In his foreword, Theodore Ziolkowski tries to translate what famous author and 1929 Nobel Prize winner Thomas Mann considered to be the parody of The Glass Bead Game, and having skimmed over the entire foreword prior to reading the novel, I am glad to find my reaction similar to that of Mann’s. Ziolkowski writes, “It is easy, too easy, to be sober and grave.” He says this like he is in agreement with Mann’s feelings and the foreword, from what I could gather, is really a pro-Mann and pro-Hesse writing, and it serves the start of the novel very nicely.

The book might confuse many readers because it is long and what some might consider overwrought. But, for those who consider it overworked, with this foreword the reader receives confirmation that his ideas of the text aren’t far-fetched or an insult to Hesse, but rather they’re in line with the thoughts of some great writers and most likely Hesse himself.

The determination that exudes from the young Knecht is most impressive as we find him being led along by the preceding Magister Ludi. Hesse writes, “Something was in the wind; he sensed it; but now it was far less a source of joy than it had been.” This sentence is in reference to the Magister’s feelings toward the young Knecht, who is seen by the Magister as being a young version of himself. And it is because of this that Knecht takes his part in a long line of Castalians. Knecht, as I’ve said, was born into the lot, losing his parents at a young age and displaying the tremendous gifts of the secluded sect.

Those in Castalia see things differently and react to situations much differently, but they still display normal human emotion, only in seclusion much like monks do. But all different vocations have their set of rules, their sets of personalities. Most of the people involved with the vocation have heard a calling to it and those who find themselves unfortunately a part of something to which they have not been called are left with nothing but feelings of torture which will expel them out of their thought-to-be calling.

The teacher/sage-pupil relationship is at the heart of The Glass Bead Game. Knecht, while taking his place in the Castalian lineage, witnessed the death of his mentor, the preceding Magister Ludi. He was given the honor of speaking at the Magister’s funeral. Hesse writes this of the occasion: “(Knecht) spoke only of the grace of such an old age and death, of the immortal beauty of the spirit which had been revealed through (The Magister Ludi) to those who had shared his last days.” Clearly Knecht looked lovingly upon the Magister and in many ways modeled his life after him, but I won’t go as far as to say that Knecht viewed the Magister as his savior. No, Knecht was really too bright to put something so simply because Knecht took what was necessary from every given situation; he was a genius concerning life, but even the genius of life had to endure his share of temptations.

Though, even when a man of intelligence and learned grace embarks upon the temptations which life has thrown his way, he does so with a personal strength and tremendous concentration which only those living in the present can exude. Knecht was a light house displaying brightness to all those who came near him both in his lifetime and then following his lifetime through his writings and the many stories of him that would emerge.

In The Glass Bead Game, Hesse takes us through Knecht’s whole life but only stops to describe in detail certain periods and, if we’re lucky, certain conversations in which Knecht had engaged. At the end of “The Legend” chapter, Knecht is with his new pupil Tito after having left Castalia for a life out in the world. They awake one morning and Knecht finds Tito outside near a lake. Hesse writes, “Knecht gave him a friendly nod.” This nod says much of Knecht, justifying the great descriptions that Hesse has given us of the man, “the legend.”

Hesse has a way of doing that in his stories, like all great writers do: justifying his descriptions by giving us gestures performed by the characters which serve as selling points to the reader. I’ve not come across a writer I like more than Hermann Hesse for that very reason; his characters are always thorough and only unrealistic to those not willing to dream along with Hesse himself.

The Glass Bead Game is one of my favorite novels and it might become one of yours too, but patience is required. I’m glad I read it.

So as to not exclude those who are under 21 from more fun then they are already missing out on, here’s the gist. $2 Bob is an older man that goes to the bars and hands out $2 bills to girls that he encounters. He wears a $2 Bob hat, so you can’t miss him in the crowds, and carries tons of personalized $2 Bob trinkets with him. Most girls find him creepy, but after talking to Bob for a few minutes one night, I realized that he’s not a “creepy old man”, but in reality, he’s harmless and actually quite introverted.

$2 Bob poses with editor Heather Delp

After wondering about $2 Bob for too long, I decided to ask him if he would do an interview for BU Now. I knew that there had to be an interesting story behind this man and I wanted people to see that he’s not as bad as some might think. He had no problem with it, and after a couple months I was finally able to track him down on Thursday night at Good Old Days for a chat.

