Mindless

Dealing with Spam comments & who owns your Internet?

2007-03-18T14:09:00.000-04:00

In the last month or two I've noticed an increase in spam comments on my blog. I've continued to delete them, but today I thought maybe I should do something to stop them. I looked at my options in blogger and decided the easiest thing to do would be to turn on word verification.

I clicked the box to turn it on and hit save... and then I had another thought. Why don't I just leave the spam comments there? Would you rather have to enter word verification to enter a comment or skip over a few comments that are obvious spam. I'd rather deal with spam then the word verification. I often seem to have trouble reading the letters myself. So I turned the word verification back off.

I've in the mindset of "I won't let the spammers win." the whole time. My irritation kept me trying to win. I am thinking the battle wasn't really worth fighting to begin with.

Any thoughts?

My other thought for the day is that Google and Yahoo are becoming the Microsoft & Apple of the Internet. Most of the services I use on the internet are owned by one of these two:

Owned by Google
Google (the search engine)
blogger.com
gmail
Google groups
Google news
Google reader
Google maps
youtube
Google video

It is pretty obvious for most of these that they are owned by Google they generally say so up front if not in the name.

Owned by Yahoo
yahoo messenger
yahoo groups
del.icio.us (aka delicious)
Flickr

Not owned by either
Skype - owned by Ebay
AOL Instant Messenger - owned by Time Warner (via AOL)
Technorati (not sure who owns it, independent?)
planet.ubuntu.com (owned by Canonical or perhaps the Ubuntu Foundation)

From this list it appears that about half of the web services I use belong to google, one quarter belong to Yahoo and another quarter belong to other companies. Of course other people will use other services from folks like Apple/AOL/Microsoft etc; so this list isn't really representative of what is out there. But a small number of companies own most of the services we use (maybe a dozen or so?) and that is the point. A little scary, don't you think?

Happiness Part 2 - Letting Yourself Be

2006-11-17T01:47:00.000-05:00

~~Think~~ Feel for a moment the feelings that you are carrying with you. What are you feeling right now? Take a moment to pay attention to this...

What types of emotions come to you on a given day. For most of you I suspect that some of them are unpleasant. These unpleasant emotions are the product of your thinking. Accept these emotions without resistance. Later on you may be able to change your thinking in order to have different emotions, but once the emotion begins it will be around for some period of time. Just accept this, let it be.

Next have a look at your feelings about yourself; self-image if you will. We all have a number of opinions and feelings about ourselves, both positive and negative. Let this be as well. You may not like some parts of yourself, but you won't be able to change these overnight. This is why acceptance of these perceived flaws is important.

Now that I've covered your feelings about yourself what's left? Oh yeah, the rest of the universe i.e. everything else. We have much less control over the "everything else" then we have over our own self. This means that are thoughts about 'other stuff' can be incredibly frustrating. For the vast majority of people our ability to change each other is extremely limited, and even when we have the rare opportunity to be a catalyst, we can not direct the change. We can provide only a nudge. The acceptance of the world is important, perhaps essential to lasting happiness no matter how ugly it is.

Accepting ourselves, our feelings and everything else is not mutually exclusive to working for change. This reminds me of the Serenity Prayer, which I'll include here. (Thanks to Gary for reminding me that the prayer is more then the first 4 lines, which are generally the only ones I hear.)

As with anything the standard disclaimer applies. I am tempted to try and less authoritative tone to my writing, but I feel that this tone is most effective and succinct. I just hope I am making the right choice in publishing this post at 1:40 am...

...

The Serenity Prayer

God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
Forever in the next.
Amen.

Response to Layla's "Top Ten Qualities in a Mate"

2006-11-10T13:34:00.000-05:00

Layla shared with us the things she was looking for in a man.

The more formal process is this: create a list of 10 things that you want in a mate and 10 things that you could not tolerate. The idea is that given this list of well thought out traits you will be less likely to settle for someone who you won't be happy with, and more effective at seeking out someone you will be happy with. It can really be hard narrowing down to just 10!

Here are my current lists. Subject to change without notice! (I still need to do some narrowing down as I have 11 items in the 'must haves.')

