Just Three Things Follow-up/ Secondary Matters

As for my last post, I am still with it.
It has been easier to wake up. I just put on a light timer for the morning.
I have had sugar. It has really been affecting me. But I can get better with that one.
Follow-through.

We'll keep going with those.

Now, the question becomes, what are the secondary things I can do to improve my life?
I know the primary, but there is so much long-term or supporting things to be done.
Secondary
1. Challenge yourself.
2. Go back to the list.
3. Clean it out.

Okay, I don't have many ideas for secondary things; these are more like habits.
Here are more.

Tertiary
1. Throw/Donate things.
2. Make Lists.
3. Clean.

Just Three Things

There are three things that, if can be done right, help most everything else to fall into place.

1. Wake up early.
2. No sugar.
3. Follow-through.

Okay, I have been trying one for a while.
Two can be easy when I get that off the ground.
Three is the most ambiguous.

I should try this and report in very soon.

Promises I Make To Myself

Promises I Make To Myself

I will get a reasonable amount of sleep by going to be earlier.
I will go to bed with a clean kitchen.
I will go to bed with a clean desk.
I will go to bed with a prepped backpack and clothes.
I will floss everyday.

If You Can Face It...

There is a great quote that goes something like this...

"If you can face it, G*d can fix it."

I don't think much is every as bad as people think if they can prepare themselves and trust themselves. So much of our pain is self-inflicted.

If we can just think of what is actually important and plan for that then we our setting ourselves up right. What needs to be done is to see what that next step is.

There was a great article I read that talk about what good executives do.

They are in-control when things seem out-of-control. 
They finish what they start.
They always look for the new when buried in the same.
They look to improve their weakness rather than always showing off strength.
They show enthusiasm when somebody should be apathetic. 

So lets plan this out.

Just stay calm and carry on (as they say).
Make less, but finish. So I will only have one book at a time and fewer things going.
I need to think about what new things I want to adventure into...new news sites, new journals to read, new books, new what?
Let's put my weakness up front so they get exercised.
More enthusiasm means just plain more.

So here is what I think I will do.
I will expand the news sites I will visit but not nessecarily read more. Reading the news many news stories is a waste of time. I will spend free time and other time with long form notes or note cards.
Read one book at a time and done carefully.
I will write out the things I think can be done. I have a list of what I think is important and a longer list of things of things that are less so.
A big weakness is execution. I believe I have the time, I just need to face the lists turn them into something important and useful. Make things practical.
Stay in motion.

Today Like No Other

It usually takes big events to change somebody. I've been through a few and I think they have changed me by push. Today is another, by hopefully it will be by pull.

Let's make the best out of my life today. Let's start down this long road today.

I think it is time I start looking towards long term goals for things that deserve looking at. I am not sure of the method, just start and learn how.

The Good and Why That's Bad

In trying to understand myself, it would be favorable to look at some of my least desirable or objectionable traits or habits as it stems from a past event or time. Although conversely I should look at how bad times and good times have affected me today. Good times may have affected me positively or negatively.
I look back at middle school only with fondness. It was a time of high achievement in my life and the last time that happened.
I use to procrastinated in middle school where I stayed up late finishing work. It was great because it always worked out. That is not the case now and I need to acknowledge it and work on immediate task completion and incremental studying.
I have always found comfort and distraction in TV and movies. I think that it will actually lead to greater understanding of myself or some inspiration yet it never does. I watch the same things over and over again. There might be some comfort in repetition and some hypnosis in the familiar.
So the question is how have the good times and the bad times affected me.
The bad times, like college, have made me fear the pain. I don't open emails or test for fear of seeing the grade.
The good times have made me open to procrastination. They play on each other.
When I think about who I want to be it is a person who is deliberate, well-planned, focused person the bad times deters me from believing something is possible or pain-less and the good times makes me think it is okay to procrastinate and their is happiness or value in that.

Face The Pain

Confronting pain is difficult. I would say right now it is my biggest obstacle. It is the reason I don't strive like I use to and it is the reason I put off things. I don't look at papers or tests to avoid the pain of seeing my grades. I don't shoot high or dream big anymore. I put off important tasks because I know down the road it could be difficult or feel rejecting.

This is really no way to live. Fear of what could go wrong will only ensure such things. There is a reality that you write everyday.

There might be some pain, but it can't be that bad. There is much worst and this can't be anywhere near to it.

Getting things done now is a hallmark of a productive, mature person.

Everyday, I want a few adjectives to stick in my mind: Intentional, curious, productive, and persistent.

