I really enjoy brainpickings.org. It's a wonderful site with brilliant insight to writing and other topics I find relevant. Below is an article I find extremely helpful regarding writing. I hope you enjoy.
http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2012/09/28/neil-gaiman-8-rules-of-writing/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+brainpickings%2Frss+%28Brain+Pickings%29
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Saturday, September 29, 2012
9/29/12: Simple Musings...
I was in Long Grove, IL today and saw some cool quotes hanging in some of these shops scattered about town...
"Laugh when you can, apologize when you should, and let go of what you can't change. Kiss slowly, forgive quickly, play hard, take chances, give everything, and have no regrets. Life is too short to be anything but happy!" - found on a wall hanging
"When was the last time you did something for the first time?" - on a throw pillow
"Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass. It's abou learning to dance in the rain." - wall hanging
It's the simple things in life that bring us the most joy. Finding these quotes on wall hangings and throw pillows reminded me of that. It also reminded me how domesticated I am to be in shops that sell wall hangings and throw pillows to begin with. Until the next time...
"Laugh when you can, apologize when you should, and let go of what you can't change. Kiss slowly, forgive quickly, play hard, take chances, give everything, and have no regrets. Life is too short to be anything but happy!" - found on a wall hanging
"When was the last time you did something for the first time?" - on a throw pillow
"Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass. It's abou learning to dance in the rain." - wall hanging
It's the simple things in life that bring us the most joy. Finding these quotes on wall hangings and throw pillows reminded me of that. It also reminded me how domesticated I am to be in shops that sell wall hangings and throw pillows to begin with. Until the next time...
Thursday, September 27, 2012
You Must be a Consultant...
A co-worker put me on to this little gem and I had to share. Although I had not heard it before, I am sure there are some of you that have; so enjoy the refresher. Or, enjoy for the first time much like I just did...
A shepherd was herding his flock in a remote pasture when suddenly a brand-new BMW advanced out of the dust cloud towards him. The driver, a young man in a Broni suit, Gucci shoes, Ray Ban sunglasses and YSL tie, leaned out the window and asked the shepherd... "If I tell you exactly how many sheep you have in your flock, will you give me one?" The shepherd looked at the man, obviously a yuppie, then looked at his peacefully grazing flock and calmly answered "sure".
The yuppie parked his car, whipped out his IBM ThinkPad and connected it to a cell phone, then he surfed to a NASA page on the internet where he called up a GPS satellite navigation system, scanned the area, and then opened up a database and an Excel spreadsheet with complex formulas. He sent an email on his Blackberry and, after a few minutes, received a response. Finally, he prints out a 130-page report on his miniaturized printer then turns to the shepherd and says, "You have exactly 1586 sheep. "That is correct; take one of the sheep." said the shepherd. He watches the young man select one of the animals and bundle it into his car. Then the shepherd says: "If I can tell you exactly what your business is, will you give me back my animal?", "OK, why not." answered the young man. "Clearly, you are a consultant." said the shepherd. "That's correct." says the yuppie, "but how did you guess that?" "No guessing required." answers the shepherd. "You turned up here although nobody called you. You want to get paid for an answer I already knew, to a question I never asked, and you don't know crap about my business...... Now give me back my dog."
A shepherd was herding his flock in a remote pasture when suddenly a brand-new BMW advanced out of the dust cloud towards him. The driver, a young man in a Broni suit, Gucci shoes, Ray Ban sunglasses and YSL tie, leaned out the window and asked the shepherd... "If I tell you exactly how many sheep you have in your flock, will you give me one?" The shepherd looked at the man, obviously a yuppie, then looked at his peacefully grazing flock and calmly answered "sure".
The yuppie parked his car, whipped out his IBM ThinkPad and connected it to a cell phone, then he surfed to a NASA page on the internet where he called up a GPS satellite navigation system, scanned the area, and then opened up a database and an Excel spreadsheet with complex formulas. He sent an email on his Blackberry and, after a few minutes, received a response. Finally, he prints out a 130-page report on his miniaturized printer then turns to the shepherd and says, "You have exactly 1586 sheep. "That is correct; take one of the sheep." said the shepherd. He watches the young man select one of the animals and bundle it into his car. Then the shepherd says: "If I can tell you exactly what your business is, will you give me back my animal?", "OK, why not." answered the young man. "Clearly, you are a consultant." said the shepherd. "That's correct." says the yuppie, "but how did you guess that?" "No guessing required." answers the shepherd. "You turned up here although nobody called you. You want to get paid for an answer I already knew, to a question I never asked, and you don't know crap about my business...... Now give me back my dog."
