tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91812502980076676972011-11-27T18:01:45.992-07:00SURVIVE AND THRIVEAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comBlogger611100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9181250298007667697.post-50255196556200395002010-04-25T10:40:00.001-06:002010-04-25T10:40:07.208-06:00

-- Derek Gregory719-393-2494

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9181250298007667697.post-7169535794217074512009-11-01T09:22:00.001-07:002009-11-01T09:22:57.895-07:00

All is Bio-luminescence Strings with bright flashing tips Vibrating in waves Undulating Perturbing through-out 27 dimensions of space / time In a quantum field Hooray! The above is a poem I wrote for my son, Zach who is 7. His consuming passion is and has been, for more then 6 solid months, Physics, String Theory, Quantum Theory. Today we watched the video at The Tenth DimensionAnd it was fairly

Dereknoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9181250298007667697.post-16254808335819641172009-10-22T09:51:00.003-06:002009-10-22T09:56:47.833-06:00

Social media is exploding. Look at the numbers for new users on the Internet, as well as google searches. Now compare those numbers to the number of new users added on Facebook: Social networking is growing faster then new users are being added globally. That can't sustain, obviously, but it does give a pretty good indication of where the vast majority of "the web" is taking place for average

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9181250298007667697.post-28665665213682808392009-10-15T10:44:00.003-06:002009-10-15T10:50:11.299-06:00

In a very real sense, you are what you think about, over time. If you think about things that make you angry or depressed, you will become angry and depressed. If you think about things that fill you with purpose, for which you possess real passion, and by which bring you a feeling of real fulfillment and joy, you will become THAT as well. What’s wrong with being angry depressed or generally

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9181250298007667697.post-12666874980553462742009-10-13T09:07:00.003-06:002009-10-13T09:18:27.640-06:00

There are three key things I do regularly to focus my mental energy in healthy positive directions.First, I try to prepare fresh, healthy meals for my family (and myself) every day.Next, I make it a point to get some kind of physical exercise, at least 4 times a week.Lastly, I focus on a positive mental picture of myself, and work to "push" the attitudes of "joy" and "gratitude" throughout my

Dereknoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9181250298007667697.post-46510330464204134052009-10-09T10:55:00.001-06:002009-10-09T10:55:14.934-06:00

The following message fell into my inbox this morning. Below is a redacted version (email addresses blacked out to protect the guilty!) as well as my reply. I figured the message was important enough that I'd share it with everyone here. You don't have to pay anyone anything to learn how to manipulate web pages for cash, but you do need to get over the idea that there is an EZ system somewhere

Dereknoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9181250298007667697.post-10233089644563876572009-07-18T13:37:00.001-06:002009-07-18T13:37:22.680-06:00

I'm an old soul, and a sucker for love, kids, and dogs. When Mindy and I were first married, and shortly after Karianna was born, we adopted an Argentine Dogo; a breed of dog created to love the children, and protect the family when I wasn't nearby. Bijou was the epitome of Canine. Loyal, lovable, gentle, playful and devoted. The years went by as they always do, and Bijou became one with our

Dereknoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9181250298007667697.post-6392095205146304812009-06-27T14:52:00.002-06:002009-06-28T07:58:30.571-06:00

I read that the promoter of the 50 sold out Michael Jackson shows to be held this summer in London, UK must refund the estimated 85 million in ticket sales. I wouldn't. I would get every major R&B, Rock, and Hip Hop / Rap musician in the world to agree to appear in tribute to Michael Jackson, and hold a giant "Queen-sized" series of benefit shows (think LIVE AID x 50!) for every major charity

Dereknoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9181250298007667697.post-73292131951331502102009-06-19T08:46:00.001-06:002009-06-19T08:46:33.528-06:00

"You are invited!"   Let's face it. Everyone loves to be invited to the party. No one enjoys being left out.   These are (near) universal truths in the real world, and they are doubly true on the net. People form and maintain relationships out of necessity; being "alone" is -- in the immortal words of Iggy Pop -- "no fun." The secret to popularity in the social sphere is simple: You want to be

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9181250298007667697.post-83481897049900137662009-06-17T22:35:00.001-06:002009-06-17T22:35:45.737-06:00

