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>> ChatGPT’s Amazing Wisdom/ Knowledge

Overarching Initiative, 2024+:

The Humble Ideator

Topics

I–Learning Together–i.e., re: all topics below.
II–Finance and Wealth-Generation >>—————————//_Singularly, and in relation to all other topics.
III–Mindfulness and Holistic Wellness >>———————–//_Singularly, and in relation to all other topics.
IV–Backlog From Previous Posts >>——————————//_Singularly, and in relation to all other topics.
V–Creativity, Ideation, and Idea-Scrutiny >>——————–//_Singularly, and in relation to all other topics.

//—–//

Brief Article / Preview 1

==>> Idea: To synthesize content about personal finance, financial-market news, investment ideas, etc., from existing sources.

==>> Rationale/details/examples: The current sources–e.g., Bloomberg, Google Finance, even Investopedia, etc., might intimidate amateurs–especially, folks from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds.

//_____==>>> Example of a handpicked visual to help an amateur vis-a-vis diving into the topics–with more explanations and further context coming soon/later:

IMHO, this Fear and Greed Index by CNN is an exceptionally commendable tool for amateur investors. Reason: it immediately pinpoints two of the biggest causes of ongoing [day-to-day / quarter-to-quarter / year-to-year–both unique and cyclical] financial-market flactuations.

For emphasis, those flactuations might seem unpredictable at first. However, a careful study–via both quantitative and qualitative methods–reveals the causative or related underlying factors. E.g.: fear and greed; and relatedly, macro- and microeconomic factors; geopolitical dynamics, acts of G_d, etc.

61 Days of Hope:

(Oct 31/) Nov 1 to Dec 31, 2023.

>> Oftentimes in life, we find ourselves in excruciatingly torturous situations, a la Warren Bennis’ “Crucible Moments“.

And unfortunately, for many of us, “when it rains, it pours“. These situations seem to never end; or, we seem to get into one after another, endlessly!

Given the above quandary, I suppose (one of) the “million dollar question(s)” is:

How can we pull ourselves out of these situations?! Better yet, how can we emerge as “new and improved”–stronger, and better–versions of our **selves**?!

>> Answer: Everyone’s situation–and/or problems, personality, etc., is/are unique.

However, for me, a large part of the answer(s) to that question–how to survive our crucible moments, so as to thrive in the future, involves the maintenance (somehow, some way), of **hope.**

Thus, in this series–“61 Days of Hope,” I will try to arrange the pieces of this puzzle: to brainstorm some ways of maintaining hope.

Quick Links

>> Day 0–Special Highlight (!):

O’reilly Software Architecture Patterns

// Separate Link (Opens In New Tab)

…

>> Day 15–Topic: Empathy

…

>> Day 17–Site Revision

Meta / Author’s Self-Reminder:

>> Keep implementing! 😡

…

>> Day 30–Topic/Objective: Extemporaneous Creative Writing

…

>> Day 35

…

>> Day 45

…

>> Omunaku Kaama–a Novel By Seif Sekalala

…

Poetry-Attempt 3: Unworthy

…

>> Day 61

Day _0_ of _61_

>> First, I believe it might be worthwhile to ponder the following (and other related) questions: who am I? What are my abilities, and what are my values? So then, …

Who am I?

I am a…

>> How?

_____ >>> Like this…

_____ >>> Or, like this–using data visualization; this is one example

_____ >>> Another example of data visualization–same source, part 1

_____ >>> One last example of data visualization–part 2 of the same (above) author

>> I also tell both “stories,” and (**real**) stories; like this:

_____>>> “Story” 1: Academic Paper

Research Paper: “Are You Listening Doc?”Download

_____>>> Story 2: Mazimhaka; A Short Novel / My Undergraduate Thesis

Short Novel: “Mazimhaka”Download

Other (Random) Topics on My Mind Today…

Software_Architecture_Patterns Download

Proving causation (vs. correlation) via experiments (see file below).

Correlation vs. Causation Download

Important Note (!):

In addition to experiments, there are various other ways of proving causation, including methods below, per ChatGPT:

Proving causation is a complex and challenging task, and while experiments are often considered the gold standard for establishing causation, there are other methods and approaches that can be used to support causal inference. Here are some alternative ways to demonstrate causation:

1) Observational Studies:

Cohort Studies: These studies involve following a group of individuals over time to determine if an exposure (e.g., smoking) is associated with a higher risk of an outcome (e.g., lung cancer). While they cannot prove causation definitively, strong associations can provide compelling evidence.
Case-Control Studies: These studies compare individuals with a specific outcome (cases) to those without the outcome (controls) and assess their exposure history. A strong association between exposure and outcome may suggest a causal relationship.