-------------------
Must have:
-------------------

Kind
Intelligent
Joyful
Patient
Accepting of self and others
Considerate/Open minded - Tolerant
Interested in solutions not victories - Conflict Revolver
Loyal
Strong Character - Honest
Genuine
Generous
Verbal Intimacy (sharing of thoughts and feelings)

-------------------
Can't stand:
-------------------

Mean
Superficial
Infidelity
Cheating (manipulative or taking advantage of other people)
Holds grudges (resentment, revenge)
Angry
Denial
Workaholic
Dependence
Uninterested

BTW, I've done some work on the second in a series of happiness posts, but it has required more thought then I originally believed.

BTW, I love Firefox's new built in spell checking!

"Inspirational art"

2006-10-20T13:56:00.000-04:00

(Hint: the title is a link.)

The Secret to Happiness

2006-09-30T22:04:00.000-04:00

It is a bit ironic that the secret to happiness given to me as a child in the lyrics of a song, which don't sound particularly profound until I realized how true they are.

Happiness runs in a circular motion
Love is like a little boat on the sea
Everybody is a part of everything anyway
You can be happy if you let yourself be

There you have it. "You can be happy if you let yourself be". Now you know it. Thats it. Class dismissed. Report back for the final exam on Monday. :)

Seriously though, I'll expand on this in upcoming post(s) and feel free to ask me questions in the comments, which I'll try to anwser either right away or in an additional post.

Another Quote

2006-05-28T21:57:00.000-04:00

"Forgiveness is giving up all hope for a better past." - Unknown

I've left this as unknown scanning the web I found this quote attributed to three different people including Gil Fronsdal, who is the person I heard say it. I still don't know where it came from. I think it is a great one though!

Quote from Tom Fox

2006-04-23T16:06:00.000-04:00

We reject violence to punish anyone who harms us. We ask the equal justice in the arrest and trial of anyone, soldier or civilian, who commits an act of violence, and we ask that there be no retaliation on their relatives or property. We forgive those who consider us their enemies. Therefore, any penalty should be in the spirit of restorative justice, rather than in the form of violent retribution.

Tom Fox,
Quaker
Christian Peacemakers Team
October 2004 before departing for Iraq.

Background:
In Tribute to Activist, a Call to Forgive
Who killed Tom Fox and why?

Tags: Tom Fox, Quakerism, Iraq

Listening to Anger

2006-02-12T15:39:00.000-05:00

Anger can be a big trouble maker in your life if you do not know how to handle it. However, it is also possible to learn from our anger if we pay attention to it. Anger is often a very strong emotion so it will definitely get your attention and bring it to the present moment. Once this happens I have the opportunity to ask myself what is it that is making me angry and why. The answers help me to listen to my own thinking in a way that I don't usually do.

Am I being asked to do something I don't want to do? Am I being faced with a reality that flies in the face of what I had thought before. (See my post "the word 'should'"). Once I have identified the source of my anger I can reverse engineer it and decide if these thoughts make sense and if this is really a situation where anger would helpful. After this often the anger no longer makes sense and I can drop it surprisingly easily.

Tags: anger, learning, thinking, emotions

The word 'Should'

2006-02-12T14:31:00.000-05:00

When we use the word 'should' it generally means that reality differs from our preconceived notion of it or what we want it to be. It means that we value our preconception or vision of an ideal world more highly then reality. We thus do not fully accept the facts before us.

When we reach a should situation (where our reality and our beliefs about reality clash) we have 3 options:

First, we can give up on reality completely by accepting instead our own fantasies. In this case we lose all connection with reality. It seems absurd, but many people do really do this. The problem with this method is that reality is still there and it will always come creeping back in. The creeping back in is very painful. Because of this pain, the choice is not a favorable one.

Second, we may choose to live with the duality of the two 'worlds'. We half-heartedly accept the world we have, but all of the time thinking things should be different. By keeping reality close we can usually avoid the difficulty of being hit over the head with it all at once. (As is the case when we make the first choice.) However, it sets up a constant battle between the two and creates a level of uncertainty and discomfort.

Third, we could give up on our view of things. Instead of embracing a view of reality, we can accept what actually is. Whenever our view of the world is wrong we throw it out and begin again. It may sound easy and obvious. To the contrary, most people, without realizing it, continue to hang on to their views of what should be as if they depended upon it, or as if believing could bring it about. (There are ways that thinking or visioning can bring about real change, but this comes from a different mind set and a different part of us.) When we make the third choice we choose to take on life as it really is. A sense of peace is the immediate result.