Friday, September 14, 2012
New Favorite Character
Lee Child is the author of such titles as The Killing Floor, Tripwire and Die Trying. All titles chronicle his character, Jack Reacher.
This guy is tough as nails and a great main character to a crime/mystery novel. Jack Reacher is well thought out, very detailed and believable. If you've yet to check out Lee Child, I suggest you do so. Recently I finished The Killing Floor and started Die Trying. I find them hard to put down and plow through them relatively quickly.
This guy is tough as nails and a great main character to a crime/mystery novel. Jack Reacher is well thought out, very detailed and believable. If you've yet to check out Lee Child, I suggest you do so. Recently I finished The Killing Floor and started Die Trying. I find them hard to put down and plow through them relatively quickly.
Dose of Reality: Time
Time is a finite measure that we use to try and control things in and around our immediate environment. Whether it be minutes and hours in a day, or weeks and months on our calendar pages (or lack thereof with the use of technology.) Often times, I hear people say how little time they have at their disposal to do the things which they feel will bring them the most enjoyment in life.
Time, albeit finite, and however one measures it, does not judge. We all have the same minutes in a day; we all have the same tools at our disposal to do with said time what we will. The question is: what will you do with that time? To what use will you put it and how will it better your situation?
I by no stretch am the master of time management. I have my shortcomings and fail to accomplish all I set out to do. However, one thing you will not hear me complain about is the lack of time I have in which I could use to accomplish whatever it is I am after. For I know, we make time for what we find most important. Read the Bible more, take a walk with a loved one, read a great novel under the light of a lamp, go outside and take photos, be with loved ones, prepare coffee in a french press... whatever it is you choose to do, be sure to do what it is you find important and you'll always have time.
Time, albeit finite, and however one measures it, does not judge. We all have the same minutes in a day; we all have the same tools at our disposal to do with said time what we will. The question is: what will you do with that time? To what use will you put it and how will it better your situation?
I by no stretch am the master of time management. I have my shortcomings and fail to accomplish all I set out to do. However, one thing you will not hear me complain about is the lack of time I have in which I could use to accomplish whatever it is I am after. For I know, we make time for what we find most important. Read the Bible more, take a walk with a loved one, read a great novel under the light of a lamp, go outside and take photos, be with loved ones, prepare coffee in a french press... whatever it is you choose to do, be sure to do what it is you find important and you'll always have time.
Friday, September 7, 2012
Rediscovering
What is it about rediscovery that is so intriguing? For me, it hit me like a right hook from Evander Holyfield. I was digging through the crates and found some music I had fallen out of touch with. Some I felt I had outgrown but some hit a chord that took me back to a place in time... so vivid, so clear, so real. It's peculiar how we can hear the same song, but had time go by and shape our lives through experiences that we find a new meaning in things. Or, we may have been able to relate to the song but now we relate in a way that is more full and deep. It was like I was a freshman in high school all over again or walking through the common on the campus of The University of Montana - Missoula in the Fall.
So I am jamming to Incubus, M 83, Foster the People, Built to Spill and Purity Ring (not all at the same time but throughout the day) when a novel on my bookshelf sort of calls out to me in a way only in the movies. The light hit it just so as the symphony in the background began to play... anyway, I grab the book, Killing Floor by: Lee Child and read through the first forty pages. I look up, completely lost, and realize I need to eat. All of this happened over the course of a couple of hours and I felt like it could have been a year's time for all of the music and reading I had poured over. It's like we are connected to certain songs, novels, magazines, people, whatever... and no matter the time or space in between, we'll still have a connection to these things.
"It's crazy how freedom can make us feel contained." - Waste by Foster the People.
