As the title implies, she (and I as well) believe that alone time is critical to reaching creative flow. To me, this means several things and I will not only explain what I think but I’ll also pull in some great quotes that really express parts of this thinking quite well.

First of all, I think that one of the most important things you can do alone is also one of the most simple and basic human needs. That need is sleep. Every since I can remember, I’ve gone to bed at night tired and woke up rested. For me, sleep has always been important but it’s also been the one constant that I can compromise on if I need more time in my day. However, as I’ve learned more than once, I can only compromise on my sleep for so long until it really starts to affect my mood, my productivity and my relationships.

Lack of sleep affects my mood because when I wake up tired, I don’t feel energized and ready to give the day my best. This leads to me being cranky later on during the day, wanting to sleep and not be very sociable. Which ultimately affects my productivity at work, my productivity on my projects, my ability to work out and be healthy and this leads to a negative effect on my relationships since if I’m not at my best for me, then I can’t be at my best for them.

Another part of alone time means being able to make the time to do something you love to do, on your own. For me this means playing disc golf, throwing a frisbee, going for a run, getting in a workout, watching a movie, reading a book or just sitting and dreaming. If I don’t have the chance to do these on a regular basis, I feel disconnected from myself and I feel out of balance. I love all of those things because I’m good at them, I find them relaxing, I enjoy doing them and they bring balance to my life. Without balance in my life, I’m not able to tackle everything else as effectively and this also affects my productivity. Some people will say “too much of anything isn’t good” and I mostly agree with that. Sometimes you need a lot of something. Other times, not so much. But it’s all about knowing yourself and knowing what you need to create that inner balance for yourself.

Don’t let others throw that balance off. There are people who are energy takers. They will try to get you to spend time with them by making you feel bad for doing other things. That is not a good friend. A good friend will respect you and what you are passionate about. A good friend will miss you but won’t hold it against you if you haven’t seen them in a while. Stay away from those people –  you have a right to have dreams and goals and to go after them. Don’t let others hold you back. Surround yourself with people who will support you and help lift you up instead of dragging you down.

Another way that being alone is good is that many of us who are passionate + motivated will also be creative. And we will always have many ideas swirling around in our head all of the time. When we don’t have time with ourselves to sift through all of our ideas and attempt to quantify them, then those ideas won’t be able to progress past just being in our head. Only when we have alone time will we be able to figure out which ideas we’d like to spend more time on, which ideas aren’t the right ones for right now and which ones won’t really work. Being creative is about taking your skills doing different things with them. And about looking at what projects you’re currently involved in and how you can put your own touch on them, how you can take those projects to the next level and how you can do something different that noone else has done with them yet.

I found this great quote by Helen Hayes

We live in a very tense society. We are pulled apart… and we all need to learn how to pull ourselves together…. I think that at least part of the answer lies in solitude.

Creating a balance in ourselves, and learning to love ourselves, comes from leaving all the distractions of everyday life behind and spending time with yourself. Just because something is a distraction doesn’t mean it’s a bad thing. There are many great distractions in your life. Your kids, your sports, your spouse, your passions. But when we are alone and not letting those distractions invade our consciousness at least for a bit of time regularly, we have the ability to, as Helen says, “pull ourselves together”.

My dad really said it best once when I told him about someone in my past who “completed me”. Yes I know it was a cheesy line from a movie but bear with me. He said “that’s great, but wouldn’t it be better if you and her made 2 wholes instead of just one?” That has stuck with me almost 5 years later because he said it so simply and he was absolutely right. We can never be good for someone until we are good for ourselves. Alone time is a big key to that.

I think many of us have heard this before, and many of us believe it, but given all of the bullshit in the world today, it can be very easy to become disillusioned, lost, confused and lose faith. A big part of that are the words we use and what they mean to us. Paul Johannes Tillich said it best when he said:

Language… has created the word loneliness to express the pain of being alone. And it has created the word solitude to express the glory of being alone.

He’s really right though isn’t he? It’s all about how we choose to look at something. Some of us will see the glass as half empty – some of us will see it as half full.

I choose to just get up and fill the glass with water – then I don’t have to worry about the water level.

Flow. Like. Water.

Every Wednesday at the Joyce on 4th in Calgary. There are other places too (all owned by the same group of owners). But what a fantastic idea. 1 cent ribs. And then of course they make all their money off the beer and pop. Pfffft. But still.

