There is that feeling am appreciating as knowledge piles up, and we can all over the world start assessing things on the web based on history. Like have been on this blog for over 10 years. Which is something am noting to myself as a reason for staying with Blogger. Where also a shout-out to the people who help maintain the platform! Thanks! And of course also, please keep working at it.
Where am NOT against people starting anew as actually is one of my favorite things, catching fresh early, and watching people grow. Is actually more fun than looking at well established. But as a practical matter, is so much harder when you just start looking for that audience for whatever reason.
For those who have been putting things out here on the web public for a long time like myself can appreciate that people can check you on things. Where of course they can check on what you leave up, but also there has to be that having been done to have something there.
So yeah, I try to review things. However, also like checking myself, and pondering at times what was thinking or believing years ago.
Importance of depth on the web is something am now considering as go meta and check how I check people. And yes, DO appreciate the new, where actually you build up a reputation very rapidly on the web. While also I appreciate having that depth of web activity, which means with me?
You can spend HOURS just scratching the surface. Sometimes I just stop myself with my own content before I lose days considering it. Of course who knows how others feel about it really, which is not my concern actually. If a person isn't interested, then will not bother with it, right?
Of course. Am same way myself.
James Harris
Saturday, December 16, 2017
Sunday, December 10, 2017
Setting expectations is challenging
Find myself thinking much on goal setting, and with certain things, like learning can be hard, especially if subject matter is constantly evolving, as web is. And through the years have begun working harder at trying to lay down some foundations around some things basic, while also emphasizing basic research in past, where can explain better now am sure.
Will focus in this post on only two things, to help me delineate clearly.
So yeah, very much told myself there is a reason, when made a post back in 2014 noting total downloads and countries for my one open source software product. What I remind myself there is that I have something I made which has drawn interest from over 150 countries over a period of a decade. Here is the reference post but the point to me is to recognize for myself, yeah there is an accomplishment worth noting there.
Point was to lock that down as separate and distinct from whatever comes after.
Project is still active but keeps me from having too much emotion as a moving thing, with up's and down's from year to year.
Other thing will focus on here was coming up with my own definition of entertainment which am sure was very challenging to my prior point of view? But is hard to remember, why I like writing things down in the moment. Guess it must have been, right? Have talked some of what entertainment meant to me before versus now.
As much as I write around these things, at times like now think should have written more. And have a reference date of June 22, 2015 for sharing that idea with a formal definition though HAD been working through some concepts before. And, focused on just two key abstractions saying entertainment is a way we humans use to safely control our mood. Focused on mood and sense of safety. And have a reference post for that as well to help me keep up with things.
There with basic research began to puzzle as soon as was posting how might be relevant, if true.
If decided was not true would have pulled the post by now, probably unless felt might be useful to me to keep up as a reference or even a reminder of a mistake, not to repeat.
Is why basic research can be weirder for others to handle as you see something, which can get repeated for years and wonder where it is going. Versus say, a movie where once you start hearing about it usually, soon thereafter there is a premiere and a theatrical run. These days though people can see at times when a movie goes on the schedule, years ahead of such things.
For me, setting my own expectations involves very short timelines, where am checking as these are reached in a constant process. Like, how would certain ideas likely impact things, and in what ways? Then I can look at real world and check with what is happening.
In terms of setting up expectations for others have long tried to avoid as much as possible. And think that is a good idea in general though can be helpful I think to suggest guidelines for considering things you put public. But ultimately what people expect should be up to them I think, given facts presented.
With me, generally will talk success in a guarded way. Successful ideas I keep, while ones that do not past muster I try to disappear rapidly. My blogs are constant works in progress. Usually am looking to measure how well things are going with ideas, and often am just trying to keep up with things!
So much keeps changing as especially with web so much is developing.
Here have talked a locked down accomplishment which is steadily receding into the past but is relevant to me for perspective, as well as a more recent work in progress with ideas around a high profile area. Point being in selecting two areas that could be sharply defined for such a discussion.
