Library love

I love libraries. Where else can you find an environment that promotes and supports learning in the most comfortable atmosphere. Its different from school, because there is no pressure to do research for reports or papers. Most people in a library are there for the joy of learning or getting information. On top of that, you can browse through the stacks of books, magazines, videos, and find something new to learn or something interesting. Its also usually air-conditioned, so its comfortable to read and relax there on a hot day.

Some of the best things I have learned in my life started in libraries. I started learning Japanese from books I got in the library. I also began study of personal finance, buying stocks and investing from books I borrowed. I can point to many fields of knowledge that I have, that began with a book or video I borrowed at a library.

For the past few months, I have put aside my study for the CFA. I hit a rut in the quantitative analysis book, the math was just over my head and I became a bit discouraged. I can also attribute some lack of effort due to moving back to the USA and traveling. I have not given up though. I know one of the greatest ways that I will provide a brighter and wealthier future for myself is to get that CFA. I borrowed several videos and books on rudimentary math and started again. I have been going over everything percents, fractions, square roots, algebraic expressions, on and on. I have more work to do, but this is an area I want to improve. But not only will it help with the CFA, it will allow me to conquer new fields and sciences and really expand. I want to see the world from a new perspective.

Another thing my mother said, which I agreed with, is that Math helps you to think in a straighter, more efficient and effective way. I have been studying philosophy for the past couple of years and in those books, the great classic philosophers often are strong in mathematics and logic. Additionally, I think it was my father who said look at it as a language rather than just numbers, which gave me some confidence, because I have had some success learning languages.

At the library, I also picked up a book on dreams. The book discusses how dreams can tell you many things about yourself. That there is meaning and important information that your unconscious may be trying to tell your conscious, like a kind of release. Sometimes we have mental blocks in our conscious mind that block out or avoid problems or issues in our life. Work, relationships, spirituality, etc, etc. But our unconscious still has to deal with them and may do so in the form of dreams. Actually, understanding and paying attention to your dreams can be a very helpful therapy! The book recommends writing a dream diary. When you wake up in the morning write down your dreams before you forget them. You may discover as you write about and analyze them, that they are very meaningful. Additionally, your unconscious may be able to answer questions that you have not been able to answer in your consciousness. Such as, what do I really want in life? Or how can I solve this problem. Try asking yourself these quesitons befor you go to sleep, and sometimes you may get answers back! However, its important to remember the dreams! Amd dreams may be encrypted, and we have to analyze them to understand them. So, the dream diary is very useful for getting practice for remembering and analyzation. We spend nearly a 3rd of out lives sleeping, why not try to make the most of it by interacting with your unconscious through dreams!

Finally, one this special day, my B-day, my family was very good to me. My mother made me banana bread and a fruit salad, my favorite snacks in the morning. And when she came back, she made some fish, mashed potatoes, a delicious salad, and mint ice cream for dessert! Again, some of my favorite things. I talked to my father, grandparents and friends by phone, and got lots of loving e-mails from my aunts and uncle! So I was very happy.

I was apprehensive to leave China last June, but I think it was the right decision now. To have a chance to see and spend good time with all my family this summer has been fantastic. I feel like in my heart, I have a lot of good energy going forward.