Detachment

I came across this story yesterday (I cannot recall where I saw it), and I think it is brilliant: A quick online search reveals that it is "The Gerbil Story" by Melody Beattie:

One day, my son brought a gerbil home to live with us. We put it in a cage. Some time later, the gerbil escaped. For the next six months, the animal ran frightened and wild through the house. So did we - chasing it.

"There it is. Get it!" we'd scream, each time someone spotted the gerbil. I, or my son, would throw down whatever we were working on, race across the house, and lunge at the animal hoping to catch it.

I worried about it, even when we didn't see it. "This isn't right," I'd think. "I can't have a gerbil running loose in the house. We've got to catch it. We've got to do something."

A small animal, the size of a mouse had the entire household in a tizzy.

One day, while sitting in the living room, I watched the animal scurry across the hallway. In frenzy, I started to lunge at it, as I usually did, then I stopped myself.

No, I said, I'm all done. If that animal wants to live in the nooks and crannies of this house, I'm going to let it. I'm done worrying about it. I'm done chasing it. It's an irregular circumstance, but that's just the way it's going to have to be.

I let the gerbil run past without reacting. I felt slightly uncomfortable with my new reaction - not reacting - but I stuck to it anyway.

I got more comfortable with my new reaction - not reacting. Before long, I became downright peaceful with the situation. I had stopped fighting the gerbil. One afternoon, only weeks after I started practicing my new attitude, the gerbil ran by me, as it had so many times, and I barely glanced at it. The animal stopped in its tracks, turned around, and looked at me. I started to lunge at it. It started to run away. I relaxed.

"Fine," I said. "Do what you want." And I meant it.

One hour later, the gerbil came and stood by me, and waited. I gently picked it up and placed it in its cage, where it has lived happily ever since. The moral of the story? Don't lunge at the gerbil. He's already frightened, and chasing him just scares him more and makes us crazy.

Detachment works.

Today, I will be comfortable with my new reaction - not reacting. I will feel at peace.

Starting a Revolution

Today, I welcome you to join me in a new movement, a revolution to transform each human being.

The challenge is simple. Each of us can stop putting labels on other human beings. No more Republicans, Democrats, Libertarians; no more Caucasians, African-Americans, Irish-Americans, Native-Americans, Asian-Americans, or any other -American label; no more gay, lesbian, trans, bi, queer; no more fat, skinny, beautiful, ugly. Simply, no more labels. We are all human beings. That is the only acceptable "label" (unless you are not a human being, of course).

As you go through your day, catch yourself before you label anyone else anything at all, and simply replace the original label with "just human."

#NoLabels #JustHuman

Do all the good …

Good words to keep in mind in the weeks and months ahead.

It is a Process

As the reality of the election results settles on the USA, I keep reminding myself that governing is a process. It is not a battle or a war, but a process of selecting those that are supposed to serve us. If the process is broken then we need to take responsibility and do what we can to fix the process.

Fixing a process can take enormous amount of work. It requires discipline and willingness to be mindful, inclusive, and civil. It demands the willingness to listen to each other, to learn from each other, to work with each other. It is not an arena where there are winners and losers; everyone must benefit, it must be a win-win proposition.

My heart is heavy and I cried with worry about the election results. I hope we can all conquer our fears, control our anger, and be ready to work harder than we have ever worked so that we can fix our broken process.

We need to unite to ensure everybody's peace, use our love potential to help everyone around us, and fight the tendency for complacency. Nobody wins unless everybody wins.

We do have a choice

I have been keeping low during the current campaign once Bernie Sanders conceded to Hillary Clinton for the Democratic nomination.

Bernie is gone

Sadly, Bernie is gone. In a very real sense he abandoned the revolution he started. He turned his back on his principles and "joined the party line" with a fear-causing message: Trump is evil and we must do everything we can to stop his run for the presidency.

From that point on, the talk about the values and principles that we, the Bernie supporters, fought for and were excited about, ceased to exist. Our hopes and dreams for a better form of government, one based on honesty and fairness, were betrayed.

But all is not lost. As the dust settled following the collapse of the Bernie campaign, a real choice became clear. For me, the Green Party of the United States represents hope for the future. I am not sure that there is much hope for the 2016 presidential election; too much energy was used up by the Bernie movement. However, we can begin preparing for 2020, and also focus on local and state elections.

A fear-less campaign

I believe it is time to transition from political campaigns based on fear, to those based on values, principles, and clearly defined goals and plans. For the most part, the Republican and Democratic parties do not provide that platform. As soon as they are put on the spot, they revert to fear-mongering.

Why the Green Party

I am choosing the Green Party because it has the same principles/values that the Bernie campaign had. The ten values listed there are of paramount importance to our society and our planet. It is time to shift away from a "greater profit" mentality and start thinking in terms of our "common benefit."

Above All

Above all, I hope everyone participates. We need everyone to cast a vote, to voice an opinion in a cordial, respectful manner, and to listen to the opinions of others in similar fashion. Then, and only then, will we be able to have an open dialog, to negotiate and compromise, and to work together for the common good.

Links

• Green Party website
• NPR Interview with Dr. Stein
• NPR article on Dr. Stein and the Green Party
• Green Party principles/values

The Cow & The Ice Cream

In the current election cycle in the USA, and probably in many other countries, we would be well served to remember the story I received in an email today. I have copied it below.

My thoughts:

• There is no free lunch; you cannot get something and expect it to come out of thin air. Politicians are great at making promises and not delivering them after they get elected. We must have a questioning attitude about all the promises we hear.
• Despite what the major political parties tell us, we do have more than two choices. We do not have to settle for one or the other. For some, the Libertarian Party may be a good match. For others, the Green Party would be a great choice. I suggest that making a choice based on fear is not in our best interest. If we choose candidate A mostly because we fear or dislike candidate B, then that is not a great selection.

Here is the story I received today:

We are worried about 'the cow' when it is all about the 'Ice Cream.'

The most eye-opening civics lesson I ever had was while teaching 3rd grade this year.

The Presidential election was heating up and some of the children showed an interest.

I decided we would have an election for a class president.

We would choose our nominees. They would make a campaign speech and the class would vote.

To simplify the process, candidates were nominated by other class members.

We discussed what kinds of characteristics these students should have.

We got many nominations and from those, Jamie and Olivia were picked to run for the top spot.

The class had done a great job in their selections. Both candidates were good kids.

I thought Jamie might have an advantage because he got lots of parental support.

I had never seen Olivia's mother.

The day arrived when they were to make their speeches.

Jamie went first.

He had specific ideas about how to make our class a better place. He ended by promising to do his very best.

Everyone applauded and he sat down.

Now is was Olivia's turn to speak.

Her speech was concise. She said, "If you will vote for me, I will give you ice cream."

She sat down.

The class went wild. "Yes! Yes! We want ice cream."

She surely would say more. She did not have to.

I initiated the discussion that followed. "How did you plan to pay for the ice cream?"

She wasn't sure. But no one pursued that question. They took her at her word.

Would her parents buy it or would the class pay for it... She didn't know.

The class really didn't care. All they were thinking about was ice cream...

The Brick

The following came in an email this morning; thank go to my friends Fred Broughton, DTM, and Hellen Kelly, DTM, for sharing this great story. I hope you enjoy it.

