Daily Ramblings – Thinking Thursday

Tags

Changing, Colin Powell, Exercising, Hard Work, Improving, Learning, Success, Writing

“Success is the result of perfection, hard work, learning from failure, loyalty, and persistence.” – Colin Powell

Read more at https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/colin_powell_386437?src=t_learning

I really enjoy learning new things and doing what I can to improve all areas of my life. I have learned over time that it’s the little things that lead to big things. A consistent effort in small chunks delivers huge results.

I run across people all the time that struggle with improving themselves. Once I begin asking questions it is easy to see why they struggle. They are not vested in change. They are unhappy with their personal circumstances but fail to act. Why? They want reality to change for them.

We cannot affect change outside of us. We must change ourselves to achieve different results. If you want to lose weight, eat right and eat less. If you want to get in shape and feel better, get consistent sleep, eat right, and exercise (cardio and strength). If you want to do something with yourself, take the time to brainstorm, formulate a plan, organize your time around that plan, and execute. This is the same thing you will read about in book after book after book.

If you want your life to change, you must change—that’s it. Nothing outside of you will bend or adjust to you. The outside reality is what it is. Accept it and live with it or change yourself and alter your circumstances.

Below are the things I’m doing to improve and change. I hope all of you have a great week!!

Exercise Program:

Jim Stoppani’s Shortcut to Size – (www.bodybuilding.com) – I’ve done this workout before and returning to it because it is just a good all-around weight routine. It’s 8 weeks in length, a 4-day split with 3 rest/cardio days mixed in.

Books:

Armor, Steakley – Recommended by an Army Buddy. A terrific book so far.

Ethics, Aristotle – Almost done with this one.

The Shariyat Ki Sugmad, Paul Twitchell – This is my bible. I finished it and will re-read again. This book is a permanent fixture on my reading list.

Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Harriet Beecher Stowe – Still plugging away on this one. I’ve put it on hold, not because it is a bad book but due to the nonfiction reading, I’m taking on (I love nonfiction books more than fiction).

The Science of Success: What Researchers Know That You Should Know, Paula Caproni. I just started this book in conjunction with the author’s course on Coursera – This is a nice read. I don’t know if I’d buy the book by itself. It is the companion book for the Science of Success course below and it’s well worth it if you take the course in conjunction with it. It’ll run you around $5 for the Kindle version.

Classes:

Web Development Path – Codecademy – Currently learning HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.

Mindfulness Course – Coursera

Documentaries:

Inside the Free Masons – Netflix – Good documentary, but you’ll want to be interested in secret societies and such. It’s a very interesting documentary.

Movies:

Venom (Another Marvel Movie) – I saw this on my birthday. If you’re a Marvel Comics fan, this is a must see. Lots of action and terrific effects.

Fun:

Ozark – Netflix (in the cue) – Re-watching Season 1 to remind me what’s going on. I’ll kick into Season 2 when I’m back on track with this one.

Madam Secretary (Netflix) – I’m enjoying this one. I’m on the third season (there are four). Each season is about 20+ shows. If you like political dramas, you’ll like this one. Great cast and great writing.

Interesting Apps:

Codecademy – I’m currently pursuing a bucket list item and learning to code. I’m starting with HTML and having a great time so far. The first coding project is creating a blog from scratch—how ironic, right? The interface is awesome! You’ll need to be prepared to pay the $19.99/month to truly enjoy this one. The $19.99 version allows you to work on projects, take quizzes, and offers a whole bunch of bonus material not available in the free version.

Weight Watchers – I’m still on a quest to lose weight. After reading some research in an e-book published by Scientific American, this was one of the diet services that they believed were effective (mentioned in more than one of the enclosed articles). It runs $19.99/month and you are obligated to 3 months minimum (there is a penalty for quitting early). You can look up food, get your daily points (they use points for the types of food you eat), and have access to recipes, and all kinds of bonus content.

I truly wish the very best to all of your pursuits to improve and change for the better. Have a great, rest of the week!

Until next time…

Dave

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Daily Ramblings – Thinking Thursday

Tags

Amazon Prime, Coursera, Exercise, Netflix, Reading, Will Rogers, Writing

“There are three kinds of men. The one that learns by reading. The few who learn by observation. The rest of them have to pee on the electric fence for themselves.” – Will Rogers

Read more at https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/will_rogers_393513?src=t_reading

I enjoy reading because it allows me to listen to an author through the words of their story. Think about all the great authors and thinkers of the past. When you pick up a book you are reading what they wrote decades if not centuries ago. You learn about what it was like when they were alive. You learn about how they spoke, what was entertaining for them, what they ate, listened to, the whole thing.

