Procratinati.....

I woke up this morning with the awful realisation that I am just plain lazy. However much I actually achieve, there is always the desire not to work or to put stuff off till ‘later’. Normally I do a couple of tasks before leaving the house in the morning, lately with the onset of winter in the southern hemisphere I have been staying in bed later and later. The tasks that were delayed became progressively shortened and then stopped. Now I have to face the consequences. There is a wonderful proverb that goes “A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands and poverty will come upon you like a thief and want like an armed man.” Procrastination is easy and is a natural tendency. I am having to exert mind over matter and tell my body that it really doesn’t need the extra sleep. There is a school of though that says we should listen to what our body is telling us and obey-if that were the case with me I’d never get anything done and would eat sugar all my life.

So hopefully tomorrow will be a better morning (I’ll let you know if it’s not). I have made a list of things to do this morning and will stick to it. If you have any creative ideas on how you beat procrastination let me know.

Alternative reading

At the beginning of the year I set out to read one non-fiction book a month. Got a bit slack the last couple of months, but should have no trouble catching up. Have just read Kevin Treudeau’s ‘Natural Cures “They” Don’t Want You to Know About’. Once you get past the author’s bashing of drug companies and federal government institutions, he has some interesting advice and recommendations about natural health. One thing that I find disconcerting is that there are very few direct references in the book to back up his claims. Admittedly he says that he is writing at a level to enable everyone to understand, and he does refer you to other books and websites, but I still feel that statements like ‘it’s been found that…’ need to be backed up with a reference. In a disclaimer he mentions that the book would be too long if all the references were ancluded, and that they are at his website www.naturalcures.com (which will cost you US$9.95 to join). I just feel that the ‘alternative’ health care domain is unlikely to ever gain serious credibility unless they begin to provide high-level evidence for their claims, and if the evidence is already there then lets acknowledge it. Physiotherapy as a profession has had a hard time providing the evidence for what it does, but the evidence is now there, surely others can do the same.

Improving your Grades

Grade point average, class test result, final exam mark, degree class; call it what you will, at some time in our lives we all face a graded test. How can one improve his or her mark or grade and what practical steps can someone take? That is the main dilemma people face regardless of the course they are taking.

I spent the last few days marking exams-both written and practical. As usual, I got to see the good, the bad and just the plain scary. I’ve written a few in my time. These are the things that have helped me face exams…
1.) What you sow, you reap. Rather cliché, but true. If you don’t study you are less likely to pass. There are always the smug guys in the class that seem to get away with minimal studying, but they are the minority. If you need a kick in the pants to motivate you, then find a friend to be accountable to and set time to study together (I managed to get through my Sociology 101 this way-don’t ask what I use it for, I had to do the course).
2.) Start studying in time. Cramming one night before just doesn’t cut it. Plan a timetable and stick to it.
3.) Understanding is better than just knowing the facts. If you struggle with a concept-ask someone to help you. Application of what you know is what counts most of the time.
4.) Answer the question!!! Too many people spend time telling you everything they know, except the one thing you want to know. If I ask “how to measure leg length difference”, don’t tell me what factors affect it or how to correct it-just tell me how to measure it.
5.) Write clearly. This can be hard, especially if you write like me (trust me you don’t want to know), but if your writing is particularly bad then try using a black pen rather than a blue one.
6.) Don’t party the night before. It’s not rocket science, but there is nothing worse than watching someone who hasn’t got enough sleep try to do a practical. The last thing you want to do is doze off with a beaker full of sulphuric acid in front of you, there are easier ways to get a nose job.

If you have any other tips, post them as a comment.
grade point average education

Exams

Will be spending this morning examining Physiotherapy students. On top their practicals today and Monday, I will have a pile of papers to mark for the weekend (oh goody???). I face this period with a great deal of in trepidation. As well as the responsibility of determining who passes and fails, and if they deserve to continue in their chosen career, I get to see how well I’ve done my job in teaching and instruction. I am continually updating the way I teach and experimenting with new ideas to make it more interactive, memorable and above all relevant.

In terms of passing and failing, I am guided by what one of my early physio mentors told me-“reward success and be harsh on failure”. If someone doesn’t make the grade, you are not doing a service by scraping him through. In the case of physiotherapy, you are also shortchanging their patients. On the other hand, do not fall into the trap of giving average marks for above average performance-reward excellence. So, off to work we go.

Taking a walk.

I took a walk yesterday. This may sound odd, but in Zimbabwe there are two types of people-those who have to walk (due to lack of a car) and those who don’t. It’s easier to drive, but I have seen people drive 3 blocks to the shops to pick up a bottle of milk-unfortunately I am one of those people. I had a bit of time and fuel is short and so I decided to walk the 1500m to my bank that I would normally drive to. It was rather pleasant, despite the rubbish on the road. I was not mugged, accosted, picked up, or any of the other horror stories that are associated with walking in town.

One of the side effects of not walking is a lack of exercise. People may be getting their exercise elsewhere, but I doubt it. A healthy body is key to doing all you need to do. I am working on a presentation on ‘Fitness and Exercise’; one of the points is that- if you truly wish to achieve your vision for life, then you need a body that is fit enough to do the job. Most people simply don’t do enough exercise. What’s the point of having an idea that will change the world, if your body cannot handle the stress and strain of producing it? Find an exercise that you will enjoy and do it, regularly.

It ain't nothing but a number

Apart from a little car trouble, I had a great weekend. Managed to spend sometime with various friends, as well as engage in a variety of activities that I enjoy. It’s always great when two of three things start to line up and relate.

First, I had some feedback on the site from a friend. He provided some constructive criticism, that I have taken to heart,mainly on the shortfalls in my spelling ability. He turns 14 this year, but that’s no excuse not to listen to what he has to say. Thanks Scott.

I spent Saturday afternoon with another friend of mine who has been test reading my book. He’s 15 and had already started one of his own- a fantasy/quest style novel similar to my own. We were able to share ideas and encourage each other. Actually, his writing is pretty good, with a natural flair and creativity for names.

As if this was not enough, I went to hear another mate of mine speak to a group of young adults on Saturday night. His topic-the need for mentoring the ‘teenage’ generation. Considering what had already happened that weekend, I was over the moon with his subject matter- and really getting the hint. Mentorship is the latest ‘fad’ in the commercial world, one that has been overlooked for too long. We often get too hung up on age related (he’s too young, I’m not old enough) or knowledge related (I don’t know enough) issues in this area. The fact remains, we should all be getting input from someone above us, and the fastest way to grow is to help mentor someone else.

Test and Credit

I am trying to do a bit more with links in my blog, so this may not come out quite the way I expect. My browser is not compatible with some of the features of my publishing site, so could be fun.

One of the sources of inspiration to start writing a book was a young man by the name of Christopher Paolini. He started writing his first novel at 15 and has since become a highly successful fantasy author with 2 books of his inheritance trilogy already published. You can find out more about him and his books at http://www.alagaesia.com

I thought, that if he could do it at that age, then I could at least write something. Successful publishing will be another story, but he at lest inspired me to get on and achieve something I have always desired to go. So if you ever read this Christopher-thanks a lot.