I found the passage at this site: http://www.experienceproject.com/stories/Love-Inspirational-Story/735215. It is a shorter version of what I received in the mail, and more to my non-religious liking.

The Brick

A young and successful executive was traveling down a neighborhood street, going a bit too fast in his brand new Jaguar. He was watching for kids darting out from between parked cars and slowed down when he thought he saw something.

As his car passed, no children appeared. Instead, a brick smashed into the Jag's side door! He slammed on the brakes and spun the Jag back to the spot where the brick had been thrown.

He jumped out of the car, grabbed a kid and pushed him up against a parked car shouting, "What was that all about and who are you? Just what the heck are you doing?" Building up a head of steam he went on. That's a $65,000 new car and that brick you threw is going to cost a lot of money. Why did you do it?"

"Please mister, please I'm sorry, I didn't know what else to do," pleaded the youngster. "I threw the brick because no one else would stop..." Tears were dripping down the boy's chin as he pointed around the parked car. "It's my brother," he said. "He rolled off the curb and fell out off his wheelchair and I can't lift him up."

Sobbing, the boy asked the executive, "Would you please help me get him back into his wheelchair? He's hurt and he's too heavy for me."

Moved beyond words, the driver tried to swallow the rapidly swelling lump in his throat. He lifted the young man back into the wheelchair and took out his handkerchief and wiped the scrapes and cuts, checking to see that everything was going to be okay.

"Thank you and may God bless you," the grateful child said to him.

The man then watched the little boy push his brother down the sidewalk toward their home. It was a long walk back to his Jaguar...a long slow walk.

He never did repair the side door. He kept the dent to remind him not to go through life so fast that someone has to throw a brick at you to get your attention.

Great family rules

While visiting friends this weekend, I saw these great family rules on one of their walls:

I cannot read who the original author is. I tried to find it on the web. I am posting this without intent of copy right infringement and will gladly remove it if so requested (or I can post purchase information on behalf of the company). I will try to get more information on this as soon as I can.

Back Pain: what helps me

Warning: the following is not meant as medical advise because I am not a doctor. However, I have been dealing with lower back problems for several decades and the following things help me tremendously when I go through a flare-up:

• Over-the-counter pain medications such as Ibuprofen and Advil. You want to choose something that is anti-inflammatory and easy on your stomach. 
• Tiger Balm is a great ointment that relieves discomfort.
• A good TENS machine: this is the same technology used by many chiropractors and physical therapists, but you can get it at home. My recommendation: a model 7000 unit from tenspros.com. This unit comes with everything you will need to get relief. I am so sold on it that I have one in my car and one at home. Wherever I am, I can get relief. It takes me two to four 30-minute sessions to feel better when my muscles get so wound up that I end up with back pain. Please note that the electrode patches are re-usable. There are several types of electrode patches and today I finally used one designed for lower back treatment; I bought these several years ago but I had not needed them until now.
• Get regular (monthly or more often) chiropractic treatments. This will help keep you be properly aligned, and that is critical to your pain-free health. I have been visiting my chiropractor (Dr. Greg Bonham, in West Columbia, SC) since 1989. He has helped me through two ruptured discs and many instances of misalignments. I am now taking my kids to see him and they are experiencing the benefits of his treatments. My wife and my mom were both patients of Dr. Bonham.
• Stretching and Yoga: many times, lower back pain can be caused by tight leg muscles. Stretching several times per day helps me stay pain-free or gets me back from that point when pain flares up. I found this page at Simple Organic Life that has the stretching exercises that help me the most. Add a "Cat-Cow," "Cobra" and "Child's Pose" from Yoga and you will benefit from great preventive stretching (or a quick fix when things get tight).
• A hot bath with Epsom Salts (perhaps adding a few drops of essential oils such as lavender or rosemary or peppermint or all of those).
• A massage!

I hope these suggestions help you be pain-free, active and happy!

BAM: Customer Service?

Update # 2: One of my friends spoke to the staff at a different BAM store and they were surprised about what they were hearing and told my friend that they would never get away with that type of behavior or practices. One of them said: "So, that's how they get out so early!" Which told my friends and I that this was a local management decision and that the management of that store in Sandhills obviously does not care about their customers (which confirmed our previous impression). We decided that our loyalty was betrayed and we will not to go back there.

We have tried several places for coffee and, personally, I am sold on Panera. Everybody's attitude there is super positive and friendly, the coffee and pastries are great, and the atmosphere is cozy and light. Good bye Sandhills BAM, hello Sandhills Panera!

* - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - *

Update #1: A representative from BAM contacted me within hours of posting this entry and apologized. Less than a day later, the District Manager contacted me via phone. Both of them offered their apology for our bad experience and promised to remedy the situation. We were even offered a free cup of coffee for our trouble.

* - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - *

I rarely complain about things. It is not one of the activities that I consider productive. And I rarely write about problems I have with companies or suppliers, but I am making an exception about the rude and unwelcoming treatment two friends and I experienced at Books-A-Million at the Sandhills Mall.

My friends and I have been meeting at the BAM in Sandhills for several years now. We get there at 7:30 PM on Wednesdays and we leave when the store closes. We drink coffee and talk. We do not cause trouble and we are always cordial with the staff. A couple of months ago the barista started to put chairs on tables around 8 PM, an hour before closing. This made us uncomfortable. Two weeks later the same thing happened and we made the comment that doing so was giving us an un-welcomed feeling and may give potential customers the signal that the coffee shop was closed. The barista continued putting chairs up regardless. I complained to the store manager and she indicated she would take care of it.

Last night, again at 8 PM, a new barista started putting chairs up on tables and, essentially, shutting down the place. I complained and she said she was doing what her manager had told her to do. So, I told my friends that we were no longer welcomed at BAM's Joe Mugs and that I was not coming back.

So … beware. In my opinion, the Joe Mugs coffee shop inside Books-A-Million in Sandhills is not a welcoming business that cares about its customers. It only makes me wonder if the same attitude prevails in other parts of the bookstore. Considering that the staff was vacuuming the front door area at 7 PM (something they normally did at 9 PM) I am guessing that it is. BAM may be saving a few dollars by not keeping their staff working after 9 PM, but they are also pushing customers away with this unfriendly attitude.

Is it any wonder that regular stores are not very profitable and cannot compete with online stores? At least if I buy books online I don't have to deal with a loud vacuum cleaner interrupting my shopping experience, or the unwelcoming feeling of staff putting away chairs an hour before closing time while my friends and I are having a pleasant conversation.

Rudeness has a price attached to it, and the BAM store in Sandhills has rudeness on sale at their store … but I am not buying any.

Oh, and don't try calling the Customer Service 800 number. You cannot talk with anyone there to share your experience.

Just five minutes

Do you ever find yourself stuck with a task that you just do not want to do? The thing sits there, festering away, undone and mocking you for your procrastination!

The folks at AE (Asian Efficiency) recently mentioned a nice strategy that my kids and I have used for years: the five minute rule. Pick your most dreaded task (for example, folding laundry) and determine that you will do that for no more than five minutes. Set a timer for five minutes and then do that dreaded task until the timer goes off. At the very least you would have made some serious progress on that to-do; and most times you know you are so much closer to finishing it that you just keep going.

