Well, I wish I'd prepared something a little better for my final blog post. So if you've been reading this, you'll have to put up with mediocre finale.
This wraps up my first of 12 new Try Something News. Every single day this month I blogged. I'd always sort of wanted to have a blog, so this was an easy kick off to this year of trying new things. I won't be posting anymore, at least in this blog. As of now, this blog had a total of 2,541 pageviews from 10 different countries. Which is super awesome.
Next month, so starting tomorrow, I'll be watching a new documentary every day throughout February. I imagine I'll follow a list of top docs, but if anyone has suggestions/recommendations, I'd obviously bump it to the top. I'll probably share really good documentaries on Facebook, noting its viewing is a part of my try something new for 30 days challenge.
Other than documentaries, I really want to run 100 miles during a month -- something that'll come to fruition only through sheer force of will because I hate to running (but I love gerunds). I also signed up for NaNoWriMo.org (National Novel Writing Month), which will be November's devotion. But I haven't for sure decided on anything else -- so find me and give me suggestions!
TED
For the last TED Talk of this blog, I'm actually not going to share anything science/future/tech related (actually surprising, probably). Paul Kemp-Robertson: Bitcoin. Sweat. Tide. Meet the future of branded currency. This Talk really got the old gray matter working upstairs -- I began wondering how far into the future will privatized currencies be present (dominant?) before governments decide they don't like it? Or will they even decide that... I wonder also about the inefficiencies in the markets in which these currencies may trade and if there will be any arbitrage opportunities for the first movers?
Wikipedia
Also not science/future/tech related, Arbitrage. I referenced arbitrage as an opportunity to profit in the paragraph above. Basically, it's "taking advantage of a price difference between two or more markets", but if you want to learn more about the risks, types, and infamous Long-Term Capital Management, click the link and read the page.
Spanish Word
gracias, te quiero todo -- thank you, I love you all
Bonus Snapchat Section
Because this is a funny Snapchat. So many posters like this are hung throughout the Ghetto and Dark Side ironically.
Seriously, thanks, everyone, for reading my blog and following me through this first month of my 12 month Try Something New for 30 Days New Year's resolution! I've loved the first twelfth more than I could have imagined solely because of the social support and modest following.
The Nest hosted Beer of the Bi this fortnight with quite the showing. We had about 20 club members at the meeting plus another 15 or so that BTOB. Because it is our very own Aswin Vijayan's birthday, the Beer of the Bi theme was IPAs. A very happy birthday to you, Aswin!
TED Nicolas Perony: Puppies! Now that I’ve got your attention, complexity theory is a great talk. Complexity theory might not be the first topic you'd opt into reading about, but Perony does a great job speaking to the masses about it. He doesn't use too much technical jargon, and the examples he provides are pretty good for the layperson.
Wikipedia
Another little tribute to Aswin -- India. Everyone, go learn a little about India.
Spanish Word
el gato muerto cerca de la cama -- the dead cat by the bed
The names in today's title are three of my top favorite craft brewers. From Greenbush - I particularly like Anger, a Black IPA/Cascadian Dark Ale; from Three Floyds - Permanent Funeral, an Imperial/Double IPA; and Founders - Breakfast Stoud, an American Imperial/Double Stout. Nom nom nom nom.
TED Chrystia Freeland: The rise of the new global super-rich is a decent TED Talk. Freeland is Canadian, and you can tell. Which I liked. The subject matter isn't anything new (she provides some statistics and opinions on the state of wealth distribution), but she gave it a new spin by remarking about the trends into the future and the implications that will come. A little ominous if you let yourself extrapolate from her numbers what it might mean for 99.9% of the world's population (think: basic income and joblessness).
It certainly has been a fun month maintaining this blog. Today ends the fourth week I've posted every day. I'll only have 3 posts after this one. I don't think I'll do anything special, but perhaps announce Feb's Try Something New challenge.
As of the time of this writing, total page views for this blog are 2,458 -- very, very cool to me. I never would have expected anything over just a few hundred. Readership has remained fairly constant, too.
Today marks the end of exactly a week that I've kept up with a new exercise routine. Throughout college, I don't think I've stayed consistent with exercise for more than 2-3 weeks. I'm really determined break that this time, which I think I will largely thanks to my Lift app.
TED Nick Bostrom: A philosophical quest for our biggest problems is a Talk that is truly philosophical and requires truly big thought. I wouldn't recommend watching this one unless you're in a mindset that is receptive and open to big ideas. If this is the first video you'll have watched on the subject matter (on humanity's future/transhumanism), it'll probably sound like craziness/pseudoscience.
