Outstanding Issues

Hackerspace!

2011-09-11T00:14:00.000-07:00

As I write this the plans are in the works for a local hackerspace were people can get together and build things (not necessarily computer security related) and share their knowledge passion and interest with others.

I am looking forward to the possibilities of actually getting together and building things.

The world of the knowledge worker is very surreal - and tangible things - other than printed powerpoint notes - just aren't an every day thing. Too bad.

Hackerspaces are becoming more popular in a bunch of different focuses.

See if there is one in your area!

Hack the planet!
Cheers,
Jay

Vacation Update!

2011-07-31T16:08:00.000-07:00

I had a Great Vacation!

I have never had 2 weeks off in a row since I was unemployed a decade or so ago and that was not relaxing.

I actually got to relax.

Refocusing on what is important doesn't have to take two whole weeks - but the two weeks sure helped!

Update:
I have been using adobe premier to edit and render my videos and I have had nothing but issues with it over the past year - something with my setup or the updates that are constantly going on that I am not aware of (to the program or my OS or both).

My video production has been stalled out for the past year and a half.

The video format that my JVC camera shoots in is .mht

I originally researched premier to ensure that this file type was supported and it was.
and it worked great for a year or so, then the inevitable upgrades showed up from Adobe and I just tried to open an MHT file in Premier (same version that worked last month) and the file is no longer a recognized format.

Needless to say that I am bloody pissed off at this turn of events and am now looking to ditch this crappy PC realm and move into the full time creative county of Mac.

I don't take this move lightly but with a 5 min boot time to update all my virus definitions - there has to be a better way.

Amy's iTunes got all messed up when I did reinstall all the programs in an attempt to get this PC working with Premier 6 ish months ago (the Adobe Renderer has some known issues that won't get fixed until the next version but the next version is too much of a resource hog that I couldn't even install it on my system Adobe wouldn't let me....ARRGH!)

Needless to say I want to create more content and have a bunch of great ideas, I have enhanced my studio with better lighting and a larger green screen but that is all for not if I can't even edit the file format that my camera shoots in.

It's like shooting on a betamax and trying to edit it with two vcrs!

The Digital Realm really hasn't done anything but amplify the existing problems with non-standardization.

Enough of the rant, I have been hoping to patch things up and hobble on with some projects but now I am looking for smart alternatives to wasting 2 hours rendering out a 6 min project only to have the Adobe crash out with 4 min left.

Hello Mac Store!

PS if you know of anyone who has a Mac that they want to give away that is capable of doing some video editing feel free to send them my way!

Holiday time!

2011-07-13T00:50:00.000-07:00

I am finally taking a big chunk of time off this year!

Two weeks may not sound like a lot but when you haven't taken more than 3 days off in a row for several years - it's a big deal!

True relaxation rarely happens on a hurried weekend, but with several weeks - it should get good.

Cheers!

June First!

2011-06-01T12:53:00.000-07:00

This Spring has been disappointing - so far just a few decent days of sunshine. :(

This Summer better be awesome or I will need to move to the states and live on the beach while extreme couponing and living on $5 a day!

Clip me a coupon for summer!

Snowfall

2011-01-12T10:27:00.000-08:00

I take a moment to reflect on the pristine fallen snow.

Without winter summer would be boring? I doubt that.

Later!

Happy New Year!

2011-01-03T01:46:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!

Have a Great 2011!

Hey, if you are reading this can you post a comment with your favorite time of year, I am doing a survey.

I personally favor the first 3 months of the year as because everything seems to be gearing up for the year ahead.

Thanks

Unity Project

2010-12-17T16:45:00.000-08:00

Wouldn't it be great to integrate all areas of your life into one flowing stream of consciousness?

The Unity Project is just that and more.

Total life integration.

Simplification through integration.

Doing less to do more.

Laters.

what is the deal?

2010-10-11T20:58:00.000-07:00

It seems that there is always a deal.

you just need to ask the right person.

If you are paying full price you are only doing so because you do not know the right person.

