Black Cat Blog

Thoughts, Stories, and Ideas

Tag: dailyprompt

  • Technology Here To Stay

    Daily writing prompt
    What’s a piece of technology you’re convinced will exist in 20 years?
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    I am convinced that the Internet, TCP/IP Networks, and computers are here to to stay and they will be around in 20 years. The Internet has changed lives and mostly for the better. We have unprecedented access to information and ideas. Granted a lot of it is mis and disinformation so extra care has to be taken to sift out the wheat from the chaff and we have to use some critical thinking skills. That much said, the Internet has helped to discover hobbies that I would otherwise have not discovered nor really taken an interest in like ham radio.

    The Internet is modern equivalent of the movable type printing press. Those that choose to be luddites risk being left behind. We are also living in particularly interesting times with regards to the Internet. The Internet itself is starting to again resemble its early days of introduction to the consumer and business marketplaces. Corporate control is starting to wane in favor of people creating their own home labs, hosting their own services, and leaving the cloud and corporate offerings behind.

    I have moved all of my stuff out of the cloud, including email. I host everything out of my own home on a business class desktop with good quality hardware that I own. I make regular backups like the olden days of computing. And I am free from the perennial subscription models to boot.

  • Life Long Learning

    Daily writing prompt
    Are you a lifelong learner?
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    I am a lifelong learner and I believe strongly that everyone should commit to learning. There is ample evidence to suggest that learning slows brain aging and promotes brain and cognitive health. Learning also promotes positive mental health and wellness. That much said, it is something that is meant to be enjoyable for all. Learning is enjoyable when one partakes in subject matters that are appealing or interesting and not a subject one is forced or obligated to learn.

    Those that make the commitment to learning also commit to being independent and fre. Learners are, by proxy, critical thinkers and will not automatically believe what they have been told. Critical thinkers are far less easily controlled and are less willing to allow themselves to be controlled. Throughout history, the great leaders were also great students and great learners. Sun Tzu, author of The Art of War, routinely touted education.

    Learning can be done beyond the brick and mortar walls of the classroom. One need not associate learning with subjects that do not appeal to them. Engaging in a hobby is a perfectly valid form of learning. Learning need not build a skill that can be monetized or even lead to riches – that’s merely a shallow, capitalistic notion. It can be done to simply help one grow and develop as a person and to help make life enjoyable.

    I learn for the pure sake of learning and pursue subjects that are exciting and interesting. I know I will only live a finite number of years and I would sooner spend them in pursuit of knowledge, tangibility of the knowledge notwithstanding. The entire point is the pursuit of knowledge purely for personal growth and development. I have a computer lab which gives me so much joy. Even in the setbacks and frustrations when things break or fail, there is joy in fixing them and advancing my own skill.

    I feel capitalism wins when I succumb to watching too much television or movies; too much in the way of mindless entertainment. Mindless entertainment in the form of spectacle has been around for centuries. It’s merely changed forms over the millenia. The only people who benefit from spectacle are the ones you hand over your hard earned money to. Why not take that money and use it towards a hobby that is beneficial?

  • My Good Habit

    Daily writing prompt
    What’s one habit that has improved your life the most?
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    A habit that has really improved my life is a commitment to life long learning through engagement in a hobby. For me, learning is a far better antidepressant than the ones that Big Pharma have come up with. My hobby is my home computer lab where I tinker, break things, and learn. While sometimes frustrating, this is all part of the learning experience and ultimately leads to a sense of accomplishment when a problem gets solved. I make it a part of my day to build, grow, and maintain my home lab.

    Learning is also a love as it truly has to be. I pity the people who only learn when it is a requirement; they lack hobbies or interests. The neat thing about learning opportunities is that they can be found in many places. I discovered the home lab hobby at one of my local libraries that has a technology center. I visited the technology center and saw what people were doing. The next thing I knew I was diving in head first into the next learning opportunity.

    I recommend more people try out a hobby that will help them grow and learn. Hobbies and interests that engage you will improve your life as they have my own.