Notes, words & ideas to make society better
Social Philosopher β€’ Writer β€’ Ideologist
Practical Essayist β€’ Lawgiver β€’ Letterist

Make Blog Posting Easier

I expect that I am going to be writing posts to this blog more often. It's not that I have a whole bunch of more ideas that I want to post. I do have a pretty big list of ideas to write about which I have kept for a couple years even though I haven't written many posts yet. It's just that I've been thinking about writing on my blog a bit more and realized that the biggest reason I don't write on it is because it takes me too long to make a post. So I've decided if I actually want to use my blog a bit more, which I do, that I will have to make it simpler to make posts.

Ways I Will Make It Simpler To Post To My Blog

1. I Removed All The Pictures And Won't Be Using Pictures

Having pictures really makes a blog better for people who are reading it. But this blog is more for me to write down my ideas and thoughts anyway. Not having to deal with making pictures for all the posts will save me a bunch of time and will allow me to quickly make posts. When I removed the pictures I also went through my blog posts and formatted them all similarly and decided on how I would format my new posts. I won't have to think about adding pictures or formatting my posts anymore, but can just focus on what I want to write.

2. I Will Keep My Blog Online Only And Use The Built In Editor

I used to write blog posts offline in text files or word files and keep them on my computer. Then I would just copy what I had written and add a picture online. Editing offline has advantages but it's not nearly as simple as just posting online, and keeping it online only has other advantages too. I can also edit from any computer now obviously which is a plus. I deleted all the offline copies of my posts and will edit and keep my blog online only. This is the main change that will make it easier and quicker to make posts. I've given in to just keep my blog entries online only, just like when I switched to GMail for my mail a †few years†ago. I don't really know why I thought I needed a copy in text files offline. Writing this blog post was a lot easier to get done than my old system of editing offline and then posting after. To make this easier I also made a couple changes to the online editor such as adding more lines to it. Now it feels a bit more like editing offline.

3. I Installed The Wordpress App On My iPad

Just in case I want to edit on my iPad 2, which I got a couple months ago when it came out. I always thought the iPad would be good for journalling or blogging as long as you are writing smaller posts. I've made writing posts simpler by not having pictures and keeping my files online only, which allows me to make shorter posts using my iPad if I want.

Why I Made These Changes

Simply, doing all of the steps above will make it way easier for me to post to my blog. I'm excited and think I will do more writing on my blog now. Making this post took way less time than I used to take writing a post, so I'm sure that by storing my blog online only and not using pictures will make we want to post more. Like I've found with many things in life, simplifying down to what matters most makes it easier to get things done and makes you enjoy things more in the end. In this case, simplifying the process to post to my blog will make me want to write in it more often and enjoy doing it.

Use A Journal For Goals

So as it turns out I haven't used this blog very much or made many posts. Honestly, it isn't very surprising. I knew I may not use it very much. One of the reasons I don't post too much to it is because I'm never sure exactly what types of things I should write on it or how much I should edit myself. But now I know that my main reason for originally making this blog isn't really going to work out.

My first post to this blog explained the reasons why I was creating this blog. My plan was to keep an online journal about my goals and I was going to keep it simple. I would make the format somewhere in between a Twitter log and a long format blog. I would post little updates about my goals often. However I realize that I don't really want to do that publicly. Of course it should be obvious because I never did post anything about my goals. Anyway, instead of writing about my goals on this blog I will be writing about my goals more often in a personal journal. Here are a few of the reasons why.

Reasons To Write About My Goals In A Personal Journal

  1. I censor myself when writing about my goals on a public blog.
  2. I prefer to write about my goals privately for the most part.
  3. I can write more often about my goals and not worry about grammar in a personal success journal.
  4. People don't want to read every detail about my personal goals and life.
  5. I like to sound somewhat good on a public blog and edit what I say.
  6. I want a place to write about my interests, thoughts, and ideas instead of my life.
  7. I can still update people on my goals and life once in awhile on my blog.

I realize I don't really need to write a post about what my blog is for. But just writing about this sets it in my mind a bit. Now I know that my personal journal is for writing all the little details about what I'm doing to reach my goals and about my daily life. And this blog is for writing posts that I edit a bit more and put at least a bit more thought into. I may still write some posts about my goals but they will be more thought out than I was originally thinking. And all of the little updates and writing about my goals will go in my personal success journal. Just knowing what this blog is for and what my journal is for will make it easier for me to write more often in both of them.

I will still use this blog for pretty much all the reasons I originally planned except for writing short posts about my goals and journaling daily on it.