Make more friends: you never know if they are the person you need to be talking to, to get the deal.

Buy less, when you do buy - NEVER PAY FULL PRICE!

Jay out!

Getting down to Brass Tax

2010-09-28T22:27:00.000-07:00

If you haven't already done so - take some time in this season of renewed crazy to get back to the basics.

September is the busiest month of the year for most people.

Make sure you keep your feet on the ground.

Cut out all the extraneous activities that threaten to to cut into your core time and get back to the brass tax.

less is more.

Video Games

2010-08-09T17:05:00.000-07:00

Truly if you have been playing the SCII you have been experiencing the Video in video games.

The cinematic are excellent the story is multi-threaded and in-depth.

Check it out or miss out.

Battle.net - my new home?

2010-08-05T16:50:00.000-07:00

Just got the StarCraft 2 yesterday - Great Game.

Well that will be why I am posting less.

Cheers!

PS my handle is "JAYMART"

Find a way!

2010-07-31T09:45:00.002-07:00

When there is a roadblock, find a way!

When there is a deadline, find a way!

When there is a need, find a way!

When there is a longing, find a way!

When there is a way well worn, find another way!

Cheers,

Jay

Time Crunch

2010-07-26T08:04:00.000-07:00

This entire year and all those that have preceded it, have had one thing in common:

Not enough time!

I feel rushed no matter what I do! Our society has us chasing our tail for 60 hours a week - some call it work. No matter how hard you work you can always work harder and longer. The minute you stop to read a funny email or take a deep breath there is your boss breathing down your neck - every time without fail. I am slowly breaking the cycle of the "Rush Mentality".

Breaking old habits is hard to do!

I am very much like my dad in that I will never complain but just take more on and carry the load/stress/work myself so I don't put anyone else out. Recently I have been saying no to every request for my time and then try not to feel bad.

The problem with work is that the best work is done when it is clearly defined and right now I have a job that I have clearly defined in my mind, but my boss changes like the wind. The irony is that he is so stoic and I am the "loose cannon" in the office but he gets one client complaining and the software needs to be completely rewritten. I will never cease to be amazed by people.

Talk about shooting in the dark at a moving target! More stress.

I read the 4 hour work week and that is a great book IF you have a job that can be outsourced. the only gripe I have with the book is that you have to be at least in middle to upper managment to take advantage of the outsourcing - otherwise it is just a good guide for keeping a low profile and not rocking the boat (read keep your head down and plow through). Some of the techniques are useful and some won't be useful at all if you are in an entry level position.

Times they are a changin' and I am excited about only working 4 hours a week. The only issue with working a mere 4 hours a week is that there are still 80 hours worth of hobbies to be completed each week. :)

I will work on pacing and slowly shift to a place where I am not under such time pressure.

Oh yeah, if you have a kid - just write off the first year. All of your attempts to get anything done outside of the 40 hours will just rob you of more sleep.

later.

The day connected

2010-07-14T22:44:00.000-07:00

After taking considerable time out of my daily routine I found that there really are some great tools out there for writers, bloggers, and all round connected people.

There has never been a time in the history of man where humanity has been so free to communicate ideas. There are still areas of the world that have censorship, but as a whole the time is right for communication from any one human in the world to millions of others.

See you on YouTube!

Cheers,
Jay Martens

The Issues are still outstanding

2010-07-08T10:07:00.000-07:00

The issues don't seem to change year to year, world hunger, governments bickering about any little thing, taxes increase (read HST), and people are growing further apart.

Technology has created a consuming society of people that will do nothing more than watch more of the world go by than ever before. Time is of the essence people need to stop just watching others create the objects of their dreams and do it for themselves.

Over the next 24 hours I am travelling alone with a new netbook- connected in a different way than normal yet not connected at all.

An experiment that is paid for by my employer of the moment as I give them one hour of my time somewhere in the middle.

Life is good.

social experiments all the time.