More reading/listening:

This was largely inspired by a Zencast I was listening to yesterday:
Zencast 5 - Introduction to Concentration

I was also thinking of a quote I read a while ago from Byron Katie's web site:
"When you argue with reality you lose - but only 100 percent of the time."
(I am not advocating her site, I just liked the quote. I am not familiar with her or her web site.)

"Rebellion Against Reality"

Tags: psychology, philosophy, spirituality, Zen

Garden or Jungle

2006-01-30T21:57:00.000-05:00

Imagine this - a jungle, teaming with life. It is filled with all sorts of different plants and animals. Each creature struggling for its own existence; each doing its best to stay one step ahead. In such a jungle like this each organism is their because it successfully competed with its neighbors for scarce resources, just as its ancestors have for millions of years. In this jungle competition is not just an option it is the only option which allows survival.

Now, imagine this - a garden, a living breathing ecosystem. Each organism in the garden has a role and a purpose in keeping the ecosystem going. The flowers, birds and insects are all interrelated. The survival of every organism depends upon the other in the complex "web of life." The flowers feed the bees, but the bees also need the flowers and so on.

If you've watched as many public TV wildlife programs as I did as a child you will recognize that organisms in the natural world have can be both competitive and cooperative. So to it is with human beings.

Do you feel that your world is a jungle, a garden or some of both? Do the people you know look at the world the same way you do? I've been thinking a lot about the garden and the jungle recently and I think it speaks a lot to where the Internet is going. It also informs my perspective of politics and economics.

The Internet is increasingly the battle ground for the sharing of information (cooperation) and the restriction of information. You can see it in the legal battles of Google. You can see it in the deals between the Chinese Government and the major search engines and you can see it in the use of DRM. It is hard for me to see the denial of information in order to gain profit as anything but competitive.

In politics see how fear is used to separate people and make them see each other as enemies (competitors). Some leaders use powerful speeches to unite people together (cooperation). Lincoln and FDR were good at fostering the cooperative "were all in this together" notion.

Of cooperation, competition or a mix of both, which do you think is the foundation for the better world?

I've just finished ICEing myself

2006-01-28T21:46:00.000-05:00

I read this blog entry the other day about how you can setup In Case of Emergency (ICE) numbers on your cell phone so that medical staff will have contact people they can reach if you are injured and can not answer questions for yourself. I think it is a great idea. I just hope that if I am suchly injured the medical staff will also know the system. For more details just follow the link.

Need something to read?

2006-01-04T19:50:00.001-05:00

I haven't been posting due to the large volume of holiday and travel activities that I have been involved in. If you have enjoyed my previous posts I think you'll enjoy this other blog as well. Check out dirtsimple.org (click on the title of the post).

Tags:
coolblogs

-- Edit -- 1/15/2006

I just launched my new blog at:
http://bitofsense.blogspot.com/

This blog will be about computers, software and computer programming.

Island by Aldous Huxley

2005-12-18T22:37:00.000-05:00

The first Huxley book I ever read was the ever popular Brave New World (BNW from now on). I read BNW while in high school, we had to choose to read a book that was specific to a time period (20's I think). In some ways I see Island as being similar to BNW in many ways.

BNW is about the worst in Capitalism meeting the worst in Communism to create a mentally lethargic society of non-thinkers and non-questioners. It tells about the evils of over indulgence in drugs, sex and other entertainment. The estrangement of human beings from that natural world.

Island is about an island called Pala where the inhabitants have made it their purpose to bring the best of spirituality and technology to their people. The people of Pala have created their own utopia. It portrays the rest of the world as greedy, selfish, deeply in pain and ultimately self destructive. Pala has a deep spiritual life that is the opposite of the dystopia in BNW. The society of BNW turns out to be hollow and empty.

Pala's spirituality a mix of Buddhism and something else, Tantra I think. I am not familiar, but it sounds like another offshoot of Hinduism. The book plays out like a comparison of the western way of living exemplified by Will Farnaby (main character), the ruler of Pala (the Raja) and her son versus Huxley's eastern ideal expressed by the various citizens of Pala that Will encounters. The Raja has spent much time away from Pala and has her own spirituality if you could call it that.

Much of the story examines Will's efforts to end the suffering he has been going through most of his life. It seems that he is still suffering the pain of the loss of many deaths. His efforts all seem to point in the wrong direction. The people of Pala that Will encounters help him back on course. As do the "Notes on What's What," which begins like this:

Nobody needs to go anywhere else. We are all, if we only knew it, already there. If I only knew who in fact I am, I should cease to behave as what I think I am; and if I stopped behaving as what I think I am, I should know who I am.

