Experiences

"A year later, Wallbott and Scherer (1986) published a study that examined situations in which people experienced joy, fear, sadness, anger disgust, shame, and guilt. Data collected in 27 countries suggested that although there were some differences among the samples, these differences were much lower than the ones within the countries."..."In all cultures, the most important event categories were birth and death, good and bad news, acceptance or rejection in relationships, meetings with friends, dates, temporary and permanent separation, listening to music, sexual experiences, interaction with strangers, and success or failure."

"What is a choice you regret making to this day and why?"

There is only one reason that someone should live with regrets; that is if he or she did not learn from an experience. Hindsight is always 20/20. If we are mindful, every experience in our lives, whether it be positive or negative, is just that--experience. All we can do is make the best decision possible with the information we have at hand.
It's too easy to simply regret--"Oh, I should have chosen differently." That's futile. You did not know what you now know at the time the decision was made.
In reality, one should learn from mistakes, and simply take them as information--"This choice did not work out how I intended it to, but I can take the information I've gathered from my actions' consequences and apply them to my future."

Without mindfulness, or without the desire to learn, grow, and better oneself, there is regret... But only in those circumstances. Fill those voids and you eliminate regret.

Being a gentleman

A true gentleman conducts himself with goodwill and propriety. He maintains self-control in his actions and shows purposeful thought. He lives by the values he holds. He is humble and recognizes the power of silence.  He is sincere and appears well in any company.

Easy enough, yeah?

Isolation

I've grown a lot since my college career began. I've gone through many phases, many changes, many highs and lows. I recognize how far I've come sometimes just by looking at old pictures of myself and remember what my value system was at the time it was taken.
Where am I now? I seem to be approaching some sort of conclusion. The experiment is over. The whole thrill of trying new things in college seems to not be something I desire much anymore. I know who I am and I know what I want.

Example 1) I don't care much for alcohol or drugs. Through experience, I know that I am not myself when under the influence. I like myself, who would I want to be anyone else? Taken further, I recognize I don't often give my body drugs of any kind--even caffeine. My body runs pretty cleanly, not gunked up with anything. I know I am so lucky to be healthy too, where my body doesn't need some drug to function properly.

Example 2) Living as an RA for the past year, I did not have a roommate. I lived in a dorm room alone. Sometimes the loneliness gets to me. I am a very peaceful person--I like the quiet, but there are times when I simply need and enjoy the consistent presence of other people in my life. I realize that living without a roommate is not how I want to live. Living alone is not how I want to live. Roommates are one thing, but I realize that what I truly want is a family.
I recently travelled to Ireland to spend a week with my best friend and (it's hard to find a word, but I suppose you could say) my significant other. That was magical. Truly living with someone. We spent all day and night together for a solid week. I loved it. As I came back home to the States, I found myself wanting to interact with my family more. I wanted to join my parents as they went to some Home/Garden expo show, even if purely to spend time with them.
I can compare that feeling or companionship and belonging to the one of sitting alone in a dorm room, and there is no contest.
I know that my future life plans may not be all that conducive to a stable, settled-down family, but I know that it's something I want and need.

I envy the day I have a family of my own. A partner, a companion, a significant other.

Of course, I know that things are always changing and dynamic. I know that whatever conclusion this may be, there is always further to progress. I feel as if I have ended a chapter--the chapter of experimentation. But there are still so many chapters left before the end of my novel.

Life as a Sine Wave (Whoa, Kowabunga, Dude!)

I received an email today. It informed me that an essay I wrote for my World of Ideas class on December 16, 2011 had won first place in a Superior Student Writing contest for the Department of Literature and Languages. ...What? I never even submitted this paper to any such contest. I mean, I definitely formed a great connection with my professor, George Savage, throughout that semester, and he did say that this essay made an impact on him. I suppose he must have submitted it in my name. Or maybe this whole contest is built on faculty submissions. Either way, I'm honored. :) After reading the email, I quickly found the paper in my archives. I want to share it here.

Life as a Sine Wave (Whoa, Kowabunga, Dude!)

            Throughout the 2011 fall semester, the topic most central to our World of Ideas course has been meaning. In every work, novel, and ideology we have examined, we always asked the question, “how does this work help explain the why’s in our lives?” With some works, the intended meaning was very overt (e.g. the Book of Job), whereas it may have been less clear with other works (e.g. Darkness At Noon). For me personally, I found that my philosophy on life was most supported by studying the loud and vibrant Existentialist ideas and most challenged by the peaceful and detached Buddhist readings.

            Existentialism is a philosophy of empowerment and subjectivity. It reminds us that, primarily, man exists before he ever is anything. To quote Sartre, “Man is nothing else but what he makes of himself”, meaning that we are all free to define and re-define ourselves (to change or even cast away those labels which society clings to) at any moment. We are freely and solely responsible for our own choices and actions, for at any time, we can always reject the scenario we’re in. I find comfort in Existentialism because it is one that makes me see how I am in control of my own life. Two core values highly important to me are Individuality and The Exclamation Point. I believe in the individual. You are you; do not seek to conform to familial or societal pressures, exist instead to fulfill your own unique, individual destiny and express your particular personality. Existentialism wholly supports this value, for it does away with labeling humans by their roles or occupations. Existentialism reminds us that we are more than simply the sum of our labels; we are unique human beings who can do anything we want. That is the type of individuality I seek to promote. Furthermore, in times of monotony or angst, I feel Existentialism serves as a reminder of The Exclamation Point I hold so dear. I had a very personal experience with this issue this semester, but since it relates directly to Buddhism, the telling of the story can wait until later in this paper.