I will keep you posted on what comes of this "day connected"

2009-12-05T21:22:00.000-08:00

Check out my Monday Report weekly news show every Monday for my insights into world events!

http://www.youtube.com/jaymanproductions

Cheers!

PS: the rest of the portfolio is still getting worked on in my ever shrinking allotment of spare time.

I have bought and read the original Getting Things Done (GTD) book and this is combined with the Dip prove to be a great starting point in life reorganization..

Portfolios

2009-09-28T12:49:00.000-07:00

I am currently working on my portfolio - quite a simple task you may think, except that it seems a bit overwhelming.

I am just trying to put one creative foot in front of the other and get the baby steps flowing.

I will be posting to this blog more as time goes by, so feel free to drop in and check it out.

I have not been on twitter for a long while - almost 80 days.

I read a great book called "the dip" google it and check it out. (it is all about when to quit). while reading it I realized I had spread myself too thin and needed to tie off some loose ends.

I will be adapting the concept of my twitter novel into a graphic novel and will try to get that off the ground in the next 2 years.

Taking time to do things is not in my nature - I have more of a "fix it in Post" kind of mentality. All of that has slowly shifted, now I am teetering on the edge of completion on some longer term projects - just in time to add them to my portfolio.

I will keep you updated!

The Alcove

2009-06-29T22:04:00.000-07:00

Check out The Alcove my first #twitterfiction Novel.
The entire novel is getting written one tweet at a time.
Follow me on twitter to read the story as it unfolds!

Twitter Fiction

2009-06-16T22:27:00.000-07:00

Why not twit a tweet of fiction and share it with the world?

I am on the twitter and now am creating a work of fiction improv style! There is no spell checker, no editor, just a novel 140 characters at a time!

Follow me on Twitter and see how far the rabbit hole goes!

My first work is entitled "The Alcove", let me know what you think!

I will reformat the tweets (reverse order) and post them here: TwitterFiction Blog

Cheers
Jay Mart

Night life

2009-06-13T23:29:00.003-07:00

Kelowna is the place to be at night once the weather turns to summer. I meandered downtown at 10:30 and this is wherveveryone is. Sidewalks filled with people milling about. Permanent vacation for all. Vacation for my weary body dried in the sun from an evening of stilt painting. Burgertime!

Taking the time

2009-06-13T23:29:00.001-07:00

More and more I am taking the time to listen to people- and really try to find out what it is they really are trying to communicate- not just listen to the words they say.

Early bird

2009-06-12T00:24:00.001-07:00

I know that as long as I have a 9-5 job the nightowl in me will be a slave to the early bird. Just as the ideas start to flow there is an overwhelming sense of exhaustion. Why are the fates so cruel? Why are the dreams fettered to the mundain? When will I loose the chains that entwangle me?

Time for more

2009-06-11T23:38:00.001-07:00

I am now embracing the connected life, mobile connectivity, global reach, information deluge, all hidden under the guise of connection and community.
Prepare to get connected!

Programming Private Functions Take on a Whole New Meaning

2008-10-14T23:52:00.000-07:00

Some code I am currently working on as part of a geeky writing project enjoy:

Private function bowel movement { //just a quick pitstop

if have_paper = false { //if there is NO toilet paper
//do this

you.hold_it(at_work); //the passed parameter is when
//to recall this function

else{ //do this if there is toilet
//paper

select:

case if toilet_seat_lid = down{ //check to see if lid is down
you.lift(toilet_seat_lid); //lift up the lid
break //exit select
} //end of first case

case if toilet_seat_lid = up && toilet_seat = up { //check if the seat is up
you.drop(toilet_seat); //put down the landing pad
break //exit select
} //end of second case

case if toilet_seat_lid = up && toilet_seat = down { //our work here is done
break //exit select
} //end of third case

end select //the seat and lid are where
//they need to be

while toilet_trusted = false { //if the toilet is NOT trusted
//do this
if toilet = public && seatcovers = true { //you are in luck
you.cover_seat(seat_cover,1); //note: seat covers vary in
//thickness I would like to
//re-evaluate this method in
//future to allow for "doubling
//up" if germophobe = true
//for now this will have to do.
toilet = trusted; //this will exit the while loop
} //end if