James Harris
Will focus in this post on only two things, to help me delineate clearly.
So yeah, very much told myself there is a reason, when made a post back in 2014 noting total downloads and countries for my one open source software product. What I remind myself there is that I have something I made which has drawn interest from over 150 countries over a period of a decade. Here is the reference post but the point to me is to recognize for myself, yeah there is an accomplishment worth noting there.
Point was to lock that down as separate and distinct from whatever comes after.
Project is still active but keeps me from having too much emotion as a moving thing, with up's and down's from year to year.
Other thing will focus on here was coming up with my own definition of entertainment which am sure was very challenging to my prior point of view? But is hard to remember, why I like writing things down in the moment. Guess it must have been, right? Have talked some of what entertainment meant to me before versus now.
As much as I write around these things, at times like now think should have written more. And have a reference date of June 22, 2015 for sharing that idea with a formal definition though HAD been working through some concepts before. And, focused on just two key abstractions saying entertainment is a way we humans use to safely control our mood. Focused on mood and sense of safety. And have a reference post for that as well to help me keep up with things.
There with basic research began to puzzle as soon as was posting how might be relevant, if true.
If decided was not true would have pulled the post by now, probably unless felt might be useful to me to keep up as a reference or even a reminder of a mistake, not to repeat.
Is why basic research can be weirder for others to handle as you see something, which can get repeated for years and wonder where it is going. Versus say, a movie where once you start hearing about it usually, soon thereafter there is a premiere and a theatrical run. These days though people can see at times when a movie goes on the schedule, years ahead of such things.
For me, setting my own expectations involves very short timelines, where am checking as these are reached in a constant process. Like, how would certain ideas likely impact things, and in what ways? Then I can look at real world and check with what is happening.
In terms of setting up expectations for others have long tried to avoid as much as possible. And think that is a good idea in general though can be helpful I think to suggest guidelines for considering things you put public. But ultimately what people expect should be up to them I think, given facts presented.
With me, generally will talk success in a guarded way. Successful ideas I keep, while ones that do not past muster I try to disappear rapidly. My blogs are constant works in progress. Usually am looking to measure how well things are going with ideas, and often am just trying to keep up with things!
So much keeps changing as especially with web so much is developing.
Here have talked a locked down accomplishment which is steadily receding into the past but is relevant to me for perspective, as well as a more recent work in progress with ideas around a high profile area. Point being in selecting two areas that could be sharply defined for such a discussion.
James Harris
Thursday, December 07, 2017
Our valuing knowledge reality
One of my favorite posts talks the subject of how do we know.
So is so titled: How do we know?
And one of those subjects brought up there as have pondered it often is that of a doctor who figured out that doctors should wash their hands before treating pregnant women. Things did not go well for him. He was ridiculed for what was considered a ludicrous idea in his time, but so believing in it, as women were dying, he pushed and was committed to an insane asylum, where he died.
Talking Dr. Ignaz Semmelweis for those who do not know the story or wish to check where link to the Wikipedia. But he actually comes up quite a bit! With good reason if you ponder how a man was destroyed for trying to get doctors to wash their hands. And of course in our times is standard medical practice though yeah, keep having to get at them and other health care providers to do as much as needed!
So sad someone trying to do so much good, whose life in its tragedy as well as triumphs as he was right, becomes a cautionary tale.
Our species has learned much. But also much with trial and error, and harshness for the discoverers.
There are other dark stories but his stands out to me, as is so easily and quickly told, while also easily referenced.
One should not assume that just because you are right, things will go well for you, if you are right.
But how do you know?
My conclusion is it is important to relentlessly ask yourself that question, as better than not.
Ask myself that a LOT. How do I know? Or sometimes also, why do I think I know?
James Harris
So is so titled: How do we know?
