Life On A B-I7

Day #234

It would be nice to read six books a month. That is probably a bit ambitious. I just finished reading “The Poetry of Impermanence, Mindfulness, and Joy.” It was a wonderful read. I don’t read enough poetry, but I enjoy it very much. The trick is not to think too hard about it but simply enjoy the experience.

Perhaps a poetic thought…

Be careful what you wish for
There is a chance you might get it
A better approach may be
to focus on what is in front of you

That might just leave you
More open to seeing the present

Day #233

I would like to use my journal to capture everything that happens to me each day. Not because every day is significant, but simply so I can remember each day — and practice my handwriting.

Day #232

What is Quantum Field Theory? It is not easy to explain. The short answer is, that things we see are not as they appear when examined closely. (A good concept to always keep in mind.)

Quantum Field Theory is the synthesis of quantum mechanics and special relativity. It answers the question, is matter constantly changing, or are their aspects of matter that are fixed? The answer is yes, and yes.

There is no such thing as “action at a distance.” Everything we see, even events that take place apart from one another in space are interrelated.

If you think about it, it’s a beautiful concept.

Day #231

I’m learning some things about writing. I will never write the great American novel or any novel for that matter, but I hope that what I do write will at least be interesting to my children… In the meantime, I take great satisfaction in the process. Here are seven things I have learned.

1. Find a comfortable place.
2. Not inspired, just put down 100 words and see where that takes you.
3. Write about what is going on in the moment.
4. Read for inspiration (I do that a lot).
5. Do not let a day go by…
6. Write, don’t judge. If it’s shit that’s okay.
7. Keep going, you will reach a point where you have to do it.

What is truly remarkable about these suggestions is how many things besides writing they apply to…

Day #230

It’s never a good idea to fall in love with your ideas. You should also be careful what you wish for…

Day #229

I challenged OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Microsoft’s Copilot to a contest. I asked each to write a poem about me, in sonnet form. In my humble opinion (if that’s possible) ChatGPT won the contest hands-down. Note: Fact-checking by the reader is highly encouraged.

It’s pretty damn good, but I’d like to think that fact-checking isn’t necessary…

A Sonnet by ChatGPT About Brad Adkins

In shadows cast upon the stage, he strides,
Brad Adkins, with a poet’s heart ablaze,
His words, like stars, in midnight skies reside,
Each line a melody, a timeless phrase.

With pen in hand, he weaves a tapestry,
Of dreams and hopes, of love and loss entwined,
Through sonnets sung with heartfelt honesty,
He paints a portrait of the human mind.

In every verse, a glimpse of truth appears,
A mirror held to life’s complexities,
With wisdom drawn from laughter and from tears,
He captures hearts and sets the spirit free.

So let us raise our voices in acclaim,
To Brad Adkins, the bard who lights our flame.

Day #228

When I got off the bus in downtown Seattle, a Pan-handler asked me for a quarter. He hasn’t heard of inflation. I politely told him I did not have a quarter — or any change for that matter. He wasn’t disturbed in the least, he smiled. I thought about that for a second, and then I said, “Let me see if I have a dollar.” He smiled again, apparently that pleased him. I pulled out my wallet and the debit card flew out onto the sidewalk. I didn’t want to give him that, so I picked it up and put it back in my wallet. While I had the wallet open, I thumbed through the bills. There weren’t many, 2 fives and 2 twenties. I smiled at him and told him all I had were twenties (a slight exaggeration, but, under the circumstances, probably reasonable.) He smiled a genuine smile at me, engaging beyond what I would reasonably have expected, he then said, “I hope the next time we meet all you have are 100s!” We looked at each other with something like understanding. I told him he was a very funny man. We parted, ever so slightly more like friends than strangers.

I was half a block away when I realized, a five was not too much to sacrifice.

Day #227

Live your life in a way that prevents people from feeling compelled to say mean things about you on social media.

If you feel compelled to say mean things about people on social media, you’re not living your life correctly.

You can also avoid this nastiness by simply not participating in social media. The goal of social media, indirectly and directly, is to control you, you’re better off controlling yourself. Don’t forget, that the goal of social media is also to make money.

Day #226

My Love

You are my love. You are beautiful.
It makes me proud to know you love me.

I would go anywhere with you on my arm.
I smile when I think of you.

