Thirteen Virtues

Benjamin Franklin sought to cultivate his character by a plan of thirteen virtues, which he developed at age 20 (in 1726) and continued to practice in some form for the rest of his life. His autobiography lists his thirteen virtues as:

1. "TEMPERANCE. Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation."
2. "SILENCE. Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation."
3. "ORDER. Let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have its time."
4. "RESOLUTION. Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve."
5. "FRUGALITY. Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself; i.e., waste nothing."
6. "INDUSTRY. Lose no time; be always employ'd in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions."
7. "SINCERITY. Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly, and, if you speak, speak accordingly."
8. "JUSTICE. Wrong none by doing injuries, or omitting the benefits that are your duty."
9. "MODERATION. Avoid extremes; forbear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve."
10. "CLEANLINESS. Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, cloaths, or habitation."
11. "TRANQUILLITY. Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable."
12. "CHASTITY. Rarely use venery but for health or offspring, never to dullness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another's peace or reputation."
13. "HUMILITY. Imitate Jesus and Socrates."

(list lifted from Wikipedia)

By rotating the thirteen once per week, I will cycle through 52 items in 2010, and each will get it’s place in the front of my mind four times this year. I am going to start with these thirteen, but may amend the list to make it more of my own as I see things in my life that need attention.

I have added a 30-minute appointment to my Outlook calendar each Sunday for reflection and study each week. My intention is to post about my progress, but I don't want to commit to a complete post each week for fear of falling short on that goal. What are your thoughts on this project?

Tour in Arrears 2008-05-03

Hindsight is such a game changer.

I read the setlist and show notes for this just before listening, so it was interesting to hear Brendan say "Look at him, Pony sure is fired up!" at the very start of the show. I think I read somewhere that Wizard's Burial Ground is one of his favorite songs to perform, and after a lead-in Peeps they locked in and started into night two of Jazz Fest.

(For future consideration: is Wizards Burial Ground a love song?)

There was some dialog during the transition into Hangover that I think came over the PA. It was certainly digital, and I'm not sure what the source of it was. In an case, it really did a great job pulling me back in sync as my mind started to wander listening to this set.

About 5-6 minutes into Hangover there was a chant from the crowd that made me double check what night it was... listening one year later, my day of the week should be shifted by one day. I was listening on a Sunday night, and the energy level was very obviously geared for a a Saturday night party.

(For future consideration: the Triple Wide is quite clearly "happy" at the beggining, but does it transition to worried or angry as it matures?)

Someday people will refer to the Bayliss proverbs when all else is gone and the lyrics of DBK remain to haunt us: God knows, I know... think before you speak, look before you act!

I also realized tonight that the Bottom Half and Haji are currently too much song for me to digest. There are pieces of each that click, but overall it just goes over my head. I am really looking forward to taking a more disciplined approach to listening this spring, as I think my ear will develop and unlock new things in songs like this.

Like I said, hindsight tells me that while he may have had a hot start, blowing an amp probably brought Pony's night crashing down on him. Nice job on the drumset to hold the flow of the show, but I'll bet it was a sight to behold seeing them all scamper to fic things on the fly.

Come Closer was the first Mashup of Tour in Arrears, what a great closer...

House of Blues, New Orleans, LA
Taped, Transferred & Seeded by Dennis Tyler

One Set:Partyin' Peeps, Wizard Burial Ground, Hangover, The Triple Wide, Ocean Billy, Fussy Dutchman > Gulf Stream > Der Bluten Kat, The Bottom Half > Der Bluten Kat, Drums >Der Bluten Kat

Encore: Hajimemashite > Push The Pig, Come Closer

Tour In Arrears: UM 2008-05-02

Shows like this are why I love this band... High energy, fantastic range of musical styles, and lyrics that can make you think twice. This one is worth listening to again in it's entirety (exept maybe the tony clifton interuption stewart)

Also, this is a perfect example of some of the "show moments" that will just not realize the significance they deserve in a one-track shuffle listening style. Unless tracked as a 15+ minute monster, how in the world do you explain to someone the amazing Snuka>Alex>Snuka segment?