And one of those subjects brought up there as have pondered it often is that of a doctor who figured out that doctors should wash their hands before treating pregnant women. Things did not go well for him. He was ridiculed for what was considered a ludicrous idea in his time, but so believing in it, as women were dying, he pushed and was committed to an insane asylum, where he died.
Talking Dr. Ignaz Semmelweis for those who do not know the story or wish to check where link to the Wikipedia. But he actually comes up quite a bit! With good reason if you ponder how a man was destroyed for trying to get doctors to wash their hands. And of course in our times is standard medical practice though yeah, keep having to get at them and other health care providers to do as much as needed!
So sad someone trying to do so much good, whose life in its tragedy as well as triumphs as he was right, becomes a cautionary tale.
Our species has learned much. But also much with trial and error, and harshness for the discoverers.
There are other dark stories but his stands out to me, as is so easily and quickly told, while also easily referenced.
One should not assume that just because you are right, things will go well for you, if you are right.
But how do you know?
My conclusion is it is important to relentlessly ask yourself that question, as better than not.
Ask myself that a LOT. How do I know? Or sometimes also, why do I think I know?
James Harris
Wednesday, December 06, 2017
Went well as expected
Have had some kind of wild posts by my standards and especially had to post noting would be taking extraordinary measures out of my comfort zone, where noted there had a 99% confidence level would go ok. With all of that complete will post to note that things are done.
Extraordinary measures are now complete. Public notification is now complete. Going back to normal operations.
In essence was just talking certain things more direct with a LOT less hedging than usually do, and worked out much better. Some assumptions I had about how that might go were just thankfully way wrong.
And is public what was done. With LOTS of posts on this blog as well as posts on others as blogs worked as a team. Which is SO much fun. Has been years since my blogs worked so closely together.
Since things went so well am not even curious myself what would have looked like if had not. And I think is interesting the conversation one can have with one's self, but also of course blogs are VERY public. And my blogs have global reach, so also then is not a surprise can have to pump myself up a bit to take a different direction.
So yeah went out of my comfort zone and it went ok. Cool.
James Harris
Extraordinary measures are now complete. Public notification is now complete. Going back to normal operations.
In essence was just talking certain things more direct with a LOT less hedging than usually do, and worked out much better. Some assumptions I had about how that might go were just thankfully way wrong.
And is public what was done. With LOTS of posts on this blog as well as posts on others as blogs worked as a team. Which is SO much fun. Has been years since my blogs worked so closely together.
Since things went so well am not even curious myself what would have looked like if had not. And I think is interesting the conversation one can have with one's self, but also of course blogs are VERY public. And my blogs have global reach, so also then is not a surprise can have to pump myself up a bit to take a different direction.
So yeah went out of my comfort zone and it went ok. Cool.
James Harris
Friday, December 01, 2017
Pondering reality around reality checks
One HUGE problem am focusing on is evaluating current situation when it comes to attention levels. Where realize have been repetitive for years, but also think that has been good for documenting things. Web reality means you can get global attention potentially, but how to measure?
One thing realize did in the past is just see as some alternate reality, and often just kind of shrug. Figured would figure it out eventually, and would just continue on with what I was doing. So kept a separate reality from out here on the web, which can feel as distinct, from most of my daily. But feel like now those have crashed together which is a relief! But now MUST figure out the money aspect.
But how do I reality check web things best?
Figured out entertainment in order to understand web things actually, when deduced a connection with audience levels where generally publicly self-identified as part of a known audience are called followers on social media. And of course with entertainment focused naturally on celebrity, and then admittedly got distracted with the joy of understanding my entertainment better. It is wild that a couple of key abstractions shifted so much for me, and if did so for others is great as well, where I guess there. For me has been very different now as can focus...about to get distracted again. Can focus on best entertainment but have talked that enough. Must keep in mind purpose of THIS post.