The trick is to just get started!

We have used this idea for cleaning our house, doing dishes, etc. Try making it fun by doing a 5-minute relay game: one person starts and does the task for just five minutes, then the next person takes over for five minutes, etc. Great team work and a nice way to share the load.

Some tasks may need a 10-minute lapse instead of just five. The nice thing is that you (and your team) can set the work time to whatever you want. The important thing is to get started and make as much progress as possible.

And this idea lends itself nicely for competitions. For example, who can clean the most windows in five minutes? The winner gets a reward. :-)

In the end, what is important is that progress is made, even if it is in five-minute chunks.

Reading faster and more efficiently

It is not all about speed now, is it? The lure of speed reading is not only to read faster but to also increase our understanding of the material. Here is a nice article on how to improve our reading efficiency: Systematically Skim Books to Learn Better

Page-Turners and Cliff-hangers

Do you want to give your productivity (and creativity) a boost? Then go over to this great (short) article and read about a simple technique that is sure to help! I have used this methodology for years and it really does work (and it is easy and it is free!).

Page-Turners and Cliff-hangers Technique

The End of Plenty

NPR's "Fresh Air" show of June 8 was truly captivating, especially the first segment concerning the book "The End of Plenty" by Joel Bourne. Here is the link to the show in case you missed it.

Mr. Bourne makes some very insightful points about our food production models. I was particularly interested in the fact that GE/GMO crops have not been found to produce significantly higher yields than unmodified versions. If this is true and we add to it the fact that there is evidence of human DNA alteration from GMO products, one has to stop and wonder what benefit (other than huge profits for companies like Monsanto) this altered products bring us. Here are some references:

• DNA From Genetically Modified Crops Can Be Transferred Into Humans Who Eat Them
• DNA from GMOs can pass directly into humans
• How GMO Foods Damage Human DNA

Another disturbing aspect of the report is the prospect that regardless of our advances, we will not be able to produce enough food to feed all of humanity 50 years from now. That is a scary thought if you just stop and think about it. Part of the problem is that we are taking an enormous amount of our crops and using them to feed our cars instead of feeding people. In the process of trying to maximize profits, we are overusing pesticides and fertilizers disregarding the damage to the soil, rivers, lakes, oceans, and all the eco-systems connected to them.

Coincidentally, yesterday I also came across this video from Conservation International:

The most powerful point: if we keep this up, we may not destroy the planet, but we may destroy our species.

Shameful corruption

On my way home yesterday I listened to a report on NPR about how the American Red Cross raised $500 million after the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, and how Haitians are still living in horrible conditions five years after the disaster.

Here are pertinent links:

• NPR report: In Search Of The Red Cross' $500 Million In Haiti Relief
• ProPublica report: How the Red Cross Raised Half a Billion Dollars for Haiti and Built Six Homes

This is an example of an organization that has grown to the point of being poisoned by corruption and inefficiency. I have seen this in the Red Cross since the 1970s in my native Mexico. I saw a little of it in my dealings with it in Upstate NY as a member of the EMS community. And now these reports show that the magnitude of problems with the Red Cross are enormous.

Personally, this reinforces my hesitation to contribute to this organization. I will not send money to them, and I am questioning my commitment to donate blood. I know they sell my blood and platelets (to the highest bidder?). How much of that money goes to serve the community or help the poor and those in need? The more I read on that the more doubts I have about their operational model.

Perhaps it is time for all of us to research the Red Cross and demand much more accountability and transparency. They need to do the right thing at the right time, not the things that look right but solve none of the problems at hand.

The dangers of Contra

For the last few years I have been involved in a seemingly innocent and fun activity called Contra dancing. I invite you to watch this video to get an idea of what Contra is all about, then come back and read the rest of the blog posting.

So, in no particular order, here are the dangers of Contra dancing:

• It is addictive — oh, sure, at first you can go once a month to the local dance and be happy with just that. But then horrible things begin to happen. By Wednesday morning you begin to have withdrawal symptoms. When there is no local dance scheduled for that weekend, you start looking for dances in nearby communities. Soon you find yourself driving one, then two, then three hours to a dance. In my case, I started with Lake Murray Contra (thanks to my friend Robin), and then to Columbia Contra events. Soon we were going to Charleston, SC, and Charlotte, NC, for some dances. Now, I routinely go to dances in all those places plus Greenville, River Falls and Spartanburg (website coming). The addiction is so bad that I find myself missing the Contra dance on Monday instead of Wednesday. See how bad it is? And now I am thinking maybe I can drive to Atlanta or Florida for a dance when there are none in my areas. Bad, isn't it? And don't even get me started on Contra weekends! I attended my first weekend-long event this April (The Palmetto Bug Stomp in Charleston, SC) and now I keep looking forward to more weekend-long events!
• It disallows any sense of inactivity and boredom. If you are a coach potato, being exposed to Contra dancing is a bad idea. You will quickly find yourself wanting more activity. It will start with one dance per month, then two per month … soon you will want to start running and lifting weights. And you might as well cancel your cable subscription and sell your TV(s). You will not have time or desire for those things.
• It makes you new friends even when you don't expect them. Picture this: you show up at a Contra dance having 20-30 friends. After just two or three hours you leave the dance with 50 more friends. Oh, but it does not stop there.  Wait until you attend a weekend event -- then your circle of friends grows exponentially. It can be exhausting having these many friends! And some even bring you into their homes and make you part of their family just because you are a Contra dancer.
• As if all the above was not enough, your sense of community gets inflated almost as much as a politician's ego at a political rally. Soon you find yourself volunteering to be a Board member for one … two … three or more groups. You volunteer to do events. And someone gets you started as a Caller. It is all very dangerous, I am telling you!
• You will be forced to learn new skills — not on the dance floor, as Contra dancing is nothing more than fun walking to fantastic music, but in many other areas. For example, if you start calling, your memory will improve, you will learn to modulate your voice, improve your listening skills, and work on having great timing and rhythm.
• You will be forced to give up on perfection and focus on having fun. Dancers, callers, organizers, musicians — they have all abandoned the concept of perfection and embraced the joy of having fun, laughing at all the goofy stuff that happens, and moving on quickly so that the moment can take over and fill your heart with joy. Contra teaches you to be in the here and now; what happened a moment ago is gone and what may happen tomorrow has no room in your mind and heart. The only thing that matters are the people you are with and the fabulous music you are dancing to. You focus on the here and now or the group will bring you there very quickly. Beware: Contra dancing is pure mindfulness in motion.
• You will develop smile muscles you never knew you had.

I am sure there are many other potential dangers of Contra dancing that I may have missed. If so, please feel free to comment and let me know what perils you have encountered in your Contra dancing journey.

Looking 10-15 Years Down the Road

Goals are dreams with a deadline.

Plans are what helps us achieve our goals.

How far ahead do we plan?

Source: http://7-themes.com/6776415-beautiful-scotland-wallpaper.html

I am beginning to plan the trips I will take when I retire some 10-12 years down the road. If all goes well, the road will be my home. I will have a modest vehicle to live in and will criss-cross the USA, Canada and (perhaps) Mexico. I have a three-prong mission and a clear vision. And when not on the road on the American continent, I am planning trips to visit other countries. First stop: Spain. That will be followed by Scotland and England. Each will be at least three weeks long. I have books I am reading and planning my trips.

