My father was always a good gardener. One of my earliest memories is standing without shoes in the freshly tilled soil, my hands blackened from digging in the ground.

    As a child, I loved following Dad around in the garden. I remember Dad pushing the tiller(耕作机) ahead in perfectly straight lines. Dad loved growing all sorts of things: yellow and green onions, watermelons almost as big as me, rows of yellow corn, and our favorite — red tomatoes.

    As I grew into a teenager, I didn't get so excited about gardening with Dad. Instead of magical land of possibility, it had turned into some kind of prison. As Dad grew older, his love for gardening never disappeared. After all the kids were grown and had started families of their own, Dad turned to gardening like never before. Even when he was diagnosed with cancer, he still took care of his garden.

    But then, the cancer, bit by bit, invaded his body. I had to do the things he used to do. What really convinced me that Dad was dying was the state of his garden that year. The rows and rows of multicolored vegetables were gone. Too tired to weed them, he simply let them be. He only planted tomatoes.

    For the first few years after he died, I couldn't even bear to look at anyone's garden without having strong memories pour over me like cold water from a bucket. Three years ago, I decided to plant my own garden and started out with just a few tomatoes. That morning, after breaking up a fair amount of soil, something caught the corner of my eye and I had to smile. It was my eight-year-old son Nathan, happily playing in the freshly tilled soil.

Assistant Professor, Musical Theatre Dance

    Wichita State University seeks to hire a full-time, 9-month, assistant professor, beginning August, 2016. Applicants are required to have a degree in dance, teaching experience at the professional or college level, ability to direct and ability to teach stage movement. Salary depends on qualifications and experience.

For complete information see http://finearts.wichita.edu.

Associate/Full Professor in Theatre and Dance

    The Department of Theatre & Dance at the University of California at San Diego (http://www-theatre.ucsd.edu/) is seeking an experienced theatre artist in lighting design. Significant professional experience is required.

A review of applications will start on June 1, 2016. Application deadline: September 1, 2016.

Technical Director in Performing and Fine Arts

    DeSales University's Performing and Fine Arts Department seeks a highly skilled, professional technical director. The position is a 10-month, staff position with the possibility for summer employment with the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival. BA degree or equivalent professional experience is required; MFA is preferred.

    Please email materials to john.bell@desales.edu. Screening of applications begins immediately and will continue until the position is filled.

Assistant Director of Media Resources Center

    Maryland Institute College of Art is seeking an Assistant Director of Media Resources Center in the Academic Affairs Division.

    Position qualifications include a degree in Art History or related field with knowledge of art and design history, library experience, excellent interpersonal and communication skills and familiarity with Photoshop and scanning.

    A review of applications will begin immediately. Applicants may email a letter of interest to jobs@mica.edu. Salary differs depending on your experience. Please include desired salary in your letter of interest.

Application

    Interested persons should electronically submit a cover letter highlighting their experience and qualifications, and names of three professional references with phone and email contact information using the Apply Now link above.

    A new study shows students who write notes by hand during lectures perform better on exams than those who use laptops(笔记本电脑)．

    Students are increasingly using laptops for note­taking because of speed and legibility(清晰度)．But the research has found laptop users are less able to remember and apply the concepts they have been taught.

    Researchers performed experiments that aimed to find out whether using a laptop increased the tendency to make notes “mindlessly” by taking down word for word what the professors said.

    In the first experiment，students were given either a laptop or pen and paper. They listened to the same lectures and were told to use their usual note­taking skills. Thirty minutes after the talk，they were examined on their ability to remember facts and on how well they understood concepts.

    The researchers found that laptop users took twice as many notes as those who wrote by hand. However，the typists performed worse at remembering and applying the concepts. Both groups scored similarly when it came to memorizing facts.

    The researchers' report said，“While more notes are beneficial，if the notes are taken mindlessly，as is more likely the case on a laptop，the benefit disappears.”

    In another experiment aimed at testing long­term memory，students took notes as before but were tested a week after the lecture. This time，the students who wrote notes by hand performed significantly better on the exam.

    These two experiments suggest that handwritten notes are not only better for immediate learning and understanding，but that they also lead to superior revision in the future.

