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Staying Positive

staying positive

Now that I’ve decided to get back to the blog and content that I own and control, one big problem with blogging continues to be the same after all these years (at least for me): What the heck to write about? It’s difficult coming up with topics and attempting, in your own way, to make sense of said topic or your particular “take” on it.

But I guess that’s a problem with all creative endeavors, you need to put in the work. And a lot of people aren’t willing to do that. But no, I’m not here to bash anyone or complain or anything like that. I’ve done that before, as many of you who read here know, but that’s not something I’m going to focus on today.

Really, I’m going to try not to focus on that too much at all going forward. I don’t want to be negative or come across as negative, regardless of how I feel in the moment or how things are going in the world. There’s already enough negativity going around. I feel it. I’m sure you do too.

Instead, let’s focus on the positive. . . I’m positive everything is fucked . . . No, come on. I’m just trying to be funny. Emphasis on funny. Because man, you just gotta laugh sometimes at the absurdity of it all. How did we end up like this? I don’t really know.

Okay, let’s remember to focus on the positive. But what can that look like?

Maybe it means not spending all of your time on social media seeing how things are going? Or maybe it means focusing more on local efforts in politics, or other areas, where your voice and contributions can have more of an impact? Maybe it means spending more time with family and friends enjoying your life as much as you can and not feeling like everything is going to come crashing down?

For me it means a combination of the above and, hopefully, this blog/website. I haven’t blogged “professionally” in a while, but I don’t think I’ve forgotten how. Yes, Blogger was an actual job not that long ago. My byline is out there if you search.

And no, I didn’t write a post once about how the iPhone would fail. Well, actually it was technically a post about how the iPhone would fail, I just wasn’t the one saying it. I was quoting someone else and reporting on their opinion. You’ll just have to read it. Or not.

Let’s just say I can do this. I know I can. In fact, you could say I’m positive . . .

Turning to darker topics for a moment, the devastating wildfires in California have left me feeling horrible for those impacted. Los Angeles was my home for over 20 years and my heart goes out to everyone there, including many friends and former colleagues, who’ve lost businesses, possessions, homes and precious memories.

It’s a horrible tragedy made even worse by some people’s callous disregard for human suffering and staggering lack of empathy.

If you can, here’s a link to a list of organizations where your money can help victims of these horrible events:

Places That Need Your Money

I know money is probably tight, just do what you can. Anything will help.

Until next time, be kind to each other.

 

Yes, I know the photo has been used before. I just like it. It reminds me of happier, more positive, times.

Some Useful and Interesting Things (Sunday Edition)

Teenage-Mutant-Ninja-Turtles-2014-Leonardo

For at least a few weeks there I was putting up lists of things I found useful and/or interesting from around the Internets. I would like to get back to doing that. So, in that spirit, here I am with a new list of, you guessed it, useful and interesting things.

Of course, these may only be useful and/or interesting to me. Fortunately, I pay the bills around here, so you’ll just have to take your chances.

Here goes:

• Too much paper clutter in your home or office? Geek Day has the solution.

• Microsoft Office has finally come to the iPad. Who cares, you say? Well, I tend to agree, but what do I know?

• Facebook paid a cool $2 Billion for the Oculus Rift VR goggles and the companuy that created them? But what about the Kickstarter backers who helped make the product a reality in the first place?

• A tale of two pencils. Will the “real” Blackwing 602 please stand up?

• Speaking of pencils. What’s the big deal about vintage ones anyway?

• The new HTC One (M8) looks cool but I don’t think it will replace my iPhone 5s.

• Check out Stanley Kubrick’s annotated copy of Stephen King’s The Shining. Cool.

• As I’m a man and an Altoids fan, here’s 22 Manly Ways to Reuse an Altoids Tin.

• Can the right tools help you write better? I don’t know, I’m just trying to write good … I mean well. Crap.

Finally, here’s the trailer for Michael Bay’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. I am not a devout devotee of the original TMNT, so this new version really doesn’t offend me on that level as it seems to have done to others. I’m just not sure it looks like a very good movie. Oh well.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCjsWpM9zFU?rel=0&w=560&h=315]

And heck, while we’re on the subject of movies, here’s the trailer for the next movie from The Wachowskis called Jupiter Ascending. See, her name is Jupiter and she’s, well, ascending … or something. I see what you did there Andy and Lana.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1hW3bWIuDA?rel=0&w=560&h=315]

Excuses are like. . . And new photos too.

Obviously, I have some sort of issue with deadlines. For whatever reason I don’t seem capable of making them. For example, here it is Wednesday and I didn’t post anything for “Photo Tuesday” yesterday. How can I expect people to faithfully read this blog if I can’t even remember to post something regularly?

That’s a good question and one that deserves an answer. Sadly, I don’t really have one for you. Perhaps someone smarter than myself can offer one? That would be great.

Meantime, let’s start with a few links. First off, here’s a couple to direct you to my latest articles from around the internets.

I go out on a limb and pick six of The Best Movies Adapted from Comic Books.

The latest installment of my ongoing BSG Weekly articles.

Rick Marshall on why his life is like Rocky IV.

An interesting, and disturbing, story about a van driven onto the runway in Seattle and nobody notices or seems to care.

Napster offers DRM-free mp3 music.

LAist loves Ikea’s salty balls.

This is funny. TUAW-bashing is always good for a laugh.

And, as I still do try to meet deadlines, even if circumstances get in the way, here’s a couple photos to commemorate “Photo Wednesday.” These were taken by my friend Anthony Dalesandro who, besides being a great director, is also a pretty good photographer too. Enjoy.

avalontopofhead.jpg

sarawall.jpg

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