The last few weeks have been a whirlwind on both the home and professional front. This week, we begin the process of launching a site using the SITE BUILD IT! action guide. Before we get into that, however, I want to talk about three aspects of web entrepreneurship that I feel are crucial to strategic planning going forward. The first is a brief discussion of the personality factors required by

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9181250298007667697.post-6866830651248197792009-06-13T09:28:00.001-06:002009-06-13T09:28:29.117-06:00

Life has dealt me an interesting hand this month, but rather than dwell on the negatives of a sudden move (and all the expense that goes along with it) I am choosing to focus on the positive. I have good friends who have supported me through thick and thin, and a family who loves me, therefore -- there is more upside than downside, regardless of my current situation.   I was watching a video of

Dereknoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9181250298007667697.post-56878078400595682972009-05-28T10:39:00.001-06:002009-05-28T10:39:06.340-06:00

It has been my experience that folks who have no vices have very few virtues.  - Abraham Lincoln   One of the biggest problems facing conventional American Business at the corporate level going forward will be trust. How do you convince workers once or twice burned by catastrophic layoff's an outsourcing to return to the fold of mega-commerce? Worse -- how do you convince them to buy goods and

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9181250298007667697.post-57200949122079739872009-05-16T08:16:00.002-06:002009-05-16T14:14:44.458-06:00

CNN published a guest editorial this morning by David MacKay; professor of physics at the University of Cambridge titled "Lets get real about alternative energy, and it is an eye opener. In my circles, when the subject of sustainable energy arises, the conversation invariably turns to wind and solar energy as the answer to our nation (and by extension -- our planets) energy Independence from

Dereknoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9181250298007667697.post-74718651251417540462009-05-14T12:12:00.001-06:002009-05-14T12:12:23.751-06:00

The "jobs" of the future will not be exclusive. You may work for a firm that does market research for Harley Davidson, but it won't be your only gig. You will become your own brand, and your brand will be fast, flexible and reliable, or you won't get much work.   The "jobs" of the future will not be long term; project management is now officially everyone's business. "Modular employment" is the

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9181250298007667697.post-66246565310065524992009-05-13T10:43:00.001-06:002009-05-13T10:43:59.293-06:00

I want to post this morning, to clarify some things about blogging, and to dispel some persistent ideas about GRQ in the blogosphere.   Blogging is not a "get rich quick" business concept.   Let that sink in a minute, and then repeat it back to your screen, out loud. You are not going to realize a 6 figure Internet income from blogging in the next few weeks (or even months). In fact -- blogging

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9181250298007667697.post-75790328272230712992009-05-12T22:36:00.001-06:002009-05-12T22:36:49.677-06:00

You know what to do. This was your wake up call.

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9181250298007667697.post-54790731226356535142009-05-10T13:46:00.005-06:002009-05-10T14:05:21.587-06:00

To my beautiful wife, Mindy!I knew from the moment that I saw you I wanted you. I had to find a way to make you mine. You have a funny kind of way with everyone you meet; it is easy for most to recognize your awesome brilliance. You are like a tiny sun and we are in orbit, hungry for light. But it's what you mean to me personally that think about most when I look into your eyes. I have always

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9181250298007667697.post-1291533846559206672009-05-07T19:37:00.013-06:002009-05-07T20:04:53.915-06:00

In this essay I will discuss the advertising methodology behind the popular “clubwear” shoe company TUK and their products. I intend to show that a campaign based on traditional fashion principals can be used to promote a non-mainstream brand effectively if that campaign embraces the principals of emotional branding openly in a playful and post-orthodox style. It is my contention that a

Dereknoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9181250298007667697.post-23170826633604330972009-05-07T15:24:00.003-06:002009-05-07T20:20:57.217-06:00

New Music By Chance Derek Gregory

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9181250298007667697.post-28207344049565995332009-05-06T11:57:00.001-06:002009-05-06T11:57:34.528-06:00

In the information age, your brand is defined by YOUR NAME, YOUR REPUTATION, YOUR CREATIVE OUTPUT, YOUR MARKETING MATERIALS, YOUR ACCESSIBILITY TO YOUR AUDIENCE, and finally THOSE YOU ASSOCIATE and / or COLLABORATE WITH.   Use your real name. Be easy to find. Be accountable to your customers. Your brand identity depends on it!        

Dereknoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9181250298007667697.post-18340795722092903072009-05-05T11:16:00.001-06:002009-05-05T11:16:02.419-06:00

The following "Power Move" is designed especially for social networkers who specialize in the self promotion of written materials like Print-On-Demand books and E-Books. It is also another great tool for bloggers and webmasters to look at when expanding their magnetization strategy.   YOUR AMAZON.COM PROFILE PAGE   Anyone who has ever made a purchase with Amazon, or signed up on their site for

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9181250298007667697.post-33471956266056478222009-05-03T16:39:00.003-06:002009-05-03T16:45:23.500-06:00

If you are a gamer, a message board junkie, an IRC dude, geek, scenester, obscurist, curmudgeon, geek chick, gamer grrl, or pop culture fanatic, you are going to look fantastic in this 100% sustainable Edun LIVE African made "from grow to sew" ultra premium tee.THE SPOILER LIMITED EDITION ULTRA PREMIUM FITTED TEEFrom DMKZFamily, Xazzle, and EDun LIVE!What's cooler than you, baby?

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9181250298007667697.post-20006760806972741662009-05-03T13:06:00.003-06:002009-05-03T13:07:04.040-06:00

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9181250298007667697.post-85419568300090838402009-05-02T16:20:00.000-06:002009-05-03T08:37:40.138-06:00

Mothers day is just around the corner, and I am going to go out on a limb and advise you to skip the flowers this year. Instead, you should consider giving mom the gift of a Site Build It! (SBI) subscription. Those closest to me know that I am currently working on two amazing projects, and both are being built using the tools available to every Site Build It subscriber. These tools allow me to

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9181250298007667697.post-48408453279979551752009-05-02T08:42:00.001-06:002009-05-02T08:42:05.049-06:00

First off, I apologize to all three of my readers for the sorry state my blog is in. The truth is I post mainly from my gmail account, and I rarely get to connect directly with my blogger dashboard, and when I do I am usually reading a friends page. As it turns out, that was my pattern this morning before work as well. I jumped onto blogger to devour my friend George's new blog in it's entirety,

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9181250298007667697.post-2604398701561925872009-05-01T15:21:00.000-06:002009-05-01T15:22:00.747-06:00

With apologies to Jody Nimetz, author of Marketing Jive, these are the top 5 reasons a small business professional NEEDS to make time for social networking:   Brand management Reputation Recruiting (Hello, George!) Research the competition Lead generation   While entire books could be written on each of these aspects of social networking for business builders, I want to begin by sketching in a

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9181250298007667697.post-48476537690827876412009-05-01T09:48:00.001-06:002009-05-01T09:48:06.912-06:00

Social Networking is game changing for business because:   It allows a company / or independent contractor / creative professional to directly access those who "consume" their product, and also to share strategies with other professionals regarding the same.   This is a major shift away from the model that has been used since the beginnings of the industrial revolution, wherein advertising (by

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9181250298007667697.post-55297847319253745812009-05-01T09:27:00.001-06:002009-05-01T09:27:36.561-06:00

I was introduced to social networking several years ago when Myspace was still primarily used by (indie) bands as a way to keep in touch with their friends and fans and possibly attract new listeners. Later, Myspace naturally became a gathering spot for a much younger crowd, and also for folks not directly "related" to the music business, independent music and related activities. This was both a

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9181250298007667697.post-49794117727665791252009-04-30T09:48:00.001-06:002009-04-30T09:48:50.581-06:00

The Crisis News Network, and the rest of its ilk in the broadcast media is a parasitical drain on our CULTURE and should be destroyed. The 24 hour news cycle has created a panoply of idiotic musings and opinion which only masquerades as news. The actual news content of these networks is so low as to be nearly unmeasurable.   In the time since the SWINE FLU outbreak first hit the media buzz saw,

Dereknoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9181250298007667697.post-34883146240372913292009-04-29T10:15:00.001-06:002009-04-29T20:26:54.844-06:00