July 17, 2010 Plan

Here is one plan for one day.

I want to be up before the sun at 5:00am.
I will make my own coffee.
I will read for an hour.
I will practice my Spanish in a manner that will help to learn the material,
not just to make it look like I did work.
I will clean for only 30 minutes but will do it efficiently.
I will post on my other website.
I will make a notebook page - which will consist of pertinent news.
I will listen to a new album and watch no TV.
I will prepare for tomorrow.

I will stick with this plan.

My More Detailed Plan

I wanted to think more about how I was going to approach the topic in questions.

I am studying the biochemistry of the Glycolysis. I'm going to read 100 pieces about glycolysis and write up a report of my findings. Then I can approach the textbook and understand it better.

I'm going to start calculus. One Chapter at a time, all the problems.

I'm sticking to one book at a time and right now it is The Road by Cormic McCarthy.

I believe three is a good number to for my primary concerns.

As for secondary concerns I will get my finances in order, practice spanish, get my school plans ready, read up more on cars and keep a log.

April 30, 2010

It's been five months since my last post and about a year since the one before that one. It is time to recap and look ahead.

It is nice to keep a record of my thoughts. I am looking back on my thoughts and plans with retrospection.

First, and most importantly, I have been accepted to graduate school. That was the main objective. Studying for it will be the difficult part.

I am taking Spanish lessons and they are going well.

I have not had Coke for the past four months. I am going to cut out most sugar.

I am still without an overarching plan. I still don't know how I should study or organize my efforts.

Here is the current plan. Start with the most important subjects and do as much as I can with that. Once that is done move onto the next. This way I can finish the most important things first.

Biology

Spanish

Anatomy

Miscellaneous Topic

Then reading time can be spent on periodicals.

An entire magazine at a time on:

Biology

Economy/Finances

Art

Miscellaneous Topics

Smart Versus Dumb

Integrity is important. A person with integrity should have enough honesty to acknowlegde the obvious and be mature enough to accept it.

Thus a person should ponder every descision as a sucess or failure and view every failure as a way to learn. If the person can't admit defeat, he cannot go back stronger.

A smart person is deliberate. Everything should be planned and executed accordingly.

Thus a person should not waste time.

A smart person has goals in mind. He will have goals, taken intentory of them, and have realistic goals to achieve them.

Thus I should itemize. That probably means I should reduce the number of items.

A smart person is a person who plans.

Thus he is always writing to people and trying new things.

A smart person will also ask consequence first, action second. If I choose to fail, then I should not study. Think of the consequences first.

More to come.

061909 Short-term Deadlines

Let's take a look back at my "100 Things" for a moment.

I did #6, learn the flute. I learned it as much as I wanted to, which was to be functional and now I own one also.

Tomorrow I will be starting #4 since I am taking an automotive repair class.

I want to outline some other goals more realistically. I would like to take the GRE before the next round of admissions but that seems unrealistic. Let's say made significant progress in the next six months, December 31. That means I will have made significant progress in studying and mastering for the specific test.

I will say in three months, lets say September 1, I will have made significant progress in working towards graduate school. That can be defined as massive studying, reading literature, taking a project, and researching graduate schools.

Those are might large task to master and no easy task. More to come on the details.

060309

There are certain activities that I would like to do everyday.

Wake up early and read the paper.
Read a book on a topic (A-Z).
Read about a biotech company (ongoing topic).
Watch a Netflix.
Read articles and note them down.
Obviously study.
Clean properly at night.

Ideas for 041109

How can I make this week better than last week?

Studying with a timer has been great.

I have been able to lay of coke and switch to unsweetened iced tea. 

I should start my day earlier so I can get more done. Even breakfast is getting harder. 

I should read a book every two to three weeks. 

As I read more, I should start a checklist or log for the things I want to read.

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, 

“plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give 

you hope and a future. - Jeremiah 29:11

Here We Go Again 022009

What are the topics I want to pursue? And how?

Sciences

Anatomy - to have encyclopedic knowledge of the human body.

Math - to learn Calculus, Geometry, Algebra.

Biology - Every basic college level material

Secondary Sciences

Chemistry - General and Organic

Genetics - Basic Material

Current Events

Science - To follow current trends

News - To follow the news among different sources

Books - To be up-to-date on current thinking

Plan Of Action

2 Hours - Anatomy and Biology Everyday, two hours each

1 Hour - Alternation of Chemistry, Math or Another Subject by day.

1 Hour - Current Event such as a book.

The reading list should go:

Darwinian Reductionism

Nature's Robots 

Invisible Man

The Anatomist

The Double Helix

(Open)

The Blog Post 011909

I have done a good job at reading worthy news articles and writing about them.

