tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-229311072024-03-13T15:29:07.711-04:00Zog's CornerRandom thoughts...Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06157981823244565161noreply@blogger.comBlogger142125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22931107.post-51515989410297090872020-03-08T17:08:00.001-04:002020-03-08T17:13:05.046-04:00What I'm Reading 2020<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Future:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- The Algorithm Design Manual</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Childhood's End</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- The Circle</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">2020:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Read:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- The Moon is a Harsh Mistress</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- The Fall of Hyperion (March 2020)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">☑︎ Hyperion (February 2020)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">☑︎ The Five People You Meet in Heaven (February 2020)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">☑︎ Atomic Habits (January 2020)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">☑︎ The Seat of the Soul (January 2020)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">☑︎ The Empath's Survival Guide: Life Strategies (January 2020)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">2019:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Read:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">☑︎ Listening to Ayahuasca (August 2019) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">☑︎ 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">2018:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Read:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">☑︎ The Resilient 911 Professional: A Comprehensive Guide to Surviving & Thriving Together in the 9-1-1 Center (November 2018)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">☑︎ Marcus Aurelius Meditations (October 2018)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">☑︎ Euler's Gem (July 2018)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">☑︎ The ABCs of My Life (6/2/2018)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">☑︎ The Abundance Prophesy (5/26/2018)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">☑︎ TCoC (4/1/2018)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">☑︎ Out of Your Mind: Essential Listening from the Alan Watts Audio Archives (4/14/2018)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">2017:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Read:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">☑︎ E-Squared (June 2017)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">☑︎ ACIM (September 25, 2017)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">☑︎ The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">☑︎ Saturn's Children</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">☑︎ Emotional Freedom: Liberate Yourself from Negative Emotions and Transform Your Life</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">2016</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Read:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">☑︎ ACIM (in progress)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">☑︎ Saturn's Children (in progress)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">☑︎ Emotional Freedom: Liberate Yourself from Negative Emotions and Transform Your Life (in progress)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">☑︎ Ready Player One</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">☑︎ Distilled Spirits: Getting High, Then Sober, with a Famous Writer, a Forgotten Philosopher, and a Hopeless Drunk</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">2015</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Read:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">☑︎ Emotional Freedom: Liberate Yourself from Negative Emotions and Transform Your Life (in progress)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">☑︎ Why Beauty Is Truth</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">☑︎ The Martian</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">☑︎ Finite and Infinite Games</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">☑︎ The Great Divorce</span></div>
</div>
Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06157981823244565161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22931107.post-74093317877313888912019-03-17T17:37:00.000-04:002019-03-17T17:45:08.877-04:00Riding Sunset<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
"You don't have to have a dream... I advocate passionate dedication to the pursuit of short-term goals."<br />
<br />
https://youtu.be/yoEezZD71sc?t=15<br />
<br />
It’s good to have goals... know what you want out of life, the year, the month, each week, each day, and in each moment... what do you want?<br />
<br />
Goals are good because they give you direction... if you’re thoughtful about them, and allow them to evolve with you, maybe you have some idea of where you’re going.<br />
<br />
As you move forward, be relaxed and aware. Pay attention to everything around you. Move with purpose and patience.<br />
<br />
Let go of willful control, and discover the sort of control that comes from moving forward with awareness, purpose and patience.<br />
<br />
This path yields what many would describe as “luck”... but if you live it long enough, you’ll know that it’s much more than probability and outcome.<br />
<br />
The worlds may elude you... but attention to the motion is illuminating. If you’re doing it well, then it might be described as “moving with grace.”<br />
<br />
...something to consider; on Sunset, on a motorcycle... or as you move through your life.<br />
<br />
"Don’t think about why you question, simply don’t stop questioning. Don’t worry about what you can’t answer, and don’t try to explain what you can’t know.... Try to comprehend a little more each day. Have holy curiosity.” - Albert Einstein<br />
<br />
https://medium.com/thrive-global/ikigai-the-japanese-secret-to-a-long-and-happy-life-might-just-help-you-live-a-more-fulfilling-9871d01992b7</div>
Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06157981823244565161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22931107.post-57312153554919759252019-01-26T12:32:00.000-05:002019-03-17T17:52:03.634-04:00I've seen this before...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
In game development, the greatest challenge we faced was in aligning the vision of the team so that we could work together to create a great product, rather than working against each other, each, in the pursuit of our own aim.<br />
<br />
For too many years, we wasted extraordinary energy pulling aginst each other when we could have accomplished much more by pulling with each other.<br />
<br />
To broadly generalize the times we now live in, those on the left fear order and are pulling away from all the systems they no longer trust, e.g., police, government, industry, and much more. Historically, Democrats were the champion of the blue collar worker, believed that power of the Federal government could be wielded to solve problems, and would have been shoulder-to-shoulder with police in opposition to anyone who would threaten those who put their lives on the line every day to serve us.<br />
<br />
Those on the right fear the chaos of our times, and are desperate for increased order. Only in our times could a presidential candidate post on December 7th, a day that has long been held sacrosanct by all sides, and declare that we need to block members of a particular faith at out our borders in order to maintain order. To stand against one of the founding principles of our country -- the separation of church and state -- and to instead declare that the need for order is higher than our principles; that is something to be feared.<br />
<br />
Both sides are radically and willfully blinded to the truth.<br />
<br />
If those on the left consider: Do we need less order, are we seeking additional chaos in our lives? Only those who seek harm for their country and their fellow citizens could conclude "we need further chaos." Instead, they might conclude: "we need better solutions." Hence, the resonance of Obama's "Change" messaging. It might bring chaos, but what supporters believed more was that the system is broken, the people in power are corrupt and leading us astray, and we need better leadership and better solutions; "change we can believe in."<br />
<br />
Those on the right should honestly consider: Do we need more order, do we need less chaos in our lives? The vast majority of us live very ordered lives, and should be grateful for the orderliness of the world around us. Too many are too quick to point to others' lives as a means of justifying their perspectives on the need for additional order. But, in fact, if we look broadly at people across the U.S. and across the world, and perhaps most importantly, across history, we live in one of the most ordered places in the most ordered time. It's not about seeing the glass half full rather than glass half empty, it's about realizing that although 1% of our citizens control more than half the wealth, more than 99% of our citizens enjoy order every day. For the problems which remain, we don't need to fight against chaos, we need to improve the systems that are operating today. We need better solutions. And hence, the power of Trump's "Make America Great Again" slogan.<br />
<br />
Both sides are right. Both sides see a need for better solutions. But they're so blinded by the fear of the opposition that they burn time and energy in flight from those fears.<br />
<br />
Rather than battling against what we don't want, we all need to start focusing on what we would aim to achieve together.<br />
<br />
We can do more. We can do better. And working together, we can make American (and the rest of the world!) greater. Period.<br />
<br />
Only solutions. Clear visions.<br />
<a href="https://youtu.be/Byp9gZlOc7E">https://youtu.be/Byp9gZlOc7E</a></div>
Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06157981823244565161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22931107.post-38544629533651091972018-12-22T11:02:00.000-05:002018-12-22T11:02:06.639-05:00Intermittent fasting and Autophagy<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
For decades, I’ve argued that we all have cancer. Those of us considered "healthy" are merely (1) not diagnosed, or (2) staying so far ahead of the growth that we never develop symptoms or reach a chronic state. That is, our bodies are continually operating to eradicate the dysfunctional cells.<br />
<br />
The degree to which cancer cells are allowed to persist in our body is a measure of our health, or lack thereof. Stress, poor diet choices, accumulation of toxins, and lack of effective sleep all contribute to degradation of the immune systems that inhibit accumulation of the cancers in our body.<br />
<br />
Now, science is providing the exact descriptions of the mechanisms involved in the clearing process. We have the opportunity to more fully understand exactly how to support this process.<br />
<br />
"Autophagy is the natural, regulated mechanism of the cell that disassembles unnecessary or dysfunctional components."<br />
<br />
"The name 'autophagy' was coined by Belgian biochemist Christian de Duve in 1963. ...first observed by Keith R. Porter and his student Thomas Ashford at the Rockefeller Institute in January 1962."<br />
<br />
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autophagy<br />
<br />
"Resveratrol induces autophagy by directly inhibiting mTOR through ATP competition"<br />
<br />
"Resveratrol (RSV) is a natural polyphenol that has a beneficial effect on health, and resveratrol-induced autophagy has been suggested to be a key process in mediating many beneficial effects of resveratrol, such as reduction of inflammation and induction of cancer cell death."<br />
<br />
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4763238/<br />
<br />
"Intermittent fasting— the practice of going without food for some (undefined) period of time — has many health benefits. It can help prevent heart disease, speed fat loss, and slow or reverse aging.<br />
There are a number of physiological mechanisms involved. It reduces inflammation and oxidative stress, leads to increased numbers and quality of mitochondria, and increases autophagy, the cellular self-cleansing process."<br />
<br />
"Dr. Naiman suggested that 'the sweet spot for intermittent fasting' occurs between 18 and 24 hours of fasting, since this is the time period that sees the greatest drop in insulin and increase in lipolysis — the breakdown of fat."<br />
<br />
"During the fed state, when insulin is increased, the rate of autophagy is low. During the fasted state, as insulin drops, autophagy increases dramatically, perhaps 5-fold."<br />
