Readings

=Here are some readings that relate to certain Habits of Scholarship.=

“Stay committed to your decisions, but stay flexible in your approach.” **Tom Robbins**, American Novelist:
For all his influence on the West Coast literary scene, author Tom Robbins has produced a relatively small output of novels--just six in over twenty-five years. The reason for this scarcity, the author told the //New York Times// in 1993, is based on the fact that "I try never to leave a sentence until it's as perfect as I can make it. So there isn't a word in any of my books that hasn't been gone over 40 times." Despite the long wait between new works, however, Robbins has achieved a considerable following with novels that "defy the ordinary in terms of plot, language, characterization, and theme," as Anne Boyd described them in //Contemporary Popular Writers.//


 * “Live for today because you don’t know what tomorrow holds!”** ~Unknown

**"There are no passengers on Spaceship Earth. We are all crew."** ~Marshall McLuhan, Canadian educator and media critic (1911-1980)
“You must take personal responsibility. You cannot change the circumstances, the seasons, or the wind, but you can change yourself.” ~Jim Rohn Jim Rohn was an American entrepreneur, author and motivational speaker. His rags to riches story played a large part in his work, which influenced others in personal development.


 * “Three things in human life are important: The first is to be kind. The second is to be kind. And the third is to be kind.”** ~Henry James, an American born writer


 * “Everything happens for a reason. I’m used to it, I prepare for it. Like I say, at the end of the day, those in charge of their own destiny are going to do what’s right for them and their family.”** //~ Shaquille O’Neal// Born March 6, 1972 nicknamed "**Shaq**" is a former American [|professional basketball] player and current analyst on the television program [|Inside the NBA]. Standing 7 ft. 1 in. tall and weighing 325 pounds, he was one of the heaviest players ever to play in the NBA. Throughout his 19-year career, O'Neal used his size and strength to overpower opponents for [|points] and [|rebounds].


 * “You've got to get up every morning with determination if you're going to go to bed with satisfaction."** — George Horace Lorimer Author Bio: Horace Lorimer October 6, 1867 – October 22, 1937 was an American journalist and author. He is best known as the editor of //The Saturday Evening Post//.


 * "Adventure is worthwhile.”** ~Amelia Earhart Born: July 24, 1897 – disappeared 1937. Aviatrix who set many records. Lost trying to circumnavigate the globe. Fascination with her life, career and disappearance continues to this day.


 * “The greatest wealth is health.”** ~Virgil (October 15, 70 BC – September 21, 19 BC) Virgil is traditionally ranked as one of Rome's greatest poets.


 * “Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass on a summer day listening to the murmur of water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is hardly a waste of time.”** ~ Anonymous
 * //“Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.” ~//**//Leo Tolstoy Author’s Bio: Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910) was a Russian writer who wrote novels and short stories. He also wrote some lays and essays. His two most famous works, the novels War and Peace and Anna Karenina, are considered to be two of the greatest novels of all time. Many consider Tolstoy to have been one of the world’s greatest writers.//
 * “A wise man makes his own decisions, an ignorant man follows public opinion.”** ~ Chinese Proverb


 * “We have a gift of 86,400 seconds today. Have you used one to say "thank you?” ** ~ William Arthur Ward Author Bio: William Arthur Ward (1921–1994) is one of America's most quoted writers of inspirational maxims.

“There is no such thing as a weird human being, It's just that some people require more understanding than others”
For all his influence on the West Coast literary scene, author Tom Robbins has produced a relatively small output of novels--just six in over twenty-five years. The reason for this scarcity, the author told the //New York Times// in 1993, is based on the fact that "I try never to leave a sentence until it's as perfect as I can make it. So there isn't a word in any of my books that hasn't been gone over 40 times." Despite the long wait between new works, however, Robbins has achieved a considerable following with novels that "defy the ordinary in terms of plot, language, characterization, and theme," as Anne Boyd described them in //Contemporary Popular Writers.//
 * Tom Robbins**, American Novelist:


 * "Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championships."** ~Michael Jordan Author Bio: Michael Jeffrey Jordan (born February 17, 1963) is a former American professional basketball player, active entrepreneur, and majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats. His biography on the National Basketball Association (NBA) website states, "By acclamation, Michael Jordan is the greatest basketball player of all time.” Jordan was one of the most effectively marketed athletes of his generation and was considered instrumental in popularizing the NBA around the world in the 1980s and 1990s.


