Sunday, February 26, 2012

Learn Something New Every Day Feb 19-25, 2012


February 19, 2012  When I saw this poster on Holstee with the Holstee Manifesto… and I read it… I thought what a cool idea.  It was pretty generic… and very self-oriented… but I thought why not make up a Christian Manifesto?  I could feel the urge to steal something coming on!  After all, where do artists get ideas from?


“Select only things to steal from that speak directly to your soul. If you do this, your work (and theft) will be authentic. Authenticity is invaluable; originality is nonexistent.” Jim Jarmusch

“If you steal from one author, it’s plagiarism; if you steal from many, it’s research.” Wilson Mizner
February 20, 2012  Today I learned that Less is MORE.  I had my first “getting acquainted” phone conference with my new trading coach.  After telling him my story with the myriad of trading experiences, he asked me to tell him about my most successful trade and my worst trade experience ever... it was hard to choose!

Then he told me that he thought I should stop Day Trading.  Less is MORE... that I needed to become a specialist.  I needed to stop trying to do a little of everything.   He asked me, “If I could only pick one sector to become an expert in, what would it be?”   I liked both energy and precious metals.

He told me he thought I should go into energy and do research there.  Pick out a list of energy stocks to follow.  Print up their charts.  Study their trends and look for patterns for entry points.  Read up on what is happening in the news in energy.  Stop trading for a while and just do research for a week or so.  Less is MORE.

"The less routine, the more life."
-Amos Bronson Alcott, educator


February 21, 2012  So with my limited knowledge on how to do things on an Apple computer, this was my first attempt at putting quotes together… using text boxes.  Pretty primitive.  But I felt a need to get more inspiration… I needed to find a source of more cool quotes.


Then in the middle of the night I woke up with a great idea.  I went to the Bible Department where we have more than 30 different Bibles and my eyes gravitated to a paraphrase called, “The Message.” It was just the New Testament with Psalms and Proverbs.  Perfect! 

If I copied verses from this paraphrase it wouldn’t sound as much like “The Bible” and not turn non-Christians off as easily.  As I read I started a new Word Document just to enter the verses that caught my eye.  From the first chapter of Proverbs I entered:

“WHEN YOU GRAB ALL YOU CAN GET…
THE MORE YOU GET, THE LESS YOU ARE.”

Wow! That just ties into my new focus from yesterday… Less is MORE is even in the Bible.  Thank you, Solomon. Awesome!


February 22, 2012  Today was the Elevation Group Webinar on "Is 100% Returns Per Year Possible?"  Apparently they had over 10,000 attendees... and it caused an overload to their system, causing a delay in getting the thing started. But they still had the event and if you would like to see the replay you can watch it by clicking this link.  They say friends and relatives of Elevation Group members can participate without having to join the Elevation Group.


My Disclaimer: Please do not take this as an endorsement on my part that this is a safe way to make money.  I have learned the hard way that when something seems too good to be true, it usually is.  With high returns expect HIGH RISK.  If you put any money into this program do so knowing you may never see it again.


I am attracted to this kind of thing like flies to a manure pile... I want to believe everything they say is true... I want to trust them... but I trust my family above everyone else... and the caution flags are up.


What have I learned today?  
Don't rush in where angels fear to tread.

February 23, 2004  This week has been full of so many good responses to our belated Christmas and New Years wishes.  I cannot possibly include them all, but an old classmate and farming buddy from Alberta, Dale Trefz, who now lives on the Big Island of Hawaii told me he is going in April to Saskatchewan to help get the equipment ready to put in the crop.  I used to love seeding and harvest.  There is nothing more wonderful for a farmer than the joy of planting in the spring and harvesting in the fall!  It was my favorite times of the year before dad sold our farm in 1965 and sent me off to college. 


When I sent him a link to my blog showing this huge tractor pulling a train of equipment behind, he recognized it right away.  I had never seen such incredible farming equipment before.  They don’t use that kind of stuff in BC... the farms are not big enough to even turn the tractor around!  …and I have been out of the loop for many, many years.

This week Dale gave me a real good education on the Bourgault way of planting a crop.  The link to their brochure on the equipment blew me away!  What a totally different world it is to farm today.  Dale says he loves it a lot more now that he can do it and not have any of the worries.  Farming gives new meaning to the Risk/Reward Ratio.

February 24, 2012  Years ago when I worked as a graphic artist at the Loma Linda University School of Public Health in their Educational Media department, the son of  one of my co-workers used to stop by the office after school and visit with me.  He loved what I did for a living and wanted to learn everything he could.  I would sometimes stay after work and we would do things together.  It was not until last year Fred Knopper told me I was his mentor.  Scary thought!

Now, about 40 years later Fred is in charge of productions at It Is Written at Thousand Oaks and the teacher (me) is asking his student (Fred) how to do things on his Apple computer. 

I have been using a word document to try to perform a design function.  Fred tells me in language I can understand… it ‘s like trying to build your new addition using only a shovel.  So he kindly wrote me a long email with links to get me pointed into the right direction.  Thank you, Fred, for your kind help.



As a bonus he sent this link to the Piano Guys on YouTube.  What a treat!

February 25, 2012  Inner Peace: This is so true 

If you can start the day without caffeine,

If you can always be cheerful, ignoring aches and pains,
If you can resist complaining and boring people with your troubles,

If you can eat the same food every day and be grateful for it,

If you can understand when your loved ones are too busy to give you any time,

If you can take criticism and blame without resentment,

If you can conquer tension without medical help,

If you can relax without alcohol,

If you can sleep without the aid of drugs,

...Then You Are Probably 










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The Family Dog!


I bet you thought I was going to get all spiritual.

Hope that you are having a great weekend.

4 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. He is pretty soft spoken... but he very perceptive.

      Go to MikeSer.com and see his blog and click on "about" to see photo of Mike.

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  2. That trading coach is a good addition to your life. And bless your heart, you do put up with a lot of non-gourmet food around here right now. But just think how we will love using our new addition.

    Like your photo of Beatrice and Dante.

    It is a wonderful blessing to be able to learn something every day. And to recognize that learning is a good thing. Great!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. There is no complaints from me about the food around here. I am blessed to have a food-loving spouse and certainly have not gone without.

      My expectations are not all that gourmet... I am pretty happy with a large bottle of ketchup and plate of pan fries. I love the home made bread, granola or cookies.

      I am truly blessed... and don't suffer a bit.

      A lot of men don't have it as good as I do.

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