How would you feel if you went out for 7 cent ribs and I told you I was only spending 1 cent on my ribs? Would you feel ripped off? Because I think it’s awesome.

When’s the last time you could buy anything for 1 cent? 1 cent candies haven’t been around for years. They’re now 1o cents most places – some still offer them for 5 cents, but 1 cent? Not a chance.

The next time you’re eating 7 cent ribs, I ask you…what would you do with an extra 6 cents per rib?

Think about what parking is. Your car is sitting on the ground. Yet you have to pay for it to sit on the ground. Maybe you could have like a time share system. You use someone else’s parking spot downtown and they use your spot somewhere else.

Have you ever seen those garage type parking systems? Like the one in the pic. They’re so sweet. Efficient since all of the spaces are optimized to fit a car and there’s no wasted space. But, what happens if your car becomes like a chocolate bar in a vending machine and gets stuck halfway out? Then convenience and efficiency turns into hassle.

I get why we’re charged for parking. And I understand that people have come to expect to pay for parking. But honestly can’t they make money another way? The amount we spend on vehicles is high enough already between car payments, insurance and gas so why not cut us a break?

I think the government should do something about it. For university students, it’s outrageous how much they have to spend to park to go to school. No wonder so many people try to park for free and get tickets for risking it.

• Soda crackers and yogurt
• Peanut butter and chocolate chips sandwich
• Peanut butter and chocolate chip cookie sandwich
• Soda crackers, yogurt and chocolate easter eggs
• Soda crackers and ice cream
• Soup and pasta
• Chicken and cream of mushroom soup
• Cheese Whiz and sandwich spread (smelled like salmon…odd)
• Soda crackers dipped in chocolate pudding
• Rice cakes dipped in chocolate pudding

It’s fun trying new combinations. Leads to trying new food. And not being nervous about really eating anything. Try it sometime. And if you ever have me over for dinner, make sure you have lots of soda crackers, beer and ice cream for dessert.

Woman’s making a ham for the big family dinner. She goes to cut the butt off the ham and throw it away, and she looks at this piece of ham and she’s like, “This is a perfectly good piece of ham. Why am I throwing this away?” She thought, “Well my mom always did this.” So she calls up Mom, and she says, “Mom, why’d you cut the butt off the ham when you’re making a ham?” Her mom says, “I don’t know, my mom always did it!” So they call Grandma, and Grandma says, “My pan was too small!”

How many times have we heard this before? We do something because that’s how it’s always been done. As much as it’s efficient as a species to learn from experience, sometimes our experience can be based on factors which no longer exist or no longer influence our decisions. How best do we approach a problem without letting the past influence us too much? Simple. Think about why you do what you do. If something seems a bit off, there’s probably a reason for that.

As Einstein famously said, “We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.”

Live and think consciously. You never know when you’re going to be cooking a ham.

2. I miss my mom more than anything in the world. She passed away in 2001 when I was 18 and it still hurts to think about it. She was the most important person in my life and I can honestly say that she was the most honest, most sincere, nicest, most caring person I’ve ever met. And I was lucky enough to have her as my mom. That makes me happy but also hurts that she’s gone.

3. My first love is golf, and I miss playing so much. The last time spent with my mom was on mother’s day when we went golfing. I’ve dreamt of playing pro golf for a long time.

4. I cry during movies. Sometimes. Shhhhh.

5. I’ve never been outside of North America, but I’ve been all over Canada more than most people.

6. I drank for the first time when I was 16 at the prom party for the grade 12’s (I was in grade 11). And the first thing I ever drank was coolers. Which continued to be my bevy of choice; until I got drunk off 3 Mike’s hard when I was 18 and that was the end of coolers.

7. I haven’t weighed less than 200 pounds in almost 6 years, but I can still beat you in a race…

8. I bought my first car ever in Oct of 2007. I miss rollerblading to get around and I think since I’m living downtown now I will do more of that this summer.

9. I miss my family a lot but since it’s so expensive to fly home to the Maritimes, I haven’t gone since Dec 2006. I’m going to go this year and really want to go to our family cottage in PEI.

10. I’m extremely proud to have grown up in the Maritimes and would raise my family there in a heartbeat. I love Calgary and the people here but it’s not the same. If you’ve ever been there, you’ll know what I mean.

11. I’m a very honest person. Sometimes too honest. But that’s how I am and I will live and die by that sword.

12. I have an addiction for Haagen Daas ice cream. The 500ml variety. My favourite kind is chocolate chocolate chip and it made me very sad when they stopped selling it in Canada so whenever I’m in the US for a Frisbee tournament, I try and eat it.

