Putting the Big Rocks in

I think I’m getting the hang of it (and I’m sure Resistance is going to make sure I get a sucker punch at my earliest convenience.) Right now, I’m trying to steel myself from whatever Resistance is going throw at me. I’m sure it’s going to be something light and small.

I’m such a bad pushover.

I’ve sat down and am writing. I have some ideas in my head to write today’s entry. I’m doing my work.

Like I said, I’m almost used to getting all my stuff ready at work. The next step is to prepare ahead and keep working ahead. My life was based on treading water, just keeping my head above it. Now it’s time to levitate. It’s time to get above the water and head towards the sky. I’m sure my chances of messing up will be high. Still, it’s time to make steps forward.

I feel fear. I must be moving in the right direction.

Inspiring, but…

At face value, this YouTube video offers hope. If a man as old, injured, and overweight as he can lose weight and become healthier in 10 months, then anything’s possible. The message given is awesome.

Then (in my own twisted mind) I looked a little deeper.

Really, this video is a promo for an exercise program created by a former wrestler. It shows a solution for people that may be overweight, old, injured and sick. It helps that there are professional/former wrestlers vouching for the program.

And there’s nothing wrong with that.

Why? If people DO get the results that are similar to this man in this video, then it’s doing a tremendous service!

It reminds me, any proper action/technique done consistently daily over a long period of time despite falling, failing and feeling massive amounts of pain and frustration will get you somewhere. It got that man to make an incredible transformation.

Again, a good, no great video (over 2.5 million views and counting) with a little marketing in the side. That’s how you get people to buy in.

Things to Consider for Today:

• Good stories sell.
• Great stories make you rich.
• More emotion, more reaction.
• It makes people come to their own conclusions and act.
• Fast.
• It creates potential rabid fans. 

When we were Born

We all start out naked. We inherit what is given to us around our environment. That environment could be friendly or hostile. We cannot control that.

When we start, we know nothing. The only thing in our minds is our environment and the genes we have inherited from our parents. From there, we are learning at a pace that is probably unfathomable for us.

(Mind you we aren’t hard-wired like calves, where we instantly walk in a matter of minutes. Most human babies take about a year and a bit to reach that.)

Other than genetics and the environment, the playing field is equal. Yet those two factors in quite heavily on each person and will most likely shape that person’s life. To say that we have a choice in how we want to think is very difficult to do. We are hard-wired in a much different and deeper way that we don’t even know that we have a set of programs ingrained in our minds.

Perhaps all the decisions we make are already expected like pages in a storybook. It’s just that we don’t know it.

Playing Games

I guess this is why so many people play computer games.

There is this “What if?” scenario when we play. We start out as equals if we don’t include the knowledge and strategies acquired from our lives. In an RPG, you play the main character right? You can customize or dress that character the way you want. You can give it the right hair colour and style. You could make the character big or small, man or female or neuter(?). You can pretty much do whatever you want within the parameters of the game. When the game starts, you start with the basics which meaning absolutely nothing.

Games have safety nets. We can act out whatever desires we want. We can achieve things we want. We focus on being good, bad or whatever. If the game allows us, we can kill or be killed without being penalized (unless we want to.)

It makes me wonder why we couldn’t live that way for real minus the immoral aspects.

Why do so many people not live life to the fullest? Myself included.

A Jumble of Words

I must admit today’s entry in Cyper is sort of messed up. I’m dealing with a subject that is deep and cannot written one time. I’m sure I’ll come back to this topic again.

At this time, I am concerned with doing the work. By work, are my projects. The artistic and creative endeavors of my life. The businesses I want to create on-line to provide the daily bread for my family and live a life I desire. This daily bread would be created continuously and relentlessly while I am away. It’s been on my mind for about 3 years, but I haven’t gone pro. I act like a mere amateur. If only I can do the work like I do my job every day!

Things to Consider for Today:

• Will anger change my train of thought?
• Will a simple decision to sit down and do the work will?
• Will I just complain and whine like a simpleton?
• Will the stars align for me to move forward?
• Will I face my fear and simply do the work? 

Serving Others

“Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.”

- John F. Kennedy

Last Sunday after church service, I had this strange revelation after listening to the sermon.

It has been said, to have things go your way, you must learn to serve others. You must be first to listen. First to understand. Know what your family, friend, co-worker and even stranger’s need are and help them get it.

