Day: October 13, 2008

apple, curiosity, education, ipod, itunes, Steve Jobs

Knowledge for free – courtesy of Apple

Christa Avampato

I might be a little late to the party on this one, though I am so excited I finally showed up. To iTunes U, that is. My friend, Janet, has made fun of me more than once about my addiction to school. I’m one of those people who takes notes at a museum exhibit – my friend, Steve, was glad to point out how completely weird this behavior is when we were at The Whitney several months ago. It’s true. I am an education addict (read: nerd). I’ve always been this way and truly, I’ve learned to embrace my nerdiness with wild abandon. 


The economy is having a tough time and formal education isn’t getting any cheaper. I was planning on taking some Spanish classes this winter, though at many colleges the cost is prohibitive, or at least I’d have to give up a substantial amount of money somewhere else in my budget to make those classes happen. In this economy, I’m a little worried about doing that. So what’s a nerdy girl to do? Head over to iTunes U….

Now, you won’t get a degree, the choice of schools is limited (for example, University of Virginia – my graduate school alma mater – does not participate. I am going to get to work on this right away, rest assured…my undergrad alma mater, UPenn, is on the list and I highly recommend it), and the class offerings are somewhat limited as well. However, every lecture, from every participating school, on every subject offered, is free. Yes, absolutely 100% FREE – no string attached. Click the “get” button right next to the lecture that interests you, and you’ll be downloading like there’s no tomorrow. A nerd’s dream come true. 

I’m so excited about this that I’m now up 20 minutes past my bedtime….but with so much to learn, who has time to sleep? I’m so thrilled with Apple that I could hug Steve Jobs right this moment…let’s hear it for endless curiosity!  
calm, economy, meditation, stress, yoga

Getting quiet

Christa Avampato

I am a long-time subscriber to Yoga Journal. I read it cover to cover every month. One of my favorite sections is the 10 pose sequence that has a specific focus. This month, the focus is “Inviting Quiet”. What can I say? I like a challenge.


I am a talker, a chatty Cathy in some circumstances. On the Myers-Briggs test, a couple of things stand out as truly odd. I am OFF THE CHARTS on extroversion and ambiguity. Give me a situation that is mired in ambiguity and deals with boatloads of people, and I’m as happy as a mouse in a cheese shop. 

I like engaging with people about 95% of my waking hours. And then in the other 5%, I hide away from the world. It’s important to note that without that 5% of hiding away from all humanity, that other 95% of the time with them is far less enjoyable. So while this introspection is small in quantity, the quality is critical. Yoga generates this necessary high quality.

I think about this need for quiet, even in the loudest lives, as I make my way to work each morning. There is a very short walk from my office building to my subway line. It’s not pretty, but I use it to center myself at the start and end of my day. It’s my gateway between my working life and my personal life. It is especially important in this churning economy to spend some time getting quiet, calming down our nerves, and turning inward to remind ourselves of what’s important. Getting quiet, at least for a short time, may be our only avenue through the noise all around us.