Do you have long-term plans, goals, mission and vision?

When we fail to plan we plan to fail. (Benjamin Franklin)

It is time for reform and re-evaluation

The latest scandal on a large organization (this time FIFA) is a clear indication that our society needs a re-boot. Organizations such as FIFA, the International Olympic Committee, all governments, and most corporations have become corrupted. Their sheer size is a perfect conduit for corruption. The larger the enterprise, the more likely that things will begin to run amok, that accountability will fade away, and that transparency will be replaced with secrecy.

It is time for all of us to demand reform, accountability and transparency. We are all paying the cost for this corrupted system.

It is also time for us to take action. Let us not support organizations that fail to meet high ethical standards. Let us all re-evaluate our own behaviors.

“Be the change that you wish to see in the world.”

Mahatma Gandhi

"The Door to December" by Dean Koontz

I recently finished reading "The Door to December" by Dean Koontz. I have been a fan of his for many years (ever since I read "Lightning"), and this book is a great read. It explores the effects of scientific experimentation mixing the occult and paranormal phenomena. This is a definite page-turner from start to end.

The Minimalists

Have you heard of minimalism? I briefly mentioned it in my 2014 Challenges post.

I first became aware of minimalism through Leo Babauta at Zen Habits. Then I was introduced to the Minimalists website ran by Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus.

When Joshua and Ryan announced their 2014 Tour and I found they were coming to Columbia, I volunteered to help anyway I could. So I will be taking pictures of their visit. They will be in Columbia on May 17 and in Charleston on May 18. Tickets are free! :-)

Joshua and Ryan recently started a new Minimalists Meetup site. I applied and was selected to be the leader for the Columbia group. We plan on meeting at least once per month to talk about making our life's better through minimalism.

Come join us! It is free. It is simple.

Picture of the Day: 2014-01-05

It is (about) time: more minimalism.

These two clocks (with batteries that have been dead long ago) have been sitting on a bookshelf for years. They will now go to charity. Part of the steps to rid our home of unused, unneeded "stuff".

(Sorry the picture is blurry — probably all the dust on the items. <G>)



Picture of the Day by Victor Gascon is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Based on a work at http://gasconjedi.blogspot.com/.

Picture of the Day: 2014-01-04

My new desktop: clean, uncluttered

I have finally cleaned my desk. It is now fairly uncluttered. I installed a new LED light so that I can see better when it is dark. I keep my water bottle near all the time.

I use a traditional Day-Timer and my electronic calendar to stay organized. I accomplish more when I write tasks and appointments down by hand. I once was completely electronic (I loved my Palm Pilot) but things have changed and I find myself better off this way. But I am also sure things will change again and I may go completely electronic in the future.


Picture of the Day by Victor Gascon is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Based on a work at http://gasconjedi.blogspot.com/.

Picture of the Day: 2014-01-03

Running at Sesqui State Park - no danger of me exceeding the speed limit. :-)

View from new bridge at Sesqui State Park

One of the many pleasures of running is being able to capture great pictures. Even if you don't run, just walking outdoors will present you with many photo opportunities.

Have you noticed that no two sunsets are quite the same?


Picture of the Day by Victor Gascon is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Based on a work at http://gasconjedi.blogspot.com/.

Picture of the Day: 2014-01-02

Minimalism, step 1: five bags, one room

The kids and I cleaned out our guest room. This donation went to the Kidney Foundation. One room down, several more to go.


Picture of the Day by Victor Gascon is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Based on a work at http://gasconjedi.blogspot.com/.

Picture of the Day: 2014-01-01

Today, I have two pictures to share with you.

January 1 run with the Columbia Running Club! Great way to start the new year!

All structures are unstable, impermanent.

As I was running I came upon the above structure and could not help but to think of Eckhart Tolle's story of unstable structures.

Licensing:
 
Picture of the Day by Victor Gascon is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Based on a work at http://gasconjedi.blogspot.com/.

2014 Challenges

Happy 2014!

Here are my challenges for the new year. These are my opportunities for growth in 2014.

1. Picture of the Day: I will publish at least one picture evey day. I am undertaking this challenge in memory of my friend David Martin who passed away unexpectedly in 2009 at the young age of 39. He had started a similar challenge back then.
2. Daily Blogging: I currently have five blogs, and I will update at least one of these every day.
• Victor's Journey: my personal blog (which you are currently reading)
• Victor's Technology Corner: a blog about computers and technology in general
• Fitness is LIFE!: a journal about fitness and health
• My fitness blog at SparkPeople
• Motivate, inspire … live!: a blog about my public speaking journey
3. By December 2016, I will be back at 180 pounds and be fit and healthy. I will do so by:
• Exercising daily
• Eating healthy
• Resting enough
• Recording my activities and nutrition using SparkPeople
4. I will be more active in minimalism and will remove at least one thing I do not need from my life everyday.

Thanks for sharing my journey!

PS: I am pre-dating this post so that future posts can make sense. For example, I already took the pictures for several days and will be posting them separately.

Free books!

For quite sometime now I have been receiving free (and very inexpensive) e-books from BookBub

BookBub: Free and Bargain Kindle Books, Nook Books, and more

I can read them anywhere on my SmartPhone or any computer. Love it!

Two new blogs

Greetings!

I am announcing the start of two new blogs:

• Fitness is LIFE! : a blog dedicated to sharing information on getting fit and staying healthy. 
• Motivate, inspire … live! : a record of my journey as a public speaker and a tool for anybody to find ways to positively impact others with their words.

Why two more blogs? In one word: specialization. This will help keep different aspects of my rantings under different roofs.

Iin case you missed my other blogs:

• Technology Center
• Fitness story

Enjoy … and please send your thoughts, comments, requests and suggestions so that I can help as many people as I can!

Travel tips that make sense

Here is a recollection of Leo Babauta's latest vacation trip with his family.

» 16 Essential Tips for Traveling with a Family :zenhabits

He shares excellent tips on how to have fun, enrich your mind, and make the best of the places you visit.

And this is his wife's perspective on traveling light. But forget the "women" slant: her advise is great for all genders and for all parents.

» Eva’s List: Traveling Light for Women :zenhabits

I know I will be using their ideas in future trips.

And from the "my friend told me about this" file, here is a recommendation from a good friend of mine: Airbnb.

Vacation rentals, private rooms, sublets by the night - Accommodations on Airbnb

She had an excellent experience and I definitely will plan on using this website for future travel plans.

Enjoy!

The Magic 9-Letter Word

Courtesy of OmHarmonics

Studies show that this one thing can make you 25% happier.

It makes you immune to anger, disappointment and frustration.

It's even been shown to heal pain and illness in your body.

That one thing is GRATITUDE - and amazing things happen when you integrate it into your meditation practice.

Here's a fun exercise to try:

1. As you sit down to meditate, breathe in deeply and imagine your heart filling up with gratitude. Radiate that energy and light from within feeling blissful and deeply thankful.

2. Think about five specific things to be grateful for on this day. This can be something simple like "that pasta I had for lunch was delicious", up to something really important like "I'm blessed to have a loving partner and family".

