Solo Thoughts and Reflections (Graded)

[Kaizer Dragos]

Summer, 10, 515

Having the day off from work, Kaizer decided to do what he loved best, pursue knowledge. For him it was more than a hobby, it was closer to an obsession. There was always something new to learn or something just around the corner to explore. Even after spending most of his life in Lhavit the man still found things to interest him. At the moment he was seated at the old oak desk at home with a sheet of parchment. Taking a quill from the scroll case where they were kept, a small vial of ink rested on the desk next to him. Right now Kaizer sought to improve his ability to not only convey ideas on paper, but to also write in a more professional and concise manner.

There was so much knowledge and history that was written down and stored for future generations. This was something that Kaizer wanted to be a part of, to let his voice be heard and echo down through the ages for those who would come after him. In many ways it was a path to a form of immortality. To have ones thoughts and ideas still be heard and considered long after they had passed from the world. To make a mark on history so that the world would never forget.

Ever so gently tapping the quill on the desk top, Kaizer thought carefully about what to write. Having recently tried to read more about punctuation and proper writing format, he was still unsure of exactly what to put to paper. Finally determined to do something productive, Kaizer started to organize his thoughts and decide on how to try and express them. There were so many different styles out there it was almost overwhelming, but after asking someone skilled in the art of writing, there was something he learned that seemed to stand out above all the others. He needed to find his own voice. This was a literary term that meant he needed discover his own style of writing rather than trying to copy someone else.

That in mind Kaizer looked down at the rather large sheet of parchment in front of him, wondering what words would soon occupy it. Realizing that it was unlike that anyone would ever read this, Kaizer was never the less determined to do something productive with his time. The ability to learn and accumulate knowledge was a gift that he was always thankful for. Every day Kaizer learned something new and from that he always tried to improve, to better himself. After a long moment of contemplation he was starting to get that old itch in his left hand, the one that came not long before words were put to paper. Dipping the quill in the vial of ink, it was finally put to paper and soon the sound of scratching could be heard.

Ive always found that one of the most imprtant important things in life is the acumulation accumulation of knowledge. This is how people as both individuals and as a race learn and grow. More importantly is the storing of knowlege knowledge in books scrolls and even oral traditions. This is how future generations learn from events and people who came before them. After all those who forget the past usually end up repeating it. By learning from the mistakes of our ansestors ancestors and the decisions that they made we can hopefully avoid those same pitfalls. In doing so the ideal goal is to make a better future for ourselves and the world around us.
.
.

[Kaizer Dragos]

With that written down Kaizer leaned back in his chair for a moment to read over the words and think over their meaning. As the words echoed through the man's mind, the sound of his own voice slowly began to change. Soon is was much deeper and the voice speaking in Kaizer's mind was no longer his own, instead it was that of Heinrik. With a gentle smile he realized that the words written on the piece of parchment were as much his own as those of his father. Many of the ideas expressed there were what had been taught to Kaizer as a child.

Mind drifting he remember something that had taken place many years ago. It was shortly before Heinrik married his step-mother. The who had settled in for the even after a hard day's work and were having a meal of bread with butter, a vegetable, and a nice fat steak. Heinrik would always buy one for them at the end of each work week as something of a treat for a job well done. The other thing Kaizer remember about his father was the man liked to talk. He was always dispensing words of wisdom on just about anything. Always fascinated by how much his father seemed to know, Kaizer would dutifully pay attention to everything the man said.

Above all Kaizer remembered that one particular afternoon where his father spoke to him at length over dinner. For the two of them it was as much a social event as it was about eating. Only ten years old at the time, Heinrik spoke to him about the importance of knowledge and that one should always seek it out. It was through knowledge that a person was able to improve themselves, and with the right kind they could even improve their lot in life. Of all the lessons he taught Kaizer, that one stuck with him the most.

For a time he sat there and was eventually overtaken by sadness. With Heinrik's passing having been less than two years ago, it was still a painful memory to think about. Kaizer had loved his father dearly, and while his death wasn't sudden or unexpected, losing a loved one was never easy. The only thing he could think to do at the moment was to honor the man's memory by trying to be the best person possible. Casting these thoughts aside before they became anymore depressing, Kaizer returned to his writing.

To be honest the ways that a person can accumulate knowledge are almost endless. Be it books people on the job or even life experence experience. No matter the source we learn new things each and every day. This is what it means to be intelligent. As people we acquire knowledge every day of our lives. I suppose in the end what really matters is how we use this knowledge. Be it for good or ill it is up to use to pass this on to the generation that comes after us. By looking back at the actions of our ancestors we can learn a great deal. Not just from their successes but their failures as well.
.
.

[Kaizer Dragos]

After reading over the second paragraph Kaizer's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a small squeak. Glancing over he noticed Truffles on the edge of the desk looking at the piece of parchment. Though the animal had no idea about things like writing or knowledge, never the less Truffles was inquisitive by nature. He was always getting into or doing something when not asleep, which comprised a large part of the day. With a smirk Kaizer reached over scratching him under the chin.

Truffles responded by twisting his head to the side before gnawing on a finger playfully. If anything the ferret was a source of amusement for Kaizer as well as a companion. Following this the little animal stretched, yawned, and curled up on the edge of the desk to take a nap. Watching Truffles for a moment Kaizer smiled again. He often wondered what it was like to live such a simple life. To be able to nap when you want, eat when you want, and not have to worry about things like money, or a job, or buying the things you need.

The ferret was, in many ways, his best friend. It was also lazy, slightly overweight, and only really did anything when it wanted to play, or a mouse managed to get into the house. That was another reason Kaizer kept a ferret, they instinctively killed small rodents and more than once Truffles had made a snack out of one. This helped him to keep the house free of pests and with a small sigh Kaizer scratched him on the head a second time. The ferret was loyal but also had a habit of getting into trouble when the mood struck him. More than once he'd gotten into something in the house and Kaizer was liable to find him just about anywhere.