So I am jamming to Incubus, M 83, Foster the People, Built to Spill and Purity Ring (not all at the same time but throughout the day) when a novel on my bookshelf sort of calls out to me in a way only in the movies. The light hit it just so as the symphony in the background began to play... anyway, I grab the book, Killing Floor by: Lee Child and read through the first forty pages. I look up, completely lost, and realize I need to eat. All of this happened over the course of a couple of hours and I felt like it could have been a year's time for all of the music and reading I had poured over. It's like we are connected to certain songs, novels, magazines, people, whatever... and no matter the time or space in between, we'll still have a connection to these things.
"It's crazy how freedom can make us feel contained." - Waste by Foster the People.
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
When Do We Become Truly Conscious? By: Daniel Bor
The new science of consciousness should change how we think about thorny ethical dilemmas.
http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/science/2012/09/consciousness_science_and_ethics_abortion_animal_rights_and_vegetative_state_debates_.html
This is an excerpt from Mr. Bor's piece on consciousness:
"Whether I'm reveling in a glowing pleasure or even if I'm enduring a sharp sadness, I always sense that behind everything there is the privilege and passion of experience. Our consciousness is the essence of who we perceive ourselves to be. It is the citadel for our senses, the melting pot of thoughts, the welcoming home for every emotion that pricks or placates us. For us, consciousness simply is the currency of life.
Although some philosophers and scientists suspect that consciousness is a pointless side effect of cognitive processes, I believe the opposite: that our consciousness might indeed be responsible for our greatest intellectual achievements in both the arts and sciences. Whether our creativity and insight originates in our unconscious mind or not (I believe that the role of the unconscious has been overestimated), at the very least, our consciousness is the conduit to inspect these gems of inspiration and the driving force for turning them into reality."
You can read the full article at Slate.com (the full link provided above.)
http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/science/2012/09/consciousness_science_and_ethics_abortion_animal_rights_and_vegetative_state_debates_.html
This is an excerpt from Mr. Bor's piece on consciousness:
"Whether I'm reveling in a glowing pleasure or even if I'm enduring a sharp sadness, I always sense that behind everything there is the privilege and passion of experience. Our consciousness is the essence of who we perceive ourselves to be. It is the citadel for our senses, the melting pot of thoughts, the welcoming home for every emotion that pricks or placates us. For us, consciousness simply is the currency of life.
Although some philosophers and scientists suspect that consciousness is a pointless side effect of cognitive processes, I believe the opposite: that our consciousness might indeed be responsible for our greatest intellectual achievements in both the arts and sciences. Whether our creativity and insight originates in our unconscious mind or not (I believe that the role of the unconscious has been overestimated), at the very least, our consciousness is the conduit to inspect these gems of inspiration and the driving force for turning them into reality."
You can read the full article at Slate.com (the full link provided above.)
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Faith Without Action is Dead
Why name the company Mudflower?
Why launch a company in this economic climate?
What's with the logo?
These questions hold alot of power. Mudflower Clothing sprang into existence similar to the way a lotus flower rises...
The lotus flower starts as a small flower down at the bottom of a pond in the mud and muck. It slowly grows up towards the water’s surface continually moving towards the light. Once it comes to the surface of the water the lotus flower begins to blossom and turn into a beautiful flower.
Within Hinduism and Buddhism the lotus flower has become a symbol for awakening to the spiritual reality of life. The meaning varies slightly between the two religions, of course, but essentially both religious traditions place importance on the lotus flower.
In modern times the meaning of a lotus flower represents life in general. As the lotus flower grows up from the mud into an object of great beauty, people also grow and change into something more beautiful. So the symbol represents the struggle of life at its most basic form.
Lotus flower tattoos are also popular for people who have gone through a hard time and are now coming out of it. Like the flower they have been at the bottom in the muddy, dirty bottom of the pond but have risen above. They now display themselves an object of beauty for all of life to see. Thus, a lotus flower, or blossom, can also represent a hard time in life that has been overcome.
First, the tattoo. Now, seven years later, the experience of Mudflower Clothing! This company is a celebration of an idea, and how powerful they can be when backed with inspired action!
