This sounds really cool. Demo Camp. A place where you can demonstrate your cool new stuff.
See below.
Demo Camp
See below.
Demo Camp
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Truly Amazing: The Shanghai Restoration Project
Just listen.
This is amazing. Most things aren't. This is.
Binary
I have a binary mindset. Either it's left or right, in or out, black or white. While I am able to see the grey area and am appreciative of it I have this instantaneous ability to come to a decision. It's easy for me. But it's hard on other people. If I like something I really like it. Otherwise I'm just indifferent to it, not caring if it lives or dies. The opposite of love isn't hate. It's indifference. And when you're indifferent toward people, especially women, and you're handsome, prepare to be hated.
Monday, November 28, 2011
Two Wives
I have a problem. I think I love two women. One is pragmatic yet demanding, requiring a lot of attention and yet more reliable in her tangible benefit to me.
The other is more romantic, looks much finer on my arm, is more mercurial, but her prospects for the future are more unsure, she will require a higher investment, and yet I am sure that it would be wrong for me in a universal sense to leave her alone. I could short change her but as for most things in this world you get back what you put out. Woe is me for I am a man of standards.
Alas, I am in a devastating situation. One I need and want. The other I want and need. In somethings we have a choice. In fate we do not. I will have to pursue both. But my fear is that there will be none of me left for myself or for anyone else.
Life kills us with a bounty of blessings. She is too kind and yet beautifully cruel at the same time.
The other is more romantic, looks much finer on my arm, is more mercurial, but her prospects for the future are more unsure, she will require a higher investment, and yet I am sure that it would be wrong for me in a universal sense to leave her alone. I could short change her but as for most things in this world you get back what you put out. Woe is me for I am a man of standards.
Alas, I am in a devastating situation. One I need and want. The other I want and need. In somethings we have a choice. In fate we do not. I will have to pursue both. But my fear is that there will be none of me left for myself or for anyone else.
Life kills us with a bounty of blessings. She is too kind and yet beautifully cruel at the same time.
Genius Is Not In the Writing. It's in the Editing.
A couple days ago I read something in an interview Madeline Buston, an agent who works with Lee Child, an author that I really enjoy. If you haven't read his stuff you should. It's always well crafted, detailed, and has great pace and solid action and his characters are somehow very believable. It's funny. The more I read his stuff and stuff from guys who I just can't believe are so great, i.e. Norman Mailer, John Steinbeck, these just genius level guys the more inadequate I feel, yet I feel driven to outperform them.
Nonetheless, I continue to write, continuing to perfect my brand of storytelling. My goal is to perfect the telling of a story in a fast paced yet substantive way. Madeline Buston had what I found to be at the time a great point, a great guideline for writing. She basically said that every story should be written in a five page arc with a mini-drama at the end of every five pages. Well, I seized on the point, looking to get my stories to move along like the adventure novels they should be. I'm finding however that it is more difficult than I anticipated. It really causes you, if you want to write suspense, adventure, and thrillers, to dispense with the flowery language and get down to the bone, clearly separating what is dispensable from what is not.
A piece that I worked on tonight had a part in it that had eleven pages between the last action and the present one. I sat and edited until I got it down to 7.5, cutting and cutting and cutting. In the writing, I give myself all the liberties I want. But in the editing, each word has a cost, each word slows down the action.
I must admit that the action moves a lot faster now and I am forced to make things happen if I want to keep pieces of the story. It's forcing me to ask the hard questions that must be asked of any really good action story, namely, what is this scene for? What is the purpose? What is happening? And is it dispensable? If there are no good answers to any of those questions it must go.
The writing is the easy part. It's on credit. The editing is when the bill must be paid.
Nonetheless, I continue to write, continuing to perfect my brand of storytelling. My goal is to perfect the telling of a story in a fast paced yet substantive way. Madeline Buston had what I found to be at the time a great point, a great guideline for writing. She basically said that every story should be written in a five page arc with a mini-drama at the end of every five pages. Well, I seized on the point, looking to get my stories to move along like the adventure novels they should be. I'm finding however that it is more difficult than I anticipated. It really causes you, if you want to write suspense, adventure, and thrillers, to dispense with the flowery language and get down to the bone, clearly separating what is dispensable from what is not.
A piece that I worked on tonight had a part in it that had eleven pages between the last action and the present one. I sat and edited until I got it down to 7.5, cutting and cutting and cutting. In the writing, I give myself all the liberties I want. But in the editing, each word has a cost, each word slows down the action.
I must admit that the action moves a lot faster now and I am forced to make things happen if I want to keep pieces of the story. It's forcing me to ask the hard questions that must be asked of any really good action story, namely, what is this scene for? What is the purpose? What is happening? And is it dispensable? If there are no good answers to any of those questions it must go.
The writing is the easy part. It's on credit. The editing is when the bill must be paid.
Rest, Relaxation, and Work ... on a Monday!?!?
Today was the first day back from a holiday weekend at work. Except I ended up working from home. Last night for some strange reason I couldn't get to sleep. I ended up falling asleep at six am this morning. My alarm clock sounded for seven. Rather than go to work at 8 completely exhausted and nod off repeatedly at work, ruining my reputation and being completely unproductive I decided to call in sick. I told my boss. She told me it was fine. And I told her that I'd work from home.