            Buddhism, on the other hand, certainly was the biggest challenge to my understanding of the universe this semester. Before we begin, allow me to define exactly what I mean by challenged. I do not mean Buddhism challenged my worldview in the sense that I disagreed with its precepts or found them upsetting (quite the contrary); instead, I mean that Buddhism was the topic I grappled directly with the most this semester. Existentialism confirmed my worldview, but a confirmation is simply a support; it’s easy, it’s comfortable, it’s like finding evidence to support your own biases. Buddhism challenged me because I loved it; I found it incredibly appealing and truthful, yet it was startlingly new material that sharply contrasted most everything about the way I conducted myself. I felt like I was a journalist finding evidence that goes completely against the editorial point they’re trying to prove.

            When we began studying Buddhism, I became engrossed; I read and re-read all the literature I could find on it. I had been meditating for quite some time before this moment, and supported and lived the Buddhist notions of calm, objective rationality over passionate response, but the Buddhist teaching of detachment struck a new chord inside me. The more I read about Buddhism, the more it completely washed over me; I began to meditate far more, the ups-and-downs of life were replaced with the consistent calm of Buddhism, and I began to feel markedly removed from others around me. The following is an excerpt from an October 19 entry in my personal journal,

I can feel myself becoming more and more detached (in a positive way) from desires… and it feels great! I feel healthy, I feel positive. It’s a calm positivity, not the exuberant, over-the-top energy; it’s a quiet enthusiasm (like one meant exclusively for me), but a strong one nonetheless… I feel suddenly disinterested by many of my friends; I am oddly socially fulfilled by very little. I don’t feel lonely, just about ever. I wonder if others feel I am ignoring them, but I more feel like I have nothing to fear. I am doing nothing wrong, I am hurting no one; that fact, the lack of egoism or pride, brings me joy… It’s saddening. I’m wholly unimpressed with people now. I see how vain their problems really are. I asked Britta today how her day is going, she said ‘meh, because it’s cloudy.’ Cloudy? Your problems are the weather? It’s not even worth an emotional response anymore. I feel outside of society. What’s going on with me? I feel like this isn’t where I want to or should be going; yet it feels so right.

This is how Buddhism challenged me; for a time it became me. Buddhism was sexy; it was like a perfect argument, and I bought it.

            After this had gone on for some time, I began to feel discontent, and for a while it was incredibly hard for me to locate its source. I eventually narrowed it down to what image I was portraying outwardly. Talking about Existentialism in my Philosophy class, one day during all this, reminded me of my core value, The Exclamation Point. I began to wonder, in my newly found peaceful and detached state, if my actions were living up to my words—how important it is to love your life, to grab it by the hips and dance a salsa with it! My actions appeared listless and dull; they weren’t embodying the oh-so-important Exclamation Point at all! Something snapped in me, I realized it wasn’t okay merely being content with life, having everything be neutral all the time wasn’t cutting it; I had to love life, even if that meant there was some bad to come with the good stuff too. A Buddhist teaches that the ups-and-downs of life are all in vain—they are meaningless wonders and worries caused by samsara—and it is better to remain flat and level instead. This, to me, represents the true difference between Existentialism and Buddhism.

While both philosophies observe there are both joys and pains in life and support a very individual experience rooted in choice, the two ideologies chiefly diverge over the degree to which each accepts the dynamic world around it. Buddhism sees the pleasures and sufferings of daily life, and urges others to just do away with it all. Buddhism recognizes the transitory and temporary nature of any good feelings (and bad ones as well), and chooses to not participate. If life were a roller coaster, the Buddhist would be the one opting not to ride, and instead be off, quietly getting a snow cone. Existentialism, on the contrary, observes how our lives fly to extreme highs and lows, but urges others to accept that for what it is and love it no matter; that’s life, the very one you’re living, love it or leave it and make a better one. Buddhism chooses to reject the dynamic world, whereas Existentialism teaches to accept and uphold it, always. On that same roller coaster, the Existentialist is the one with their hands in the air, screaming at the top of their lungs and cackling manically. During good times, this is an easy thing to do—simply bask in the euphoria and forget about your problems. During times of strife, Existentialists accept life as well. This fact is best exemplified with a scene from the film Fight Club; when Brad Pitt pours lye on Edward Norton’s hand and it begins to burn and sizzle, Brad Pitt tells him, “Stay with the pain, don’t shut this out… This is your pain, this is your burning hand. It’s right here!” When Edward Norton tries meditating on a peaceful place in order to cope with the pain, Brad Pitt responds, “This is the greatest moment of your life, man, and you’re off somewhere, missing it.” Where Buddhism would elect to retreat from this wild world in order to find meaning, Existentialism holds its ground and finds meaning in all our experiences in life. As the semester finishes, I find I am a fluid being, one who can pick apart new ideas, taking what works for me and incorporating it into my personal philosophy.

