Today marks the highlight of my life

Today marks the highlight of my lifeToday marks the highlight of my lifeIn the middle of watching wingsuit videos the other day, the athlete shared a startling bolt of wisdom from the blueToday marks the highlight of my life, he says as he readies his climb over a railing 10,000 feet up.Moments like this are why I live, why I feel like Im on this planet.When a Man is tired of Wingsuit Videos, he is tired of Life joked James Fallows, paraphrasing Samuel Johnsons famous quip about London.True wingsuit videos and full-screen mode thrill in a way that transports you to a magical feeling.The athlete in this video, Marshall Miller, focused on his goal for a decade, which leads me to askWhats your goal?What day off in the future are you preparing for? When will you be able to say today marks the best day of mylife?If you could describe it, what would that day be? What would you be doing? How would you feel about achieving it?And then ask yourself what does it take to get there? What are all the steps Id have to follow to proceed from where I am today to this best day? What kinds of obstacles would I have to overcome? What challenges would I face?And then why dont I do that? Why dont I get started today?Because, having given career advice for almost two decades, the most effective advice I ever give is why dont you go do that? when someone tells me their dreams.And then no, thats not really a problem, you can figure it out and overcome it, when I ask what would prevent them from achieving that dream. (If you dont believe that, then read my story belastung year on the one-armed man who became a world champion kickboxer.)You have it within you to have the highlight of your life in the decade ahead. Will you start, today, on achieving it, on jumping from the mountaintop, on flying through space and time to your future best day ever?I know youll be able to say, sooner than you thinkMoments like this are why I live, why I feel like Im on this planet.Im rooting for you

David N. Wormley

David N. Wormley David N. Wormley Honorary Membership Recipient David WormleyDavid N. Wormley knew early on that he wanted to be an engineer, and as he sees it, this is a wonderful time in many ways to be an engineer.He is the son of an engineer and remembers taking tours of the factory where his father was a manager. He recalls that he was asked in junior high school to write an essay on what he wanted to be. At that point, I said I wanted to be a mechanical engineer, he said. As fate would have it, I have certainly followed that plan.Today, David Wormley, Ph.D., is the Harold and Inge Marcus dean of engineering at The Pennsylvania State University. According to Dr. Wormley, This is an especially propitious time for engineering and mechanical engineering. In these recent times I think its very clear that there is much more national appreciation and interest in the contributions that engineering can make both to the national economy and to many of the major pressing issues that we fa ce in the country. He added, When we look at the impact, or the potential for impact of engineering in the nation, I think that its never been greater.Mr. Wormleys research is in the area of dynamic systems and control with applications to transportation systems.Dr. Wormley is recognized with Honorary Membership in ASME for exceptional leadership in the engineering profession and educational field, including service on numerous governmental and university committees.Before Dr. Wormley joined Penn State, in 1992, he was a faculty member at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he served as head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering and then as associate dean of engineering.His research is in the area of dynamic systems and control with applications to transportation systems, fossil fuel power plants, and fluid power systems. He has worked closely with industry and currently serves on the boards of the Michael Baker Corp. and the Sun Hydraulics Corp.Dr. Wormley has se rved as chair of the National Science Foundations Engineering Directorate Advisory Committee and chair of the Executive Committee of the National Research Councils Transportation Research Board. He also served on the National Academy of Engineerings Committee on Assessing the Capacity of U.S. Engineering Research, and the National Research Councils Committee for a Study of the Motor Vehicle Rollover Rating ordnungsprinzip.He has served on numerous university and professional advisory committees, associated with institutions including Carnegie Mellon, Iowa State University, the University of Michigan, the University of Texas, Boston University, and the National Academy of Engineering Advisory Committee to the Center for the Advancement of Scholarship on Engineering Education.His research is described in more than 100 papers and reports, and he is co-author of the textbook System Dynamics An Introduction (Prentice Hall, 1996).An ASME Fellow, Dr. Wormley served as vice president of the Systems and Design Group (1991-92). Earlier activities include chair of the Technical Panel on Transportation (1970-77), member of the Fluidic Committee (1968-76), chair of the Applied Mechanics Committee on Transportation (1979-88), member (1981-89) and chair (1988-89) of the Dynamic Systems and Control Division Executive Committee, and associate editor of the Journal of Dynamic Systems, Measurement and Control (1977-81). He received a Lewis Moody Award (1970) and Dynamic Systems and Control Education Award (1998).Dr. Wormley is a Fellow of the American Society for Engineering Education, where he served as president (2006-07). He also served on the editorial advisory board for the Journal of Engineering Education (1991-2002), and was chair of the Engineering Deans Council (2001-04) and the Councils Public Policy Committee (2000-01).He received his bachelors degree, masters degree, and Ph.D. in mechanical engineering at MIT in 1962, 1964, and 1968, respectively.There is much more n ational appreciation and interest in the contributions that engineering can make.David N. Wormley