Have often tried to reality check with what I like to call mass market preconceived notions where would always fail utterly, which finally got me checking into them more. Time is helping out a LOT as yeah do keep up with celebrities on the web, so can study how they use things like their social media accounts over time. And also study how well that differentiates where they rank in a number of various ways. Is more dynamic a measure that way as well as can check things most people might, and also consider things most would not, as so much data is available.
Oh yeah, is a BIG reason to look at celebrities much as more information on them and from them than from any other source on the web. Which is great! Celebrities more so than anyone else, even politicians or companies, are pumping out vast quantities of information I find useful like on social media.
Am on a lot of social media but thankfully at very low levels. Turns out is WORK to get massive followings, though they do seem to stick around when gained. Though engagement seems to require constant work, and maybe some folks are making it seem easier than it is. But yeah that is what they are supposed to do. Best performers make so much look easy even when is astonishingly difficult.
Yet now myself am more focused on work as yeah, web is definitely am sure now fully a part of my life whether I wish it or not. So no separating out here like before from what I do for work.
Which is turning into a massive challenge for me, where struggling at it is causing a lot of posts! As I use my blogs often to figure things out.
The web metric problem is a continuing one. While also my own mental attitude needed serious adjustment as was too easy to just give myself arbitrary measures as reality checks, conclude nothing was happening yet, so I could just keep doing what I was doing. Until it finally became clear to me that reality did not care that I thought was being sensible and humble, when needed to be objective and facing truth squarely.
Working on that now. This post is long enough. Writing this sentence is good way of telling myself to stop here.
James Harris
One thing realize did in the past is just see as some alternate reality, and often just kind of shrug. Figured would figure it out eventually, and would just continue on with what I was doing. So kept a separate reality from out here on the web, which can feel as distinct, from most of my daily. But feel like now those have crashed together which is a relief! But now MUST figure out the money aspect.
But how do I reality check web things best?
Figured out entertainment in order to understand web things actually, when deduced a connection with audience levels where generally publicly self-identified as part of a known audience are called followers on social media. And of course with entertainment focused naturally on celebrity, and then admittedly got distracted with the joy of understanding my entertainment better. It is wild that a couple of key abstractions shifted so much for me, and if did so for others is great as well, where I guess there. For me has been very different now as can focus...about to get distracted again. Can focus on best entertainment but have talked that enough. Must keep in mind purpose of THIS post.
Have often tried to reality check with what I like to call mass market preconceived notions where would always fail utterly, which finally got me checking into them more. Time is helping out a LOT as yeah do keep up with celebrities on the web, so can study how they use things like their social media accounts over time. And also study how well that differentiates where they rank in a number of various ways. Is more dynamic a measure that way as well as can check things most people might, and also consider things most would not, as so much data is available.
Oh yeah, is a BIG reason to look at celebrities much as more information on them and from them than from any other source on the web. Which is great! Celebrities more so than anyone else, even politicians or companies, are pumping out vast quantities of information I find useful like on social media.
Am on a lot of social media but thankfully at very low levels. Turns out is WORK to get massive followings, though they do seem to stick around when gained. Though engagement seems to require constant work, and maybe some folks are making it seem easier than it is. But yeah that is what they are supposed to do. Best performers make so much look easy even when is astonishingly difficult.
Yet now myself am more focused on work as yeah, web is definitely am sure now fully a part of my life whether I wish it or not. So no separating out here like before from what I do for work.
Which is turning into a massive challenge for me, where struggling at it is causing a lot of posts! As I use my blogs often to figure things out.
The web metric problem is a continuing one. While also my own mental attitude needed serious adjustment as was too easy to just give myself arbitrary measures as reality checks, conclude nothing was happening yet, so I could just keep doing what I was doing. Until it finally became clear to me that reality did not care that I thought was being sensible and humble, when needed to be objective and facing truth squarely.
Working on that now. This post is long enough. Writing this sentence is good way of telling myself to stop here.
James Harris
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