Wednesday, January 9, 2019

Hell Week

Erik Bertrand Larssen has written a book called Hell Week, where he applies his experiences.
The idea, to put it shortly, is to get up earlier, go to bed earlier, and give your all every waking minute. So, I'm giving it a try.

One of the things on my "bucket list" is to complete a goal every day for a year, like ZombieGirl did.
I am using the Hell Week to get it going.

The difficult part with this is to remember a couple of things:
* It's COMPLETE a goal, which means that I can do it in steps spread over several days, like if I do something every day of the month, or have a movie marathon, or chew through a list of books or something like that.
* Any goal will do. It doesn't need to be something spectacular and amazing, it's enough to do something small, like learn a card trick or cook something.
* Done is better than perfect. This means, that if I bake something, it doesn't need to be well baked. It doesn't need to look good. I don't need to succeed, just follow the recipe and try.

So... ZombieGirl has done it. It's just to do what she did, and get it done. :-D

First 10 days:

I am not going to volunteer in any dash, or go to Oregon, but I would like to have "tjejmilen" on my achieved goals... It's some 7 months until that event, so nicely time to train.
So C25K it is. I need to put the training plan on the calendar so that I can mark it done this year.
I suppose I need to start it by walking 5K every day, and then just working on getting the speed up.

Making fudge sounds like a good idea, but on my list I have "bake through the Daring Bakers' challenges", so I think I should take recipes from that list.

Now, I have several movies on my to watch list, and it takes only a couple of hours to watch a movie, so that I can do when I don't come up with something else to do.

Another thing to do is to do something I fear every day. - or at least once a week.

One thing I would like to add to my list is to learn to enjoy fish. But, there are more "important" things there. I want to get back to reading books, for example, so I need to start reading at least an hour every day.

Thursday, January 3, 2019

2019

My sister had a wonderful idea. Complete 4 goals this year.
It can be anything.
Like...
what is your best quality, what are your talents, do something to make you better, to embrace that quality.
Which sense would you like to improve or embrace?
Is there something that has been on your "I wish..." list or "to do" list since forever?
Pick a list, any list from listchallenges and complete it.
Learn to do something, learn a new hobby

Some inspiration: ZombieGirl's Complete a goal every day for a year
It doesn't need to be complicated, difficult, take the whole day etc. Just try some food you have never eaten before. :-D

10 things I want to do in February

My problem is two-fold.
1) I want to do something big and amazing and epic and challenging. I don't just want to read the 10 books everyone should read or eat something new once a week. I want to change the world and do... something big and amazing and... :-D
2) I never finish anything, I don't stick to anything. I know exactly HOW to do anything, I know I can learn anything, I know nothing is impossible. I just... don't do it. I have no tenacity, perseverance, commitment. None what so ever. The only thing I can be trusted to do is anything that doesn't require me to do anything. You can trust I will stay in a relationship forever, because leaving it would require me to do something. You can trust I could stay in bed 24/7, because leaving it would require me to do something. Anything else.... nope. I mean... I can't even rip a calendar page every day. I probably wouldn't eat very much if I lived alone.

I would LOVE to do a 365 blog. I wanted to make a 365 blog with peacocks, like Noah Scalin's Skull-a-day.
I would love to do a 365 self portrait challenge.
I would love a "make something every day of the year"
I would really love it if I was that kind of a person. I'm not.

I made myself an Autumn bucket list. It's totally achievable. I am fully capable of doing everything on the list. I am very fond of it. I think it's a really nice list. So after I had made it, I decided I would do one for each season. Bah.

I started a 101 things in 1001 days challenge. I don't think I managed to do any of the things, and I stuck with it for... a week, perhaps?
I did a 50 before 50 challenge. I'll be 50 in April. Have I done anything on the list? Nah.
I love lists like that.