Turns out that, by being pragmatic, sleeping until noon, then waking up and giving my work a solid focused couple of hours that I got as much or maybe more done in the shorter amount of time than by going into the office. Sure I have a little more work to do ... but I'm always a bit ambitious when it comes to my work goals. I could get it done but why push it. I'm currently where I need to be in terms of scheduling and I'm genuinely pleased with my progress. I'm sure my boss will be too as I should be well ahead of schedule by EOD tomorrow.
It just goes to show that rethinking orthodox rules may be very smart. Why keep the same stale mindsets when it is productivity and not hours logged that count? Why spend eight hours an hour and twenty minutes from your house (forty minutes each way) when you can do the same amount of work in five hours? It's awesome.
Now what else to do today?
1. Edit four sections in my book. It's necessary.
2. Put in for my vacation time.
3. Clean my kitchen
Right now it's my break time. So I'm about to watch some type of program then I'm going to write. So that'll bring me right up until eight o'clock. Eight I'll edit. Nine-thirty I'll clean. Then eleven I'll read. That should do it. Okay. Later.
Turns out that, by being pragmatic, sleeping until noon, then waking up and giving my work a solid focused couple of hours that I got as much or maybe more done in the shorter amount of time than by going into the office. Sure I have a little more work to do ... but I'm always a bit ambitious when it comes to my work goals. I could get it done but why push it. I'm currently where I need to be in terms of scheduling and I'm genuinely pleased with my progress. I'm sure my boss will be too as I should be well ahead of schedule by EOD tomorrow.
It just goes to show that rethinking orthodox rules may be very smart. Why keep the same stale mindsets when it is productivity and not hours logged that count? Why spend eight hours an hour and twenty minutes from your house (forty minutes each way) when you can do the same amount of work in five hours? It's awesome.
Now what else to do today?
1. Edit four sections in my book. It's necessary.
2. Put in for my vacation time.
3. Clean my kitchen
Right now it's my break time. So I'm about to watch some type of program then I'm going to write. So that'll bring me right up until eight o'clock. Eight I'll edit. Nine-thirty I'll clean. Then eleven I'll read. That should do it. Okay. Later.
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Steve Jobs Videos I Feel Compelled to Share
Steve Jobs Video 1:
It's an interview of him when he was at NeXT.
Check it out.
Steve Jobs at NeXT
Steve Jobs Video 2:
Steve Jobs at All Things Digital - 2011
It's an interview of him when he was at NeXT.
Check it out.
Steve Jobs at NeXT
Steve Jobs Video 2:
Steve Jobs at All Things Digital - 2011
End Table and Artwork
Hey. This is something I like. So this is something I intend to buy:
End Table I Intend to Buy
Also I intend to buy my first piece of artwork. I think it will be this:
Potential First Piece of Artwork
That's it. :D
Craft your life.
End Table I Intend to Buy
Also I intend to buy my first piece of artwork. I think it will be this:
Potential First Piece of Artwork
That's it. :D
Craft your life.
Future Posts
Note to self: Two future topics I want to write about: the EC Situation and an offline topic about my work in progress.
Sticking to the Plan
Well I'm almost done with my first edit of my book. I'm excited about it. But I must tell the truth. Today I read about a literary agent Madeline Buston. She is the agent for Lee Child. Nonetheless, she said something that I thought was pretty interesting. It'll lead me to have to do two more edits but I'm pretty excited about both.
The first thing she said was that every five pages should have a mini-drama in it. That's good to know because it was something I was struggling with, namely how much action should be packed into each scene in order to make it interesting. Madeline's thought seemed to be pretty much right on the money.
The second was that the chapters should be short and should have cliffhangers after each chapter to propel the reader onto the next chapter.
The third part that I read from Elmore Leonard was taht you should leave out the parts that the reader will skip. I like that as a rule of thumb or at least to minimize them or to simplify to the point where they're not necessary.
I learned a lot about writing today. I plan on using it tomorrow. But most importantly it's guiding my editing process, something that I've been struggling with here a bit. I didn't know how to go about balancing my writing. But now I know. I truly know. I feel that between these three principles I've got a good framework for editing here.
After this I'll be confident enough to send my work out to literary agents. Also I feel confident enough that after this project is done I'll be able to fully go about my next project, my technology project, GFM.
Btw, I've changed the title of my book from Trader to Up and Down: From Waiter to Trader to Titan. I like that. It works for me. But I really feel like after these edits are all done I'll be able to really focus on the next part, the technology project. I'm really excited about that.
I was somewhat worried that I wouldn't be able to do the story justice because of the edit. But now I feel reasonably assured that I will be able to craft a quality product and then to submit it. I'm excited to put it out there for the world to see. I'm also excited to be able to give this project some finality, some closure, and to move onto my next project. Pretty cool. Pretty cool. Pretty super cool.
The first thing she said was that every five pages should have a mini-drama in it. That's good to know because it was something I was struggling with, namely how much action should be packed into each scene in order to make it interesting. Madeline's thought seemed to be pretty much right on the money.
