They may say there is ‘no such thing’, and I agree to a certain extent. There is no such thing as a unified sum perfection. There is no perfect level for music, but there is one for yourself, the particular song, at a certain time, at a particular place, in a certain mood. Perfection does exist, but only at the realm of each isolated thing. And in an extreme case, perhaps if each isolated thing were to reach perfection, that would be the unifier that would result in being universally perfect.
At each isolated object (a piece of art, your own principles, etc), perfection is what is not too much, and not too little. It’s what is just right. And it’s as simple as that. It can be applied to every facet of our lives, the way we behave. Even the kind of questions we ask. There are people that ask too many questions, such as myself. And those that ask too little. That certain sweet spot is what we all subconsciously, and for some lucky who are conscious, try to attain. It is exploring both the widest vision applicable, and going to the smallest of details. Both should be given just as much time, even if the smallest issue seems trivial, time or energy consuming, etc. Anything worth doing is worth doing right. It’s easy to see the big picture, but for those that have the critic inside them, if the details test fails, the whole object is ruined. But if just right, you’ve won over the likes of all.
Perfection is synonymous with greatness. If you can’t find inspiration or a point of reference within, look out. Scores of things to find what’s closest to what feels just right to you. And if that thing is close to what feels right, complete the missing puzzle to make it just . Be consistant and verify that consistancy. The patterns that will emerge as a result of this will be what we know of as, simply from heaven. And when it is true, and you feel it that it is, and that it has been verified again and again, others will feel it too. And like a garden, you’ll blossom and bloom.
ScrewBookPrices.com, a book exchange focused for college students which turned into Pazap, has been more of a learning experience than ever. Some notible learning lessons that will not be repeated again are as follows.
The name: ScrewBookPrices.com
Awesome funny domain name for students, but not for teachers. Professors hated the word “screw”, and thus it was hard for them to tell their students.
Work smarter, not harder.
I traveled up and down California passing own flyers with my little two legs. And that takes a toll on you after a while.
There was not enough instructions on what to do to make this on campus book exchange work. Perhaps the vision wasn’t conveyed and emphasized enough when we starting out.
Sure there were pictures on the site, but no actual content on what to do. Not only should there have been more specific instructions on how to spread the word. And there should’ve been some fun consequence for not spreading, perhaps something like…
If you don’t spread the word, here are some coupons to *blah* fast food joint, because you and your friends won’t have a lot of money left to eat after book prices.
Name change to Pazap
Don’t be seduced with a nice short domain. People don’t know how to spell Pazap. People didn’t care that it was an onomatopoeia for laser, and that laser is fast, focused, and accurate - what an ideal book exchange should be. That was just too much for people to swallow.
The edgiest technology doesn’t win
As Seth gordin would say, the winner is the one that spreads the best. It’s equivalent to musicians - the best singer in the world isn’t the most popular. Just because students could buy and sell with their cell phones, they didn’t call the number. We had an awesome campaign with flyers posted everywhere with “Cell Your Books!”. I gave my heart out to students and felt like the Malcolm x for book prices. Students responded positively after those classroom speeches. But barely anyone dialed in.
What’s more important would’ve been support from club organizations like the AS Gov, but the problem there was that 1. there were too many other book exchanges they’ve seen that didn’t work, and 2. The bookstore was politally feeding them money. Ultimately, we should’ve focused more on SEO optimized pages because there was:
Too much Ajax
It was the big thing a couple years back. Little snippets of the page dynamically changing before your eyes without the need to refresh. But search engines can’t crawl through partials of ajax (yet). Pazap pretty much banked on the promises of Ajax, thus it was LOADED WITH IT! Tisk tisk.. not only was I wrong, but google and yahoo has a hard time going through the site and actually grabbing any of the buyer and sellers content and books available.
Too much time spent on design.
And the compatability issues with multiple browsers, and new versions of them, and new ones like Chrome, and now the compatability for different versions of cell phones! Uuugh! It sounds all too duh, but the more sophisticated the design, the harder it is to make. And in the end, too much design takes away from what really matters most - your content! What does craigslist teach us? It’s all about the data! And for craigslist, they can even get away with their user authentication system not working! Just amazing.
Not Enough Community.
The web is all about community, and there was no sense of it with Pazap. There were no comments, rating scores, or ways to really feel connected with other users. And in a Web 2.0 world if this isn’t present, it’s history.
Just focused on books
We’d be super busy the first 2 weeks of the term, but after that, I’m paying for servers that nobody uses. Pazap should’ve broadened the category list to things beyond books.
