Week 5 Physics: on symmetry and asymmetry: a more personal take
My asymmetrical world -
My nose looks different on one side versus the other, my hair parts differently on one side than the other, my right foot is bigger than my left but my left calf seems bigger than my right, I have scoliosis which gives my waistline on the right a more dramatic curve compared to the left. I write with my right hand, not my left.
Unrequited (platonic) love!: I care about some of my family more than they care about me, and some of my family cares way more about me than I do about them! Some of my friends I feel like I try harder with than they do with me, and some of my friends seem to try so hard with me but not me with them (at relatively small asymmetries though, because I noticed in the past too much assymetry here meant that the relationship or friendship didn't have as much staying power).
I take more from the environment than I give back - I know this. I probably would need to plant at least... 50 trees a year to counteract all the to-go containers, forks, cups I've used; my occasionally long hot showers; if I run the sink too long when I wash dishes, that I "have" to wash my hair practically every day. A work in progress.
I'm working on giving back to my community via various volunteering, but in light of Oakland's rapid gentrification, homelessness increasing nearly 25% in the past two years, etc. - it is quite honestly still an asymmetrical relationship. Soon I hope to give back even more and be working as someone who is truly an addition to the community. Being a student though, I feel like I'm "on my way".
My symmetrical world -
If you were to fold my face in half on a diagonal, I think my two "beauty marks" (just big moles) would overlap. I would say my body is more symmetrical than not. I wake up tired, I go to bed tired - symmetry!
Growing up with a twin brother, I always felt like my experience was a bit unique. We shared a room until we were 5 and experienced some separation from our dad and sister at some point, so in that early stage of life he was the only constant besides our mom. However, an awkward symmetry occurred in occasionally dating one another's friends as teenagers - a big no-no! :P
When I lived abroad I taught English while studying Russian. It was a nice symmetry of knowing what it's like to be a language student and also a language teacher - most of our struggles were similar! But of course some of our struggles were unique in that the languages are unique, especially the grammar. Oi.
A great symmetry in life is how we are born dependent, wee, curious babes. And we age and once again become dependent. I hope to prolong that dependency as much as possible of course - and I also hope to live in a reformed society in which the dependency of our elders is not seen as such a burden. I also hope to maintain the curiousity that we come into this world with. I admire my next door neighbor, Timoon, she's one of the most curious people I know and very healthy for her age, very independent. I want to age gracefully like her and still be a curious cat.
My nose looks different on one side versus the other, my hair parts differently on one side than the other, my right foot is bigger than my left but my left calf seems bigger than my right, I have scoliosis which gives my waistline on the right a more dramatic curve compared to the left. I write with my right hand, not my left.
Unrequited (platonic) love!: I care about some of my family more than they care about me, and some of my family cares way more about me than I do about them! Some of my friends I feel like I try harder with than they do with me, and some of my friends seem to try so hard with me but not me with them (at relatively small asymmetries though, because I noticed in the past too much assymetry here meant that the relationship or friendship didn't have as much staying power).
I take more from the environment than I give back - I know this. I probably would need to plant at least... 50 trees a year to counteract all the to-go containers, forks, cups I've used; my occasionally long hot showers; if I run the sink too long when I wash dishes, that I "have" to wash my hair practically every day. A work in progress.
I'm working on giving back to my community via various volunteering, but in light of Oakland's rapid gentrification, homelessness increasing nearly 25% in the past two years, etc. - it is quite honestly still an asymmetrical relationship. Soon I hope to give back even more and be working as someone who is truly an addition to the community. Being a student though, I feel like I'm "on my way".
My symmetrical world -
If you were to fold my face in half on a diagonal, I think my two "beauty marks" (just big moles) would overlap. I would say my body is more symmetrical than not. I wake up tired, I go to bed tired - symmetry!
Growing up with a twin brother, I always felt like my experience was a bit unique. We shared a room until we were 5 and experienced some separation from our dad and sister at some point, so in that early stage of life he was the only constant besides our mom. However, an awkward symmetry occurred in occasionally dating one another's friends as teenagers - a big no-no! :P
When I lived abroad I taught English while studying Russian. It was a nice symmetry of knowing what it's like to be a language student and also a language teacher - most of our struggles were similar! But of course some of our struggles were unique in that the languages are unique, especially the grammar. Oi.
A great symmetry in life is how we are born dependent, wee, curious babes. And we age and once again become dependent. I hope to prolong that dependency as much as possible of course - and I also hope to live in a reformed society in which the dependency of our elders is not seen as such a burden. I also hope to maintain the curiousity that we come into this world with. I admire my next door neighbor, Timoon, she's one of the most curious people I know and very healthy for her age, very independent. I want to age gracefully like her and still be a curious cat.
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