The second was that the chapters should be short and should have cliffhangers after each chapter to propel the reader onto the next chapter.
The third part that I read from Elmore Leonard was taht you should leave out the parts that the reader will skip. I like that as a rule of thumb or at least to minimize them or to simplify to the point where they're not necessary.
I learned a lot about writing today. I plan on using it tomorrow. But most importantly it's guiding my editing process, something that I've been struggling with here a bit. I didn't know how to go about balancing my writing. But now I know. I truly know. I feel that between these three principles I've got a good framework for editing here.
After this I'll be confident enough to send my work out to literary agents. Also I feel confident enough that after this project is done I'll be able to fully go about my next project, my technology project, GFM.
Btw, I've changed the title of my book from Trader to Up and Down: From Waiter to Trader to Titan. I like that. It works for me. But I really feel like after these edits are all done I'll be able to really focus on the next part, the technology project. I'm really excited about that.
I was somewhat worried that I wouldn't be able to do the story justice because of the edit. But now I feel reasonably assured that I will be able to craft a quality product and then to submit it. I'm excited to put it out there for the world to see. I'm also excited to be able to give this project some finality, some closure, and to move onto my next project. Pretty cool. Pretty cool. Pretty super cool.
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Work of Art versus Worker
I think when you're creating something artistic, i.e. a novel, a play, a painting, you should take your time, be careful not to rush it, and go with the flow.
But when you're doing something technical or knowledge based I think there is an increased return with sleeping under your desk, doing it morning, noon, and night, and just working your ass off until it's done. I think that when you're doing something technical or learning something new it's best to power through it and burn the idea or skill into your mind so that you can do your 10,000 hours (Gladwell) and make quantum leaps quickly.
For works of art I don't think that way. I think you go until you run out of that vital creative energy and then you must stop. As Mark Twain said, (paraphrased): I found that I would write and then stop. I had to take the time to let myself fill up again. Then once that happened I could go right back to writing.
Technology is different. It takes a rigorous application.
But when you're doing something technical or knowledge based I think there is an increased return with sleeping under your desk, doing it morning, noon, and night, and just working your ass off until it's done. I think that when you're doing something technical or learning something new it's best to power through it and burn the idea or skill into your mind so that you can do your 10,000 hours (Gladwell) and make quantum leaps quickly.
For works of art I don't think that way. I think you go until you run out of that vital creative energy and then you must stop. As Mark Twain said, (paraphrased): I found that I would write and then stop. I had to take the time to let myself fill up again. Then once that happened I could go right back to writing.
Technology is different. It takes a rigorous application.
Continually Inspired
I am so glad for my decision to pursue technology. (I can't wait to work for a company where I get to pursue this full-time. The goal: next year. Or maybe sooner. We'll see.)
Nonetheless, this is the reason for my interest. I get to actually work on ideas like this.
When you're allowed to play in a sandbox like this how can you not be continually inspired?
Nonetheless, this is the reason for my interest. I get to actually work on ideas like this.
Amount of Quality Work
Today I had a plan to edit forty pages of my recently finished first draft of a novel. The motivation is simple. Finishing more will allow me to finish faster. Finishing faster will allow me to get more done. Getting more done means more accomplishments and that means filling more fulfilled and generally feeling like I'm accomplishing my life's work, thus achieving my purpose in life.
But there was a hitch. I found setting a high goal is good. But it's also very important that you are able to achieve high quality along with that goal. If I'm setting high goals but not achieving quality in the work, that's bad. Very bad. I'd rather achieve a bit less (quantity still is important ... the the use of the words 'a bit less') and have a higher quality product than achieve more and have a lower quality product.
Therefore I have pared back my forty pages to twenty. Yes it'll take me longer to achieve my goal. But the final product will be a better quality product that I'll be more pleased with. The workmanship will definitely be stronger and I'm confident that I'll ultimately be more proud of the work.
I'm curious as to how that'll carry over into my technical projects. Time will tell. Peace.
But there was a hitch. I found setting a high goal is good. But it's also very important that you are able to achieve high quality along with that goal. If I'm setting high goals but not achieving quality in the work, that's bad. Very bad. I'd rather achieve a bit less (quantity still is important ... the the use of the words 'a bit less') and have a higher quality product than achieve more and have a lower quality product.
Therefore I have pared back my forty pages to twenty. Yes it'll take me longer to achieve my goal. But the final product will be a better quality product that I'll be more pleased with. The workmanship will definitely be stronger and I'm confident that I'll ultimately be more proud of the work.
I'm curious as to how that'll carry over into my technical projects. Time will tell. Peace.
Monday, November 21, 2011
Eagerness
I've got so much eagerness to move onto GFM that it's crazy. I really just want to get on with this next project. It will take a different form of focus but it will be really cool to be increasing my technical skills in a variety of areas and doing a lot of planning and programming. I feel like my apartment is going to become this little (medium sized :D) technical laboratory. I'm just really eager to work extensively with Javascript, Perl, PHP, Apache, Linux, Gimp, Git (perhaps ... there are online tutorials now), and MySQL, maybe some Bash, and AWK, iPhone development, and Android development.