<br />
https://medium.com/the-mission/the-sweet-spot-for-intermittent-fasting-9aae12a2158c<br />
<br />
How to Clear Your Body of Senescent Cells Through Activating Autophagy - Dr. Rhonda Patrick<br />
https://youtu.be/K9WGQn44XQo</div>
Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06157981823244565161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22931107.post-45658281447490497772018-11-25T14:17:00.001-05:002018-11-25T14:35:42.123-05:00Who are you?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I really wanna know. From the immortal words of The Who....<br />
<br />
With consciousness comes self-awareness, and with self-awareness the notion of identity. Who are you?<br />
<br />
Those who ask the question of themselves have recognized that their identity is incomplete, or perhaps, they've discovered, is fundamentally incorrect. We all have an identity. But we don't all recognize it, or how it defines our choices. So, I really wanna know, who are you?<br />
<br />
Initially, we receive our identity from our circumstances. I am a child. I am a step-child. I am an orphan. Whatever our circumstances, we have a distinct identity, but generally lack the context to have any awareness of the significance of this first step.<br />
<br />
Of course, before this realization, or perhaps, at the same time, through our bodies, we discover our gender identity. I am a boy. I am a girl. Interestingly, if we mark this as our very first identity, then we may recognize that we live in a time where politics has been oriented around first-principles. What is gender identity, who has the right to define it, and as it is defined, who has the right to assign that identity to an individual? Something less than twenty years ago, the answers were "boy or girl," no one defines it, it's just a fact of biology, and the assignment is made by your anatomy, affirmed by doctors and your parents. Simple. The reality being debated now is no longer so simple.<br />
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So, for the vast majority of us over twenty, our initial identity was likely to be an amalgam. I am a son. I am a daughter. Perhaps, I am a step-daughter.<br />
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Traditionally, through the influence of parents, close family or peers, our next step is to identify through sports. I am a baseball or football fan. My team is the Atlanta Braves. Or, I play hockey, or soccer or football. Sports identity can become foundational, to the degree that even when we move on from the origin of that identity, we retain it. Who are you?<br />
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Depending on our family heritage, we may also receive another identity; that of religion. I am a Christian. I am Protestant. I am Catholic. I am Lutheran. In the politics of our time, it has become increasingly important to expand the range of valid U.S. religious identities to include all religions. Although it is part of our foundational truths that all Americans should be free to practice their faith, U.S. history makes it clear that religious identities outside Christianity -- still -- are not considered first-class citizens.<br />
<br />
This cultural war has been ongoing for several decades now, with lines drawn first around the celebration of Christmas -- is it OK to say "Merry Christmas" to your colleagues? The right to any and all religious identities is also at the forefront of our current political debates, and as with gender identity represents a return to first-principles. Which religious identities are valid? Who defines religious identity -- are non-traditional religions cults, or equally valid? What is "non-traditional" -- how old must a religion be to be "a tradition"? Are all religions equal, or are are some more valid than others? Here we venture into notions of truth. What are the fundamental truths? How do we value and measure these truths with respect to religious traditions?<br />
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Before we get to political identity, it is far more likely that you identified yourself, in addition to sport, relationships and gender, by a hobby. I am a ballerina. I am an artist. I am a gamer. With this step, we have taken our first tentative steps into defining our own identity -- based on what we want. And as what we want shifts, we may discard these identities and form them anew. I am a programmer. I am a motorcyclist. I am a writer. I am a hunter.<br />
<br />
At an increasingly early age, we begin to understand our sexual identity, and expand our gender identity in terms of sexuality. Traditionally, the acceptance system has been simply: I am a boy who likes girls. I am a girl who likes boys. Binary. Simple. But the sexual revolution of the '60s and '70s ushered in the freedom to openly express sexual preferences, and with this increasingly public expression, we've seen the binary system bifurcate, and then split again and again. Gay and Lesbian, transitioned (perhaps simultaneously?) to Bi-sexual. With Katy Perry announcing that she "kissed a girl," the cultural attitude toward the notion of "lesbian" began to shift toward open acceptance. Political support for gay marriage offers the measure of acceptance within the U.S. And, with Bruce Jenner's transition and the political shift that has occurred over just the last few years, the transexual identity has become the latest front in the sexual revolution -- which bathroom can you use? Here too, we're working our way back to first-principles.<br />
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Of course then, we have political identity. Traditionally: I am a Republican. I am a Democrat. Simple. Binary. More recently, we have found these political divides have become ambiguous, and the political machinery has recognized that polarization is the key to energizing constituents. To this end, mobilizing supporters around a brand has become the norm, "I am a Hillary supporter." or simply "MAGA." To fail to realize that our political identity has become as fundamental to us as our religious, sexual or gender identity, and yet to also fail to realize that it may be no more valid than our sports identity puts us, as a society, in great peril. Who are you? Why? What do you believe... really? Why? In this era, we have seen tremendous fear... this fear should tell us something about the depth of our understanding. But rather than work toward first-principles here, we are generally very quick to lean on the validity of our political identity. As with religious identity, this is a space that is far too complex to navigate, and the risk of discovering conflict with our "team" far too high.<br />
<br />
Once we have matured into each of our identities, we risk much in deeply assessing their validity. And we risk even more in moving to change our most deeply held identities.<br />
<br />
But there are still safe areas where we can explore and expand our identity. As we move toward adulthood, we are likely to form a new identity based on our vocation. I am an electrician. I am a Physicist; perhaps, first, I am a college student. I am a Psychiatrist. I am a farmer. I am a poet. I am a sculptor.<br />
<br />
Next on our journey, some, earlier than others, most will identify with a relationship. Here, we venture into a shared identity. I am a boyfriend. I am a girlfriend. I am a husband. I am a wife. Here too, traditional relationships have been radically expanded. Complicating matters is that this identity is a dance -- the partners or group must agree on their mutual identity to give it validity. Who are you? To have defined yourself as a husband, or a wife, and then to go through divorce is to witness the dissolution of your identity, perhaps violently. One moment you were one, the next... what are you now? ...I am single? ...I am divorced?<br />
<br />
Although becoming married is increasingly no longer a generally accepted criteria for becoming a parent, the tradition here has been to adopt the "married" identity with the expectation that one would soon become a parent. I am a father. I am a mother. Here, this relationship identity is a one-sided choice. And, although it is a shared identity, once made successfully, it becomes permanent. Once established, no circumstance may alter this identity. Because of this, this identity may become more fundamental and more foundational than any other. And yet, as we have seen in the evolution of our culture, it is insufficient.<br />
<br />
Beyond politics, and often, because of it, we begin to recognize our place in the larger world. I am an American. I am a citizen of the world. I am a human being. Or, feeling alienated, perhaps we identify, I am an alien.<br />
<br />
Who are you?<br />
<br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/apvtTQ6BjXA" width="560"></iframe>
</div>
Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06157981823244565161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22931107.post-40469458150227171352018-11-11T18:09:00.000-05:002018-11-11T18:09:14.061-05:00Free will<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Karma: the universe operates in balance and will actively restore balance across time and space.<br />
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Destiny: there is a Universal plan for you. The Universe operates at all times for your benefit. No matter your choices, just as water always flows downhill, the Universe continually resolves a new plan.<br />
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Free-will: within the realm of time and space, you always have a choice; your will or the path laid before you — your destiny.<br />
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The question you must resolve for yourself is whether your will is ever of benefit to you. When is your judgement superior to the compassionate judgement of the Universe.<br />
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What, then, would you choose? Which will would you seek to understand most fully? Which will should you pursue?<br />
<br />
Choose wisely.</div>
Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06157981823244565161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22931107.post-72680443642625000842018-07-25T00:29:00.001-04:002018-08-15T01:36:39.677-04:00Masters of Matter<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The Industrial Revolution may be examined through a more abstract lens: It marks the era where mankind became "the masters of matter." By leveraging human capital, resources, new forms of energy and technology at scale, we moved to increasing levels of control over the physical world.<br />
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The nuclear age ushered in a new era... it was the dawn of our move to become "the masters of energy"... the laser followed shortly, the transistor, then the Integrated Circuit, the CPU and then GPU.<br />
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Whereas our role as the masters of matter was expansive, growing to consume available space, resources and energy, the primary technological pursuit within the realm of computation has been to reduce scales toward zero time and zero space, thus maximizing computation within time and space per unit of energy.<br />
<br />
The masters of matter harnessed resources, energy, technology and labor to produce.<br />
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The masters of computation -- a subset of those within the realm of the "masters of energy" -- harness a new era of labor: the human computer has been replaced, quite literally, by the digital computer. Where the titans of the Industrial Revolution harnessed the manual labor of humans, augmented by technology, the titans of the Information Age harness the labor of digital workers... the computers.<br />
<br />
Whereas the human laborer must be augmented to expand their capability, and when they cease to work, their productive output is also halted... the digital worker can be run endlessly without further involvement by the original programmer. More extraordinarily, the digital worker may be replicated endlessly.<br />
<br />
This might suggest that the programmer's purpose would rapidly come to an end. With the workers defined, and able to be replicated, and driven relentlessly, there is no further need for the programmer.<br />
<br />
This perspective fails to realize the fundamental power of programming and computation. Working in layers, the programmer is able to produce exponentially more complicated solutions over time. Although the programmer may no longer be needed to maintain operation of the original building blocks, the ability to move on to new pursuits means that the programmer may employee the digital worker in increasingly sophisticated ways.<br />
<br />
