Attainable Goals

One of the big lessons I learned in the last year has been to set up attainable goals for myself. I began the year hoping to write a short story per month, and I am proud to say that I succeeded there.

Sure, the short stories happened to form up a novel, but my goal was still met. I got four short stories and thirteen chapters for my novel. Next year I want to have similar success.

Goals only are beneficial while they motivate you to stay on track. When goals - especially unrealistic ones - go unmet it can tear down your momentum. Goals that are met serve to uplift and add energy to your trajectory.

This is the first year in my life that I have had the opportunity and the time to truly attempt my dream of writing a novel. And now that I have the first draft finished, all I want to do is share it.

I hope you guys enjoy my first work. It came together better than i could have imagined, and I can't wait to explore the universe more in the coming years.

Responsible Passion

I wish that art was a process as regular as lunchtime.

Even if you have no idea what the cafeteria is serving, at least you know that its serving something. Not so with the work involving art. I have been trying for the last year or so to get myself into habits and rhythms that would facilitate my artistic expression in more robust and efficient ways. Somethings have worked. Others have not.

During this whole period of learning (which is ongoing mind you) I have learned some important lessons. One of the most important concepts that I have come across has been the subject of responsibility. It isn't enough that I want to write. I have to make time and effort to write.

Time is something that I have to sell to a corporation for the right to live with a roof over my head and food in my stomach. Effort is something that I waste on every manner of entertainment. But at the end of the day, I am finding time to carve out of every day to at least think about my novel. I feel responsible for my work, the deadline (that I created) has been on my mind since I first created it.

My first novel by the end of the year. I started this year thinking about writing a short story per month, and now I am closing the year with a novel. It seems like that was eons ago. The plot for the novel popped into my head while I was writing the first two short stories of the year and I think that the strength of the main character is what drew me so head over heels into the project.

I am now writing the final chapters of that novel, and I have discovered so much about myself and my passion in this last year that I can't help but be amazed at how it all unfolded. I discovered that what had drawn me to my main character is exactly what has drawn me to writing in the first place: I want to make this world a better place in some small way.

My passion comes with the responsibility to carry out my goals.

It isn't enough anymore to say that I have a great idea for a novel in my head. After this year, I will have written my very first novel. Of my life. My whole life, writing novels was the only thing I had ever had my heart set on.

For the opportunity in life and in mind to do my life's work, I thank the Gods Above and Below.

For the opportunity to share my passion, my art and my thoughts, I thank the internet, and you.

May the tweeting commence

I'm a terrible website manager.

Sure I can create one. But managing it? That's really not my thing. Its been almost a year since I made a video, plenty of months since I wrote anything here, etc.

But I get it. This is just for me anyway.

Its practice. This whole thing. Life.

So long as we are learning thats what matters. I just feel like as a society we aren't learning good things. We are learning to lie, cheat, steal, murder and disrespect one another, in new ways in new seasons every single primetime.

We should be learning about love, compassion, Truth and Law. These things free people. Which means there is little reason to think most people would even want them. Freedom is tough. You have to be responsible.

But that goes back to learning, doesn't it? Are we learning to be more responsible? I hope so. I suspect so. There are many paradigm shifts occuring at this very moment.

They always are.

That's deep, dude. Put that in your blog. People will probably tweet you and you'll be on CNN or something.

Ok, brodude. I just did. May the tweeting commence.

You don't even really know how to tweet. You just say things into it and sometimes sound comes out.

I'm sorry for arguing with myself, but I don't really plan or edit these things. I just delete the sentences that I don't like every once in a while.

But mostly, I'm trying not worry about it.

The only thing on my mind is my novel.

Which, I will have you know (yes you, Google bot!).that I am on the verge of completing my first draft of said novel.

Friggin. Awesome.

I know, I remember saying something about doing a short story every month and I actually was meeting that goal (4) when this idea hit me. I have written 12 chapters in 8 months so that's pretty good for me.

It will be the first novel I will have ever completed.

I hope people like it, I really do, but honestly I am just so damned overjoyed to have the fracting thing off my mind and onto pages.

Its freedom. Which brings me back to that point I trailed off from. Freedom means responsibility. My freedom makes me responsible for tweeting this nonsense into the intersphere and getting back to work on my first novel.

I doing the only thing I've ever wanted to do, which is write.

I love life, I hope you do too.

Have an awesome day.

=:)

The King of Wands, Proudly.

So this Tarot thing is remarkably interesting to me.

I have always loved symbols. Symbols for everything, for anything. I remember the old Northwest Orient pins and I used to think it was interesting how symbols took on lives of their own. People are attached to a great number of symbols.