My skill set will increase dramatically. But more so I look forward to launching something that everyone can use. And I want to start sending my book out to publishers. I have to read that book about sending stuff out to publishers. I think I'll do that and the project synopsis my little sister requested (BB20) in the New Year. I'll read a book or two about getting published in the first two weeks of the New Year as well.
I don't think I could bear it to put off starting work on GFM while tying up some loose ends. I'm so eager to start. But this post helps relieve some of the pressure.
It's kind of funny. These projects really are fulfilling a fundamental need in my life. I normally would be fretting about a companion, children, and that sort of thing. But I've got something now. I think a man gets a companion honestly when he needs one, not when he wants one but when it's a requirement.
The Bible says Pro 19:14 You may inherit all you own from your parents, but a sensible wife is a gift from the LORD.
I think God often gives us what we need and not what we want often because what we want may very well get in the way of what we need. I think what will happen with me is that I'll get so into my projects, my work, technological and humanitarian creativity, working with both, combining them in all sorts of combinations, that I'll look up one day and I'll be in a deep committed relationship because that's what I need. God will give me what I need when I need it and I find a certain abiding peace in that.
My skill set will increase dramatically. But more so I look forward to launching something that everyone can use. And I want to start sending my book out to publishers. I have to read that book about sending stuff out to publishers. I think I'll do that and the project synopsis my little sister requested (BB20) in the New Year. I'll read a book or two about getting published in the first two weeks of the New Year as well.
I don't think I could bear it to put off starting work on GFM while tying up some loose ends. I'm so eager to start. But this post helps relieve some of the pressure.
It's kind of funny. These projects really are fulfilling a fundamental need in my life. I normally would be fretting about a companion, children, and that sort of thing. But I've got something now. I think a man gets a companion honestly when he needs one, not when he wants one but when it's a requirement.
The Bible says Pro 19:14 You may inherit all you own from your parents, but a sensible wife is a gift from the LORD.
I think God often gives us what we need and not what we want often because what we want may very well get in the way of what we need. I think what will happen with me is that I'll get so into my projects, my work, technological and humanitarian creativity, working with both, combining them in all sorts of combinations, that I'll look up one day and I'll be in a deep committed relationship because that's what I need. God will give me what I need when I need it and I find a certain abiding peace in that.
(Minor) Mission Accomplished
So today I got (outside of work ... I don't really talk about work here that much) a lot done. I edited 40 pages in my book. I enjoyed it. But there are some things I am concerned about in this edit.
I must read aloud when I edit. I have to. Otherwise I can't get a feel for the rhythm of the words. I didn't edit the first 40 pages aloud. That means I have to go back and do those again but do them aloud.
Second, I must look at my emotional lynchpins in my story which I haven't done with the first forty or the second forty pages of the story. I need to go back and see where the reader should be feeling something or where I want them to feel something and go back and make sure that (to quote SWV) I am "giving (them) something (they) can feel." So in essence I have to go back and do another edit. But I am really excited.
I am making solid progress but there is more rework to be done. It's strange that I am learning the process of how to edit while I am editing. I think I am just becoming a better editor. But I am still eager to get this project wrapped up so I can get onto GFM. That project is huge.
Aside: I also need to go back and thicken up the part about Roy Rooksman. That part is not where it needs to be. It feels like an apendage at this point. It needs to be 'sanded' to meld seamlessly.
As far as Girl 1 is concerned I texted her with a sort of nebulous very free let's get try to get together sometime this weekend if you're in town sort of message. She should say yes. I am starting to relearn the art of seduction. But I've been far to busy to pay real attention to it.
Anyway, tomorrow is onto the next 40 pages (80-120).
Then Wednesday is 120-160.
Thursday: 160-180 and then back to 0-20
Friday: 20-60
Saturday: 60-100
Sunday: 100-140
Monday: 140-180
Done with Trader. Onto GFM.
I must read aloud when I edit. I have to. Otherwise I can't get a feel for the rhythm of the words. I didn't edit the first 40 pages aloud. That means I have to go back and do those again but do them aloud.
Second, I must look at my emotional lynchpins in my story which I haven't done with the first forty or the second forty pages of the story. I need to go back and see where the reader should be feeling something or where I want them to feel something and go back and make sure that (to quote SWV) I am "giving (them) something (they) can feel." So in essence I have to go back and do another edit. But I am really excited.
I am making solid progress but there is more rework to be done. It's strange that I am learning the process of how to edit while I am editing. I think I am just becoming a better editor. But I am still eager to get this project wrapped up so I can get onto GFM. That project is huge.
Aside: I also need to go back and thicken up the part about Roy Rooksman. That part is not where it needs to be. It feels like an apendage at this point. It needs to be 'sanded' to meld seamlessly.
As far as Girl 1 is concerned I texted her with a sort of nebulous very free let's get try to get together sometime this weekend if you're in town sort of message. She should say yes. I am starting to relearn the art of seduction. But I've been far to busy to pay real attention to it.
Anyway, tomorrow is onto the next 40 pages (80-120).
Then Wednesday is 120-160.
Thursday: 160-180 and then back to 0-20
Friday: 20-60
Saturday: 60-100
Sunday: 100-140
Monday: 140-180
Done with Trader. Onto GFM.