 * “A group becomes a team when each member is sure enough of himself and his contribution to praise the skills of the others**. ~//Norman// G. //Shidle// is well known in the communications-writing profession.


 * “Coming together is a beginning.Keeping together is progress.Working together is success.”** - ~ [|Henry Ford]


 * “If everyone is moving forward together, success takes care of itself**.” ~ Henry Ford


 * “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”** ~ Margaret Meade


 * “The best way to find out if you can trust somebody is to trust them.”** //Author’s Bio//: Ernest Hemingway (1899-1961) was an American Novelist. He won the Nobel Price in Literature in 1954. He published seven novels, including six short story collections and two non-fictoin works. Many of these are considered classics of American Literature, including //A Farewell to Arms// and //The Old Man and the Sea.//


 * "THERE ARE MANY TYPES OF SHIPS. THERE ARE WOODEN SHIPS, PLASTIC SHIPS, AND METAL SHIPS. BUT THE BEST AND MOST IMPORTANT SHIPS ARE FRIENDSHIPS.”** - OLD IRISH QUOTE


 * “Everybody, Nobody, Anybody, Somebody” ~Anonymous**
 * This is the story about 4 persons named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody. There was an important job to be done and Everybody was asked to do it. Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it. Somebody got angry about that because it was Everybody’s job. Everybody thought Anybody could do it and Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn’t do it. It ended up that Everybody was to blame.**


 * "No one who achieves success does so without acknowledging the help of others. The wise and confident acknowledge this help with gratitude.** ~Author Unknown

__Show Integrity__
“[|It's not what we eat but what we digest that makes us strong; not what we gain but what we save that makes us rich; not what we read but what we remember that makes us learned; and not what we profess but what we practice that gives us integrity.]” **Francis Bacon**, English Philosopher, 1561-1626 Today, Bacon is still widely regarded as a major figure in scientific methodology and natural philosophy during the English Renaissance. Having advocated an organized system of obtaining knowledge with a humanitarian goal in mind, he is largely credited with ushering in the new early modern era of human understanding.


 * “Few skills are more important to self-improvement than being able to take a step back and honestly evaluate yourself. Self-reflection allows you to expose problems early, before they become too painful to ignore. Demand honesty of yourself! This sounds easy, but it’s hard to practice. Honesty, especially when it is negative, is uncomfortable. Few people are willing to spend the effort needed to arrive at the truth. I keep a journal for exactly this purpose. … Having a space where I can write uncensored, allows honest reflections I hadn’t considered to properly surface.”**//Author’s bio: Scott Young is a 23-year-old writer who maintains a blog called “Get More From Life”//



__Innovate__
//**"Engineers don't fail. They learn from their mistakes!" Anonymous**//

//**"Never let the fear of striking out get in your way."** - Babe Ruth//


 * “A problem is a chance for you to do your best.”** ~Duke EllingtonAuthor’s Bio: Duke Ellington (1899-1974) was an American composer, pianist, and big band leader. He wrote over 1,000 compositions. “ In the century since his birth, there has been no greater composer than Duke Ellington,” wrote Bob Blumenthal of //The Boston Globe.//
 * //“Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.”//** //~ Steve JobsAuthor’s bio: Steve Jobs (1955-2011) was an American inventor and businessman. He was described as a visionary, pioneer and genius. He is credited with creating the visual interface of computers (using icons and a mouse); he started the company Apple; and he led the development of the Macintosh computer, the iPod, iPhone and iPad.//
 * “Freedom inhibits creativity. There are nothing like restrictions to get you thinking**.” ~ Jeffrey Baumgartner's "Ten Steps to Boosting Creativity" Author’s bio: Jeffrey Baumgartner is an artist, a teacher, a writer, and business person. He has taught and invented companies in Europe and Asia. He lives in Belgium.