else { //if there are no seat covers
//available do this
you.cover_seat(toilet_paper,12); //I find 12 squares is usually
//sufficient
toilet = trusted; //now we can get to business
} //end else
end while //end while loop

you.drop_trousers(knee); //stop your grin'n and drop
//your linen.
//the passed parameter
//determines how far to drop 'em

you.sit(toilet_seat); //I always imagine it's a throne

you.empty_bowel; //this is where the magic happens

you.wipe_bum(toilet_paper,8,4); //all over butt the paperwork
//I reused this function from my
//camp program by adding the
//passed variable of wiping_with
//in this situation we are
//passing toilet_paper.

you.stand; //whatever you do don't look back

you.drop_trousers(waist); //may rename this function to
//adjust trouser height in later
//versions to be more readable

toilet.flush(2); //no one likes floaties
//plumbing errors are handled by
//the flush routine

} //end else if toilet paper

} //end private function bowel
//movement

Time Sure Speeds Past!

2008-09-30T21:03:00.000-07:00

Hello out there!
Sorry about the lack of craziness recently (can 3-4 months be called recently?).
I will try and get in here more and post some thoughts and get this blog thing rolling again. I find that summer there is too much to do "outside" and only settle into my digital hibernative cave in the fall till spring months.
I don't have extra time lately - the opposite is true but the more you do the more you find you have time to do. It's like having kids - you don't know how people do it until it happens to you and then you just have to get it all done and you adapt.

- No kids yet for me. -

Instead of Kids I have projects and in that respect I have a very far reaching lineage of several generations in all directions.

Things on the go this week:
Work 40 hours
Monday - writing Kids show script one evening
Tuesday - night off to get a coffee and update my grossly neglected blog
Writing/general meeting for Vortex Studios Wednesday night at the Vortex (where the magic happens) - 7 till late evening
Improv show Thursday on the Fintry Queen in Kelowna
Improv show (fundraiser) Friday at Trinity Church in Kelowna
Saturday/Sunday - nothing yet but hey it's only Tuesday. (tentative plans to do more writing on the kids' show and start prepping the voice over studio, yard work, clean out my office, clean the car, redo the www.theartofdelusion.com website using Flash, hunt for improv props at thrift shops, do some stop motion animation, learn how to chroma key in Adobe Premier, clean out my basement for a set/sound stage and get all rested up for the next week of the same)

Till then I would love to hear about the projects you are working on!
If anything I am doing interests you give me a shout!
Cheers!
JayMart

Do you have ADD?

2008-04-20T04:50:00.000-07:00

I think I just might - but I had to be sure so I did a little experiment...

Have a Great Week!

GTD Day 7 - One week in!

2008-04-17T21:55:00.001-07:00

One full week of getting things done and I must say I am one tired boy. Last night was a vortex filled evening, brimming with more and more side projects that will drain on my time.

As I am more concious of my time I now are more protective of it. Loosely defined, open ended projects send off warning bells and raise flags.

Just because something is interesting to me or worth doing - do I have to be the one to do it?

If some task is within my power and is a nobel pursuit - am I morally compelled to complete it?

How many nobel pursuits have you given your self to?

In the past I have more than greatfully embraced the projects of others thinking that if I got in there and did a good job it would lead to something other. These other further opportunities have yet to materialize - I may just be jaded from 15 years of people letting me down, or I may be waking up to see the writing on the wall.

What pray tell is emblazend on the wall of reality?

People that come to you for help to accomplish their goals have no interest in your goals.

classic example: I had a dream of entering a submission in a film festival 4-5 years back. The team I had assembled to complete this task bailed within two months. Yet when they need an actor for some production at the last minute or need creative imput on creating a concept for a video series they call me.