One of the "end" states for this pursuit that is now increasingly obvious to the world is the creation of general A.I. At the point AI becomes sufficiently capable that it can replace human programmers, we will have entered into an era where human-kind is obsolete.<br />
<br />
With this awakening, we tend to fall back on the idea that we obtain capabilities that are somehow unique to us, and may not be replicated digitally. Love, compassion, creativity. It is shortsighted to imagine that AI can not be creative. And, we dismiss the ability for AI to exhibit love and compassion at our peril... for it is these attributes alone which may save us from our creations.<br />
<br />
Perhaps more importantly, it is short-sighted to conclude our exploration of abstract levels of mastery.<br />
<br />
What remains?<br />
<br />
What becomes of us, and our AI progeny, when we enter into the era of mastery of time and space?<br />
<br />
What do we need to learn to truly master time and space? Do the masters of time and space already exist? Perhaps. The future is already here, it's just not evenly distributed.<br />
<br />
Once we have mastered time and space, then what? ...perhaps, we leave.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://youtu.be/GZS8xBvgLaQ" target="_blank">Watch: Her - Samantha Leaves</a></div>Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06157981823244565161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22931107.post-73512354179111930032018-07-15T19:25:00.000-04:002018-07-15T21:31:22.894-04:00What is love?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Love is not a feeling... it's a choice...<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
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Choose to love...</div>
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<br /></div>
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Choose to open your heart to another...</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
Choose to spend your time and attention... choose to give your gifts... choose to touch lovingly (physically, or even, with just your eyes)... choose to share words of affirmation... choose to serve.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
It is the expression of love that is real. It is that expression that changes the world.<br />
<br />
When someone does that for you... AND you open your heart to them, you will feel "In love." <br />
<br />
...opening your heart requires trust... opening your heart requires vulnerability, and the courage to let yourself be vulnerable.<br />
<br />
Opening your heart to another, and allowing them to love you also comes with a certain degree of obligation to reciprocate... there is a karmic balance... this not a quid-pro-quo... they love you, so you must love them... it's deeper and far more complex than that...<br />
<br />
The minimum that is required of you is to act freely, with honesty and clear intention -- you must understand what you want, and then you must communicate honestly. With that, then, everything else will take care of itself.<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WbxfafrybXI/W0v1KIQSD8I/AAAAAAAAAnA/64JuhHNX3sosF4bk9cdpHFMJsQ1BpK-GACLcBGAs/s1600/beautiful-hands-heart-5390.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WbxfafrybXI/W0v1KIQSD8I/AAAAAAAAAnA/64JuhHNX3sosF4bk9cdpHFMJsQ1BpK-GACLcBGAs/s320/beautiful-hands-heart-5390.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/sunset-hands-love-woman-5390/">https://www.pexels.com/photo/sunset-hands-love-woman-5390/</a></span></div>
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Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06157981823244565161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22931107.post-86442846403400919482018-06-03T16:25:00.000-04:002018-06-17T23:03:10.416-04:00Awakening and PTSD<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
In May 1989, we visited a number of doctors. By one, I was tentatively diagnosed with <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Posttraumatic_stress_disorder" target="_blank">PTSD</a>. We never returned to that Psychiatrist; both Anne and I concluded that the guy was a complete hack. ...but in hindsight, he may have been on to something...<br />
<br />
In Panama for a week in April, I had "seen" things that I couldn't understand... many, mundane... but I had glimpses of an extraordinary connectedness that went beyond words... for the last few days of the trip, I also lived a life I had dreamed about as a child, but had forgotten.<br />
<br />
Returning home through Miami, the experience became even more miraculous. And, I began to disassociate with reality. Suffering from sleep deprivation and starvation, the degree of chemical imbalance was becoming extreme. But I loved every moment... mostly.<br />
<br />
Recovery from that period took several years. Understanding that experience has taken decades.<br />
<br />
Over the last seven years, I have finally begun to integrate the physical and the meta-physical... the experience with the imagination... and the truth with the delusions.<br />
<br />
Over the past two or three (or seven, or 29) years, I've discovered that many of the truths I've "discovered" have been known by others all along.<br />
<br />
For example: Last year, I encountered deeper insight into my perpetual question to myself and others, "What do you want?"<br />
<br />
In <a href="https://youtu.be/VYJp813tGH4?t=18m33s" target="_blank">https://youtu.be/VYJp813tGH4?t=18m33s</a> through 19:01: “The question is: “What do you mean by ‘actually want?’”<br />
<br />
...I've learned... sometimes, <a href="http://zogscorner.blogspot.com/2016/09/live-love-forgive-learn-and-have-fun.html" target="_blank">the hard way</a>. Awakening comes in many forms -- but I can say from experience that when it comes to awakening, "the hard way" can be VERY hard.<br />
<br />
Extraordinary experiences of several varieties may yield variants of the “PTSD” experience. For those finding themselves on this path, part of the recovery process involves building a larger understanding, and re-establishing a balance between the extraordinary aspects of metaphysical realities, and the mundane realities of every day life.<br />
<br />
Digging a layer deeper -- a consequence of extraordinary experiences (those that result in PTSD) is the disruption of the framework of values, and the goals which depend on those values. Rebuilding a frame of reference that allows one to pursue valued goals is central to recovery.<br />
<br />
In <a href="https://youtu.be/VYJp813tGH4?t=22m55s" target="_blank">https://youtu.be/VYJp813tGH4?t=22m55s</a> through 26:10 Peterson offers insight into a strategy for building a vision for life, concluding: “Better have a valued goal, or you can’t get any positive emotion.”<br />
<br />
The team at <a href="http://www.bouldercrestretreat.org/" target="_blank">Boulder Crest</a> has redefined the perspective on PTSD by considering “disorder” to be a fundamentally wrong attitude toward the experience. Their attitude aligns perfectly with my lessons-learned over the last three decades. They define, instead, the need for "Post Traumatic Growth;" recognizing, in their particular domain, that the skills and experience developed in combat demand growth. Rather than seeking to "fix a disorder" their program is oriented toward seeking to rebuild a renewed sense of the purpose for life, organizing thinking around the emotional, physical, spiritual, and financial wellbeing of the participants that come through their programs. <a href="https://youtu.be/Ag7CDNnfQc0" target="_blank">https://youtu.be/Ag7CDNnfQc0</a><br />
<br />
For now, their program is limited to a very select few. But the skills the teams teach are invaluable to us all, regardless of our experience. We all need to deeply understand our purpose, and to build a framework in our lives to move forward effectively. For most of us, this process is ad hoc at best. For the vast majority of the world, this isn't even "a thing."<br />
<br />
Furthermore, to do this well, requires a deep understanding of "how things work" -- or, as Peterson put it, it's necessary to “do a structural analysis of the subcomponents of human existence.”<br />
<br />
Since the '90s, I've been formulating my life goals, aiming to organize my thinking around what I want out of life. In 2006, <a href="http://zogscorner.blogspot.com/2006/08/101-things-to-do.html" target="_blank">I was inspired by Ted Leonsis's blog</a> to expand the scope of my thinking. But this year, I've finally begun to encounter the state-of-the-art in thinking about the future. For example:<br />
<br />
<a href="https://selfauthoring.com/future-authoring.html" target="_blank">https://selfauthoring.com/future-authoring.html</a><br />
<br />
I know there are thousands of self-help books. And, I've heard of many that are oriented toward purpose, goals and finding direction in life. But, off hand, I don't believe I've read any that I'd recommend. ...I've been winging it!</div>
Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06157981823244565161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22931107.post-16984753182056226592018-05-05T17:55:00.000-04:002019-03-17T17:56:13.911-04:00Born again<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
In the Netflix series Troy, S1:E6, Aphrodite explains to Paris that the curse has been broken.<br />
<br />
What was the curse...? The first of several <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archetype" target="_blank">archetypes</a> we'll examine here: The choice of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Aphrodite-Greek-mythology" target="_blank">sexual love and beauty</a> over all else.<br />
<br />
"A: Do you remember choosing me? P: Yes. A: If we replayed that day a thousand times again, you'd choose me a thousand times more. P: Yes. A: Yes."<br />
<br />
Paris died in the river, and was resurrected by the Amazon warrior women; he died, was washed clean, and was born again. The archetype for the metaphor that is <a href="https://www.gotquestions.org/Christian-baptism.html" target="_blank">Christian baptism</a>. He starts afresh, a second chance. For what?<br />
<br />
"A chance for fathers to grow old with their children... and their brothers."<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
This story of death and resurrection is timeless. Surely, it must point to deep truths of the nature of our existence.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
We are born into this world cursed. Christianity tells this same story in Genesis. And, throughout the New Testament, Jesus teaches that we must be born again: "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by [my way of being]." - John 14:6</div>
<br />
The reality of God is formless, a Unity beyond time and space, energy and matter, beyond our conceptions of truth, and in fact, entirely beyond our comprehension. But God is visible to us in every form that we're willing to accept... in Nature, through the Spirits of our Ancestors, through the Gods, through the teachings of Jesus Christ, through the Holy Spirit, through Love, and through Ourselves.<br />
<br />
"Know Thyself."<br />
<br />
The Christians captured the archetype for our relationship with God in a way that is extraordinarily beautiful, and obvious, and yet has been misunderstood for two thousand years by nearly everyone who has heard the words:<br />
<br />
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trinity" target="_blank">God, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit</a>.<br />
<br />
Jesus proclaimed a truth: "I and the Father are one." - John 10:30<br />
<br />
If we, for a moment, can accept the historicity of the life of Jesus of Nazareth, then we can accept a second truth: that Jesus was a man. This is the archetype for our human existence in this physical reality.<br />
<br />
Through his crucifixion and resurrection, a third truth is proclaimed: Jesus Christ is unlimited by his human form. This, then, is the essence of the Holy Spirit. This is the archetype for our Spirit, our ultimate nature, and the argument for our existence outside of time and space, beyond this physical reality.<br />
<br />
As stated above, the reality of God is beyond our comprehension. It is sufficient to say only: God is. And then nothing more may be said without diminishing that Truth.<br />
<br />
It follows that if we, like Jesus, are human and yet have a Spirit that transcends this reality, and we, like Jesus, are one with God, then, while seemly separate in this realm, the truth of our ultimate reality is that we are each One with God ...we are God. <a href="http://www.wakingtimes.com/2014/11/14/god-true-teachings-jesus/" target="_blank">You are God</a>.<br />
<br />
So, here's the problem: To claim that you don't believe in God is, implicitly, to say that you don't believe in Yourself.<br />
<br />
Consider, for a moment, an alternative... don't worry about God. Instead, to start, just believe in yourself. Know thyself. Search for purpose in your life, and the meaning of your life through effort, and service to others. <br />