 * “Imagination is more important than knowledge.”** ~**Albert Einstein** (14 March 1879 – 18 April 1955) was a German-born [|theoretical physicist] who developed the theory of [|general relativity]. Einstein is often regarded as the father of [|modern physics] and one of the most prolific [|intellects] in human history.[2][3] He received the [|1921] [|Nobel Prize in Physics] "for his services to theoretical physics.


 * “The happiest people are those who are producing something.”** ~ William Ralph Inge (1860-1954) was an English author, priest, professor of divinity at Cambridge, and Dean of St Paul's Cathedral in London. He wrote over 35 books and is known for his work in philosophy and mysticism.


 * “It is easy to sit up and take notice. What is difficult is getting up and taking action.”** ~Al Batt //Author’s Bio: Al Batt is a writer, speaker, storyteller and humorist. He has been featured in the Smithsonian Magazine and Writer's Digest. He does commentaries for public radio and he also writes a weekly "Nature's World" column and a weekly "Tales From Exit 22" humor column for newspapers.//
 * “What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything?”** ~Vincent Van Gogh Vincent Willem van Gogh (1853-1890) was a Dutch post-Impressionist painter whose work is known for its rough beauty, emotional honesty, and bold color. His paintings had an enormous influence on 20th-century art.


 * “Scientists dream about doing great things. Engineers do them.”** ~Anonymous


 * “If you can’t make a mistake, you can’t make anything.”** ~ Marva Collins, Chicago educator who worked with learning disabled students


 * “I have no special talents. I’m just passionately curious!”** ~Albert Einstein


 * //It’s not the will to win that matters—everyone has that. It’s the will to prepare to win that matters." -//** //Paul "Bear" Bryant//


 * "We are what we do repeatedly. Therefore, excellence is not an act, but a habit."** - Aristotle


 * “Progress always involves risks. You can’t steal second and keep your foot on first.”** ~Frederick Wilcox Author’s Bio: Frederick Wilcox was an author who wrote, “A Little Book of Aphorisms.” Aphorisms are sometimes known as wisdom literature.


 * “It is not necessary that you be wealthy or famous or a genius in order to fulfill your own destiny. All that is asked is that you use whatever gifts you have to the best of your ability.”** ~Unknown


 * “Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.”** ~Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) was an American writer. He was seen as a champion of personal freedom and individuality, and he wrote dozens of published essays and gave more than 1,500 public lectures across the United States.


 * “Quality is never an accident; it is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, intelligent direction and skillful execution; it represents the wise choice of many alternatives.”** ~ Anonymous


 * “Confidence is contagious. So is lack of confidence.”** ~//Vince Lombardi// Author’s Bio: **Vince Lombardi** (1913 – 1970) was an American football coach. He is best known as the head coach of the Green Bay Packers during the 1960s, where he led the team five league championships in seven years, including winning the first two Super Bowls in 1966 and 1967. The National Football League's Super Bowl trophy is named in his honor.


 * “The worker must work for the glory of his handiwork, not simply for pay; the thinker must think for truth, not for fame. “** ~W.E.B. Dubois Author’s Bio: W.E.B. Dubois (1868 –1963) was an American sociologist, historian, civil rights activist, author, and editor. Born in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, graduated from Harvard, where he was the first African American to earn a doctorate, and then he became a professor of history, sociology, and economics at Atlanta University. Du Bois was one of the co-founders of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in 1909.