Mindy and I watched "Chuck Versus the Ring" Monday night, and were simply blown away by it. We both went to bed looking forward to season three, never guessing that the show was in danger of being cancelled altogether. This morning I read that "Chuck" is on the chopping block, and may not return for a third season. To say I am disappointed would be a fairly dramatic understatement.   The truth

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9181250298007667697.post-69933698928631130022009-04-24T23:03:00.003-06:002009-04-24T23:10:02.933-06:00

??? ?????? ???s?Y?n??y ?v?]?$??v??rP? ????2(= ?ActX ??r ;?N?Aav D?????? J??u8?=/????? J?A?r?????nv ?v?A?p D ??i7 ???A?? M ??d ???Round 1As you can see my little experiential didn't work. I took care to enter my ost via text message on my LG Voyager, and this is what I get. It broke the text message I sent into two pieces here as well; this one and the one below it. I am going to leave them up

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9181250298007667697.post-9162782287287750912009-04-24T23:03:00.001-06:002009-04-24T23:12:33.927-06:00

?:? ?A?7h].?A?2??v?Au7=? ?????}???e:?] ??x:?]G??o? -??a? ? ?? u}N ???4; ???2 $??A? ? ??hP; ????? J?AttY^ ??sP????e9??n???? T???This is part Deux to the post immediately above it. At least I think that's how it works. I dunno, can't say for certain. If you are here for the philosophy it is straight down the hall and on your left. If you are here for some other reason you are one LOST M'fer.

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9181250298007667697.post-39556861836240200892009-04-24T12:10:00.001-06:002009-04-24T12:10:23.910-06:00

As an artist, musician, and writer I am often forced to argue for protections for other creative people against copyright infringement; the act of using another creative works without credit or compensation*. It is an odd position to find oneself in when I agree with the moral argument of the opposition: That art, music, and words want to be "free", and that society as a whole benefits from a

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9181250298007667697.post-47997050342733803422009-04-23T20:31:00.001-06:002009-04-23T20:32:44.596-06:00

Naked Wizard Tased By Reality from Tracy Anderson on Vimeo.

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9181250298007667697.post-56313804155509489612009-04-22T22:04:00.002-06:002009-05-03T13:08:43.871-06:00

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9181250298007667697.post-40057739636158230032009-04-19T22:27:00.002-06:002009-05-03T13:10:01.394-06:00

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9181250298007667697.post-85626109014057084592009-04-19T13:07:00.001-06:002009-04-22T17:54:08.448-06:00

"Consumers are like roaches you spray them and spray them and after awhile it doesn't work anymore." (Klien. N, Frontline (2004)).The segment on emotional branding in the PBS television show "The Persuaders" resonated with me because it is an area I have long been fascinated by in my own life. Indeed, I spent many years attempting to manipulate the same principals both to sell a product (my band)

Dereknoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9181250298007667697.post-3229093313375348822009-04-18T08:49:00.001-06:002009-04-18T08:49:08.183-06:00

Ok -- here's the thing. Back when we were kids, loud was the only way to play. The guitars and the drums dueled for supremacy and the singer screamed until he was hoarse. The girls loved it and everyone went home with their ears ringing. But we are not kids anymore, are we?   I'll be 40 this year, but you can save your cutesy little "over the hill" cakes and "RIP" balloons for some other sucker

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9181250298007667697.post-56795383391603706422009-03-31T17:05:00.001-06:002009-03-31T17:05:36.975-06:00

We are living inside a Chinese curse, and I am not just talking about tainted milk and cheap electronics. To describe our current era as "interesting" feels inadequate; we are literally drowning in novelty. Nowhere is this more true then in the category of "business opportunities." Everyone has got one to sell, and the experts say that there has never been a better time to go in business for

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9181250298007667697.post-28036763923179558072009-03-28T11:28:00.001-06:002009-03-28T11:28:04.532-06:00

My friend John likes to say that MaLinda and I have the kind of marriage he aspires to have with his wife. I have always found such comments mildly humorous for a couple of reasons. On one hand, Mindy and I have problems the same as anyone else. We do our best to keep them behind closed doors, and we try to present a united front; something a lot of married couples don't do. This is one of the