...takes a couple seconds or minutes to sink in.

Like BNW, Island is an attempt at saying something so the plot really isn't very interesting nor is it the point of the book.

There are a couple other reviews I found to help me think about the book:

1. Short but a good summary
2. Excellent overview of the book including much of the early plot
3. I got a chuckle out of this one, that is all

I look forward to providing a review of the Power of Now by Eckhard Tolle in the future.

How To Stay Young

2005-12-04T20:08:00.000-05:00

I got this as an email from a friend. I don't like to send chain like email, but I thought this was worth sharing here.

1. Throw out nonessential numbers. This includes age, weight and height. Let the doctor worry about them. That is why you pay him/her.

2. Keep only cheerful friends. The grouches pull you down.

3. Keep learning. Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening, whatever. Never let the brain idle. " An idle mind is the devil's workshop." And the devil's name is Alzheimer's.

4. Enjoy the simple things.

5. Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath.

6. The tears happen. Endure, grieve, and move on. The only person who is with us our entire life, is ourselves. Be ALIVE while you are alive.

7. Surround yourself with what you love, whether it's family, pets, keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies, whatever. Your home is your refuge.

8. Cherish your health: If it is good, preserve it. If it is unstable, improve it. If it is beyond what you can improve, get help.

9. Don't take guilt trips. Take a trip to the mall, to the next county, to a foreign country, but NOT to where the guilt is.

10. Tell the people you love that you love them, at every opportunity.

AND ALWAYS REMEMBER:

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

Don't waste a moment

2005-11-20T14:56:00.000-05:00

I have had productivity on my mind a lot recently. I've had far more to do at work than I can keep up with. I have numerous commitments to myself and others to keep. I've been sick twice this month. The result of this is that there is always many things that seem to "need doing." The number of things that I get done now, while perhaps small compared to the amount of some get done, has been increasing.

From this, I have been trying to figure out how my ability to get things done more quickly has improved. One of my conclusions has been that I am doing fewer things that have no value and thus aren't worth doing. So in order to have more time on the "things that really matter", I have stopped taking time for things the don't "really matter."

Here is a starter list. Perhaps readers will add additional items. I am writing in the imperative mode as intention is that these be reminders to myself and whomever founds value in them. I can not presume to know what is best for you. If I seem arrogant to you it is likely that you misunderstand my intent.

Actions that have no value so don't waste a moment

Worry

worry itself never solves a problem. Many people believe that it does, but I believe not.

Bitterness

I heard a great story today about 2 monks that illustrates my point.

These two monks are an a pilgrimage. The older monk is a well respected deeply spiritual person. He is a popular author and lecturer. The younger monk is studying under him. As it happened, the two monks came upon a wide river.

Just as they were about to start toward a bridge was a long distance up river, a wealthy women appeared who demanded of the older monk that he transport her across the river on his shoulders. The younger of the monks protested that the women had no right to ask this, but the other monk immediately agreed with a smile and carried her across. The monk managed to carry the women across the river and set her down gently on the far side. The women left without a word.

As the monks walked through some fields of tall grass the monk wondered why the other had carried such a disrespectful women across the river. As they strode along a wooded road his mind considered how the wealthy mistreat the poor. Coming upon a town where they would spend the night, the younger monk asked the older why he had carried the women across the stream. The other monk said simply "I carried the women across the stream, but you have been carrying her all day."

Guilt

Guilt effects the innocent as much if not more then the guilty. Guilt is a sort of social fear that is evoked when we feel we are not living up to our social obligations. This is often just a matter of our own perception, and who is to say these obligations are just? Perhaps, the worst of all is that those who can hurt with impunity rarely suffer from guilt.

Regret

After bitterness and guilt, I don't think an explanation is needed.

Comparing

If you compare yourself to someone else you may feel pride or shame by the contrast. These feelings are superficial so it is better not to have them then to risk the chance of putting any importance on them. You have your own set of gifts, maybe less, maybe more. You maybe able to improve, but comparing won't help you to improve.

Concern for what people might think

Don't spend inordinate time considering if an action may reflect favorably or unfavorably in the eyes of other people. If you do the right things, then those who look deeply will recognize and acknowledge you for your deeds. This is also a form of worry as above.

