Decisions

 Did you ever have to make up your mind, goes the verse of a song by the Lovin’ Spoonful from their album, “Do you believe in Magic?” The song goes on

Did you ever have to make up your mind?

Pick up on one and leave the other one behind

It's not often easy, and not often kind

Did you ever have to make up your mind?

Choice is not easy and saying yes to one means saying no to another, and that is why we, as people do not like making choices. I read somewhere that deciding is stressful for most humans. That is perhaps why we sometimes procrastinate because our thinking is such that if we delay long enough, we will not have to decide, a decision will be made for us. I think it is another reason why we look to strong leaders; they allow us to abdicate making any decisions, we can just do what we are told, which makes life so much easier.

The song ends

Then you bet you'd better finally decide!

And say yes to one and let the other one ride

There's so many changes, and tears you must hide

Did you ever have to finally decide?

Tears you must hide. This line speaks to how hard it is to decide and the realization that there are consequences for your decision. The song speaks to a lover having to decide between two loves, but all decisions we make, have consequences and all of them involve saying yes to something and no to something else. I love that poets and songwriters can use words that speak to powerful subjects in a way that makes it simple to understand.

The future is bright

Looking forward to 2019 and beyond, I see that a wonderful future is waiting for us as humans. Humankind will create wonders on Earth, we will build cities on the moon and Mars. There will be artificial general intelligence that surpasses our level of thinking, molecular assemblers constructing the necessities of life from the soil, resurrected dinosaurs grazing the soil alongside de novo unicorns, and probes departing for the nearest stars.

There will be wealth beyond measure, in an age of plenty for all. Hunger and disease will be banished, even as we engineer all of the greatest dreams of past visionaries into reality.

The present, seen from the perspective of futurists two or three centuries past, already appears a golden age of staggering, near-magical machinery. An era of grand wealth and comfort, in which even the poorest of the wealthy nations live the lives of nobility, immune to famine and pestilence.

But our cities and our achievements, the towering spires and the internet, the freeways and clinics, are little more than monuments to their originators. The engineers and the creators and the visionaries of this modern world of ours are long dead or even now dying of old age.

It is a noble thing to build a greater technology, to generate the wealth of choice and capability that will aid billions in years to come. To contribute to the construction of the golden future, one step at a time is right and proper.

We put fences around graveyards. That is a foolish thing, a wished-for separation of concerns that do not and cannot exist. Every city, every building, every road is a tribute to the dead who created them.

Every last cultivated part of our environment was touched by someone who is now no more, gone to oblivion. When we walk into the doors or drive over the asphalt, it becomes a tribute for us as well. For our generation.

Whatever we strive to build, no matter how noble, no matter how useful, it will be nothing more than a monument, a marker destined to be worn down to nothing while we no longer exist if what we do does not contribute to the good of all. 

The true value of building a better future can only exist when we are all assured of living to participate in that future, in health and vigour, of sound mind and body.

A house can only be a house and a tribute if its architect and/or resident are alive in the hearts of those who live on. Yes, we should build wonders, because we can, because we can dream into existence a far better world. But of greater importance than any other technology, we must build the means to end suffering, to enable life to continue for all of us without suffering.

Until we do, we are merely marking time until we break this cycle. When we do, all that we achieved will have more meaning. The continuing story, the progression, the achievements of humankind will be celebrated.

Is Time running out?

The simple answer is no, but if you think about it to much then time can keep slipping into the future. You only ever have to do what you're capable of doing, because by design, no matter how things appear, you'll always have enough time to do it, you'll do even better than you thought, and life will get even richer than you imagined.

So go out and Fly like the Eagle, as you listen to the Steve Miller Band

9 Things That Will Probably Disappear In Our Lifetime ...

Thanks to Patti for this post

 

