Live Your Passion?

I was listening today to a NPR broadcast, I think it was there technology segment. And the interviewee was talking about how he has created his own niche in this economy and has made it possible to make a living from living his passion. This interested me to no small degree because I am very dissatisfied with what I am currently doing and feel that I am not where I am supposed to be in my life. I have a beautiful wife and two wonderful children, but my work life is unsatisfying. I want to find a way to live my passions.

So what are these passions? I have a passion for music, both playing and listening to it. I like to write about music. I love to read, especially Star Wars novels. I have a passion for Star Wars in general - games, books, figures, etc.

I love to play chess. I love to follow the ins and outs of politics. I love to discuss philosophical subjects, especially those of theology.

I love being silly. I love making up silly words.

How can I combine all of these into some sort of future from which I can sustain myself and my family?

Tequilla...pt.2 ?

Well, I'm feeling that again.... it's a dopamine rush from what I can figure... that keeps me up and going.... even thought it's late... and I should be in bed.

Self Hypnosis - The Best Me

I have just found this post which is an extremely interesting method of self hypnosis that I intend to try. It is called the "Best Me" method of hypnosis. It is basically in two parts - the first being the method of self-hypnotizing and the second being a method of imparting positive suggestions to your hypnotized self. I think that I'm going to try this and get back to you on its effectiveness.

The Mind of Poe - Family Mind - Poemind Music - Darth Poe - Poe-litics - Poemind A.D.D. - Poemind Affilliate Marketing

Tequilla...

What is it about tequila? It seems to have an effect on seratonin or dopamine levels or something. But there is something about it. Can't put my finger on it. Maybe because I've been putting too much of my tongue on it.....

Sometimes....

You just want to bury your head in the sand and forget the world is out there. This world that we've created - this incredibly complex, screwed up world. If you have found a career that is rewarding, pays the bills and in someway creates a better world for the rest of mankind, then consider yourself lucky, for I have not. I exist in a cubicle world that provides absolutely no succor for the soul. I exist to help my family exist and that is the sole thing that keeps me going - gets me up in the morning. Were it not for them and the thoughts of their sweet faces and voices, I don't know that I would make the effort.

Torsion Fields?

I just returned from a conference with David Wilcock, and I'm mulling over all of the stuff with which I was presented there.  Chief among these concepts was the existence of "torsion fields".  These invisible fields are supposedly capable of incredible things: healing, stargates, etc.

So I'm wondering if there is any real evidence of such things.  So I've started with the ol' Wikipedia even though that is a fairly weak starting place.  But it serves it's purpose.

Torsion Fields on Wikipedia

I will post more as I find it.

Wolfram Alpha? For What Do You Use It?

Ok, I don't know if you've heard about this yet, but this is a new sort of search engine.  WolframAlpha is billed as a "computational knowledge engine".  Instead of giving you long list of websites that contain the search term entered it gives you a concise view of the actual information for which you are searching.  

I'm just wondering who is using this right now, and how they are using it.

So far the primary use I've found for it is figuring out how many days I have until a given date.  Just type a date in and it will give you any pertinent information relating to that date.  Including the aforementioned calculation.  That is moderately useful, but not by any means earth shattering.  So what uses, if any, have you found for this new search engine?  Please comment!

My Beginning with jQuery

I recently taught a class in JavaScript, and while I still don't consider myself an expert in the subject, I now feel fairly proficient in it. Be in an effort to furthe my knowledge of JS, I stumbled across jQuery. jQuery is a JavaScript framework that enables a developer to get more done in shorter amount of time.

So I've been looking for good examples of jQuery in use, becuase it is always easiest to learn a new language by seeing practical applications of it.

Here is the first that I've found.

Here is another.

The Mind of Poe - Family Mind - Poemind Music - Darth Poe - Poe-litics - Poemind A.D.D. - Poemind Affilliate Marketing

Cheap Books?

