Thursday, June 30, 2016

Taking Care of Each Other

Recently, a white board was posted on the back wall of the shop. It tracks daily hours turned for each mechanic. While this may seem like an effective way of tracking hours, it actually serves to pit us against each other. I believe that management knows this, and seeks to egg us on, as if that's going to make us more productive. Unfortunately, it's a well known fact that a disgruntled employee is essentially good for nothing.

While speaking with one of my co-workers, it was told to me that the management seeks individuals who are in debt. The reason being is so that they work harder to pay off the debt. It truth, it creates a hostile work environment; and if the work doesn't materialize, gossip starts, and friendships are ruined.

These few recent experiences have got me thinking about the importance of the golden rule. It seems that more and more people are looking to take care of themselves, and whoever gets in the way of progress is steamrolled right over. But while this may seem immediately effective, longterm success is hampered (or dissolved) and people end up hating each other. I understand that we all have to make a living, but what is life without relationships. Please understand that I don't mean to complain. I just wish that people with more clout than myself would use it to better other's situations instead of bolstering their own.

Wednesday, June 29, 2016

Missing a Nap

Yesterday, my wife's friend needed help with her Honda Accord. I usually go straight home after work, take a shower, and then take my evening nap. Yesterday I missed it. Truth be told, I think it was more of the placebo effect than anything, but I felt incredibly tired at around 9:00 P.M. I stuck to the schedule and went to bed at 11:00, but in the morning, I was really groggy, and went back to bed for an hour. I don't feel terrible now, but it seems to be that if you cheat while on a polyphasic sleep schedule, you have to pay it back. Truthfully though, I feel like polyphasic sleep is a part of me. I'm very happy to be able to have this much time to accomplish goals, and I hope I don't waste it.

Monday, June 27, 2016

Fighting Myself

I'm a mechanic. One of the interesting things about being a mechanic is that I get paid on the flat rate system. In essence, it means that I get paid per job. If I finish a lot of jobs, I get paid well. If I don't, well, you get the idea. This has worked fairly well for me during my short tenure in this trade, however, with another recession looming over our heads, fixing cars becomes a minor necessity to a lot of people. Thus, work has been slow. Everyone at the shop is on edge and tempers have flared. Add all that to losing our intranet this morning at work and even I was in rip-off-your-face mode. 

I always try to remain calm and be productive, but at times I'm unable to restrain my discontent. I know there is nothing I can do about my situation, but for some reason I feel compelled to rage about and let everyone know how angry I am. 

This is a human weakness and one I desperately need to work on. We all need to remember that while we may not always be able to control our circumstances, we can control our attitude. Lord help me.

Sunday, June 26, 2016

1%

So, in a recent post, I alluded to committing 1% a day to bettering myself. I'd like to lightly expound upon this. I read about this idea in an article about learning how to code. It struck me deeply, as I'm always ready and willing to learn and try new things, but for some reason, my zeal tapers off after the initial endeavour. For some reason, I couldn't continue to learn new skills or new habits, for as I was very excited in the beginning, I soon lost interest and faltered. Not only that, but I found myself depressed as I was unable to continue in my quest for betterment.

Again, I'd like to reference polyphasic sleeping as the mustard seed, as I wouldn't have been reading at all had it not been for the exorbitant amount of time I've been given as a result of adopting this lifestyle.

After reading about the idea that to achieve lasting success, only small steps are required, a light turned on inside of me. I attempted to take very small, dissatisfying bites of success in multiple crafts. And although it left me feeling weak, depressed, and unsuccessful in the beginning; after about a week of enduring through it, I found myself not only adapting to the smaller meals, but enjoying them and feeling (to a lesser degree) the same soul kindling zeal I had in the beginnings of the failed attempts. I also feel compelled to complete these tasks, as they hardly take time at all individually. A baby could keep concentrated on them for crying out loud! My ability to retain knowledge and skills is at an all time high, and although I don't feel like a superhero, my wings are starting to develop.

