Monday, April 23, 2007

Birthday, Autism, 30 Books

So I get a phone call at around 8am this morning, which I naturally ignored and let go to voicemail. When I woke up around an hour later, I listened to my message from my mom. She sang me happy birthday. My birthday is tomorrow.

We had a really neat class discussion in Textual Studies today. We read journal articles from the various students out loud and then discussed them. Being a habitual people watcher, I always appreciate opportunities to see how other peoples' gears turn. My first instinct is to assume that people are weird because of their thought process. I think most people are at least mildly put off by what they consider abnormal. After a minute though, I begin to wonder what experiences in their life have shaped their cognitive processes, and then I become lost in my own little imaginative world trying to guess the history of their life. I keep myself pretty busy.

Speaking of cognitive processes, I saw a CNN report this weekend about an autistic girl who is amazing. She has videos on YouTube that you have to watch. Autism is like a secret society that the rest of us can't even begin to understand because we are cut off from communication (for the most part) with autistic people. This incredible woman provides unbelievable insight into autism for the rest of us (there is a hyperlink at the beginning of this sentence, I miss them all the time).

After my post about the short stories, I thought it convenient that I ran across a series of online articles and blogs about a radio host who gave a list of 30 books that every college student should read before graduating and the responses to it. I disagree with a lot of the choices, and my own list would look very different, but there are quite a few good books on there. Here is a sort of follow-up page, talking about some more books that you should read after the initial 30.

8 comments:

Unknown said...

Hey Bret, what are we doing for your birthday? Also, on the note of your thirty books/stories/etc. I have not read too many on that list. I have, however, read your suggested Hills Like White Elephants, for enjoyment purposes, and thought it was amazing. Then I had it taught to me and it was even better.

bretlonder said...

I don't know. What people are doing to me for my birthday is their decision. I can't tell you how to live your life.

C.D. said...

Did you do this analyzation of people in our textual studies class? If so, did you analyze me? I'd be curious as to the conclusions you reached. My birthday isn't until May 21st, so I suppose I'm a little ahead of myself in saying it's almost my birthday. If I forget to tell you tomorrow, happy birthday.

bretlonder said...

Of course I analyzed that class. I'm constantly doing it. As far as "conclusions" that I reach, I'm usually not right, but I try to imagine the sorts of things that occur in people's lives to shape their worldview. We'll hang out sometime and you can grill me. Not literally, although I'd probably be good with onions and green peppers. I'd make a good kabob.

Kate Jenkins said...

Happy Birthday (it is now, technically, your birthday). I would offer to buy you a drink tonight, but I have a feeling that by the time I got out of class and got to wherever you were drinking, you wouldn't remember it. So maybe if you've recovered by Thursday, I'll buy you a Jack and Coke after workshop.

Unknown said...

Dude, that picture you got there is CRAZY! Rabid mythological creatures! Woah!

Anonymous said...

I got a call from my dad on the morning of November 2nd. As soon as I answered he began singing happy birthday. I let him finished and thanked him, and then told him it was my sister's birthday and not mine. At least your mom had the right child.

Lindsay

bretlonder said...

Don't worry, they've done that before. My dad is only on about year 3 of the right child.