Im blogging now from my Blogger app as I wait for JJ's to deliver to me a delicious #12 and #6. After wine tasting, Mariah and I went to The Shack to start celebrating the then unannounced snow day. Rumor has it that the official announcement was withheld until Arrow Wine and Spirits closed at 9:30. Ain't no nevermind.
I've got just a quick post for today. I was busy and away from home for a lot of the day and am just trying to get the post in before we "wine down" the weekend at The Shack on Kiefaber St.
TED
Today's Talk might be a nice break for anyone stressing lately. Kelly McGonigal: How to make stress your friend. Basically, McGonigal provides some new research findings and offers some suggestions how to make stress your friend.
Wikipedia
As I read the chapters for my wine tasting class tomorrow, I thought I should share the Wine tasting descriptors with you all so that when we taste test wine together we can sound real 'mart.
Spanish Word
el presidente de los estados unidos de américa -- the president of the united states of america
The Presidents of the United States of America (the band) -- The Presidents of the United States of America
Just a couple hours ago I submitted my first law school application (!). I've been working on my personal statement for the past several weeks, and I now have a 4-page, 3-page, and 2-page version. What relief! I couldn't have done it without my editor, Mariah Douglas, who is awesome.
TED
I think I mentioned this video in passing during one of my future posts, but I want to highlight it today. It's a much more optimistic take on humanity's future, one to which I subscribe. Peter Diamandis: Abundance is our future. It really isn't too technical and is about 16:00 minutes. Super good.
Wikipedia
Something Diamandis said in his talk above sparked my interest in materials noton this planet. Soon thereafter, I found myself reading about Asteroid mining on Wikipedia. Fascinating! Spanish Word
billetera -- wallet
The title of today's post is a quote from S1E2 of Lost. Walt sees John Locke playing with a backgammon set and yells from a noticeable distance without having been in conversation with John, "What is it, like, checkers?!" Always makes me laugh.
Wikipedia
Last year, I bought some neodymium magnets off Amazon and attempted to build a perpetual motion machine. Turns out, it's as physically impossible as the physicists say! Still, I had a blast trying to construct magnets, paperclips, and empty beer cans in such a way that they moved on their own... it really does sound crazy.
Spanish Word
voy a vivir para siempre -- I'm going to live forever
Sometimes, if you order a tuna sandwich or tuna salad at a restaurant, they'll give you too much tuna. A heaping mound of tuna between two slices of toast is too much tuna. Or if you don't even order something with tuna in it at all and they bring you even a little bit of tuna, that's too much tuna, too. If you order something without tuna and you're brought a bunch of tuna on top of lettuce, that's entirely too much tuna.
TED
The TED Talk I watched this morning is about suspended animation. Mark Roth: Suspended animation is within our grasp is about his lab's research into medical applications of chemically-induced suspended animation using hydrogen sulfide. Basically, it's the process of significantly decreasing the oxygen demand of an organism in turn lowing its metabolic rate. The idea is that the dying process can be paused or put into slow-motion after some traumatic event, buying time to fix the problem. Very cool.
Wikipedia
After watching the TED Talk, I did some Wikipedia-ing and came to Biological immortality. The definition is somewhat debated among those that study it, but it's basically as it sounds -- not dying as a result of aging. The section that I drawn to (of course) was Attempts to engineer biological immortality in humans. We're not there yet... but if there's a strong political push, we could be getting close.
This is going to be such a quick post. I am "le tired". I had an incredible early morning workout at the Rec, then SCUBA class, then class, and then yoga.
TED
Super short post = super short video. 3 minutes of Lee Cronin: Print your own medicine. It's basically as it sounds -- 3D printers outfitted with special "inks" that can be arranged at a molecular level.
Wikipedia
I love imagining Nanorobots doing work at a cellular level within my blood stream keeping me tops. (This is the medical application section of the nanorobotics page.)
Spanish Word
que es más allá de mi hora de dormir -- it's past my bedtime
Actually, it's "blood and smoothies," but I omitted the "and" in an attempt to hook you in! Did it work?
I donated 1 pint of blood at The RecPlex today. I set the record for fastest time (because there was no prior record -- I asked them if I could "set" it). 4 minutes and 21 seconds.
The smoothies part of the title refers to the super green blended salad I brought in a mason jar to the donation site. Most of the staffers working there had a lot of questions about it. I referred them to Joel Fuhrman, of course.
Something New for February 2014
I need help identifying some more new things to do throughout the year. This blog was January's devotion, so I'll need to be ready to start something in February. Either leave a post below or comment on the Facebook share if you have any ideas. Below are a few I thought up this morning (in no particular order)
silent/dark/seated meditation for 20 minutes (I usually do a little meditation ritual for 5 minutes as I fall asleep -- this would be quite different a much harder)
go full out vegan (or more full out and eat only raw foods)
up before 6:00am
watch a documentary everyday
cold showers
Any suggestions? I'd love to consider your ideas.