I would encourage anyone who is a zealous failure, such as myself, to attempt what I've mentioned. Keep in mind that you are not a superhero. You're hardihood does have a limit. Just commit to 1% a day. You'll find you're accomplishing more than you believed you ever could.

Saturday, June 25, 2016

My Complaint

Sears pissed me off. Here's my complaint:

I'm am completely unsatisfied with the customer service your company provided. I called up 3 days ago and ordered (or at least thought I ordered) some parts. I spoke with a representative from parts direct over my weed eater. I informed him that the bottom of it had come apart and it was just an empty hole. I also informed him that I knew I at least needed the spool and the retainer for the spool. I asked him if he knew what I was talking about as far as the retainer was concerned and he replied in the affirmative. He then told me that I also would be needed to purchase the spring (I was unaware of this and thanked him). After he concluded the parts lookup, I again asked him if that was all I would be needing. He informed me that I had ordered everything that comes apart from the bottom of the weed eater. Today, June 25, I received a spring in the mail by itself. Naturally I was concerned that I had indeed ordered everything I needed. I therefore proceeded to call the Parts Direct toll free line once again to verify. Initially I spoke with a lady who seemed to be helpful. She informed me that I had indeed ordered the spool, but as for the retainer, she didn't see it on the order and was unsure whether or not the spool came with it. She told me she would transfer me to parts. After a lengthy conversation with her, I would have thought it common courtesy to inform the next representative of the details. She did not and the next lady I spoke with had no knowledge of my concern. I attempted to explain it to her, also providing the model number of my weed eater. As I was speaking, the call dropped. I hadn't even thought of it, but after the call had been lost, it occurred to me that most service representatives initially ask for the client's phone number in case the line drops. Again I called the same toll free number and dialed 2. Someone picked up but the line was dropped again. Finally on the third attempt, I was able to have a conversation with a representative named Linda. Curiously, she was able to find a parts diagram without transferring my call to another representative. She informed me that I needed a bump stop, and that I would have to pay more money for the part, plus extra for shipping. I inquired if the shipping would have been the same had the order been placed correctly in the first place. She informed me that shipping would be more in my situation, as shipping for any part doesn't exceed 9 dollars and some odd cents. I asked if it would be possible for Sears to take care of the shipping, as I had explicitly requested the parts in total the first time I called and was assured that they were all I needed. She told me that my description had been vague, and that in no way would Sears take care of the shipping. I, of course, shelled out the extra money for shipping, but I will not be shopping at Sears in any wise any time soon. It's a shame, as I enjoy the quality of the products produced.

Unveiling Disappointment

Someone had me work on their vehicle today. I'm a helpful kind of guy, so I obliged. They told me they'd buy me a coffee and even slightly inconvenienced me to verify what kind I drank. It was a job that should have paid at least 50 bucks, but I wasn't concerned. I just like helping people. However, when I arrived at their place to do the job, there was no coffee.

Why do I care? I mean, I can make coffee at home. My job has free coffee. Why does it matter whether or not the individual neglected to bring the coffee? It's simply because they said they would. I went to an out of the way place to perform a repair for nothing. I asked for nothing, but they offered coffee and didn't deliver. And this, to me, is an offensive act. Nevertheless, I did my best to remain as professional and friendly as possible. I finished the job anyway. This is who I am.

I've met a lot of people who promise something and then don't deliver. Heck, I've done it myself. But this is something we need to purge from ourselves. It's not enough to talk a good game or look professional; we need to act the part. Each of us has our foibles and follies, but we need to treat each other as we wish to be treated. Instead of talking behind each other's backs, let's do some soul searching into why we feel the need to cower behind gossip, then act the very part we condemn.

And most of all, bring coffee if you say you're going to for crying out loud!

