From The Noise

There is an awful lot of junk, stuff or noise out there. When watching TV, we are bombarded by ads; when driving we get the signs and billboards; when dealing with people, we deal with fakes and lies; and when reading an article or book, we read biases and opinion... when all we want to do is find content.

In dieting, we have junk food where we really should be taking in protein and high-grade carbs. In exercise, we have throw-away miles where we should be getting effective use of our time. Where's the beef?



In engineering, we call this finding the signal amidst the noise, and it's a rather difficult task. Noise makes up most of our world, by far. So much, that sometimes we can't find the signal... we have too many choices.

The real solution is an iterative one. You have to know what the signal looks like before you can recognize it, and thus many "looks" are postulated, and extraction attempted, before success can happen. We need to know what the signal looks like. We need to know the form of the answer before we can get the answer. We need to know what we need before we need it. Yes, it seems like double-talk, but it's true.

Not only that, but it is human to see something false out of the noise if we lack control. People want to react to the situation we're out of control in. This explains why TV is so effective. People feel out of control and TV talking heads helps them make sense of it, even if it's a false understanding and thus... brainwashing.

In the health and fitness area, it's about what motivation works for diet and exercise. I have found that silly goals are much better than logical goals... because silly goals are emotional and logical goals are not. We respond to emotional goals much better than common-sense goals. My current goal to trim down fat is to enter a bodybuilding contest (for which I have to show my abs). Amidst numerous logical reasons (noise) like heart attacks, blood pressure and diabetes, the possibility of embarrassment in a bodybuilding contest (signal) is working well for me.

Change your thoughts and you change your world.

- © 2013 by Willy

Evil Happens

Why does evil happen? God, in perfect love, allows us the chance to do the right thing, or the wrong thing. Just giving us the opportunity does not mean God creates evil. But God allows the possibility of evil. And some choose to follow the wrong path. Such is life. Evil happens. I choose The Father, who guides me with a soft hand an an easy touch. Those evil people can go to hell.

The evil also make the wrong choice on health and fitness... living a rough life which eventuality results in bad quality and quantity, and thus getting to hell faster.

- text © 2013 by Willy

Lock Up?

"We lock up more of our citizens per capita than brutal dictators like Robert Mugabe and Fidel Castro," wrote Cynthia Tucker in her request to end the War on Drugs.

I've got news for her. In the early 1960's, Castro's Cuban revolutionaries shot the entire previous party dead... up against a wall. No going to see a judge. It was televised, day in and day out. "Paredon!" they chanted. Thousands and thousands died, so there was no locking them up in the hoosegow. And many of the ones that were lucky enough to get to jail ended up dead anyway, due to starvation and sickness. Rape, murder and looting (in that order) were wholesale and only deterred by hefty walls and demonstration of defensive gunfire. No getting caught and going to jail for that, since the murderers were the new revolutionary party. Then in the 1980's, Fidel sent his prisoners here via the Mariel Boatlift and emptied his jails.

Since then, news and pictures have appeared of dissidents being beaten to death at the US Special Interest Section in Cuba ("the embassy")... no need to lock them up either.

Yes, Cynthia, brutal dictator Fidel Castro doesn't lock up the citizens... he kills them instead. Your statement is an insult.

"Tijuana authorities found 275 pounds of marijuana and a half-completed tunnel under the border," quipped Jay Leno, "Wonder why the tunnel was only half completed?"

Dahhh! Is it better to laugh with Leno and be ignorant like Tucker, or be stressed with the truth?


- text © 2009 by Willy

Fantasy v. Reality

I got around to reading the comics early today when I just about spit out my coffee. One of the measures of mental health is demarcation between reality and fantasy. There it was... in black and white (and pastels)... a perfect example. Of course, comics are the classic media used in identifying with a current topic, so a lot of us think thusly, but I've been wondering lately about just where the point of perspective is from which to look at oneself in determining sanity.

Or, better... did I wake up this morning?


- © 2009 by Willy

Retirement?