Well, I'm on a search for a web reseller that traffics in cheap used books.  Now, I'm not talking about used books that can be sold 'like new' or 'great condition'.  No, I'm looking for books that are in 'fair'  'acceptable' or maybe even 'poor' condition.  You see, when I want to read a book, and that is all that I really want to do, then I would like to buy that book very cheaply.  I was wondering if there is a web site that caters to such a need.

I'm starting my search here  - at Student Hacks.

I like this one.... BookFinder.com

I will update this as my search progresses.

Christ - The Yogi

This Post is fantastic.  Tara Stiles hits it on the head when she speaks of the Gopspel of Thomas and the fact that it was most likely excluded from the Canonical texts of the Bible because it advocated "knowing thyself" and that the kingdom of God is "within".  The last thing that the church of Rome wanted you to believe is that the kingdom of God is "within you" when it was spending tons of gold to create kingdoms and catehdrals "without" you.

Diddling?

Poe once wrote a short story entitled, "Diddling: Considered as One of the Exact Sciences".

"Your diddler is minute. His operations are upon a small scale. His business is retail, for cash, or approved paper at sight. Should he ever be tempted into magnificent speculation, he then, at once, loses his distinctive features, and becomes what we term "financier".

So, here is Poe pointing out the connections between the common swindler, and our bankers and loan officers. Now, how timely is it that the thought should occur to me to think about this story right now? On the day after Jon Stewart so impaled Jim Cramer on a very related subject.

Curious how things work together in such a seemingly synchronistic way.

Gordon Ramsey, Jumping the Shark?

You know, I've always enjoyed Ramsey's shows.  I've defended him against those who would say he was a total asshole, by pointing to his "Kitchen Nightmares" show where he helps out struggling restaurants to stay afloat.  But last night may have been the end of my defense of Ramsay.

Now, it has always been clear that Gordon has no love affair with people who are overweight.  But I've always seen that disdain as an outgrowth of the problems he sees with them performing in the intense heat and stress of a fast-moving kitchen.  You know - sweat, close-quarters, lack of agility.  that sort of thing.

But last night, after the men had won a challenge, he first calls Robert, the fat chef, into his office to tell him that he won't be able to fly on the helicopter because of insurance restrictions.  But then he seemingly gives him the good news, in that he will still be able to go, just by ferry.  Robert seems to cheer up then.

Then they switch to clips of all the other men on the helicopter and then on the island enjoying the sites.  Robert is in transit all this time.  

When he gets there, Ramsey, tells him that there is good news and bad news.  And the bad news was that they were done and that they were heading back.   Robert didn't get to enjoy the reward at all.  It just seemed so mean-spirited and childish.  I've alway enjoyed the show, but I'm seriously thinking about not watching it again.

What do you all think?  Was this over the line?

The Death of Chewbacca...

Damn!  I new that this was coming sometime within the New Jedi Order series, because, being the SW geek that I am, I listen to podcasts and read things online, but I had managed to avoid enough detail not to know that it happened in the very first book!  Chewbacca is dead!  I haven't even finished the book yet, so I don't even know how everything is going to play out, but wow.  I mean, I could see it coming at the beginning of the chapter in which it happened, but I kept thinking, "Nah, this is going to happen in the first book, surely?"  But I was wrong.  It seemed so abrupt.  

I've read some harsh opinions of this.  Some of them have more to do with how things play out afterwards then with the event itself.  I can' comment to that end, given that I've not yet finished the first book, but I found this to be a very powerful moment personally.  Sure, you hate to see a fan favorite go, but everything has to go eventually, right?  It's not as if we don't have all the past books and movies within which to relive our favorite Chewie moments.  

I find the rift that has opened between Han and Anakin particularly emotional, being a father myself, I can't imagine what that sort of thing must feel like.   But I think Salvatore takes a pretty good stab at it.

So, I look forward to the rest of this series.  I've heard review that down it for being too dark.  Good.  Just the way I like it!

Poemind.