Best Commencement Speeches by Refinery 29

I bought DFW's speech presented here in book form, I knew he'd be on this list. This is my inspiration for getting through the remaining months of my degree.

Toronto Garbage: Commissioners Street Incinerator

Meet the Commissioners Street Incinerator, opened in the 1950s in an area just east of Polson Pier called the Portlands. Commissioners Street Incinerator closed in 1988 and based on my research thus far, I strongly believe that Commissioners Street tainted Toronto from incinerators as a viable waste disposal option because its technology was so dated.

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10 Ways To Motivate Yourself To Finish Your Thesis On Time

10 Ways To Motivate Yourself To Finish Your Thesis On Time

Recently I’ve conducted a survey asking people what their most pressing question, issue or obstacle is when writing a master thesis. To my discovery, more than 25% of all the people surveyed have problems motivating themselves and focusing on their theses.

This is what just some of the people have said “to stay motivated to do a bit or work everyday”, “…keeping motivation for a long-term goal and avoiding procrastination”, and “procrastination is my killer”. Here is an interesting one: “I want to conduct a research however motivation goes down day by day. But I still like the topic. It just gets so tiring”.

Here are two more comments from people who wrote “…lack of discipline/focus (I procrastinate too much and also my job requires me to handle lots of issues which make me jump from one topic to the next so I cannot focus on one thing” and “Procrastination and to stay organized at all times (I fail to stick to the schedule that I drafted as per my progressions)”.

In attempt to help many people who struggle with the lack of motivation, here are some tips and strategies anyone can use to increase their motivation a little bit more.

To finish your master thesis on time, you need all of the following: a good topic, a good adviser, a good research design, motivation or desire to finish your thesis on time, self-discipline, and the means to execute your master thesis plan and outline. Among these, the most important are the psychological factors: your motivation or desire to finish your thesis on time and the discipline to enforce your own thesis writing schedule. You can have the greatest thesis topic plus all the tools and all the help that you can get to finish your master thesis, but if you lack the motivation and the discipline to finish your master thesis on time, there’s just no way you can do it.

Thus, before you attempt to finish your master thesis, make sure you have both the motivation and the necessary discipline to finish your master thesis. Since motivation is one of the main drivers of self-discipline, however, developing your motivation to finish your master thesis on time should be your first priority. Check out the following 10 strategies which you can use to motivate yourself to finish your thesis on time.

1. Meditate, dream and envision

To increase your desire to finish your master thesis on time, you should find yourself a quiet corner where you can mediate, dream about and envision the positive changes that will result once you finish your master thesis on time. You can dream about walking up the stage to receive your masteral diploma. You can imagine the applause that will accompany your walk to and off the stage. You can dream about applying for a new, higher paying job and getting accepted right away. Naturally, you should also envision what your life is going to be like after you landed that higher paying job. You can move into a bigger home and provide better for your family, etc. Dreaming and envisioning all the good things that will result from finishing your master thesis on time is a great way to boost your motivation.

2. Share it with others

Share your dream of finishing your master thesis with other people who are important to you. This way, there will be people who will periodically remind you and motivate you to finish your thesis. Telling other people about your goal to finish your master thesis on time can also yield indirect motivational input. There is a certain pressure that comes from the natural need to prove yourself to the people you value. This need can be positively harnessed as a motivational force so you can finish your master thesis on time.

3. See your thesis advisor as frequently as possible

Your thesis advisor is another source of external pressure which can motivate you to finish your mater thesis on time. Notice that if you are behind your schedule or have accomplished nothing worthwhile, you will tend to avoid your thesis advisor because you’re feeling ashamed. It will thus keep your motivation up if you keep your appointments with your advisor even if you have not accomplished much; this will motivate you to do better for the next meeting.

4. Benchmarking

You should treat your master thesis writing like you would a business project. Give it a definite schedule with clearly identified progress markers. Then, evaluate your progress regularly – say, twice a month.

5. Create a progress chart

Create a progress chart and display it in a prominent spot. This chart will be a visual reminder. If you flag in your efforts, your progress chart will warn you – and hopefully shame you – with a downward turn. If you remain diligent in your efforts to finish your master thesis on time, its ascending line will give you a great sense of accomplishment.