My backyard is full of wildflowers, of all kinds, from March to October, with Indian Pink out now, next to fading Rue Anemone and Common Violet. It starts with the Daffodils, followed by the Periwinkle and Bradford Pear. The Elderberry tree flowers right at tax day every year.

From my front porch I watch beautiful sunsets most of the year. There's nobody around at home to bother me, but all year long the wild birds I feed adorn my deck as well as my bike-commuting route, along with squirrels, chipmunks, raccoons, skunks, turtles, foxes, deer and the occasional snake. I'm healthy and fit enough to hike, bike and lift, and do so, although much more so on weekends, so that I'm glad when Monday rolls around so I can rest.

Since I've been in the same line of work for 38 years, I get a great sense of accomplishment and enjoyment out of my contributions and the busy days. I'm old and up enough so that I do what I want... although I aim to serve. I enjoy my work and my peers and I bring in cakes to enjoy celebrating our birthdays.

I have breakfast or lunch with good old friends on a regular basis. I love machines, so I have 3 cars and 4 bicycles which I use regularly. I fly some for business, have regular adventure vacations, and visit family. A day seldom goes by without having given me many smiles.

Why in the world would I want to change this?

Retire? Retire from what?

And marry? Yeah, right.



- © 2009 by Willy

Buy Low?

I noticed that Circuit City just filed for bankruptcy protection and its stock dropped to eleven cents a share. Sirius-XM's has been below a quarter and bankruptcy is expected next year. Both of these two companies could recover nicely in years ahead, returning maybe five times my investment today. On the other hand, the thousands invested could just go down a rabbit hole, never to be seen again. It is a lot like Las Vegas casino gambling.

The same can be said for a troubled relationship. It's a gamble to buy low... and invest time and money in a relationship in trouble... with the hope of recovery, if it will just go to hell anyway. It's a crap shoot here too. Is throwing dice all we can go on?

Of course, I've had my good moments when I bought high on a relationship... I will cherish the times my relationships elated me, before the trouble started. Relationships consume, and sometimes it's just time to go on. So, maybe the trick with relationships is to buy high and sell low. Some things work opposite of others. That is, if you opt for a relationship at all. It may be best to stay out of that market too.

- © 2008 by Willy
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What It Is

That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet. That is, what matters is what something is, not what it is called.

People try to hide what they are in executing their deceptions... intentionally become self-deceptive (believe their own bull) so that they appear honest and innocent to others.




But a pig smells like a pig, no matter what she's called.




It is what it is, people are what they are, and there's nothing anybody can do for them. However, there is something we can do for ourselves... examine their deception to figure out what they really are... then leave that pig as soon as possible.

Don't believe the lie... don't fall in their trap and believe their self-deception... no matter who they seem to be, bosses, friends, lovers, whomever. Save yourself!


- text © 2008 by Willy
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Sensing

From boyhood, I've been very nearsighted, and almost blind without my glasses (5 spherical). Of course, I need my glasses to drive, bike, use the PC, and watch TV, but not to read nor to work out. Matter of fact, there are advantages to taking my glasses off when on a cardio machine or while lifting weights: it's easier to wipe the sweat off, and I can concentrate better, shutting off the world around me. One problem is that people think I'm unfriendly.

Without glasses, I can only see motion and color, so from a distance I can only recognize two of the guys (and none of the gals) because they shave their heads. If I see a blurry moving figure with light reflecting off their heads, it's likely to be either Charlie or the new guy. And I can tell it's Charlie if there's another moving figure with him, since he's a personal trainer and the new guy isn't. So, there's some sensing that gives me a 50-50 chance of it being Charlie, but there's some intelligence used too that brings that chance to 100% being Charlie.

The same process is used in missile algorithms. The dumb seeker can see only motion and contrast, but the computer inside carries "rules" that increase the probability of what it sees as being the target. For instance, similarly to the Charlie discussion, if the seeker (first rule) finds motion and color/contrast but (second rule) it's only one moving spot, then it may not be a tank, since tanks usually move in packs, and then (third rule) size, color, shape, heat (or whatever) is pursued.

If your dumb eyes tell you that your significant other is (first rule) coming towards you, but (second rule) she's spewing bile, and (third rule) normally doesn't want anything to do with you, then that's not really a significant other. Duh!

- © 2008 by Willy
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Miracles

A tiny little seed in the right environment of soil and sun turns into a beautiful, enormous, complex tree.

A sperm and egg come together and produce a beautiful, caring, loving, intelligent grown daughter.

The miracle is that neither got trampled in the process.

Life is tough and trying. Specially in the early growth process. Even though we are always growing, it happens more so and it's more traumatic in the beginning.

Both seedling and baby have tremendous potential but they also are tremendously sensitive or needy of the world around them. That is, some potential is genetic and some is environmental. Without the right soil, water and sun, neither would make it.

I've found that we all need caring individuals around us, not those vexing to our spirit. We can only help those people that are open to our help, however, if I'm going to surrender the moment to listen or do a kindness, it'd better be useful, take root and grow.

I often wonder if I'm accomplishing my mission or understanding my purpose, but there are some things that feel right, and others that don't. The trick is to think, decide and act.

Never lose the wonder.

- © 2008 by Willy
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Reality

Pigs do fly, hell does freeze over, and we do eat our words, on a regular basis. At least I surely do. It seems that emotions do prevail over logic, or that form trumps function, and that the unwanted and impossible happens. Some of this is bad... and some of it is good, depends on how you take it. The skyscraper that survives an earthquake is not the strongest but the most flexible. Ditto for trees in a hurricane.

It's sometimes difficult for me to tell the difference between reality and fantasy, and thus understand what's happening. The best laid plans do sometimes fail, and it seems that setting and following some goals is fruitless as compared to waiting for opportunity. Maybe the key is to be flexible... to be prepared and to be ready... so that when opportunity knocks... or the hurricane happens... AND we recognize it... we can deal with it.

When a badass in a meeting spews his bile, it does absolutely no good to confront him, but instead it's best to keep your cool... and be flexible... like the tree in a hurricane.

It's an attitude.

When you realize that you are not significant to your significant other, then be flexible... roll with the punch, pick yourself up, dust yourself off, stand up tall and smile. Yes, much easier said than done here too.

Engineering teaches to identify and assess, develop solutions, implement them, and evaluate results. And sometimes it works (luck!), but most of the time, the intricacies of each of those simple words make it impossible to do, and flexibility... trying out many different solutions... is the way. Or at least works great with machines.


Like the bumper sticker on redneck pickup trucks: Reality Happens. The key is to recognize it, and bend like a tree... in your own grove!




- © 2007 by Willy
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Fantasies

"If those kids can bicycle 100 miles, then so can I." - me. This comes straight out of Middle-Age Ego and does not take into account... my age, weight and fitness level, and their age, weight and fitness level. Riding 100 miles in one sitting is tough on the tush. Ouchie! Some fantasies hurt!

I had an outside thermometer that read about 10 degrees too warm, and I loved this known fantasy, which helped me think positive: "It's not bad out there... I'm going riding!" Some fantasies can be helpful.

"Thanks" often really translates to "Kiss my butt." Usually said by new, young, women when I open a door for them. It's the way they say it. I smile back and fantasize that I'm a gentleman. Fantasies are definitely one-sided.

"All I want for Christmas is you." - Mariah Carey and lots of others. Pure Hollywood bull. Some fantasies are widespread.

Innocent and over 30? - my ex. Yeah, right. Another great fantasy but really a double bull... more like immature and irresponsible than innocent.


"I work out every day, am a beautiful, independent, adventurer." - my ex. In my experience this was her self-deception and self-fantasy, and what I really found was "Fat, shallow and self-centered parasite who will sleep with all your friends."