I. JUST. CAN'T. GET. IT. DONE.

*sigh*

Like... I have this dream. I want to make all 8 Pagan holidays as big as Yule. I have even done the time management list about that! I mean, there are 52 weeks in a year. That is 6 1/2 weeks for each holiday. That's 4 weeks before and 12 days of the holiday and then a couple of days between for rest. There already is a very solid traditions of advent celebration, "December daily", "Elf on the Shelf", family traditions for December, Twelfth night and all that stuff. The only thing one needs to do is to replace all the Yule specifics with the other holiday specifics. I have even done that already! I know the colors and symbols and activities for each holiday and all that jazz, and it would be so easy! All it takes is FOR ME TO JUST DO IT! But, no. 20 years of planning and dreaming, and last year we didn't celebrate even Christmas! Eh.

I have tried to create lists on the things I actually do, but what it resulted with was that I stopped doing even those things. :-(
I used to walk 5K every day, come rain, come shine. I decided I would up it to running 5K every day. I started the C25K program. The first day I did it... I couldn't even run a minute. I could run like 10 seconds. There is no "run 10 seconds and walk 20 minutes" plan, so... I didn't do even that. Now, I was still walking the 5K, but then things happened and I stopped.
I used to yoga every morning. So I decided to up it a little, and add two more moves, to get somewhere with my dream of splits, and - I stopped.
I used to read with gusto. I decided to start reading these "100 books everyone should read" lists, and... I haven't read a book for years. (yeah, I have, but whereas I used to read at least a book every week, now I read at most a book a month. Usually not even that.)
I'm really good with languages. I love languages, and I learn quickly. But - nope.
I have an opinion on everything and I write long and well about it. So I started a blog about my opinions on everything. Have I updated it? No. The last 5 years I have managed to blog 10 times or less. Yay me!

So... how could I improve my persistence?
So - the goal is very much worth it.
Have I ever persisted? Once. It lead nowhere. I kept on doing something for more than a year, and all it got me was... mental breakdown. I really wanted something and I couldn't get it. The more I tried, the more it resisted, and when I gave up, it went away alltogether. It was really devastating, and not rewarding in any way. But... I did it. I don't know how.

Thursday, October 18, 2018

"nobody helps me!"

I want desperately friends. I have seen all those movies and tv shows with a group of friends that experience amazing things and get through difficult times together. I want to be a Friend, and a Golden Girl, and BFF and all kinds of things.

I read other people's bucket list adventures, and feel desperately alone. "I could, too, if I had friends like that. I would, too, if..."

I listened to Barbara Sher's Ted Talk, "Isolation is the dream killer, not your attitude".
But I AM isolated. I expect the world to ignore me. That's what always happens. Nobody wants to do things with me. Nobody wants to be with me. Not even people who have never met me, and don't know that nobody wants me. I ask for help, I ask for company, I ask for someone to see me and hear me, and everyone just walks by as if I was invisible.

The thing is... this feeling is wrong. We have been brainwashed to think we need "friends", and that these "friends" are a special kind of people. In all the tv shows and movies, these friends have plenty of time and interest and energy exactly when we need it, and the exact right words and they do the exact right things to make the MC feel better and get over the bad things, and vice versa, when the friend is in trouble, the MC has the time and energy and resources and everything just as it is needed. And they always have good time, and all that. That is not real.

In real life, what you need is people, and these people are everywhere. 99% of world population - and it doesn't matter if you are in Africa or Asia, in the deepest jungles of South America or coldest widths of Arctic. This is what people do. We recognize another human being as just that, another one of our species. We have been spread all over this planet like no other life form just because we help each other and we communicate and we socialize. It's natural to human beings. To tap into that, to make every person you meet a "friend", is to treat them as if they were your friends. And that also means that you let them be when they express they want to be left alone. There's over seven billion people on this planet, you don't need that specific person to be your "friend" at the moment.

Here's Barbara Sher's Idea Party

And when it comes to bucket lists, you don't need a friend who can do what you want to do to help you, to teach you, because the internet is there. And the internet is full of people who are willing to help people they don't know, will never know, won't even know that they have helped these people... you can find a tutorial on virtually any subject online. People have put online totally free, available to everyone, all kinds of programs and tutorials and schedules and plans. You just have to put in the effort. No friends needed, no money needed, no loops to jump, no catches.