Some of the older books tend to drag a bit because of this language barrier but they are well worth the read. If you are not someone who can sit down with a good book and become engrossed in the work for hours on end, who cares? Read a chapter or a few pages a day. You’ll read more over time. The reading will open your mind to new ideas, new ways of thinking, and broaden your horizons.

I really enjoy reading books that are written by people I typically disagree with. This solidifies my beliefs and values. I have also been surprised when I find myself agreeing with them. I read broadly across many subjects because I am naturally curious and want to learn and open my mind to these other ideas. I hope you become an avid reader too!

I’ve added a few sections to thinking Thursday. I’ve added the workout routine I’m following under Exercise Program, and I’ve added a section called interesting apps. I have my core of apps that I’m satisfied with currently but do, from time-to-time, find another app to add to my inventory.

Exercise Program:

Jim Stoppani’s Shortcut to Size – (www.bodybuilding.com) – I’ve done this workout before and returning to it because it is just a good all-around weight routine. It’s 8 weeks in length, a 4-day split with 3 rest/cardio days mixed in.

 Books:

Armor, Steakley – Recommended by an Army Buddy. A terrific book so far.

Ethics, Aristotle – Almost done with this one.

The Shariyat Ki Sugmad, Paul Twitchell – This is my bible. I finished it and will re-read again. This book is a permanent fixture on my reading list.

Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Harriet Beecher Stowe – Still plugging away on this one. I’ve put it on hold, not because it is a bad book but due to the nonfiction reading, I’m taking on (I love nonfiction books more than fiction).

The Science of Success: What Researchers Know That You Should Know, Paula Caproni. I just started this book in conjunction with the author’s course on Coursera.

Classes:

The Science of Success: What Researchers Know That You Should Know, Paula Caproni, University of Michigan, Coursera. – I started week 1 yesterday. A buddy of mine recommended this one and I’m glad he did. This is a good course so far.

Documentaries:

Inside the Free Masons – Netflix

Movies:

Venom (Another Marvel Movie) is scheduled to come out on the 5th. I cannot wait. This one looks terrific!

Fun:

Ozark – Netflix (in the cue) – Re-watching Season 1 to remind me what’s going on. I’ll kick into Season 2 when I’m back on track with this one.

Designated Survivor – Netflix – Finished the first two seasons. I hope they have another one but who knows? If you liked the “24” series, you’ll like this one. It’s a good show with lots of plot twists and will keep you at the edge of your seat.

Interesting Apps:

Nothing to note this week…

I hope you take up reading, even if it is solely focused on your interest areas. Reading does so many things for you. Have a great Thursday.

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Thinking Thursday

Tags

Books, Coursera, Learning, Movies, Netflix, Reading, self-improvement, Writing

Photo and Quote: www.brainyquote.com

We are either growing or shrinking. Our brain is a muscle, just like those we use to move about. Learning new things, reading, writing, and building your skill set all contribute to your ability to think, reason, and analyze. Learning is an entertaining, challenging, and rewarding activity.

I cannot stress how important learning is to each of us.

What should you learn? That’s up to you. What interests you? What skills could benefit you in your job, your overall career, your life? Pick something. Explore it. Learn something.

I make it a daily practice to learn something new each day. Whether it’s a piece of trivia or a deep topic like terrorism, philosophy, politics, or mathematics, they are all topics to learn about. Maybe you want to learn a new language, learn how to take better photos with your phone, or even learn how to program with HTML. Regardless of the topic or skill you pursue, all will benefit you. They will exercise your brain, they will keep you engaged, they will push your limits of capability.

Read daily. Write daily. Learn something new daily. Here’s what I’m up to this week:

Books:

Armor, Steakley – Recommended by an Army Buddy. A terrific book so far.

Ethics, Aristotle – Almost done with this one.

The Shariyat Ki Sugmad, Paul Twitchell – This is my bible. I finished it and will re-read again. This book is a permanent fixture on my reading list.

Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Harriet Beecher Stowe – Still plugging away on this one. I’ve put it on hold, not because it is a bad book but due to the nonfiction reading, I’m taking on (I love nonfiction books more than fiction).

The Science of Success: What Researchers Know That You Should Know, Paula Caproni. I just started this book in conjunction with the author’s course on Coursera.

Classes:

The Science of Success: What Researchers Know That You Should Know, Paula Caproni, University of Michigan, Coursera. – I started week 1 yesterday. A buddy of mine recommended this one and I’m glad he did. This is a good course so far.

Documentaries:

Movies:

Venom (Another Marvel Movie) is scheduled to come out on the 5^th. I cannot wait. This one looks terrific!

Fun:

Ozark – Netflix (in the cue) – Re-watching Season 1 to remind me what’s going on. I’ll kick into Season 2 when I’m back on track with this one.

Jack Ryan – Amazon Prime – This was ok but not as good as the hype that was advertising since earlier this year. Watch at your own risk. The story is entertaining but nothing to call home about.

The Newsroom – Wow! This was a terrific show. I highly recommend it. The writer for this show also was the writer for the West Wing. Great show.

Interesting Apps:

Calm – This is a meditation app and is awesome. It is a little pricey. It’s 59.99/year. I really enjoy the app. I began using it again to bolster my meditation practice. I dropped meditating for a bit and found my stress levels increased and focus waned. I use this app twice a day and love it.

Until next time…

Dave

Reference

Anthony J. D’Angelo Quotes. (n.d.). BrainyQuote.com. Retrieved October 4, 2018, from BrainyQuote.com Website: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/anthony_j_dangelo_153989

Daily Ramblings – Thinking Thursday

Tags

Coursera, Education, Learning, Martin Luther King, Netflix, Poetry, Reading broadly, Thinking Critically, Udemy

“The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character – that is the goal of true education.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.

Read more at – https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/martin_luther_king_jr_402936?src=t_intelligence

Learning is a great thing! I enjoy picking up new things, learning about different topics, learning about myself, and opening my mind to other ideas, peoples, places, and concepts. Recently, I began reading poetry. Wow! I really enjoy it. If you want a great venue for poetry, check out this website: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/

I’m also enjoying a new app I found (mentioned earlier on this blog). It is called www.curious.com. This one will cost you money—29.99/year, but for me, it’s worth it. You get daily puzzles (up and down words, Unolingo, crosswords, and Ken Ken). You get podcasts about money, science, business, culture, art, and you get access to what I would label minicourses. These courses aren’t the best quality, but you may find a cool topic that you haven’t found elsewhere. I like this site and have made going through what is called the daily challenge part of my daily ritual. Check it out. You may join me.

As mentioned earlier, I will begin my character development this upcoming month. Like Benjamin Franklin, I will begin with a new character trait in October and add one new trait each month, focusing on the new one and maintaining the previous one. This will be a 12-month adventure. I’ll be updating you on my progress on Sundays, which will be labeled Series Sunday. On Sunday, I’ll be giving you an update on my progress weekly. This will keep me honest and help me chronical my challenges as I tackle each new character trait.

Learning does cause us to think more deeply. It opens us to new ideas and new ways of looking at things. At times I run across ideas or topics that really upset me. These are the times I push myself through the material and really pay attention to my internals. Each time I read a new chunk of content that I disagree with it changes me just a little. Some of the material gets through. I consider this to be one of my important learnings. Open-mindedness is truly a great thing. I recommend this to everyone. Read broadly—read books and articles written by people you disagree with. You will learn something—I promise.

Books:

Rediscovering Americanism and The Tyranny of Progressivism, Mark R. Levin – Decent book, but heavy on the quotes. I don’t know what this guy really thinks because 80% of the book is literally a copied quote from one of the folks he cites. I wouldn’t waste your time on this one.

Ethics, Aristotle – Almost done with this one.

The Shariyat Ki Sugmad, Paul Twitchell – This is my bible. I finished it and will re-read again. This book is a permanent fixture on my reading list.

Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Harriet Beecher Stowe – Still plugging away on this one. I’ve put it on hold, not because it is a bad book but due to the nonfiction reading, I’m taking on (I love nonfiction books more than fiction).

The Science of Success: What Researchers Know That You Should Know, Paula Caproni. I just started this book in conjunction with the author’s course on Coursera.