So, a pretty, active, innocent, independent young lady loves me and likes to sleep with me? - I believed it, of course... my fantasy and my self-deception... and I believed it for years. It was a good fantasy, but the reality was that she was just another bitch. And the world turns, and I laugh. Some fantasies are funny.

It's not the miles but the smiles.

Live well, laugh often and love much... but don't succumb.

- © 2007 by Willy
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Character

Character, it is said, is what you are when nobody's looking.

So, just what is it you are... when everybody's looking?

I just returned home from an interesting geek conference. A narrow-field technical group that gossips about what has gone wrong, what they did about it, and what's coming next. Being a cross-section of nerds, there were the good ones and the bad ones. There were the lazy ones and the hardworking ones. Some were helpful and some were not. Most were there for networking in some form or another, and there was a lot of job shopping. But they were all... interesting... in some way or other. And they were all characters.

A hundredsome of us stayed cooped up all day in a big motel conference room, voluntarily, for a solid week. Most went off to spend the evenings eating, drinking... and networking. Reminded me of the opposite of an ant colony, since most were not workers but rather were looking to use the information and work of the others. Their success at work was based upon networking.

During the offtime, I went to the gym next door instead. I've been successful because I do and I contribute... not because I use interesting others. I'm not controversial and I blend in, but I lead. I volunteered to host the conference in two years.

I've been... doing... since I was 11, whereas others have been carried. That's what I am.

I yam' what I yam'
and that's all that I yam'.

That's my "character," whether somebody's looking or not.

- © 2007 by Willy
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Feathering the Nest

Gosh, I haven't had much of a home the last 6 months. After the ex left, I've been cleaning up and renovating it.

What that means is that the hardwood guys come and throw everything into one room, work a day, come back in a couple of weeks, work another day, and so on. This also goes on for the bathroom marble tile, stairs specialist, finishing sander/varnisher, molding guys, painters, granite people, appliance folks, and so on... each creating the same delays and mess.

The good thing about it is that they made me realize how much junk I still had... and this is after I already took three truckloads to charity and filled a construction dumpster a few months ago.

The painting is done, so last week I took another vanful of books to the library, another load to charity, and filled multiple trashcans placed at the curve. Yesterday and today I was actually able to put back in most of the den, kitchen and living room from the stacked-up dining room. Still to go this weekend are the entire upstairs and the office (groan!) but it's going to get done this weekend... I'm going to get my nest back, now!

The bad thing is that I've been sleeping where I could. On carpet downstairs when the stairs guy was here, on an air mattress when the upstairs got trashed, on my mattress in the closet where the painter put it while painting the ceiling... anywhere. Everything upstairs got crammed into the guest bedroom. Then I couldn't find clean clothes to wear, since the painter covered my bedroom floor with them when he painted the closet. I did put my closet back together last Sunday, a big improvement to my bedroom and my mental health.

The really bad thing is that at times this interrupts my training and my fun. No bike commuting, no rides, no hikes and not much lifting for the last week or so, since I've been overloaded at work too... zero miles and zero hours. I feel like a slug. I've been busy all day today but haven't gotten any cardio out of it. Legs, yes, going up and down stairs and hill all day. Tomorrow I'm working on my office first, then the upstairs. I hope to finish so that I can relax and go hike my local mountain on Monday (a holiday), not the Grand Canyon, but easier to get to.

I'm mostly done with paint but still not done with workers... they're coming back to tear out and replace the foyer hardwood and lay new hardwoods at the upstairs hall and landing, and then comes the kitchen backsplash, which means more cleanup and repainting, since these boys think their mother lives here. They're a huge hassle, but I don't think my back would have endured if I did it myself.

The house is looking gorgeous... better than new... so I'm buying me a new LazyBoy and staying rather than selling the place. That's less hassle.

This time, the Welcome mats face in.

- © 2007 by Willy
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We Give What We Have

To him who only owns a hammer, every problem looks like a nail (Maslow).

In a relationship, we can only give what we have, and we can only expect what they are. Funny how we forget this.

