While it was a unique experiment of mine, I've ultimately gotta give a THUMBS DOWN on my Daily Ten-Minute Internet approach.

Sure, it was NO problem for me to ignore large swaths of the Internet, but I felt like I might introduce errors by the speed for which I was attaining critical data—unless I grab for offline use, which again, really feels like I was running contrary to the spirit of the experiment! Don't get me wrong, I do like a mental sprint, but in context to my withdrawals from pulling my performance enhancement drug that I'm mention here shortly...well, there's a fear I'd trip and come smashing to the group, not a great thing to do virtually or in 4D space.

Honestly, we really could just do a one dump of data at the start of each day to fulfill our reqs, not unlike a newspaper! But, it depends on the context of our living, doesn't it? Trying to connect one manner of living onto another does not snap on without one AMAZING adapter.

The older I get, the more I recognize that the older ways are best. Unfortunately, it wasn't the mindset of the fellas in the lab coats who whipped up margarine for the first time. Ha, healthy—makes me wonder how much of the other 20th/21st century things got it all wrong. The fact that we built a tech where ultimately only Mutually Assured Destruction was the best path to peace tells me all I need to know about the 20th century.

While it wasn't the first time I removed coffee from my diet, these past couple of days has GOT to be the hardest time it ever was to break the habit. I suffered MISERABLY in my move away from 6-9 cups-a-day to ZERO, in terms of longing for, a general dissatisfied mood and a ROCK SHOW headache. It also blows open wide my routine of coffee in the morning, meat for lunch and coffee in the afternoon. I went from my iced coffee with 2 tbsps of butter for breakfast to 1 tbsp of butter with 3/4 tsp of eggshell—I suddenly felt like I was on an actual restrictive diet!

And now, fully caffeinated, I reference this clip again:

YouTube Link

And with regard to the Internet: it's time to open things up and do like the best quote from Rocky II, "Win!"

This likely will come at NO ONE's surprise, but challenging myself to ten minutes of Internet activity is a fast-paced endeavor! Even updating this website comes off like Office Space with Peter trying to hit the door before Lumberg swings by his cubicle—the computer processes are far too slow! The nightly reset hits at sundown and there ain't no carryover minutes!

Moments ago, I caught myself attempting a quick search on my disconnected computer of how to do something as opposed to just spending a moment to figure it out myself. That encapsulates one of the main differences between the world I knew and today: the luxury of not thinking makes us dumber.

With the 10-minute Internet comes inspiration. Instead of mindless absorption, I think of the future. I brainstorm that which lies ahead. Even now, I 'm developing my New Year's Resolutions as I consider how they might contribute beyond 2022.

I don't remember when I first began mindmapping. I saw a presentation at work with someone running a paid software package of it and knew "I just GOTTA have me one of these!" Once I returned to my desk, I immediately found an open source mindmap application. It remains one of my favorite pieces of computer software of all-time. It comes to me naturally as I've always been the type to doodle ideas down on paper and connect everything together in lines. Unfortunately, my handwriting has always been ABYSMMAL. Mindmapping software gives me similar flexibility but with legibility! And it sure beats scribbling notes in a book!

For years, I ran with Freemind, but it uses Java (which has fallen out of vogue over the years) and more importantly, the developer seems to have abandoned it, thus I'm running the Freeplane fork. There are other projects, of course, and while I like the free version of XMind 8, it feels too top-level to me plus it reminds me of running the IT shop in Sitka, a decidedly soured time of my life.

As the Sun sets for a second night, I look to 2022 and see the shapes of things to come.

...and in the backdrop of the Sun, I ride out into the wilderness away from the digital frontier town.

I'm stoked at the outset of this adventure I'm upon. I've got my bags bursting at the seams with provisions. I don't know what lies ahead, but it will be good. It's not unlike those times I got off planes, rode trains across Europe and ferries across channels, my whereabouts unknown to others with my wits as a companion.

We are too quick to adopt to what what the cool kids think we ought to do with our lives and what we should think about others. Instead, we choose the open road and crank out Steppenwolf as we ride like Alice through this Resident Evil: Extinction wasteland. They can keep their "safety" 'cause what they call safety looks awfully like subjugation to us.

The Craftsman

It's a little late in the season with only two home games remaining against East Carolina and Tulane, but I've got my Gameday Hoodie ready to go!

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With the blue, it's the first time I've used a metallic iron-on and I'm curious to see how it holds up over time. It was a little finicky to work with as it had a HORRIBLE tendency to roll up off my cutting mat.