3. Think about the people behind the situations you were grateful for and express thanks to each of them.

4. Remind yourself that whatever you focus on, expands. When you focus on gratitude and positivity, you will get more of that in return. Be mindful that you will attract more abundance, love and health by being grateful for your current state in these areas.

Allowing Things to Happen

» The Wisdom of Allowing Things to Happen :zenhabits

The Master allows things to happen.
She shapes events as they come.
She steps out of the way
and lets the Tao speak for itself.
~The Daodejing

What is your motivation?

Here is an excellent video from Tony Robbins that gives a very interesting explanation of what motivates people.

Tony Robbins: Why we do what we do, and how we can do it better

Gas Mileage Tips

There are many myths about what works to improve gas mileage. Even with today's gas prices, it makes sense to watch our gas consumption. There is no guarantee that gas prices will stay low, and the environmental impact of higher gas usage is significant.

Good Hands News: Perplexed-at-the-pump

Enjoy!

Daily Reflection from Napoleon Hill

A long time ago I bought the book "Positive Action Plan" by Napoleon Hill. It is a compilation of "365 meditations for making each day a success."

I thought it may be helpful to share some of these with you here.

Part of today's reflection reads: "Spend your time and energy in constant self-inspection and self-improvement, building strong character, and you will never have to worry about what others think of you."

I believe that is why I have spent so much time with Toastmasters and why I love Yoga and meditation. They are perfect vehicles for self-inspection and self-improvement.

Ultimate Guide to De-cluttering

Here is a great guide to de-cluttering and minimalism:

» Your Top 10 Clutter Questions, Answered :zenhabits

This year, I have been working steadily on de-cluttering. With the help of Freecycle, I have found a home for many things that had been around, unused, for years. It is a liberating process that I highly recommend.

A Bad Popular Exercise?

Interesting article that reveals too much running can be bad for you. Balance is the key. Benefits of HIIT are explained.

Dr. Doug McGuff on the Benefits of Exercise

Long, slow, distance-type of exercise can actually cause your intermediate and fast-twitch fibers to begin to atrophy. Aside from losing muscle mass, this also promotes onset of loss of insulin sensitivity

Benefits of a Healthy Diet

Here is an excellent article on what two scientists found about proper nutrition.

Dr. Paul Jaminet Discusses the Benefits of a Healthy Diet

"I think there are so many people who have developed health problems because of the bad advice they've gotten from government authorities and the medical establishment," Dr. Jaminet says.

"Fortunately, things are changing now. I think people are realizing that advice didn't work, and it didn't have evidence behind it really. People are learning that there are much better ways to eat out there. Hopefully, it will start turning the tide on these chronic disease epidemics that we're experiencing."

A valuable lesson for the New Year

The Ziglar Weekly Newsletter » January 3, 2012 Edition 1

Old Fred, our town’s 85-year-old bachelor, loves children.  He frequently sits on his shady lawn in a rocking chair, whittling toys for the kids when they gather around him in droves.  Most of the townspeople often wondered why Fred had never married; one day someone asked him the question.  Fred’s response gives all of us something to think about: “Well, I’ll tell you,” Fred replied, “I was like a man riding a horse through the woods looking for a switch.  Every time I saw a likely-looking one I’d pass it by, thinking I’d find a better one.  And before I knew it, I was clear through the woods.”

24 Ways to Lose Weight Without Dieting

Here is an excellent set of tips from WebMD. Of course, the "without dieting" part is a bit misleading. But the tips are still worth looking through.

24 Ways to Lose Weight Without Dieting

WebMD also has a nice Personal Diet Evaluator that you may want to look at. I still like the one provided by SparkPeople, but more knowledge is usually better, right?

Enjoy!

For those with a New Year's Resolution

New Year is the day we typically set resolutions. One of them, for many people, is to lose weight and get in shape. If possible, I suggest that you consider running. Here is a nice article on training for a 5K race: Sofa to 5K: Training Program for a 5K Run

Here is an even easier system: Couch to 5k - C25K Running Program

And you may want some music to go along with that: Podrunner: Intervals - Free Workout Music from dj steve boyett

Or try this 5 K Training system by Hal Higdon.

Do you need help? Find a running club in your area. Start at your local running shop; they can guide you. If you are new to running, have your self fitted for proper running shoes. If your local shop is very expensive, find the brand and model of shoes they recommend, then head to the Running Warehouse website and find the same shoes at 40-60% off, with free shipping and free returns.

Find a running partner! I think it is one of the best motivational techniques. When you are accountable to someone else you tend to push a little harder.

Join a community, like SparkPeople. They are awesome! The site is free and the tools are fantastic!

When you do not feel like running, simply walk at a fast pace. You will still get a good workout without the impact on joints.

Listen to your body, but don't let your mind play tricks on you. :-)

Remember to stretch, stretch, stretch, but do it mostly after you warm up and after you finish running. Try some Yoga to improve your flexibility. The more flexible you are, the better you will run and the more you will enjoy running.

Most of all, have fun! When it stops being fun, then it may be time to try something else for a little while. Again, be careful of tricks your mind may play.

Happy New Year to you!

What Happened to Customer Service?

Today, as a start of a school science experiment for my son, I went to three fast-food restaurants to purchase a small order of French fries. What I found was despicable customer service and an obvious need for these restaurants to remove the "fast" from their branding.

First, it was Burger King. I entered the restaurant because the drive-thru line was rather long. I was third in line. It took almost five minutes to get to me. The cashier almost did not look up from the register to address me; there was no greeting or smile. The best I got was "What can I get you?" I placed my order and then waited over five minutes for a small set of fries; the staff had none out. At almost dinner time, it seems like a bad idea not to have French fries ready. I was given my order and did not receive a "thank you" or a "Happy New Year" or even a "go away and leave me the hell alone." Blank face, complete silence. WOW! It is a very different feeling being a customer of this store. Needless to say, I am not coming back.

Next it was Wendy's. There was a short line at the drive-thru, so I opted for that. The cashier asked me to hold and then disappeared for two minutes; again, no greeting. When he came back, he gave me the customary "Can I take your order?" I drove to the second window and the guy took my money. Five minutes later I still did not have the fries. They must not have fries ready at this restaurant either. I finally see a guy approaching the window with my food; he shoves it out the window without saying a word. I say "thank you" and he closes the window without a word. I was now fuming. I yelled at him and told him he was rude. He cracked open the window and asked me to repeat myself; I told him he was rude, that I deserve at least a "you are welcome" since I had addressed him politely. He said "well, you are welcome." Two for two; that Wendy's will never see me again.

Lastly, a McDonald's. The drive-thru was packed, so I went in. This was perhaps the worst. Two cash registers. I stand on the first one. Of course, that was a bad move. After taking the order ahead of me, the cashier disappears into the back to do something. And now the other line has gone from one customer to six customers. The supervisor starts yelling instructions and tells the cashier to get back to the front. She comes back and starts to argue with the supervisor; back and forth they went. By now, it has been at least five minutes and they have not even taken my order. I finally speak up and ask if they can possibly take my order. A different cashier, younger and very unhappy, comes over and takes my order. I see a bunch of French fry envelopes under the heating lamps, yet it still takes another three minutes for the lady to come back with a bag. She extends her arm at me and, without a word, gives me my food.