"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind."
- Dr. Seuss

Prefection

In most things, you will never be able to exactly match the world to your own ideal. Make things good enough plus a little extra.

Hesitation

The likely hood of making a better decision with more time is unlikely unless additional options or information becomes available. Simply thinking more about it doesn't help much beyond a certain point.

Hypothetical Futures

Spending time on how you might handle some future event is not worthwhile, unless the even is most likely or the failure to prepare for the even would be highly costly (not speaking of monetary cost exclusively). Some other eventualities may be prepared for if preparations are already known and can be done quickly.

Excuses

Why would you need to justify yourself?

Pursuing someone else's ideal of success or happiness

You will never be happy unless you find what makes you happy. You won't feel successful until you achieve your own ideal of success.

...

In summary spending time in the future or in the past does not help much in getting done what needs to be done. Most of the items in my list fall into one of these categories.

Image of Frederick Winslow Taylor. I feel this use is slightly ironic given the almost robotic nature of his strategy to improved productivity.

Humility

2005-11-11T21:56:00.000-05:00

Humility is just as much the opposite of self-abasement as it is of self-exaltation. To be humble is not to make comparisons. Secure in its reality, the self is neither better nor worse, bigger nor smaller, then anything else in the universe. It is-is nothing, yet at the same time one with everything. It is in this sense that humility is absolute self-effacement.

To be nothing in the self-effacement of humility, yet, for the sake of the task, to embody its whole weight and importance in your bearing, as the one who has been called to undertake it. To give to people, works, poetry, art, what the self can contribute, and to take, simply and freely, what belongs to it by reason of its identity. Praise and blame, the winds of success and adversity, blow over such a life without leaving a trace or upsetting its balance. Towards this, so help me, God-

- Dag Hammarskjold

Perfection

2005-11-04T21:57:00.000-05:00

Yes, I am perfect. But before you click to another page thinking I am a liar, let me explain what I mean. I am precisely and perfectly what I was intended to be right now. How could I be anything else? I am the perfect me and you are the perfect you.

I was reading an obituary in the Boston Globe a few days ago (Globe dated September 28). M. Scott Peck M.D. passed away recently. He is the author of the book the Road Less Traveled as well as many others. The article mentions how Peck later in life said he had trouble living up to the high standards of discipline that he set in his books. He had mixed feelings about his popularity. He felt uncomfortable with those who thought he was a prophet - people would actually reach out to touch him. Yuck!

I've learned never to substitute someone else's judgment for my own. Whenever I have done this I have made things much worse. Human beings are perfect human beings, but not perfect in judgment nor understanding. The one person who knows you and your situation better then anyone is you. You are the best person to be making your own decisions. Get advice, pray, meditate, but the decisions and the consequences are yours.

Anyone who would accept power lightly or easily is not up to the responsibility of using power wisely.

...

I didn't feel like this post was quite right, but I decided to post it in spite of this imperfection.

Favorite Software (available for Free)

2005-11-04T21:12:00.000-05:00

This is some of the software that I use on my own PC. I figured I'd throw it out there for people who might be into trying new things.

Great Web Browser with many features missing in Internet Explorer.

Good email software from the Mozilla foundation, makers of Firefox.

Office productivity suite includes word processor, spreadsheet, and presentation software.

File Sharing software. Allows you to download file shared by other users.

Ubuntu is a Linux Operating System

Favorite blogs

2005-11-01T18:45:00.000-05:00

Life Journey/General Interest:

Inside Stephen

Ramble On

Blessed are the poor in spirit

What lies beneath

Computer Programming, software:

'All Things Pythonic' by Guido van Rossum, creator of Python

Ned Batchelder's Blog

Ted Leung on the air

Ian Bicking: A Blog

A Bit Of Sense

International, Photos & Travel:

Papia Hajra's Blog

Catchy Colors Photoblog

Issac's Blog (Blogging from Kosovo)

Buddhism:

Mind Clouds

Second Opinion on Iraq War

2005-11-01T15:39:00.000-05:00

I just read this grave examination of the Iraq war and critique of how Americans view their world. We in the US don't often take the time to read about how the rest of the world sees us. Here is your chance. It is a bit long so make sure you have some time to devote to it.

(Click the title of this post to read this.)

I try not to talk about politics here, but sometimes the potential for benefit outweighs the risk of turning people off.