2) Meta-Analysis:

Meta-analysis combines the results of multiple studies to provide a more comprehensive view of the relationship between an exposure and an outcome. If multiple high-quality observational studies consistently show a significant association, it can strengthen the case for causation.

3) Longitudinal and Time Series Analysis:

Longitudinal studies track the same individuals or groups over an extended period. Time series analysis examines data collected at multiple time points. These methods can help establish a temporal relationship between exposure and outcome, which is a crucial aspect of causation.

4) Expert Opinions:

Expert consensus can be used to establish causation, especially in fields where conducting experiments is impractical or unethical. Experts in the field may draw on their collective knowledge and experience to reach a consensus on causation based on available evidence.

5) Bradford Hill Criteria:

Sir Austin Bradford Hill proposed a set of criteria that can be used to assess the strength of evidence for causation, even in the absence of experimental data. These criteria include strength of association, consistency, specificity, temporality, biological gradient (dose-response relationship), plausibility, coherence, experimental evidence, and analogy.

6) Instrumental Variables:

In some cases, instrumental variables can be used to estimate causal effects in observational data. These variables act as proxies for the exposure of interest and can help control for confounding factors.

7) Counterfactual Analysis:

Counterfactual analysis involves comparing what actually happened with what would have happened in the absence of the exposure. Techniques like difference-in-differences and propensity score matching can help control for confounding and strengthen causal inferences.

It’s important to note that each of these methods has its limitations and may not provide the same level of confidence in establishing causation as controlled experiments. Researchers must carefully consider the specific context and available evidence when attempting to make causal claims using these approaches.

The never-ending job-interview Q and A lists… 🤦‍♂️

“Human-Made”-Interview Q&As Download

Day _1_ of _61_

“The B/Million Dollar Game”

As I have shared elsewhere (i.e., both via writing–e.g., via my LinkedIn page, and in conversations with family and friends), one of the the strategies I employ to boost or maintain my productivity can be termed as self-targeted psy-op tricks. Definition: tricks that trick or manipulate me psychologically, so as to achieve specific goals.

For instance, when I first started teaching, I used to promise my students: “If I haven’t graded your papers by X date, I will award an extra 10 points to everyone!” And of course, that extra 10 points would “contaminate”–or partially invalidate (so to speak)–the accuracy of the grades, which might put me in trouble with the department chair or school/college dean (“Seif, are you absolutely certain that all your students earned these ‘A’s?!”). But for the most part, that public pledge–i.e., of a self-imposed deadline, is meant for me to “shame myself,” if I fail to satisfy that pledge.

***_______***_______***

Lately, I have started a new psy-op self-trick: the million/billion dollar game. The mechanism of this game is simple, and I am surprised at how effective it is so far.

To demonstrate its modus, I will use an actual/current example. First, perhaps it might be better for me to “show, [not] tell.” So then, voila; please see for yourself below.

In a nutshell, here is the “gamification”-style self-motivational meaning of the game: if I successfully complete—or, at least TRY—to complete a particular (set of) task(s) (“T”) by a self-imposed deadline “X”, then I am slowly improving the mathematical odds in favor of me eventually becoming a self-made (m/)billionaire (“M || B”).

I wonder if I can correctly—i.e., based on the universal conventions of the discipline, express the above statement mathematically as ([?] 🤔):

Seif (T x X) = P (Seif M || B) + [E.g., 0.5%]

In this particular case, please see below, for the full list from that picture…

[*^] = Meaning:

1)—Read;

2)—Do brief bullet-pt syntheses & simple diagrams—e.g., via MS-Word or Figma, etc.;

3)—Write some very simple, very brief code snippets to help launch any related products of tools reviewed.

//—————————//

_____ >> 0)
Link / task 1: Learning about WhatsApp’s tech-stack;

_____ >> 1)
“The Matrix” script;

_____ >> 2)
Creating a single-page React app;

_____ >> 3)
“Real-life” examples of the the “Model-View-Controller” and other software-architectural schemas;

_____ >> 4)
IBM documentation about database SQL programming;

_____ >> 5)
TensorFlow documentation;

_____ >> 6)
[Link not working anymore; it was a for a dataset used for handwriting-analysis.]

***_______***_______***

Caveat: as a mindfulness (amateur- [?]) practitioner, I have learned over time to resist pressuring myself unncessarily, self-flagellating for failing to achieve goals, etc. Life is way too short–or too long [ 🤣 ]–for that!

Day _2_ of _61_

“It’s just one of them days…”.

Apropos that last paragraph from yesterday’s entry, the sub-title quote above is in reference to “lazy days.” For emphasis—per yesterday’s thesis, I am learning that more and more, (at least, for me personally, …) one of the keys to success is the continuous attempt of good faith efforts vis-a-vis **trying** to get things done. In other words, **conscientiousness**.