Friday, June 24, 2016

Becoming A Champion

What does it take to become a champion? Webster's Dictionary defines the word as "a person who fights or argues for a cause or on behalf of someone else." I've been curious on how to sway others to adopt my type of thinking for some time now. The disconnect, I think, lies in the fact that everyone is out for themselves. Me included. However, by laying that aside, I've found that the most responsive people are those who are in need or are outcasts. I find it discouraging to try and discuss something like alternative energy with an individual who is comfortable in their current situation in life. The mentality seems to be, that if nothing changes (which of course it will), they're content with the system the way it is. It doesn't matter if millions of others are suffering, just so long as they can work a normal nine to five and grab a bud light at the end of the day. Without the sky actually falling on our heads, nothing seems to grab hold inside. I think that might be why the news is so prominent. People want to experience change without experiencing change. People want to be heroes without sacrifice. 

Enter the outcast. The people in dire need. Their ears and eyes are open. They need a solution, so they listen intently to all. They are ready and willing to apply esoteric suggestions to their lives. It's as if by turning the comfort off, a light switch is turned on inside their souls. Why? Because we all need to belong. If a fellow outcast presents an eccentricity, of course they're willing to accept. If they accept the idea or thought, the presenter accepts them. 

This may seem to be backwards logic, but with pure intentions, the means by which you gather the crowd is forgotten. Only the reason remains. Thusly, to become a champion in any wise, we must become the outcast. We must become the eccentric weirdo to whom no self respecting person would associate with. Because, you see, the weirdos follow the eccentrics; and crowds follow crowds, which are comprised of all the normal, self respecting people. And this is how to become a champion.

Thursday, June 23, 2016

Adaption & Understanding

Well, I've been on this polyphasic sleep thing for a while now. There are sporadic fluctuations in sleep times. I've had two sinus infections which necessitated that I sleep more, but I've always taken my naps and I'm starting to feel a sense of normalcy.

It's kind of weird having so much time in the day. I don't feel like a superhuman or anything, rather that my life has expanded. I'm pursuing goals that I've wanted to since I was a kid! I'm knitting, writing, practicing penmanship, and teaching myself how to code; and that's not even all of it.

But something else has happened as well. I'm beginning to notice just how limited my life was before adapting to this schedule. I used to wake up (slightly late), cook breakfast, and rush out the door. Work was slightly satisfying, but I felt a slight sense of helplessness, as if I were stuck and the choice I made to become a mechanic was a terminal one. When I got home from work I felt lethargic. My wife would have some chore or something which needed to be done, but I hadn't the strength or motivation to do it. I'd watch a couple of hours of television, then hit the sack, only to do it all over again. Weekends were a hazy disappointment at best. I had so many things on my plate that I could never tack one goal down. I'd get depressed and end up not doing anything at all.

This isn't to say that simply adopting a polyphasic sleep schedule was a magic bullet, but it acted as the catalyst for monumental change at 1% daily. Let me iterate. As I started my quest into night consciousness, I found that without a task or goal, I simply went back to sleep. I'd just drift off. So, very quickly, I started pursuing very simple goals. 15 minutes of penmanship practice. I've always wanted to be a really good penman, so 15 minutes was nothing; especially at 3 in the morning. Having completed that task and bathing in the glow of endorphins, I started to complete knitting a simple scarf that I had been trying to finish for over 6 months (I'm not a very good knitter, but I enjoy it as it helps with stress). 30 minutes out of the way, I'd drink some coffee and read. I completed 7 full books while on vacation in Italy, so in hopes of continuing, I started checking out e-books from the local library's website (something I had time to teach myself how to do as I had no idea).

Then I had an insane idea. I've read about all the great polymaths like Leonardo deVinci and Benjamin Franklin. I wanted to learn a college level skill on my own time without paying for it. Enter computer programming. I started with Codecademy. After completing what I wanted to in the free section, I started searching for ways to network. My thought was to motivate by immersion. I attended a few meetups with javascript developers and obtained a fantastic resource: freecodecamp.com. Now I spend the time knitting, practicing penmanship, and learning how to code all before I go to work in the morning. By the time I start working on my first car, I've already completed multiple goals. I'm actually attaining my dreams.