Alienated from the One

2005-10-26T22:12:00.000-04:00

My grandfather sent a couple books to me that he wanted me to have before he passed away. One of them was Markings, by Dag Hammarskjold. I thought of this book because I feel it is one of the sources of inspiration for my blog, and I turned (totally at random) to something that sounds a bit like what I was thinking the other night.

6.23.57

Result and reaction -- The intense blaze of your anxiety reveals to what a great extent you are still fettered, still alienated from the One.

However, don't worry about this or anything else, but follow the Way of which you are aware, even when you have departed from it.

"Nevertheless, not as I will, but as Thou wilt."

Trying to obtain inner peace just seems to lead to agitation, as do all such concerns. I'll try to accept my non-peace and see where I end up. Thinking in the back of my mind this may lead to peace, but taking care to stay emotionally disengaged from the question.

This is not apathy because apathy is resignation to a subjectively bad situation but all the while is bitter toward said situation. It is not that I don't care about inner peace. It is only that I cease to concern myself with it for a time.

Truth

2005-10-23T21:22:00.000-04:00

Truth is the sowing of trust. The ultimate fruit of which is community.

But, being truthful is much more important then this.

Being truthful to others inspires truthfulness to self. How can you be truthful to others without first being truthful to yourself?

Truthfulness to self requires internal reflection.

Internal reflection requires insightful self observation.

When all of these are well cultivated this is deep sincerity.

Deep sincerity allows one to live in accordance with ones own values in a harmonious state. That is to say, free of internal conflict.

We cannot realise Rama by reading the Ramayana, or Krishna by reading the Gita, or Allah by reading the Koran, or Christ by reading the Bible; the only means of realising them is by developing a pure and noble character. Character is based on virtuous action and virtuous action is grounded on Truth. Truth, then, is the source and foundation of all things that are good and great. Hence, fearless and unflinching pursuit of the ideal of Truth and Righteousness is the key of true health as of all else.
- Mohandas Gandhi

Courage & Caution

2005-10-22T10:46:00.000-04:00

Living is like going swimming. While caution is needed, so is courage.

First prepare yourself. Now test the water with your foot. The temperature is fine. Now collect your confidence & jump in.

If you don't test the water and consider its temperature you maybe in for a shock when you get in.

If you are too cautious and get in little by little you will waste the afternoon with no time to swim.

Thus, in swimming & living a balance of courage and caution is needed.

...

I wrote this in my private journal on 11/22/2003, I've made few corrections & changes for this online posting. Seems like a long time ago.

"Can’t we all just get along?"

2005-10-16T23:23:00.000-04:00

You might be tempted think I am schizophrenic after this post. I'm not. This thought just seemed to express itself better as a conversation.

Voice 1: "can't we all just get along?" it seemed like silly wishful thinking back when I first heard it. Of course we can't get along!

Voice 2: Well, why not?

Voice 1: We can't accept other people if we can't accept ourselves.

Voice 2: why can't we accept ourselves?

Voice 1: Yes, exactly, "can't we all just get along" is a pretty profound question.

Voice 2: Maybe we can. Maybe we just don't want to???

Better in the right place then kept close by

2005-10-13T23:01:00.000-04:00

It bugs me when I reach for something and it isn't where it 'should' be. It bugs me more when that something I've been looking for is something that I was using only a day or two before. While my apartment may look like total chaos to the eyes of an outsider. Things have a place here or at least a general area. If I need a programming book it is on the shelf by my computer on one of the first two shelves or laying on my floor if it is one I use often. If I need the scissors they belong under the TV with string, tape and playing cards. My videos are predictably on a shelf just under the TV. If I need the directory for the meeting (ie Church) that I attend, that is on the book shelf near the window, except when I've misplaced it.

This is precisely what has been happening recently. I've been asked to review the directory's contact sections for this year's directory (which by the way is already late). I keep picking it up and leaving it somewhere near the computer. But, I never remember this so even if I am sitting at the computer the next time I need it I don't remember that it is right there and get up to go get it. I find that it isn't where it should be and then I start wondering where it went.

Somehow I've gotten the idea that if I leave things close by they will be in a more useful location. This is rarely the case sense I don't remember where I put things (unless it is the 'right' place). A second problem is that if I leave them 'near by' the place where I last needed it I may need it somewhere totally different the next time. So even knowing where it is, I still may not save any time when I need it next. In any case I don't often have someone else rearranging my stuff (although this has happened) so I really only have myself to blame.