Whether these changes are good or bad depends in part on how we adapt to them. But, ready or not, here they come: 1. The  Post Office.  Get ready to imagine a world without the post office.  They are so deeply in financial trouble that there is probably no way to sustain it long term.  Email, Fed Ex, and UPS have just about wiped out the minimum revenue needed to keep the post office alive.  Most of your mail every day is junk mail and bills.  2. The Cheque.   Britain is already laying the groundwork to do away with checks by 2018.  It costs the financial system billions of dollars a year to process checks.  Plastic cards and  online transactions will lead to the eventual demise of the check.  This plays right into the death of the post office.  If you never paid your bills by mail and never received them by mail, the post office would absolutely go out of business. 3. The  Newspaper.  The younger generation simply doesn't read the newspaper.  They certainly don't subscribe to a daily delivered print edition.  That may go the way of the milkman and the laundry man.  As for reading the paper online, get ready to pay for it.  The rise in mobile Internet devices and e-readers has caused all the newspaper and magazine publishers to form an alliance.  They have met with Apple, Amazon, and the major cell phone companies to develop a model for paid subscription services. 4. The Book.  You say you will never give up the physical book that you hold in your hand and turn the literal pages.  I said the same thing about downloading music fromiTunes.  I wanted my hard copy CD.  But I quickly changed my mind when I discovered that I could get albums for half the price without ever leaving home to get the latest music.  The same thing will happen with books.  You can browse a bookstore online and even read a preview chapter before you buy.  And the price is less than half that of a real book.  And think of the  convenience!  Once you start flicking your fingers on the screen instead of the book, you find that you are lost in the story, can't wait to see what happens next, and you forget that you're holding a gadget instead of a book. 5. The Land Line Telephone.  Unless you have a large family and make a lot of local calls, you don't need it anymore.  Most people keep it simply because they've always had it.  But you are paying double charges for that extra  service.  All the cell phone companies will let you call customers using the same cell provider for no charge against your minutes 6. Music.  This is one of the saddest parts of the change story.  The music industry is dying a slow death.  Not just because of illegal downloading.  It's the lack of innovative new music being given a chance to get to the people who would like to hear it.  Greed and  corruption is the problem.  The record labels and the radio conglomerates are simply self-destructing.  Over 40% of the music purchased today is "catalog items," meaning traditional music that the public is familiar with.  Older established artists.  This is also true on the live concert circuit.  To explore this fascinating and disturbing topic further, check out the book,  "Appetite for Self-Destruction" by Steve Knopper, and the video documentary, "Before the Music Dies.."  7. Television.  Revenues to the networks are down dramatically.  Not just because of the economy.  People are watching TV and movies streamed from their computers.  And they're playing games and doing lots of other things that take up the time that used to be spent watching TV.  Prime time shows have degenerated down to lower than the lowest common denominator.  Cable rates are skyrocketing and commercials run about every 4 minutes and 30 seconds.  I say good riddance to most of it.  It's time for the cable companies to be put out of our misery..  Let the people choose what they want to watch online and through Netflix.  8. The "Things" That You Own.  Many of the very possessions that we used to own are still in our lives, but we may not actually own them in the future.  They may simply reside in "the cloud."  Today your computer has a hard drive and you store your pictures, music, movies, and documents.  Your software is on a CD or DVD, and you can always re-install it if need be.  But all of that is changing.  Apple, Microsoft, and Google are all finishing up their latest "cloud services."  That means that when you turn on a computer, the Internet will be built into the operating system.  So, Windows, Google, and the Mac OS will be tied straight into the Internet.  If you click an icon, it will open something in the Internet cloud.  If you save something, it will be saved to the cloud.  And you may pay a monthly  subscription fee to the cloud provider.  In this virtual world, you can access your music or your books, or your whatever from any laptop or handheld  device.  That's the good news. But, will you actually own any of this "stuff" or will it all be able to disappear at any moment in a big "Poof?"  Will most of the things in our lives be disposable and whimsical?  It makes you want to run to the closet and pull out that photo album, grab a book from the shelf, or open up a CD case and pull out the insert.  9. Privacy.  If there ever was a concept that we can look back on nostalgically, it would be privacy. That's gone.  It's been gone for a long time anyway.  There are cameras on the street, in most of the buildings, and even built into your computer and cell phone.  But you can be sure that 24/7, "They" know who you are and where you are, right down to the GPS coordinates, and the Google Street View.  If you buy something, your habit is put into a  zillion profiles, and your ads will change to reflect those habits.  And "They" will try to get you to buy something else.  Again and again.  All we will have that can't be changed are memories.  ( In my case, even these are fading).

HST vote

In BC after the last election, the government imposed a new tax which combined a provincial and a federal tax, and gave away the right of the province to set some of its own tax policy. Voters were very angry and the Premier of the province was forced to resign and a vote was scheduled for Sept 2011to see if we wanted to retain the tax.  Taxes and Politicians are an issue all over the world so this issue is not unique to BC. However, having been away from the Province for six weeks I was surprised when I came back to find that the referendum on the HST had been moved up from September to June.  I am not sure how the law was changed, but the vote date has been set. I am against the HST as I think it is a regressive tax, that hurts the poorest amongst us, and one that has not brought about any new jobs and the changes the government had promised.

The idea of a mail in vote is interesting and I when I was talking with some supporters of this tax they are very excited about the way the vote is being conducted. As they said to me there is a silent group of about 35% of people out there that support the tax but these people would not get out and vote so the mail in ballot will allow them to vote. They also suggested that the anti-HST vote, would not be able to get out there people to vote, so they will win.

The other issue they talked about was that the system would come crashing down around us if we were forced to move back to the old system of taxation, and that this would hurt the all ready fragile recovery. I shook my head, and thought why are you using scare tactics to gain support.  The system will not fall apart, the consumer will be better off in the short and long run, if the HST is defeated and business will adjust if the government will allow time for that to happen.