I don't keep score, but I know when to apply the mercy rule. If they are always too busy for your projects but need me to drop everything for their projects - time and time again - I begin to doubt their motives and intentions when presenting me with the latest and greatest concept that will undoubtedly (ove r an aditional 5 year plan) lead to the creation of a "side project" that could be entered into the festival. I say "10 years too late!"

Don't get me wrong in the past I did what I wanted to do and no one has forced my hand, but it is disappointing when looking at my track record to see all the projects I gave up to pursue everyone else's dreams.

I have a new profound respect for time, its proper use, and its limited supply.

Make your films today!
Jay Mart

GTD Day 6

2008-04-16T00:34:00.000-07:00

Getting Even more things done!

Day 2 of the new job was excellent - this whole week won't be doing too much after work as my head hurts from learning all the new stuff. I did have an imporvisational comedy rehersal planned - but half of the troupe are in a play and they had to bail for a rehersal, the play is this weekend and according to them the extra rehersal was a welcomed addition.

Today I will be learning and taking it easy.

The Idea of the GTD is to use the least amount of framework that gets things done. I only cary a list with me of things to do on the weekends as I don't plan on getting anything beyond sleep, eat, work done anyway. There is a flexibility to use only what you need when you need.

I still have lists online that hold the "mile long wish list" of tasks to eventually get done - and as long as they are written down (typed down) I no longer have to worry about forgetting them. I have come to terms that I will check the list if I have extra time and they will all be waiting for me.

This releaves a huge weight off of my mind as the list doesn't consume any thought. only one thought is needed: is it on the list?

Yes - then it is covered

No - then add it to the list now

As the list is online I can add it immediately if I am at my PC or write it down on my business card Hipster PDA and when I am at my PC I always check it and update accordingly - very simple system.

GTD Day 4,5

2008-04-15T00:57:00.000-07:00

Well I spend so much time relaxing on Sunday that I didn't get onto my blog to type anything down.

First day of the new job went well - head hurting with too much new information. I didn't have anything other than Volley Ball to do on the Monday, besides working of course. So that all got done. Tuesday I will be trying to get some things done between Work and Improv practice. Still need to get the old taxes in. so I will be be managing that this afterwork.

Afterwork is like that part of the afternoon before evening but after work that always gets eaten up by meal preparation or errand running. hopefully today I will be able to edge my tax preparation in edgewise and squeeze some money back out of the cold unyielding hands of the government.

Well I am off to work take care and keep Getting Things Done!

Cheers!

GTD Day 3 - the long haul

2008-04-13T08:05:00.001-07:00

Day 3 was exciting - trying to minimize my now ginormus list of tasks that I wish to complete someday, I created a separate list of things to do eventually that I labeled "soonish".

The items on this list are the nice to haves that will not get completed in the next few days but are collected so I won't forget them. Once something is recorded you don't need to worry about them. I review them every day and pull things from this list if I have related tasks or if I have extra time.

I must say the one thing that is keeping me on this GTD type program is the fact that I am now planning time for the fun stuff as well. A trip to the beach needs to be scheduled and just like cleaning the toilet I have to do it weather I want to or not.

Forcing me to slow down and take life one day at a time. "Forcing" me to relax and take the time to think about long term goals and the like.

As it is Sunday and I am wanting to relax I only have 3 things on my list for today:

- go to the beach

- relax

- get to bed early for the first day of my new job tomorrow.

And that is it! - anything else that happens is just a bonus!

I almost feel retired with a short list like this - but in the past I always try to consistantly do too much.

If you want more information on GTD check out the 43 folders website it has Many Many links with Many Many great tips on getting organized while simplifying and increasing productivity.

Cheers!

Jay Mart

GTD,performance,life optimization

GTD Day 2

2008-04-12T09:12:00.000-07:00

Well day two went better than day 1!
All the overhead of selecting the systems and such was done.
The one issue I did have was that I got quite a bit done in the AM and crashed in the early afternoon and didn't really hit my list again till the evening.

The ironic thing about all of this is that even though I only got 1/2 way down my list I still got 5x as much done as I would have on an entire weekend!