So now what do I do? Move on because I have too many other awesome ideas to try out, or from these lessons, try one more time with a new name. Something like..CollegeUsed.com perhaps. Something I learned from my father was to learn from mistakes and complete a project before continuing to the next. Otherwise, if you move on, you’ll just repeat your mistakes in a bigger way.
The biggest most important lesson though, was learning about myself and coding. Because here lies unbounded possibilties for what’s to come.
The hardest thing about being an entrepreneur.
Money
It’s tough if you have mortage payments. That’s why a lot of these startups rely on moving back home, the classic garage startup. This is where those good relationships with your parents kick in. Usually explaining and showing what you’re up to will yield understanding. If not, see where you can compromise and pitch your idea again.
Creativity
We’re stumped with ideas sometimes. But if you’re living, there’s probably something that’s bothering you. do you have a solution? The opposite spectrum also holds true - is there something you absolutely life for? That thing that makes life so enjoyable, that you’d like to help contribute to it’s growth. Wither it be a problem or a solution, here’s the one question you ask yourself: how can you help the world?
Plan
They keep on telling you to do a business plan. You hear stories of business plans being written on just a napkin. There’s always exceptions to the rule, but in a fiercely competitive world, and with life’s many obstacles, it’s best to minimize the risk of failure, and the plan sets your path and principles. It also leads to the next thing. Otherwise you’re just a left floating in the air..
Discipline
actually, no, planning is the fun part compared to this. It’s sticking to the plan that’s tough. Otherwise, you just wasted your precious time making that business plan. Discipline is a big part in where you walk your talk.
Motivational Durability.
How do you know your idea is just the flavor of the week? Yes, it’s good to be agile, but too much of it will leave you limb. You’ve got to be strong and continue on your path. Your motivation and consistency is essential
Trust.
The timeline of your venture and trust go hand in hand. Time can be cut if you have people helping you out, but would you bet your life on those that are in on it with you?
The people around you.
This is probably the hardest thing above the rest, nothin like a bunch of people that impose their negativity on you. Sure they could be doing it to look out for you but the biggest flaw lies in them judging - judging you can’t do it. They may not realize you know something they don’t. It’s best to not speak and just do.. and when they do doubt, as long as you don’t give up, enjoy it while it lasts. eventually, the tides turn. The opposite holds true for positive people. Have people around you that support and cheer for your success, and it’s a source of entrepreneurial energy that creates synergy and helps you accelerate further. I believe the greatest source of support comes from your parents. Win their support, and say goodbye to doubt in yourself - there’s no looking back…
Wrap all the above up in a bundle called time, stay focused, and enjoy the ride of a lifetime. Offer to many others a solution to a problem and in a way you’ve helped their dream come true. In return they’ll make your dreams come true.
Ξ November 3rd, 2008 | → 0 Comments | ∇ rant |
The energy in this note is an example of passion as received in my facebook inbox today from a long time friend Nancy…
To my dearest family, friends, long lost friends, and everyone with whom I’ve had the honor of crossing paths…
I know all of you have heard both sides of the argument in regards to prop 8, but I wanted to give you a personal spin on the issue. I have been in a 2 ½ year relationship with someone who I love deeply and passionately. She has been the backbone of my drive, sanity, and health at times. Leslie has challenged me to be better at everything I do, and provided me with the love, support, and affection that foster such an environment. She has forced me to stay focused on my dreams, learn the virtue of patience, and control my temperament. She has taught me to fight for what I believe in but see both sides of a story before taking a stand, and opened my eyes to many different perspectives I was blinded to see before. I have loved this woman through many good times… and bad times too, but nevertheless…. I have never stopped loving her. I’m not sure what the future holds for me… for us… but I do know if I have someone who provides me with the love Leslie has, when the time is right, I will want to make the promise to be in a committed, unconditionally loving , and devoted union… AND be fully recognized and protected in the eyes of the law. I want to build a family and teach my children the virtue of patience, understanding, respecting difference, tolerance, forgiveness, compassion, empathy, how to “love thy neighbor”, “do unto others as you would have them do unto you”, and other important values pulled from different religious faiths. I cannot change who I am, and like anyone, I do not choose who I fall in love with… what I am really trying to say is that I would like my future family to be protected under the exact same laws that heterosexual couples benefit from. Crazy thing is that my life (and the life of millions of other Californians) is in your hands…
As you all know, same-sex couples were given the right to marry in May by the state of California. Shortly thereafter, some people petitioned the court’s decision, which granted way for a proposition to overturn the court’s decision that will appear on the November 4th ballot – Proposition 8. What Prop 8 proposes is a constitutional amendment to discriminate against same-sex couples and families. TO BE CLEAR, VOTING YES ON PROP 8 WOULD MEAN THAT YOU DO NOT BELIEVE COMMITTED SAME-SEX COUPLES AND FAMILIES SHOULD HAVE THE SAME RIGHTS AS A COUPLE OF THE OPPOSITE SEX. PROP 8 HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH CHILDREN, SCHOOLS TEACHING MARRIAGE, OR CHURCH TAX-EXEMPTIONS. VOTING NO ON PROP 8 MEANS YOU SUPPORT SAME-SEX COUPLES HAVING THE EXACT SAME RESPECT AND RIGHTS AS STRAIGHT COUPLES WOULD HAVE IF THEY DECIDED TO MARRY. OF COURSE, I AM VOTING NO ON 8.