What I Will Use My Blog For

  1. To write about my interests like entertainment, music, baseball, technology, health, and fitness.
  2. To write about thoughts and ideas I have that I want to tell people about.
  3. To write and respond to items in the news and write my thoughts on them.
  4. I will still use it to write some more well written posts about my goals and my personal life.
  5. To practice my writing and editing skills since my personal journal I won't be editing what I say.
  6. I will still use it sometimes to tell people about my life and keep in touch.
  7. To write reviews about books, movies, games, and things I buy.
  8. To put myself out there a bit without worrying about writing about things that are too personal.

I Finally Created AΒ Blog

Hello World! Welcome to my blog. I've wanted to create one for quite awhile and I've finally done it. I have no idea how long I'll keep it going or how much I'll write in here. But here are some of my reasons for creating the blog. This first post will be a good reminder to myself of why I want to write in this blog and what kind of things to write about.

Reasons I Created My Own Blog

1. To Write About My Goals

This is my main reason for creating this blog. I'm very into being organized, setting goals, and creating habits. I've read books like "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" and "Getting Things Done" that have helped me very much in my life. I've read a lot of articles on websites like Lifehack, Lifehacker, Zen Habits, and many others. I always keep lists and notes on my mobile computer, which used to be a Palm Z22 and is now an iPod Touch. I've reached some important goals in the last few years. Lately I've had a hard time getting motivated enough to work on an important goal. I keep reading about how one of the best habits you can get into besides creating the habit to spend time working towards the goal every day is to tell people about your goal or journal publicly about it. So I finally decided to make this blog so I can write publicly about my goals and the progress I'm making or not making. Hopefully writing about my goal will keep me thinking about it and motivated to achieve it.

2. Creating A Blog Was A Goal

I've kept a list of goals and projects in some form or another for years now. I change the goals on the list a lot, and take many goals off when I feel they aren't that important. But creating a blog has stayed on that list so I'm completing a goal just by creating this blog.

3. Make The Habit Of Journaling

Journaling every day is something that I want to get in the habit of doing. I've done it before, but I sometimes get lost in the details like whether I should do it in a paper notebook, or which software program I should use. I think that making a single public blog to write in will make this easier for me. I will also start writing in a personal journal too sometime hopefully. And between my private journal and my public blog, hopefully I can keep it simple and get in the habit of journaling about my goals and my life.

4. To Practice Writing

Besides journaling, I think it will also be very good for me to practice writing and to write more often. It's another habit that I've always wanted to get into doing more. And another habit that I read about as being something which can improve your life in many different ways.

5. To Write About My Interests, Thoughts, And Events

A few of the topics that I'm interested in and may write about are technology, computer programming, goal setting and productivity, health and fitness, baseball, reading, and music. And I could also write about general thoughts or ideas I have or about events I have gone to.

6. Telling People About My Life And Keeping In Touch

A blog is the perfect place to write letters or give updates to people about your life or to post a sort of online newsletter. I don't use Facebook much to keep people updated and I've also come to the conclusion recently that I don't particularly like Twitter, instant messaging, or online chatting. I prefer letters, email, or actually talking to someone in person or on the phone.

7. To Put Myself Out There

This isn't so much a goal of this blog as it is a consequence. I've stayed away from having an online identity quite a bit. I only got a Facebook account this year and I haven't posted to online forums much at all. I've been worried about putting things out on the internet that will always be there and I was aware of that early on when the internet began. Mostly I know that employers will find your blog or anything on the web about you. But I'm trying to relax a bit more about this and not stress over people finding out all about me. And as far as my blog, I can control anything put on my blog so if I want to remove something or take down my blog I can.

Taking The First Step

Most of my blog posts won't be nearly this long, structured, or well written. I'm not writing this blog to pursue a writing career or to market myself for a business or for my career. I'm not trying to create a blog about a specific topic and make money from ads or to bring something to the attention to a large audience of readers. I'm not even trying to create a blog that family and friends will necessarily read. I want this to be a place where I can quickly write about little things that I've done to work towards my goals. Or about little things that I've done in my life. And just having it be public and know that people could be reading it will give me some motivation to work towards my goals. But if it works out I might create some longer posts like this too if I get into the habit of writing and blogging.

Of course I'm all excited now and I don't know how often I'll post to this blog or for how long I'll keep it up. It's quite possible this could be my only post. But I certainly have a lot of reasons to write a blog. And taking the first step is often the hardest thing to do.

August 8, 2009

Be Content Living Simply

He that is down needs fear no fall. He that is low, no pride.

He That Is Down Needs Fear No Fall - Hymnary

He that is down needs fear no fall;
He that is low, no pride;
He that is humble ever shall
Have God to be his guide.

I am content with what I have,
Little be it or much;
And, Lord, contentment still I crave,
Because thou savest such.

Fulness to such a burden is
That go on pilgrimage;
Here little, and hereafter bliss,
Is best from age to age.