I'm not in a rush, but I am on a quest. 1% daily is all I want. In time, perhaps I'll achieve Franklin status. If not, at least I'll be able to knit one heck of a scarf.

Thursday, June 9, 2016

Diet and Sleep

So for the past two days I've found it to be a monumental challenge to wake up in the morning. This morning was the worst I've felt since adopting a polyphasic sleep schedule. I was unsure as to why I felt so terrible at first. I was able to get my checklist completed for the morning, but my mental clarity was atrocious and my allergies were even worse. I had a headache, and even after taking ibuprofen, it didn't subside. I almost fell asleep driving to work this morning too!

So after reviewing what could be causing these symptoms, I've found that for both days, I've eaten a heavy dinner (last night was sweet and sour chicken from a local chinese joint). It makes sense, because my body needs more rest to digest heavy food like meat and processed foods. When I was still in the navy, I went raw vegan for 13 days just to see if I could (I love meat by the way). I lost 10 pounds without even exercising and my mental clarity was the best I could ever remember. However, the mental challenge was extremely difficult. I would have continued, but I just loved hamburgers too much.

So here's my plan. I want to continue with my sleeping schedule, but to do that, I need to adopt a new, lighter, diet. I really need to lose a few pounds anyway, and since I'm familiar with raw veganism (at least somewhat), I'm aiming for that. What I need to make me stick to it though is a cheat meal every now and then. I'm unsure how to schedule a cheat meal without suffering for it, but I would imagine it to be sometime in the morning or afternoon. Absolutely not at night!

I'm really excited to see what my new diet will do for my waking up abilities, but with two completely new lifestyle changes, it's going to be quite the challenge.

Sunday, June 5, 2016

Day 5 of "Everyman" Polyphasic Sleep Schedule

Alright, so I'm going to let the cat out of the bag now that I feel at least somewhat adapted to my new sleeping schedule. I've tried twice to adapt to a polyphasic sleep schedule and failed twice. My wife thought I was on one of my crazy adventures and so she insisted I go to bed. That, and trying to fight my own internal clock proved too much. Both times were the exact same way. I didn't even last the night.

However, I just went to Italy. I always do a lot of reading on my vacations, and one of the books I read was "The Integral Trees" by Larry Niven. Essentially, humans have adapted to living within a smoke ring within a gas torus. Pretty heavy duty thinking. I occurred to me that the battle wasn't so much physiological as it was psychological. If something is all you know, then what else is there? But one the candle has been lit, an entire realm is opened to understand and partake of.

I made a plan to adapt to polyphasic sleeping as soon as I returned from Italy. The reason I chose such a time was due to the already occurring 6 hour jet lag that I had to endure whether or not I chose to adapt to polyphasic sleep.

The jet arrived in Washington D.C. at around 2 P.M. I felt like crap due to the amount of turbulence. Anyway, we took a taxi (also excruciating) back to my in-laws place to crash for the night. Keep in mind that to me, at that time (at around 4 P.M.), it felt like 10 P.M. The fridge at my in-laws broke, so we had to clean, sanitize, and deodorize everything before actually relaxing from the trip. Couldn't have worked better for me though, because 10 P.M. is the time I start waning in lucidity. Having to exert that much energy combined with the time differences masked my internal clock. By the time we were actually eating dinner, it was around 6 P.M. We watched an episode of Game of Thrones and at 8 P.M. we went to bed. Honestly, I was attempting to stay up, but was unable to as it felt like 2 A.M. to me.