The Wappy Sprayberry had me dancing and will be the first to make it onto my regular playlist rotation as one of the reasons for doing this "tour".

Let me know in the comments what you think of the "Tour in Arrears" posting/review style or any conversation you'd like to have about the show itself.

Now, the Details (from the Archive)

House of Blues, New Orleans, LA
Taped, Transferred & Seeded by Dennis Tyler
Set One
Jazz Odyssey > Miss Tinkle's Overture, Pay The Snucka > Alex's House >Pay The Snucka, Ringo, Higgins, Pay The Snucka (Parts 2 & 3)

Set Two
Bridgeless, Tony Clifton Stewart ^ > Breathe, Wappy Sprayberry ** > Got Your Milk (Right Here), Get In The Van, Bridgeless

Encore
The Song Remains The Same
Notes:
* with One (Metallica) teases
^ someone dressed as Andy Kaufman's Tony Clifton character came on stage and started ranting into the mic; the band began to play a funk groove after he invited two female dancers on stage; after the three people left the stage, another woman came out and did a brief strip tease before Wade came and carried her offstage
** with The Triple Wide teases

Umphrey's McGee: Tour in Arrears

I find myself listening to music quite a bit during the day at my desk, as well as long into the evenings as I work on projects for Higher Ground Games. I particularly enjoy listening to recordings of live music.

However, I have noticed lately some discontent in what I'm listening to. On one hand I'm getting bored with the same play list of studio recorded .mp3's and CD's that I have at my disposal. On the other hand, while there is a wealth of available music, I'm also struggling with my use of the Live Music Archive (in that I am sort of listlessly meandering through shows with no particular rhyme or reason). I forget which I've listened to, and can't ever remember the points in shows that I want to save and add to a regular listening rotation.

In an attempt to bring some form of structure to my listening, I am going to embark on what I'm calling a "Tour in Arrears" with my favorite live act: Umphrey's McGee. I have seen this band live about 10 times now. Each and every time they blow me away with their musicianship, energy, and all-around zest for enjoying life.
While some may be able to pull off the life of touring with a band... leaving my family, friends, day job, and other glorious parts of my life behind for touring with this group isn't something that I have any interest in doing. I see them when they come to town, but that is the extent of my live viewing at this point.

Starting today, May 1st, I am going to be listening to every Umphrey's concert I can get my hands on.... one year later.

Today's show, from Market Square - Sundown In The City (Knoxville) can be found here: http://www.archive.org/details/UM2008-05-01.

I am hoping to keep up on all of the 2008 shows on the day that they happened, and will look back to other years on days that I want to listen to something but there was no show in 2008.

What do you think of the idea of Tour in Arrears? Do you have access to a recording of a show that isn't currently up on the archive (that you legally have rights to share)? Leave me a comment below, and lets talk about it.

White Rabbit, White Rabbit, White Rabbit

At some point when I was in elementary school someone told me that if the first thing I said in a month was "White Rabbit, White Rabbit, White Rabbit" that I would have good luck.

In the back of my mind, I have kept this idea alive throughout my life and have probably been successful in remembering about 25% of the time. Most of the times that I have accurately recalled it at the right moment have been due to staying up late the night before (the "its 12:15am, and I should say White Rabbit") or sometime around lunchtime I will realize that I haven't actually spoken to anyone yet, and sneak one in.

I wonder if being present enough to realize the significance of the first morning of each month can clue me in and give me a benchmark as to how I'm living my life and practicing to be more present in *every* moment.

I've also always believed that luck is really based on how hard I am working and setting myself up to succeed. I'll bet that tracking my progress somehow on an awareness scale will show me so much more about power than speaking aloud this silly saying on its own.