5 ways to overcome loneliness when living in a big city

5 ways to overcome loneliness when living in a big city5 ways to overcome loneliness when living in a big cityAt some point in our lives, we are thrust, kicking and screaming, into the confusing world of adulthood.For many of us, a unique challenge of adulthood comes in the fasson of moving to a new city where we no longer live within walking distance of 20 of our closest friends. This abrupt transition into a new environment can stir up quite a few unwanted feelings - one, in particular, being loneliness.Loneliness has been on the rise for decades. According to the General Social Survey, the number of Americans living with zero close friends has tripled since 1985. Yikes. This loneliness epidemic is especially prevalent in cities, which isnt all that surprising because moving to a big city where you dont know a soul can easily feel isolating. This is bad news for our health, too, as researchers are finding that a lack of social support can be detrimental to both physical and mental well-being. A 2015 study even found that feeling lonely may increase an individuals mortality by 26%.So if youre currently struggling with loneliness, know that you arent alone. We all experienced a similar struggle when we first moved to a new city after graduating from college. And luckily, we found a handful of tricks that helped us expand our social circle in a city of strangers along the way. Below are five easy ways that you, too, can combat urban isolation.1. Make exercise socialKill two birds with one stone and get your daily workout in while also meeting new people. Whether youre into running and opt to join one of your citys many running clubs or prefer group fitness classes like SoulCycle, working out with others offers an excellent opportunity to make friends with like-minded individuals. Exercise also releases endorphins, and theres no better time to make friends than when everyone is in a good mood. If the exercise class or run was especially challenging, youll have a great topic of discussion for your first conversation with fellow participants. What better opener than OMG, my legs feel like jello2. Prioritize face-to-face conversationsWhile it might be tempting to save time by interacting with others via text or, worse, through a social media post, one study found that communicating online with friends and family was not an effective alternative to offline social interactions in reducing feelings of loneliness. So the next time youre texting with a new acquaintance, offer to continue the conversation in part by inviting them to grab a drink or a cup of coffee. Meeting face-to-face will deepen your connection and pave the way for a new, strong friendship.And if you have close friends whom you cant spontaneously see in person because you dont live in the same city, talking on the phone or FaceTiming is still better than texting. Setting up a weekly call with a bestie will help you de-stress and keep you from feeling isolated.3. VolunteerVoluntee ring is a great way to give back to your community, and it also provides an excellent setting for making new friends. No city has enough volunteers, and whether youre passionate about taking care of our planet or you want to put your cooking skills to good use by helping make food for the homeless, it wont be hard for you to find a volunteer opportunity that gets you excited.Volunteering allows you to meet people who are generally kind and care about the same causes that you do. And its a lot easier to start a meaningful conversation with someone when the two of you already know that you have something in common. This is a great way to avoid the dreaded small talk that too often dominates the majority of our conversations with strangers.4. Talk to strangersYour parents might disagree, but striking up a conversation with a friendly face that you keep seeing at your favorite coffee shop or yoga class might be the easiest and most organic way to make a new friend. Remember in kindergar ten when you werent afraid to walk up to another kid on the playground and say, Lets be friends? The same tactic applies here. Although, you might want to think of a better openerPeople like compliments, so giving a genuine compliment is a great way to break the ice with a stranger. Chances are that you wont always receive a positive response, and not all people will want to keep the conversation going, but dont let that discourage you. It most likely has nothing to do with you. The more you learn to break the ice with strangers, the easier it will become, and you might end up meeting someone who will change your life forever.5. Take advantage of apps that help you meet like-minded peopleWeve already discussed how online communication can have negative impacts on our face-to-face social interactions, but technology does have some upsides. The invention of countless apps has made it easier than ever for us to meet new people with the click of a button. Just like Tinder helps you find your next date, there are now many apps that are created to help connect people with others who share common interests.Meetup is a popular app that facilitates face-to-face social interactions. No matter your passions or personal interests, chances are that theres already a Meetup group set up by people just like you. Are you into experiencing new restaurants but cringe at the idea of dining alone? Meetup can help you find a group of individuals who are also looking for fellow culinary adventurers. Even if youre into more unconventional experiences, such as group cuddling, Meetup has your back. (You can join one of their Cuddle Party groups today.)This article first appeared on Swirled.