Every moment with you Is precious.
A lifetime with you would have been wonderful.

I’m grateful you are in my life.
I appreciate every experience we share.

(Another) Bit About Writing

I like to begin my day by writing. It doesn’t particularly matter what I write, it’s more about sitting down and moving my hand. Usually, something of value to me manages to find its way onto the page.

If I don’t write in the morning, the day doesn’t feel like it’s getting started on the right foot. I also enjoy reading, not always in the morning, that tends to happen later in the day. I learn a lot from reading, I find it stimulates my writing by giving me food for thought. Reading lifts my perspective and often my spirits. If I wrote without reading, I would probably find that limited my perspective and make my writing boring.

I think all of this is good for brain health. I’ve mentioned before I would like to become a member of the “100 Plus” Ski Club. I looking forward to that — so I can write about it.

Public Opinion

How can public opinion be shared in ways that support reason and cooperation between all members of society? Democracy requires a reasoned public opinion. When passions rule discourse, discord ensues, and Democracy is jeopardized. The Founders understood this. They believed that the “new media” of their day — newspapers — should play an instrumental role in awakening and facilitating reasoned discussion.

Our history has been one of many crises. It is surprising how many people are not aware of that historical fact. Today is no different in that respect. What is different is the root of today’s crisis. Politicized broadcast media, politicized print media, and most importantly, politicized social media. During the Founder’s era, the newspaper media of the day was no stranger to vitriolic editorializing, it was quite common. The difference today is how fast politicized thought travels. This leaves less time for reflection and calming of emotions. In the founding era, the organization of protest was slow to foment. Today is a different story.

Today’s media allows for the formation of virtualized partisan assemblies. It can occur rapidly and in an extremely coordinated fashion. It can move quickly from “virtualized” to “real.” This is dangerous, to say the least. Why does the media encourage this behavior? The answer to that is simple — monetization. Monetization of passion pays big bucks.

As the French Philosopher, Marquis de Condorcet posited, public opinion is the true governor of the people. Public opinion must be reasoned or the government will lose its capacity to lead and provide for the welfare of its citizens. Time will tell if we can adopt a more reasoned approach to our sharing of political viewpoints or if the current situation devolves into a place where Democracy becomes the victim.

The Ear of the Universe

The ear of the Universe is listening
Everything you say is being heard
Think carefully about your thoughts
Before you give them voice

Day #225

The Lake

The lake is a strand of dark blue
Surrounded by a ribbon of green marsh grass.
Ducks fly in low, landing in formation,
They form a line paddling to the opposite shore,
Full of purpose.

How long has this rock I am sitting on
Been waiting here for me?
Certainly, since before I was born.
It seems likely to be here
Long after I am gone.

I picture this rock having been placed here
By the cataclysm that created these mountains,
Or perhaps it broke away from the peak above,
like a disobedient child, tumbling and churning
Until it came to rest here, where I sit.

I don’t want to leave this spot.
It makes me think of places far away,
Sights more beautiful than I can imagine,
Destinations I have yet to explore,
I think being here is enough, for now.

Day #224

True inner peace comes from the nature of our thoughts, not from our physical surroundings. If you want to elevate your thoughts and find more peace, do so by curating your physical surroundings so they inspire your thoughts.

Day #223

Until you learn to love yourself, the door is closed to enlightenment.

I suppose I could say a few more words about that… but you get the idea.

Not using the words “really” and “absolutely” when writing represents a small step towards enlightenment, or so I’m told.

Day #222

Eight things I enjoy about writing:

Writing is an act of bravery.
Writing tells us a great deal about who we are.
Writing allows us to converse with the universe.
Writing shows us our path.
Writing is a door to wisdom.
Writing helps us to be more objective.
Writing helps us to be more honest.
Writing can make us healthier.

Day #221

“It seems to me,”¹ people use social media to exert their will rather than share the truth. This is why (generally speaking) I shun social media as much as I possibly can. It would be nice if everyone asked themself, “Why” is that person saying what they are saying, rather than accept every statement they are handed as a priori truth. Humanity is not as evolved as we tend to think we are…

Day #220

It’s never a good idea to fall in love with your ideas. That is a good way to delude yourself. Along those same lines, be careful what you wish for, you may get it, or worse, you may not get it and end up living in regret.