Wednesday, October 3, 2018

Darcy's 31 days to a better photography

This is a repost from a blog. I think it's excellent and don't want the information to disappear

31 Days to a Better Photo | The Complete Index

Thank you for your interest in 31 Days to a Better Photo! I’m glad you’re here and want to learn how to make the most of your dSLR. With a little time together, you can be shooting manually in a month!

xo, Darcy

Carey's 31+ days to better photography

This is a repost from a blog. I think it's very good, but lately the post has been disappearing, so I fear it will disappear alltogether, and that would be a pity.

Hello! Welcome!

This 31+ day posting project is for anyone who may be starting out in photography and even for those who know it all. It’s been my experience that there is always more to learn and photography is no exception, especially for me. I’m crafting this month as a means to organize my own thoughts and help out those who wish to learn more about taking better pictures.

Every post during this month may or may not resonate with you. That’s ok. I’m hoping at least something will help you learn more about taking better pictures because that is one of my passions in life; helping others learn more about photography.
There’s no catch, there’s nothing you have to buy or subscribe to. You can start this month of learning any time you want to, take a break if you like, or skip down to the Challenges or Assignments. It’s up to you to make the most of it!

If you are interested in learning photography in person, I offer workshops, individual instruction and the opportunity to learn in locations such as Nepal, Bhutan, Morocco and more.

Are you ready to jump into a month (plus!) long journey to better photographs?

Core Concepts

Day 1 – The Exposure Triangle
Day 2 – How Your Camera Works
Day 3 – How To Hold A Camera
Day 4 – Photography Jargon
Day 5 – Shutter Speed
Day 6 – Aperture
Day 7 – ISO
Day 8 – Metering Modes
Day 9 – Camera Modes
Day 10 – White Balance
Day 11 – How To Take A Shot
Day 12 – Histograms
Day 13 – Flash (ahh ahhhh, the Unstoppable!)
Day 14 – Rule Of Thirds
Day 15 – RAW & JPEG Can Coexist
Day 16 – Exposure Compensation/Bias
Day 17 – A Rule Of Thumb To Help Stop Photo Blur

Creative Ideas

Day 18 – Waterfalls (Don’t go chasing them, stick to the rivers & the lakes you’re used to)
Day 19 – Get Close, Go Wide
Day 20 – Panning Blurrrrrr
Day 21 – Shooting Photos At Night
Day 22 – Moon Photos
Day 23 – Light Trails
Day 24 – Fill Flash and good times to use it
Day 25 – Cityscapes
Day 26 – Rock Climbing
Day 27 – Low Angle
Day 28 – Sunsets
Day 29 – Travel Portraits
Day 30 – Bounce Flash
Day 31 – How I Edited It

Gear Ideas

Day 32 – Picking A Lens(es)
Day 33 – What’s A Good Camera For Me To Buy?
Day 34 – Travel Gear Recommendations
Day 35 – Why You Might Want A Reverse Graduated Neutral Density Filter
Day 36 – Neutral Density Filters – A Primer
Day 37 – Traveling With Gear
Day 38 – The Difference A Tilt-Shift Lens Can Make
Day 39 – Tripod Use and Abuse
Day 40 – Buying An Entry Level DSLR
Day 41 – An Example Of Why You Might Want To Use A Polarizing Filter At Sunrise In Seattle

Wednesday, September 19, 2018

Find my soulmate

It really isn't difficult. It's actually very easy and simple. But you might not want to do the work...

1) Get happy with who you are. You don't have to change at all, in any way, because your soulmate wants YOU, just the way you are. The fat, ugly, crumpy, unfit, sourpuss besserwisser, or what ever name you call yourself when you feel you aren't worthy. You just have to be OK with who you are. If you don't want to live with you, you can't believe anyone would.

2) Get active. Of course it's possible that your soulmate finds you - there is this story of a woman who was dreaming of an active, handsome and fit man, but she never left her house unless she absolutely had to. Her friends was trying to fix her up, trying to get her become more active, but she wouldn't. Then, one day, her dream man dropped from the sky... he was a parachuter and the jump went a bit wrong, so he fell into her garden. They liked each other the first sight, started discussing, and one thing lead to another, and they got married and have lived happily ever after. I mean... it happens. But the chances of it happening grow, if you increase the amount of people you meet.