TED
A few years old now, but still pretty interesting - Peter Molyneux: Meet Milo, the virtual boy. I haven't seen it yet, but I wonder if the artificially intelligent OS in Herwill take on a form like Milo, allowing every person to have his/her own OS friend...
Wikipedia
I did the first day of a workout plan this morning -- high time I add better exercise to my health kick. Several times throughout my exercises I remembered pieces I've read from Timothy Ferris, a super interesting dude.
I spent most of the day revising my personal statements for law school applications. The process is almost over and everything else is compiled and finalized (transcripts, letters of rec, resume, etc). I've set a final date of this coming Friday to have everything uploaded and applications sent on their way.
Reading List
I'm adding a short bonus section to list the books I plan to read in the next few months. Each book is a link to its Amazon.com page. How about #selfhelp.
And some book on speed reading... open to suggestions
TED
I realized while I watched this video that I've never heard David Blaine talk before. Not the single greatest storyteller/orator, but I still found it worthwhile to listen to his TEDMED Talk on holding his breath for 17 minutes. David Blaine: How I held my breath for 17 minutes. Spoiler Alert: he cries at the end.
Wikipedia
I'm still obsessing over what might be the perfect human diet. I haven't found any credible sources that provide suggested optimum nutrient allowances (or "SONA"). The problem with EARs (estimated average requirement), RDAs (recommended daily amount), and AIs (average intake) is that they provide amounts of most or some nutrients that most or some of a population as a whole would need to survive on average. What I'm searching for is the amount of each micronutrient that would constitute the perfect or optimum human diet. In my search, I've come across Total parenteral nutrition, or TPN. The formulae used in this intravenous therapy vary and there isn't just a "perfect human nutrition". TPN is typically used to recover from various maladies. What I'd love is to see this used not to bring poor health individuals back to average health, but to boost average health individuals to above average health.
Spanish Word
una cerveza más, por favor -- one more beer, please
I'm stealing away from my roommates to write a quick blog post. We're hosting a party a little later today at The Nest (118 Lawnview), so I invite you to come hang out for a bit!
TED
This Talk is super interesting. David Christian: The history of our world in 18 minutes. At the end, he quickly promotes www.bighistoryproject.com, a free history course geared towards high school students, but open for everyone. It's interactive, has a really slick design, and I already enrolled (only takes signing up via Facebook). I can't wait to get a better understanding of how we got here, how out of mush and chaos complexity and beauty formed.
Wikipedia
After I watched the TED Talk, I got to thinking about humankind. Of course we are not without our horrific flaws, but we also have done some pretty cool stuff. I wondered what the tallest buildings we've created, so here's the Wikipedia List of tallest buildings in the world.
Spanish Word
happy hour -- happy hour. It's typically the same. But here are some expressions they also might use:
hora del amigo -- hour of friends
dos por uno -- two for one
el campanazo -- the bell
hora de la campana -- bell time
Thanks for reading -- hope you stop by for a little Nest Fest!
I went ahead and shaved my mustache this evening. It was inevitable. Next Wednesday, I'll need a clean upper lip so the SCUBA gear will fit right for class and in about a month I'm starting part time work preparing tax returns at Brady Ware in downtown Dayton. So I'm OK with it.
TED
As much as I enjoy dreaming of a future when all my possessions are connected in the Internet of Things (see below), when my smart personal assistant seamlessly manages nearly every aspect of my social and professional life, and when the entirety of humankind's knowledge database is instantaneously accessible by all, it is only prudent to acknowledge the possibility of an event of catastrophic proportions that would effectively render the Internet and all it does for mankind useless. Danny Hillis: The Internet could crash. We need a Plan B is a great Talk with interesting bits about both the history and future of the Internet (like there used to be a "phone book" for all the email addresses in the world issued on a regular basis).
Wikipedia
As I briefly mentioned above, the Internet of Things is the Wikipedia article for the day. Basically, it's an environment in which "things" become "devices" and are connected to each other via the Internet, making every aspect of human life infinitely many times better. I love it.
Spanish Word
la música electrónica de baile -- electronic dance music
Since I've started reading Fuhrman's Eat for Health and have been blending on a daily basis with my Vita-Mix Blending Station, I have become obsessed with finding the perfect human diet. After some pretty intense googling, I was able to narrow my searches to government released database files. After I learned that what I was looking for is called the USDA's National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference Release 26, I realized it isn't as hidden my toils searching suggested.