Date, Date, and Write
Date 1:
The girl I am interested in, KS, is fantastic. But I have to find somewhere to take her. Perhaps I'll think it out here. The first thing I'll analyze is what is appropriate. Food.
Food is a great date. It's a great date because it lets you know exactly how serious or not serious you are. There's nowhere to run over food. Either you get along really well or you don't. But there's no bullshit over food. Food is a distinct possibility.
Play. A play is a good date if the play is good. But good plays are a bit expensive and I'm a bit tight on cash right now. Lawyers. But a play is good because it gives you a shared experience, something to talk about over dinner. And it's memorable. It's hard for a girl to tell you to screw off after going out to a play.
Adventure. (bowling, rock climbing wall, dancing) I like all of these things but bowling seems like you're trying too hard. A rock climbing wall can be classified as weird and the last thing you want is a girl telling her friends that you did something weird. Dancing is cool but if it's wrong it's dead wrong. Mitigating risk is important in the early stage.
Hmph. Idea. But it's risky. Cooking class. It alllows you to work together, to hang out, you can go for drinks afterward, both of you get something out of it, and it's a story. And it gives me plausible deniability because I can't cook worth a shit so it's kinda light to ask if she wants to keep me company cooking. It's a good idea. Okay. Date 1. Cooking class. Sounds pretty cool.
Date 2:
This girl is great. I had her in hand. Now I have to coax her back into hand. It's funny to have to do so. EC is a brainy girl. My type. But I paid her too much attention and so now I have to let her marinate for a while. It's like letting water drain after a flood. It just takes time. I can't be too interested. I have to let the mystery, the enigma, rebuild. Absence makes the heart grow fonder. I must reposition myself into that absence.
The next time I talk to her should be next Friday. I'll answer her email and then wait and see. I'll have to word it correctly but if I do I should be able to go out for drinks with her. It should be good.
Aside:
I'm finding more and more that I enjoy the game more than the win. Except with KS perhaps (she is fantastic) but with most I'm finding that I enjoy the game more. There is a bartender at a bar I go to. She's hot. She's just stacked. I'm finding however that I'm more interested in the pursuit than the win. When I'm interested I'm really interested but when I'm not interested I'm completely uninterested. With her I'm interested. It's a new and strange thing for me, it's sort of like I'm learning how to be me again. It's a journey of rediscovery. I used to love the pursuit. Now I love the pursuit again.
Write:
I edited 40 pages of my book yesterday but I'm finding that I'm not editing it aggressively enough. I need to work on it with more focus but I want to really get on to GFM, my next project. But I must force myself to slow down enough and to curate this book. To really be relentless with it, to really focus on it.
In the official Steve Jobs biography Xerox had a product that had the original mouse, GUI, bit mapping, object oriented programming, all the bells and whistles that made the modern computer great. Jobs saw the computer and went back to Apple and started to build one. However, Xerox, the original creators of the technology built and released a machine first. However, they never curated it. They didn't edit it, refine it, and take the time to make something wonderful out of something so full of potential. Because they didn't curate it, they didn't make it special, it flopped. Apple went onto great success.
I must exert the discipline over myself to not look at the next goal but to focus like a laser on this one making each page a page turner. I must focus, refine, and twice distill this project to make it perfect.
Excellence, care, is a habit. Practice is necessary.
But first a cooking class.
The girl I am interested in, KS, is fantastic. But I have to find somewhere to take her. Perhaps I'll think it out here. The first thing I'll analyze is what is appropriate. Food.
Food is a great date. It's a great date because it lets you know exactly how serious or not serious you are. There's nowhere to run over food. Either you get along really well or you don't. But there's no bullshit over food. Food is a distinct possibility.
Play. A play is a good date if the play is good. But good plays are a bit expensive and I'm a bit tight on cash right now. Lawyers. But a play is good because it gives you a shared experience, something to talk about over dinner. And it's memorable. It's hard for a girl to tell you to screw off after going out to a play.
Adventure. (bowling, rock climbing wall, dancing) I like all of these things but bowling seems like you're trying too hard. A rock climbing wall can be classified as weird and the last thing you want is a girl telling her friends that you did something weird. Dancing is cool but if it's wrong it's dead wrong. Mitigating risk is important in the early stage.
Hmph. Idea. But it's risky. Cooking class. It alllows you to work together, to hang out, you can go for drinks afterward, both of you get something out of it, and it's a story. And it gives me plausible deniability because I can't cook worth a shit so it's kinda light to ask if she wants to keep me company cooking. It's a good idea. Okay. Date 1. Cooking class. Sounds pretty cool.
Date 2:
This girl is great. I had her in hand. Now I have to coax her back into hand. It's funny to have to do so. EC is a brainy girl. My type. But I paid her too much attention and so now I have to let her marinate for a while. It's like letting water drain after a flood. It just takes time. I can't be too interested. I have to let the mystery, the enigma, rebuild. Absence makes the heart grow fonder. I must reposition myself into that absence.
The next time I talk to her should be next Friday. I'll answer her email and then wait and see. I'll have to word it correctly but if I do I should be able to go out for drinks with her. It should be good.