May 09, White Rabbit, White Rabbit, White Rabbit.

May Challenge: Practice Being Present

I found this today, and am going to take the One Month Challenge to be more present every day in May...

“Smile, breathe and go slowly.” - Thich Nhat Hanh, Zen Buddhist monk

Post written by Leo Babauta. Follow him on Twitter.

The idea of being mindful — being present, being more conscious of life as it happens — seems a bit impossible to many of the super busy.

But not only is it possible, I’d submit that it’s desirable, and that it’ll help the busy (and non-busy) achieve their goals and enjoy life more fully.

One of my favorite web big shots, Digg.com founder Kevin Rose (who is actually heading several companies and multiple other projects), has “be mindful” at the top of his resolutions for 2009. I hope he’s doing well, and I’d love to hear how someone as busy as he is implements a resolution like that.

But in case Mr. Rose, and other super-busy types, are having trouble being mindful and living life to the fullest, this guide will help.

Enjoying Life and Achieving Goals
It seems contradictory to those who are used to sacrificing living for pursuing their goals … but cultivating mindfulness will help you achieve your goals and enjoy life more.

Focusing on one task at a time, putting yourself fully into that task, is much more effective than multi-tasking. Focusing on one real goal at a time is also more effective. I’ve proven it to myself time and again over the last few years (see My Story for more). Focusing on what you’re doing right now is highly effective. You’re more productive when you’re mindful.

But more importantly, being present is undoubtedly the only way to enjoy life to the fullest. By being mindful, you enjoy your food more, you enjoy friends and family more, you enjoy anything you’re doing more. Anything. Even things you might think are drudgery or boring, such as housework, can be amazing if you are truly present. Try it — wash dishes or sweep or cook, and remain fully present. It takes practice, but it’s incredible.

One Month Challenge
The best method I can offer for learning to be present, the best method for practicing, is to focus on it for one month. Make focusing on being present a habit. If you make it your only focus, I guarantee you’ll get better at it, and more importantly, you’ll get into the habit of remembering to focus, of remembering to practice, of being more aware.

Do a one-month challenge. It’s the best method for forming new habits, and it works for being present. A good way to do this is join the monthly challenge on the Zen Habits forums or on The Power of Less Challenge forum. Then do the following:

• Tell people on the forum what your monthly challenge will be (focusing on being present).
• Log in daily to report on your progress. This gives you the accountability and motivation needed.
• Do the tips below every day for a month.

“Do you have patience to wait till your mud settles and the water is clear? Can you remain unmoving till the right action arises by itself?” - Lao Tzu

How to Be Mindful

1. Do one thing at a time. Single-task, don’t multi-task. When you’re pouring water, just pour water. When you’re eating, just eat. When you’re bathing, just bathe. Don’t try to knock off a few tasks while eating or bathing or driving. Zen proverb: “When walking, walk. When eating, eat.”

2. Do it slowly and deliberately. You can do one task at a time, but also rush that task. Instead, take your time, and move slowly. Make your actions deliberate, not rushed and random. It takes practice, but it helps you focus on the task.

3. Do less. If you do less, you can do those things more slowly, more completely and with more concentration. If you fill your day with tasks, you will be rushing from one thing to the next without stopping to think about what you do. But you’re busy and you can’t possibly do less, right? You can. I’ve done it, and so have many busy people. It’s a matter of figuring out what’s important, and letting go of what’s not. Read more: The Lazy Manifesto: Do Less.

4. Put space between things. Related to the “Do less” rule, but it’s a way of managing your schedule so that you always have time to complete each task. Don’t schedule things close together — instead, leave room between things on your schedule. That gives you a more relaxed schedule, and leaves space in case one task takes longer than you planned.

5. Spend at least 5 minutes each day doing nothing. Just sit in silence. Become aware of your thoughts. Focus on your breathing. Notice the world around you. Become comfortable with the silence and stillness. It’ll do you a world of good — and just takes 5 minutes!