Classes:

Western Heritage, Hillsdale College – I finished this course. Since Hillsdale has altered its online format (no quizzes, no discussions, etc.), I have decided not to do their courses anymore. I enjoy engaging in a course not just watching videos. If you still care to pursue some of the online courses on Hillsdale.edu, you have been warned. I’m going to focus on courses offered by Coursera and Udemy going forward. I learn more when I am engaged by the content, not an by being an inactive participant.

The Science of Success: What Researchers Know That You Should Know, Paula Caproni, University of Michigan, Coursera. – I started week 1 yesterday. A buddy of mine recommended this one and I’m glad he did. This is a good course so far.

Documentaries:

Movies:

Venom (Another Marvel Movie) is scheduled to come out on the 5^th. I cannot wait. This one looks terrific!

Fun:

Ozark – Netflix (in the cue) – Re-watching Season 1 to remind myself what’s going on. I’ll kick into Season 2 when I’m back on track with this one.

Jack Ryan – Amazon Prime (in the cue) – Still pending.

Interesting Apps:

I didn’t find anything new in the iPhone app realm this week.

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Thinking Thursday

Tags

Consistency, Dwayne Johnson, Keep going, Never quit, Reach your goals

“Success isn’t always about greatness. It’s about consistency. Consistent hard work leads to success. Greatness will come.” – Dwayne Johnson

Read more at https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/dwayne_johnson_760902?src=t_work

Consistency. It is making choices about what we will do and then consistently working towards the goals we have decided to pursue. If you want to lose weight, you must exercise, get enough sleep, drink plenty of water, and eat nutritious foods—consistently. You won’t lose weight if you eat right today and eat horribly for the rest of the week. You won’t lose weight if you exercise today and then blow it off for a month.

I don’t care what you choose to do. Once you decide, be as consistent as you can. If you want to write—write consistently. If you want to be well-read—read consistently. If you want to build any skill into your repertoire—build that skill consistently. If you want deep and meaningful relationships—contribute to these relationships consistently.

Consistent action is powerful. Watch the waves of the ocean sometimes. They never stop coming in. They erode rock. Watch the animals that visit your backyard. They are consistently foraging for food, working on their homes, and cleaning themselves. They are consistently scanning their environment for predators. There are examples of consistency everywhere.

Consistent action on the items you value will deliver tremendous results. Choose what you want to do, add in a little time each day to do something to work toward that goal and you will achieve it at some point.

Here’s my progress on reading, learning, and entertainment activities for this week:

Books:

Rediscovering Americanism and The Tyranny of Progressivism, Mark R. Levin – Just started this one. My brother sent it to me as a gift.

Ethics, Aristotle

The Shariyat Ki Sugmad, Paul Twitchell

Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Harriet Beecher Stowe

Classes:

Western Heritage, Hillsdale College – Almost done with this one. A quick note: Hillsdale has updated their website and online courses. They no longer offer discussion boards, quizzes, or certificates of completion—FYI.

Documentaries:

Movies:

Venom (Another Marvel Movie) is scheduled to come out on the 5^th. I cannot wait. This one looks terrific!

Fun:

The West Wing (Currently on Netflix) – Just finished this season again. I cannot recommend this series enough. I have watched it probably 8 or 9 times and still do not get tired of it. The characters are terrific and the acting and writing are terrific. 5 STARS!!

Ozark – Netflix (in the cue)

Jack Ryan – Amazon Prime (in the cue)

Interesting Apps:

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Thinking Thursday

Tags

Apps, Benjamin Franklin, Books, Courses, Movies, Series, Thinking Thursday

Retrieved from: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/benjamin_franklin_141119?src=t_knowledge

I enjoy learning. I put a lot of time and effort into growing my knowledge, honing my skill set, and just picking up interesting pieces of information. If you’ve been reading these Thinking Thursday quotes it is all about what I am reading, watching, and the online courses I am taking. I’ve also begun adding some of the apps I use or try with recommendations if one of my readers is interested.

My words try to motivate. I like to teach others and pass along some of the things I’ve tried out that have proven to be effective. I hope you enjoy the exercise suggestions, different techniques for dieting, the book and class recommendations, along with the various movies/series I am watching. I want everyone to know that I am not an affiliate of any website, product, or service. I recommend what I try out and have used for the benefit of my readers only. I may opt to pursue affiliation in the future but for now, these recommendations are simply that.