This 26th release of our nation's nutrient database (most recently revised in November of 2013) is the nutritional information for 8,463 foods, including 46 different macro and micronutrients. The entire database actually includes a tonmore information that just these 46 nutrients, but that's all in which I'm currently interested.
With this information, I intend to construct the perfect human diet which can be blended in my Vita-Mix, stored in Ball mason jars, and consumed on the go. You access the entire MS Access db here.
TED
Yesterday I said I was going to start Joshua Foer's Moonwalking with Einstein (which I did last night), a book on expanding one's memory. Turns out Foer has a TED Talk, too! His 20 minute talk is basically the intro chapter to his book -- not a how-to, rather background on the memorizing technique, his involvement, and some practical applications. Joshua Foer: Feats of memory anyone can do.
Wikipedia
I've learned in my business classes that companies will (or should) fiercely defend their trademarked names and brands, lest they lose them as they're converted to improper nouns. Words like zipper, yo-yo, heroin, granola, aspirin, saran wrap, and escalator used to all be Trademarks (and thus capitalized). Companies like Xerox, Google, and Kleenex constantly are defending those names to keep them from becoming xerox, google, and kleenex.
Earlier today, I was wondering if there was a name for this process. Turns out, yes. It's called "Genericide". Interesting.
A very thank you to everyone reading my blog. Several of you came up to me at Tim's last night just to say how much you've enjoyed reading it, and that really means a lot to me. Big Thank You long time!
Also, last night I unlocked the New Brew Thursday badge in Untappd, which is earned after trying a new beer on three Thursdays in a 30 day period. I unlocked it around midnight at Tim's with a Bud Light.
TED
The title of his talk attracted me to watch, but I soon learned it wasn't what I expected. Raghava KK: What's your 200-year plan? is an interesting talk, but hasn't particularly moved me. Raghava is an artist and talks about a 200-year plan he and his wife made to encourage goal reaching. They calculated 200 years because at that point, they say, no one they will have ever met will be alive. Of course, this is in fundamental opposition to a core belief of mine regarding my own future (that I personally may still be alive in 200 years). So the point of Raghava's talk doesn't resonate, but the idea sure does. Like many, I have a 1-year, 5-year, and rough idea of a 10-year plan. But, unlike any generation before us, it occurred to me as I watched this talk that we should probably have a 100-year and 200-year plan, too.
I'm adding Develop a 200-Year Plan to my list of projects. I'll share it if I'm still blogging.
Wikipedia
One of my top 5 TV shows of all time is BBC's "Sherlock". There are now three seasons with three 88 minute episodes in each season. I highly recommend watching it (it's on Netflix). Sherlock uses a "memory palace," to remember and recall and absurd amount of information. The better known name of this mnemonic device is the Method of loci. It's an ancient memorizing technique that involves visualizing a physical place and associated various pieces of information in different rooms and cupboards of the visualized "palace." Learning to do this is a couple spots before developing a 200-year plan on my list of projects. I will download Moonwalking with Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering Everythingto my Kindle when the time comes.
Spanish Word
gracias señor ¿puedo tener otro? -- thank you,sir. may I have another?
Thanks again for reading, everyone. You're super great.
For those who are not familiar with Timothy's Bar and Grill, once a month on a Wednesday they host a Senior Night - no cover, prizes, and free pizza. That's what I'll be doing this evening, and I imagine so, too, will a bunch of the senior class.
So I learned that I'll likely have to shave the 'stache before we start using gear in SCUBA class because the masks won't keep a tight seal. It was the swim test today (I passed), and after we were able to play around with some snorkels. I found one that fit pretty well and kept a decent seal over my mustache, but I'm thinking I might shave it prior to next class, which would be only a couple weeks premature. I'll be starting part time tax prep at Brady Ware & Company in downtown Dayton mid February, so I'd have shaved it before I start.
TED
Maybe once every two weeks or so I like to watch a TED Talk on happiness. There are many good ones out there (my favorite being Shawn Achor's, which I've shared in an earlier post). The one I watched today is by David Steindl-Rast: Want to be happy? Be grateful. Hope you enjoy that one.
Wikipedia
I've mentioned a few times now that I'm reading Joel Fuhrman's Eat for Health. Last night I got to some pretty good stuff about macronutrients (fat, protein, carbs) and micronutrients (a bunch of vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals). It got me really excited about continuing a healthful diet packed with these micronutrients from plant sources. Here is the Wikipedia page for Vitamins. If it interests you, try to learn the chemical names of the B vitamins and the deficiency/overdose diseases associated with all the vitamins.