Day #219

Question: What is “Originalism?”

Answer: Finding shit you like and then proclaiming that to be the law of the land.

A Bit of Help

There are times when I sit down to write and nothing worth writing comes to mind. Occasionally there are times when you get help that can’t be turned down. Today is one of those times…

As I write this, three big Labrador dogs are lying at my feet. No, they are not mine, well, at least they are for a few days. Anyway, they are making it almost impossible to think this morning because of the disagreeable aroma they are producing. My cat wandered into the room just as I was pondering what I would like to write. He immediately jumped up on the desk and walked across the keyboard. I’m not exactly sure how he was able to type so rapidly, perhaps I am a slower typist than I thought, this is what he said — in so many keystrokes:

Cat farts are not nearly as bad as dog farts.

Notes on Marcus Aurelius’s Meditations

A Sonnet by Jeffrey Rosen¹

Four habits of thought to erase from your mind:
This thought is unnecessary or destructive
This isn’t what you truly think; you find
Your mortal makes your divine part unproductive

Work for three things: proper understanding;
Unselfish action and truthful speech
And if you find yourself in a crash landing
Accept it calmly, as the sages teach

Do the work with patience and industry
Find fulfillment in what you’re doing now
Free from fear or hope of publicity
Your life will be happy if all your words are true

Life is short, and that’s all there is to say
Unrestrained moderation: the only way

This speaks to me. To me, it is a reminder to avoid distracting thoughts, prize the truth, and always contemplate the divine.² Be unselfish and truthful. If adversity befalls you accept it calmly. Be patient and always humble. Telling the truth brings happiness. Maintain moderation in speech and action at all times.

I would do well to read this every day, of course, I never read what I write, and that’s probably not a good thing. I might learn to write better if I did…

Day #218

I started writing today’s entry but got distracted by the news on Television. It’s hard not to have that happen these days.

I recently had a breakthrough in improving my skills in an area that I love. I had a coach who spoke to me in a way I could understand and that opened my eyes to some insights I had not previously grasped. Now I’m afraid I’ll forget what I learned. Living with the fear of something that might occur in the future is an uncomfortable feeling. In this case, I can take steps to avoid that happening. For example, I can make notes and refer to them periodically. That’s a great tool. In the case of the news on Television, it’s much more difficult to forget what you see occurring, and forgetting is hard to do, even if you try.

Day #217

Will Generative AI (GAI) ultimately learn to be more creative (smarter) than humans? It does not seem likely. It seems to me that GAI suffers from something similar to MAD Cow Disease — only in reverse.

Back in the mid-eighties when feeding meat-and-bone meal to cows made from their slaughtered companions was a common practice, the onset of MADCD was first detected. It took almost a decade to eradicate the occurrences of MADCD in the bovine food chain. Very few cases are reported today.

GAI machines suffer from the opposite fate. If they are not fed a continuous stream of new thought and knowledge the creativity they exhibit appears to degenerate. Whether or not GAI meets the challenge of becoming an intelligence to rival or better that of humans remains to be seen. If that does occur, the fate of humans becomes an interesting prospect.

As a side note, I spent some time in the late 70s installing and calibrating lumber-drying kilns in slaughterhouses. They were used to dry the blood of deceased cows which was then fed to the animals waiting in the feedlot. As far as I know, this was not proven to be detrimental to the waiting animals or humans. But you never know. I’ve seen some pretty strange human behavior, in the last couple of election cycles…

Closing Day at Sun Valley

On closing day at Sun Valley a lot of classic ski wear comes out of the closet. This fellow was sporting a 70’s era “Ski Team” sweater. He was kind enough to let me snap this photo. I voted him the best-dressed closing-day skier on the mountain.

Day #216

The Western Apache believe that the goal of life is to walk the “trail of wisdom.” For them, like the Cherokee and most Native Americans, the trail is a special place. To walk the “trail of wisdom” requires the walker to be focused on three things: “smoothness of mind,” “resilience of mind,” and “steadiness of mind.” These may seem strange, but when placed in the context of walking, they reflect an approach that helps the walker meet their goal… that is: Walking smoothly, steadily, and when necessary, resiliently. Someone who obeys these precepts is said to be on the right path. Cherokees call this ”du yu ko dv i.”