To do such things require humility.

The greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven is to be the least of all.

I think I went about doing a lot of things the wrong way.

My train of thought was looking for what I always wanted. To make a list of how to get the things I want. Now, going after these things are important to consider, but people aren’t interested in your needs.

You have to go backwards.

If you know they need this or that, if you can find these things for them quickly and it solves a problem, they’ll reward you for it.

The trick is, how do you find that?

How do you find a person who needs a glass of water in the desert?

How do you find a person who needs a pill to cure their headache?

How do you find a person who has personal issues resolve them through sound advice?

How do you find a person who wants the drawings you make?

How do you find a person who wants the song you composed?

How?

Indeed, it makes me wonder how people can solve these things. I’m sure they’re the ones that are financially independent. Forget that, rich. Ironically, those people never cared about the money anyways. They just love to do the work.

Things to Consider for Today:

• Seek to serve.
• Seek to help.
• Seek to understand
• There’s a reason why you have one mouth, two ears and eyes.
• The answers lie in other people’s wants.
• Develop an intuition to know that.
• Think about it. 

Children’s Day

This is a day I wish all countries would have. A day dedicated to children. A day to remind parents to spend time with them and make them feel special. For some parents, I’m sure they don’t need it since they spend a lot of time doing things together. But for parents where both the father and mother both work (a lot of parents seem to do that in Korea), this can be one day where the entire family can go out and enjoy the time together. I did that for the most part today and took some photos. I’ll post a few (it’s been a while! I hope the plugins still work) on Sunday.

The Path to Disappointment

I have a failing to absently agree or say I’ll do something without thinking about the consequences. It probably caused more problems for me than anything else. When my Dad asked me to get something done last Tuesday, I thought about it for a bit and said it would be done by Friday. It was actually quite doable and required me to put some hours into it and work.

But I kept putting it off.

Even when I had time for it, I told myself I would get it done another time. Resistance easily picked me off on it and I was in for major disappointment.

Now the deadline has passed. I’m sure I’m going to feel regret and unnecessary stress for not doing this. If only I just sat down like I did now to write today’s entry of Cyper and simply did it.

Your Word is Everything

Your words matter to other people. Even when the person you’re conversing with may not be paying attention, how can you be for sure? It is better to be safe and sorry. If you’re going to say something, make sure you can back it up with proof and/or action and complete it to the best of your ability. I think my integrity isn’t the best and that could explain why people would be weary of letting me do the work. Whenever I do keep my word, there are a few things that helped accomplish that.

1. Remind yourself constantly: Be your own worst pest. Keep it in your mind until it’s done.
2. Focus, focus, focus!: Have a one track mind and think only of that.
3. Get it done ASAP: If you have nothing better to do, sit your butt down and work on it! TV and the Internet will be there after you’re done.
4. If you’re late: Still get it done ASAP. That person is still trusting and waiting for you to get done.

I’d better get that thing for Dad done now.

Things to Consider for Today:

• Your word is gold.
• It is powerful currency.
• Make it more valuable by keeping it. 

The Hardest Part

Yes, I’m sitting.

But I’m not writing.

For the last 20 minutes, I was sitting down, with my notebook in front of me and the WordPress window staring at me while I’m… making mini-booklets for my students to supplement their listening and speaking studies.

It had to be done since I have class in a few minutes.

But I wonder.

Did Resistance have something to do with this?

I’m sure it had and I succumbed to it some certain extent.

I tried to convince myself that I was busy with my teaching classes and the preparation.

But I’m not quite convinced.

I only have 15 minutes to write at this moment. It’s time to get some writing down.

Da Morning Sucks

I’m not much of a morning person I found.

The problem begins with how I end my day. I usually sleep quite late (12am is considered early and 2am is the norm.) I thought that I would get to bed around midnight since I get home around 11:15 to 11:30pm.

No such luck.

When I get home, I usually wind down by talking with Da Missus for an hour, play with my iPhone or read some stuff.

Resistance comes in full blast and I’m too tired to resist. I just let myself get tossed around like a buffalo chip on a very breezy lake.

When I finally get to bed, I have to get up around 8am to see Da Boy off to school. That means I get about 6 to 7 hours of sleep and it already causes wrinkles in the morning. The only time where things are relatively clockwork is when I get to work.

This is of course no good.

The solution is simple: sleep earlier. Get to sleep at around midnight.