Spanish Word
preguntas más frecuentes -- frequently asked questions
Stargazing 101 doesn't start until next Tuesday, so today is a class-free day for me. I woke up by my Jawbone UP's silent smart alarm and to half cooked Mccann's Steel Cut Oats (half cooked because one of my roommates accidentally unplugged my Zojirushi Micom rice cooker). I've been putting away clothes and up 29 posters in my room for most of the day, listening to a bunch of 8tracks playlists throughout the day but baby-nanas playlist by hemmomfg as I write this now.
You can experience standing in the center of my room at the following link: http://360.io/T3VzfF
TED
So it doesn't look like we'll much longer be bearing discomforts of needle injections. Mark Kendall: Demo: A needle-free vaccine patch that's safer and way cheaper. Kendall points out that the syringe is a 160 year old technology. In addition to relief from the pain, fright, and misuse of needles, the "nanopatch" as an alternative is significantly cheaper, more effective, and environmentally friendly.
Wikipedia
"Tesla" has become a familiar name in recent years as Tesla Motors has rolled out some sleek and high performing electric vehicles (and has it's stock (TSLA) has made its way into dumb money portfolios). But what I'd like to share by way of Wikipedia article is Nikola Tesla and his eidetic memory, sleeping habits, and his OCD. Super interesting dude.
Spanish Word
Eso? Si. Que es? -- This? Yes. What is it? (Say it out loud. Hint: You put them over your toesies.)
Again, I write in haste and with a want to get back to sipping on beers with the boys from The Petting Zoo and The Nest. Moving back to campus and not being entirely moved in has certainly made it a bit more difficult to devote blog time.
Today was packed full with fully unpacking all my college belongings. We did a little room swap at The Nest, and I'm looking forward to no longer living in the kitchen (that comment is really only relevant for those who have been in The Nest).
I've got just a short post for t'day as I'm itching to get to bed.
TED
Today I'm sharing a Talk by Alessandro Acquisti: Why privacy matters. As continue to move/share our lives online, it becomes especially important to understand privacy and what our personal privacy policies are.
Wikipedia
I was thinking about Roads and how long they've been around. Roads go back such a long way, connecting people and enabling commerce.
Spanish Word
media naranja -- literally "half orange," but the phrase means soul mate.
I write this evening from my UD house, The Nest. I've added it to Foursquare as a Pub with a suggestion to stop in share a beer with The Nest boys, including Joey Edmundson (welcome back, Buddy!). It's good to be home.
Because it's already getting late into the evening and I have a little familiarizing I need to do with the rest of campus, this post will be a little shorter than I'd have typically written. Nevertheless -- please find below some of my future hopes and dreams.
TED
I'll start right away with this TED Talk from Aubrey de Grey: A roadmap to end aging. His talk is one of my very favorites (and not just because of his incredible beard). de Grey provides some big answers for the big philosophical questions that come with the idea of biologically immortal humans. He first says that we not only should, but have an obligation to research and develop the therapies and practices that might allow for future lifespans many factors of today's. If you don't have the time now, I strongly recommend saving this video to watch later.
Video below -- he does have some updated talks -- this is 2007.
Basically, between Dr. Joel Fuhrman, Ray Kurzweil, and de Grey, my position on aging and death is this: Through exercise and a diet packed with micronutrient vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals, a continued exponential doubling of computer processing capabilities leading to the Singularity, and a commitment by the scientific community to develop age-defeating therapies, I will live long enough to live forever. Along with Kurzweil and d Grey, I believe it is possibly, if not likely, that the first humans to live to 250 - 1,000 years old have already been born.
Wikipedia
Around that 1,000 year old mark (or long before), "mankind" will have taken command of disease, aging, and its own genetics in such a way that will significantly differentiate itself from today's and all of current history's "mankind". Among other traits that are likely incomprehensible at this point in time with today's technological limitations, it is likely that the group in existence would be more accurately described/labeled as Transhumans.
When Oscar Pistorius, or The Blade Runner, competed in the 2012 Summer Olympics, my first thoughts jumped to what the 2052 Summer Olympics will look like. At that point, it isn't at all unreasonable to believe prosthetics will have advanced not only to a point equal in ability in form of natural biological limbs, but to a point far, far past them. I bet the Olympics will have added a games exclusive to "unmodified" humans. I wonder, what year will it be that the first group of healthy humans opt into limb replacement voluntarily?
Future Trends...I Think Slideshow
To keep within my length limit (and to wrap up in a timely enough manner to make it over to Kiefaber), I'm making public a Google presentation I made a year and a half ago about future trends to present to an investment group on campus. Find it here: Future Trends... I Think.
