We know from research that the mind perceives in images and symbols. And so when I think of this special time in December I have this image, me, six or seven, out in the garden, early Christmas morning, playing with this wind-up helicopter toy, no one else around, with a mind full of imagination. I don’t know why, but that image just comes to mind. What comes to your mind when you think of this time-frame in December?

When I think of life, besides our galaxy there are two trillion other galaxies out there (that’s 2,000 billion) ! Imagine, We, out of all the non-life out there, are special.  We have meaning, we remember experiences, we have thoughts, we have dreams, we live!

It hurts the pain and sorrow that exists in this world, but I believe there is always real hope for solutions. I wish you the best of times and the best of your lives yet to come, and leave you with this thought that when you reflect, I hope it impacts you as much as it did to me.  In the words of the Educator Horace Mann, “Be ashamed to die until you have won some victory for mankind. (click the title above to view/make comments)

So I’ve been doing some work you see, First, I’ve finished two courses in Artificial Intelligence (AI), covering machine learning, how it works, and how learning models are used to make predictions, solutions and the future. Second, I completed an introductory course in Python programming, which is very friendly to creating AI. Third, my Christmas present is completing Tensorflow, which is used to build, train, and deploy Deep Learning Models.

It’s all similar to the late 1980’s, when I gave up the trajectory from an MBA degree to pursue, start over, in the new revolution of computer technology which was really taking off. This paid dividends personally, in always being current with technology, which meant a lot to me.

Now again, with the trajectory of where AI is going, I want to know the fundamentals, so ten years from now I wont be lost with the advent of robots all over, workforce displacement, and more importantly, how humans are valued, and how we maintain self-worth in a world where occupations become obsolete.

So I’m okay, its great having purpose in life, and being relevant. (Image created in AI) ( click title at top of post to make/view comments)

There is a consensus in Silicon Valley, California, and the best minds from Microsoft, Google, Meta, and Oracle, among others. To keep it simple, it goes like this; large sections of the economy’s workforce will cease to exist with the coming of Artificial Intelligence ( AI ), and robotics. All this within 10 years. Take that as your first given fact.

People will still get paid, even if they work much less hours (not a bad thing, huh), because the economy will be producing much more than now, so the benefit will pass on to workers and citizens. Newer jobs will still be available but the vast majority of entry level jobs existing now will be eliminated by AI. In a sense, the vast majority of students in universities now will be graduating into professions that have no future. This is unless students are focusing on AI related fields, the easiest I can tell now are those students specifically studying Artificial Intelligence programming. So if you have kids in college, or recently graduated, they must pick up AI skills to be successful. Take that as second fact.

Third, crystal balling into the future, here is the problem. If people are not producing, even if they still receive money for “existing”, how can their value in life be measured? How would you feel if you had nothing to offer, no skills that are valued in the future? Can you see the issues that we are going into? Being 35, 45, 55, and being told you are obsolete. The answer would lie in areas that AI cannot replicate, like our consciousness, feelings, attitudes, connectivity to others. In other words, value would lie where we represent meaning, life, exploring, living. Can you take it from here? Project where the future is heading? I like that, kind of like, getting to know yourself, sharing with others, giving meaning to life. (image done in AI). (click on Title to view or comment)

You know, there is no excuse for not learning something to improve your life. But just not anything; rather, whatever it is you always wanted to do, it’s absolutely free now! For the last century or so, to get skills other than those in trade schools (electrician, mechanic, nurse), you would have to go to college. Not any more. Now you can do it on your own time.

Now, you can, if you ask intelligently (logically, good grammar, punctuation, with precise questioning), using Artificial Intelligence like Gemini or Claude on computers, and many more on Apps (perplexity, Grok, ChatGPT); once you explain exactly what you want to do, AI can give you a program, based on the time frame you want (2 weeks, 2 months, etc), a complete course guideline and free online classes with the steps you need to take. So you can develop skills, or steps to take with skills you already have to start your own business. Then, based on where you live, and who you think is your target market, AI can create a business plan for you, and how to penetrate better than your competition.