Teach Love, Not Hate

The kids are having none of it. They can't be bought, they can't be taught your hate.

The Kids Are Having None Of It - Frazey Ford

Get out of the way
You've had your day
And it's no longer how we gon' play

The kids are having none of it
The kids are having none of it
They can't be bought, they can't be taught your hate

Always a mistake
To underestimate
Watch them now, they're stepping to the plate

The kids are having none of it
The kids are having none of it
They can't be bought, they can't be taught your hate

Only Use Technology If It Benefits Society

Each technology we create is always transforming society and we need to be careful about considering if and when different technologies may be affecting us either negatively or positively.

Study Says Technology Could Transform Society - NY Times (1982)

A report commissioned by the National Science Foundation and made public today speculates that by the end of this century electronic information technology will have transformed American home, business, manufacturing, school, family and political life. The report warned that the new technology would raise difficult issues of privacy and control that will have to be addressed soon to ''maximize its benefits and minimize its threats to society.''

  • The home will double as a place of employment, with men and women conducting much of their work at the computer terminal. This will affect both the architecture and location of the home. It will also blur the distinction between places of residence and places of business, with uncertain effects on zoning, travel patterns and neighborhoods.
  • Home-based shopping will permit consumers to control manufacturing directly, ordering exactly what they need for ''production on demand.''
  • There will be a shift away from conventional workplace and school socialization. Friends, peer groups and alliances will be determined electronically, creating classes of people based on interests and skills rather than age and social class.

Dream About The World As One

Oh I've been smiling lately, dreaming about the world as one. And I believe it could be, some day it's going to come.

Peace Train - Cat Stevens

Oh I've been smiling lately, dreaming about the world as one
And I believe it could be, some day it's going to come

Cause out on the edge of darkness, there rides a peace train
Oh peace train take this country, come take me home again

Now I've been smiling lately, thinking about the good things to come
And I believe it could be, something good has begun

Oh peace train sounding louder
Glide on the peace train
Come on now peace train

Write And Analyze Original Ideas

But if all of that isn't built on your own original ideas and truthful analysis, it doesn't mean anything.

The Whale - Rotten Tomatoes

At this point in the course, I have given you all that I can in terms of structure, building a thesis, paragraph organization. But if all of that isn't built on your own original ideas and truthful analysis, it doesn't mean anything. Think about that, as you write and revise. Think about the truth of your argument.

Be Careful Accepting Beliefs

If they ask you to stand, well they just want you to kneel.

Come On Come On - Jet

Now I am a young man I see cracks in the steel
If they ask you to stand, well they just want you to kneel
If you don't know what you want then you just have to take it all

Hey man, you gotta understand
I got the world in my two hands
Hey man, never goin' back, never going back

Come on come on
I don't need anyone
To tell me what to believe

Come on come on
Shout it out everyone
You can't tell me what to believe

Have The Patience To Wait

We used to wait for it, now we're screaming sing the chorus again.

We Used To Wait - Arcade Fire

I used to write
I used to write letters, I used to sign my name
I used to sleep at night
Before the flashing light settled deep in my brain

Now our lives are changing fast
Now our lives are changing fast
Hope that something pure can last
Hope that something pure can last

Now it seems strange
How we used to wait for letters to arrive
But what's stranger still
Is how something so small can keep you alive

We used to wait for it
Now we're screaming sing the chorus again
We used to wait for it
Now we're screaming sing the chorus again

Respect Outsiders And All Groups

People may often do inconsiderate things when they are in groups, and people who strongly affiliate with one group of people may naturally want to harm outsiders who are not in that group.

When good people do bad things - MIT News Office

When people get together in groups, unusual things can happen β€” both good and bad. Groups create important social institutions that an individual could not achieve alone, but there can be a darker side to such alliances: Belonging to a group makes people more likely to harm others outside the group.

In a study that recently went online in the journal NeuroImage, the researchers measured brain activity in a part of the brain involved in thinking about oneself. They found that in some people, this activity was reduced when the subjects participated in a competition as part of a group, compared with when they competed as individuals. Those people were more likely to harm their competitors than people who did not exhibit this decreased brain activity.

Help People, Not Make Money

Superman never made any money, savin' the world from Solomon Grundy. And sometimes I despair the world will never see another man like him.

Superman's Song - Crash Test Dummies

Tarzan wasn't a ladies' man
He'd just come along and scoop 'em up under his arm like that
Quick as a cat in the jungle

But Clark Kent now there was a real gent
He would not be caught sittin' around in no junglescape,
Dumb as an ape doing nothing

Superman never made any money
For saving the world from Solomon Grundy
And sometimes I despair the world will never see another man like him