Anne Mahlum & Back on My Feet

This story dates back to 2007 when Anne Mahlum founded Back on My Feet in Philadelphia, but I saw it highlighted recently on a network news program. A runner since she was 16, Anne developed a rapport with some of the people at a homeless shelter she ran past every morning. After a while, she thought,

Why am I just running past them and leaving them there? Maybe running could make these guys feel as good as it makes me feel."

She lined up some donations for running shoes and founded Philly's first homeless running club. Since then it has expanded to eight other cities and includes a Next Steps program to help those who maintain 90% attendance running receive education, job training and financial assistance to help them find jobs and permanent housing. More than 600 program participants have found jobs and more than 400 have found housing since 2008.

This is an illustration of how something you enjoy can grow into something that can change lives. In addition, this brief bio of Anne explains that her running began as a reaction to problems at home. The story can also be used to illustrate how problems can have positive outcomes.

Me Music

It's been a while since I've come across anything worth posting, but "A Generation's Vanity, Heard Through Lyrics" definitely makes the cut today. The NY Times article is about a fascinating study of the lyrics of popular music from the last 30 years. The study was controlled for genre, so the results can't be blamed on rap or hip-hop.

What were the results? They concluded that music over the last 30 years has become more self-centered and angry.

“In the early ’80s lyrics, love was easy and positive, and about two people,” says Dr. Twenge, a psychologist at San Diego State University. “The recent songs are about what the individual wants, and how she or he has been disappointed or wronged.”

Not surprisingly,  

During this period, there have also been reports of higher levels of loneliness and depression — which may be no coincidence, according to the authors of the song-lyrics study. These researchers, who include Richard S. Pond of the University of Kentucky, note that narcissism has been linked to heightened anger and problems maintaining relationships.

Also, not surprisingly, not all researchers agree with the findings, although they match the results of decades of student questionnaires aimed at measuring narcissism.

This presents a pretty good example of how the power of words affects our thoughts and, ultimately, our actions. The question I have is, how can you best present this to a young audience without them getting defensive or dismissing it as an "attack" on their music?

Any thoughts?

Trouble in Utopia

Violence in the "master-planned, picture-perfect village" of Celebration, FL shows that no matter what things look like on the outside, we're all still sinners.

It's a Small Town After All.

Happy Old People

Happiness may come with age. If you've got a few grumpy old people around, you may find it hard to believe, but...