“One hundred years from now, the role of science and technology will be about becoming part of nature rather than trying to control it.”

The writer of this article speaks of my public education in the reverent light it deserves…”with lessons read like those from UC Berkeley, Wellesley or another top-notch liberal arts college.”

I am the person I am today because of my high school experience. I am proud and inspired to be reminded of my CORE education, not just because of the brilliant teachers who pushed us to go further, think critically and being passionate about our right to learn, or the progressive humanities curriculum that built the foundation for our ambition, but because the only time I’ve ever worked so hard in my life or cared as much about my work, aside from this very moment, was back then. Congrats to Cleveland High School. Thank you for continuing to carrying the program forward - LAUSD is lucky to have you.

via Sari Gelzer

“It bothers me to watch the hordes at the farmer’s market, swooping in to each booth, grabbing a sample and walking away…all of them disappear into the hands of people who have no intention of buying.

Sure, someone stops and buys now and then, which is why the farmers keep offering the samples. To them, it’s merely a cost of doing business, a relatively inexpensive way to keep prospective customers coming. I’m not sure I could do it—the people afraid to look me in the eye, all that slinking around, and most of all, the profits walking out the door, over and over again. Enough thin slices makes a loaf.

This is vexing, even to someone who merely makes ideas. Watching people sneak endless tastes with no intention of making a purchase—sometimes I gasp at the audacity.

The distinction in the digital world is profound. In the digital world, the more free samples you give away, the better you do. The miserly mindset that afflicts the merchant watching inventory walk out the door at the market is counterproductive in the digital world. That’s because more free samples cost you nothing.

The scarce resources in the connection revolution are connection, attention and trust, not molecules, atoms or strawberries.”

- Seth Godin

1. Condition your mind. Train yourself to think positive thoughts while avoiding negative thoughts.

2. Condition your body. It takes physical energy to take action. Get your food and exercise budget in place and follow it like a business plan.

3. Avoid negative people. They drain your energy and waste your time, so hanging with them is like shooting yourself in the foot.

4. Seek out the similarly motivated. Their positive energy will rub off on you and you can imitate their success strategies.

5. Have goals–but remain flexible. No plan should be cast in concrete, lest it become more important than achieving the goal.

6. Act with a higher purpose. Any activity or action that doesn’t serve your higher goal is wasted effort—and should be avoided.

7. Take responsibility for your own results. If you blame (or credit) luck, fate or divine intervention, you’ll always have an excuse.

8. Stretch past your limits on a daily basis. Walking the old, familiar paths is how you grow old. Stretching makes you grow and evolve.

9. Don’t wait for perfection; do it now! Perfectionists are the losers in the game of life. Strive for excellence rather than the unachievable.

10. Celebrate your failures. Your most important lessons in life will come from what you don’t achieve. Take time to understand where you fell short.

11. Don’t take success too seriously. Success can breed tomorrow’s failure if you use it as an excuse to become complacent.

12. Avoid weak goals. Goals are the soul of achievement, so never begin them with “I’ll try …” Always start with “I will” or “I must.”

13. Treat inaction as the only real failure. If you don’t take action, you fail by default and can’t even learn from the experience.

14. Think before you speak. Keep silent rather than express something that doesn’t serve your purpose.

The above is based on a conversation with Omar Periu, one of the world’s best (and best known) motivational speakers.

A classic Jessica Hische article and a good reminder for anyone who wants to keep their creative work phresh.

LA Times writer David Panzarasa writes about the country’s lack of sleep. The National Sleep Foundation and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offer some tips.

nevver:

Anthony Burrill

Take it.

Mark under #inspiration
Almie Rose, one of my favorite writers, talks some nonsense soup for the Soul.

Weapon of mass instruction

Fine artists, craftsmen and other hands-on, low-tech worshippers should take note—
tech devices available for makers today are really amazing, and can genuinely help creatives of all kinds spark ideas, manage workflow, and stay organized and efficient.

GIF

un-gif-dans-ta-gueule:

Motion Pictures: Alice in den Städten - Wim Wenders

The Universe is in us.

Trends in contemporary art, as in fashion, can also change quickly, so it’s unclear whether Mr. Richter’s prices will keep climbing or drop again over the long run. But the rise of Gerhard Richter is unquestionable: a diversified artist and a reluctant commodity, he remains the top selling painter alive to date.

PHONY.

nevver:

“I’m not the phony, you’re the phony.”

PBS covers the The Animated GIF and the history of The Form as a Medium.

“Humans love repetition in a small format…and we’ve seen people make it into an artform.”

Cinemagraph