If same-sex marriages stay valid (versus civil unions), same-sex married couples would be able to file joint tax returns, claim an exemption from property reassessment upon the death of a partner, and travel across state lines without jeopardizing their marriage rights… amongst other privileges people receive as married couples. The definition of marriage has changed throughout the centuries. If changes were not made throughout history, we would still have 30 year old men marrying 10 year old girls. We would not be allowed to marry outside of our own race. In other countries, marriage is a business arrangement, or a ceremony tied to a religious faith. In this country, marriage is tied to love, trust, mutual respect, understanding, commitment, and devotion. I understand that some religious groups condemn same-sex marriages, but does that mean that my future family and I do not deserve to be respected and protected like other California citizens?
I do not care if you are Republican, Democrat, Libertarian, Green, Independent, Apathetic… whatever! No matter how you are voting, I do ask that you do your research from various sources before making your decisions. Voting is a privilege that some people are still fighting to the death to have, so PLEASE vote responsibly. Don’t listen to commercials, and do the research yourself on the voter’s guide and a variety of trusted sources (besides your friends and family)! Look at which organizations support what and who, and usually, this small trick will give you a better idea of where you may stand in line with the issues. Anyway, I’m sure you all know this, but please encourage everyone to be an informed voter! If you have any questions about prop 8 or the election, please feel free to contact me.
Lastly, here’s a quick update on my life. I am working (as the sommelier/consultant) with my dear friend Kristin Traylor and her wonderful boyfriend Matt Earhart in opening a Champagne and Dessert Bar in Old Town Pasadena, which is slated to open in early December! There are also talks of me potentially opening a wine bar, and yes, these talks are true. I do not foresee a bar opening until sometime in 2010, especially with the state of our country right now, but please stick around for more updates! Meanwhile, I will be keeping my eyes on the prize.
THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO READ THIS. Hopefully, you will be celebrating a good election year with me in less than two days! I know I will not be able to sleep until then. Please feel free to pass this note onto anyone who will be voting in CA on Tuesday! Oh, and if you have the time, please write me back and let me know what you are up to these days!
Much love and respect,
nancyd
OUR STRAIGHT ALLIES ARE GOING TO BE THE KEY VOTE ON THIS ISSUE. WE NEED THE MAJORITY TO STAND STRONG FOR THE MINORITY. PLEASE VOTE NO ON 8 AND ENCOURAGE EVERYONE YOU KNOW TO DO THE SAME.
This HSSV (Humane Society of Silicon Valley) is rare in that it never puts an animal down. It gets all of them adopted. It does so by accepting no government money, which comes with strings about getting rid of animals.
They have a lot of animals now due to unemployment.
I have friends who work at the fine Humane Society of Silicon Valley.
They care about and save many fine animals constantly.
Kathy Griffin and Steve Wozniak served as King and Queen of their Fur Ball last year.
If you click to vote they get a buck. This money goes a long way.
Humane Society of Silicon Valley in Santa Clara, California.
Let’s stuff the ballot box for Humane Society Silicon Valley!
Looks like only one vote per
email address, so pass to your friends:
http://www.care2.com/animalsheltercontest/71541
Here’s my process in making important, life changing decisions. It requires a strong sense of imagination, and the ability to live in that imagination so much as to make it literally real.
For each option or path you have, most people would imagine what would happen if they go down that path, and whichever yields closer to that ultimate goal, is the decision to make. Ok, sounds simple, but in practice, quite difficult. Sometimes when the outcome actually happens, it’s possesses other elements not imagined. You feel different about the situation, which would then make you question your original choice when you took that particular path.
The reason it’s difficult is perhaps we have not pushed this concept of ‘imagining’ far enough. What I’m suggesting is not only to simply imagine the consequences of each option, but to fully embrace each path - to sincerely live it, smell it, breath it, and make it real. One must imagine it to it’s entirely, not just half way, and then look at the ultimate goal from that angle. There are risk/reward ratios associated to every option, and how near or far a goal becomes depending on our decisions.
The kicker is then, while imagining yourself emersed while at the end of each extreme case senario, to then ask:
‘ok, what was the learning lesson here?’