 * “My parents shared not only love, they shared a faith in the possibilities of this nation. They would give me an African name, Barack, or blessed, believing that in a tolerant America your name is no barrier to success. They imagined me going to the best schools, even though they weren't rich, because in a America you don't have to be rich to reach your potential.”** //~Barack Obama// Author’s Bio: **Barack Obama** (born August 4, 1961) is the 44th President of the United States of America. He is the first US president of African-American descent. In October 2009 he won the Nobel Peace Prize


 * “If you neglect to recharge a battery, it dies. And if you run full speed ahead without stopping for water, you lose momentum to finish the race.”** ~Oprah Winfrey Author’s Bio: **Oprah Winfrey** (1954- ) is an American media visionary, talk show host, actress, producer and philanthropist. She is best known for her talk show, which has become the highest-rated program of its kind in history. She has been ranked the richest African American of the 20th century and was for a time the world's only black billionaire.According to some people, she is the most influential woman in the world.


 * “You've got to get up every morning with determination if you're going to go to bed with satisfaction."** — George Horace Lorimer Author Bio: Horace Lorimer October 6, 1867 – October 22, 1937 was an American journalist and author. He is best known as the editor of //The Saturday Evening Post//.


 * “Life is full of beauty. Notice the bumble bee, the small child, and the smiling faces. Smell the rain, and feel the wind. Live your life to the fullest potential, and work like crazy for your dreams.”** ~Anonymous

“An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity.” ~**Martin Luther King**
 * "I regard it as the foremost task of education to insure the survival of these qualities:**
 * an enterprising curiosity,
 * an undefeatable spirit,
 * tenacity in pursuit,
 * readiness for sensible self denial, and above all,
 * compassion.”

“We can't become what we need to be by remaining what we are.” **//~ Oprah Winfrey//** //“Don't ask yourself what the world needs; ask yourself what makes you come alive. And then go and do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive." ~//**//Howard Thurman(1899 – April 10, 1981) was an influential American author, philosopher, theologian, educator and civil rights leader. He was Dean of Chapel at Howard University and Boston University for more than two decades, wrote 21 books, and in 1944 helped found a multicultural church.//** //“Jade must be chiseled before it can be considered a gem.”// **//~Chinese proverb//** //“Upon the subject of education, I can only say that I view it as the most important subject which we as a people can be engaged in.”// **//~Abraham Lincoln Author’s Bio: Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865) was the 16th President of the United States, serving from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery and promoting economic and financial modernization. Raised in a poor family in the western U.S., Lincoln was mostly self-educated.//** “I’m convinced that about half of what separates the successful people from the non-successful ones is pure perseverance.” **~ Steve Jobs Author’s bio: Steve Jobs (1955-2011) was an American inventor and businessman. He was described as a visionary, pioneer and genius. He is credited with creating the visual interface of computers (using icons and a mouse); he started the company Apple; and he led the development of the Macintosh computer, the iPod, iPhone and iPad.**

“It’s hard to beat a person who never gives up.” **~ Babe Ruth, Baseball Hall of Famer**

You can search throughout the entire universe for someone who is more deserving of your love and affection than you are yourself, and that person is not to be found anywhere. You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe deserves love and affection. **//- The Buddha, spiritual teacher//** //“Nature gives every bird a worm, but it doesn’t put it in the nest.”//** //~ Anonymous// =//Community Service//=
 * “Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth.” ~Muhammad Ali** Author’s Bio: Muhammad Ali, born Cassius Clay (1942- ) is an American former professional boxer and social activist. In 1967, three years after Ali had won the World Heavyweight Championship, he made many people upset for his refusal to be join the U.S. military, based on his religious beliefs and opposition to the Vietnam War. Ali's example inspired Martin Luther King Jr. to voice his own opposition to the war for the first time.


 * “I believe that serving and being served are reciprocal and that one cannot really be one without the other.”** -Robert Greenleaf, educator and writer

=Miscellaneous=