I live, breathe, and dream tech and the future. It consumes most of my brain power throughout the day. My sister Josie asked me the other day into which decade I wish I could have been born, and my answer was of course 2050. I think we are right on the cusp of the single most dramatic series of changes humanity has ever experienced.
I'm not entirely sure we will make it to the year 2100. I do share some of the worry and pessimism of thinkers/futurists like Martin Rees in his TED Talk Is this our final century? and Bill Joy in his Wired article Why the future doesn't need us. However, for the most part, I'm optimistic and see a future in which aging, disease, and poverty aren't even concepts familiar to our transhuman descendants. The future, shaped by technological advancements, truly is my second love -- behind my smokin' hot girlfriend Mariah.
Senior Prom '10. She's only gotten prettier
I think I'll try to structure this two part post as follows: Part 1) current technologies that I use and that are exciting to me; Part 2) how I envision the future and the technologies that are super exciting to me.
Tech is such a vastly encompassing topic, and I only know so little about so few industries within it. So I'm going to focus on some of the tech that is a part of my everyday life.
Activity Trackers
For a long while I was on the wait list to be invited to buy a Basis B1 Band, which is conglomeration of fitness/sleep tracking sensors packed into the body of a sleek watch. By the time I received my invitation to purchase, there was already a number of consumer reviews I was able to read. Turns out, like many things, the first iteration isn't as stellar as was hoped. So I put off purchasing the B1 and got the new Jawbone UP 24, a more established tracker with a highly reviewed smartphone companion app to illustrate steps, sleep, and food. CES 2014 has a ton of wearable tech being showcased - from camera ski goggles to glove-worn golf swing analyzers to pet activity trackers. Check it out here.
IFTT
With the UP band, I can trigger actions through IFTTT (If This Then That)/Put the Internet to Work for You. For instance, I have a "Recipe" that says "when I wake up" then "send me today's weather report." IFTTT allows you to create a whole bunch of different recipes like "if I take a picture" then "upload it to Flickr" or "if I'm tagged in a photo on Facebook" then "download photo to my iOS Photos" or "if a device's energy costs are more than $___ in a day" then "turn off that device" (using WeMo).
Saga
I've been using an app called Saga to compile various aspects of my life in a social way. For instance, I have my calendars, iPhone camera, Facebook, Jawbone UP, Foursquare, Google+, MayMyFitness, MyFitnessPal, Tripit, and Twitter all connected to Saga, which then chronologically compiles any event into the Saga Lifelog. I love being able to find a specific day and review all my activity - location, fitness, sleep, food, social, cyber, etc.
Lifelapse/Narrative Clip
So for about 11 months from November '12 to October '13 I wore my iPhone around my neck in a pouch I fashioned from a beer coozie and old charging cable. I had the now developer-abandoned Lifelapse app running at all times, taking a still picture every 30 seconds. I stopped because the app isn't compatible with iOS 7. I compiled approximately 500,000, depicting 11 months of my waking life in 30 second intervals. Here's a video I uploaded to YouTube last winter. George's 2012-12-27 Lifelog.
Fortunately, the fall of Lifelapse didn't mean the end of my photographic lifelogging adventure, only a several-month hiatus. I backed the Kickstarter project Memoto Lifelogging Camera. It is now the Narrative Clip, and mine is set to ship on the 27th of this month. I'm ÜBER excited. Check out what it'll do in the video below.
Lima: the brain of your devices
Another Kickstarter project I backed is Lima, a set-and-forget device that unifies all your devices. The way they encourage people to think of it is as the "brain" and the individual devices (desktop, laptop, smartphone, tablet) simply become the frames through which you access your information. I'm very excited to receive my Lima! Kickstarter video below.
I'm starting to hit the length limit I've set for each post, so I'll leave it at that for today with more to come tomorrow on tech and the future!
TED
To hint at the futuristic world I'm anticipating, here's a talk by Boaz Almog: The levitating superconductor. This is what's happening right now -- can't you just not wait to see what applications room-temperature superconductors will have in the future???
Wikipedia
It is the Accelerating change portion of the Technological singularity article that I want to draw to your attention. The rate at which technological capabilities doubles has historically been exponential (first over hundreds of thousands of years, then thousands, then hundreds, and now as short as 14 months). Some predict technological and economic doubling with occur on a weekly basis in the not so distant future. This is the cusp on which we are, and with prime viewing seats. Get ready.
Spanish Word
futuro -- future
Everyday Photo
January 10, 2014 (with my futuristic mustache and sweatband)
Until tomorrow!