But my main focus is developing your skills. If you’re serious, you can learn anything you want, and AI can help you. Like a personal assistant. Where can I buy ____ materials under $50 to be able to _______? What is the name, location, and telephone number for getting a licence to _______? That is what you would want an assistant for. And it is free. It is AI. Think of it like being the boss, and having a personal assistant that is smarter than physicists, consultants, teachers,,,,whoever, so all you have to do is to ask the right, precise questions, and they will be able to provide you with answers. In under a minute. So just do it! (image created by AI) (click the Title of this post to view or make comments)

There’s so much in a picture I thought I’d stop the car and take this shot!

Interesting title. You know how you meet someone or maybe just talking to someone, and at the same time though, you’re checking them out. Call it Karma, just looking at them in profile; what you’re doing is trying to see who they are, what are they really about, what drives them. Some of us are better at doing that then others are, right?

Most of us get bored if we’re not doing something. Like “doing” represents meaning. Not many of us take the time to look within, as we do to others. Like I am extraverted, yet when by myself, I’m calm, will read a book, sit on a bench overlooking a valley among mountains, and be at peace. Yet that is not enough. In those moments that represent “peace”, whenever you are “there”, what are you feeling, what doubts do you have, where do you want to go, what do you need to develop or get stronger at? What do you want?

This is where you want to be. Inside of you, and just by taking these moments to be with yourself you find your center. It just takes a few minutes at a time if you will. Think how important you can make your life? In a world, circling a sun, with millions of stars in one galaxy, in a universe of billions, yes billions of galaxies, you are alive and represent meaning. Be curious always of your world, and especially about you. (image created in AI) (click on title to view/add comment)

In Navy Seal training, the first task of the day is to make your bed. It was inspected and at the very least, you accomplished one task successfully. And you build on that success, continuing on course to complete other tasks. After all, if you cannot complete that first task well, how well can you do during the rest of the day? Finally, even if your day doesn’t turn out as well as you wish, at least go home to a made bed! So, how are you going to start your day? We know from the best leaders, success is based on being focused. Anyway, what I do first in the day is be joyous that I have this great day ahead of me, and then, I think of the one thing at least, (besides making my bed), that for sure I’m going to complete today.

Now the thing is, I’m sure I can think of many things I can do that are important. However, what can I focus on that is the most important. And this is how you build the best you, that is possible! Focus on one major thing and then get it done. (image in AI) (click on Title at top of blog to make/view comment)

Visited La Vega, Colombia today, the downtown plaza. So it’s pop. 20,000, around 80 degrees F, 2 hours north of Bogota, on the road to Cali and the Coffee Zone (Zona Cafetera). It’s got good supermarkets, people talkative and friendly, nice place to hang out, earlier today some kids were learning ballroom dancing in the park. Its great for walking and checking out restaurants.

On the home front, over the last three days there was a serious power collapse affecting the immediate area, apparently from downed trees, and so we had to use our generator to keep things going. Now it’s back to normal though rain is pouring. Exciting, isn’t it.

Other than that I’m a bit curious as to how much humans love killing each other. On this Western side of the world its not as bad, but Europe, Africa, it sure is horrendous. It sure makes you wonder how the meaning of life relates to our existence in the universe.

You know how people get all worked up about our existence and look for the burning question of why we are here and things like that? Well, I read an article which had a bit of a different angle to all this. Instead of questions like, “what is the meaning of life”? ; perhaps we could do the opposite, simpler yet profound. What about starting the other way round. Let’s say the answer to whatever is central is, “The Universe”! What would be the question?

Horace Mann, a famed American educator once said, “Be ashamed to die until you have won some victory for mankind”.

So our Electric clothes dryer went on the blink yesterday so had one of the jack-of-all-trades construction workers who had built the house come over, dismantled everything, put it back together, and still not working. Ok, that only ran around $10 so no big deal; we’ll call the Whirlpool dealer tomorrow or so and have them send out a technician to fix it. And then yesterday we were in a little pueblo nearby, and some old guy on a motorbike came around a slow moving curve, in the wrong direction of course, and slowly ran into the left front end of our SUV. Again, what do you do? No real damage so let it go, then stopped by the local pizzeria where they actually have pepperoni, and took some slices home. And today, back home, went to the local mechanic, $10 and he straightened the left front fender, fixed a broken bulb, reconnected and aligned some underside stuff, and I’m back in business again. (image created in AI). (click on the title above to make or view comments)