I woke up at 4 A.M. and made some coffee. Slightly disappointed with myself, I was determined to (as I thought) try again. But I don't think that I was trying again, because, as I see it, going to bed at that time threw a third wrench in the works, thus enabling me to start sleeping from a clean slate (so to speak). I attempted naps at both 6 A.M. and 12 P.M. I was unable to sleep during both times. We left D.C. at 3 P.M. and didn't arrive home until almost 7 P.M. This put me in a pickle, because I was driving and missed my nap by an hour. I let my wife go into her sister's house and I attempted to nap in the car (again, no sleep). Then we drove home and unpacked. At 11 P.M. we went to bed. I set the alarm for 2 A.M. and actually woke up!

When I got up, I read books. I had no schedule or to do list written out, but I knew I needed to keep my mind occupied, so I drank some coffee and read until 6 A.M. It was the same for 2 days; reading only to keep myself awake.

At that point I decided that I needed to accomplish some goals. I came up with a list of things I wanted to do, but never "had the time for." I didn't want to overburden myself with any one thing, as mental stress would make me regress into old habits. So I mixed as many quiet activities as I could. Knitting, penmanship practice, and learning computer programming were a few of the things I decided I would get better at 1% everyday. It has worked marvelously!

Now its day 5 and I feel great! While I'm not sleeping through my naps completely, I have attained about a 50% sleep rate and am having dreams during them. I try not to drink coffee or alcohol 3 hours prior to any nap. I've found that if I drink anymore that 1 beer during any waking period, I feel absolutely terrible, although I've still been able to adhere to the schedule. I've also found that as my life is structured around 4 appointments everyday, I'm less prone to wasting time doing nothing. The way I see it, if I'm fighting to stay awake for more hours of the day, I owe it to myself to do something worthwhile during that time.

Friday, June 3, 2016

Sleepy

I'm about to go to bed. Need to write something to finish off my checklist for the day. So, here goes. "If you want to settle a dispute, inquire at the town of Abel." A quote from something I read in the Bible this morning. Thought it was deep. I'm currently driving Dave's Jimmy and he has been driving my truck. It wouldn't turn on. I went over to his apartment after work and found the coil plug lock was broken. I already saw that and attempted to fix it with dielectric grease, but I guess it didn't hold enough. Going to have to find another connector and splice it in tomorrow if I'm able. That's about all I have strength to write at this moment. Peace.

Thursday, June 2, 2016

June 2, 2016

Haven't written anything in a while. Just got back from Italy. Beautiful city. People work half the amount we, as Americans, do. Read 7 books altogether on my vacation. Something turned on inside of me after finishing The Integral Trees by Larry Niven. When I was a kid, I spotted the same book on my step dad's night stand. I read the synopsis; about a people living within a smoke ring within a gas torus. I had no idea what the heck it meant, but it intrigued me for some reason. There have been numerous books like that. I've seen them, they've piqued my interest, but the light didn't illuminate, and I continued wasting my life by shoving food down my throat while zoning out in front of some worthless, recycled plot on the television. I guess it's been about two years since I've felt a hunger growing in my soul for literature (or some form of mental growth). Before I left on vacation, I finished the novel Dune as well. I seem to remember one of my brothers having that book at some point.Very enjoyable. My job is dead end. All jobs are dead end. My life is dead end. No one cares what you think, say, or do. All they care about is if you're interested in what they're thinking, saying, or doing. That only lasts so long before the recycled plot rears its face and you're thinking about running into the car in front of you because it's driving 15 miles below the speed limit. For a long time I've wanted another person to take interest in what I'm interested in. It never happened. Best I could do was hang out at 3 in the morning with a fanatic that wanted to buy toy light sabers and chase demons out of the church with them. Funny, I still think fondly of him. I need to keep learning. Just finished Fight Club. It's got a point. At lunch, everyone watches real estate shows and talks about how they want to buy a house; just need to get their finances straight first. Then what? Work even harder? Stress more? So you can sit your fat butt on the sofa after 12 hours of grueling work and zombie out in front of another episode of NCIS while choking down another cheeto? "You are not your job." I'm looking for an answer. Not that I think I'm going to find one. I think I already have. I'm sleeping 4 hours a day. Need more time to do other things aside from work. That's it for now.