I found $2 Bob roaming around upstairs, so I brought him down to the table where my friends and I were sitting. As we passed the bar, Bob asked me if I wanted a drink. I didn’t think drinking another would be great for my interviewing skills, but I didn’t want to be rude, so of course I accepted. I got out my list of questions, pulled up a chair for Bob, and away we went.

$2 Bob is a 62-year-old man who has been married for 40 years. He is the father of three sons, and the grandfather of six grandchildren, with the oldest being five. He is looking forward to Christmas when his family will be reunited and he will be able to see all of his grandkids from Arkansas, Boston, and Pennsylvania. He is the president of a local insurance company and has a business degree from Penn State. Bob likes to go to the movies with his wife on the weekends, and when I asked him what his wife is doing right now, he said “reading”.

One of my big questions for Bob was what his wife thinks about him frequenting the bars. He replied, “as long as I don’t drink and only go out 2-3 nights a week, it’s tolerated”. Yes, you read right, $2 Bob doesn’t drink. You will almost always see him with a drink in hand, but it’s usually soda or cranberry juice. His drink of choice used to be gin and tonic with lime, or a Corona with lime. Fortunately, $2 Bob has been sober since August 30, 1998, which is over eleven years of sobriety.

The front of $2 Bob's business card

$2 Bob said his problem with alcohol started as a way to “self-medicate for severe OCD”, which is obsessive complusive disorder. It was his wifes idea for him to become sober, but he also agrees that it was a good idea. He voluntarily went to the outpatient alcohol program at Geisinger Medical Center, and after weighing the pros and cons, he realized that choosing sobriety was his only option.

Even though $2 Bob doesn’t drink, he says it’s still fun to go to the bar and talk to the students. His transformation from an average guy to a Bloomsburg staple at the local watering holes happened by accident. Bob revealed that he adopted the $2 Bob persona six years ago when he randomly stopped at Harry’s. After awhile, people expected him to have $2 bills and now he says that is part of the reason why he continues to be $2 Bob.

The biggest question I had for Bob was the most obvious, how do you get so many $2 bills and why? Bob says, “the bank orders them in lots of $1500 from the federal reserve”. He also told me that he has always had $2 bills since he was a boy because his grandfather worked at a race track. Bob spends between 40-50 dollars a night giving out his unique bills and says that he has never run out of money. If you have ever seen Bob’s wad of bills, you shouldn’t be surprised. I asked Bob how he can afford to give away money and he replied, “I don’t have any other expensive hobbies except my Penn State season tickets”.

$2 Bob is a relatively normal guy who might have more in common with you than you think. Bob takes one class a semester at Bloomsburg University to get away from work. He says he mostly takes history and pyschology courses, so you might even see $2 Bob around campus. Bob also has his favorite bill as a permanent part of his body. A huge $2 bill is tattooed on his upper back, so no matter what, Bob will always have a $2 bill with him.

Stamps with a picture of $2 Bob and his tattoo

All in all, $2 Bob answered all of my questions and was a great sport about me prying into his personal life. At the end of the interview, Bob left me with this quote, “if people get that much enjoyment out of it, then so do I”. Most people wouldn’t consider a bar the best spot for a recovering alcoholic to hang out, but it seems to be doing more good than harm for Bob. In fact, I give props to Bob for being able to resist alcohol for eleven years while spending at least one day a week at the bar! Hopefully, this article has shed some good light on a quirky but harmless man that you shouldn’t be afraid to talk to and get to know.

Besides, you might even make a few bucks.

Do you have a professor that is exceptionally outstanding? Show your appreciation!

If you will be graduating in December 2009, either undergraduate or graduate, you are invited to nominate an outstanding professor. From now until December 11^th at 4:00 p.m., students can nominate their favorite professor for the Outstanding Teaching Award, sponsored by the Teaching and Learning Enhancement Center (TALE).

Two professors will be selected by a panel after careful consideration of the entrees. Nominations will be combined with May/August graduate nominations and the two winners will be announced at the May 2010 graduation ceremonies.