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9181250298007667697.post-55665781908582516192009-03-19T09:29:00.001-06:002009-03-19T09:29:37.225-06:00

It's hard to believe that it has been ten years since the birth of EverQuest.   I can remember playing with my wife (Lysandor and Sukiyoshi) and new found "EQ friends", several real-life weeks into our adventure, barely level 10 and running across the Plains of Karana, trying to make the overland trip from Freeport to Qeynos. There were 8 of us that day including my dad (Rimes -- who was playing

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9181250298007667697.post-85360668038921210312009-03-14T16:46:00.001-06:002009-03-14T16:46:36.092-06:00

Local News is dying a slow painful death. Competition from brand name websites, blog's, and portable electronic delivery methods such as RSS have conspired to make local Newsprint less relevant then ever before. But does it have to be this way? Is the internet really destroying the foundation laid down by more then one hundred years of newspaper preeminence? And if the answer is "yes", is there

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9181250298007667697.post-76173807208793317602009-03-13T08:56:00.001-06:002009-03-15T06:24:04.067-06:00

Mr. Navarrette's commnetary can be found here: http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/03/13/navarrette.immigrants/index.html While I agree with your assessment that immigrants are not the reason low-skilled workers in this country are in peril, I take issue with your contention regarding wages over the last 20 years. Up until 1987, real wages were basically tied to the rate of inflation. That is no

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9181250298007667697.post-54943438322312095432009-03-05T11:06:00.001-07:002009-03-06T06:12:49.642-07:00

The market is down over 200 as of this writing. Surely it is testing the 6500 range for a new bottom? My learned friend George and I still believe we are poised for a rebound in the next 60 - 90 days, upwards to at or near 9000. Hang onto your pointy hats if it does because the next drop in the cycle should be downward to 6000 or less (perhaps closer to 5000). The test of course will come when

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9181250298007667697.post-15568840722197564512009-02-26T18:00:00.001-07:002009-02-26T18:00:49.451-07:00

I am going to go out on a limb here and make a fairly bold prediction. I believe the DOW is going to bottom somewhere between 1500 and 5000, and -- were I a betting man -- I'd lay the majority of my chips in the 1500-2500 area. My major indicators are admittedly limited: I am charting based on the divergence of real wages and home prices. Most of the actual value was inflated after the mid 80's

Dereknoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9181250298007667697.post-60928527443645772142009-02-26T17:59:00.000-07:002009-02-26T18:00:08.727-07:00

Effective leaders manage proactively, preferring to fight from the high ground, and to attack from a position of strength. Ineffective leaders manage reactively, and are always defending versus a better kitted opponent. And so it is with modern business. The prize goes to the nimble and the quick, while those who cling to old ways are quickly devoured. Except it doesn't always work that way, does

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9181250298007667697.post-80966371419068312092009-02-25T10:54:00.001-07:002009-02-25T10:54:09.274-07:00

No matter how busy your life gets, you need to make time for a little R&R. Some people like rock climbing, others -- tinkering with N Gauge train layouts. Still others like spending the afternoon at the movies, or playing a round of golf. I like Dungeon Diving. The problem? I don't have 25+ hours a week to spend tooling around EverQuest 2 or World of Warcraft, doing trade skills, gaining faction,

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9181250298007667697.post-66486001841030001662009-02-21T08:01:00.001-07:002009-02-21T08:01:09.536-07:00

Back in late 1999 when MaLinda and I first started playing EverQuest, we both pondered whether or not there might be a way to combine the EQ experience with a treadmill type exercise machine. Surely if we ran as far and as often as our avatars in game, we would be in the best shape of our lives, right? Well -- it's ten years later, and it looks like someone else had a similar idea and ran with it

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9181250298007667697.post-12994545058012102712009-02-19T13:33:00.001-07:002009-02-19T13:33:59.620-07:00

All niches are not created equal. If your niche is too broad, then your competition will be severe and it might be difficult to market yourself apart from the herd. A great example of this is "BOOKS", which by itself is NOT a niche. Even if you don't particularly like to read. I am going to go out on a limb here and suggest that the term "books" defines a category, and not a niche. Let me explain