I’ve told myself to do this. I’ve told Da Missus this. Her response is, “Yeah, yeah. So when are you going to do that?”

Ack. I’ll be right back.

Where Was I?

It’s 11:46pm.

I got back home around 20 minutes ago.

I’m sitting and writing.

Sometimes, I don’t know where to start. I get lost in what I want to write. So I think… wait a minute.

Okay, I’m’ back again. Da Missus wanted me to see something on TV. It was a comedian that was showing his drumming and singing skills. Whoopee doop. And another musician lip-syncing another singer’s song.

Go figure.

Well, it’s midnight. I think I should call it a day. Perhaps get to sleep like I said earlier.

Yeah, right.

Things to Consider for Today:

• This wasn’t the best of entries.
• But this day described a bit of my life.
• At least I got it done.
• To the best of my ability?
• No.
• To beat Resistance?
• Yes.
  
• You can’t have sunny days all the time.
• And beating Resistance isn’t always going to look pretty.
• You have to be stubborn and stupid.
• Being both is hard when it comes to beating Resistance.
• Keep the momentum going.
• And carry a big stick when Resistance rears its pretty head.
• And…. finish. 

What do you Care about?

Each day you gotta know.

You need to figure out what is important and what is utter rubbish.

Once you know that, they must be given priority and done at all costs.

The reason for this is because we only have so many hours in the day.

I am reminded that people big and small, wise and foolish, rich and poor, young and old, powerful and puny, skin and hair of every colour, good and evil are all given the same physical constraints of time in a single day, week, month and year. While we don’t know when we will be taken away from this physical world, we can choose how we want to live it.

I read a story from somewhere about a person (could be a monk or professor) talking about rocks, pebbles and sand and a glass jar. I thought it was from “Do the Work” by Steven Pressfield (and it could be, but I couldn’t find it.) When I did a search in Google for “put rocks into the jar”, there are a lot of blog entries that mention this story. I decided to pick this link and copy it verbatim here.

As this man stood in front of the group of high-powered over achievers, he said, “Okay, time for a quiz.” Then he pulled out a one-gallon, wide-mouthed mason jar and set it on a table in front of him. He produced about a dozen fist-sized rocks and carefully placed them, one at a time, into the jar.

When the jar was filled to the top and no more rocks would fit inside, he asked, “Is the jar full?” Everyone in the class said, “Yes.” Then he asked, “Really?” He reached under the table and pulled out a bucket of gravel. Then he dumped some gravel in and shook the jar causing pieces of gravel to work themselves down into the spaces between the big rocks.

Then he smiled and asked the group once more, “Is the jar full?” By this time, the class was on to him. “Probably not,” one of them answered. “Good!” he replied. And he reached under the table and brought out a bucket of sand. He started dumping the sand in, and it went into all the spaces left between the rocks and the gravel. Once more he asked the question, “Is this jar full?”

“No!” the class shouted. Once again he said, “Good!” Then he grabbed a pitcher of water and began to pour it in until the jar was filled to the brim. Then he looked up at the class and asked, “What is the point of this illustration?”

One eager beaver raised his hand and said, “The point is, no matter how full your schedule is, if you try really hard, you can always fit some more things into it!” “No!” the speaker replied. “That is not the point. The truth this illustration teaches us is: If you don’t put the big rocks in first, you’ll never get them in at all.”

What are the ‘Big Rocks’ in your life? A project that YOU want to accomplish? Time with your loved ones? Your faith, your education, your finances? A cause? Teaching or mentoring others? Remember to put these BIG ROCKS in first or you’ll never get them in at all. So, take time to reflect on this short story. Ask yourself this question: What are the ‘big rocks’ in my life? Family or business? And remember to put those in your jar first.

Getting Caught up with Sand

As I am a mere mortal, I get caught up with the sand of my life. I always have Resistance seducing and whispering the easier things in life.

So much sand.

When I do put in a few rocks in the jar, I can feel Resistance saying, “That’s enough! Actually that’s too much. It’s time to rest. Receive your reward for the good work you just put in.”

And like an idiot, I fell for it for a good part of my life.

It would be easy to say, “Enough’s enough! I’m going to make dents in the universe and make changes that will benefit my family and others.”

Such empty and foolish promises. If you have been reading Cyper for a while, you’ll know what I mean. 