6. Talk to yourself

You should give yourself a motivational speech now and then. You can even talk to yourself everyday. Sometimes, hearing yourself say something can help you achieve it.

7. Modify your language from the passive to the active voice

How you think about things influences actual outcomes. Be sure that you believe yourself capable of finishing your master thesis on time. Furthermore, be sure you realize that finishing your master thesis on time is entirely dependent on your efforts. Thus, learn to change your language from the passive into the active voice. Instead of saying, “My thesis will be finished on time,” say “I will finish my thesis on time.”

8. Reward yourself for a job well done

You deserve a reward for finishing every thesis-related task well and on time. Treat yourself to a nice dinner or buy something you want for every task you successfully accomplish.

9. Forgive yourself

If you fail to accomplish a thesis-related task, you will naturally feel bad. However, do not stop writing your thesis because of that single failure. Forgive yourself and move on.

10. Give yourself a breather

You should relax from time to time. Watch a movie or go to the beach. Take a walk or go to the gym. These activities will help you keep your mind fresh for the next thesis-related tasks.

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Garbage Truck Anatomy

This is the most amazing thing I've come across all evening!!!

Good words for writing words

The Ultimate Guide to Writing Better Than You Normally Do.

BY Colin Nissan

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WRITE EVERY DAY

Writing is a muscle. Smaller than a hamstring and slightly bigger than a bicep, and it needs to be exercised to get stronger. Think of your words as reps, your paragraphs as sets, your pages as daily workouts. Think of your laptop as a machine like the one at the gym where you open and close your inner thighs in front of everyone, exposing both your insecurities and your genitals. Because that is what writing is all about.

DON’T PROCRASTINATE

Procrastination is an alluring siren taunting you to Google the country where Balki from Perfect Strangers was from, and to arrange sticky notes on your dog in the shape of hilarious dog shorts. A wicked temptress beckoning you to watch your children, and take showers. Well, it’s time to look procrastination in the eye and tell that seafaring wench, “Sorry not today, today I write.”

FIGHT THROUGH WRITER’S BLOCK

The blank white page. El Diablo Blanco. El Pollo Loco. Whatever you choose to call it, staring into the abyss in search of an idea can be terrifying. But ask yourself this; was Picasso intimidated by the blank canvas? Was Mozart intimidated by the blank sheet music? Was Edison intimidated by the blank lightbulb? If you’re still blocked up, ask yourself more questions, like; Why did I quit my job at TJ Maxx to write full-time? Can/should I eat this entire box of Apple Jacks? Is The Price is Right on at 10 or 11?

LEARN FROM THE MASTERS

Mark Twain once said, “Show, don’t tell.” This is an incredibly important lesson for writers to remember; never get such a giant head that you feel entitled to throw around obscure phrases like “Show, don’t tell.” Thanks for nothing, Mr. Cryptic.

FIND YOUR MUSE

Finding a really good muse these days isn’t easy, so plan on going through quite a few before landing on a winner. Beware of muses who promise unrealistic timelines for your projects or who wear wizard clothes. When honing in on a promising new muse, also be on the lookout for other writers attempting to swoop in and muse-block you. Just be patient in your search, because the right muse/human relationship can last a lifetime.

HONE YOUR CRAFT

There are two things more difficult than writing. The first is editing, the second is expert level Sudoku where there’s literally two goddamned squares filled in. While editing is a grueling process, if you really work hard at it, in the end you may find that your piece has fewer words than it did before, which is great. Perhaps George Bernard Shaw said it best when upon sending a letter to a close friend, he wrote, “I’m sorry this letter is so long, I didn’t have time to make it shorter.” No quote better illustrates the point that writers are very busy.

ASK FOR FEEDBACK

It’s so easy to hide in your little bubble, typing your little words with your little fingers on your little laptop from the comfort of your tiny chair in your miniature little house. I’m taking this tone to illustrate the importance of developing a thick skin. Remember, the only kind of criticism that doesn’t make you a better writer is dishonest criticism. That, and someone telling you that you have weird shoulders.