Anyway, I have been trying to learn and understand Tarot for the better part of a year now, and I have to say, I still find it fascinating in its depth and richness. Say what you will about it being random or the fact that each card has so many meanings they can mean anything.

You're looking at it the wrong way. Like I was, before.

It is supposed to be random, and it is supposed to mean anything. Tarot is like a psychological assessment of your own life: the ideas and concepts - the symbols - that pop out at us are the ideas and concepts that were already in our minds. It is in one part a self-fulling prophesy, and in another part a Rorschach test (I spelling that correct on the FIRST try!) but that doesn't negate the fact that people are drawn to symbols and ideas that are already in their head.

So Tarot is like a magnifying glass, it is a tool, a calculator, not of the Universe, but of your perspective of the Universe.

In any case, tonight, I thought I would pull out the deck that I bought when I was actively trying to learn Tarot concepts. It was mangled (open window + rain, last summer, bummer) and chaotic, but I put it into a stack and cut it, telling myself I would read the first three cards.

The first was the Eight of Swords. I searched on http://www.learntarot.com/ and found it to be a fitting description of how I have felt in my life recently.

The second was the Queen of Cups, once again searched and found it to be in agreement with my wants hopes and dreams.

The third was Judgement, which after reading what it means, I find it to be fitting and inspiring. It helped order my outlook a little. I understand a little bit more about my own life through this tiny little window. Fleeting knowledge, at best, but knowledge, nonetheless.

At this point, I decided to throw another, just for the kicks, right? It's late as hell.

King of Wands. At this point, I am blown away half way through reading the damn site.

I open up a new tab and start a blog, which I haven't done in ages, and which I need to do more. I write this (as you read it now) until I get to the King of Wands. Then I go and finish reading.

That's me. Or ME. This is what I aspire to be, what I feel burning inside me. Then I get to the end, and I read this:

Bold

is intrepid
is willing to take chances when the stakes are high
confronts opposition directly
dares to stand and be different
is unconcerned with what others think
has the courage of his or her convictions

Source: Learntarot.com

Most of you don't know this, but my name is Derek. My father named me while looking in a book of names, reading their meanings. He came across Derek (early in the alphabet, because let's be honest, whose got the time to get to the end?) and said that he read "Bold, Intrepid, the Ruler of People," and recognized victory. He said "that's my son." I am so named.

I record that as I remember it, and so having read that on this occasion is a mindbending effect.

And that's the worth of Tarot: information. There is always information about yourself and your perspective to be gained by learning more. It doesn't really matter what system of information or knowledge you are using, consume it up and pass it on.

Information is everything. Share what you have, and always be on the look out for what information the universe is sending you, in whatever form it may be. Make thy information greater.

Derek, Proudly. Added after seeing this: Cancer Feb 22 2013 Are you ready for a hopeful glimpse into the future, Moonchild? Brace yourself, because it's going to be an eye-opening ride. Events of the next few days will give you some very promising insight into the years ahead. You may have come to expect that a certain dream would never come true, and that you would struggle in one or more areas of your life forever. But some very mystical clues will show you that you have quite a bit to look forward to, and oh-so-much to be happy about. -- Copyright © DailyHoroscope. Download it now — http://bit.ly/DHmobile

Awesome Sauce Goes Viral.

The good kind of viral, though.

Ok. I'm not viral. Not yet. But its only a matter of time really. It's what the internet does with cool shit. And I am fairly cool shit, so I am sure we will be ontop very soon. And by we I mean me.

The problem you have is that you always try to find a problem. You try to find something to make a law about or pass judgement because of. But Me? I'm not like you. I am compassionate more than you. I know what the truth is more than you. I have the market cornered on awesome.

Why would that be a bad thing? What do you mean I sound like a jerk? You're the jerk! Calling names like that, you pansy. Why don't you just tell me what you are so bothered by!

So now I can't believe in myself? Is that what America has come to?

Oh. So its the fact that I am belittling others and sitting on my high horse thumping my favorite philosophy. Well. To Hell with you! I am me. I can't change that.

What do you mean its a choice? I can't well and good start pretending I am not going viral. That would be absurd! I am certainly going viral right this instant.

Why does it not say I am going viral?

Well. It's definitely the media. They try to avoid talking about me and they always mention the bad things that I do. They're out to get me. No. Wait. They're out to get you! So we should team up against them!

What do you mean they don't give a flying swiss about me or my videos?! How dare you treat me that way! I demand to be heard and I demand that my rights be served. You hurt my feelings.

What do you mean that's what I was doing to? You started it!

What do you mean I started it? I did not!

Oh so what you're just gonna go walk away and not say anything to me then? Yes you do have things to say.

You hurt because of me?

I...

...no... You're right. Hurting other people is wrong. Can we just get along? Can we just be awesome together?

Awesome.


------- Maybe we could all just get along instead of trying to be number 1 all the time?

That'd be awesome.

-------

Found this to be cool today too:
Cancer Oct 20 2012 There are certain people who have not made their dreams come true or haven't met their financial goals, and some of them will look down on those who have. They are jealous and resentful, and they probably want to know why those "others" have made it when they have not. And that's probably a big part of the reason. When we resent those who have what we want, we create a dark space in our hearts. But when we admire those who have done what we want to do, and we study them to see how to do it, we are that much ahead of the game. You are not washed up. You have an excellent chance of attaining what you desire if you kept the right mindset. -- Copyright © DailyHoroscope. Download it now — http://bit.ly/DHmobile

The spark that set the blaze

This will be the first blog that I write entirely from my phone. I don't like the idea much because my thumbs are definitely the clumsy cousins.

I wonder if that has to do with my PC gamer background. Give me a trigger on a joystick or the smooth curves of a mouse and I can play whatever game you want. Damn that sounds like I'm coming onto you. Which I'm not. Unless I am. There's really no set way I have to let you know. It's one of my things.

Anyway. When the console generation came on the scene I was still completely lost in games like command & conquer, homeworld, the Jedi knight games, civilization, unreal tournament and of course a healthy dose "Mixed up Mother Goose" still echoing inside my skull.

So by the time I was jumping into Halo combat evolved I had no idea how to use my thumb to do all the work. I had always had a full keyboard. Everything had it's own button.
And that makes it hard for me to type. Or at least I think it does. Now that I am actually doing it though it seems pretty easy. Sweet deal.

Which brings me to my main point (I know, that was a shitty and unnecessary lead in, and I am sure many of you didn't make it this far, but that's cool too.) My main point being: I need to start already!
I have spent all this freaking time building the site and trying to figure out what my plan is and here I am standing on the edge of the abyss.

I'm being a wuss. Trying to plan too much. I need to jump and just start already. Like posting a blog from my phone.

You can't do it better without doing it the first time.

That seems like an awesome place to end this one.

Were I to have an audience I would ask these things: How many of you suffer from the same cold feet with projects of passion? Do you blog from a phone or a computer and why?  Why in the hell did you sit here and read this?
....
For those interested, here is todays horoscope for my crabbed rabbit self.
Cancer Oct 8 2012 Someone may be telling you that a certain important goal of yours is far too lofty. This person can come up with a list of perhaps dozens of reasons why a plan or a dream won't work out for you. Because the source of criticism may be a smart and reliable person, and because this person only wants the best for you, you may find yourself taking him or her too seriously. You are the only one who can dictate your own fate. If you believe that a big dream of yours is possible, Moonchild, then it is absolutely possible. Think positive, and tune out anyone who doesn't believe. -- Copyright © DailyHoroscope. Download it now — http://bit.ly/DHmobile

Not Looking Back In Regret

Remember what I said about putting one foot in front of the other?

Well its also important not to look back in regret. Because lets face the facts: we are all human, and we aren't going to make it look good all the time. So because of a combination between my day job and some issues in coding the website, I have fallen alarmingly off my proposed plan or schedule.

But that's ok. Because life happens sometimes. No need to beat yourself up over it. Look back in order to realize your mistakes and change yourself to be better able for the future, but don't look back in regret. You don't have time for regret.

Every moment where you are spending your life on regret is a moment you are losing and will only regret in the future. Stop the cycle today and do not let yourself regret the past. Only actualize the future. Figure out what is best for you and be awesome.

For me, this means not beating myself up over not making cartoons on time or writing my new story and posting it. But Life Happens, and it will be ok.

Just keep taking steps forward, no matter how many times you were pushed back, and you will always get somewhere. Humans are capable of learning so much and the universe is always trying to give so much that we can always make some progress. Something is better than nothing, right?

But you say that's just positive thinking

And if you are a product of what you think, then think more get more.

If we all just stopped regretting what we could/should/would have done and just started thinking about what we can/shall/will do we would be half way toward our goals and proud of the time we spent on it.

I am saying this not because it is easy for me, or because I have the answer to this problem of letting go of regret, I am merely sharing with you a revelation, and hoping that you can benefit from it too.

Peace be with you, Cosmical Rabbit.