"Shakespeare's Hamlet may cost ten dollars in the bookstore; what it means to us cannot be measured," Shaher. (p.58).

Actually, all what I've read today from Happier is interesting, but the quote above is most striking since it reveals a social habit which is we value the material more than the means. We cannot form happiness by depending on how much things cost, yet we can if we focus on whether or not theses things make us feel happy.

Thank you,

Ahmed Al-Tameemi

 

The Ultimate Currency

In his book " Happier," Shahar says that Marva Collins, a schoolteacher, in Chicago where a place for drugs and crime. In 1975, she established children school, Westside Preparatory, which receives the children who somehow were rejected by another schools and were about to wander in the streets. Collins used her house as a school and sometimes were struggling financially, but she persevered until her schools have expanded in states. Collins's schools developed students' confidence and gave them a hope in life after they had had no hope. Despite the prestigious positions that she could have accepted, she was feeling full delighted between students because happiness is not gold, money, or prestige. Happiness is the ultimate currency.

Do think that enhancing people life and leaving a good impact is worth more than gold and money, and it is that creates happiness? Why? Why not?


Ahmed

Summary

Potential and Happiness

In his book Happier, Shahar says that as long as we are pursuing worthy life, we have to use as much amount of energy as  we can to do that. Meanwhile, we have to think about the potentials. For  example, if woman wants to take an effective place in her country(potential for happiness), she could be happy also if she becomes teacher instead of being president. However,  It is not happiness to be happy without doing something which is challenging. The more we do, the more meaningful life and happier we get.


 Do you agree that getting happiness easily is not as same as with hard work? Why/ Why not ?


Thank you,

Ahmed Al-Tameemi

Hi,
Actually I got sad while reading today. The author mentions in Happiness Eexplained Section that the neurologist, Damasio, gives an real-life example of how the emotion and stimulation are connected.One of the Damasio's patients lost part of his brain after having a surgery of brain cancer. This lose makes him miss emotions. because of that, his wife left him, and he also lose his job.
I felt sad since it is so hard for the person to suffering from pain and in addition to that suffering, he loses the people.

Thank you,

Ahmed:)

Summary

Very respected company offered job to one of my students at Harvard, and she saw me and talked about that offer. She said that she had never thought to be involved in job she does not like. Although she had received many offers from other companies that she was interested in what they offered, she did not want to lose that very inspiring offer. Accordingly, she asked me whether I know when she can stop worrying about future and start getting happier, ( Ben-Sharer, Happier, p.25).

Event from Happier.

Do you think that you  easily resinged to helplessness? below, you can find whether or not you do.

In ''Happier'' book, there is an experiment was conducted by Seligman, which measure or show that. Seligman chose people and divided them into groups. Both groups were exposed to loud noise. The first group was able to stop the loud noise whereas the second could not. Later, when both groups were subjected to the same loud noise, and they could have turned it off if they had tried, those people in the second group did not try. They had resigned themselves to the predicament.

I chose this event because it made stop reading and think, In which group am I? And I want you to think too.

Thanks.

Shahar, my chosen independent book author. quoted " Building rituals requires defining very precise behaviors and perfuming them at very specific time- motivated them by deeply held values,"(Loher and Schwartz).

For me, this is totally true. Before I came to United States, I had been training as a weight lifter. I would go to gym four days per week, but sometimes if could not go, I was feeling sad, I was feeling just like I had committed a guilt. However, as soon as I had completed my exercises, I was getting happier and more energetic.

I think the meaning of happiness is waiting it; waiting for happiness is better than experience it because once I feel happy, definitely I will be sad after it. That is not because of sorrow or pain has come to me, but it is simply because of losing of that happiness. All happy moments are temporary.

Thanks,

Ahmed Al-Tameemi

My reaction:

The book that I chose to read is "Happier" which talks about the secrets of being happy. Once our teacher, Ruth, told us to read without stopping and without translating each unfamiliar word that would read, I tried to do what she said, and I found that reading in this way is very compelling and incentive. I have been told by L.L.M English native students that I will read more than 50 hours a week through the L.L.M program. I was a little worried about that, but since I read more than five pages in hour like in reading class yesterday, I have been encouraged to face reading challenges. 

