Slow Food Nation

I've been reading a lot about permaculture recently. Since some of my friends are big into the Slow Foods movement, I thought I'd share an event happening in San Francisco on my blog.



Michael Pollan and Joel Salatin will be there (from Omnivore's Dilemma), as will a ton of amazing restaurants, events and most importantly: food.

See you there!

Working is not learning

I learn a lot at work. But it's all related to specific tasks that are necessary to perform my duties as a software engineer. What about the things that matter to me, like basic needs. In college, I was totally focused on Physiological needs. Things have changed since then, but my objectification of any goals or hobbies I pursue are with those needs in mind.

"Is skiing this weekend allowing me to fulfill my Physiological needs?"

After working on some great projects wtih groups, I realize I'm probably still at the Social stage, but at the same time working on Self Realization. My goal is to forget this pyramid altogether and just exist and do what I want.

That said, debt is a bitch. Without debt, I would have minimal bills. I wouldn't have to worry about getting fired, moving, changing jobs, or gaining or losing friends. But now I do. It's also preventing me from taking chances because I'm afraid I'll be stuck like this for a longer period of time. However, if I took a chance with some ideas, the payoff is bigger.

Thinkers do more things that doers. How? Create an idea, act on it, if it blooms, it does more things because there are doers employed to help achieve the goal. Not only that, but the thinker now probably has more resources to do things that the want, rather than "need" to do. We're stuck in a cycle. College -> work -> retirement. What happened to thinking outside the box. Where did that get us? Not only are we looking to colonize in space for geeky reasons, but it's almost required that we escape for health and for the continuation of our species.

Until I come up with the idea I'm willing to act on, I will be saving, working, and thinking about what I really need, not what I think I need.