I also want to take a few moments to thank all of the new readers that have begun following Daily Ramblings. If anyone has suggestions or recommended changes that you believe would make Daily Ramblings better, feel free. I can’t make any promises but will give every suggestion that is offered serious consideration.

Here’s my progress on key reading, learning, and entertainment activities for this week:

Books:

Ethics, Aristotle

The Shariyat Ki Sugmad, Paul Twitchell

Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Harriet Beecher Stowe

Classes:

Western Heritage, Hillsdale College

Mini-Habits Course, Udemy – Great Course! I highly recommend it. I have read the book, so the course was sort of a refresher. The instructor is interesting and provides a lot of good examples on how to implement his strategies.

Designing Your Own Weight Loss Plan – Case Western University – Coursera – I do not recommend this course. It is outdated, and the instructor is very dull. If you are interested in this topic area I would recommend searching for another course. I could not get through it.

Documentaries:

Movies:

Black Panther – Netflix: I’m a huge Marvel fan and this one doesn’t disappoint. My sister was lukewarm about it but I liked it.

Fun:

The West Wing (Currently on Netflix)

Ozark – Netflix (in the cue)

Jack Ryan – Amazon Prime (in the cue)

U.S. Open Tennis (when I have time to catch a good set here and there) – I enjoyed this. The finals were exciting to watch and so was some of the match play I got a chance to see.

Interesting Apps:

I just discovered Curious.com. It has mini-courses, daily words, daily poems, interesting articles, daily content-specific podcast content, and puzzles like crosswords, up and down words, and many others. It’ll run you $9.99/month or an annual fee (can’t remember the price), but this is worth it. I have been playing with this for a week and really like it.

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Thinking Thursday

Tags

Amazon, Case Western University, Coursera, Curious.com, Groupthink, Hillsdale College, Netflix, Patton

“If everyone is thinking alike, then somebody isn’t thinking.” – George S. Patton

Read more at https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/george_s_patton_130444?src=t_thinking

I enjoy reading broadly and trying new things. Recently I ran across a website called www.curious.com. It is a site that provides stimulating ways to exercise your brain with puzzles, interesting articles, a word of the day, a poem of the day, and a whole lot of other activities. I am not an affiliate but highly recommend it if you are ok with the $40/year or $10/month subscription. I was because I like a diversity of things to do and look at each day.

Patton was a stickler for out-of-the-box thinking and pushing his subordinates to come up with their own solutions. He was well-known for pushing the envelope with his commanders during all his exploits in WWII. Patton is referring to a term we now call “groupthink”. Groupthink occurs when a group of people all think alike without refuting one another or challenging each other’s ideas. You typically find this type of thinking in organizations where politics reign and people are stifled or ostracized for coming up with ideas that are not in alignment with a leader’s or organization’s thinking. Some of the results of groupthink have been devastating.

We can do this with ourselves as well. We stifle our own ideas before we entertain them. When you brainstorm individually give every idea an equal weight during the session. You will evaluate each idea later. Use every resource you have at hand when you are seeking a solution. If you keep an open mind, you’ll be amazed at the ideas that come in. Some of them will be exactly what you need to solve your problem.

Here’s my progress on key reading, learning, and entertainment activities for this week:

Books:

Ethics, Aristotle

The Shariyat Ki Sugmad, Paul Twitchell

Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Harriet Beecher Stowe

Classes:

Mindshift: Break Through Obstacles to Learning and Discover Your Hidden Potential, Coursera – I just finished this one. This is sort of a continuation of the Learning how to learn course I finished a bit ago and it was terrific. Learning how to learn and Mindshift are both worth your while if you are interested in taking them. They can both be found on www.Coursera.com.

Western Heritage, Hillsdale College

Mini-Habits Course, Udemy

Designing Your Own Weight Loss Plan – Case Western University – Coursera – Just finished week 1—pretty good so far.

Documentaries:

Movies:

Fun:

The West Wing (Currently on Netflix)

I’ve been playing a video game with my Army buddy called StarCraft II. It is great fun.

Ozark – Netflix (in the cue)

Jack Ryan – Amazon Prime (in the cue)

U.S. Open Tennis (when I have time to catch a good set here and there).

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Thinking Thursday

Tags

adaptation, change, Character, Persistence, Preparedness, Stephen Hawking, Survival

Thank you for following Daily Ramblings!

