Good Definitions

I just translated a part of an article by my professor into English as follows:

1. Study: knowing what somebody revealed
2. Criticism: criticizing it
3. Education: letting people know it
4. Research: revealing what nobody knows

These definitions look like pretty good to me. I was considering about which level my blog is (Study is easiest level and Research is the most difficult). I assume this blog would be categorized Study/ Education. My goal is that someday in the future, I will engage in researching somehow. When you write a report or something, what do you think which level your report is? 

M's Won!!

The most amazing game by the Seattle Mariners in this two seasons it was!!

Photo: CosbySweaters.com

They came from behind, 7-0, and won at walk-off hit by Louis Rodriguez. During the almost entire game, I was nearly crying and the game made me crazy.

However, in the 8th inning, the situation was changing. The Seattle Mariners got five runs including by three straight based-loaded walks (actually, in the 7th inning, Bradley got solo home run.). So, at the finishing 8th inning, the Mariners was losing against the Toronto Blue Jays, 7-6.

Oh boy, boy. The drama was waiting in the bottom of 9th inning. First, Saunders doubled, and then Branden Ryan did a perfect sacrificed bunt to Saunders for the third. Adam Kennedy grounded out to short stop. And, Ichiro was given an intentional walk.

And, Louis Rodriguez, he got it!! Good for him!!

I did give up winning, because this year again the offence of Mariners had stunk, so far. But, we baseball fans are always waiting this kind of game and moment for a pretty long time. Anyway, I'm quite happy now.

Nothing Special, Nothing New

Photo: kyokke tanaka (Onyx)

Three days ago, I got an email from a person. It had some questions for me. So, I wrote some suggestions from my point of view. Although those are nothing special and new, what do you think? Are those proper way to answer the questions or appropriate answers? If you wouldn't mind, I want to hear your comment to followings (*I added a few links and fixed some sentences on the original one):

• Do you think I'm stupid about my just keeping myself busy for my family or friends?

I don't think keeping busy for families or friends is stupid. At least, everybody spends some time with their family, friends and, more say, somebody. Social networking is a part of our essential job, as long as we live in a society. But, you should consider about how much you devote your time and endeavor to your family and friends. Just in my opinion, if you need something special like your own skills and competence -- in other words, to differentiate from others, you should make your own time in order to create who you are. For me, you look like you don't recognize who you are and what difference you are from others. Our tendency is that when we are close enough to each other, we couldn't see and create difference between us because we are likely to be being similar between us. Let's think about another way. It also means if you were someone, you should be close to him/her, inasmuch as we have the nature of similarity (This nature comes from the struggle for existence.).  So, I suggest that you should consider about this way. If you want to keep busy by taking care of your family and hanging out with friends, would your ideal and future be connected with them? Remember your family and friends are very important, though, yet they are not you, they live their own life and they don't replace your life. You have to invest your future. 

• Do you think I'm sacrificing myself not thinking anything??

I partly agree with your statement, even though I don't think you're not thinking about anything. Why do we sacrifice myself? Why don't we sacrifice others? Just thought. What is your role in your family, friends, groups, and society? Speaking of a baseball, each player has diffident role. For example, second hitter is generally supposed to do most sacrificed bunt. However, they don't do every time. How come? Because what they make a decision whether they do or not depends on what situation it is. Did you look at any situations? Sometimes they do choose a different choice from a sacrificed bunt, even if the situation is absolutely necessary to do the bunt. The reason is that they outwit a rival. This is not always needed, but, especially, when we need a big change, this strategy is useful. Don't beware I don't tell you thinking longer and more careful. Use your blink.

• Have you thought I'm selfish and just pretending to be nice to others?

I'm selfish too. Who cares? Probably you care. What's the matter? If you were pretending to be nice, I don't know and even care. I want to ask you what the difference between pretending and not is. For me, it's more significant that what someone or I did something nice was really so? If not, and then the cause was the pretentious attitude. Think about it. But, this is just in our mind. Who really knows the truth? The opposite case could happen high possibility. We do not handle everything, especially invisible things. And, we are easy to lie! Anyway, overall I'm really no concerned about the argument whether or not selfish and pretending is. If you are interested in it, you should ask Onyx (He is a shiba dog.). He is a really well socialist. In addition, we don't know what he think about, you know.

Thank you,

Taking Test

Photo: Sheknows.com

Who the heck loves taking a test? I confess that I hate a test. Whenever I take a test, it makes me nervous. And, if a test were a big deal like an entrance exam, it could make me crazy. In fact, before the quake and tsunami hit in Japan, cheating at entrance exams for college was a big issue. I would not say about how to prevent such cheating in this blog, but I would like to introduce a way to feel better to take a test.

Here is two pieces of research. One suggests that taking a test is the best way to learn, and another one introduces how to improve your test score better. These are just a tip.

First, Jeffrey D. Karpicke and Janell R. Blunt found that students who read a passage, and then took a test asking thiem to recall what they had read, retained about 50 percent more of the information a week later than students who used two other methods -- repeatedly studying the material and studying with concept mapping. Although this doesn't urge you to take a test more often as argued at an article by the New York Times, just keep your mind that an exam is one of the ways you study and retain knowledge. Also, I want to make a comment for this research. This study supposed school situations. Especially, if we were in school, we would be required many tests, and take again and again. This hatred ritual actually helps us retain taught knowledge at school.

Next, a study by Gerardo Ramirez and Sian L. Beilock showed that a brief expressive writing assignment, which occurred immediately before taking an important test, significantly improved students' exam scores, especially for students habitually anxious about test taking. This advice might be useful for some of readers who are facing on a significant test like an entrance exam and qualifying exam. I think this is worthy to try once because if it doesn't work well, we'll find another way to improve our exam scores. That's it.

Finally, I'd like to say if you have an opportunity to take a test, take it easy!! Because there is no royal road to learning. Although they may be useful, yet aforementioned researches are no more than some consolation.