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Wed Sep 22 06:00:01 EDT 2021 ======================================== Slept from ten-thirty to six-thirty. Woke briefly around five. Breezy, cooler. Rain showers. Highs in the upper 50s. North winds 15 to 20 mph becoming 15 to 25 mph in the late morning and afternoon. Gusts up to 35 mph increasing to 40 mph early in the evening. Chance of showers near 100 percent. Fifteen minutes on the exercise bike in the morning. Work ---------------------------------------- - order hypervisor parts? No. Home ---------------------------------------- - DTE utility transfer Done. - Consumers Energy transfer Done. - send utility, insurance info to Somerset (see Aug 4 email) Done. - Comcast transfer Done. Feeling somewhat better today — more positive and productive than I've felt the last couple days. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=28582716 https://www.discovermagazine.com/mind/why-lo-fi-music-draws-listeners-in > Relevant quote from Brian Eno (1996) > > Whatever you now find weird, ugly, uncomfortable and nasty about a new medium will surely become its signature. CD distortion, the jitteriness of digital video, the crap sound of 8-bit - all of these will be cherished and emulated as soon as they can be avoided. It’s the sound of failure: so much modern art is the sound of things going out of control, of a medium pushing to its limits and breaking apart. The distorted guitar sound is the sound of something too loud for the medium supposed to carry it. The blues singer with the cracked voice is the sound of an emotional cry too powerful for the throat that releases it. The excitement of grainy film, of bleached-out black and white, is the excitement of witnessing events too momentous for the medium assigned to record them. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/28/well/live/motivation-energy-advice.html > As you look for your motivation, it helps to think of it falling into two categories, said Stefano Di Domenico, a motivation researcher who teaches at the University of Toronto Scarborough. > First, there’s controlled motivation, when you feel you’re being ruled by outside forces like end-of-year bonuses and deadlines — or inner carrots and sticks, like guilt or people-pleasing. It’s hard to stay motivated when you’re not in the driver’s seat. Often when people say they’ve lost motivation, “what they really mean,” Dr. Di Domenico said, “is ‘I’m doing this because I have to, not because I want to.’” > The second kind, autonomous motivation, is what we’re seeking. This is when you feel like you’re self-directed, whether you have a natural affinity for the task at hand, or you’re doing something because you understand why it’s worthwhile. > Looking forward to a reward isn’t the best for long-term motivation. But several studies suggest that pairing small, immediate rewards to a task improves both motivation and fun. > Tea can only take you so far, though. Clinical psychologist Richard M. Ryan, one of two scientists who developed a well-known approach to understanding motivation called self-determination theory, encourages those seeking lasting motivation to take a deep dive into their values. > Dr. Ryan, a professor at Australian Catholic University in North Sydney, said that when you connect the things that are important to you to the things you need to do — even the drudgeries — you can feel more in control of your actions. What do you love about your work? What core value does it meet? > Writing about your values can be a good start, said Tanaya Winder, an Albuquerque-based motivational speaker and poet. Ms. Winder, who teaches workshops on reconnecting to your sense of purpose, often has students free write about what makes them come alive. > People also motivate each other through competition. In a 2016 study, researchers grouped students in an 11-week exercise program into small, online social networks: some groups were competitive, others provided support. Students in competitive groups exercised much more often than those in supportive social networks, said Damon Centola, the senior author of the study and a professor at the University of Pennsylvania. > Treating ourselves with compassion works much more effectively than beating ourselves up, said Kristin Neff, an associate professor of educational psychology at the University of Texas at Austin. “People think they’re going to shame themselves into action,” yet self-compassion helps people stay focused on their goals, reduces fear of failure and improves self-confidence, which can also improve motivation, she said. > To start, Dr. Neff suggested pausing to ask yourself what you need. Maybe you’ll find it’s time to refocus on your purpose, or notice you’re ready to ask for outside support. Sometimes simply acknowledging you’re going through a hard time, and that this is a normal part of life, is all it takes. Minutes spent packing: 20 Servings: grains 5/6, fruit 1/4, vegetables 2/4, dairy 4/2, meat 3/3, nuts 0/0.5 Breakfast: popcorn Brunch: banana, macaroni and cheese with broccoli and sausage, coffee Lunch: cucumber Dinner: two hot dogs

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