Counting in Chinese

2005-10-08T20:10:00.000-04:00

When I decided to place a web counter on my page, I noticed that one of the possible counter styles was in Chinese. Cool, I thought this will fit right in. (My interests include Tai Chi and eastern philosophy/spirituality.) I took a class in Chinese language two years ago, and the numbers (1-10) are just about all I can remember (of these I only remembered some of the symbols). At least trying to read my counter will prevent me from forgetting this tiny bit that has stayed with me this far.

In case you also forgot the numbers, here is a quick cheat sheet!

While at it, I'll post this image just so I can attach it to my blogger profile. I looked over a bunch of dragon images and I thought this one was the only one to be dynamic, 'real looking', and be colorful. He (or she?) looks a bit mean so this isn't my ideal, but it will do for now. :)

Turning Life & Death upside down

2005-10-07T19:30:00.000-04:00

I love this passage from Chuang Tsu. He has such a masterful way of turning our beliefs upside down and getting us to reexamine them bottom side up:

How can I tell if love of life is not a delusion? How can I tell whether a man who fears death is not like a man who has left home and dreads returning? Lady Li was the daughter of a border guard of Ai. When the Duke of Chin first took her captive, she wept until her dress was soaked with tears. But once she was living in the Duke's palace, sharing his bed, and eating delicious food, she wondered why she had ever cried. How can I tell whether the dead are not amazed that they ever clung to life?

Those who dream of great feast may weep the next morning. Those who dream of weeping may enjoy the hunt the next day. While they dream they do not know they are dreaming. They may even interpret their dreams while still dreaming. Only after they awake do they know it was a dream.

By and by, there will be a great awakening; then we will know that this is all a great dream. All the while, the fools think they are awake, appearing to understand things, calling this man ruler and that man herdsman. How stupid! You and Confucius are both dreaming. When I say you are dreaming. I am dreaming too. These words may sound like double-talk. Yet after ten thousand generations, we will meet a great sage who can explain all this. Or is may happen any time now.

This is taken from the Gia-Fu Feng/Jane English translation of the Inner Chapters. It is part of a larger story, the only hint of this is the mention of Confucius.

How will you choose?

2005-09-30T15:11:00.000-04:00

I found this story on another blog (http://soclosethatibelieve.blogspot.com/). Not sure where the story originated. I very much liked it and thought others might as well... Here goes:

Michael was the kind of guy you love to hate. He is always in a good mood and always has something positive to say. When someone would ask him how he was doing, he would reply, "If I were any better, I would be twins!" I asked Michael once, "How do you do it?" Michael replied, "Each morning I wake up and say to myself, Mike you have two choices today. You can choose to be in a good mood or you can choose to be in a bad mood. I choose to be in a good mood. Each time something bad happens, I can choose to be a victim or can choose to learn from it. I choose to learn from it. Every time someone comes to me complaining, I can choose to accept their complaining or I can point out the positive side of life. I choose the positive side of life."

"Yeah, right, it's not that easy," I protested. "Yes it is," Michael said. "Life is all about choices. when you cut away all the junk, every situation is a choice. You choose how you react to situations. You choose how people will affect your mood. You choose to be in a good mood or a bad mood. The bottom line is this: It's your choice how you life your life."

Several years later Michael was involved in a serious accident, falling some 60 feet from a communications tower. After 18 hours of surgery and weeks of intensive care, Michael was released from the hospital with rods in his back. I see Michael about six months after the accident.

When I ask him how he was, he replied. "If I were any better, I'd be twins. Wanna see my scars?" I declined but did ask what went through his mind as the accident took place. "The first thing that went through my mind was the well-being of my soon to be born daughter." "Then. as I lay on the ground, I remembered that I had two choices: I could choose to live or I could choose to die. I chose to live."

When they wheeled me into the ER and I saw the expressions on the faces of the doctors and nurses, I got really scared. In their eyes, I read 'he's a dead man.' I knew I needed to take action."

"What did you do?" I asked. "Well, there was a big burly nurse shouting questions at me," said Michael. She asked if I was allergic to anything. "Yes", I replied. The Doctors and nurses stopped working as they waited for my reply. I took a deep breath and yelled, "Gravity." Over their laughter, I told them that I am choosing to live and they should operate on me as if I am alive, not dead.

Required Reading

2005-09-24T14:22:00.000-04:00

"The Cookie Thief" by Valerie Cox
http://www.storybin.com/sponsor/sponsor109.shtml

I hope that you will read this if you haven't already. I think you'll enjoy it. I'll insert the text if it disappears from that site. Let me know if this happens.

