T.F.T.W #5

Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker... 

...well, it’s definitely a movie... so there’s that?

T.F.T.W. #4

Things may not be as they seem...

For example - Frost can be insanely pretty - and when taken out of context - resemble an amazing arial view of a complex river system.

(photos of a car windshield in the morning) 

T.F.T.W #3

Interconnectedness and internet advertising; the future is now…

The other day I was out and about with Lisa, running some errands. I used the maps application on my phone to search for directions to a golf store, as it wasn’t somewhere that we regularly go. (or receive advertising for)

The very next day - an advertisement for that same golf store wound its way onto the browser of my ipad…

Just to clarify, I didn’t exactly “search” for golf stuff (at least not in the browser)… so the ‘maps’ program must have sent some data to a server, which made a note I was investigating directions to a specific place. This data was then converted into an advertisement for that same place, which was then forced in front of my eyeballs - on a completely different device....

Random parts of your life that you might not have expected to be connected, are now inexorably intertwined…

good luck navigating your lives people!

P.S.
I’m not exactly some hippy-dippy anti-technology guy, I totally understand that any benefits to using technology must come with assumed ‘costs’ that help it’s magical powers.

I just find it funny that somewhere, some computer server now thinks that:
a) I like golf,
b) I'm not soooo into golf that I automatically know how to get to the store,
c) I would like a 10% discount to go back in the next two months…

It’s a little ‘tail-wagging-the-dog’ for my liking, but I’m sure that some advertising guru will be able to prove (down to several decimal points) that this targeted advertising ‘synergy’ is more effective than, say - a TV/radio Ad, or mail-outs, or direct-dialing, or newspapers, or… you get the point. :)

T.F.T.W. #2

I have a lot of thoughts bouncing around in my head, and one of the most common ones that keeps floating to the front is - how people form their opinions of each other.

There's a lot of miscommunication and vitriol in the world, and life would be a whole lot easier if everyone was able to just understand each other's point of view without judgment or critique.

But we don't have a magical way of understanding someone else's viewpoint, and without getting into a deep and meaningful conversation over a nice steaming cup of tea, there's no better way of forming an opinion of someone than paying attention to what they actually 'do' in any given situation.

It's for this reason, that any action (or inaction) you take in life needs to be thought of as telegraphing your opinions to the world.

If you say you'll do something, then fail to follow through; your intentions might have been good, but you still failed to do the thing that you said you would...

There is of course, the complication of people hiding their true feelings by doing things that 'appear' to be good, in essence wearing a mask *(giving to a charity they dislike because they believe that it will make them appear better to their neighbours) - but for the moment let's assume that all people are truthful in their intent.

One could also make an argument that it doesn't matter if someone does something good for selfish reasons, they still 'did' the good thing...

I guess what I'm circling around is the idea that "you are what you do."

People can only view 'you' as a result of your actions, so be thoughtful in what you do.

Got something that you're passionate about? Then pursue it.
Dislike that politician spreading misinformation and hatred? Then by all means, protest!
(at the same time, don't be shocked when someone who opposes your viewpoint is just as vocal and passionate as you are)


Life is too short to be false with your intentions. So speak your truth, and open your ears to others.

Do you have any thoughts on how people make up their opinions of others? Are there better ways of judging people's intention that using their actions? Do you find that there are circumstances where using a mask is the safer/smarter/better option?

Let me know your thoughts on the topic of: you are what you do. :)


*P.S.> there should be a little disclaimer here at the end of each of the TFTW posts - none of these ponderings are based on anything that's happened recently to me or anyone I know. They're just things that bubble around in my head - and I'm interested in others thoughts on them. Please treat them as intended; abstract discussions about the bigger thoughts of life in general.

Mahalo

T.F.T.W #1

Stop talking, start doing = the curse of planning... 

Part of the reason for this experiment known as a daily blog, is to try and reduce my reliance on procrastination and sheer blind-rush.

My biggest problem seems to be a love of lists; The illusion of progress. The death of doing. The enabler of procrastination.

It is so deeply rooted in my soul that I find it very hard to break out of.

I've spent the vast majority of my life putting things off, and then when faced with a looming deadline; cramming as much effort into as little time as possible...

Of course the one true antidote is to just "do it!" (Whatever the 'it' may be)

Putting off a phone call, or a chore? You can never go wrong simply "doing it!"

Don't put off 'till tomorrow that which can be achieved today!

Feeling nervous about some upcoming social interaction? 

"do it!"

Before I start to sound like an advertisement for a certain swoosh-y company, I should mention that one of the reasons I love lists, is that the feeling of creating a list is similar to the achievement of something, but without putting any effort in..."Now I have a plan!" 

It's very enticing. The "ticking-off" part of a list is even more enjoyable, and having a plan is always better than 'not' having one; but having a plan and 'not' actioning it fully, is a daily struggle.

So please help me break the bonds of procrastination. Do you find yourself under the thumb of eternal delay? How do you deal with putting things off? What tips can you give an eternal planner?

Every journey of 1000 miles might begin with its first step, but sometimes that first step is a list ;)  

See you all tomorrow.