Aside:
I'm finding more and more that I enjoy the game more than the win. Except with KS perhaps (she is fantastic) but with most I'm finding that I enjoy the game more. There is a bartender at a bar I go to. She's hot. She's just stacked. I'm finding however that I'm more interested in the pursuit than the win. When I'm interested I'm really interested but when I'm not interested I'm completely uninterested. With her I'm interested. It's a new and strange thing for me, it's sort of like I'm learning how to be me again. It's a journey of rediscovery. I used to love the pursuit. Now I love the pursuit again.
Write:
I edited 40 pages of my book yesterday but I'm finding that I'm not editing it aggressively enough. I need to work on it with more focus but I want to really get on to GFM, my next project. But I must force myself to slow down enough and to curate this book. To really be relentless with it, to really focus on it.
In the official Steve Jobs biography Xerox had a product that had the original mouse, GUI, bit mapping, object oriented programming, all the bells and whistles that made the modern computer great. Jobs saw the computer and went back to Apple and started to build one. However, Xerox, the original creators of the technology built and released a machine first. However, they never curated it. They didn't edit it, refine it, and take the time to make something wonderful out of something so full of potential. Because they didn't curate it, they didn't make it special, it flopped. Apple went onto great success.
I must exert the discipline over myself to not look at the next goal but to focus like a laser on this one making each page a page turner. I must focus, refine, and twice distill this project to make it perfect.
Excellence, care, is a habit. Practice is necessary.
But first a cooking class.
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Babies and Bathwater
Despite its source the below advertisement is really true. It jars the mind as it should. Forget the company that paid for the advertisement. Just watch the advert. Take the baby. Leave the bathwater.
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Editing, the Next Steps, and a Girl
I have just completed my second novel. Now, it's on to the editing. Polishing a gem is just as important as finding it. I'll leave it at that. I don't feel spiritually allowed to talk about the process of writing. DeNiro said that he and Brando talked about everything except acting.
Marlon and I never talked about our performances in The Godfather. What was he going to say? We knew each other. I spent time on his island with him. But you don't talk about acting. You talk about anything but acting. I guess the admiration is unspoken.
Read more: Robert DeNiro - What I've Learned
Read more: Robert DeNiro - What I've Learned
I think that people, just like the God who created us, can breathe life into things. Relationships have a life. Just like babies they start off small and fragile. They must be nurtured in the beginning and treated like the fragile objects that they are. Over time they become more durable and can take the harder hits and are capable of more.
Created things have a life. But somethings are somehow destroyed by talking about them. For me, right now, I don't feel the liberty to talk about the process and I like talking about everything. But the process I don't feel free to talk about now. Maybe later. But a cool thing did happen last night.
I told someone I had just finished my first novel. Then they said to me, "You're a writer." It felt good. I am a writer now. I am a writer. But now it is time to become a creator. :D A writer writes, but a creator can create pretty much anything. I want to be a creator. The next thing (after I'm done with editing) is to create GFM. GFM will require:
1. Plotting out the work flow -- how does the business work and how does GoForMe's
Technology layer facilitate this work flow.
2. Programming the front end.
3. Programming the PHP layer
4. Programming the PERL layer
5. Learning about Fedora
6. Learning about Apache
7. Setting up my server
8. Learning about Magneto and eCommerce
9. Setting up Magneto
11. Learning deeper Magneto
12. Setting up deeper Magneto
13. Learning about iPhone Application building
14. Building the iPhone App
15. Learning about Android Application building
16. Building the Android Application
17. Learn about Gimp
18. Learn about web design.
19. Make GFM intuitive.
20. Design kick ass GFM logo
17. Putting together an Action Plan
18. Beta-ing it on the Upper East Side
18. Beta-ing it on the Upper West Side
19. Beta-ing it on Morningside Heights
20. Rolling it out in Midtown quickly
21. Rolling it out in all of Manhattan
22. Build sick web following, have it explode, be on the cover of a couple New York based magazines
(At this point I can begin writing my third book on the side)
23. Raise VC money from my heros, Max Levchin and Elon Musk.
24. Do 1,000,000 in revenue in the first year
25. Do 25,000,000 in revenue in the second year
26. Do 100,000,000 in revenue in my third year
27. Do 1,000,000,000 in revenue in my fourth year.
28. Have a valuation of 25 billion.
29. Sell out for 10,000,000,000.
30. Chill.
Finally, the girl. Her name is KS. I can't share more than that. This is the Internet. To be honest I don't know where it's going.
What do I know:
1. She's sophisticated. Her style is elegant, not just in the way she dresses but the way she carries herself.
2. She's smart. But she's not academically smart, though she did go to college and I'm sure she got good grades. But she's not a propeller head the way other girls I've dated casually in the past are. Yet she keeps my attention.
3. She's attractive.
4. She fits nicely in my life. She just fits. She would make a good wife and a great partner.
5. I'm not super attracted to her yet but I'm interested. But I wasn't super attracted to Kathleen when I first met her either or Sarah. They grew on me. I think she will too.
Thinking of it, she is the exact same type as Kathleen. Sophisticated, smart (but not a propeller head), in essence a trophy (though I think that's a degrading term but it does imply that she is something of high value and I can see why others would think that), and generally a good partner and wife. Do I love her? No. Do I like her? Yes. Could I love her? I don't know but I would think I could.