READ, READ, READ

It’s no secret that great writers are great readers, and that if you can’t read, your writing will often suffer. Similarly, if you can read but have to move your lips to get through the longer words, you’ll still be a pretty bad writer. Also, if you pronounce “espresso” like “expresso.”

STUDY THE RULES, THEN BREAK THEM

Part of finding your own voice as a writer is finding your own grammar. Don’t spend your career lost in a sea of copycats when you can establish your own set of rules. If everyone’s putting periods at the end of their sentences, put yours in the middle of words. Will it be incredibly difficult to read? Yes it will. Will it set you on the path to becoming a literary pioneer? Tough to say, but you’re kind of out of options at this point.

KEEP IT TOGETHER

A writer’s brain is full of little gifts, like a piñata at a birthday party. It’s also full of demons, like a piñata at a birthday party in a mental hospital. The truth is, it’s demons that keep a tortured writer’s spirit alive, not Tootsie Rolls. Sure they’ll give you a tiny burst of energy, but they won’t do squat for your writing. So treat your demons with the respect they deserve, and with enough prescriptions to keep you wearing pants.

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Art and the Environment: Arts for Transit - Manhattan Transit

Art and the environment. Call me a geographer, but I feel very strongly when I say that art and the environment one lives in are inseparable. Now, I'm not subscribing to Richard Florida's Creative Class just yet, but I do believe that art can promote fantastic things.

Here's my nod for the day.

Also, think I'm going to start a series titled "Art and the Environment."

Fools rush in

"Fools Rush In (Where Angels Fear to Tread)" is a tune that was written in 1940 and performed far beyond its initial conception.

I've never thought of the song beyond it's surface lovey-dovey meaning, in example the lyric:

"Fools rush in, where angels fear to tread and so I come to you my love, my heart above my head."

A great, great song that I adore.

Now, in listening to a CBC podcast with Canadian Philosopher Charles Taylor, he used the phrase "Fools rush in, where angels fear to tread" in a completely serious manner (source, part 2). It basically means that inexperienced folk will approach a situation that the wiser would not likely.

I have a great soft spot for idioms, they're just so charming and they often reflect culture or impart some kind of history lesson. This phrase here is no exception. I found that the phrase "fools rush in, where angels fear to tread" was originally from English poet, Alexander Pope's essay titled An Essay on Criticism, written in 1709 (source).

Such shameless Bards we have; and yet 'tis true,
There are as mad, abandon'd Criticks too.
The Bookful Blockhead, ignorantly read,
With Loads of Learned Lumber in his Head,
With his own Tongue still edifies his Ears,
And always List'ning to Himself appears.
All Books he reads, and all he reads assails,
From Dryden's Fables down to Durfey's Tales.
With him, most Authors steal their Works, or buy;
Garth did not write his own Dispensary.
Name a new Play, and he's the Poet's Friend,
Nay show'd his Faults - but when wou'd Poets mend?
No Place so Sacred from such Fops is barr'd,
Nor is Paul's Church more safe than Paul's Church-yard:
Nay, fly to Altars; there they'll talk you dead;For Fools rush in where Angels fear to tread.  (source)

The phrase has been repeatedly used by other scholarly heroes -

The line has been taken up by a string of notable writers since:

- Edmund Burke, in Reflections on the Revolution in France, 1790:

What ought to be the heads, the hearts, the dispositions that are qualified or that dare, not only to make laws under a fixed constitution, but at one heat to strike out a totally new constitution for a great kingdom, and in every part of it, from the monarch on the throne to the vestry of a parish? But — "fools rush in where angels fear to tread".

- Thomas Hardy, in The Woodlanders, 1887:

"He felt shy of entering Grace's presence as her reconstituted lover - before definite information as to her future state was forthcoming; it seemed too nearly like the act of those who rush in where angels fear to tread."

- E. M. Forster - the title of his first novel - Where Angels Fear to Tread, 1905.

- James Joyce, in Ulysses, 1922:

"And later on at a propitious opportunity he purposed (Bloom did), without anyway prying into his private affairs on the 'fools step in where angels' principle, advising him to sever his connection with a certain budding practitioner."

This is a glorious rendition of the tune: