Random Notes: People Over Profit, By Dale Partridge.

7 core beliefs throughout large companies that have been able to remain "honest" (Rather than going through a cycle of deception):

1. People Matter
2. Truth Wins
3. Transparency Free's
4. Authenticity Attracts
5. Quality Speaks
6. Generosity Returns
7. Courage Sustains.

Contradictory Values

I realized something. I value 2 different things that conflict.

1) Supporting local business.
2) Minimalism.

I've been using a 3 month free trial of "apple music". After the trial, I can pay $10/month to continue this music streaming service. On one hand, Apple is an enormous company that does not NEED my support. BUT, keeping things digital helps me keep my life more minimalistic.

I could go to the local record store and spend $10 every month and probably get a couple records. If I buy 25 records a year, after 10 years I've got 250 of these things taking up space in my house.

Clutter.

I had never really thought about this contradiction of values. I want to support my local record store, but I do not want more "stuff".

I guess there's only hope for eateries.

invisible badge of honor

Writing is like the unpacking of an abstract painting.

At first- it appears to be an undefinable mess. But as its explored, stroke by stroke, line by line, you make sense of the mess until it's really all quite digestible and simple.

If you we're to start with digestible and simple, though, you would not appreciate the perspective nearly as much.

An earned perspective is always appreciated more than one that's handed out like napkins.

So writing in it's simplest sense is most confusing then. It's like a painting you desperately want to share, but you don't want anyone to see it.

Or if you do share it- it's best left with some ambiguity to chew on; which actually, more likely, will just leave it disregarded altogether.

So I guess writing is more like an abstract painting that was never unpacked, never shared, and left out by the dumpster after years of collecting dust in the closet.

I guess writing is extremely meaningless and beautiful like that.

Or maybe that's just how it feels when your trying and wrap your head around a world choosing to drown themselves in cat videos and pornography.

You just scribble abstract sentences together in between Netflix episodes so that you can wear your invisible badge of honor.

I just realized why people have kids.

So that they can explain the world to themselves in the most meaningful and true way.

Slackers.

I Scream No Ice Cream

"The one who hates correction will die."

             Proverbs 15:10b.

Sometimes people around us that we love dearly suffer steadily.  Their entire lives are a struggle.  There doesn't seem to be much that we can do about it, no matter what we try.

I feel for these people- it's sad and depressing to think of someones entire life being such a struggle.  Typically people who struggle in one area will slowly start to struggle in other areas as well, before you know it their entire life is a series of sad dramatic car wrecks.

If they're getting bad results consistently, maybe they need to do something differently?

People with tough lives usually hate correction.  They don't want to hear their friends advice, or if they do, they don't follow through with change.  Their parents, counselors, pastors, co-workers, and bosses cannot get through to them.  Can anyone correct a person who hates correction and is unwilling to change?

Breaking Bartering, The Empowerment of Independent Wealth

I just watched this marriage seminar with some friends, the guy talked about how husbands and wives should barter- just like how we barter for our jobs.  He said couples should barter for sex or favors.  I don't know about all that, but the thing that stuck out to me was what he said about work.  He said we only go to work because they pay us.  So if they didn't pay us, we wouldn't show up.

That makes a lot of sense, and it helped me put my greatest career goal into words- To truly show up- even if I wasn't getting paid.  

That is how I want to live my life, and I intend to as soon as possible.  To really do this, though, I do need to be in a place in my life where I can truly not worry about money.  Being the practical nerd I am, I need to do this in a healthy way, I can't just live on a credit card for 12 months and call that being able to "not care about money."

When Real Growth Starts

I've always thought my ability to grow my business was a direct reflection of my ability to grow myself.  After hearing a sermon this morning about accepting the hard seasons of life and enjoying the moment, though, my wife and I's post sermon discussion made me realize something.

I realized my ability to grow myself is about so much more than just growing my business.  So many of us have issues in ALL areas of our lives that land in the exact same category (myself included).  I realized our ability to grow ourselves is a direct reflection of our ability to grow ourselves.  No duh.  Right?

I really think there is something to be said about grasping this truth, though.  Really identifying that person in the mirror- objectively looking at their weaknesses, short comings, and hot buttons.  Our lives are a result of the decisions we make.  Those decisions are influenced by our character, and our character is shaped by our habits.

Thoughts on telemarketers

I used to put up w/ telemarketers justifying that maybe I could learn something from their techniques.  In reality I probably just didn't have the backbone to hang up.  I've finally gotten tired enough of them that now I simply and politely say, "No thanks, thanks anyways, Take care."  And then I hang up.  No matter what.

They almost always try and go into their next line or try and squeeze in 1 more question.  Their job is to get you to stay on the phone.  I don't have time for that crap, though.  No thanks, thanks anyways, take care.

I think a lot of time management falls into this same realm.  The countless distractions from Facebook to door knockers.  I'm not saying we shouldn't give someone the time of day, but if we don't have time for something, if there's something else we are needing to focus on- then it's OK to make what we have already committed to our priority.

Scary Close, Don Miller. Page 148

TO remind myself to never go back to being careful,
I made a list of new freedoms.

I am willing to sound dumb.
I am willing to be wrong.
I am willing to be passionate about something
   That isn't perceived as cool.
I am willing to express a theory.
I am willing to admit I'm afraid.
I'm willing to have a knee-jerk reaction,
   even a wrong one.
I am willing to apologize.
I'm perfectly willing to be perfectly human.

Ghirardelli

Ghirardelli, New Delhi, Sandwich from the school deli.
No one ever made it this far.

I Finally know why I can Never Remember Names

A bird in search of a cage

So much freedom, so much choice, so many opportunities to matter.

And yet, our cultural instinct is to find a place to hold us, a spot where we are safe from the responsibility/obligation/opportunity to choose. Because if we choose, then we are responsible, aren't we?

HT Kafka.

A Dog was

A Dog was a man's best friend.
Then lap tops were invented.