13. One of my favourite things to do is to go to an open field and throw Frisbees. Like, I’ll bring 8 with me. And throw for 2 hours. By myself. It’s almost like my form of meditation. Ask me to go throw sometime and you better believe I’m there.

14. I think Frisbee golf is one of the best sports ever. Especially when me and the boys play the Majestic. Ask me about the Majestic and maybe I’ll tell you. If you’re lucky enough.

15. Rhubarb is to me what shrimp is to Bubba Gump.

16. I have built 3 of my own computers. I learned by watching other people and reading about it online. It’s fun being able to do that. But ask me about cars, and I have no clue. But I can bullshit and pretend I know what I’m talking about…sort of.

17. I have been designing websites for 6 years and my proudest accomplishment was doing the Umbilical Brothers website for 4 years. They are 2 hilarious guys from Australia who do shows all over the world and I still haven’t met them. But they might be in New York in April/May and I am planning that trip already. I am beyond pumped to meet them. And to see my good friend Deb (whom I met through the forum I built for their website).

18. I have been on television 3 times. And recognized once from an appearance. For being on Street Cents, when I was living in Halifax. I felt like a celebrity. It was pretty special.

19. I have a plastic canvas calendar sitting in my drawer which I started over 8 years ago. I want to finish it one day. It’s an Olympic themed calendar. Maybe I’ll try to have it done by the 2010 games.

20. I can throw a Frisbee longer than a football field.

21. I once shaved my whole body. It took a really long time and I probably wouldn’t do it again. But I liked how my muscles looked really defined. But I didn’t like how itchy it was when the hair started growing back in.

22. I’ve dyed my hair blond twice. Once it turned orange because I didn’t have enough dye. The other time it was very light and I liked it. Would I do it again? Why not?

23. I used to be really really funny in grade 8. Like make people fall out of their chairs laughing funny. Then in the summer between grade 8 and 9 I grew up. I remember reading Sphere by Michael Crichton and feeling more mature. I still make people laugh. But not like grade 8, oh man.

24. I love dogs. Like I can’t wait to have a house with a yard so I can get a dog. I think they’re the greatest pet ever.

25. Since I’ve been told I’m random, I’ll throw in a very random fact. I was suspended in grade 3 for one day because I pulled a knife on a kid. It was my grandfather’s and I happened to have it in my pocket. Not sure why I did it. But I haven’t done it since.

Why won’t you just disappear altogether so we don’t constantly get stuck trying to park on the streets where we live?

Why can’t you just let our tires get enough grip so we can drive away?

Why do you feel like you need to make our tires spin?

a) so we can smell the smell of burning rubber?
b) so our neighbours can come and be neighbourly?
c) so we’ll buy winter tires?

I pick c).

I think it’s a conspiracy. I think tire manufacturers made it get warm and started the melty snow so we would consider buying winter tires.

Well guess what Michelin, Goodyear, Bridgestone, Pirelli, etc etc etc. You won’t win this round. Oh no. I will push my own car if I have to, but I will not buy winter tires. You’ll just have to find a more effective way of marketing to me. I don’t like such a vicious approach.

Please melty snow, go away.

When you eat far more than you should but you do it because you want to get a taste for everything (cranberry sauce, dressing, turkey, potatoes, peas, corn, beets, pickles, squash, dessert, etc………). And then take a nap.

When you scrape enough of your windshield so you can see what’s in front of you so you can drive to work.

When you go outside and your hair, still wet from the shower, instantly freezes.

When you go to bed with long johns, socks, a hoodie and gloves on, and you’re still cold

When it’s better to be warm then it is to look cool…but people still try and look cool…which really means…cold.

When most streets are lined with cars that haven’t moved in a week and are not only covered in snow but also have a snowbank on 3 sides of the car and have no chance of driving away without some serious snow shoveling.

Add your own………..

1. SHOULD WE KILL HEALTHY PEOPLE FOR THEIR ORGANS?

Suppose Bill is a healthy man without family or loved ones. Would it be ok painlessly to kill him if his organs would save five people, one of whom needs a heart, another a kidney, and so on? If not, why not?

Consider another case: you and six others are kidnapped, and the kidnapper somehow persuades you that if you shoot dead one of the other hostages, he will set the remaining five free, whereas if you do not, he will shoot all six. (Either way, he’ll release you.)

