Word: oneself
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: all
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
...beauty of a tree in Kirkland House courtyard or the excitement of tourists photographing buildings, squirrels and each other is much more likely to make me smile than any attempt to convince myself that the big picture suggests I should feel happy. I recommend against trying to philosophize oneself into a happy mood; so far, it has never worked for me, while ice cream and funny movies have an impeccable track record...
It’s not as bad as it could be; after all, Wordsworth had an undistinguished academic career, right? (Being an English major, I compare myself to literary figures.) But problems occur when one compares oneself to other Harvard graduates; for example, take my own personal tormentor, John Updike. Updike came to Harvard on scholarship in the early 50s, earning excellent marks throughout his undergraduate career (the only black mark on his record being his presidency of the Harvard Lampoon). He graduated summa cum laude and immediately went to work for The New Yorker, shortly after which he published...
...race. And even when Bly finally achieves victory, Tanto takes the opportunity to remind him that “it doesn’t last.” No good guys or bad guys need apply; the goal is not to beat the other guy, but to beat oneself...
...these “reprehensible actions” have a moral: “there is an imbalance of power that Israel has the ability to remedy.” Does she mean that the Israeli government must provide its Palestinian attackers with better arms? May one only defend oneself against an equally strong enemy? Because it has better military capabilities, Asnes implies, Israel is necessarily in the moral wrong. While the more powerful side in a conflict has greater ability to oppress the weaker side, logic—and reality—permit the opposite. So while...
Leah wanders among the students, propelling the class forward even as she stops to adjust an arm angle here or perform a thyroid-massaging chin tuck there. She urges noncompetition, with oneself ("However you do the posture today is how you should do the posture") and with others ("How can you compare yourself to your neighbor? You don't have the same body!"). Her monologue becomes a mantra, returning my oft-wandering focus back to the pose I'm attempting. Where is my center of balance? Can I feel my spine stretch if I imagine my head and tailbone pulling...