Initially, this symbol was merely that, a symbol. There was no meaning attached to it. As I've worn it on my forearm over the years, it has come to mean everything to me. The many circles within the design, the tribal sun and the lotus petals are all very different; yet woven together seamlessly to create a hybrid life mission statement. This is my mission statement.
The circles represent the reciprocity of life: what you give, you get. The sun represents each new day we are blessed with, a new opportunity to re-invent, re-commit, re-discover, re-create and dedicate yourself to something larger than life. Finally, the lotus petals: a flower that can come from nothing. Out of the mud into all of its splendor, the lotus continues to be my inspiration. We can give up and throw in the towel at any time, yet we are not unique in our suffering, we are only unique in what we do after the suffering. All of us have hurdles and setbacks to overcome in life. My challenge to you is simply this: inspire.
James 2:17 - "In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead."
Why launch a company in this economic climate?
What's with the logo?
These questions hold alot of power. Mudflower Clothing sprang into existence similar to the way a lotus flower rises...
The lotus flower starts as a small flower down at the bottom of a pond in the mud and muck. It slowly grows up towards the water’s surface continually moving towards the light. Once it comes to the surface of the water the lotus flower begins to blossom and turn into a beautiful flower.
Within Hinduism and Buddhism the lotus flower has become a symbol for awakening to the spiritual reality of life. The meaning varies slightly between the two religions, of course, but essentially both religious traditions place importance on the lotus flower.
In modern times the meaning of a lotus flower represents life in general. As the lotus flower grows up from the mud into an object of great beauty, people also grow and change into something more beautiful. So the symbol represents the struggle of life at its most basic form.
Lotus flower tattoos are also popular for people who have gone through a hard time and are now coming out of it. Like the flower they have been at the bottom in the muddy, dirty bottom of the pond but have risen above. They now display themselves an object of beauty for all of life to see. Thus, a lotus flower, or blossom, can also represent a hard time in life that has been overcome.
First, the tattoo. Now, seven years later, the experience of Mudflower Clothing! This company is a celebration of an idea, and how powerful they can be when backed with inspired action!
Initially, this symbol was merely that, a symbol. There was no meaning attached to it. As I've worn it on my forearm over the years, it has come to mean everything to me. The many circles within the design, the tribal sun and the lotus petals are all very different; yet woven together seamlessly to create a hybrid life mission statement. This is my mission statement.
The circles represent the reciprocity of life: what you give, you get. The sun represents each new day we are blessed with, a new opportunity to re-invent, re-commit, re-discover, re-create and dedicate yourself to something larger than life. Finally, the lotus petals: a flower that can come from nothing. Out of the mud into all of its splendor, the lotus continues to be my inspiration. We can give up and throw in the towel at any time, yet we are not unique in our suffering, we are only unique in what we do after the suffering. All of us have hurdles and setbacks to overcome in life. My challenge to you is simply this: inspire.
Chapter Ten: The Scroll Marked III
Excerpt from The Greatest Salesman in the World by: Og Mandino.
I will persist until I succeed. Nor will I allow yesterday’s success to lull me into today’s complacency, for this is the great foundation of failure. I will forget the happenings of the day that is gone, whether they were good or bad, and greet the new sun with confidence that this will be the best day of my life. So long as there is breath in me, that long will I persist. For now I know one of the greatest principles of success; if I persist long enough I will win. I will persist. I will win.
I will persist until I succeed. Nor will I allow yesterday’s success to lull me into today’s complacency, for this is the great foundation of failure. I will forget the happenings of the day that is gone, whether they were good or bad, and greet the new sun with confidence that this will be the best day of my life. So long as there is breath in me, that long will I persist. For now I know one of the greatest principles of success; if I persist long enough I will win. I will persist. I will win.
Monday, August 27, 2012
Musings
As the ink drips on loose leaf, my mind wanders to a distant place. Of all places to break down, why did it have to happen here? The intersection of life and opportunities realized is somewhere in between. The light at the end of the tunnel fades in to a tiny pinhole, barely making a visible mark on the backdrop of life's canvas. To all of the souls that have come and gone before me, I salute you. Unavoidable are the challenges that life throws at us... best to approach times of uncertainty with a contingency plan.
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