And so it begins
I’ve decided to start teaching myself Python using this fun little book, Invent Your Own Computer Games With Python. So far, I’ve managed to “Hello world!” myself, ask myself for my name and then get a cheery name-customized response. Clearly, it is only a matter of days before I’m ready to conquer the world with my legions of flying shark commandos with head-mounted laser cannons. You’ve been warned.
I need a kick from the American Dream…wake up!!!
“I see all this potential, and I see squandering. God damn it, an entire generation pumping gas, waiting tables; slaves with white collars. Advertising has us chasing cars and clothes, working jobs we hate so we can buy shit we don’t need. We’re the middle children of history, man. No purpose or place. We have no Great War. No Great Depression. Our Great War’s a spiritual war… our Great Depression is our lives. We’ve all been raised on television to believe that one day we’d all be millionaires, and movie gods, and rock stars. But we won’t. And we’re slowly learning that fact. And we’re very, very pissed off.” (Fight Club)
The less you have, the happier you are
This article here sums up some very big changes I’m trying to make in my life.
Inspired by books and blog entries about living simply, Ms. Strobel and her husband, Logan Smith, both 31, began donating some of their belongings to charity. As the months passed, out went stacks of sweaters, shoes, books, pots and pans, even the television after a trial separation during which it was relegated to a closet. Eventually, they got rid of their cars, too. Emboldened by a Web site that challenges consumers to live with just 100 personal items, Ms. Strobel winnowed down her wardrobe and toiletries to precisely that number.
Her mother called her crazy.
Today, three years after Ms. Strobel and Mr. Smith began downsizing, they live in Portland, Ore., in a spare, 400-square-foot studio with a nice-sized kitchen. Mr. Smith is completing a doctorate in physiology; Ms. Strobel happily works from home as a Web designer and freelance writer. She owns four plates, three pairs of shoes and two pots. With Mr. Smith in his final weeks of school, Ms. Strobel’s income of about $24,000 a year covers their bills. They are still car-free but have bikes. One other thing they no longer have: $30,000 of debt.
This example is followed up by a conclusion that I’ve seen for myself to be true.
One major finding is that spending money for an experience — concert tickets, French lessons, sushi-rolling classes, a hotel room in Monaco — produces longer-lasting satisfaction than spending money on plain old stuff.
“‘It’s better to go on a vacation than buy a new couch’ is basically the idea,” says Professor Dunn
Now I just have to figure out if a bag of yarn is one thing, or if we’re counting it by the ball…
Collaborative Consumption – Individual ownership vs shared access.
This is my new obsession – trying to figure out how I can maximize these ideas and ideals into my own life.
Tab Candy – WANT!!!
Organize your tabs into easy-to-read-and-navigate groups? Oh yeah. I’m so there.
An Introduction to Firefox’s Tab Candy from Aza Raskin on Vimeo.
From the “Random Cool Shit” files
A flash-based comic strip maker. Write your own jokes, cartoons and strips with this fun little tool. It’s absurd how much fun it is and how easy it is to play with.
Keep in mind that it’s a relatively new release and some features and bugs are being worked out. But it’s a fun little toy, even at that.
Yeah, I’ll get right on that next document asap…oooo, shiny…
I swiped this from a Reddit comment, and I’m totally tempted to make it my next business card because it so fucking accurately describes me:
“freelancing dilettante with ADHD”