Daily Ramblings has gained another 7 followers! Thank you! I am glad you are on board and I hope to meet your expectations. For those of you who are new, my blog postings follow a daily theme. Motivation Monday, Ted Talk Tuesday, Wisdom Wednesday, Thinking Thursday, Funny Friday, Spiritual Saturday, and for a brief time, Series Sunday. The upcoming series of essays I am going to write will focus on character attributes I am trying to build for myself personally. I hope you visit!

“Intelligence is the ability to adapt to change.” – Stephen Hawking Read more at https://www.brainyquote.com/topics/intelligence

Thinking Thursday!

The late Stephen Hawking was one of the great thinkers of our time. He wrote multiple books, gave a myriad number of presentations and talks, and was the guy that gave us more insight into the black hole—all while stuck in a wheelchair with the equivalent of Lou Gehrig’s disease. Talk about an achievement.

Our ability to adapt to change is literally what helps us survive. We get sick, we get old, things happen we didn’t see coming that throw our world into chaos. It is our ability to accept and adapt to these changes that mean the difference between our surviving the change and thriving despite it.

I like to read about folks like Stephen Hawking because it provides me with a great perspective. His life tells me that regardless of what life deals out, we can overcome these challenges and live extraordinary lives. If you are ever down in the dumps, ready to quit, read stories about Stephen Hawking, Nelson Mandela, Mother Teresa, and the other greats. You’ll discover that their lives were wrought with the same challenges you and I face, if not worse. They demonstrate by their actions and character, that true greatness is not having everything go your way. It is about recovering from the disasters and tragedies that sometimes occur for no reason and seemingly through no fault of our own.

Books:

Ethics, Aristotle

The Shariyat Ki Sugmad, Paul Twitchell

Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Harriet Beecher Stowe

Classes:

Mindshift: Break Through Obstacles to Learning and Discover Your Hidden Potential, Coursera

Western Heritage, Hillsdale College

Mini-Habits Course, Udemy

Documentaries:

I’m a Killer (Netflix) – decided to stop watching this one. It was a little too dark for me. As I grow older, the violent, bloody, and vicious don’t appeal to me anymore.

Movies:

Fun:

The West Wing (Currently on Netflix)

I’ve been playing a video game with my Army buddy called StarCraft II. It is great fun.

Change is inevitable in our lifetime. Our bodies change, our relationships change, our jobs change, our health changes. Learn new skills, develop new character traits, be prepared. You are stronger than you think you are.

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Thinking Thursday

Tags

Achievement, continuous effort, followers, Goals, Liane Cordes, Writing

“Continuous effort – not strength or intelligence – is the key to unlocking our potential.” – Liane Cordes

Read more at https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/liane_cordes_385862?src=t_intelligence

Thank you for following Daily Ramblings

Before I get into my posting, I wanted to thank my new readers who followed Daily Ramblings recently. I’m up to 441 followers and appreciate everyone who has decided to give my blog a whirl. I hope to keep you entertained. My goal for followers is 500 by year’s end. If you know of anyone in your blogging network that could benefit from my words, send them my way. One thing I want to note for everyone. I am not an affiliate of anyone right now. Who knows? Maybe in the future. Currently, however, I recommend products, websites, videos, and other services without any kickbacks from anyone. I enjoy sharing the things I find so that others may benefit from these things as well.

Thinking Thursday!

When I find a quote, I have been taking some extra time to find out more about the person who wrote it. In this case, Liane Cordes is the author of The Reflecting Pond – Meditations for Self-Discovery. I enjoy reading quotes that reflect my values. I value persistence.

I don’t know when I adopted this. Maybe it was ingrained in me as a child. The thing is I want to learn new things, I want to be a published author, I want to leave something behind for this world to ponder.

I was brought up to always leave a place in better shape than I found it. When I was in the Army and heading to a new assignment I tried to do everything I could for the person who would end up replacing me. I made sure furniture was clean and polished, ordered all the manuals, publications, and regulations the unit was missing, left some notes on things I wanted to do but didn’t get done. I also left private notes to my incoming replacement on any personnel issues they would need to know about (who is on vacation, who is up for promotion, that sort of thing).

I want to do the same thing with this blog, my personal, private writings (diaries and journals), and get a few books out there. Writing is one of these things that takes continuous effort. It takes practice. It takes learning about writing and reading about the challenges other authors have faced. Writing requires writing. It always feels good to get a comment that tells me what I wrote is what they needed today—this is what keeps me writing for this blog.

