I was direct messaging with an internet friend recently about what to do to find a “mission” in life–always a big thing for me–because I like a solid reason to get up in the morning and be motivated. What I came up with as a potential project was to start researching technologies to make the world a better place. Today I’ll take a shot at explaining what I mean by that and then, over subsequent posts, I’ll discuss individual topics or technologies of interest. This could be a hit, it could be a flop; in any case, it’ll keep me entertained. And being the harmless egoist I am, that’s pretty much why I’m doing this. So let’s start with something “simple,” like answering, “What do I mean by ‘make the world a better place’?” Onward! Continue reading “Making the World a Better Place”
Posts
Curating Your Own Past
Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past.
—George Orwell, 1984
Any quotation from 1984 usually implies that the author is about to write something sinister or dystopian. Today, I’m going to turn that notion on its side a bit, consider the wisdom of Orwell’s “Big Brother,” and discuss how it relates to how people think about their past, present, and future. Continue reading “Curating Your Own Past”
How One Geek Sorts Out His Mind II
Okay, great. I’ve shared the fact that I’ve been in a funk. And yesterday I took the time to share how I’ve attempted to cope with it after waiting for it to go away didn’t work. But have I learned anything? Made any progress? That’s today’s entry. Continue reading “How One Geek Sorts Out His Mind II”
How One Geek Sorts Out His Mind
I haven’t written about it much here, but I’ve been in a funk for much of the last year. Not a full-blown depression, but not something that would let go easily, either. The reasons for said funk are not of interest here. Today I’m merely sharing the approach I’ve taken to address my state of mind. If you’re the bookish type who internalizes your problems, you might find this of interest. For those of you who prefer to talk out your problems, this approach will seem odd and a little labor intensive or excessive, but then you’re not me. Continue reading “How One Geek Sorts Out His Mind”
Writing About What Hurts
I participated in an hour-long online on “How to Write Stories That Matter,” hosted by Jeff Leisawitz. I keep trying different things to kickstart my internal creativity, but quite frankly nothing’s helped. “Writer’s block” is putting it kindly. I found the session quite useful–it’s not Jeff’s fault that I’m stuck. Still, I appreciated Jeff’s inputs, perhaps the most useful/important for me being, “Write about what hurts.” Continue reading “Writing About What Hurts”
Movie Review: Apollo 11
Since I missed First Man when it was in the theaters (probably on purpose), I thought I’d at least make certain I saw the new documentary about Apollo 11, which featured new or unused film footage from that first landing on the Moon 50 years ago. Space geek that I am, how could I refuse? I was wondering why my theater ticket was north of $20, then remembered it was in an IMAX theater. As it turned out, that massive screen with its accompanying super-duper sound system made it worth the price. So what did I see? Read on. This shouldn’t take too long. Continue reading “Movie Review: Apollo 11”
Fiction Experiment: Creating a Deity
It’s been a while since I wrote a response to one of my Creative Writing Prompts, but this one amused me. The task here was: Create a deity. Describe its origin, its powers, how it looks – anything you want. Enjoy as you see fit. Continue reading “Fiction Experiment: Creating a Deity”