Introducing RSS!

2005-09-22T20:48:00.000-04:00

RSS is a way of automatically detecting updates to web sites and other Internet content with the use of an RSS client. You can subscribe to my blog (web log) in a way similar to signing up for an email list; you will receive a message each time I add a new post.

Here is a more detailed explanation of RSS: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RSS_(protocol)

I use Mozilla Thunderbird as my RSS client. It is an email program which is also an RSS client. An RSS client is often called an "aggregator."

This site lists a few aggregators:
http://blogspace.com/rss/readers (I found it easily enough by doing a Google search for "RSS client").

The RSS 'feed' URL for my web log is http://-mindless.blogspot.com/atom.xml Your client will ask you for this URL. The RSS Feed URL is also listed on the links to your right.

Please comment here if you have trouble setting this up. I will try to help, but I have not used other aggregators so the aid I give may be limited.

Thich Nhat Hanh: Buddhist Monk, Author

2005-09-18T00:15:00.000-04:00

A lot of people have been asking me about the lecture I went to given by Thich Nhat Hanh. I've given a number of tidbits to a number of people, but to most I haven't given what I would call a full explanation. I expect this message will meet more eyes then one that I would give in person.

The title of the lecture was "Refreshing Our Hearts: Understanding True Love." Love in the human compassion sense not the romantic sense. I think the romans had it right to have three different words for love. The lecture was held at the Boston Opera House. The place is HUGE and it was nearly full! I bought tickets on the way in and I was about half way up the balcony. I would say there was in the area of 2,000 people in attendance.

Most of you will probably know who Thich Nhat Hanh is, but I'll give a 30 second biography for those who have not heard of him:

Born in Vietnam in 1926. He became a Buddhist monk. He traveled to the United States in order to speak out about the war against his country. He was not allowed to return to Vietnam by that country's government and moved to France. He lived in a Buddhist community in France called Plum Village. He is the author of several books including: Living Buddha, Living Christ, Peace is Every Step, Old Path White Clouds & Being Peace.

On to the lecture itself:

It was a pretty neat experience. I would say that it was a recap of the ideas of Buddhism, but connected a lot of unconnected dots. The lecture was given in a very clear, simple & understandable way.

Here are the ideas which he talked about:

- in life there is suffering [1]

- in true love we ease the suffering of others

- in order to accomplish this we must be living in the moment.

- we must understand the (sources of) suffering of the other by first understanding (the sources of) our own suffering

- Some imagine heaven to be a place where there is no suffering - only happiness and love. He does not believe this can be true, because without pain we lack the opportunity to develop understanding and thus love would not be possible. (This is a new idea and I am still considering it a month later!)

- mindful loving listening can be very effective in easing suffering.

- there are 3 complexes w/regard to listening.

complex 1: to feel that you are superior to the speaker.

complex 2: to feel that you are inferior to the speaker.

complex 3: to feel that you are equal to the speaker.

- in true love there is no distinction between the one who speaks and the one who listens. There is no greater, lesser or equal because all distinction melts away.

- there is no room for resentment or guilt - he uses the examples of his left and right hand in order to demonstrate this.

- he provides many reasons why of past, present and future - the present is important and the others much less so.

- by mindfulness he refers to living in the present, which ironically is the Taoist notion of no-mind. So being mindful and mindless is really the same thing! :) [2]

There was singing and meditation before he began to speak and more singing after he had finished. He had a group of men in monk's robes on his left and women in monk's robes with hoods on his right. There were drums and a guitar used as well.

I was trying hard to hear everything he said, but my mind drifted off a few times and I missed some of it. This writing does not do anything like justice to the lecture, but I hope it has given you a sense of what it was about and if it would be something you would consider when he returns to the area.

Links:

Event Schedules & Plum Village web site

Event schedules

More information on Buddhism, Thich Nhat Hanh

---------- Foot notes ----------

[1] This is the first of the four Noble Truths of Buddhism. They are in order:
1. Suffering exists in life (true suffering)
2. Suffering has a cause, we are the cause of our own suffering
(true sources of suffering)
3. Suffering can end.
4. There are ways to reduce or eliminate suffering. Since we
are the cause; we can also be the cure.

[2] I was having a hard time coming up with a name for my blog and used this silly, highly inside joke as the name.