I'm not sad at past behavior. I accept it, and even embrace it. It's funny to think back that what I was expecting just wasn't in her... my ex... all she owned was a hammer, literally.

I was deeply in love with her, but she wasn't. There was no "we." Based upon her words and actions, she felt nothing for me. How about "You through with me yet?" or her praise of a waiter's muscles, or inviting men over to the house... and there were other cruelties.

We had it all. The relationship should have been good but instead it was twisted and distorted. She never had the concept of "we" because she was incapable... it couldn't be changed, so it couldn't be saved.

I pray for the serenity to accept the things I cannot change... courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. Another restatement is that I can't change the wind, but I can adjust my sails. And the redneck restatement is that you can't teach a pig to sing...it wastes your time, and it annoys the pig. That pig don't sing and she never will.

She was so believable because she was the most self-deceptive person I've ever know. Also, because I wanted it to work. Unfortunately, I was living a fantasy.

Academics at Denver University have developed a theory of commitment that says, essentially, that the best relationships are those in which two people see themselves as us more than as you and me. They make sacrifices for each other, and give priority to each other’s needs. In other words, relationship commitment is all about "we," not independence. No surprise here!

On a related issue... anger turned inwards is depression. After grieving, my anger resulted in bad thinking... and bad emotional and physical health. So, I am staying calm, serene and peaceful. I forgive them because I don't want their poison to continue to affect me... I'd rather they succumb to their own. I believe there is justice in this world and that she's going to get hers eventually. In reality, being shallow and self-centered, she moved on years ago, and maybe I haven't. However, I'm back to doing what's right, without compromise, and focusing to think the right thoughts. Life is definitely good, and most people are too.

Everybody I've known has made me happy, some by coming and some by going.

- © 2007 by Willy
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P.S., in either case, the best is yet to come!
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There's BS Everywhere

Surely you know that we live in an age of BS. When we listen to radio or TV, or read a newspaper, we're being fed mostly advertising, with just enough content to keep us interested. The boundary between ads and program is gone... we now have some ads that ARE merged with and are part of the program or content.

The only way to avoid this barrage is to leave the radio and TV off, or to stick your fingers in your ears as bullshit protectors.

It's not just where the camera shows some character drinking a specific brand of soft drink. An NBC news report tonight on sub-prime loans contained a dozen realtor and lender signs. One of the "3-second shot Cameos" was a banker, by-lined properly.

The TV news today was that Consumer's Report said Ford was increasing vehicle reliability. Can this be anything but an ad? How subjective is this?

I believe that we are bombarded every second of the day and night with ads, suggestions and commands... subtle or otherwise... not just from the media but also from our significant others, to influence and control us. Deception and Untruth are everywhere because there is no downside... deception works.

And thus the subtle poisoning of some of my friends by my "innocent" ex worked well too. I quit having lunch with acquaintances years ago because it ended up being a sales pitch for Amway, and I've quit committed relationships because they have all been cons.

This may be why I only watch TV that I've Tivo'ed and can fast-forward ads, why I prefer to ride and hike solo, and why I live by myself. There's comfort and relief in quietness.

- © 2007 by Willy

Reality

In order to live in reality, the first step is to detect where your head is at. Kind of like in the movie "The Matrix" and prior ones like "Alice In Wonderland," what we're seeing or feeling might not be Truth. And this is because of hormones, depression, self-deceit, or other maladies or interrupters. In the heat of the battle, adrenalin will give us tunnel vision. Lust blocks the thinking process entirely... my son referred to this as "thinking with your little head." Depression colors our world black to the point that we can't see. The reason some people can lie convincingly is because of self-deception... they really believe what they spout... which, to us, could seem believable instead of obvious malarkey. And all of these are ways of thinking irrationally.

So, how do we detect this so as to correct our vision with rational glasses? I believe that we can't, but our friends can tell us. An unbiased observer with his/her own perspective is a Godsend. I appreciate true friends more and more each day, and ask for their help more. More on this topic in the future.

-©2007 by Willy
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