I can improve by segmenting others things I want to read and then writing them up. So I should read a section on anatomy, math, and biology and then write it up.
Maybe I should make everything based around a blog entry.

Let's try that.

Following along at 011009

Routine Maintenance 

1. Clean Room (20 mins)

2. Pack up unwanted things (20mins)

3. PMs

4. Library

Routine Work

1. Read Articles

2. Read Magazines

3. Anatomy

4. Math

5. Writing

Retrospective 010309

Here is a late night/early morning post about all the things I wish I never did.
Looking back, I wasted a lot of time.

1. Watching TV. As a kid until now, it has always been the same shows. It is not new TV, or even infomercials but the same shows and even the same episodes. I could cut down just by watching TV, just cut out the stuff I have already seen. I even rent things I have seen. Let's just say, it is all a waste.

2. Exercising. Yeah, I made some time for something most people are trying to start. But unless I enjoy it, why should I do it. I should find ways to enjoy what I am doing, that is why I started biking.

3. Time on the internet. Really, I have wasted my time reading great things, but some can be a waste. I need to limit my time here, because I do really enrich myself.

4. Studying. Really, it is studying inefficiently. Bad studying leads nowhere. It has to be planned, habitual studying over time to create real gains. Just like practicing, it has push limits and be done over time.

5. Multi-tasking. Or doing more than is really good for me or what I think is right. Simplify will always be universal. Keep going on the things you are doing and keep an eye out for the next thing but don't overreach until you are ready.

6. I spend a lot of money. On stuff I don't need.

Now that I am (once-again) looking to change these bad habits, I would recognize and change a few things. I would get plenty of sleep and arrange my time around that. I would plan for a large amount and plan around. I would not make eating a very long process and would make it secondary, but still healthy. I would still waste time, but would do it in the most constructive way, reading on the internet, a healthy habit that just needs to be curbed a bit. I would reduce all other distractions and study. Of course I can say that I should do better, but how? I still don't know. But I would eliminate procrastination. I would focus more on making everything into a problem and finding many different ways to think about the same thing; powerpoint, flashcards, expository writing, and outlines. This should all be done as soon as possible and for a fixed amount of time. I think I should move on on subjects that I don't feel ready to do so. I think I should set limits and move on after they have elapsed.

So for now on, rather than starting to read something, i will set goals. I will plan out a reading schedule to complete certain tasks instead of comprehension as the goal. Let's work on the things you want to get right rather than trying to get the first perfect before moving on.

New Years Wrap-up

It has been a full year of posting and what have I accomplished. I guess nothing. I don't know what has to change other than everything but lets go through some of the good and bad.

I started playing the flute and now have a working profeciency. I now can play a trio of instruments that can help me, if I ever play again. It is now important that I quit, playing the flute.

I took a Spanish class to learn Spanish like I wanted to. That didn't help. I should continue, but the right way; the hard way.

I wanted to watch more classic movies. I should do that in the place of television.

I don't think any of my habits are any better, but they have to. I need to prioritize them.

-Science Literature
-Two science books for every one other book
-Biology
-Anatomy
-Math
-Computer Programming
-GRE
-News

Yeah again.
Other things.

-No more coke. I can do it again.
-No more mindlessness (television or xbox)
-I little dignity from now on

In Character - Forgiveness

There is a great website I just found called In Character that is a quarterly publication all about character. This quarter is Forgiveness and I just read an article with nine different point of views. All are somewhat similar; they require or advise forgiveness as long as the perpetrator has met certain requirements of admitting wrongdoing and has apoligized.
Rabbi Boteach, a radio and television personality, urges hatred against the wrongdoers. It is complicity to evil which is evil. It allows dictators like Pol Pot and Adi Amin to die peacefully in their sleep. We must turn the other cheek at slights to our honor, but to mass murder there is no other course but hatred of them.
Marietta Jaeger Lane had her daughter brutally tortured and murdered. She asked God to change her heart from one of hatred to love and to change the heart of the murderer. She is respectful in her actions.
Robert Thurman brought up the concept of karma, the evolutionary action of life. Buddhist believe there are five heinous crimes or sins, but even they are not unforgiveable. Karma, being an evolutionary force, is the contant, second-by-second shaping a person soul.

I think about this stuff everyday. I'll have to read the whole publication.