A personal statement from my application for Big Man on Campus

Positively Ryan

Just as my stage name would suggest, I am positively Ryan—no one else. I believe I have a strong sense of who I am (scratch that, I am sure in my sense of myself), and that is someone who is energizing, engaging, responsible, balanced, spontaneous, outgoing, open minded, passionate, and still very peaceful. My name has a double meaning. Not only am I no one else but Ryan, but also Ryan who is positive. Positivity is a key to my outlook on life. Attitude is everything. Life is always exciting, new, just, kind, adventurous, and entertaining, but only if you have the right attitude going into it—a positive attitude. I am a very balanced individual, living as a synthesis of optimism, enthusiasm, and energy and reflective, peaceful introspection. I seek to be the most enthusiastic, welcoming, warm, and positive person I know; I feel the campus needs well-known individuals to exhibit these qualities. This is why I feel I am UW-Whitewater’s Big Man on Campus.

It is not enough for someone to simply be highly involved and impactful; they must also inspire others to be as good of people as he or she appears to be. The same is true for me. Look at my involvements on the opposite side of this page. I cannot and will not deny it—I have made a significant impact on many of this university’s student’s college experiences. Through Hawk Squad, I have interacted with just about every member of UWW’s current freshmen class; I have shown them that this new stage of their life can and IS a time to truly create the life they want, through my welcoming presence as the face of this university. Through Resident Assistant, the University Honors Program, and simply being a conversational, welcoming individual, I have touched the lives of a large number of students on a highly personal level. I have fostered their growth and cheered them on as I see it take hold. I am a highly committed student, finding true passion in my studies. I feel I am a shining example of what a student should be—intrinsically motivated, highly passionate, and a lover of learning simply for learning’s sake. I hope that the level of passion to which I take my studies is infectious and inspiring to others. But as I said before, it is not enough for a leader to simply be highly involved or impactful. This leader must also be someone others look up to on a personal level, someone who cares deeply for others, a truly upstanding gentleman or lady, is highly conscientious, and is the most positive, warm, welcoming, enthusiastic, personable, and inspiring individual around. I, Ryan Thomas Kolter, am all of these things, and am UWW’s Big Man on Campus.

The Characteristics Exhibited by Self-Actualizing Persons

They perceive reality accurately and can tolerate uncertainty.
A continued freshness of, and depth to, appreciation and openness to experience.
Spontaneity and simplicity in thought and action.
A strong ethical awareness
Concern for the welfare of humanity.
A philosophical (rather than hostile) sense of humor.
A need for privacy.
Periodic mystical (peak) experiences
Democratic leadership traits
Established deep interpersonal relations with a few people.
Autonomy and independence
Creativity
A problem-centered (rather than self-centered) orientation
A resistance to enculturation, but not purposely unconventional.
Ability to look at life objectively and separate emotion and impulse from action and behavior.
An acceptance of self, others, and nature for what it is. (Things simply are)

Blessing or Bane, Change and Balance

The following is a popular Chinese proverb.


Near China's northern border lived a man well versed in the practices of Taoism. His horse, for no reason at all, got into the territory of the northern tribes. Everyone commiserated with him.

"Perhaps this will soon turn out to be a blessing," said the man.


After a few month, his horse came back, leading a group of many fine horses from the north. Everyone congratulated him.


"Perhaps this will soon turn out to be a cause of misfortune," said the man.


Since he was well-off and kept good horses, the man's son became fond of riding and eventually broke his thigh bone falling from a horse. Everyone commiserated with him.


"Perhaps this will soon turn out to be a blessing," said the man.


One year later, the northern tribes started a large invasion of the border regions. All able-bodied young men took up arms and fought against the invaders; as a result, around the border, none out of ten men died. The man's son did not join the fight because he was crippled and so both the man and his son survived.


Change is constant. Yang, the sunny side of a mountain, may be opposite from Yin, the shady side of the mountain, yet it is so that as the sun moves across the sky, Yin and Yang gradually trade places with each other, revealing what was obscured and obscuring what was revealed. Yin and Yang are not just forces of balance but also of change.
It is so with all things. What is true today may soon be false. Change is reality.

Balance and change are inseparable. Balance is about alternating forces rising over one another. One must accept change. It is in this way the Taoist Yin and Yang relate to Buddhism. If one clings too tightly, the effort is futile and the result is discontent, for change is the one constant that exists.

Some thoughts...

We may never see each other again, but for this moment, it was special.

A human being is a synthesis of the finite and the infinite, the temporal and the eternal, freedom and necessity. He is both BEING and BECOMING.

Why is it culturally risqué if a married couple does not share a bed? I can foresee many benefits to it. Could providing that subtle separation--or at least elimination of constant togetherness--bring a couple closer?

The paradox of the present. It is both a moment of immeasurable brevity and infinite length. The present is constantly fleeting, the present you just experienced is forever gone... yet, you constant exist in the present.

Great AutoCorrects