The two selected professors will receive a plaque that is awarded to them, and their name will be added to a plaque in the TALE Center. The professors also receive a monetary award that may be used toward any professional development, including, but not limited to, attending a conference, furthering education, or supplies that will enhance their programs.

Students who nominated previous award winning teachers expressed that the professors are enthusiastic and have excellent instructing style, sincere concern with students’ success, and have served as role models as professionals for students. The panel for this selection consists of a professor from each college that has previously received this award and a co-chairperson from the TALE Center.

All nominations and essays will be kept entirely confidential. A professor may only receive the award once every ten years.

Go to http://iit.bloomu.edu/award now to start your nomination!

If you have any problems with the form for submission contact, contact Lisa Stallbaumer-Beishline at lstallba@bloomu.edu or 570-389-4310 in the Teaching and Learning Enhancement Center (TALE), located in 1231 McCormick.

Exercising daily can reduce the number of injuries and accidents for older adults.  According to University of Memphis researchers of The American Journal of Chinese Medicine (2007), “The estimated cost of injury from falls of the elderly in 1984 reached $3.7 billion and in 1987 falls were the leading cause of accidental death.”  Losing muscle mass and diminishing bone density are a few common developments accompanying with aging that make the risk of accidental related injuries for older adults more frequent.  The same group of researchers indicated that “6% of the elderly population may incur major injuries from a fall and 1% may result in hip fractures” (Li, Devault, Oteghen, 2007).

Providing resistance training for older adults can be a helpful measure in lowering the risk of injury.  Resistance training helps increase muscle hypertrophy (muscle mass gains) and helps to maintain and strengthen the muscular skeleton.  Many older adults may not be familiar with how to properly use weight lifting equipment; however a personal trainer or fitness instructor can help to design a workout plan, show clients how to correctly perform each exercise, and provide supervision to guide elders towards fitness goals that meet their individual needs.

Selecting and adapting exercises that focus on using the core muscles with stability balls and medicine balls will help improve seniors’ balance, coordination, stability, mobility, and flexibility in a continuing series of small steps that will lower the likelihood of injuries occurring.  Overtime, an elder who has incorporated resistance training into their lives will strengthen his bones and this causes less strain and pain in the body throughout everyday activities than for someone who remains sedentary the rest of his life.  For instance, a sedentary elderly individual trying to work outside in a garden may suffer with more lower back pain than an elder who participates in a form of exercise daily. Moreover, exercise also appears to increase longevity in elders.  A study published in The New York Times indicates that there were “slightly fewer than 7 percent of the active 85-year-olds died by age 88, versus about 24 percent of those who were inactive” (“Exercise Can Extend Survival Even in ‘Oldest Old’ ”, 2009).  Decreasing a number of hazardous and problematic health conditions can be possible through the beneficiary effects of exercise.

Aerobic activity can reduce the risk of developing some debilitating conditions, and can lessen the severity of others for the elderly.  Struck and Ross (2006) indicated that  “rates of illness and disability increase sharply for those individuals older than age 85, resulting in loss of ability to perform activities of daily living (ADL) and instrumental activities of daily living (LADL).” Along with age, come long term problems that create worry, frustration, and limit the quality of life for older adults on a daily basis.

The risk of heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, and obesity are just some of the many chronic diseases that affect the population of the older generation.  Researchers at the University of Dundee looking at chronic heart failure (CHF) concluded, “Exercise training has the potential to improve the disabling tiredness and breathlessness that limit daily activities for people with CHF, thus improving their functional ability and quality of life” (McMurdo, M. E.T., Struthers, A. D., Witham, M.D., 2003).  Diminishing or reducing these health problems can be challenging, but incorporating aerobic exercises that strengthen the cardiovascular system and the heart also helps decrease the likelihood of an elder having a stroke or cardiac infarction (heart attack).

Two other common chronic conditions impacting the lives of the elderly that can be mitigated through exercise are obesity and fatigue.  Another long-term killer in today’s world is obesity.  Obesity contributes to high blood cholesterol levels and high blood pressure which can be very detrimental for elders. University of Oklahoma researchers Bryan Struck and Karen Ross (2006) found that “physical activity has also been shown to lower systolic blood pressure by 8.4 points in sedentary adults over age 60 without the use of medication.”  Obesity also increases the risk of developing diabetes.  Diabetes then contributes to heart diseases. These long term effects are linked together in a chain that may alter an elder’s lifestyle.  Increasing the total lung capacity for older individuals helps them endure more physical activity before reaching fatigue.  Living day to day with these critical problems may be difficult; however, providing exercise opportunities, especially when these include aerobic activities, will show only positive outcomes.