6. Stop worrying about the future - focus on the present. Become more aware of your thinking — are you constantly worrying about the future? Learn to recognize when you’re doing this, and then practice bringing yourself back to the present. Just focus on what you’re doing, right now. Enjoy the present moment.

7. When you’re talking to someone, be present. How many of us have spent time with someone but have been thinking about what we need to do in the future? Or thinking about what we want to say next, instead of really listening to that person? Instead, focus on being present, on really listening, on really enjoying your time with that person.

8. Eat slowly and savor your food. Food can be crammed down our throats in a rush, but where’s the joy in that? Savor each bite, slowly, and really get the most out of your food. Interestingly, you’ll eat less this way, and digest your food better as well.

9. Live slowly and savor your life. Just as you would savor your food by eating it more slowly, do everything this way — slow down and savor each and every moment. As I type this, for example, I have my 3-year-old daughter, Noelle, on my lap. She’s just sitting here quietly, as the rain pours down in a hush outside. What a lovely moment. In fact, I’m going to take a few minutes off just to be with her now. Be right back. :)

10. Make cleaning and cooking become meditation. Cooking and cleaning are often seen as drudgery, but actually they are both great ways to practice mindfulness, and can be great rituals performed each day. If cooking and cleaning seem like boring chores to you, try doing them as a form of meditation. Put your entire mind into those tasks, concentrate, and do them slowly and completely. It could change your entire day (as well as leave you with a cleaner house).

11. Keep practicing. When you get frustrated, just take a deep breath. When you ask yourself, “What should I do now, Self?”, the answer is “keep practicing”.

“When you drive around the city and come to a red light or a stop sign, you can just sit back and make use of these twenty or thirty seconds to relax — to breathe in, breathe out, and enjoy arriving in the present moment. There are many things like that we can do.” - Thich Nhat Hanh

Where have all the updates gone?

To those precious few who follow this sad attempt at a blog, hello again.

I've recently found myself updating twitter more regularly, largely due to the fact that I can do so from my phone on the go. I also update my facebook page with a number of links and quotes and stories. . . I have some thoughts rattling around right now about more lengthy updates, which may drive me back to this format soon.

In other words, keep watching! :)

While you wait: Twitter

Who holds you accountable?

John Jantsch from Duct Tape Marketing just posted a really wonderful article about how to acheive your small-business goals called Who Holds you Accountable

I read through it, thinking that he hit me dead-on. I spend a lot of time in the evenings working on "Higher Ground Games" things, but never seem to get as much done as I need to.

Here are a couple of his suggestions:

• Start a mastermind group - Choose a select group of business owners from your local network of strategic partners or even industry peers and set-up a structure to share objectives and goals, critique marketing plans and materials and suggest ways to get better. Hold quarterly sessions as a group.
• [this could work for me with people like keebler/aba, itar, and the other Hirst Arts Liscensees... however, it may be a lot of work to set up and get running. I don't doubt the high level of accountability to a group like this, but wonder what other value there is in getting close to your partners/peers/competitors.]
  

• Track your time - Create time sheets and note how you spend your time each day. Assign a category of work, such as marketing, administrative, or sales. Then spend a minute or two at the end of the day and assign a value to that work - in other words what you would pay someone else to do it. You may be shocked at how unaccountable you are for the way you spend your day.
• [this one is a biggie for me... I know that I need to be at the casting table each and every hour, but I always seem to find one other painting/sorting/building/etc project that pushes that to 90 minutes or longer... then, before I know it I'm too tired to wait for one more round and I just go to bed with less done.]
  

I post here, in an obvious tie in to the fact that I could improve my uneasy feelings by simply recording data about what I do each night... simply put, better living through data!

Pozzy Putting Game

Pozzy's Putting Game:
(from www.dgcoursereview.com, of which I am a proud new member...)