This is the sort of new relationship that must be carefully nurtured. I guess girls are right. Girls always say that if you really liked them you would do certain things, you would pay attention to details to win them over. They are right.
Generally I am paying more attention to details in order to win in my life. But specifically with her I am paying attention to the texts I send to make sure they strike the right tone, to the places I will be suggesting, to make sure that they both play to my advantages and protect the relationship while they are appropriate, and generally to the details to make sure that this relationship gets stronger.
I don't know where this is going. But on the plus side I'll gain valuable experience. If I win and it all works out I might have found at least an ally, at most someone of incredibly high value.
Big blog post today. Big post. Lots of things sorted out here.
Monday, November 14, 2011
Very Cool
Sometimes I post articles that I just want to collect. I share them because a) it allows me to centrally collect everything on the Internet that I find interesting and b) sharing is caring. Or to put it in a more American way, "You get back what you put out." Therefore, here it is. An article on Steve Jobs. Pretty interesting.
Seven Keys to Happiness
Seven Keys to Happiness
Dream No Longer Deferred
The story below inspired this post to Facebook. Check it out.
The idea Jon that it really feels like now that the entire American dream, all of it, is now really possible, not just for black women. I think they've been seen as members of the American Dream Society (the people for whom the American Dream is fully possible) for a long time now. But now Black men are included as well. I think regardless of the re-election of Barack Obama, the fact that he's had a respectable Presidency has opened lots of possibilities for us as Black men. I look at this article, not just as an article about three incredible African American boys, but also about the wider societies recognition of the talent of these boys, tacitly acknowledging the talent of Black men. And I think that, the opening of all the avenues of success to us, is something to be presciently proud and happy about.
Dr. King's Dream Coming to Fruition
The idea Jon that it really feels like now that the entire American dream, all of it, is now really possible, not just for black women. I think they've been seen as members of the American Dream Society (the people for whom the American Dream is fully possible) for a long time now. But now Black men are included as well. I think regardless of the re-election of Barack Obama, the fact that he's had a respectable Presidency has opened lots of possibilities for us as Black men. I look at this article, not just as an article about three incredible African American boys, but also about the wider societies recognition of the talent of these boys, tacitly acknowledging the talent of Black men. And I think that, the opening of all the avenues of success to us, is something to be presciently proud and happy about.
Dr. King's Dream Coming to Fruition
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Today and Next Year
So today I am planning to go see Ides of March. I all ready did some writing. I've got maybe ten pages to go. Probably closer to twenty but then I should be finished with the first draft of my second book. I'm looking forward to starting my third one but I don't think I'll do that until I'm done with my next project.
My next project is going to be something that makes my life alot easier. A website that basically allows anybody to have anything delivered anywhere at anytime. It's going to be called goforme. I don't want to put the dot com on it because if I do I'm sure some webcrawling engine will return it and it will be squatted upon. Maybe I should buy it soon. But I am looking forward to working through the programming section of it. And I have to work through the part of it where I learn Linux and Apache, including hacking them. But nonetheless I have a ton of work to do in those areas. Maybe tomorrow I'll write another five pages and maybe I'll wrap it up soon after.
We'll see. But in at least two or three weeks (the beginning of December) I should will be in earnest starting my first website and working through Apache, Linux, and done with the initial coding. Then I'll have to start working through Magneto as well.
I'm really looking forward to my work. That means by the end of the year I should be done with two books, have one of them out to publishers and running my own website. That should be pretty cool.
That'll really make me happy. I can say Happy New Year. I got alot done this year. Nice.
Next years goals will be:
1. Finish Baseball 2.0
2. Turn Baseball 2.0 and Trader into scripts.
3. Expand GoForMe into a viable business making ten grand a month in fees.
4. Build the GoForMe Android and iPhone Apps and have them in the apps store.
5. Build GoTeam also
6. Write the Good Dealer and film it
7. Build Lineo and have it on the iPhone Store
8. Write the Wicked Kid
9. Learn Spanish
My next project is going to be something that makes my life alot easier. A website that basically allows anybody to have anything delivered anywhere at anytime. It's going to be called goforme. I don't want to put the dot com on it because if I do I'm sure some webcrawling engine will return it and it will be squatted upon. Maybe I should buy it soon. But I am looking forward to working through the programming section of it. And I have to work through the part of it where I learn Linux and Apache, including hacking them. But nonetheless I have a ton of work to do in those areas. Maybe tomorrow I'll write another five pages and maybe I'll wrap it up soon after.
We'll see. But in at least two or three weeks (the beginning of December) I should will be in earnest starting my first website and working through Apache, Linux, and done with the initial coding. Then I'll have to start working through Magneto as well.
I'm really looking forward to my work. That means by the end of the year I should be done with two books, have one of them out to publishers and running my own website. That should be pretty cool.
That'll really make me happy. I can say Happy New Year. I got alot done this year. Nice.