<br />
Discover <a href="http://zogscorner.blogspot.com/2016/09/live-love-forgive-learn-and-have-fun.html" target="_blank">love</a>...<br />
<br />
Discover <a href="http://zogscorner.blogspot.com/2018/02/implications-of-intimacy.html" target="_blank">the meaning of intimacy</a>...<br />
<br />
<a href="http://zogscorner.blogspot.com/2016/09/live-love-forgive-learn-and-have-fun.html" target="_blank">Have fun</a>!<br />
<br />
The rest will take care of itself.<br />
<br /></div>
Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06157981823244565161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22931107.post-84144175335841269962018-04-15T11:27:00.000-04:002018-12-29T12:11:03.740-05:00What I'm doing now<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
As of April 15, 2018...</h2>
Quality time with friends and family<br />
☑︎ Dinner with J and the kids in December<br />
☑︎ Help A move<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
Code:<br />
☑︎ Refresh TrackDay 4.3 for iOS 12<br />
- Republish WinFan and WineFan Pro for iOS 12<br />
- Port FeatureMapper 2.4 to Swift 4 and iOS 12<br />
☑︎ FTLapps.com updates for 2018<br />
<div>
<br />
Fitness:<br />
- Run daily<br />
☑︎ Hiking</div>
<div>
☑︎ 22+ push-ups daily</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Read:<br />
- 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos<br />
- E-Squared<br />
- The Algorithm Design Manual<br />
- Childhood's End<br />
- The Moon is a Harsh Mistress<br />
- The Circle<br />
☑︎ Marcus Aurelius Meditations (October 2018)<br />
☑︎ Euler's Gem (July 2018)<br />
☑︎ The ABCs of My Life (6/2/2018)<br />
☑︎ The Abundance Prophesy (5/26/2018)<br />
☑︎ TCoC (4/1/2018)<br />
☑︎ Out of Your Mind: Essential Listening from the Alan Watts Audio Archives (4/14/2018)<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
Write:<br />
☑︎ What I'm doing now<br />
☑︎ A new model for the bi-polar experience...<br />
☑︎ Implications of intimacy...<br />
<br />
Travel:<br />
☑︎ WWDC - Remote (June)<br />
☑︎ Hilton Head (June)<br />
☑︎ Austin (May)<br />
<br />
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
As of March 18, 2017...</h2>
Spending quality time with friends and family<br />
<br />
Code:<br />
- FTLapps.com updates for 2017<br />
☑︎ FeatureMapper 2.3<br />
☑︎ TrackDay 4.2<br />
☑︎ ColorAssist 2.0<br />
<br />
Travel:<br />
☑︎ Hilton Head (June)<br />
☑︎ South Carolina (October)<br />
☑︎ Cambria, CA (November)<br />
<br />
Read:<br />
- E-Squared<br />
☑︎ ACIM (September 25)<br />
☑︎ The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself<br />
☑︎ Saturn's Children<br />
☑︎ Emotional Freedom<br />
☑︎ FastCompany<br />
☑︎ WIRED<br />
☑︎ Smithsonian<br />
<br />
Fitness:<br />
☑︎ 22 push-ups / day<br />
☑︎ Running (soon)...<br />
<br />
Ride:<br />
- Summit Point Main with MARRC<br />
<br />
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
2016</h2>
Read:<br />
- ACIM<br />
- Saturn's Children<br />
- Emotional Freedom<br />
☑︎ Ready Player One<br />
☑︎ Distilled Spirits: Getting High, Then Sober, with a Famous Writer, a Forgotten Philosopher, and a Hopeless Drunk<br />
<br />
Write:<br />
☑︎ Live, love, forgive, learn... and have fun!<br />
<br />
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
2015</h2>
<div>
Read:</div>
<div>
☑︎ Why Beauty Is Truth</div>
☑︎ The Martian<br />
<div>
☑︎ Finite and Infinite Games</div>
<div>
☑︎ The Great Divorce<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Inspiration:</b></div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><a href="https://youtu.be/XgH3b-LY1uc" target="_blank">How to Focus Your Priorities and Narrow Down Your Interests - College Info Geek</a></li>
<li><a href="https://collegeinfogeek.com/now/" target="_blank">https://collegeinfogeek.com/now/</a></li>
<li><a href="https://sivers.org/now" target="_blank">https://sivers.org/now</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06157981823244565161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22931107.post-2454677993760787882018-04-07T12:02:00.001-04:002018-04-07T13:07:33.649-04:00A new model for the bi-polar experience...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
What if <a href="https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/bipolar-disorder/index.shtml">bi-polar disorder</a> isn't a disorder, or a disease, but a phenomenon? ...something that we may all experience to varying degrees, but for some, a phenomenon which runs out of control? ...what if we understood the phenomenon as a normal cycle, and taught those who are prone to spiraling out of control: 1) what the phenomenon is all about, 2) what to expect from the experience (the good and the bad), 3) how to recognize the phenomenon, and 4) how to regulate the phenomenon.<br />
<br />
Those who have experienced being deeply in love know: The head over heels euphoria is intoxicating. Whether powered by imagined potential or actual reciprocation, the intoxication can become addiction. Pull that relationship apart suddenly and we're devastated... heart-broken. To be "in love" is to open our heart to another, to feel the connection that comes from that openness, to feel the energy that enters our heart, and the euphoria that comes from the power of love.<br />
<br />
Where the "in love" experience is about openness of the heart, "mania" (the positive side of the bi-polar experience) is about openness of the mind.<br />
<br />
Bipolar is an <a href="https://www.prevolving.com/what-emotional-type-are-you/">intellectual emotional experience</a>: Open your mind to another, to others, or the Universe, and feel the energy. Elation. Purpose. Enthusiasm. Drive. Connection. Clarity. The power is intoxicating. It feels like you can think anything, create anything ...do, anything!<br />
<br />
The early stages of this intoxication trigger a dopamine rush which feels extraordinary... this is a happy time. And like the "in love" experience, no one can tell you that it's wrong!<br />
<br />
Often, the experience is easy to mask. In the early stages, it's controllable, and seems normal. And, in fact, carefully regulated, it remains controllable; thought and behavior remain in normal ranges. We all do it to varying degrees. This is what life is all about: purpose, enthusiasm, drive. ...all three of these are traits we admire, right?<br />
<br />
But, for people who are susceptible, the cycle can run out of control when they don't understand the experience. Like opening your heart to first love, for those who are prone to intellectual openness, and those who are prone to addiction, the intoxication that results from opening your mind is as real as intoxication from alcohol; it's a chemical phenomenon.<br />
<br />
Excitement, enthusiasm, the ideas... all encourage less sleep. During sleep, new ideas pour into the newly opened mind. Why sleep? The world is alive. The ideas are flooding in... new understandings... old knowledge connecting in new ways... inspiration. Now, is a time for action, not sleep!<br />
<br />
And the cycle has begun.... The failure to regulate the rush of ideas, energy and enthusiasm yields changes in eating patterns, disruption in the sleep cycle and a reduction in deep sleep each night. Increased energy levels, accelerated speech, heightened intellect, and shifts in attitude, focus and priorities become externally visible. At this point, the phenomenon may become visible to others. But to the uninitiated, the signs are non-obvious, or may seem benign... and, initially, they are... The newly evolving symptoms seem peculiar... but are not clearly "a problem."<br />
<br />
Two or three nights of this cycle can be disruptive, but they're not the end of the world. A change in pace; a day or two of regular meals; exercise; and a few nights of regular sleep... things can return to a normal balance.<br />
<br />
But with the first experience, the doorway has been opened. From that time on, the person who has profoundly experienced their "open mind" will have the ability to return to that state. Without greater understanding, they'll be prone to going further into the addictive cycle. And without appropriate controls, they'll be prone to allowing that cycle to cascade out of control.<br />
<br />
Sleep disruption and deprivation, irregular meals, and activities that increase focus on thought -- especially enthusiastic communication with others -- will promote the cycle.<br />
<br />
Lack of food ultimately means a lack of energy. The biological lack is counterbalanced by the energetic intake via the open mind. This may or may not be a problem...<br />
<br />
What is definitely a problem is the lack of sleep. <a href="https://www.ted.com/talks/jeff_iliff_one_more_reason_to_get_a_good_night_s_sleep">Sleep is your body's mechanism for removing waste from the brain</a>. Increased thought results in increased energy consumption in the brain. Increased energy consumption produces increased waste products. But a lack of sleep means an accumulation of waste in the brain.<br />
<br />
This is the aspect of the bi-polar phenomenon that can legitimately be treated like a disease. A person who will not sleep, and isn't eating will rapidly develop an abnormal brain chemistry. And, the cascade that results from this phase of the experience is both visible, and can cause real harm... to the individual, and to those around them...<br />
<br />
At this stage, we enter full-blown mania. Control becomes less of an option. Thoughts and behaviors become erratic. Although the individual may seem lucid, and will exhibit high levels of self-control, the racing thoughts, the extraordinary connections and insights, and the amped up dopamine cycles will all combine to create a life experience that is both extraordinary, and terrifying.<br />
<br />
From this stage, returning -- gracefully -- without external intervention -- is unlikely. Without intervention, the natural recovery from the extreme manic cycle is the crash... a full-scale collapse of systems, thought, feeling... and deep withdrawal from the dopamine high.<br />
<br />
From the highest highs... we hit the lowest lows. Thought is uninspired. Motivation gone. Purpose lost. Hope becomes hopelessness. The high is remembered, but serves only to amplify the current pain.<br />
<br />
Recovery from mild depressive cycles is possible with sleep, a return to a regular diet, and a non-threatening environment. A shift in focus. Gentle exercise. Recovery and stabilization.<br />
<br />
But at this state, there's a high risk of rapid cycle. Recovery without a shift in activities yields the opportunity to spin up the positive cycle again. Most will eagerly resume the cycle. But if nothing has changed, the greatest potential is that the cycle will repeat with greater amplitude until the final crash is sufficiently devastating that it brings outside intervention.<br />
<br />
At the extreme, the depressive cycle becomes a full-blown disease. Chemical imbalance. Ongoing mood, sleep, thought disorder... but now, in a very negative space. From here, intervention is difficult... all "help" is perceived as a threat. The individual is often correct in perceiving that "no one understands" -- both the highest highs and the lowest lows have opened a view on the world that they know "no one else knows." The alienation that comes from feeling misunderstood can promote violent anxiety, paranoia and fear. Although these feelings are merely a symptom of the underlying problem, they can become the focal-point for the treatment, causing a further cascade out of control into complete disorientation and terror.<br />
<br />
Finding someone else who has been through the experience, or is at least open to learning about the experience, and can help the individual navigate their mind is key. The loss of dopamine, and the resulting withdrawal is overwhelming, and the desire to return to the manic state can become uncontrollable.<br />
<br />
The wrong sort of intervention, or perceived threat, can amplify the depressive cycle further. Without understanding, the cascade can continue. It gets worse. At the extreme, nothing matters. Physical motivation may become impossible. Lack of desire to eat. Lack of desire to function. And, in the extreme: no desire to live. At this stage, suicide enters the individual's thoughts as a viable alternative to the misery and suffering. Hopelessness amplifies those thoughts.<br />
<br />
But it can get better: Sleep. Regular diet. Gentle exercise. Informed compassion. Gentle guidance into positive experiences. Positive music. Carefully guided discussion.<br />
<br />
Recovery from any stage of the experience is possible.<br />
<br />
Although medication can help with driving a return to a normal sleep cycle, the wrong medication strategies can cause further harm... rapidly.<br />
<br />
Recovery without medication is also possible, but requires insight that is rare. It also requires deep thoughtfulness, compassion, and courage from those closest to person going through the bipolar experience.