I am not a person of routines I say. That is wrong. Not only am I a person of routine, I do my routine with lots of sand.

Well, I’m starting to get some rocks to put into the jar and I know I’ll be met with Resistance.

I have no idea of this outcome, but I’ll be writing, drawing, and photographing these events about it in Cyper.

In a consistent matter I hope.

Things to Consider for Today:

• Pick out your rock.
• Make your decision.
• Set the time.
• Do it.
• Screw the outcome.
• Expect crap.
• At least for awhile.
• Be a stubborn sonofabitch.
• Make it a routine.
• Once its set, try for another rock.
• Lather, rinse and repeat.
• One day at a time. 

Two Stories to Tell

There’s some stuff I have on my mind which happened recently which I would like to share. I hope that they are relevant to your life. 

Send that Message

After teaching three classes last Monday, I had a break. For some reason, I felt compelled to send a message to Da Missus on my iPhone, so I sent a simple, “How are you doing? ^^”

Little did I know this would go on to be something bigger.

I would get this response mentioning about Da Boy being bullied and hurt by a bigger kid. Shortly after, I made a couple of calls to find out the details about the incident. The bully used a deflated balloon and slapped it against his ear like a slingshot! He was shaken up and crying.

I was really angry and concerned. Da Missus tried to catch the bully, but he ran away. It would of been hard for her since she also had Da Little One with her. Unfortunately, the phone kept losing connection. Before teaching my final class, I sent one more message saying that I wasn’t angry with Da Boy’s lack of reaction (he was really scared) and that we’ll serve justice somehow.

Later when I went home, Da Missus told me how surprised she was. Huh?

She told me the timing of the messages and phone calls were like some weird telepathy and it was just uncanny and utterly supportive. I told her I sent the first message because I thought it would be nice to send a kind message.

I’ve learned that when you have time and are thinking of someone, don’t hesitate. Send that message. Make that call. Say hello. You never know what kind of difference that can really make. It made a difference to my family that day.

The Day That was Thrown Out the Window

This Wednesday morning was a day full of opportunities. Well, that’s what I thought. I would do some some things with Da Missus and Da Little One. We had the morning laundry done. We decided we were going to fix the computer and head to E-Mart for a little shopping.

I also had the delusion that it would be done quickly and I’ll be back home to get some work done before heading off to work.

Nope.

When we got to the service shop to get the computer fixed, the repair man was out and wasn’t going to come back until after 1:00pm. He told Da Missus to leave the computer with the caretaker of the building. Uh, no thanks. So much of getting the computer fixed today.

Next, we drove up to E-Mart. We had the shopping done and it was taking a little longer than I thought. We made a quick stop at McDonald’s and ordered a couple combos to go for lunch. By the time we were back home, I had to shower up, eat quickly and drive to work ASAP.

When I was driving back home, I was annoyed with how the day went. I felt I could of managed my time better. However, when I think about it now while writing today’s entry, it wasn’t so bad. The weather was warm and the sky is blue, clear and beautiful. I got a chance to speak with Da Missus and spend time with Da Little One. We had most of the things we wanted done. It was unfortunate that we couldn’t fix the computer and me not getting the work done at home. But all in all, the day went as well as it could have.

It’s important to see the good in everything. Nitpicking about missed opportunities or bad timing isn’t going to change the situation.

Things to Consider for Today:

• What you think is always correct.
• You can change what you think and it’ll still be correct.
• Guard your thoughts carefully.
• You can make heaven or hell out of any place, anytime.
• Trust your intuition.
• Trust the soup.
• Logical thought has its moments and value, but we don’t work on trusting our gut.
• Your Councillor is waiting to help you.
• Use it.

Work at It

In the past couple of days, I’ve been reading a book by Steven Pressfield called “Do the Work”. Actually this is the second time reading and it was one of things that helped me get back to writing Cyper again.

For past month in April, it was hard to write anything. I was caught up with my daily job, my daily life and family. While there were some elements that made me happy, I couldn’t get into the flow of doing things I really enjoyed. Even though the weather was great, I couldn’t appreciate what was around me. I was a miserable wreck.

There were a few other things brought me back as well.

1. Drawing in Da Boy’s Diary

It was strange. I was sort of reading through Da Boy’s diary while talking to Da Missus. I saw a pencil lying on the floor. By instinct, I drew some cute drawing reflecting on Da Boy’s day. Then I decided to draw one more on the next page. They were just doodles, but I knew I’ve let out some creativity for a few minutes. I felt myself smile. It was small, but bringing me my state into something different.