Next years goals will be:
1. Finish Baseball 2.0
2. Turn Baseball 2.0 and Trader into scripts.
3. Expand GoForMe into a viable business making ten grand a month in fees.
4. Build the GoForMe Android and iPhone Apps and have them in the apps store.
5. Build GoTeam also
6. Write the Good Dealer and film it
7. Build Lineo and have it on the iPhone Store
8. Write the Wicked Kid
9. Learn Spanish
Don't be a Jerk -- Mind Your Own Business
This is a pretty cool article about someone who decided to live-tweet someone else's argument. What an ass. Nice job NPR excoriating this guy. Andy Boyle, f-off.
Andy Boyle Screw Off
Andy Boyle Screw Off
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Eating and Writing
I think I'm going to go grab some pizza. New York pizza is so good. Then I'm going to come back to my desk at work and do some writing. I'll write a couple pages in my book. It's funny. The more I walk toward my goals the faster I want to run to complete my goals. It's like it's a self perpetuating cycle. The more I do the more I want to do. It's amazing.
I was in a bookstore last night and I saw some books on iPhone and XCode programming in 3D. I was immediately interested. But I know that I want to do some web programming before I take on that task. But it excited me to finish my book and then work on my next project. That reminds me. I have to call these people and find out where my DVD drive is. I need it. Okay. Off to get pizza. Then back to write a couple pages in my book. Maybe ten today. Who knows? But I'm really eager to work on it, get it done, and go home and work on it some more. Maybe I'll finish by this weekend and then be able to start looking at coding my next project. :D So exciting.
"Running down a dream. ... Working on a mystery. Going where ever it leads. Running down a dream."
-- Clarity
I was in a bookstore last night and I saw some books on iPhone and XCode programming in 3D. I was immediately interested. But I know that I want to do some web programming before I take on that task. But it excited me to finish my book and then work on my next project. That reminds me. I have to call these people and find out where my DVD drive is. I need it. Okay. Off to get pizza. Then back to write a couple pages in my book. Maybe ten today. Who knows? But I'm really eager to work on it, get it done, and go home and work on it some more. Maybe I'll finish by this weekend and then be able to start looking at coding my next project. :D So exciting.
"Running down a dream. ... Working on a mystery. Going where ever it leads. Running down a dream."
-- Clarity
Career Revelations
It's funny when you start looking at your career like a career. You stop acquiring skills to get you the next job and start acquiring skills to get you to your next goal. You're employer becomes a part of your path as opposed to the destination.
Stop Spending More than You Earn
The problems of Italy, Greece, Europe, the US, and individuals in this country are all the same and can be spelled out in one single word: Debt. Stop spending more than you earn. You don't have to be an economist to understand that.
Jobs@Stanford
If you haven't seen it, see it now. Jobs at Stanford.
Steve Jobs at Stanford.
Plus it's only fifteen minutes.
Steve Jobs at Stanford.
Plus it's only fifteen minutes.
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
PBS: Economics of A Chinese Bakery
Just saw this special on PBS. Pretty cool. Only four minutes long. Check it out. Makes you feel pretty lazy and pretty privileged.
The Economics of A Chinese Bakery
The Economics of A Chinese Bakery
Introduction to Me
I was about to say, wow this font is beautiful. But then I saw it was on Times. Now that I'm on Helvetica I can say "Wow, this font is beautiful." Actually this whole page is beautiful. Go Google. So anyway, no one really should be reading this blog because I don't plan to advertise it or promote it in any real way. It's just here to say what I want to say and to basically be done with it. Some stuff I don't like saying on Facebook because it's directly linked back to me. But here, with no one knowing my name, like the anti-Cheers I can say what I want to say.
So now that I've said all that I have no idea what I want to say. Nice. Typical me.
So I have about maybe fifteen to thirty pages to finish in my second book. Nice. I've still got some stuff that I've gotta go back and tie down in order for the book to come together nicely but it's much better than the last one.
I've also got a bunch of stuff I want to do technically. I'm really psyched to be starting the building process of my webpage again soon. I've got so much work to do there. PHP, Perl, setting up my Linux box, a couple CGIs, setting it up so that it can send text messages to cell phones. I'll probably need to set up my own email server too and start looking into building out the mobile app. It'll be very necessary.
I'm looking forward to this work. But I've still probably got until the end of this month to actually get what I need to get done which is this book. It's really a big milestone for me. I'll have written two books this year and be well into finishing my first real web project. It should be cool. I'm so stoked about it. Then I've got to actually get some local businesses to partner with me or to figure out a model where I don't need them to partner with me. Ach! Or maybe a hybrid model. But I want to create this site. And then I want to create my next one.
I graduated college relatively late in life. I've only been out about a year now and I feel like if I had graduated when I was 21 like the rest of the world I'd definitely be a multi-millionaire by now. But alas, I'm not so I'm starting pretty late. But I feel like it's only a matter of time to tell the truth. Not because I care about money. I really don't. But I do care about creating things. And I think that if you create things of value to other people that's how the world rewards you. That's why I think most Wall Streeters lose their money one way or the other. They never create anything of real value that gives to others so the universe won't give to them. They have to fight like dogs to hold onto everything while people that actually truly really create things in order to give life and inspiration to others never really have to worry about going without because they never really cared about it in the first place. Okay. I'm going to watch the News Hour now. Deuces.
http://www.pbs.org/newshour
Check it out. It's awesome.
Loki
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