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tThgSHhry5U/WsjgIYdIjJI/AAAAAAAAAlI/7ZFu_q3h6_UVaUFJk-jBK2sRa5K2UnZkwCLcBGAs/s1600/www.zastavki.com_1291737371940.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="http://thefifthcorner.com/2010/12/07/red-nebula/" border="0" data-original-height="1019" data-original-width="1275" height="318" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tThgSHhry5U/WsjgIYdIjJI/AAAAAAAAAlI/7ZFu_q3h6_UVaUFJk-jBK2sRa5K2UnZkwCLcBGAs/s400/www.zastavki.com_1291737371940.jpeg" title="Red Nebula" width="400" /></a>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo source: <a href="http://thefifthcorner.com/2010/12/07/red-nebula/">http://thefifthcorner.com/2010/12/07/red-nebula/</a></span></div>
</div>
Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06157981823244565161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22931107.post-32094695484685535052018-02-24T10:44:00.001-05:002018-07-15T21:34:54.530-04:00Implications of intimacy...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
It is broadly accepted that what we all desire most is to love and be loved in return.<br />
<br />
It is also true that there is equally broad confusion about the nature of what we all seek.<br />
<br />
Sexual drive, romance and attachment often feel like love. We talk about them and often treat them as being synonymous with love. But in spite of our collective confusion, we can gain considerable clarity by recognizing them simply as biological drives. They are essential aspects of our lives as humans. Each represents a fundamental force which guides our behaviors and promotes the propagation of our species. ...but they are not love.<br />
<br />
Although they are all closely associated with love, the confusion of these drives and the feelings that come with them with "love" is a problem as old as humanity.<br />
<br />
Intimacy also feels close to love... And, too often, we mistake intimacy as a path to love. Perhaps greater intimacy will yield real love!?<br />
<br />
True intimacy is a momentary encounter with the deeper connection we seek. It has an ineffable quality. We can talk about it, but ultimately, true intimacy is a form of connection that surpasses the experience. Physical touch. Exactly the right words. A uniquely special gift. A beautiful moment in time. A particularly meaningful act of service. The moments in which intimacy is encountered are the ephemeral form of the connection that is fundamental to love… in those moments we experience that connection. But, although this connection may feel like love, it is not love itself. The connection offered by intimacy is only temporary — something instantaneous, existing only in the moment — but when it’s right, in those moments, it is just as powerful as love.<br />
<br />
There are asymmetric forms of intimacy: A photo which captures the true spirit of the subject may enable a connection with the viewer across time and space.<br />
<br />
But this asymmetry is perilously close to the many forms of pseudo-intimacy and false intimacy that pervade our experience. In the eye of the beholder, these forms of intimacy often feel real and are as powerful as true intimacy. They drive the pursuit of the imagined intimacy.<br />
<br />
True intimacy is symmetric, lost in the moment, deeply connected... a dance, without thought or calculation. It may be as brief as a glance or smile, or for those lucky few, may stretch over a lifetime. Intimacy is real. It reminds us of a connection that we crave so desperately. But, by its very nature it is ephemeral.<br />
<br />
Ultimately, what we are seeking through intimacy is love -- the ultimate connection. That feeling.<br />
<br />
In spite of our collective experience and confusion, love is not about feelings. Real love is not an emotion. Real love is not a feeling.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
Love, is a choice. Specifically, "your love" is your choice to offer your time, touch, words, gifts or service to another. Gary Chapman detailed the five love languages in his 1995 book, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Five_Love_Languages" target="_blank">The Five Love Languages</a>.<br />
<br />
To be "in love" certainly describes "a feeling"... "You'll just know it when you feel it" has been the wisdom of ages. But it is more helpful to understand being "in love" as the very real experience of opening your heart to another. Feelings derive from loving and being loved. But they are the symptom; the effect, not a cause.<br />
<br />
With some, the process of opening our hearts is so easy and so rapid that we confuse the result with the choice. "Love at first sight" is the archetype for this phenomenon; the choice is made instantaneously, and the feelings then derive from the experiences that unfold after that choice.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
It is helpful to untangle these experiences from our biological drives. Once again: To be "in love" is not romance -- though a romantic relationship is certainly where the "in love" experience is felt most clearly. It is not sexual desire -- though a physical connection, whether imagined or experienced, can also feel very powerfully of the "in love" experience. It is not attachment -- although, we often use our attachment to justify that we are "in love"... the desperation to retain that connection, the refusal to let go may feel like the experience of being "in love" but careful consideration will reveal many attachments that clearly have nothing to do with love. It may be very difficult to distinguish the feeling that comes from an open heart from the feeling that comes from attachment, but the two should not be confused.<br />
<br />
Love, is a choice, followed by action. Words of affirmation, gifts, acts of service, physical touch, or quality time. Each may be offered. Your love itself is a gift to another.<br />
<br />
Often, when we offer our love to another, we experience the phenomenon of opening our heart. Fear can inhibit this process. Fearlessness or affirmation can promote the process. As we open our heart, we may experience this as being "in love"...<br />
<br />
Although love is a choice, your choice to love another conveys absolutely no rights to you, whatsoever. The intended is under no obligation to accept or return the love you offer.<br />
<br />
Further, we have no inherent right, even, to express our love to another. The only thing inherent in your choice to offer your love to another are the obligations you then take on. A sincere offer of love brings only obligation; specifically, the obligation to be respectful, patient, kind and compassionate to the other.<br />
<br />
The hope for a connection does not convey any right to that connection. Rather, the nature of any connection is a mutual understanding -- whether consciously understood, or implicit.<br />
<br />
Intimacy, then, suggests the opportunity to explore that connection.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://staycalmandcontent.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Intimacy-image-300x169.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="169" data-original-width="300" height="169" src="https://staycalmandcontent.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Intimacy-image-300x169.jpg" width="300"></a>This path, once opened by both parties, becomes real. But it affords no guarantees. Only the opportunity for the couple to step into the unknown. To explore, together, the nature of their connection and the implications that connection has for their future... together... or apart.<br />
<br />
Intimacy is a meaningful and valuable way to explore the path together. But even as the couple explores the path together, there are no guarantees. There is only the moment. What lies beyond must always remain a mystery.<br />
<br />
This, is the implication of intimacy...<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo source: <a href="http://staycalmandcontent.com/nourishing-the-different-types-of-intimacy-in-your-relationship/">http://staycalmandcontent.com/nourishing-the-different-types-of-intimacy-in-your-relationship/</a></span></div>
<br /></div>Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06157981823244565161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22931107.post-71291170023427057792016-09-09T08:30:00.000-04:002016-09-11T11:06:26.038-04:00Live, love, forgive, learn... and have fun!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<p><h2 style="text-align: left;">What's the meaning of life?</h2></p>
...simple: To live!<br />
<br />
Whether you understand it or not, whether you accept it or not, you chose to be here... and every day you spend here is a choice.<br />
<br />
Within the constraints of time and space, a unique set of experiences and perspectives are available to you. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZhtI-_NNXy8">Enjoy them!</a><br />
<br />
To do that, start with a fundamental question, "What do you want!?" Discover your talents. Discover what matters to you. Play. Have fun! Help others.<br />
<p><h2 style="text-align: left;">If you do nothing else, love.</h2></p>
Within the limits of time and space, you may find it difficult to feel God's love. But, the love of others is immediately accessible. And, through that love, you're able to glimpse the love that God offers.<br />
<br />
Too many ask "What is love!?" or "How will I find love?" or "How will I know I'm in love?" Too many confuse <a href="https://www.ted.com/talks/helen_fisher_tells_us_why_we_love_cheat">sex drive, romantic attraction or attachment to another</a> as love. These are all powerful drives. But they're biological -- evolution's agenda -- they're not love. So, what is love?<br />
<br />
To love, is to share our time, touch, words of affirmation, gifts and service to another without expectation. Gary Chapman's book <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Five-Love-Languages-Heartfelt-Commitment/dp/B006Q2LTRO">The Five Love Languages</a> sums it up beautifully.<br />
<br />
Most of us have been fortunate to love and be loved at some point ...the compassion of a stranger ...her smile and the light in her eyes ...a hug from a new friend. Everyone has a story. Something simple that means more to them than they fully understand... A depth of connection that they can't explain.<br />
<br />
During and immediately after birth, touch is our first experience. The beauty of touch as an expression of love is that it's reciprocal.<br />
<br />
On the couch, with my six week old daughter sleeping soundly on my chest, tears streaming down my cheeks, I finally experienced true love for another. Eventually, I struggled to put words to the experience... To me, the best way to describe the feeling was to say "I had fallen in love with my daughter." But for the first time in my life, I had fallen in love in a way that didn't involve sexual attraction, or romantic attraction, or attachment. I was feeling something entirely new.<br />
<br />
It would take another 24 years, and several more children, to fully understand... But, eventually it finally clicked:<br />
<br />
To be "in love" is to open our heart to another with the hope that they will offer us their love through their time, touch, words, gifts or service.<br />
<br />
As our heart is filled by their love, we feel love... "you'll just know it!" is true... unhelpful, but true. You'll also know it by paying attention to their actions: Do they spend quality time with you? Do they touch you lovingly? Do they offer words of affirmation? Do they bring you gifts? Do they offer acts of service?<br />
<br />
And, all too often, sadly, once we have opened our heart to another, we will experience "The Void" -- the ache that comes from the lack of love from that special other... Whether it is temporary or permanent, the longing, desperation, and deep sadness that comes from having opened our heart to another only to feel it left empty is overwhelming. It causes us to question everything about that love, and our choice to be loved...<br />
<p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Forgiveness is the answer</h2></p>
Inevitably, we will have the need for forgiveness, and we will need to forgive. Forgiveness to another enables our heart to heal. Through our forgiveness, we let go.<br />
<br />
Are there people who have hurt you? Are there people who make you angry? Forgive them. You have nothing to lose. Forgiving them doesn't "let them off the hook." Forgiving them doesn't mean that you have to forget. Forgiving them doesn't mean setting yourself up to repeat the past. Forgiving them is simply letting go of the past, living in your moment, and embracing your future free of the wounds of the past.<br />
<br />
Asking forgiveness is the first step toward rebuilding a damaged relationship. If you have caused harm -- in any way -- there is always a way to feel sorry, to sincerely offer an apology, and to ask for forgiveness. A true apology is offered without expectation; you should not expect to be forgiven. But, to help the other to heal, you can acknowledge your mistake, you can offer to make amends, and you can honestly express your desire to heal the relationship. If you are refused, you have the opportunity to forgive them and be patient. Time is often the answer.<br />
<p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Live and learn</h2></p>
For decades, I've said "You can learn the hard way or the easy way. Listen to me, and I'll teach you the easy way. Keep doing what you're doing, and you may learn the hard way."<br />
<br />
What I haven't said is that learning the easy way is a very slow process. Although a lot can be understood at an intellectual level, deep learning comes from experience. And, there's nothing like learning the "hard way" to translate experience -- rapidly -- into a lesson learned.<br />
<br />
For my part, I chose "both." There are some lessons that are worth learning the hard way. There are a few lessons that can only be learned the hard way.<br />
<br />
To me, it seems that lessons involving emotion can only be truly learned through experience -- the hard way. "Tis better to have loved and lost than to never to have loved at all." are terrific words, but it's only after losing love that they'll truly resonate. At that point, many of us find ourselves bitterly disagreeing. Love lost is a very hard lesson... but there doesn't seem to be any other way.<br />
<br />