I use this blog to practice my craft. Sometimes the writing is great—other times, not so great. I return from time-to-time to earlier blog postings and wonder “how the heck did I think that was worthy of getting online?” Then I sit back and realize that we evolve. We improve. What we wrote a year ago isn’t the same level we are writing now. This evolution will continue I think.

On to my current activities. I’ve hit my goal of 36 books for the year. Now it’s on to 48 books next year. I will continue to read more books but wanted to brag a bit. I always get a rush when I hit a goal or achieve a major milestone. It feels awesome.

Books:

Ethics, Aristotle

The Shariyat Ki Sugmad, Paul Twitchell

Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Harriet Beecher Stowe

Kobo: A Story of the Russo-Japanese War, Herbert Strang – When I first found this book on the Project Gutenberg website I thought it was a history book. After reading it for a bit, I discovered it was a fictional story using the Japanese-Russian War as the backdrop. The story was terrific, and the characters were endearing.

Classes:

Mindshift: Break Through Obstacles to Learning and Discover Your Hidden Potential, Coursera

Public Policy, Hillsdale College – Discusses the nature of changes that have taken place due to progressive influences across a large group of topics like immigration, education, taxation, and marriage. Great course! (Hillsdale.edu).

Western Heritage, Hillsdale College

Mini-Habits Course, Udemy

Documentaries:

I’m a Killer (Netflix)

Movies:

Ready Player One (Amazon Prime) – I haven’t watched this yet. My sister recommended it and it is on my hit list.

Fun:

The West Wing (Currently on Netflix)

Getting good at things, improving, evolving, and achieving your goals is all about continuous effort. If you just keep moving forward, you’ll get where you’re going.

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Thinking Thursday

Tags

Amazon, Books, Diet, Exercise, Netflix, Plato, Reading, Writing

“Thinking: the talking of the soul with itself.” – Plato

Read more at https://www.brainyquote.com/topics/thinking

I’ve really begun to enjoy my reading sessions each day. Sometimes I pick out a string of books that are just not that great, but the last few months I’ve been getting my hands on some terrific ones—books you look forward to reading each day. Have you ever read a book that you enjoyed so much that you took your time reading it to expand the time you could enjoy it? That’s what it has been like with the books I’ve been reading. Kobo and Uncle Tom’s Cabin are two books that I’m enjoying tremendously.

I just started the Mindshift course a while ago. It is a lot of fun. The teachers are the same as my previous course – Learning how to Learn. This course is about different techniques for learning new things, like a language or picking up a skill you do not have any experience with. It is terrific!

One of the things I’ve learned about low-carb diets is my energy level. It is easier to do endurance work, but lifting weights is much tougher than it was when I was eating a decent amount of carbs. I have been getting comments about my trimming down, which always feels good. I’ve adjusted my workout routine to every other day to adjust to this diet. This is a temporary adjustment, but one that should expedite my body’s adaptation to this new eating pattern.

I hope everyone is having a great week so far. Feel free to comment below with any of the things you are doing well, any goals you have set or accomplished, and even course or book recommendations. I’m always on the lookout for the next great online course or book.

Books:

The Shariyat Ki Sugmad, Paul Twitchell

Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Harriet Beecher Stowe

The Spiritual Exercises of ECK, Harold Klemp – Just finished this book yesterday. Boy, what a collection of exercises that can help solve some of life’s little challenges.

Kobo: A Story of the Russo-Japanese War, Herbert Strang

The Thirty Years’ War 1618 – 1648, Samuel Rawson Gardner – Religious differences and intolerance, coupled with greed and vanity and you get 30 years of conflict along with the civilian suffering that followed. Very interesting read if you would like to learn about the 30 years’ war.

Classes:

Mindshift: Break Through Obstacles to Learning and Discover Your Hidden Potential

Public Policy, Hillsdale College

Mini-Habits Course, Udemy

Documentaries:

I’m a Killer (Netflix)

Movies:

Ready Player One (Amazon Prime) – I haven’t watched this yet. My sister recommended it and it is on my hit list.

Fun:

The West Wing (Currently on Netflix)

Keep pushing, only today and tomorrow before the weekend!!

Until next time…

Dave