So - get active in the areas of life, occupations, hobbies, you are interested in, and could imagine doing with your soulmate. I met mine at Tolkien society :-D

About 1/5 meet their spouse at internet; through dating sites or just social media.
About 1/5 meet their spouse through friends. Your friend's friend (or sibling's friend) might be your soulmate.
About 1/4 meet their spouse at school or work
About 1/8 meet their spouse at a bar or nightclub
About 1/10 meet their spouse at an event - sport, church, concert etc.

3) Learn to talk with anyone. Talk with everyone.

How to identify your soulmate

4) Ideas for first dates:
https://www.eharmony.co.uk/dating-advice/dating/first-date-ideas#.XWfTe3tS_IU
https://www.elitedaily.com/p/50-cool-first-date-ideas-youll-wish-youd-thought-of-yourself-8602650
https://www.artofmanliness.com/articles/the-8-very-best-first-date-ideas/
https://bestlifeonline.com/first-dates/
https://www.mantelligence.com/first-date-ideas/

STAY AWAY FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE TAKEN.
If they are your soulmate, they'll find you when they are free.
And if you happen on a person who lies about their status, get rid of them immediately you find out they lied. It doesn't matter if they are separated or "the marriage is over" or "they are taking time off", or "in an open relationship", or what ever. If he/she can't wait until they are 100% available and not cheating on someone, you don't want to be with him/her, BECAUSE YOU WILL BE NEXT.

Also, "falling in love" means that you find the other person attractive and want to have sex with them. It doesn't mean you "love" him/her or that he/she is your soulmate or you "are in love". It doesn't excuse anything, it doesn't justify anything, it's not reason enough to do anything (except, PERHAPS, to have sex). It doesn't mean you have found your soulmate. One important question to ask here is if you want to see them happy even if it meant that you are unhappy or if you want to see yourself happy even if it meant that they are unhappy - meaning that you want them to be with you, stay with you, choose you always, inspite of the options. If you can be sincerely happy about them finding their soulmate when that person isn't you, and smile and congratulate them on their wedding day, even when your heart breaks, then you love them. If you would sabotage the wedding because you are 100% certain of that they would be happier with you, then you don't really love them.

BUT - it is very much possible to learn to love someone.

Most arranged marriages "succeed", because there is a trick in being in a successful relationship. It is "make it work". Don't consider divorce an option. It is possible to make EVERY ASPECT OF A MARRIAGE work with a person who isn't your dream spouse or soulmate. Millions of people do it every day. And might be that in the end, you realize this person WAS your soulmate after all.

(Unless there's violence involved in the relationship. Then staying in it is not an option, how ever much it is possible to "fix" it. People who use violence; physical, mental, psychological, social, economical, any kind, on people, especially friends and family, should not be in a relationship.)

Tuesday, September 11, 2018

Visit Every Country Of The World

As for now, there's about 200 countries in the world:

1 Afghanistan
2 Albania
3 Algeria
4 Andorra
5 Angola
6 Antigua and Barbuda
7 Argentina
8 Armenia
9 Australia
10 Austria
11 Azerbaijan
12 Bahamas
13 Bahrain
14 Bangladesh
15 Barbados
16 Belarus
17 Belgium
18 Belize
19 Benin
20 Bhutan
21 Bolivia
22 Bosnia and Herzegovina
23 Botswana
24 Brazil
25 Brunei
26 Bulgaria
27 Burkina Faso
28 Burundi
29 Côte d'Ivoire
30 Cabo Verde
31 Cambodia
32 Cameroon
33 Canada
34 Central African Republic
35 Chad
36 Chile
37 China
38 Colombia
39 Comoros
40 Congo (Congo-Brazzaville)
41 Costa Rica
42 Croatia
43 Cuba
44 Cyprus
45 Czechia (Czech Republic)
46 Democratic Republic of the Congo
47 Denmark
48 Djibouti
49 Dominica
50 Dominican Republic
51 Ecuador
52 Egypt
53 El Salvador
54 Equatorial Guinea
55 Eritrea
56 Estonia
57 Eswatini (fmr. "Swaziland")
58 Ethiopia
59 Fiji
60 Finland
61 France
62 Gabon
63 Gambia
64 Georgia
65 Germany
66 Ghana
67 Greece
68 Grenada
69 Guatemala
70 Guinea
71 Guinea-Bissau
72 Guyana
73 Haiti
74 Holy See
75 Honduras
76 Hungary
77 Iceland
78 India
79 Indonesia
80 Iran
81 Iraq
82 Ireland
83 Israel
84 Italy
85 Jamaica
86 Japan
87 Jordan
88 Kazakhstan
89 Kenya
90 Kiribati
91 Kuwait
92 Kyrgyzstan
93 Laos
94 Latvia
95 Lebanon
96 Lesotho
97 Liberia
98 Libya
99 Liechtenstein
100 Lithuania
101 Luxembourg
102 Madagascar
103 Malawi
104 Malaysia
105 Maldives
106 Mali
107 Malta
108 Marshall Islands
109 Mauritania
110 Mauritius
111 Mexico
112 Micronesia
113 Moldova
114 Monaco
115 Mongolia
116 Montenegro
117 Morocco
118 Mozambique
119 Myanmar (formerly Burma)
120 Namibia
121 Nauru
122 Nepal
123 Netherlands
124 New Zealand
125 Nicaragua
126 Niger
127 Nigeria
128 North Korea
129 North Macedonia
130 Norway
131 Oman
132 Pakistan
133 Palau
134 Palestine State
135 Panama
136 Papua New Guinea
137 Paraguay
138 Peru
139 Philippines
140 Poland
141 Portugal
142 Qatar
143 Romania
144 Russia
145 Rwanda
146 Saint Kitts and Nevis
147 Saint Lucia
148 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
149 Samoa
150 San Marino
151 Sao Tome and Principe
152 Saudi Arabia
153 Senegal
154 Serbia
155 Seychelles
156 Sierra Leone
157 Singapore
158 Slovakia
159 Slovenia
160 Solomon Islands
161 Somalia
162 South Africa
163 South Korea
164 South Sudan
165 Spain
166 Sri Lanka
167 Sudan
168 Suriname
169 Sweden
170 Switzerland
171 Syria
172 Tajikistan
173 Tanzania
174 Thailand
175 Timor-Leste
176 Togo
177 Tonga
178 Trinidad and Tobago
179 Tunisia
180 Turkey
181 Turkmenistan
182 Tuvalu
183 Uganda
184 Ukraine
185 United Arab Emirates
186 United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland)
187 United States of America (50 states)
188 Uruguay
189 Uzbekistan
190 Vanuatu
191 Venezuela
192 Vietnam
193 Yemen
194 Zambia
195 Zimbabwe

Also the dependent territories.

American Samoa
Anguilla
Aruba
Bermuda
British Virgin Islands
Caribbean Netherlands
Cayman Islands
Channel Islands
Cook Islands
Curaçao
Faeroe Islands
Falkland Islands
French Guiana
French Polynesia
Gibraltar
Greenland
Guadeloupe
Guam
Hong Kong
Isle of Man
Macao
Martinique
Mayotte
Montserrat
New Caledonia
Niue
Northern Mariana Islands
Puerto Rico
Réunion
Saint Barthelemy
Saint Helena
Saint Martin/ Sint Maarten
Saint Pierre & Miquelon
Taiwan
Tokelau
Turks and Caicos
U.S. Virgin Islands
Wallis & Futuna
Western Sahara

And the questioned areas that consider itself a country but haven't yet been recognized internationally

Republic of Kosovo
Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
Republic of China (Taiwan)
Republic of South Ossetia
Republic of Abkhazia
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
Republic of Artsakh
Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic
Republic of Somaliland

Also the micronations

The List

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