Likewise, courage is splashed across the big screen in the latest spate of war movies, but too few of us truly understand what bravery and courage feel like. There is no easy way to learn and deeply understand courage... you have to face the circumstance, feel the fear or the terror, make hard choices, and push through the experience... at the end of it all, we call it "courage." But, in the midst of it, we explain it only as "I did what I had to do." "...I did what anyone else would have done."<br />
<br />
Ultimately, reflecting on the question "What do you want?" I suspect that all of us can realize that we're here to learn something. Certainly the need to live, love, forgive are common to us all. But, there's something in particular you're here to learn.<br />
<br />
For my part, it has always been easy -- revealed in my very first words: "How's it works?" Although I wasn't conscious of it at the time, I'd spend the next two decades of my life exploring the mechanical and electrical world to understand "how's it works?" Cars, trains, planes, TVs... anything with buttons. Anything that moved.<br />
<br />
In 1979, electronics, integrated circuits, the microprocessor, the computer would capture my attention. In 1984, philosophy and theology were added to the list. But, they weren't new, at four, I wondered about the nature of infinity... the limits of time and space. If you go to the limit, and then go further, what then? With the August 1985 cover of Scientific American, the image of the Mandelbrot Set renewed a fascination with mathematics, and ignited a new appreciation for how deeply math is woven through the fabric of our reality.<br />
<br />
In 2003, I learned that my answer to most things is "both" or "all of the above." That has made focusing a challenge for me. What do you want to learn? Everything. But, the touch-stone has always been "How's it works?"<br />
<p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Have fun!</h2></p>
As a game developer, there is a particular irony to me that we live in the most extraordinary simulation ever invented. Whether you attribute that invention to God, or the spontaneous evolution of the properties of this universe following "The Big Bang", it's undeniable that the limits of this reality -- our time and space -- afford an extraordinarily vast playground.<br />
<br />
Although we are radically constrained by our bodies, in this era we are fortunate to be able to use technology to extend our capabilities. Throughout history, we have explored through our imagination. With science, we have explored with our technologies. And, increasingly in this era, we are able to explore with our spirits.<br />
<br />
What are we here for? ...the simple answer for me has always been: To have fun!<br />
<br />
Sure, there are loftier pursuits: helping others, creating beautiful works of art, saving the world, making the world a better place. But, whatever you chose, if you're not having fun, you've probably chosen the wrong pursuit. ...I don't mean that every moment will be fun. I mean, when you look back on the last day, week, month, or year and say "What do I love!?" If you're not doing *that* with some portion of your life, you should be looking more carefully at your alternatives.<br />
</div><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3d/Little_Gasparilla_sunrise.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3d/Little_Gasparilla_sunrise.jpg" width="480" height="320" /></a></div>
Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06157981823244565161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22931107.post-52545760586520447662016-08-21T17:25:00.000-04:002016-08-21T17:27:58.797-04:00Blog post for Melissa<p><i>A friend was asked "What do you do?" Answering on her behalf, from my experience, this is the answer I see:</i></p>
<p></p>
<p>Q: What do you do?</p>
<p>A: I guess what I do depends a lot on your perspective. To some, it might seem that I just spend weeks away from my family talking on a microphone to a bunch of tourists on a bus. To others who know better, it's clear that what I do is far more subtle.</p>
<p>To them, I'm a teacher. I share my knowledge of the people, places and cultures of New Zealand, Australia and Fiji. While many of my students sleep, or tune out with their earbuds firmly embedded in their skulls, a few of the students, and many of the parents, listen attentively and learn.</p>
<p>In the end, they may not retain many of the facts I've shared. But they all share in the love for these beautiful islands and their people.</p>
<p>But, for me, it's about more than being a teacher or a guide... Through my passion, my time, and my attention, I share my love for the people and places we visit -- and offer my love to the people I guide. Many appreciate what I offer and return that love, saying that their lives have been enriched by the time I've shared with them. We are a global family; my brothers and sisters, my children... Many, I'll never see or hear from again. But with a special few, I stay connected. Although we may never see each other in person again, the time we've spent traveling together has formed a rare and special bond.</p>
<p>I love what I do. I'm good at it. My life and the lives of those I touch are better for the work I do.</p>
<p>You don't have to understand... But if you really want to, why don't you come see for yourself?</p>Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06157981823244565161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22931107.post-23616444294195902432014-08-19T13:47:00.001-04:002014-08-19T13:52:12.873-04:00ALS findings - what do we know?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Amid the flood of ALS bucket challenges, I thought I'd take a moment to google for what's known. Here's what I found:<br />
<br />
<b>What is ALS?</b><br />
<br />
A-myo-trophic comes from the Greek language. "A" means no or negative. "Myo" refers to muscle, and "Trophic" means nourishment–"No muscle nourishment." When a muscle has no nourishment, it "atrophies" or wastes away. "Lateral" identifies the areas in a person's spinal cord where portions of the nerve cells that signal and control the muscles are located. As this area degenerates it leads to scarring or hardening ("sclerosis") in the region.<br />
<br />
As motor neurons degenerate, they can no longer send impulses to the muscle fibers that normally result in muscle movement.<br />
<br />
- <a href="http://www.alsa.org/about-als/what-is-als.html">http://www.alsa.org/about-als/what-is-als.html</a><br />
<br />
<b>What causes ALS?</b><br />
<br />
August 21, 2011 - Ubiquilin2 in spinal and brain system cells is supposed to repair or dispose of other proteins as they become damaged. The researchers discovered a breakdown of this function in ALS patients.<br />
<br />
When Ubiquilin2 is unable to remove or repair damaged proteins, the damaged proteins begin to pile up in the cells, eventually blocking normal transmission of brain signals in the spinal cord and brain, leading to paralysis.<br />
<br />
- <a href="http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2011-08-21/news/chi-northwestern-research-unveils-clues-to-cause-of-als-20110821_1_als-patients-key-protein-northwestern-study">http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2011-08-21/news/chi-northwestern-research-unveils-clues-to-cause-of-als-20110821_1_als-patients-key-protein-northwestern-study</a><br />
<br />
April 4, 2014 - "Like the studs, joists and rafters of a house, the neurofilament is the backbone of the cell, but it's constantly changing. These proteins need to be shipped from the cell body, where they are produced, to the most distant part, and then be shipped back for recycling," he said. "If the proteins cannot form correctly and be transported easily, they form tangles that cause a cascade of problems."<br />
<br />
Zhang's research group found "the disease ALS is caused by misregulation of one step in the production of the neurofilament," he said.<br />
<br />
- <a href="http://www.latinpost.com/articles/10061/20140404/cause-of-als-lou-gehrigs-disease-found.htm">http://www.latinpost.com/articles/10061/20140404/cause-of-als-lou-gehrigs-disease-found.htm</a><br />
<br />
<b>What is causing the protein transport process to fail?</b><br />
<br />
January 05, 2012 - ...a serendipitous trail of clues led him to discover that a tiny toxic molecule, beta-methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA), believed to be from cycads on Guam, was in fact produced by cyanobacteria, and not just on Guam, but around the world. More astonishing, he and Banack discovered that BMAA had accumulated in the brains of humans who’d died from ALS, Alzheimer’s, or Parkinson’s — but not in the brains of people who’d died from other causes.<br />
<br />
- <a href="http://www.psmag.com/navigation/health-and-behavior/was-lou-gehrigs-als-caused-by-tap-water-38804/">http://www.psmag.com/navigation/health-and-behavior/was-lou-gehrigs-als-caused-by-tap-water-38804/</a><br />
<br />
March 31, 2013 - ...folks with ALS have more heavy metal exposures like lead.<br />
<br />
In addition, people with ALS have more hydrocarbon exposures like jet fuel, as well as paint strippers, cutting, cooling and lubricating oils, stock-piled anti-freeze, de-icers or coolants like propylene glycol and even dry cleaning agents, auto exhaust, and chlorinated hydrocarbons like pesticides.<br />
...<br />
References:<br />
<br />
Fang F, et al, Workplace exposures and the risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Environ Health Persp, 117:1387-92, 2009<br />
<br />
Kamel f, et al, Lead exposure as a risk factor for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Neurodegen Dis, 2:195-201, 2005<br />
<br />
Homer RD, et al., Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis among 1991 Gulf War veterans: evidence for a time-limited outbreak, Neuroepidemiol 31:28-32, 2008<br />
<br />
Ritchie GD, et al, Effects of repeated exposure to JP-8 jet fuel vapor on learning of simple and difficult operant tasks by rats, J Toxicol Environ Health A 64:385-417, 2008<br />
<br />
- <a href="http://www.functionalmedicineuniversity.com/public/Amyotrophic_Lateral_Sclerosis.cfm">http://www.sandozchiropractic.com/studies-show-amyotrophic-lateral-sclerosis-als-may-be-caused-by-environmental-toxins/</a></div>
Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06157981823244565161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22931107.post-54998079396998920332014-03-29T18:45:00.002-04:002014-04-06T12:42:29.949-04:00What's next?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="http://www.ftlapps.com/wordpress/" target="_blank">FTLapps</a> has been growing for over two years now! We have <a href="http://www.ftlapps.com/wordpress/products/" target="_blank">five product lines</a> on the App Store, and thousands of fans around the globe. We've built apps for the iPhone and iPad... and, soon, hope to have TrackDay for Android out at last! And, we're aiming to have a sixth product line (a new game!) out on the App Store next month!<br />
<br />
But, this update is inspired by consideration of some of the greatest (or at least, most visible) technological advances of the past decade or two.<br />
<br />
In no precise order, virtual technologies:<br />
<br />
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li>The Internet and the Web (and email and HTML5 and JavaScript...)</li>
<li>Google Search</li>
<li>Blogging in general (and Blogger in particular)</li>
<li>Wikipedia (and within the movie information space, an honorable mention to <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0688162/" target="_blank">IMDB</a>)</li>
<li>Facebook (sorry... MySpace, didn't make the cut)</li>
<li>Open Source in general... Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP, jQuery, WordPress and all the other thousands of amazing projects and everyone who has ever contributed</li>
<li>YouTube (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uT3SBzmDxGk" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uT3SBzmDxGk</a>)</li>
<li>Google ...everything... Maps, Gmail, Analytics, AdWords... (just to get started...)</li>
<li>"Meritocracy Portals" (e.g., Amazon, eBay, App Store, Google Play, <a href="http://www.theverge.com/2014/3/28/5557120/what-if-oculus-rift-kickstarter-backers-had-gotten-equity" target="_blank">Kickstarter</a>, Kiva, TopCoder, <a href="http://www.shapeways.com/" target="_blank">shapeways</a>)</li>
<li>Apple Xcode and iOS (in spite of the chaos the iOS 7.1 release has caused in Sprite Kit!)</li>
<li>Learning Portals (<a href="http://www.ted.com/talks/salman_khan_let_s_use_video_to_reinvent_education" target="_blank">http://www.ted.com/talks/salman_khan_let_s_use_video_to_reinvent_education</a>)</li>
<li>TED (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NENlXsW4pM" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NENlXsW4pM</a>)</li>
<li>Facebook (again? ...yeah, but now, with <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/27/technology/crowdfunders-of-the-maker-of-oculus-rift-denounce-a-facebook-buyout.html" target="_blank">Oculus Rift</a> and <a href="http://www.digitaltrends.com/opinion/mark-zuckerberg-humanitarian-super-villain/" target="_blank">internet laser drones</a>...)</li>
<li>Twitter (...referenced by TV commentators like it actually counts as a news source!?)</li>
<li>Netflix (...in 1999 they belonged in the list below, but today, they are increasingly virtual...)</li>
<li><a href="http://stackoverflow.com/" target="_blank">Stack Overflow</a> (...redefining what it means to be an "isolated" software developer)</li>
<li>Microsoft Visual Studio Express (...haven't actually used it, but kudos to MS for putting it out there for free!)</li>
<li>Epic <a href="https://www.unrealengine.com/" target="_blank">Unreal Engine Technology</a> (...C++ source code too! ...for just $19/month...)</li>
<li>Minecraft (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kn2-d5a3r94" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kn2-d5a3r94</a>)</li>
</ol>
<br />
<br />
Physical technologies:<br />
<br />
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li>iPhone and iPad (...is that <a href="http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=604242" target="_blank">a super-computer in your pocket</a>?)</li>
<li>GPU-based rendering in PCs and Consoles (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graphics_processing_unit" target="_blank">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graphics_processing_unit</a>)</li>
<li>GoPro (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J31PCfO8zZQ" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J31PCfO8zZQ</a>)</li>
<li>Wing suits (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CQFYqzyPd0" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CQFYqzyPd0</a>)</li>
