graffiti on a cyber wall

I know I was shooting for weekly updates on this series.  I'm still working on that one.
    
What have I done lately to enhance my existence?
   
Physical - I participate in aerobic activities, eat fairly healthy food, and laugh a lot.
I have to confess ~ I ate take out food from a restaurant one night and I ate meat a couple times.  Not my usual fair.
I dance a lot.  That is good physically, emotionally, creatively, and spiritually.
Emotional – I hang out with people who I love and who love me.
I practice mindfulness and remember that the difficult people I encounter are teachers revealing things about me to myself.
I greet the day by clapping in appreciation when I walk out the door in the morning.
Spiritual – I meditate, read encouraging information, pray, and play. Lately I've taken to practicing laughing meditation in a casual, light hearted kind of way.  I walk around clapping and chanting 'Ho, Ho, Ha, Ha, Ha'.  roflmao  It is quite uplifting.
Creative – The 'second a day for 365 days' video project is progressing.  I haven't missed a day and I've managed to compile the seconds weekly.  That way it won't be a huge job at the end of days.
I'm still taking and editing pictures every day.  Most days I post one on Instagram.
I meet almost daily with my imagination and creativity guru.  
    
I've decided to address 500 Days in these random 'First Things First' updates.

• With 267 days left in this evil plan, I'm not sure I'm making appropriate progress.  
• My office at work is about 1/2 cleaned out.  That has to be completed by the end of this year. 
• I'm doing pretty good clearing out the inside of the house.   I'm down to the things that are really hard to part with because they are keepsakes, photos, or things I'm currently using.  I've had a startling revelation:  there isn't room in an RV for knickknacks. There is no where to sit them.  rofl  
• The shop is still a big mess.  It is slowly getting better.  I could probably pull out the tools I plan to take with me and have a 'man stuff' yard sale.  That would get rid of a lot of things.  
• Prepping the house for sale......shaking head sadly.....that is kicking my butt.  The yard grows faster than I can mow and trim.  I need more time on task.  I guess I should play less.  hmmm  The place could use some paint here and there and a little new hardware.   
• RV shopping is an ongoing activity.  I've looked at many and in that process I'm honing in on what I need.  
• Things are as they are supposed to be and I have faith all the pieces will come together when it is time.  

Kudos to  The Organic Sister. for this idea.
  
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I recently read a blog post, The Universe Next Door.  The title sent  my liar mind off into a direction unrelated to the content of the blog. 

The title reminded me that the mind makes things up.  I'd like to think it is making things up that are in my best interest.  That hasn't proven to be right.  Well, half the time it's not right.  There is the whole ying/yang thing.  Seems my mind often makes me afraid, sad, depressed, suspicious, happy, gleeful, excited, loving, and a world of other things.
   
Are my thoughts real or are they  memoryrx? 
 
It reminded me that being mindful is a totally different life experience than living in my head.
So many times in life I've let my mind take me down paths that were imaginary. 
 
Coming back to the present is the universe next door to the one my mind is making up.
  
So, are these ideas a lie created by my mind.  Or not.  Hard for me to tell the difference.
  
I guess I'll just Be Here Now.
 
Fly your freak flag high!  Peace and love

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First Things First 
   

She asked something along the lines of, what have you done today to enhance your life spiritually, physically, and emotionally?  That is a great question and I thought I'd try to answer in my own way.
I composed this list the other day.
 
What have I done today to enhance my existence?
 
Physical - I participated in some aerobic activities and ate fairly healthy food.
Emotional - I hung out with people who I love and who love me.
Spiritual - I meditated, read some uplifting information, and played
Creative - in keeping with Hugh MacLeod's "Make creative work the most important work you do", I put more effort into this category.
I let a 3 year old train my imagination.  Super Samurai Jesse, the fire guy and Ralph the sword guy vanquished the Nylock from the yard. We also caught and released lightning bugs.
I discussed a photo shoot idea with another photographer.
I listened to a podcast on writing. Writing isn't one of my better skills and I'm attempting to improve.
I continued recording for the second a day video project.
I took some pictures.  

If I continue this, I'll post a once a week update of what I've done in these categories.  Heck, I may even find a new category to add.
 
What categories would you use?
What have you done to improve your life today?



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It's 4am Friday morning.  My body is awake, but my mind could use more coffee.
Today is the first day of a four day weekend.  I have two things planned.  I'm going to Theology on Draft tonight.  The discussion topic is transhumanism.  With my interest in technology, this is an exciting concept to me.  I'm neither in favor of it or against it.  I find The Transhumanist Declaration fascinating.  What a lot of people forget is that cyborgs already walk among us, and they look just like normal people.

The Top Ten Transhumanist Technologies Countdown from the Lifeboat Foundation.

• 10. Cryonics
•   9. Virtual Reality
•   8. Gene Therapy/RNA Interference
•   7. Space Colonization
•   6. Cybernetics
•   5. Autonomous Self-Replicating Robotics
•   4. Molecular Manufacturing
•   3. Megascale Engineering
•   2. Mind Uploading
•   1. Artificial General Intelligence (AGI)

Maybe I'll update this blog with some tidbits from tonight's meeting.
 
Saturday is 'go to my sibling's place on the lake for a Memorial Day cookout' day.   It is a beautiful house on a lovely lake.   I try to get down there three of four times a year.
Other than these two things, I don't have any weekend plans.  I'll probably mow grass on Monday.  After all the recent rain, the grass has shot up.  I need to trim the hedges too.
But first I have to take care of today's chores:  grocery shopping,  pay some bills, visit the post office for stamps and mail, a front end alignment, and run by my office and check on the computers.