(Feel free to comment below on your tech interests/concerns or request other tech topics)
Sometime between midnight and now (17:12), my Try Something New for 30 Days blog reached 1,000 pageviews. Honestly, I'd have been thrilled to have 1,000 views in total throughout the month. All thanks to you, friends, family, and random Canadian!
I finished the book I've been reading on my Kindle Paperwhite, The Litigators: A Novel by John Grisham. I liked it, but not enough to rave about it. What I will rave about is the Kindle, though. I've never been much of a reader, but for the past 6 months my Kindle has started to change that. Book discovery and convenience are two huge reasons I've taken up reading for pleasure. I love being able to pick up where I left off on any of my devices with the Kindle reading apps. I'll start Joel Fuhrman's Eat for Health tonight.
TED
Though this video was recorded four years ago and before New York lawmakers, it is still very relevant and thought provoking. 33 states still ban same-sex marriage. Only seven and a half minutes long, Diane J. Savino provides a powerful case for same-sex marriage. (Also, I realized I should just be embedding these videos.)
Wikipedia
If you read last Thursday's post, you may remember I embarked on a 3 week journey to earn the New Brew Thursday badge in Untappd, the social beer drinking network. Tonight, I'll be going to Bleachers "The Bar" with a few South Benders and will share a pitcher of Boulder Beer Company's Killer Penguin Barleywine Ale. Quite excited. Last night, I sampled Bare Hands Brewery's Barley Wine as a part of their Beer Flight sampler.
So anyways... I will be reviewing Wikipedia's Beer style: Elements of beer page in preparation for the sophisticated discussions and reviews that will follow our sampling tonight.
Spanish Phrase
cuídate mucho y sigue siguiendo el buen camino -- take care and keep following the good path.
A kind farewell before I leave for Dayton I received today from a bilingual friend.
With only a few more days before I move back to Dayton, I'm gearing up mentally for what will undoubtedly be the best semester yet. I couldn't ask for a greater group of friends or a better final semester class schedule. I'm taking my business capstone business class, an intro to entrepreneurship course, SCUBA, star gazing, and wine tasting. No classes Friday or before noon. Come February 17, I'll work part time with Brady Ware & Company in downtown Dayton preparing tax returns.
Concluding this semester will be UD's annual migration to Daytona, FL for our Dayton 2 Daytona trip. It was actually my excitement for D2D that led me to becoming a Wikipedia Editor (pretty sure it's not a title and doesn't need capitalization, but I like it better that way). Note my edits for Daytona Beach, Florida below.
Before
After
It's just a few small edits - but it feels pretty good to contribute and bring a little attention to UD and our superbness.
Spanish Word
Hola, soy un ladrón, y estoy aquí para robar tu corazón. -- Hello, I am a thief. And I am here to steal your heart
That's the exact phrase I used on Mariah Leigh in Spanish class senior year at Marian High School.
Bonus Food Section Barbie Fulnecky offered some advice for my blog last night: "Talk more about food." Also, my sisters Josie Cressy and Maggie Cressy requested shoutouts, and I think they would more than approve of being a part of this section.
I'll use this bonus food section as an opportunity to describe my three favorite kitchen appliances.
By a quantum leap my favorite kitchen appliance is the Vita-Mix: Blending Station. Typically for breakfast, but oftentimes for lunch, I will toss a bunch of kale, spinach, bok choy, collard greens, carrots, apples, bananas, blue/straw/black/and raspberries, and some ice into the it and blend to a fine silky age-defending, health-promoting nectar.
Mine's black/red
Next is the Zojirushi Micom rice cooker and warmer. With it, I can set forbidden black rice or steel cut oats to be ready when I wake up in the morning. One feature I love about it is it keeps the food warm until I want it -- so if I don't finish my morning porridge, it keeps it ready for eats until lataz.
I have the model on the right
My third favorite appliance... is probably our pot-cooker-turned-moonshine-still. With it, my roommates and I can cook delicious beef and barley stew, then distill moonshine whiskey! It's a good twofer.
Speaking of international... my blog went international last night! Check it, beep delta.
Today also wraps up the first week of 2014, which means I've blogged seven consecutive days -- here's to me! I use the smartphone app Lift, which is a social habit building community. I love it and strongly recommend it to anyone who has made New Year's resolutions. In addition to Trying Something New for 30 Days (writing this blog), I am a member of the following groups in Lift:
And a special shout out on this day to +Mariah Douglas because she's a super hottie and we've been dating for a long time now. All my love, Mariahly!
TED
I found this TED video today by filtering for "courageous" and "best of the web." It is an intensely emotional talk at the city council in Fort Worth, TX -- Joel Burns: A message to gay teens: It gets better. Very moving, inspiring.