First, you need 10 putters, preferably identical to your every day putter. Having less means you have to keep picking them up, which gets boring. Throwing 10 in a row keeps it fun and lets you work on the muscle memory. [I'm planning to use 5 that I already own, and walk twice per round --Ben]

Mark out 5 spots in a straight line from the pole hole, at 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 feet. If 10 footers are a complete joke, then move it to 15, as we did after a couple months of playing. That in itself was proof of how well the game worked, as when we started, it was hard to get all 10 in from 10 feet, and after a while it was impossible to miss one. [I have marked a clothesline for 10-50 feet, and now carry it in the trunk of my car]

So once you have your game set up, bring the 10 putters to the 10-foot line. I'd suggest putting a chair or table beside you, so you can quickly grab them without bending down to the ground every time.

You shoot all 10 from 10 feet. Since there is no excuse for missing a 10 footer EVER, the only way you score is by getting all 10 in. If you get all 10, then you get 10 points. But if you miss, you LOSE 10 points for every one you miss. Harsh, because there is no excuse for ever missing a 10 footer.

This next part involves what to do when you miss. The same rules apply to putts missed from all distances:

Take all of your misses to whichever miss was farthest from the pin. If you missed more than 1, you're going to pay by shooting the longest possible putts. When you shoot these back, you have to get them all in. If you get them all in, you don't get any more points. Why would you get rewarded for saving a putt you should have made in the first place? But if you MISS your comeback putts? You get screwed, and screwed hard, because missing a comeback putt is about as bad as it gets. So for every one you miss, you lose DOUBLE what that putt was originally worth. And if you then miss any of those putts, you lose DOUBLE what it just was.

In other words, don't miss those recovery putts, ever!

So all your discs are in. Now take all 10 to the 20' mark. These are all worth 1 point each. If you miss any of these (or any from longer distances) you don't LOSE any points, because you're no longer in the absolute ‘gimme’ range. However, we still want to reward consistency, so if you hit all 10 of them, you get double points. So you get 9 points for 9, or 20 points for 10. As with the others, take all the misses to the farthest point and shoot them back. If you miss any, you lose 2 points for each miss. You then take those all to the farthest miss, and lose 4 points if you miss any. If you miss a 3rd time, just give up disc golf.

Now shoot 10 from 30 feet. These are worth 2 points each, so you could get 40 if you hit all 10. All the other rules are the same.

Then 10 from 40', worth 5 points each.

Then 10 from 50', worth 10 points each.

Count up your score, and let us know in the comments where you're at! Rumor has it that the average score is about 25, but that it is really easy to come in negative!

I'll be posting my scores over time as the data builds up... I'm hoping for consistent and measurable improvement. Hooray for better living through data!

Disc Golf Putting Diagram

I've picked up Disc Golf again this winter, and thanks to my lovely wife's patience and the local club. I have found myself on the course more this winter than I have been in years.

However, one of the first things I noticed when starting up again was that I am a terribly inconsistent putter. I have been frustrated especially due to hitting the front of the basket *way* too often.

That said I didn't really have any data to prove to myself that this was happening more than the rest of my missed putts... perhaps it was simply the most frustrating and memorable. I put together (and attached) this "putting diagram" that I'm going to print a set of for each round.


Has anyone else used something like this to good effect when practicing or playing disc golf or any other sport? If so, post in the comments.

County Counters

Well, I did it.

I jumped in and made a user name over at mob-rule.com/counties and have updated the counties I've been to recently. Now, I know... I'm kindof cheating the fact that this isn't really in sync with my new year's resolution due to the fact that the two family trips that netted me *% of my counties happened over Christmas and not in 2009, but I'm going to let that slide for the simple fact that I needed something to put into the database to track. :)

Here's the link to my map: http://www.mob-rule.com/counties/user-gifs/bmeyaard.gif
(once I figure out how, it will be perma-linked on the right of this blog)