Ahmed Al-Tameemi

My name is Ahmed. I was born in Baghdad, Iraq, and I grew up there. I graduated from college of law, Baghdad university, in 2007.
 I have set my goals and do my best to achieve them. If I achieve them,  that is good;otherwise, I believe that my God wants to give me the best.
I know It is a limited period of time we are spending here, but make sure that I will remember you for ever, it is part of my life.^_^

Happier, by Tal Ben-Shahar

	Class #1	Class #2	Class #3
Class name and # (Ag 113)	HD FS 229 Infant and Child Development	HIST 011 World History II
Days and time it meets  (MTW, 2:30-3:20)	MTWRF 11:10 AM - 12:25 PM	MTWRF 9:35 AM - 10:50 AM
Classroom (100 Thomas)	217 Thomas	211 HHD East
Professor’s name (last, first) and email	Doughty, Susan Elizabeth sed201@psu.edu       Philbrook, Lauren Elizabeth lzp125@psu.edu	Martin, Thomas P tpm171@psu.edu
Dates the class meets (5/19/14 - 6/27/14)	05/19/14 - 06/27/14	05/19/14 - 06/27/14
Reason you’re interested in observing it	I like children and I would like to know more about them.	History is one of my interests, and it is somehow related to my major which is Law

to Radio Park Elementary School trip

1-I expected that I will spend a good and funny time with children because I love them, when we went there I found more than my expectation. I cannot describe it but I simply want to visit that school again. It is unforgettable day.
 I wish I could take photo with kids, but it is not allowed.

2- It is the best school I have ever seen. It is well organized. I liked the that teachers deals children with and the children behavior. The most thing that I love is the teacher mange the time perfectly. I like the atmosphere, wall colors, materials and the teacher. I will talk about that when I come back to my country.

3 I think every thing was good, and all my classmates were having fun with kids and handle them nicely and make them happy.However, I recommend the IECP students to ask Ruth to extend the time of trip to stay there as much as they can.

Thank you very much. It is the most assignment that I have loved in IECP!!!

Summary of the article

Fighting Childhood Obesity

"A lot of parents call and say that their child… is overweight … they do not want to bring up their weight, because they do not make them feel badly about it" Cindy Zedeck, the director of Packard Pediatric Control Program Weight says. This program helps families that register on how to deal with the problem of obesity their children suffer from in order to solve it.

Six months is the period that a course takes in the program. The program uses a traffic light system to illustrate which kinds of food should be reduced; soda and cookies are reds, and other foods are yellows. So, soda and cookies should not be eaten constantly. It is not a diet- a word that children must not hear at all. It is just course to learn eating and exercise habit.

Gabriel Rodriguez, 11 years old, was suffering from obesity. After he completed six months in program, he succeeded in reducing his red lights from 90 to 30 a month. He and his mother go monthly to PPWCP to make sure that Gabriel is keeping his habits he has had.

In closing, the program was established in 1999. Since that time, about 80 percent of the overweight kids have reached their aims. In addition, this program helps families to avoid the high costs of seeing the pediatricians.

Summarized by Ahmed.

Classes to observe

	Class #1	Class #2	Class #3
Class name and # (for ex.: Ag 113)	321883	322534	320938
Days and time it meets  (MTWRF,  2:30-3:20)	W F 2:30 PM - 3:45 PM	W 2:30 PM - 4:25 PM	T R 2:30 PM - 4:25 PM
Classroom	114 Katz Hall - Carlisle	114 Katz Bldg - UP	114 Katz Bldg - UP
Professor’s name	SUSAN FARMER	GRACE ELLA D'ALO	Reilly, Marie Therese
Professor’s email	sbf2@psu.edu	ged115@psu.edu	mtr12@psu.edu
Reason you’re interested in observing it	Its description sounds interesting, and it is my major.	Its description sounds interesting, and it is my major.	Its description sounds interesting, and it is my major.

My name is Ahmed. I was born in Baghdad, Iraq, and I grew up there. I graduated from college of law, Baghdad university, in 2007.
 I have set my goals and do my best to achieve them. If I achieve them,  that is good;otherwise, I believe that my God wants to give me the best.
I know It is a limited period of time we are spending here, but make sure that I will remember you for ever, it is part of my life.^_^