Keeping the GTD list manageable is my next challenge. Every time I cross something off my list I think "a couple of weeks ago this is all I would have done in a week!"

some of the items on my list were not granular enough and I have had to split them out over the next couple of days.

All in all I strongly suggest that you give Getting things done a look over and take only the pieces that work for you. The system was based on a book - I saw a talk the author gave to Google staff on the subject of his book and die-hard users of the systems he introduced are making more headway than he is. he was like a guy who threw out an idea to see if it would stick and all the life hacker people came out and created an open source community of opinions and ideas around the general concepts and now the product found on the internet is quite refined.

I will continue to keep you posted!
Jay Mart

Getting Things Done.

2008-04-11T11:05:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was my first full day of GTD.
GTD is a very simple system for Getting Things Done.
Basically you find the simplest system of organization that still facilitates productivity. Sorting all things into two piles: the small stuff (not worth doing) and the stuff that can be broken into smaller actionable pieces.

So I set aside a total of 2 hours to get this all set up. I scribbling down my "huge to do list" which ended up not taking that long, then I decided on the Business Card format for my Hipster PDA (I recently switched jobs and had 499 business cards all blank on the back, found a fold back binder clip for them and am set.)

I keep my lists online using: ta-da lists at http://www.tadalist.com/ and set that as one of my home tabs. this will keep the lists in my face throughout the day.

I will keep you posted on the progress as I try to turn using this system into a habit.

THE FIRST DAY:
All went well - got so much done - like a weeks worth of running around and errands in one day! and I set up today's list as the last thing I did. I have a feeling I will actually be getting things done and enjoying more free time.

I did do more than I usually do in a day but surprisingly I got it done faster than my normal routine as I had the mentality that I need to keep moving on to the next task. last night I spent 3 hours playing video Games and watching Sweeny Todd. (by the way Sweeny despite the singing is really quite gory, I mean good.)

Each day for the first 21 days I will try and document how this new methodology works and keep you posted.

Cheers,
Jay Mart

Well I have branched out into Video as well

2008-01-27T11:03:00.000-08:00

Here are some bloopers from my first video on YouTube!
Enjoy!

Bat-Zine! Episode #001!

2008-01-13T23:11:00.000-08:00

1. Click on the image at the right to view the full version.

2. Right click and "Save Image As...".

2. Print this image off on a full sheet of letter sized paper.

3. Follow the instructions below on how to cut and fold the Zine:

4. Now make 10 copies and give them to your closest friends.

5. Enjoy!

Complexity

2007-11-14T18:36:00.000-08:00

There is a simple remedy for complexity of all shapes and sizes:

Simplify, Repeat.

This is a truly revolutionary concept that once applied will greatly improve your day to day life. Take a moment and drink it in.

This startlingly simple concept of only 2 words will upturn the apple cart of your mind and you will discover that simplification is a process and not a weekend retreat.

Let's start where we will see the greatest results first: Simplify...
What does it mean to truly simplify? - there are plenty of books, tapes, seminars, advice, and hints out there to help us Simplify our daily life.

Drucker puts Simplification into the forefront with his 2 essential business questions:
1. What is (your) business?
2. How is business?

Adapting these cut to the chase questions can give us insight into what we are truly doing with our lives and how we are attempting to accomplish this.

What is your life?
How is life?

These questions may help you as they have helped me to develop a more balanced paradigm of what is important in life while taking an honest look at how I am setting out to experience life.

Simplicity surrounds us.
Simplicity is there for the taking.

What could you do right now to simplify your life?
If you don't have time to simplify, simply take this challenge:
The next time you are waiting - evaluate rearranging your keyring.
Start small and work up.

Repetition is the key!
Repeat - revisit all aspects of your life - start with the small ones at first and move on to the bigger ones.

Revisit the things you do and ask: How can I simplify this?
Keep asking this question and you will find that you ALWAYS are able to come up with an answer. An answer will come - sometimes it takes time but I guarantee that it will come to you.

