‘TED’ Talks to Me
Marcia Caller Jaffe shares what fuels her fire.
After 37 years with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and now with the AJT, , Jaffe’s focus is lifestyle, art, dining, fashion, and community events with emphasis on Jewish movers and shakers.
How many of us boomers have lamented, “If I could go back to college for the pure joy of learning without the pressure of tests and grades…”? I get inspiration and knowledge from “TED Talks,” a free app. With a goal of three a day for an hour walk in 15-minute segments, the topics are vast.
I lean towards Jewish-linked topics like an Israeli industrial psychologist suggesting what motivates people to respond to offers notes that the only sure bet for opening a text is from one’s child. Another researcher shares how Hebrew as an ancient language has been able to preserve itself, unlike many others. Then there was the Jewish widower whose wife had written a Jdate ad for him to attract the right woman, touting his positive characteristics. Lori Gottleib, a therapist, scored with “How Changing your Story Can Change Your Life.”
Talk about inspiration, … listen to the one about a teenager with dramatically disruptive Tourette syndrome finding her place by playing piano and composing music where the ticks vanish. Or the autistic lesbian who debuted as a stand-up comedian to great success.
Mix in science: What strides are being made with seaweed to combat climate change, what happens chemically when octopi fight, what really is inside cellphone hardware, what will quantum computers do for society (or not), urban architectural buildings simulating mountains? Don’t miss “The Link Between Fishing Cats and Mangrove Forest Conservation.”
The world is our oyster. It’s free and we are free to choose topics.
Marcia Caller Jaffe is a regular contributor to the AJT.
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