    Sharon, Aged 22

    The most important thing to keep in mind when going into high school is to be yourself. Besides, I don't know what your middle school was like, but high school teachers will not care about things such as how much homework you already have in one night. It's best to just learn to deal with things and manage your time wisely so you can achieve everything you need to.

    Frank, Aged 21

    I think almost every kid feels both nervous and excited before their first day. You will probably love it. I know I did. You should join some sports or activities that will make your high school experience more enjoyable. Good luck!

    Eddie, Aged 20

    When I started high school I was really nervous too, especially since I had been homeschooled （自主学习，在家教育）all through middle school and didn't really know anyone. I suppose the best advice would be to just relax. The first couple of days can be a little bit hard, but things will become easier before you know it.

    David, Aged 19

    I'm not going to lie. The first day is kind of frightening(令人恐惧的). But you'll get used to it. Don't be afraid of anyone; upperclassmen（高年级学生） will pick on（招惹） you more if you let them know you're afraid. Just take it easy. Making some friends and staying with them will greatly help you get used to high school quickly. After the first week it's really not bad at all. Don't worry.

    Today, the Chinese traditions of Qixi have combined with Western celebrations of love and romance. Lovers often use flowers, chocolates, sweet gifts or grand declarations to express feelings deep in their hearts.

    But this year, you could let your love take off by traveling with that special someone on a romantic adventure. Where should you travel? Find inspiration (灵感) from these four romantic movies, which all took place in breathtakingly beautiful places. Choose one as the ideal setting for your own real-life love story.

    Trevi Fountain in Rome

    Trevi Fountain is the largest Baroque fountain in the city and one of the most famous fountains in the world. It has appeared in several notable films, including Roman Holiday. In the film, Ann (played by Audrey Hepburn) has her hair cut a barbershop near the fountain, which becomes the style-setting “gamine” haircut in fashion history.

    Empire State Building, New York

    The Empire Sate Building is an American cultural icon and has been featured in more than 250 TV shows and movies. In the comedy-drama Sleepless in Seattle, Annie (played by Meg Ryan) writes a letter to Sam (Tom Hanks) suggesting meeting on top of the Empire State building on Valentine's Day. After twists and turns, they finally see each other on the observation deck on top of the building.

    Somerset House in London

    Located in central London, Somerset House is a popular filming location with its exterior featuring in several big budget Hollywood films. In the winter, its central courtyard is turned into an open-air ice rink, as seen during the well-received film Love Actually.

    Daocheng, Sichuan Province

    Daocheng is a county in Southwest China's Sichuan Province, located at the eastern Hengduan Mountains. This magical place combines the beauty of snow mountain, glacier, lake, grassland and waterfall. After the film I Belonged to You, Daocheng grows to be a major tourist attraction, a remote sacred place for unchanging love.

    I have three kids and a great husband and I'm enjoying a career that I find challenging and fun. To the outside world, this feels like" Success." But there is still a voice in my heart asking if this is who I truly am. Only in silence do I hear the self and wonder who that person might be.

    So I booked a trip to find out. I travelled, for the first time, without my husband or kids. I went to Iceland with a friend, who shares an appreciation for wilderness and silence.

    For six days, we were immersed(沉浸)in wild, raw scenery and real weather—a11 kinds of weather. Climbing a mountain against rain and returning to a tent for a simple meal reminds you how little you actually need. And how strong it feels to be uncomfortable sometimes.

    I found silence in Iceland, and time to consider the me outside of career and the me out—side of kids as I shared stories with strangers.

    When I stopped talking and just 1istened, I became more generous. I 1earned that choosing to be generous can create more space, more food and more warmth.

But I didn't really gain any better appreciation of what I want from life or my job. I suspect the anxiety that drove me to seek silence in Iceland was losing sight of my ability to choose gratitude and joy, and to be present in the challenges I set in my career and my family.

    I came home to noise, rush and love; with no less confusion on who I want to be. I know the answer isn't waiting out there on the top of a mountain in Iceland. The answer is in front of me with every step on my own life's path, and in every choice I make.