I know it is New Year's Eve. I know food service is a tough job. But it never hurts to have some basic customer service skills. Does it hurt to smile and say "Hello!"? Does it take such a great effort to say "Thank you for your order? Come back and see us!"

I think these food service employees need to remember that they are fortunate to have a job. I remember working through Christmas, New Year's, Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, etc. It was not fun; but I was grateful for the job and the money. And I was always polite to my customers.

I will voice my comments to all three chains. None of those restaurants should call themselves "fast food" and all of them need some serious refresher on how to be polite to their customers. And all of them have lost my business.

No Black Friday for us

Our family will not partake in Black Friday. The weather here is cool, so we will find something to do indoors for the morning, and then head out to a trail in the afternoon. What a great gift that will be!

The end of capitalism?

The Occupy movement has caused fear amongst many in society. They fear that capitalism will come to an end. It reminds me of the concept of impermanence. Nothings lasts forever, everything changes constantly. During the last few decades, capitalism has changed to mostly benefit an elite few. It appears it now will be transformed into a system that will benefit the majority.

Will it be the same as it was before? Probably not.

Will the change be pain-free? Probably not.

Will the change require sacrifice? Probably so.

Will this generation see the benefits of this shift? Probably not completely. Our children and grandchildren will be the greatest benefactors.

Call me a Twitter

I am more involved in Twitter thanks to the Occupy movement. I am still learning. The 140 characters forces clarity and brevity. Love it!

We need a diet revolution!

Japanese Diet vs USA Diet, Nutrition by Natalie - PsycheTruth

These are bare facts as to why our diet needs to be revolutionized.

The power of No

» The Four Things I Wish I Could Say No To :zenhabits

In that statement is the fundamental choice at the heart of Great Work: focus on the No to become clear on the Yes; define the Yes by clarifying the No.

Personally, not being disciplined in saying "No" has caused me greatly over the years. Not saying Yes to the more important aspects of life has been very significant. So I enjoyed reading this blog and its lessons on Good Work v.s. Great Work. Which one are we focusing on most of our time?

Powerful principles for a mindful workday

The 5 Principles of a Profound Workday | zen habits

‘Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.’ ~Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Being Quiet and Successful

I recently read this excellent blog (partial quote follows):

The Quiet Theory of Influence | zen habits

When everyone yells “Look at me!”, become quiet.

When others seek attention, turn your attention inward.

When everyone wants pageviews and sales, be valuable.

When others try to pull visitors to their sites, let people find you themselves.

When most blogs have popups and drop-downs urging readers to subscribe to their newsletters, get out of your readers’ way.

When others brag of their success, let others laud you instead.

When others cling greedily to copyrights, give your work away.

When others use goals to drive themselves to change the world, learn to be content, and people will ask to learn your secrets.

My friend John Fay found this excellent demonstration:

xkcd: Marketing Interview

Peace, everyone!

Some fruits and vegetable are more susceptible to pesticides. Learn which are and are note.

Executive Summary | EWG's Shopper's Guide to Pesticides | Environmental Working Group | EWG.org

Eat your fruits and vegetables! The health benefits of a diet rich in fruits and vegetables outweigh the risks of pesticide exposure. Use EWG's Shopper's Guide to Pesticides to reduce your exposures as much as possible, but eating conventionally-grown produce is far better than not eating fruits and vegetables at all. The Shopper's Guide to Pesticide in Produce will help you determine which fruits and vegetables have the most pesticide residues and are the most important to buy organic. You can lower your pesticide intake substantially by avoiding the 12 most contaminated fruits and vegetables and eating the least contaminated produce.

Emails and attachments (my gripes)

Often, I receive emails asking me to open an attachment so that I can learn details about an event/fundraiser/etc. It seems to me that it would be just as easy for the sender to paste the details in the email body and save everyone the bother of having to open a document. It would also save our email servers from having to store documents that are not needed.

While I am at it, please consider not using PowerPoint to create a fancy-looking one-slide document. We need less "artistic" and more information, more simplification and less decoration.

And let me not forget this one: I will not support a fundraiser for a "health" cause that sells unhealthy products. Selling cookies, pies, and fried chicken to raise funds for the American Heart Association makes as much sense as selling guns to promote gun control, or selling joints in an anti-drug campaign.

Education is critical to progress

Here is an opportunity to take college courses for free:

Free Online College Courses

There are two parts to this article. A link to the second part is at the bottom of part one (which this link points to).

Enjoy exploring the work of free college courses!

Blood Work by Michael Connelly

I recently finished reading Blood Work by Michael Connelly. It is a great murder mystery book. It has a great cast of well defined set of characters that remain true to themselves from start to end. Connelly grabs your attention from page 1 and does not let go until the very end. The conclusion was unexpected and a little disappointing to me, yet it did not diminish the overall value of the book as a whole. I recommend this author and book.

Mister Monday by Garth Nix

The kids and I just finished listening to Mister Monday. This is a great book to read or listen to. It is the first in a seven book series by the author. We recommended it for it's great use of imagination and vivid descriptions. It was very entertaining and has a few good moral lessons along the way.

A Man's Guide to Balanced Nutrition | Active.com

A Man's Guide to Balanced Nutrition | Active.com

Effortless Decision-Making

Effortless Decision-Making | zen habits

How do you make a choice when you’re stuck at a fork in the road?

How can you decide when two or more possibilities seem equally good?

This is an easy-to-read, easy-to-follow advise that can be helpful at many times in our lives.

Marcin Jakubowski: Open-sourced blueprints for civilization

Here is a revolution in an unexpected way:

Marcin Jakubowski: Open-sourced blueprints for civilization | Video on TED.com

Six Money Lessons

Great advise we can all use:

6 Money Lessons for My College-Aged Daughter | zen habits

I always dreaded budgeting and paying bills and thinking about savings and retirement, and figured I could always deal with it later.

Problem with that is you end up screwing yourself if you put things off until later. Living for the moment is great, until the finances catch up with you and the moment starts to suck because you owe a ton of debt.

I’ve found that living mindfully means not just partying in the moment, but taking care of things now, when they’re small, rather than when they’re huge.

Cancer: the ugly truths, the better treatments

If the "c" word (that is, cancer) has touched your life (directly or indirectly) then you need to read this book.

Cancer-Step Outside the Box

The author seems a bit repetitive at times, but perhaps that is a needed technique as people tend to jump in to read parts they want/need to learn about.

The truths about the cancer industry are very real based on my own experience with Tracey. It is obvious that the cancer machine does not want to allow more effective treatments to come to surface. How could then they make billions of dollars per year? It is this reality that has caused me to stop contributing to charities associated with cancer treatments and cures. Sadly, they are a farce. Whether the people that head and work for such organizations as the American Cancer Society or Susan G. Komen Foundation know it or not is debatable. What is not so unclear is that there are more humane treatment methods and they have been shutdown, repeatedly, by government agencies that are too vested in the status quo to be a conduit for progress.

Not only is this book an exposé of these organizations, it also provides great treatment protocols and excellent preventive methods.

If you take only one thing out of this post then take this: we owe it to ourselves not to be part of the current cancer machinery that slashes, poisons and burns patients with a pathetic 3% success rate; compare that with a 90% success rate of the protocols listed in this book which use more natural and effective methods.