It is the answer from this question here, that will assure the real choice to make from the original list of options.
I found this picture on http://www.dylancolestudio.com and it’s easy to be in awe. But I’m thinking about why we are so impressed. Perhaps it’s because all the pieces required to create such a thing - the engineering, design, capital, how many workers it may have took, etc, all combined put us in an impressed state of mind.
But seen another way, with consideration of nature and mother earth, it does in fact looks quite vile. I wonder what other species of animals think when they see such sites that humans have made. So then I believe when we are in awe, it’s not so much about the splendor and how beautiful it connects with earth - but rather, the capacity of humans.
Perhaps the reason why I write this has something to do with all this financial downturn. Though I’ve always had this idea when I look at cities as a plane starts to land, or going through San Francisco. Events such as these make us all re-evaluate everything.
It’s been millions of years since our human mind have existed. If we are to build and design, we must have a sense of connection, harmony, and beauty with the world we live. Unfortunately, this is an impossibility when attached to every building is a valuation. Is it possible to evolve to make this a more beautiful place? This here feels like anarchy against nature and it’s just so disgusting. Perhaps if we had a monetary system that was more pure, our world would be the same.
So I’m trying to take advantage of the special offer over at: http://mcguireslaw.com/2008/07/16/psst-have-you-heard-about-everything-plus/
This has been the WORST experience in getting a new phone I’ve ever had. Being a sprint member for 3 years now seems to have made no difference. I had placed an order on Sept 22nd. Because of mis information, they asked me to re-order again.
All the while, Metro PCS’s number we’re about to port through has only a couple days to capture the number. We re-order, but now they flag this order as possible fraud because I had used the same SSN as I was supposed to on the previous order. They tell me the fraud department will review it and will take up to 4-6 hours. I call back 6 hours, and they tell me to call back in additional 6 more hours. I am then on the phone for half a day from all the wait they put me through just to get this fraud cleared.
They end up not calling me back all weekend. On monday, I am on the phone with them all day to get the matter cleared and to have the number ported through. They tell me everything looks good and that I should expect my phone Oct 1st (today).
So I wonder when my phone is coming, I call in for a tracking number. Turns out they’ve yet again, canceled my account. When I ask why, they tell me they cannot tell me….
You can imagine the stress I’m going through, the embarrassment of the recipient I’m buying this for, the stress from the recipient as we try to keep that Metro PCS phone number alive to port through, the back and forth of funds in my account, and all the time on the phone, countless representatives wasted just to order this online.
They are now telling me I have to come into a branch and order it. And as you know, it would be impossible then to take advantage of the Everything Plus plan if I did that.
So I contact Russ, the owner of the special sprint offer above, and he refers me to Sharon. She takes care of everything, and it turns out to be a pleasent ending. Nevertheless, getting a phone online shouldn’t have been this hard : T
Ok, I don’t have much time. This is my 3rd site and I’ll need to pump this ASAP. I’ll need to first write out a process to keep me disciplined and up to SPEED! Thought I’d share it with anyone who’s actually reading.
Prerequisite:
- You’re comfortable with your programming language.
- Sign off on emails, social networks, close all windows, hide or silence cell phone.
- Written goals for month.
- Written to do list.
- No more new learning. New learning disrupts your speed and flow, and the marginal efficiency that may be gain incorporating this new thing will not be worth it if YOU ALREADY HAVE EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO CRANK YOUR STUFF OUT. Learn only what you need.
- You know when you’re coding timezone is (for most I’m guessing late night)
Recommended: Music that makes you in most concentrated and driven state. If you’re a chill kind of person, try something with a high BPM (beats per minute) like speed metal or jungle. If you’re a hyper one, calm stuff like Cliff Martinez Solaris or Yanni.
Optional: Coffee.
Here we go
1. Review to do list.
2. Start your favorite working music, this helps get energy flowin.
3. Spray fragrance into it’s cap, take a swiff. This helps disrupt any procracination bugs you may have inside. Now walk toward your computer with your IDE ready to rock.
4. Start coding, don’t think about anything and just do it!
5. On first errors, turn music down. Once fixed, turn music back up.
6. On second errors, turn music off. Once fixed, turn music slightly up or off.
7. On 3rd error, log what’s wrong, add to your to do list and take a break.
8. Or if you start to get tired:
9. Do your thing * and daydream about your last problem.
10. Repeat
* Doing your thing. For me, it’s playing street fighter 2 on my PS2, or I’ll excersise, or do errands. You get the point, just get away from your code and think about it.
Good content will speak for itself.
NEVER ask visitors to stumble / give thumbs up.
Don’t worry, people know.
Or else:
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