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9181250298007667697.post-73884236557546021382009-02-19T10:18:00.001-07:002009-02-19T10:18:26.188-07:00

One of the main drawbacks to traditional employment is lack of security. When your only j.o.b. may disappear at any time for any reason, your financial security is constantly at risk. This simple truth has been inverted over the years to such an extent that it has been (and in most cases, still is) considered "common sense" that one must trade his or her "time" for "dollars". Unfortunately, this

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9181250298007667697.post-81783129516974441362009-02-17T16:35:00.001-07:002009-02-17T16:36:20.795-07:00

There is never any shortage of negativity. You cannot find meaning in "adding to it". There are entire galaxies filled with bad vibes, broken dreams, and missed opportunities. You can safely ignore these. They are of no use to you.You live in a half-world. You imagine that the life you live is the only life you have. But there are others where this one came from, and some of them are worse. Lots

Dereknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9181250298007667697.post-86257917670222212072009-02-17T16:18:00.001-07:002009-02-17T16:22:45.172-07:00

I often wonder about the power of intention in our day to day lives. Imagine if your intention is to have more time to spend with your family, and to worry about money less. Isn't that what most of us intend? Now imagine your partner in this journey is the kind of person who worries about everything, down to the smallest of details. Can you see how their intentions may be canceling out yours? So

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Depression is a real thing for a lot of people. It sneaks up on even the strongest of individuals and tears them down piece by piece until they can no longer function. Depression is probably a relatively new phenomenon in human development. When mankind first huddled together in caves for mutual protection and warmth, no one ever got depressed. If there is a ravenous Tiger outside of your cave,

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A brief history: Back in the 1990’s I went to work for AT&T. After 6 years I was laid off along with about 25000 other technical people in what I like to call “The Telecommunications Purges of 2001-2002”. After a failed try at the restaurant business, I went to work for HP, who sold me to BearingPoint, who laid me off and sent my job to India. In return for training the Indians to do my job, I

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Over the weekend I got together with my good friend and neighbor, Steve, and we jammed for about an hour. I played guitar, Steve played drums, and we grooved on a couple of different riffs and progressions, trying to get a feel for one another. Prior to Sunday, I had not played or rehearsed with a drummer in a little over 10 years, and frankly – I have never been the guitarist. It was a learning

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My daughter, Karianna has always been strong willed. Now she is normally very well behaved and does well in school, but she occasionally has her moments. This morning she tried to flex her independence muscle with her mom over her choice of pants for her class picture. She deliberately escalated the situation by telling a very minor and obvious lie, and then refused to admit that she was in the

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It looks like the truth about the Ancient Cyclops, the South Desert of Ro and J-Boots has finally been revealed:ENCOUNTER_DESCRIPTION SROHusamAncientNightfallMONSTER_1_NAME a_desert_madmanMONSTER_1_NIGHT_NAME an_ancient_cyclopsMONSTER_1_PERCENT 10MONSTER_2_NAME a_sand_giantMONSTER_2_NIGHT_NAME a_mummyMONSTER_2_PERCENT 20MONSTER_3_NAME a_sand_giantMONSTER_3_PERCENT 10MONSTER_4_NAME

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I’m not going to pretend my childhood was any harder then yours. I do remember distinctly the feeling of being absolutely alone in the universe from a very young age. It was a lesson my parents taught me inadvertently, I’m sure. Had they a truer understanding of their role in our lives, they would have probably acted differently, but this was the 1970’s, and most exploration was focused inward.

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One of the core truths about life is that our perception of existence changes when we examine it from different angles. If you drive a car in the United States, you have probably found yourself in the following situation more then once: You are driving on a side street, and you must make a left hand turn onto a much busier street in order to continue your journey towards your destination. There

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DMKZ stands for DEREK, MINDY, KARIANNA and ZACH. It is a blog dedicated to documenting our adventures IRL and beyond. The idea for this blog was not born in a flash of inspiration. I have suffered enough inspiration to understand that the proverbial bolt out of the blue is never really what it appears to be at first glance. Rather - true inspiration is the catalyst that proceeds the work; the

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