Do you want to learn more? Please visit: Cancer Truth | Alternative Cancer Treatments

One tiny change -- that's all it takes

Get Started: From Overweight to Healthy | zen habits

If it were just a body-image thing, I’d say learn to love your body — and I believe that. Forget the cover models on magazines, the perfect people on TV and in movies. They’re just being used to sell us stuff, but the result is that we get bad body images for not having rock-hard abs. Forget about that. What worries me, though, about friends and family who are overweight is their health — having a big belly puts you at risk of heart disease, diabetes and other similar problems.

Scary stuff.

But how do you start getting healthier and fitter? How do you change a whole slew of habits, from eating too much to eating fried and sweet and fatty foods to drinking sodas and sweet coffee drinks to being sedentary?

You make one change. A tiny little one.

It really can be that is. One small change. My first change was to increase water drinking. Then I moved more. Then … 65 pounds later, I was in the best shape I had been in decades!

So make one small change; and please do it today!

Breathe!

Breathe. | zen habits

Breathe.

Breathing can transform your life.

If you feel stressed out and overwhelmed, breathe. It will calm you and release the tensions.

If you are worried about something coming up, or caught up in something that already happened, breathe. It will bring you back to the present.

If you are discouraged and have forgotten your purpose in life, breathe. It will remind you about how precious life is, and that each breath in this life is a gift you need to appreciate. Make the most of this gift.

If you have too many tasks to do, or are scattered during your workday, breathe. It will help bring you into focus, to concentrate on the most important task you need to be focusing on right now.

If you are spending time with someone you love, breathe. It will allow you to be present with that person, rather than thinking about work or other things you need to do.

If you are exercising, breathe. It will help you enjoy the exercise, and therefore stick with it for longer.

If you are moving too fast, breathe. It will remind you to slow down, and enjoy life more.

So breathe. And enjoy each moment of this life. They’re too fleeting and few to waste.

Be still

Be Still. | zen habits

From the Tao Te Ching:

It is not wise to dash about.
Shortening the breath causes much stress.
Use too much energy, and
You will soon be exhausted.
That is not the Natural Way.
Whatever works against this Way
Will not last long.

The Illusion of Control

A good friend of mine sent me this, and I wanted to share it with all of you.

breathe. | zen habits

May you live like the fish … at least some of the time.

The Illusion of Control

‘The Master allows things to happen.
She shapes events as they come.
She steps out of the way
and lets the Tao speak for itself.’
~Laozi

Post written by Leo Babauta.

When you think you control something, you’re wrong.

It’s amazing how often we think we’re in control of something when really we aren’t.

Control is an illusion, as I’ve said many times before.

We constantly make plans that never actually turn out the way we envisioned. ‘If you want to make God laugh, make a plan,’ an old saying goes.

We have been trained to set goals, and then work on the actions that lead to those goals … and yet how often do those goals fail? How often are we trying to control a future that we cannot predict?

Did you know five years ago that the world would turn out as it has — that Obama would be president, that the stock markets would have crashed, that we’d be deep into a recession, that earthquakes and tsunamis would hit, that you’d be doing exactly what you’re doing today?

Of course not. We don’t know the future, much less control it. We like to think we do, but that never turns out to be true.

And yet we continue to believe in the illusion of control. We face a chaotic and complex world, and seek to control it however we can.

Our attempts to control the world can be seen through:

• Trying to control how our children turn out, as if we can shape them like blocks of clay, as if humans aren’t more complex than we can possibly understand.
• Tracking every little thing, from spending to exercise to what we eat to what tasks we do to how many visitors are on our site to how many steps we’ve taken today and how many miles we’ve run. As if our selective tracking can possibly include the many, complex factors that influence outcomes.
• Trying to control employees — again, complex human beings with many motivations and whims and habits that we don’t understand.
• Obsessively planning projects, trips, days, parties, as if the outcomes of events are things we can control with our powers of manipulation of the world.

If we can let go of this illusion, what are we left with? How can we live among this chaos?

Consider the fish. A fish swims in a chaotic sea that it cannot possibly control — much as we all do. The fish, unlike us, is under no illusion that it controls the sea, or other fish in the sea. The fish doesn’t even try to control where it ends up — it just swims, either going with the flow or dealing with the flow as it comes. It eats, and hides, and mates, but does not try to control a thing.

We are no better than that fish, yet our thinking creates the need for an illusion.

Let go of that thinking. Learn to be the fish.

When we are in the midst of chaos, let go of the need to control it. Be awash in it, experience it in that moment, try not to control the outcome but deal with the flow as it comes.

How do we live our lives like this? It’s a completely different way of living, once we let go of the illusion:

• We stop setting goals, and instead do what excites us.
• We stop planning, and just do.
• We stop looking at the future, and live in the moment.
• We stop trying to control others, and focus instead on being kind to them.
• We learn that trusting our values is more important to taking action than desiring and striving for certain outcomes.
• We take each step lightly, with balance, in the moment, guided by those values and what we’re passionate about … rather than trying to plan the next 1,000 steps and where we’ll end up.
• We learn to accept the world as it is, rather than being annoyed with it, stressed by it, mad at it, despaired by it, or trying to change it into what we want it to be.
• We are never disappointed with how things turn out, because we never expected anything — we just accept what comes.

This might seem like a passive way of living to some, and it’s against our aggressive, productive, goal-oriented cultural nature. If you can’t accept this way of living, that’s OK — many people live their lives with the illusion of control, and not realizing what it is that makes them unhappy or frustrated isn’t the worst thing ever.

But if you can learn to live this way … it’s the most freeing thing in the world.

Becoming a Lay Buddhist

Today, I officially became a Buddhist. It is not that today I became a much better person. I feel I have lived my life with good intentions and through good deeds. I do the best I can and try to help others when possible. But today I made it "official."

Being a Buddhist may not be very different from being a person of other faiths and beliefs. We all share certain "sacred" values that bind us. In Buddhism we call these values The Precepts. We believe in the Three Pure Precepts:

• Cease from evil
• Do only good
  
• Do good for others

We also follow the Ten Great Precepts:

• Do not kill
• Do not steal
• Do not covet
• Do not say which is not true
• Do not sell the wine of delusion
• Do not speak against others
• Do not be proud of yourself and devalue others
• Do not be mean in giving either Dharma or wealth
• Do not be angry
• Do not defame the Three Treasures

Many of these are familiar to most people; they are the common rules most humans follow to be good members of society.

The greatest change for me today is becoming a vegetarian. This is not a requirement for becoming a Buddhist, but it is a choice I am making for many reasons, not the least being that this will (even in a small way) reduce the demand for meat and make a small impact on the cruelty suffered by farmed animals.

My biggest challenge over the last few years has been anger. I have had a lot to be angry about, and I was not dealing with these issues in a healthy manner. Through Buddhism and meditation I have gained tools to deal with this aspect of my humanity. It is not perfect but it is a lot better.

I am grateful everyday  for all I have.

The Year of Money

I received the following from a friend through an email. Take it for what is worth:

"This is the year of Money! This year has four unusual dates: 1/1/11, 1/11/11, 11/1/11, and 11/11/11. That's not all. Take the last two digits of the year in which you were born; now add the age you will be this year, and the result will be 111 for everyone! This year October will have 5 Sundays, 5 Mondays and 5 Saturdays. This happens only every 823 years."