Simplify, Repeat.

What Issues are still Outstanding?

2007-11-08T14:05:00.000-08:00

Acid rain? Balloons that are unsafe for kids or dolphins? Candy rotting young teeth? Dogs that live in cities and pee on the only green grass for blocks? Environmental shifts? Fortune 500 companies squeezing out mom and pop? Global warming? Having to justify paying over a dollar a liter for gas in the country with more oil reserves than the entire middle east? Inconvenient truths, being sold in convenience stores? Journalism that some how seems out of touch with what is going on? Killings on TV? Love that needs a little blue pill? Managers that don't know what they are doing? New songs that are just a remix of something two decades old (here we go again)? Open season on common sense? People that play games? Questions to politicians that only get answered with more questions? Retirement of the majority of the working class in North America? Scammers on every corner hoking their wares? Turmoil on a global level brought into your home nightly at 6:00 and 11:00? Unreasonable demands from career and family and, and, and? Vicious Cycles of poverty and economic collapse (US Mortgages)? Wondering when it will be your turn to strike it rich or win the lotto? X-ray radiation from aliens, your microwave, your cell phone, high voltage lines? Your paycheck never reaching the end of the month? Zooming around in a million different directions only to end up where you said you would never go?

Let's take some time and check out what issues made your list.
Add a comment with the most Outstanding Issues you are facing.
Jay Mart

Idle hands? No such thing!

2007-11-08T13:52:00.000-08:00

There is something to be said for dexterity of the mind as well as the dexterity of the body.
Here is a video that takes a while to get going but I found really amusing. I like the way this individual has put their idle hands to work!
What do you do with idle hands?

First things first!

2007-11-07T18:22:00.000-08:00

Alright, so let's get down to some outstanding issues. Best to deal with these before they get out of control.

Can the issues that are affecting us all be dealt with in a manor that affords us a calmer mental environment?

Dealing with the issues is all there really is to do in life. Every time you get some issue dealt with another appears to take it' place. For countless centuries humanity has struggled to overcome all the obstacles in it's path. Getting to the heart of the matter - the quickest solution is not generally the most widely accepted.

How many times do we engage in activities that steer our attentions and energies away from our goals?

Interestingly enough people that head strait to a solution are looked down upon as boring or overzealous. Justification can always be found for our rabbit trails and wandering ways.

Keys to problem solving are simple!

Lots of people know what to do but still refuse to act on their knowledge. Many people have amassed great fortunes trying to motivate these inactive problem solvers. Never has there been so many tools at our disposal to deal with all of the issues at hand. Overwhelming advances in communication link people on a global level. Virtually everything is on the internet in a digital format.

Why then do we still suffer from inactivity when it comes to dealing with our issues?

X-box generation where we would rather be entertained than enlightened. Years ago the struggle was to be the best, to advance all of humanity to change the world. Zelda quests and online life simulations have replaced life it's self.

All of life is choice.
Jay Mart

New Beginnings

2007-11-07T17:58:00.000-08:00

I have re-entered the world of Blogs!
There are a few of you out there that have expressed an interest - ever so small in a blog by yours truly and I intend to stick with this longer than the 3 weeks back in 2006 when I first entered the arena of the online Web Log.

With that said on to "New Beginnings"
There have been of late several forces all at work pulling me to share and to write in a more consistent way.

Several of these forces are seasonal - the need to hold up in the cave while the weather howls outside, the cyclical disappearance of all my summertime hobbies.

Several of these forces are creative - the need to give more back to the community that I live in, the realization that I haven't published anything online for almost a year and a half.

And a few of the forces were more spiritual - the need to connect on more than a superficial level with those around me. (FaceBook doesn't count.)

FaceBook is a great way to track down those people who were successful in avoiding you in real life!

There are more ways than ever to connect with people and I am guilty of adding every single person I could rack my brain and think of to my online virtual collections of acquaintances.

So raise your glass to New Beginnings!
Jay Mart