2. Having No Goals

I read an article where the writer Leo Babauta mentioned about not having any goals. The concept was simple: throw away the do-list, the monthly goals. Do the thing you love. Focus on that. Put everything into that. If you go in one direction for 20 minutes, you will get somewhere for sure.

Give credit where it’s due, I know one of my friends Matt or Mike mentioned this in one the earlier entries in Cyper. Point taken.

Last month, I tried to write some goals and tried to get them done, but it was never got started and made me depressed. I realized the dragon Resistance is one terrible foe beating me down for the good month of April. I didn’t know about that until I read Do the Work again.

3. Teaching about Greek Philosophers

This was one of the classes I was teaching to one student of mine at work (world history). While teaching about Socrates, Plato and Aristotle, it made me think. I never thought that teaching that subject would affect me in such a way. It made me think and created questions. It was small, but added to my dissatisfaction of my previous situation.

If a guy like Socrates (who was considered the greatest Athenian at that time by the Oracle in Delphi) thought he knew nothing and kept searching for knowledge, then I should keep searching and finding answers for myself and others who need it.

4. Playing Might and Magic VI

This was the clincher. A game. I was playing this in the morning for about 40 minutes. Despite the game being in Korean, I played and enjoyed the time. Here’s the kicker: I found that I was going to have problems continuing the game without healers, so I started the game over and played it through once more. I also changed my strategies by adding another group of soldiers. I was astonished to see how I can refine, change and the enjoy the time playing in just a few minutes.

There was something there. Can’t I do this with the other aspects of my life?

The Chain of Events Set Off

Chains ravel and unravel. Groups are made and dispersed. Seasons warm and cool. I don’t quite understand the rise and ebb of life living as long as I lived. Maybe it is arrogant to think so. It is a question I will be pondering today.

Things to Consider for Today:

• The little things make your day.
• The little things destroy it.
• The little things become big things.
• The little things make nicks and dents in the universe.
• Take care of the little things.
• Respect them if you want to see the big picture.
• Rise even though you can ultimately fall. 

“They say that the best weapon is the one you never have to fire. I respectfully disagree. I prefer the weapon you only have to fire once. That’s how Dad did it, that’s how America does it, and it’s worked out pretty well so far.”

- Tony Stark, “Iron Man”

(Note: You may have to go to the YouTube website to see this video.)

I love this scene. We have Tony Stark introducing a new weapon to the US military where a conflict can be solved with using one missile. The weapon is called the Jericho missile. It goes up, releases a whole bunch of smaller missiles and blow up a huge area in smoke.

Nice.

I think there’s something to be learned from this.

Get it Done Proper

If you’re going to do something, get it done right. It won’t guarantee you’ll finish the work, but if you don’t do a good job, you’ll increase your chances of failure.

I Love to Fight

I have this tendency of arguing with people for argument’s sake. I spend so much time debating and discussing in an aggressive manner how my ideas are valid and the best way to go.

For what? Brownie points? Stamps? Stickers? To be called the winner? Why do I this?

Really all this effort is often for naught and outright pointless.

Arguing with Mom

This was the problem I had with my Mom. My parents have been in town for the past 3 weeks and are on their way back to Toronto this coming Thursday. Anyways, Mom was trying to give me some good advice on how to handle some things and I brushed her off by saying, “Yeah, I do it all the time.” Then, we get into a ten minute argument about how I don’t get it and I insist that I do.

I could have avoided this entire argument if I just appreciated the advice given.

Take the Time to Listen

Most of the arguments I have come from me not listening, not looking at a person face to face or being preoccupied with some work or playing some game. The best solution in any conversation is to make the time and make the proper response. I’m sure it can’t be done all the time, but am I willing to lose more time on this by not paying attention? Life is too short to make needless and stupid mistakes like this one.

Do it right the first time and save a lot of unnecessary heartache or stress.

Things to Consider for Today:

• Communication is a two-way street.
• God made two ears and one mouth for a reason.
• Listen well.
• Make sure you really get it.
• Give your full attention to the person you’re talking to.
• The few words you say (or not say) may save you a lot of time.
• Conflicts are time-consuming.
• Make sure it’s worth the time or effort.