Wikipedia
Here is the Wikipedia page for the 1990s and below is Portlandia - Dream of the 90s. The boys at The Nest (our UD house on Lawnview) and I will occasionally get in really 90s moods. For the Boys!
Spanish Word
gitano -- a gypsy or someone that always plays very dirty
Per @joemakielski'stweet today, I learned it was literally colder outside my house than at the North Pole. Actually, the North Pole was warmer than many parts of North America today. It was officially announced yesterday evening that we were in blizzard weather and driving on the roads was a ticket-able offence until sometime mid morning today. The biting cold was not without its regrettable influences. My aunt tossed a pot of boiling water into the air thinking it would turn to snow before it landed on my cousin Tony. He will recover and is set to be released from St. Joseph's hospital early tomorrow morning. Read the full tweet here.
I'd like to share an email from my good friend and colleague, +Hussien Saleh. Every Monday for the past several months he has sent a "Motivational Monday" email by mid morning. I'm sure I am just one of perhaps a hundred people BCC'd. Today's message is found just below.
Motivational Monday 01/06/2014
"Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does" -- William James
This week is all about making a difference regardless of the fact that you may not think what you are doing actually does make a difference.
Everything we do makes a difference in the world no matter how small or large it may be. Get out there this week and make a difference.
Best,
Hussien
Thanks, Hussien, for never failing to add an uptick to my Mondays.
TED Steve Jobs: How to live before you die commencement speech at Stanford is by now a classic Internet video. But I've found it's certainly worth rewatching a couple times a year. If you've never seen it -- it's an absolute must.
Wikipedia
This was an answer to a Beer QuizUp question I had a couple days ago. William Painter was the inventor of the bottle cap (or "crown") and bottle opener. Thanks, Bill!
Spanish Word
buitre -- a person who hoards everything. I literally spent 6 hours cleaning my room today.. I realized I may be a buitre...
English Words
I'm adding this bonus section today because I particularly enjoyed saying cahoots and persimmon all day. To be in cahoots with someone is to collude or conspire with them. A persimmon is a sweet fruit (I think of Chinese origin) that I ate after dinner today.
Hearing of school cancellations due to temperatures as low as -32F and lake effect snow already reaching 24" still brings the excitement of "no school tomorrow!" So much time for activities now! It has cellallir all morning and may even begin to pirrelvag later! (Eskimoan snow words.) There's just something about a heavily snowing day and the way it "sticks it" to the school board "man" that makes us happy. And on happiness, I highly recommend watching the TED Talk below.
TED Shawn Achor's The happy secret to better work is easily one of my absolute favorite Talks. Shortly after watching this video for the first time, I downloaded his Happiness Advantage book on my Kindle. In the book, he goes on to elaborate a bit more, all the while citing many, many studies. An easy read -- has changed my life.
Also, I watched Cynthia Kenyon: Experiments that hint of longer lives today. I fully expect to live to be 130+ years old, active and aware. The science explained in this bonus TED Talk today could very well help me/us get there.
Wikipedia
The North wall of my bedroom is a map projection of the Earth (picture below). Looking at it today, I began to wonder (like I have many times before) why Europe is its own continent? I think it's just so European of Europe to say it's separate from Asia. I also got to wondering how many countries are transcontinental. If you care to know, here is the Wikipedia List of transcontinental countries.
Spanish Word
botellón -- meeting with friends in a park or public place with a lot of alcohol
involved. What's the English equivalent?
Despite having set my Jawbone UP's smart vibrating alarms for 8:00 and 9:00, I got out of bed sometime around 11:00 for what must be the 21st day in a row. It's not that I didn't wake up when the wrist-worn UP band vibrated, it's simply slothfulness. I'm sure many can relate.
TED
One of the key pieces of information I received in my 23andMe personal genomics report was that I am at a slightly increased risk for male pattern baldness. Thanks a lot, rs6113491 SNP! Of slightly more importance, I have a 12.6% chance of developing Alzheimer's Disease, which is a factor of 1.75x as compared to the average.
This winded introduction to today's TED Talk does have some relevance. Alanna Shaikh explains how she's preparing to get Alzheimer's. She proposes a third attitude toward Alzheimer's. The first being denial -- of which I am certainly guilty. And the second being combative, doing crossword puzzles, Sudokus, subscribing to Lumosity (my personal pick).
Wikipedia
"I want to say just one word to you. Just one word... Are you listening? ... Graphene." This is how Mr. McGuire's and Benjamin's conversation would have gone if The Graduate were to be remade. Graphene is a planar, honeycomb molecular arrangement of Carbon with some truly jaw-dropping applications. Potential applications, I should say. Read about it here.
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