<li>Jetman (<a href="http://www.ted.com/talks/yves_rossy_fly_with_the_jetman">http://www.ted.com/talks/yves_rossy_fly_with_the_jetman</a>)</li>
<li>3D Printed organs (<a href="http://www.ted.com/talks/anthony_atala_printing_a_human_kidney" target="_blank">http://www.ted.com/talks/anthony_atala_printing_a_human_kidney</a>)</li>
<li>Google's Driverless Car (<a href="http://www.ted.com/talks/sebastian_thrun_google_s_driverless_car" target="_blank">http://www.ted.com/talks/sebastian_thrun_google_s_driverless_car</a>)</li>
<li>Bionic legs (<a href="http://www.ted.com/talks/hugh_herr_the_new_bionics_that_let_us_run_climb_and_dance" target="_blank">http://www.ted.com/talks/hugh_herr_the_new_bionics_that_let_us_run_climb_and_dance</a>)</li>
<li>Bionic eyes (<a href="http://iq.intel.com/the-future-of-wearable-devices-will-be-human-centric/" target="_blank">http://iq.intel.com/the-future-of-wearable-devices-will-be-human-centric/</a>)</li>
<li>3D Printing (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Diamond_Age" target="_blank">The Diamond Age</a> begins with... <a href="http://metro.co.uk/2014/03/28/bricks-pah-work-begins-on-worlds-first-3d-printed-house-4682213/" target="_blank">The Plastic Age</a>?)</li>
<li>Industrial Robots (<a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=industrial+robots&tbm=isch" target="_blank">https://www.google.com/search?q=industrial+robots&tbm=isch</a>)</li>
<li>Hobbyist Robotics (<a href="http://www.lego.com/en-us/mindstorms/" target="_blank">http://www.lego.com/en-us/mindstorms/</a>)</li>
<li>Personal Robotics (<a href="http://www.ted.com/talks/cynthia_breazeal_the_rise_of_personal_robots" target="_blank">http://www.ted.com/talks/cynthia_breazeal_the_rise_of_personal_robots</a>)</li>
<li>MotoGP Premier Class motorcycles (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HsPu9SWflCA" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HsPu9SWflCA</a>)</li>
</ol>
<br />
<br />
...don't like my lists... share your additions here!<br />
<br />
The question remains.... What's next?</div>
Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06157981823244565161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22931107.post-4172073526985598192012-04-28T15:29:00.001-04:002012-04-28T15:29:10.163-04:00FTLapps, Inc. is next<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="http://zogscorner.blogspot.com/2011/08/whats-next.html">What's next?</a> FTLapps is next! Incorporated on December 21, 2011, two of our apps are in the app store today, and three are in Beta for release in May and June. We're on facebook (<a href="http://www.facebook.com/FTLapps">http://www.facebook.com/FTLapps</a>), and have our own website: <a href="http://www.ftlapps.com/">http://www.ftlapps.com/</a>.<br />
<br />
Both on iTunes and in the App Store, check out<br />
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/colorassist/id496585813" target="_blank">ColorAssist</a></li>
<li><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/featuremapper/id503951948" target="_blank">FeatureMapper</a></li>
</ul>
<div>
And, follow us at <a href="http://www.facebook.com/FTLapps">http://www.facebook.com/FTLapps</a> for regular updates on what's next!</div>
</div>Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06157981823244565161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22931107.post-85660337260254922382011-08-15T18:17:00.005-04:002011-09-09T18:22:19.649-04:00What's next?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">May was an extraordinary month for me. The process of building AOL's open source strategy in 2011 had been fantastically inspiring.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">On Monday, 5/16, on the way to lunch, I concluded that the only way to build the five products I had imagined over the past week would be to start a company. And, in the few steps between the car and the restaurant, I concluded "I am going to start a company."</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Friday of that same week, taking a break from work at Graydon Manor during AOL's 2011 Monster Help Day, I facebooked:</span><br />
<ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Favorite quote of the day: "I thought you'd given up on that." -- "I don't give up on anything."</span></span></li>
<li><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Lessons learned: I can do my job anywhere.</span></span></li>
<li><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Lessons learned: You don't have to plan ahead. You can help anytime, anywhere, if you ask, and you listen.</span></span></span></li>
<li><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Lessons learned: It's ok to make mistakes.</span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Lessons learned: Use the right tool.</span></span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Lessons learned: everyone has strengths and weaknesses. Work with your strengths.</span></span></span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Lessons learned: Working as a team, we do great things, and help the world.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Lessons learned: When helping others, we help ourselves. Aka, what goes around, comes around.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Favorite quote: are you using Kanban or agile? Kanban. Is that better than agile? I think it depends on the team?</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Quote of the day: "We start a project; we finish a project!"</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Lesson learned (2004): "I joined AOL to work with a wide array of people, learn from them, and grow as a person."</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Lesson learned (2009): "I joined AOL to learn about leadership."</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Lesson learned (2010): "I joined AOL to learn about working with large teams."</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></li>
<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>
<li><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Lesson learned (2011): "I joined AOL to learn about leading teams effectively; helping them to realize their potential."</span></span></li>
<li><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Lesson learned: You don't have to do all the work; you don't have to finish the job yourself. Just making a problem clear (e.g., making a big pile of leaves) can be enough to encourage others to work together to solve the problem for you.</span></span></span></li>
<li><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Lesson learned (2011): I joined AOL to learn how to start, and run, my own company.</strong></span></span></span></span></li>
</ul><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">By the end of May, I had documented eleven product ideas that I was excited to pursue. Today, the count stands at fourteen.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In June, I had reaffirmed my commitment to AOL and was poised to continue the effort to take our open source strategy to the next level. But, the Universe works in mysterious ways, and on 7/20, it was clear that my final observation from 5/20 would be tested sooner than I had imagined.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Stay tuned for what's next!</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><em><strong>Update:</strong></em></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">What's next: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/DecisionTools">http://www.facebook.com/DecisionTools</a></span></div>Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06157981823244565161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22931107.post-89856135260561970352011-07-27T17:05:00.001-04:002011-07-27T17:21:47.785-04:00Farewell to AOL<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">For AOL co-workers, AOL Alumni, family and friends I have been unable to reach -- Monday, 8/1/2011 will be my last day with the company. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">After seven great years with AOL, it is time for me to ride off into the sunset. I joined AOL in July 2004. While posting status updates to facebook during our 5/20/2011 Aol Monster Help Day, I noted: "I joined AOL to work with a wide array of people, learn from them, and grow as a person." As I continued to update my status that day, it became clear to me that that goal had been accomplished many times over, in new and more spectacular ways every year I worked with AOL. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I have had the opportunity to work with four CTOs, a range of EVPs, SVPs and VPs, and much of the Technologies <a href="http://zogscorner.blogspot.com/2009/02/leadership.html">leadership</a> over the past few years. The range and depth of experiences as Chief-of-Staff, Technical Director, and Program Director have surpassed my wildest dreams. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">This year, I have been very fortunate to be able to reconnect with many of my colleagues from across the Technologies organization, and to meet many new colleagues. It has been my pleasure to work with you all. And, it has been an honor to be able to share in the effort to turn AOL around. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">But, the time has come for me to move on; new adventures await. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">As I head out, I'll close with a few thoughts – those I offered just last week in the recent "Great Place to Work" survey – if it were left to me, AOL would be ranked #1. I have been accused of being an optimist; and for my vision of the future, I suppose that is true. But, those who have worked closely with me know me as a pragmatist. I believe that both attitudes are present in this response to the survey: </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><em>> Is there anything unique or unusual about this company that makes it a great place to work? Please give specific examples.</em> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">With Tim Armstrong's arrival in 2009, it was clear that AOL would finally change in meaningful ways; ways that would lead the company, its employees, products, and customers forward into the future. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">With the mission "to connect, inform and entertain the world," a clearly defined set values, executive management accountability, a clear brand strategy and effective portfolio management, and clear business and product strategies, as a public company in 2010, AOL was finally poised to become the greatest turn-around story in the history of the Internet. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">In 2011, with the refinement of those strategies, and increasingly effective execution to bring great products and services to life, AOL is more alive than ever before. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><em>> If you could change one thing about this company to make it a better place to work, what would it be?</em> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Show, for consecutive quarters, significant revenue and profit growth to finally prove to the world that the AOL turn-around is complete!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">If we’re not already connected, you can find me at:</span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://about.me/mark.poesch"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">http://about.me/mark.poesch</span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.facebook.com/mark.poesch"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">http://www.facebook.com/mark.poesch</span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.linkedin.com/in/markpoesch"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">http://www.linkedin.com/in/markpoesch</span></a><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I wish you, AOL, our leadership, and all our employees nothing but the best. I am proud to join the ranks of AOL Alumni. And I know that you will all continue to do great things with AOL!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Cheers!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Mark</span></div>Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06157981823244565161noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22931107.post-11381551207149232792011-04-24T10:43:00.000-04:002014-03-29T21:57:11.492-04:00History repeats<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">"<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">FDR embraced policies that aimed to stop prices and wages from correcting and embarked on the boldest federal intrusion of the private sector in the history of the U.S.—all justified by a crisis made worse by<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><em style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: italic; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">previous attempts to stop prices and wages from correcting</em>. And when his policies didn't cause the promised happy days to return again, the golden tongued-FDR could be counted on to shift the blame—to Hoover, the Republicans, greedy businessmen, flaws in the free enterprise system.</span></span>"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">- </span><a href="http://mises.org/daily/1816"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">http://mises.org/daily/1816</span></a><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">There was a better answer, once...</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">As President, Reagan sought to inspire renewed confidence in the nation. In his Inaugural Address, he declared, "Government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem." Reagan also sought to inspire a belief in freedom abroad, especially among those living in Communist countries. During his second term, Reagan and his counterpart in the Soviet Union, Mikhail S. Gorbachev, negotiated reductions in nuclear arsenals and helped bring about an end to the Cold War.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Distinguished by his charisma and oratorical skills, Reagan is considered one of the most influential Presidents of the 20th century.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">- U.S. Postal Service, Ronald Reagan Centenial Stamp</span></div>
Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06157981823244565161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22931107.post-17929077013371768932011-03-24T07:18:00.000-04:002011-03-24T07:18:02.843-04:00What do you want to be?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><blockquote><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">When I was 5 years old, my mom always told </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">me that happiness was the key to life. When I </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">went to school, they asked me what I wanted </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">to be when I grew up. I wrote down "happy".</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">They told me I didn't understand the assignment.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I told them they didn't understand life.</span></blockquote></div>Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06157981823244565161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22931107.post-68814779497322979372010-11-11T18:18:00.000-05:002010-11-11T18:18:53.307-05:0060 Ways To Make Life Simple Again<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I didn't create this list. But, I'd like to think I could. Excerpted from </span><a href="http://www.marcandangel.com/2010/11/01/60-ways-to-make-life-simple-again/"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">http://www.marcandangel.com/2010/11/01/60-ways-to-make-life-simple-again/</span></a><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Life is not complex. We are complex. Life is simple,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">and the simple thing is the right thing.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">- Oscar Wilde</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<ol><li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Don’t try to read other people’s minds. Don’t make other people try to read yours. Communicate.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Be polite, but don’t try to be friends with everyone around you. Instead, spend time nurturing your relationships with the people who matter most to you.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Your health is your life, keep up with it. Get an annual physical check-up.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Live below your means. Don’t buy stuff you don’t need. Always sleep on big purchases. Create a budget and savings plan and stick to both of them.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Get enough sleep every night. An exhausted mind is rarely productive.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Get up 30 minutes earlier so you don’t have to rush around like a mad man. That 30 minutes will help you avoid speeding tickets, tardiness, and other unnecessary headaches.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Get off your high horse, talk it out, shake hands or hug, and move on.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Don’t waste your time on jealously. The only person you’re competing against is yourself.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Surround yourself with people who fill your gaps. Let them do the stuff they’re better at so you can do the stuff you’re better at.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Organize your living space and working space.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Get rid of stuff you don’t use.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Ask someone if you aren’t sure.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Spend a little time now learning a time-saving trick or shortcut that you can use over and over again in the future.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Don’t try to please everyone. Just do what you know is right.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Don’t drink alcohol or consume recreational drugs when you’re mad or sad. Take a jog instead.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Be sure to pay your bills on time.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Fill up your gas tank on the way home, not in the morning when you’re in a hurry.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Use technology to automate tasks.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Handle important two-minute tasks immediately.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Relocate closer to your place of employment.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Don’t steal.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Always be honest with yourself and others.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Say “I love you” to your loved ones as often as possible.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Single-task. Do one thing at a time and give it all you got.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Finish one project before you start another.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Be yourself.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">When traveling, pack light. Don’t bring it unless you absolutely must.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Clean up after yourself. Don’t put it off until later.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Learn to cook, and cook.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Make a weekly (healthy) menu, and shop for only the items you need.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Consider buying and cooking food in bulk. If you make a large portion of something on Sunday, you can eat leftovers several times during the week without spending more time cooking.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Stay out of other people’s drama. And don’t needlessly create your own.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Buy things with cash.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Maintain your car, home, and other personal belongings you rely on.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Smile often, even to complete strangers.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">If you hate doing it, stop it.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Treat everyone with the same level of respect you would give to your grandfather and the same level of patience you would have with your baby brother.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Apologize when you should.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Write things down.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Be curious. Don’t be scared to learn something new.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Explore new ideas and opportunities often.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Don’t be shy. Network with people. Meet new people.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Don’t worry too much about what other people think about you.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Spend time with nice people who are smart, driven, and likeminded.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Don’t text and drive. Don’t drink and drive.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Drink water when you’re thirsty.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Don’t eat when you’re bored. Eat when you’re hungry.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Exercise every day. Simply take a long, relaxing walk.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Let go of things you can’t change. Concentrate on things you can.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Find hard work you actually enjoy doing.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Realize that the harder you work, the luckier you will become.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Follow your heart. Don’t waste your life fulfilling someone else’s dreams and desires.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Set priorities for yourself and act accordingly.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Take it slow and add up all your small victories.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">However good or bad a situation is now, it will change. Accept this simple fact.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Excel at what you do. Otherwise you’ll just frustrate yourself.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Mature, but don’t grow up too fast.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Realize that you’re never quite as right as you think you are.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Build something or do something that makes you proud.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Make mistakes, learn from them, laugh about them, and move along.</span></li>
</ol><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">- <a href="http://www.marcandangel.com/2010/11/01/60-ways-to-make-life-simple-again/">http://www.marcandangel.com/2010/11/01/60-ways-to-make-life-simple-again/</a></span></div>Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06157981823244565161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22931107.post-86003686453502691292010-11-09T15:42:00.003-05:002010-11-09T15:44:25.259-05:00TheFlip meets AOL Design<div class="pmiImgBadgeH" style="width: 284px; height: 164px; padding: 8px; margin: 10px; text-align: left; overflow-y: auto; overflow-x: hidden;"><div class="pmiBadgeHead" style="font: bold 14px/120% Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; margin: 0 0 8px;"><a href="http://www.share-server.com/view/content/b5737ffc-ec41-11df-18ab-d9552f04950f" style="color: #005cff; text-decoration: none;">Flip video camera</a></div><div class="pmiBadgeThumbnail" style="float: right; padding: 0; margin: 0 0 0 8px;"><a href="http://www.share-server.com/view/content/b5737ffc-ec41-11df-18ab-d9552f04950f"><img src="http://share-server.com/view/embed/b5737ffc-ec41-11df-18ab-d9552f04950f" alt="" border="0" /></a></div><div class="pmiBadgeDescription" style="font: 12px/120% Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; color: #2f2f2f; padding: 0; margin: 0 121px 8px 0;">Flip UltraHD, MinoHD and SlideHD video cameras with Personalized Design - Available only at the Flip Video Store. Check out this unique Flip Video design. The Flip UltraHD, MinoHD and SlideHD video cameras combine remarkable video quality in a pocket-sized package. Now personalizable - create yours today. You've never had a video camera that's this much fun.</div><div class="pmiBadgeLink" style="font: 11px/120% Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif;padding: 0; margin: 0 0 8px;"><a href="http://www.share-server.com/view/content/b5737ffc-ec41-11df-18ab-d9552f04950f" style="color: #005cff; text-decoration: underline;">View >></a></div></div><br />
And... for flower fans:<br />
<br />
<div class="pmiImgBadgeH" style="width: 284px; height: 164px; padding: 8px; margin: 10px; text-align: left; overflow-y: auto; overflow-x: hidden;"><div class="pmiBadgeHead" style="font: bold 14px/120% Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; margin: 0 0 8px;"><a href="http://www.share-server.com/view/content/10e437aa-ec42-11df-1eab-d9552f04950f" style="color: #005cff; text-decoration: none;">Flip video camera</a></div><div class="pmiBadgeThumbnail" style="float: right; padding: 0; margin: 0 0 0 8px;"><a href="http://www.share-server.com/view/content/10e437aa-ec42-11df-1eab-d9552f04950f"><img src="http://share-server.com/view/embed/10e437aa-ec42-11df-1eab-d9552f04950f" alt="" border="0" /></a></div><div class="pmiBadgeDescription" style="font: 12px/120% Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; color: #2f2f2f; padding: 0; margin: 0 121px 8px 0;">Flip UltraHD, MinoHD and SlideHD video cameras with Personalized Design - Available only at the Flip Video Store. Check out this unique Flip Video design. The Flip UltraHD, MinoHD and SlideHD video cameras combine remarkable video quality in a pocket-sized package. Now personalizable - create yours today. You've never had a video camera that's this much fun.</div><div class="pmiBadgeLink" style="font: 11px/120% Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif;padding: 0; margin: 0 0 8px;"><a href="http://www.share-server.com/view/content/10e437aa-ec42-11df-1eab-d9552f04950f" style="color: #005cff; text-decoration: underline;">View >></a></div></div>Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06157981823244565161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22931107.post-25447658733879214252010-09-03T17:17:00.000-04:002014-03-29T21:55:59.685-04:00What genius...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Why is it that we didn't study (and discuss!) -- deeply -- the men (and women) who made history, instead of -- or in addition to -- just the events, places, and dates!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Who could read the words of Thomas Jefferson and not want to learn more!?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"I would rather be exposed to the inconveniences attending too much liberty than to those attending too small a degree of it."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Discuss. What does this mean to you?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What does this mean regarding the rights to free speech? art? business? gun ownership? motorcycle helmet laws?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"The policy of the American government is to leave their citizens free, neither restraining nor aiding them in their pursuits."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Is this true today? What has changed since Thomas Jefferson's time? What are the advantages of this principle? What are the disadvantages? What is the principle our government is formed around today?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"To take from one because it is thought that his own industry and that of his father’s has acquired too much, in order to spare to others, who, or whose fathers, have not exercised equal industry and skill, is to violate arbitrarily the first principle of association—the guarantee to every one of a free exercise of his industry and the fruits acquired by it."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Does this mean that we shouldn't help people in need? If the government does not tax the greater population to help those in need, who will help them?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"I am not a friend to a very energetic government. It is always oppressive."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Was Thomas Jefferson mistaken? Can a large centralized government benignly care for the populace?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- <a href="http://jpetrie.myweb.uga.edu/TJ.html">http://jpetrie.myweb.uga.edu/TJ.html</a></span></div>
Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06157981823244565161noreply@blogger.com0