Spark KU

I was having lunch with a friend of mine on Friday and she told me about an event later that evening called Spark KU. As soon as she told me I was like this sounds awesome, I want to go.

This event had applied to be an independent TED talk--yeah. It got denied, so called it Spark. And that's essentially what it was--it was like a mini TED conference and it was awesome.

There were 7 speakers and the KU a capella group (Genuine Imitation). I took copious notes and just want to type them up here so I have them elsewhere than my messy notebook.

Dan Deeble--Pastor at Heartland Community Church

• Started with a story of his 6 year old daughter asked a lot of questions about church/God
• To doubt, to ask questions, to grapple is so important
• A great learner begins with doubts
• "If a man will begin with certainties he will end in doubts; but if he is content to begin with doubts, he will end in certainties" -Francis Bacon
• Good doubt v. bad doubt
• Good doubt
• Is humble
• Asks questions
• Is vulnerable
• Is intellectually curious
• Allows for mystery
• Where the spark begins
• Bad doubt
• Is prideful
• Is closed off
• Makes statements
• Is calloused
• Demands certainty
• Is superior
• Is cynical
• "It's okay to be exactly where you are, but not okay to stay there"
• To remove doubt
• Make a doubt list
• Find someone to share your doubts with
• Doubt your doubt
• Practice your doubt

Riddhiman Das--PhD candidate in Biometrics

• Born in 1990 in India
• Wrote his own programming code, started 3 companies, worked at Google, and Facebook
• Technologist of the year
• UMKC--computer science, math, entrepreneurship
• "I had many things taken away from me, I still made it...so can you."

Amy Long--Greek Life, Associate Director

• Moved from Iowa-->Oregon-->KS
• Invest in yourself and experiences
• Build relationships, be vulnerable
• What are the little opportunities I can say yes to in order to grow, shape myself, etc. so that when the big ones come I can say yes to that
• Stretch myself
• What opportunities should I take a risk on?
• "If someone offers you an amazing opportunity and you're not sure you can do it, say yes--then learn how to do it later." -Richard Brason
• When someone is willing to take a chance on me, believes in me, I need to be willing to say yes

Dan Low--MFA, current KU Student #THENEWMYTHOLOGY

• Human beings are a special kind of being because we question how to be
• Want to fulfill potential, transform into how we can be
• Social media--digital entity that relies solely on user

Cody Charles--Academic Enrichment Program for OMA, Associate Director 

• Started with "How did I make it?"--grew up poor, southern Baptist, in a shack
• Mom left him when he was 7, was bullied, shamed, wanted to disappear
• "Angels", people who influenced him
• "You can go to college" --Teacher
• "I saw that and it's not okay" --Spoke when he couldn't
• "You belong here", Introduced to staff, helped him become part of a community. --RA

Curtis Marsh--KU Info

• Everyone is a juggler
• Used prop of juggling (switching hands)
• People ask about 300 questions/day to KU Info
• Don't judge people for their questions
• Seek an answer for any and all questions (even the ones that seem ridiculous)
• Take on perspective
• Get people to do what you want them to do because they believe in you and where you are going
• Lead by creative buy in
• Perspective and balance
• Where are you coming from? How did you get here? Where are you going?

Dr. Shane Lopez--Lead Researcher at Gallup

• 70% of Americans hate their jobs (Newspaper heading)
• Reality: hate=not engaged
• Health is worse if you hate your job
• Researched people who loved their jobs
• It is my responsibility to find a job that is a good job for me
• When we make things, we love things more
• Time spent, people engaged, feeling like you matter
• Test drive the future
• Trust your gut
• Play to your strengths
• Craft your job
• Shop for the right boss
• Individualizes to me
• Wants to inspire me
• Sets high standards and doesn't compromise on them

Handed to Me

So I have kind of had everything handed to me, everything I thought I wanted, everything I have been looking for, I kind of had it all.

I had a job offer at an awesome agency.
The boy and I decided to try to start a relationship.
I have gotten hooked into a great church.
I have fantastic friendships here.

But. I have realized it still wasn't what I really wanted.
I decided to turn down the offer.
I told the boy that if he wants to be in a relationship with me, he will need a lot of patience because I'm not easy to get to know.
I technically only have two more Sundays at the church.

The big thing is the job right now. I don't know if turning it down was the right thing or not. I don't know if that was stupid of me or good of me.

But I felt like it was a bigger decision than just the job.
I didn't know if it was more important to prove to myself that I'm not that prideful.
Of if it was more important to prove to myself that I'm worth more.

It really would have been a great first place to work. The agency is great. The people are great. The job itself is not. The pay is definitely not. It was tough to decide.

I also feel like I've been so caught up in how I should be feeling about all of this, that I haven't really allowed myself to feel how I'm actually feeling.

The biggest thing I have learned in social work is that no feeling is bad. It's okay to feel however you feel, there is no wrong way.

Sometimes though, I'm too practical to just let myself feel. And that's the mode I'm definitely in right now.