Will my first published book be successful? Maybe, maybe not. However once I get the site exported to csv, it shouldn’t be too hard to pump that into a word document or rtf or whatever else a publisher might want- I should look into that. No longer looking for some sort of software to help write my book, rather just the delivery mechanism to get it to the printer. Hmm, I know someone I could call about books, publishing and printing them; that could be a good reason to dial that number. That is almost certainly a different story that doesn’t need to go into this book, so maybe not.
Hmm, interesting point though- how do I decide? What to drag in from the past, without doing it just for a dramatic effect. How much is relevant? Relevant now. Ohh, I can go to the easy stand in, THINK and maybe that’s it. Better the less I need to keep remembering, because I don’t need a backlog of stuff that “has” to be written down still (really, how boring would that be? Who wants to read my homework assignments?) Not just that, I’ve got two more considerations. When I was running the other day (wow, do I like how that sounds,) I wasn’t thinking about things behind me, rather the things in front of me. Now, there have been some things behind me that I’ve had to write about, heck- I’ve had things I ‘had’ to write about since I did start writing (and I did write about them.)
The point though, is making a choice in what I want to focus on going forward- the things ahead or the things behind me? Well, put that way the answer is easy, forward it is. However, there are still few stories that I haven’t told yet, stories that I need to tell and really I need to start.
I can run. Today I went for a walk, just one mile; a measured distance from my house down on Cooper to Hollywood Street and back- and set a new personal record at twenty two minutes and some change. It was a walking pace- well, the pace is irrelevant, rather the form. Trying to keep constant movement, it was time I set a baseline time for a mile walk. Really, it’s about time I do that every day. I’ve said before and I’ll say again, if I can run, I can fly.
I can run. I can fly. I’ve got rigs (though my canopies are a touch small, might have to borrow a larger canopy size,) and there is a world class full time drop zone less than twenty minutes from my house. No matter how broke I am, any skydiver reading this has got to wonder what is keeping me out of the air and away from the drop zone now. Well, I’m behind on my log. I really like logging, one of the few skydivers that does. Usually I log as soon as I land, jotting down the details of the jump into my book.
Usually, I don’t wait seventeen months to do it. Combined with the fact that my logbook gives a very small space for the details and there was a LOT going on, I’m going to have to be very succinct to get it there. Really, there might be space for a dozen or less normally handwritten words, of course with a fine tip pen and lens you could push that limit. I’ve thought about skipping it, I mean really, there is no chance in heaven or hell that I would forget jump #2586.
Yet, it’s more than that. Logging that jump will tell me how I will or won’t handle that situation again. And if I can’t even log the jump as accurately and publicly as I know I can and should (even seventeen months ago, even with severe physical injuries, traumatic brain injuries, and gosh only knows how much more hidden damage to my psyche as result..) log it, then that’s it. If it’s the jump I can’t log then it’s the last jump I deserve.
So will what be successful? The book? The future? Skydiving? Running? Healing? Income? Organizing. Heck, if I got back in the air, there is work that could be done, maybe, at my pace. Little coaching maybe. (I’m trying to salivate myself.) I’d just have to do a little writing. How could my book not be successful if it is what it is, and my life keeps moving forward. All I need for one more post is one more day.
Every once in a while and a lot more often if I’m not careful, especially lately, I think I have a tendency to turn into an asshole, or at least some part of me at least. How’s that? Well what kind of opinions do we usually like? One’s that fall in line or within the realm of our own- or at least within the realm of what we consider ‘normal’ or acceptable to our own palate. Opinions that fall too far outside the presumed social construct – pointing out the simple fallacy of being more offended by policy that results in ten dollar increase in a water bill than a one hundred dollar increase in the average cost of rent. My asshole self proof: It’s because it’s the forty percent of the city that votes are also most likely to be the ones that don’t rent their homes and can’t empathize with someone that does and or would rather intentionally overcharge their own tenants on rent to help pay their own water bill, I digress.
So what is this area of acceptable social-political opinions? I think it’s like a flock of birds.
Why do birds flock? It is a predator defense. Their enemies can’t aim for any one of them, if they’re all moving together. And it works and scientist have studied it. I’m sure I knew that before, yet just the other day, I learned something new. Scientist have figured out how birds flock- how those beautiful shapes come about the swirls and the movements of million birds: three simple rules each bird follows.
And for all my political friends- here is the ACTUAL definition of being “bird brained”:
- Identify your closest seven friends (not six or eight, seven) and aim to be exactly in the center of them, keep re-evaluating in case another bird flies in and becomes closer- your seven will keep changing.
- If one of your closest seven friends (not six or eight, seven) turns, follow them.
- Don’t crowd others, leave room for movement.
That’s it. (No joke, google it.) If you plug those three simple rules (I’m getting flashbacks of Robocop, iRobot, how many films with three simple rules…) into a virtual reality bird simulator you will produce a flock. Okay, you know what I mean, you’ll reproduce a simulation of flock. A random moving mass of birds, that’s is so easy for any predator to see and nearly impossible to attack.
That is politics. Basically the exact opposite of boundaries and strength. I thought the honor would be more similar to a testudo formation, holding the ground of properly sound and logical political thought. NOPE. Not at all. It’s a flock of birds each of them so ignorant to think that they are or could be the leaders of such a bunch.
Can you imagine one of those birds calling out to another: You’re not in this flock. How would you know? Is there even a “flock” to be in? Or is that just some sort of invisible moving target mumbo jumbo social construct so that each need not fear loosing the protection of the flock themselves?
So, how to NOT be a flock in politics. Make a list of what you believe in, what’s important to you, and make it a small list. Then every choice that comes your way, you measure it according to the values of your small list. Then tell others what you think. Don’t ask other people what to think first (unless you’re honestly asking that question “I don’t know what to think about this, what do you think about this?”.)
Wow.. reading up, reading back.. I think I need to refill my Vyvance prescription, another great use of this website, how better to track my daily ADHD symptoms. Writing is good, yet I need to work on writing my best.. even if that means I have to take drugs.
Went off to run an early mile- I think I need to make that a daily activity. Otherwise, not the most productive day. Tomorrow, well tomorrow a Zoom interview for what could be a great job. Online and must live in Michigan are the only job qualifications. Like, that’s it. I don’t know if it’s a tech job or a customer service job or anything else about the job at all. Except that it pays from fifty three to sixty per year to start. Let’s suffice it to say I have a few questions for my interviewer tomorrow.. Like, when can I start?
Funny think, I remember seeing it on Indeed and I didn’t apply for it, too vague. Yet, an email from a nice lady in my inbox says I did and setup the interview. Accept, when I logged back into Indeed and looked at my applications submitted, I didn’t. Yet, now I’ve got an interview for a sixty grand job that only requires I be online and in the State of Michigan. Yes, yes. I can do that.
Time to rest.
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