The summer term started yesterday.  Well, classes don't begin until Tuesday but professors returned to work on Thursday.  Summer term is 10 weeks so this will go by fast. Looks like my classes have sufficient enrollment to make.  I have two classes: Web Page Design and Introduction to Computers.  Those are both fun and easy for me to teach.
When I leave this job at the end of 2013 I'll miss interacting with students.  They keep me on my toes and teach me all kinds of things.

That's all the random mind bleeps I have for today.  Have a wonderful weekend!
   
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This is the rest of my 16 Random Facts blog.  Here is a link to the first section if you missed it. 
I got this idea from Adamswomanback when she posted her list. You should stop by and read her's too.
  
Here is the rest of my list.

8. Shopping for a motor home is more difficult than I imagined it would be.  There are so many options.  I want something used in the 27' range with one slide and an awning on the other side.  I'm looking for one with less than 30,000 miles, 2003 or newer, and less than a $50,000 price.  Based on what I've learned about dependability, I've narrowed it down to Holiday Rambler, Winnebago, Itasca, or Tifton.   But I'm still willing to change this group.
   I started out looking at Class A motor homes but I've changed my mind and I am looking at Class C. That decision is based on deciding to go with gas rather than diesel. I could use help on that choice. Seems to me gas is less expensive and repairs and maintenance will be less on a gas vehicle. Of course I could be totally wrong. Does anyone have experience in this area? I could use some help. 
9. My yard got totally out of control last summer when I was working the long hours on the data migration project for the college. 
     
   
    
   It is going to be a huge job getting it back under control.   
10. The new television was delivered on the right day and only 15 minutes later than the 10-12 delivery block that they had indicated.  Not too bad.
    
    
     
11. Since the TV had arrived, Christy and I got Kinky again and put the parts together.  Once we had it hooked up to the wifi it downloaded updates for an hour.  Setting it up was a lot like setting up a a new computer.  It works great!   I can do everything I do online on the television.  lol  Cumbersome though.  It needs a wireless mouse and keyboard. hahaha...I think I'll stick with the laptop.  It is quicker and easier.  
12. New television set or not, I don't think I'll be watching it more than before.  I will probably subscribe to Rdio and use it to listen to music. If you haven't tried Rdio you should give it a go.  I might watch Youtube vids and Ted Talks too.
13. I have to confess, one sunny day I exposed myself in a crowded public place.
14. Most the rooms in the house are virtually empty.
    
    
    
     
    
    
     
    
    
     
    
    
      
    The only rooms with significant furnishing are the living room and one bedroom.   
15. Pickled asparagus, pickle okra, and pickled green beans are tasty treats at my house.
16. This is my all time favorite song.
    
    

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I worry
I worry that I worry
I worry that I worry that I worry
I worry that I worry that I worry that I worry
I worry that I worry that I worry that I worry that I worry
I worry that I worry that I worry that I worry that I worry that I worry
I worry that I worry that I worry that I worry that I worry that I worry that I worry
I worry that I worry that I worry that I worry that I worry that I worry that I worry that I worry
I worry that I worry that I worry that I worry that I worry that I worry that I worry that I worry that I worry
I worry that I worry that I worry that I worry that I worry that I worry that I worry that I worry that I worry that I worry
I worry that I worry that I worry that I worry that I worry that I worry that I worry that I worry that I worry that I worry that I worry
I worry that I worry that I worry that I worry that I worry that I worry that I worry that I worry that I worry that I worry that I worry that I worry
 
hmmm
 

I've done things like this so many times it is difficult to come up with ones that you haven't read before.
I got this idea from Adamswomanback when she posted her list. You should stop by and read her's too.
  
Here is my list.

1. There is a voodoo doll and a chicken's foot laying on the table about three feet from where I'm typing this.
2. Along with the voodoo doll there is a small Buddha, some crystals, and a gnome.
3. I can't leave out the crucifix and small picture of Jesus.
4. Crazy thing happened yesterday.  I returned an old broken TV to Best Buy.  It had an extended warranty.  I got a mo' better TV and an $832 store credit.  Sometimes God/the universe/whatever suits your beliefs gives out presents.  It was one of those days.  Thanks so much!!!  
5. With the credit I picked up a couple of items I wanted to have for RV living: an iPad mini for reading books, email, and social networking
   
   
   
   and the black GoPro Hero 3 for action videos.
   
   
   
   They advertise it as the world's most versatile camera.  We'll see. 
6. In my last blog I mentioned attending my final graduation as a professor.  
   
   
   
   With mixed emotions I marched into the graduation exercise.  When all was said and the students had paraded across the stage to receive their degrees, we marched out.   I passed my regalia on to a new instructor so she wouldn't have to continue to rent an outfit each year.  I left work for the day.  I didn't think about it much after that until Zeal4living asked how I felt about it.  His question caused a stream of thoughts.  At some point along that stream it came to me that giving away my regalia was subconsciously a symbolic act which represented the 'letting go' of this role I've played for 30 years.   It was an act of release.  I let go of 'professorness'.  As a result, I feel a renewed freedom and excitement about the new adventures that lie ahead.
7. I've started a new project:  A second of video a day for 365 days.  Now this second needs to represent my day.  It could be the most important event of the day, a routine thing from my life, the most exciting event, fun event, distressing event, just something beautiful, or...you get the idea.  I hope I don't miss a day.  I might though.  I'm using the Super 8 app on my iPhone to record the short videos.  I'm using Windows Live Movie Maker for the editing.
      
   Not that I will win an Oscar or even want to win one:  $1.99 iPhone app helps filmmaker win Oscar.

I'm going to break this up into two blogs.  This is getting way too long. Maybe I won't be so talkative in part two. 

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