Providing an appropriate environment for exercise can diminish the emotional toll of aging.  Most of the elderly experience a stage of psychological depression in their later lives.  For instance, losing a loved one, such as a family member, husband, or wife that has passed away can be hard for adults, but extremely devastating for the elderly.  In another case, just being alone year after year can emotionally affect the mindset of an older individual.  For example, an elderly lady living in a nursing home without contact from any members of her family nor having a soul mate can be a lonely emotional rollercoaster to ride. Exercise boosts an individual’s metabolism which can then increase his appetite, energy level, and mental awareness, as well as improve his overall physical health, all leading to a healthier, emotional, and psychological state.

There are some options for addressing the loneliness and isolation often experienced by the elder generation through activity.  Providing an appropriate environment is key.  Most senior citizens may never think about joining a gym due to the intimidation factor.  For example, professional athletes like body builders and power lifters tend to scream and yell when training, which ultimately moves older adults away from this type of environment.  However, providing health clubs and fitness centers for senior citizens such as “Curves” http://www.curves.com/can provide many physical benefits as well as helping to alleviate psychological tensions.  Local health clubs and fitness centers that accommodate the elderly provide great opportunities for exercise that can accomplish two goals.   One, it helps boost the spirits of the elders, and second, it provides benefits for their overall health.

Photo Courtesy of www.perinton.org

Programs in health clubs such as “Silver Sneakers” www.silversneakers.com can allow older adults to come to the gym on a regular basis and participate in fitness classes, programs, and seminars that accommodate their needs, including regimens that incorporate the use of wheel chairs,

walkers, or canes.  These programs, taught by certified instructors, deliver beneficial workouts and allow older adults to interact and socialize with others to meet new friends or buddies to work out with, or even find a new soul mate to love.  Older adults do not have to be alone.  Memberships to fitness centers can decrease loneliness as people come together in an elder-friendly environment.

Providing exercise for the elderly brings only positive outcomes both physically and mentally.  Dr. Jeremy Jacobs, a geriatric specialist at Hadassah Hebrew University Medical Center in Jerusalem, says, “As little as four hours a week was a beneficial as more vigorous or prolonged activity” (“Exercise Can Extend Survival Even in ‘Oldest Old’ ”, 2009).  Reducing the number of health concerns related to aging and addressing chronic conditions may be difficult, but incorporating forms of resistance training and aerobic exercise into older adults’ lives can help to eliminate these problems and can play a critical role in helping to reduce further development of chronic illnesses.  The 1996 Surgeon General’s report on physical activity states that “no one is too old to enjoy the benefits of regular physical activity” (Struck & Ross, 2006).  Becoming involved in a fitness atmosphere around groups of people can help brighten the spirit of the elderly.   Incorporating an enjoyable form of exercise, whether it is resistance or aerobic exercises, into the lives of the elderly population can narrow the negative aspects of aging and provide benefits towards improving the overall health of their minds, bodies, and souls.

References

Exercise can extend survival even in ‘oldest old’ says The New York Times. (2009, September 14).  Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com.

Li, Y., Devault, C. N., Oteghen, S. V. (2007).  Effects of extended tai chi intervention on balance and selected motor factions of the elderly.  The American Journal of Chinese Medicine. 35(3) 383-391.  Retrieved from http://www.worldscinet.com/ajcm.

McMurdo, M. E. T., Struthers, A. D., Witham, M.D. (2003, May).  Exercise training as a therapy for chronic heart failure: Can older people benefit?  The Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.  51(5) 699-709.  Retrieved from http://www.wiley.com/bw/journal.asp?ref=0002-8614.

Struck, B. D., Ross, K. M. (2006, May).  Health promotion in older adults: Prescribing exercise for the frail and home bound.  Geriatrics.  61(5) 22-27.  Retrieved from http://www.geri.com.