Book Review: "Last to Leave" by Clare Curzon

I read this book a few weeks ago. It is a great mystery novel with excellent descriptions of places and people. It is a bit slow at first and the British police ranks are confusing for an American reader, but the twists and turns each character takes are worth the time reading each page. I loved the end -- very unexpected. I recommend the book.

A talented rendition of an oldie

A beautiful rendition of "A Whiter Shade of Pale" by Procol Harum

My HIIT Plan

HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) has been proven to increase metabolism and improve fitness. Today I started a HIIT program to help with weight loss and fitness. Here is my plan:

Week 1: three times per week
* walk at 3.6 mph for 2 minutes
* run at 7 mph for 1 minute
* 10 cycles (about 40 minutes with a 3 minute warm up and 3 minute cool-down)

Week 2: three times per week
* walk at 3.6 mph for 90 seconds
* run at 7 mph for 1 minute
* 10 cycles

Week 3: three times per week
* walk at 3.4 mph for 1 minute
* run at 7.2 mph for 1 minute
* 10 cycles

Week 4: three times per week
* walk at 3.4 mph for 1 minute
* run at 7.2 mph for 1 minute
* 12 cycles

Week 5: three times per week
* walk at 3.2 mph for 1 minute
* run at 7.4 mph for 1 minute
* 12 cycles

Week 6: three times per week
* walk at 3.2 mph for 1 minute
* run at 7.4 mph for 1 minute
* 14 cycles

Week 6: three times per week
* walk at 3.2 mph for 1 minute
* run at 7.4 mph for 1 minute
* 16 cycles

Week 7: three times per week
* walk at 3.0 mph for 1 minute
* run at 7.4 mph for 1 minute
* 18 cycles

Week 8: three times per week
* walk at 3.0 mph for 1 minute
* run at 7.4 mph for 1 minute
* 20 cycles

1/3/11: Week 1, Day 1 has been done. More updates as available.

Happy New Year! Let 2011 be the best year ever!

It has been a while since I wrote on this blog. The absence was due to many factors, not less the lack of time. Or, better yet, the lack of time management. It is my intention to manage this finite resource wisely from now on.

I write about my intention and not my resolution. I believe the latter are easy to abandon because they lack an anchor into something deeper. Resolutions are similar to goals without a vision; they lack the deep foundation needed to make them happen. I came across the concept of intentions in 2009. I encourage you to visit the Intenders website; specifically, you may want to visit The Code page for a great example of some worthy intentions.

As of today, I am going to dedicate this blog to personal reflections. I am starting a new blog dealing strictly with technology. The address is http://vgascontech.blogspot.com. Among the things I will publish there is a copy of the newsletter I publish every week for the protonic.com website.

And speaking of personal reflections. the kids and I spent part of our New Year's Eve evening at Finlay Park for the City of Columbia New Year's Eve Carnival and Fireworks. We got there a little late for the carnival portion; at $10 per person, it might have been worthwhile had we arrived earlier. The kids and I definitely enjoyed the fireworks sitting on a bench on the high end of the park. We then went home and watched two episodes of "Bones" (season 1, which we got from Netflix). And just around 11 PM both kids fell asleep on the couches. At 11:55 I woke them up and we celebrated New Year's with some healthy OJ. There were plenty of fireworks in our neighborhood. You should see the mess on the streets! I am sure it will all be cleaned up later today.

May your 2011 be filled with health, happiness and prosperity!

Remembering Poppa

Last Thursday we lost one of the kindest men I have ever met. He was famous and yet never showed it. He was brilliant and always down to earth.

Ben Viccari was Tracey's grandfather and my kids' great-grandfather. I only met him twice -- once in 1998 and once when we visited him two years ago to celebrate his 90th birthday. Poppa had a warm, friendly smile that set you at ease, and a sparkle in his eye that told you he was full of life. He was kind to the kids and made everyone around him feel important. We will miss Poppa.

Here is a link to his obituary.

Here is a link to his Wikipedia page.

Brilliant!

Asereje - opera singers version :) - watch in high quality

From the Heart

My friend and Yoga teacher Juliet wrote this great insight for our internal newsletter:

Happy 2010 everyone!  As we move through the early part of the year, passing Valentine’s Day and the SCANA promoted events for the Heart Association, I have been contemplating the symbolism of the heart and the unlimited nature of love.  Although Valentine’s Day typically is associated with “romantic love”, this is only one of the many types of love that we experience.  Other types of love are:

·         Loving Kindness – sending out love and happiness to all beings.  Including loving ourselves.

·         Compassion – wishing love and happiness to others through the end of all suffering.

·         Sympathetic Joy – feeling love and happiness for the good luck and success of others.

·         Equanimity – Loving others because you see their qualities in yourself and your qualities in them.

The beauty of love is that the more generous we are in giving it, the more we are able to receive it.  Perhaps the most important type of love we must cultivate is self love.  It is difficult to give and receive love if we don’t feel worthy of it.

Most dogs have the concept of love down pat.  They approach their owners expecting affection, and in receiving it, give it back unconditionally.  They don’t question if they are lovable or not.  They know that they are, just as we should know that each of us is lovable and worthy of love.

This year, let’s exercise our heart by building loving relationships with ourselves and others.  It is through relationships that we experience the greatest joy.

Movement Against Unsolicited Phone Book Delivery

The EPA estimates that 650,000 tons of phonebooks are delivered annually to 100 million households in the United States. Producing those 650,000 tons of phone books uses 11.6 billion gallons of water and sends 1,650,880 tons of Carbon Dioxide into the air (CO2 is a greenhouse gas and contributes to global warming). The EPA estimates that only 18% of the phone books that are discarded in the United States each year are recycled. That leaves 533,000 tons to take up 1,758,900 cubic yards of landfill space.

Opt Out
If you are among the 54% of Americans that use the internet or a cell phone to search for phone numbers, you can opt out of receiving your annual phone book (or books).

I think this is the only responsible thing to do — if you do not want a phone book next time around, then please opt out at this web page:

YellowPageGoesGreen.org

There is no need to be a PC victim!

The Thin Line Between "Victim" and "Idiot"

From outer space and from beautiful Earth

It's amazing what we learn about cosmical bodies: APOD: 2010 January 4 - Comet Halleys Nucleus: An Orbiting Iceberg

And yet there is so much wonder right here in our own planet: APOD: 2010 January 5 - A Roll Cloud Over Uruguay

The future of computers?

Here is a neat look at what is coming:

I cannot wait for these to come out (at a reasonable price, of course!).

Think, Focus, Feel, Attract

Andy Dooley not only creates amazing artwork, he is a great teacher and a fantastic speaker. I think you will definitely enjoy and benefit from this very short but very powerful lesson:

Andy Dooley ART - Think, Focus, Feel, Attract

Interestingly, something similar happened to me last night. I could not find the dog's leash anywhere. I stopped and focused, felt as I had found it, and within seconds knew where to look for it. My intention was clear (to have the leash in my hand). And it happened. The leash was outside on our BBQ cart -- a place I would have never thought of looking. But the location came to me easily as soon as I allowed the feeling of finding to happen.

Enjoy!