Occasionally I Waft Slightly Aristotle-ish...

     Study those people you do not so well like to discover--is it truly them you fail to connect with--or is it in them that you recognize traits in yourself which you dislike. Be it the former, learn to like them if you are able; and if not-distance yourself from them. Be it the latter, strive to fix those qualities in yourself so that you may supersede them, rise above them in character and thus renown.

     Be it, however, neither of the aforementioned, attempt, through study, to divine the true nature of this discontent of the spirits. Be it one-sided, or two? perceived or actual? based on a single slight or on the personality as a whole? be it a fault of pride or morals? be it miscommunication or deliberate misconstruence?

     Once you have deciphered the source of this discordance, the challenge then lies in both overcoming any causitive fault which in you might lie, or in overcoming--if at all possible--the reasons this animosity has grown and thus the animosity itself.

     It need not be necessary to alter the essence of the underlying relationship into one of friendship, nor familial ties, nor of love; however, a final product much akin to civil and public respect, such as that between business partners or that of many-ties removed acquaintances.

     Acknowledge, first-hand, that the fault for this animosity could very well be found to lie within yourself, and thus, it is there which you must first seek it and its solution. Ponder what in yourself could be the cause of the other's dislike or malcontent. What about your words, your actions, your countenance; what about your expressions and replies, about your affectations and mannerisms might be displeasing or unsettling to the existence of the other?

Am I Ready to Go Back to School??

I graduated a few years ago now and up until a couple years ago, was still taking classes and keeping my mind in the education game rather well, although without really knowing what the current end game was. Now I am going back, trying one class after a couple years away focusing on being a mom and now working full-time as well.

I originally picked up this class because I could begin to feel my brain starting to stagnate. My thoughts were no longer as clear as they once were, nor did they feel as adult-like as they once had. I hadn't read an educational, well really any full book, in quite some time that I could remember, and I no longer found it easy to hold intelligent conversations with the people I use to enjoy conversing with. Even though I was still able to adequately adult, and no one else had yet to comment on what I was beginning to feel was a rather substantial decline in my active intellect..I couldn't bear it much longer.

So, back I go, at least for this semester (with the last of what remains of my tuition credits from teaching)to see if continuing my education and getting another degree is feasible as well as if it is the solution I am looking for. Perhaps it is, but it is also possible that it is now, at least it should get my brain clicking on more cylinders again...

I'm taking an Introduction to Paralegal Studies course, so not something I am entirely unfamiliar with--working in a legal office as well as having taken some Legal Studies classes in the past...so what improvement I am seeing thus far could either be true improvement, or merely a past familiarization with the topics. It will be a couple weeks until we progress into material that I have yet to have experienced before.

Already my vocabulary is picking up and I seem to be impressing the instructor at the least (although for some reason I no longer take any joy in getting extra credit...it now feels cheapened somehow). This thought alone makes me wonder if it was simply that I wasn't being expected to think at this level in other aspects of my life, and thus my brain was attempting to "autocorrect," to an extent, to the level that was expected of me.

My current supervisor did mention in passing one day that the academic method of thinking was very different from the legal manner of thinking in practice. Perhaps it is merely a difference that my brain has not yet grasped.