The cast is a group of fun loving and passionate individuals who love to perform and educate the students of Bloom about the realities of being a young individual. There were two Acts, each act consisting of 4 scenes. The scene names in this episode were Secrets at the Cemetery, The Vitamin and Her Voices, Karaoke Bingo Night, The Sad Stigma, (Act Two) SGA Meeting, Intimate Glee Clubbers, A lesson, a Lie and The Guys’ Reality.

Each act was interesting and kept you intrigued because they were very relatable to the every day student, just not at Bloom but in general. The acts brought awareness to many topics that I, and any student, could relate to. Topics such as drinking and how fun it can be, but how if abused can ruin even inseparable loving relationships.

This episode also included situations involving teen pregnancy-how to deal with it in the most responsible way, family struggles-who to talk to when you feel like no one can understand, not even your closest friends. Also racism was spoken about, and how it still sadly exists today and the obvious reasons why it shouldn’t be.

Being a young adult at college is stressful in itself, let a lone when there are outside sources affecting your life too. Busted is a great performance to see if you want to be able to feel like you’re really not the only one going through something stressful. They lighten up the mood with their humorous acting, upbeat music, funky dancing and positive attitudes.
The cast of BUSTED will perform again December 7th. Come watch!

Front Page Photo Courtesy of http://www.bloomca.org/BUSTED/index2.html

Professor Witte's empty Feature Writing class, Friday 9:00 a.m., photo courtesy of Matt Hartman

The obvious response to this question is why are you in college if you aren’t going to put in full effort?  If you are really here to continue your education, why would you short yourself by skipping class?  Attending class is obviously important and can be a huge help, not only to your grade, but to what you actually take out of the class- the real learning that takes place.  But let’s face it; some of the classes we take are only because the curriculum forces us to take them.  I have zero interest in science and math, but I had to take 12 credits, almost an entire semester’s worth of classes.

Bus stop, corner of Glenn Ave. and North Iron Street, photo courtesy of Matt Hartman

I decided to try to find out how some other students felt, so I put together a small little survey.  The survey included a couple simple questions about attendance and I received about 25 student responses.  Not surprisingly, the results ended up being a lot like my thoughts.  Only 1 out of 25 students thought that attending class in college should be mandatory.  Most of the 25 students said that they attend class often, but not every class.  I feel like that is typical, sometimes there are circumstances when a student cannot (or chooses not) to attend: sickness, work, studying for another class, or other circumstances.

“I knew the information and did well on the assignments, but sometimes attendance brought my grades down,” said Nick Searles, a recent BU graduate.

Another question that I asked in the survey was whether or not students thought that attending classes in upper level classes in their major was more important than attending a 100 level gen-ed intro course, and 20 out of the 25 people said yes.

I cannot speak for others, but I think that students want to be at the upper level courses, because one day, they will hopefully be a professional, working and using the information they learned in these upper level courses.

Even though I do not think attendance should be mandatory, I think that students that do not come to class should not be able to make up missed work or hand in assignments late.  If you decide not to come to class, you should not get the benefits that students that attend get, but you should not get penalized for missing.

One student waits for bus before 11:00 a.m. Friday morning, photo courtesy of Matt Hartman

According to Bloomsburg University’s policy on class attendance, “Regular classroom attendance is expected of all students.”

Bloomsburg’s policy on attendance does excuse a student if he or she misses class as a result of extenuating circumstances beyond a student’s control, including personal illness, death or critical illness in the immediate family, participation in a university-sponsored activity, or participation in a short term, obligatory military or military reserve activity.  In these cases, a student that misses an assignment should be allowed to make-up the work within a reasonable amount of time.

“I believe that it is the teacher’s responsibility to make class more valuable for the student than whatever else they could be doing,” said Professor Oliver Witte, an instructor in the Mass Communications department.

I understand why the university and professors would want us to attend class; if students attend class more often, participation will be higher and classroom discussions can be held creating a better learning environment.  But, as long as the students are doing the homework and passing quizzes and tests, should they really receive a lower grade for not being in class?  I don’t think so, at least not until the professors or university start paying the students’ tuition bill.

What do you think?

Here are a couple links of other people’s opinions

http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2007/05/01/absent/

www.csmonitor.com/2002/0129/p15s01-lehl.html