He smiled, watching the ferret enjoy an easy life. For the little creature all he had to worry about was play time, dinner, and getting enough attention. Although Truffle's life was easy, Kaizer didn't envy him. With that ease also came a lack of intelligence that made him unable to enjoy the finer things in life, understand higher concepts, or have the ability to try to improve himself in many ways. All of those things were important to Kaizer as was the chance to improve oneself.

Something else to consider is that not all knowledge comes in the form of raw informatun. information There is also something to be said about life experiences. I learn just as much from going out and doing something as I do from reading a book. Taking the hands on experience and learning as you go can sometimes be a better teacher than sitting in a classroom looking at a book or listening to someone speak. One should never underestimate the value of getting out in the world and learning not only from the world itself, but also those around them. That is something I do almost every day and will likely continue to until the day I die.
.
.

[Kaizer Dragos]

Reading over the last entry Kaizer once again let his mind drift. There was a lot to be said about both forms of learning. Each had an advantage and each had a disadvantage. However when they were combined the two approaches made for a much better and well rounded education. There was a lot to consider from both sides. Each approach did vest a person with a considerable amount of knowledge. Mulling these thoughts over, Kaizer tried to look at both approaches from a more analytical point of view.

He remembered that Heinrik had taught him reading, writing, and mathematics because they were a necessary part of the merchant trade. His father was very much a man of hands on experience, but not so much one for the acquisition of knowledge through extensive reading. He would read through instructions that came with things, but more often than not, preferred to dive into something hands on and learn as he went. More than once Kaizer had seen something of his father's backfire and he chuckled a little thinking about that.

It was in fact Valea who had given Kaizer his love for reading and books. She had spent many years as a librarian at the Bharnai Library and also managed to instill within him the value of reading through books to learn as much as possible. His step-mother was the one responsible for him endorsing this approach to learning. She taught Kaizer that books were a great teaching tool, but they could only go so far, after that a person would have to get out and learn through experience. She had also encouraged Kaizer to spend as much free time as he wanted in the library reading.

Acquiring knowledge through books wasn't just about education. Kaizer knew that through reading about different professions, people, the world, and what was in it, a person's horizons could expand exponentially. Through knowledge one could not only see the world in a much different light, they may well discover a profession or passion they might not otherwise be aware of. The more he thought about it, the more Kaizer started to consider books the gateway to life, the starting point from which one began a grand adventure.

I think one of the most important aspects of learning is to combine the two approaches. Book and classroom learning should be a precursor to actual hands on experience. Book learning is good for teaching people what they need to know and forming a solid basis of knowledge on a particular subject however it should not be considered the begin all end all of learning. There is a vast difference between knowing and doing.

This is something I can attest to through first hand experience. On the other hand if someone learns solely through practical experience there are some finer points that they might miss or otherwise be unaware of. One can learn a great deal through the hands on approach but when combined with solid book or classroom teaching it can give them a much better and broader understanding of the subject matter.
.
.

[Kaizer Dragos]

With the front of the sheet of parchment now almost full, Kaizer took a moment to think about what else he wanted to write. Unless it was an extended subject that he wrote about, and this wasn't, he normally kept these kinds of small essays and personal thoughts to a single sheet. This way it kept him from going on and on and on. That was something Kaizer had a habit of doing and he usually tried to avoid, being long winded. He preferred to keep things short and concise to try to convey a message or an idea as accurately as possible.

From past experience he knew that expounding on something for too long a period of time could actually confuse some people. Giving a person too much to think about at one time might make the learning process harder than it needed to be. Kaizer had found the best way to teach was through a step-by-step approach, giving someone solid blocks of knowledge to work with. From there they could build a foundation of knowledge from which to work, that would give them a much better chance to comprehend a subject more effectively.

Perhaps teaching isnt so diferent different from building after all. By helping a person to form a basis of knowledge in many ways they do just that and build upon it. In many ways its like building the fundaton foundation of a home and from there the person will create a place where they knowledge they gather over the years will be housed. First one house then another and another and another. Before one knows it the knowledge theyve gathered has created a whole city in their mind.

After reading over the passage that was written Kaizer reviewed the entire sheet of parchment. There were a lot of personal inflections in the work which he knew weren't very professional. Something like this likely wouldn't be published as a book because it would be considered more of a personal journal. However, this was the first step to another goal the man had. For some time now Kaizer had been interested in philosophy, the sharing of a persons thoughts, views, and opinions about life and the world around them, among many other subjects.

While the writing sample wasn't professional quality in his mind, it was a stepping stone in that direction. Something else that Kaizer knew about knowledge was that it didn't just come over night. If someone wanted to something, just like anything else in life they would have to earn it. What Kaizer was painfully aware of was that he needed to learn how to use punctuation to make he work not only look better, but to help it flow in a more effective manner. He also knew how important being able to write properly would help him to better convey ideas to potential readers. For him this was one more step on the journey to not only acquiring knowledge, but to sharing it with other people as well.

Resource Usage :

½ sheet of parchment (9 ½ remaining)
¼ vial of ink (1 ¾ remaining)

.
.

[Neologism]

Skills:

Philosophy +3
Planning +1
Intelligence +4
Writing +5
Observation +2

Lores:

Pursuit of Knowledge: An obsession
Writing for history: A form of immortality
Voice, In writing: You're style of writing
Heinrik: Liked to talk
Memory: Heinrik speaking on the importance of knowledge
Longing for the life of a ferret
Learning: Experience vs. Education
Writing: Short essays vs. Long essays