I also want people to remember that the Liberals in BC brought in the tax, but the Federal Conservatives with the support of the Federal Liberals, voted for the imposition of this tax on the people of BC, and when you vote in the Federal election you need to bear this fact in mind.

The Boomer Authority

There are a couple of sites you should check out if you consider yourself a Boomer or a Senior . The first is The Boomer Authority , the second is  FINDHELP4SENIORS . So if you consider yourself a senior or a sonic boomer who wants to help others, these two sites are worth a visit.

The following is from FindHelp4 seniors.ca

Welcome to  - the most comprehensive online directory for senior-friendly services across Canada. Seniors are active, vibrant, and the fastest growing component of the Canadian mosaic. We’re here to serve you.


FINDHELP4SENIORS is different from other portals. All of the services, products, and businesses listed here cater to seniors, but we go one step farther. We give you the real story with great user generated content. Read what real people have to say about their experiences.

What can you do on FINDHELP4SENIORS? Locate services for seniors; Identify businesses that cater to seniors;  Source products that are designed for seniors;  Read comments by real users; Write a comment of your own; Avail yourself of our excellent resource material; Read our blog for excellent tips on issues that effect seniors; Find assistance for snowbirds

The following is from the Boomer Authority  you are a Boomer, I would invite you to join.
 
There are 78 million Baby Boomers in the U.S. and well over 300 million worldwide. The challenges and choices they face are as vast and deep as is their numbers. But so are the resources Baby Boomers are using to find help.


In ever increasing numbers Baby Boomers are utilizing social media to communicate with family and friends, collaborate in teams and cooperate with anyone they choose anywhere, anytime.

The 46-64 Boomer Initiative™ is a global ecosystem of web destinations, social networking communities, and social tools to help Baby Boomers spark conversations, solve problems and discover new solutions.

Empowered and emboldened Baby Boomers want to discuss products and companies, write their own news, and find their own deals.

Social media in all its forms, is global, unstoppable and powerful.

The web destinations, networking communities, and social tools that are alliance partners in The 46-64 Boomer Initiative™ help to contribute to the way Baby Boomers work, live, play and learn.

Our Current Initiatives:

@BoomerAuthority

Boomer Authority™ [Book Store]

Baby Boomer [Knowledge Center]™

Knowledge [base]™

Boomer Authority™ [Publishers' Advertising Network]

Boomer Authority ™ [Career Center]

Certified JobsOver50-Boomer Authority™ Career Coach Program

Types of change

I was thinking about changes as I wrestled with a problem a while back and realized that I had to make a decision between two types of change offered to me. The first was an incremental change that would cause a small shift in process and procedures, but would not cause any radical shift to occur. The change although small would however, take the group I was making the decision for in a different direction but this would be done over time. Slow change is comfortable, easy to get used to and not a shock to the mind or body and easy to handle especially in these unsettled times. The other change was a more dramatic shift, dealing with unknowns and would cause the group to change more quickly. This type of change is unsettling, can be dramatic and is unsettling. When I was younger there would have been no hesitation on my part, I would have gone for the dramatic change and not even thought too long about it. However, as I mature, (not grow older) I had to think carefully about how my decision would influence and affect others, perhaps I am getting more empathetic as I become wiser :-0, who knows.

The decision was not easy and I spend a great deal of time weighing pros and cons, examining possible consequences, and went through some not sleepless but restless nights. I finally made the same decision I would have made in my youth, and who knows where the path will lead.  I am comfortable in the decision and comfortable with the change that will happen. Success is making wise decisions and part of doing that is relying on good information, time and I still think going with your first instincts. How do you make decisions and are you comfortable with the results of the decisions?

Being a grand father

My daughter told us that she was pregnant and I am very happy about the news, but I got to thinking about what this means. My daughter lives in Australia and holds dual citizenship. Over the past ten years she has come home on a fairly regular bases, but this is about to change. I will have to rethink my plans for next year. I know that many of my generations have teenage grand kids but this is new territory for me and my wife. I am not sure if being a grandfather makes me a senior or do I still qualify for being a boomer. I am not yet ready call myself a senior although I suspect that younger people would think I qualify.

I went down to the US for a conference on Thursday night and arrived at the border around 3:45, and spend the next hour and 15 minutes waiting to cross the line. The problem was not in the lineup the problem was that my car or I set off a radioactive warning devious. I thought it was strange, and when I arrived in the line there were about 20 people all with the same issues. I think the computer calibration of the sensors was out of whack but the guards were very busy filling out the forms and asking the questions. Near the end of the hour one of the guards realized that all of us were there for the same reason. I heard him mention this to another guard, but neither had the authority to do anything except continue to process the people. I lost count of the number of times the guards scanned the crowd with the Geiger counter and then walked out to the cars and scanned the cars. Computer glitches happen, many of the younger crowd were angry at the delay. I kept thinking I am missing driving through Seattle in rush hour traffic. I also enjoyed the idea that I was suspected of setting the world on fire again even if the reason was a computer glitch.