If in this case you should kill one to save five, why not in the previous, organs case? If in this case too you have qualms, consider yet another: you’re in the cab of a runaway tram and see five people tied to the track ahead. You have the option of sending the tram on to the track forking off to the left, on which only one person is tied. Surely you should send the tram left, killing one to save five.

But then why not kill Bill?

2. ARE YOU THE SAME PERSON WHO STARTED READING THIS ARTICLE?

Consider a photo of someone you think is you eight years ago. What makes that person you? You might say he she was composed of the same cells as you now. But most of your cells are replaced every seven years. You might instead say you’re an organism, a particular human being, and that organisms can survive cell replacement – this oak being the same tree as the sapling I planted last year.

But are you really an entire human being? If surgeons swapped George Bush’s brain for yours, surely the Bush look-alike, recovering from the operation in the White House, would be you. Hence it is tempting to say that you are a human brain, not a human being.

But why the brain and not the spleen? Presumably because the brain supports your mental states, eg your hopes, fears, beliefs, values, and memories. But then it looks like it’s actually those mental states that count, not the brain supporting them. So the view is that even if the surgeons didn’t implant your brain in Bush’s skull, but merely scanned it, wiped it, and then imprinted its states on to Bush’s pre-wiped brain, the Bush look-alike recovering in the White House would again be you.

But the view faces a problem: what if surgeons imprinted your mental states on two pre-wiped brains: George Bush’s and Gordon Brown’s? Would you be in the White House or in Downing Street? There’s nothing on which to base a sensible choice. Yet one person cannot be in two places at once.

In the end, then, no attempt to make sense of your continued existence over time works. You are not the person who started reading this article.

3. IS THAT REALLY A COMPUTER SCREEN IN FRONT OF YOU?

What reason do you have to believe there’s a computer screen in front of you? Presumably that you see it, or seem to. But our senses occasionally mislead us. A straight stick half-submerged in water sometimes look bent; two equally long lines sometimes look different lengths.

But this, you might reply, doesn’t show that the senses cannot provide good reasons for beliefs about the world. By analogy, even an imperfect barometer can give you good reason to believe it’s about to rain.

Before relying on the barometer, after all, you might independently check it by going outside to see whether it tends to rain when the barometer indicates that it will. You establish that the barometer is right 99% of the time. After that, surely, its readings can be good reasons to believe it will rain.

Perhaps so, but the analogy fails. For you cannot independently check your senses. You cannot jump outside of the experiences they provide to check they’re generally reliable. So your senses give you no reason at all to believe that there is a computer screen in front of you.”

4. DID YOU REALLY CHOOSE TO READ THIS ARTICLE?

Suppose that Fred existed shortly after the Big Bang. He had unlimited intelligence and memory, and knew all the scientific laws governing the universe and all the properties of every particle that then existed. Thus equipped, billions of years ago, he could have worked out that, eventually, planet Earth would come to exist, that you would too, and that right now you would be reading this article.

After all, even back then he could have worked out all the facts about the location and state of every particle that now exists.

And once those facts are fixed, so is the fact that you are now reading this article. No one’s denying you chose to read this. But your choice had causes (certain events in your brain, for example), which in turn had causes, and so on right back to the Big Bang. So your reading this was predictable by Fred long before you existed. Once you came along, it was already far too late for you to do anything about it.

Now, of course, Fred didn’t really exist, so he didn’t really predict your every move. But the point is: he could have. You might object that modern physics tells us that there is a certain amount of fundamental randomness in the universe, and that this would have upset Fred’s predictions. But is this reassuring? Notice that, in ordinary life, it is precisely when people act unpredictably that we sometimes question whether they have acted freely and responsibly. So freewill begins to look incompatible both with causal determination and with randomness. None of us, then, ever do anything freely and responsibly.”

Not that I need comments, but it would be neat to read them. Would be neat to hear what people would actually like to hear and read about. I know many times a blog becomes popular because the author picks something unique and obscure to write about and via word of mouth, more people start reading the blog and checking it out more often. Other times, the author knows a great deal about a topic so people are interested in reading about that topic from an expert in that field.

Perhaps I could take a dual approach. Write about something obscure once in a while (such as pinecones and how sticky they make your hands from all of the sap and how this is a problem) and then write about something in which I know a lot about (technology, ultimate, leadership/coaching). Interesting. I think I just came up with a whole plethora of new topics for posts. Stay tuned.

Oh and leave some comments.

Peace.