But on some—or many—days: you’ll want or even try to try—bless you heart; but for whatever reason, unfortunately, you’ll fail. And if/when that happens to you, dear friend: it’s okay. You’re not lazy, nor a “bad person,” etc.; you’re a beautiful, perfectly imperfect human. Keep your chip up, and keep trying!

Day _3_ of _61_

Financial-Markets Trading:

A Potentially Realistic Path to That (M/)Billionaire Status*^!

(^Reference to Day _1_ Post Above*)

Source-1; Source-2; Source-3

Please look for more, and please read the dislaimer below.

Disclaimer:

This is NOT financial advice! I am simply sharing about my own experiences. Please do your research–thoroughly, and/or consult with a licensed financial advisor before investing in securities / the financial markets!

For various reasons, the past several years–my twenties and thirties–have been (“shall we say…” [?]) rather unkind to me, financially. But for this post–and/or, in general, there’s no need to delve further into that particular sub-topic. Instead, the main goal of this post is to share one or two tidbits of (unsolicited, but friendly) advice with the general public, and/or, anyone in a similar position to mine.

Moreover, needless to say, the internet has plenty of (better–i.e., professional/official, and other) advice in this context; personal preferences also vary. For instance, I-for-one tend to be rather frugal, and I prefer to avoid credit-card debt. On the other hand, I know a good number of folks that don’t mind splurging, and/or having a sizeable amount of credit-card debt, leasing instead of buying vehicles, etc.

In any case, regardless of one’s preferences vis-a-vis the above topics, those of us with ambitions of building personal/family wealth–and/or, having comfortable retirements, etc.–should consider investing in the financial markets. And luckily for my generation–i.e., Millennials and Gen-Zs, unlike the days in which this domain seemed reserved for the sophisticated and highly educated upper classes, things have changed for the better. For instance, as of writing this post, Yours Truly is concurrently using 1)–TD-Ameritrade–which is about to merged with Schwab; 2)–“Public“; 3)–“Robinhood“; 4)–“Webull“; and 5)–SoFi (company-link & NerdWallet-Review), an online-only bank, which also has various attractive investment opportunities for amateur investors.

In a nutshell, here’s my two-cents’ worth–i.e., what I personally do, but which might not necessarily meet your needs (!):

1)–My preference is to mostly invest in indexed mutual funds and ETFs;

2)–Relatedly, I am very selective vis-a-vis individual stocks. However, I do invest roughly <10% in them. In fact, there is a particular insurance company–which I won’t name, which has garnered very good profits for me, over the years! 🙂 Respectfully, I hereby firmly request you not to ask me! I won’t tell you.

3)–I am NOT an “emotional” or “go with the wind” type of trader (so to speak). I prefer growth over income, and I buy securities with the intention of holding onto them (longterm), regardless of market gyrations.

One Last Important Side-Note: For my own personal education purposes–i.e., versus prepping for the FINRA series license exams, etc., I am also reading an SIE exam prep-book–i.e., the Newstone Prep book (here’s another source: link). If you’re as bookish as I am, I recommend it for you as well! 🙂

Finally, lately, thanks in large part to Robinhood’s user-friendly materials, I have become fascinated by options trading. Now, I apologize if I sound pedantic, given my prior disclaimer(s) above. But at this juncture, I have to state specially: options trading is very, very risky! Don’t do it before preparing thoroughly, nor without knowing the risks involved! But if you’re still interested in the topic–despite that scary warning, then voila: here’s the Robinhood link–or, you can download the PDF file below. Happy trading! 🙂

Robinhood Options-Trading Tutorial Download

Day _4_ of _61_

“What makes you ‘tick’?”

Severally–on this website/blog and elsewhere, I have discussed the concept and practice(s) of productivity techniques. In a nutshell, we all have to figure out how to push ourselves to achieve our goals within the right timeframe, and within other pre-set or general parameters of success. E.g., for general project management (among other metrics); finishing projects: i)–on time; ii)–within budget; and iii)–within the intended scope (i.e., avoiding “scope-creep,” which in turns negatively affects the latter two metrics).

In my own case, some of my productivity techniques include self-accountability measures such as public promises or pledges–or, artificial deadlines, with a promise of self-rewards, or other incentives. Regardless, overall, if I resist the urge to be too hard on myself, I can conclude that fortunately, all these strategies and tactics work effectively for me.

In other words, overall, I manage to get my work done. Those strategies and tactics are “what make me tick,” in the context of productivity. So then, my dear reader: what makes **you** tick?!

Interlude 1

Preview of Select Upcoming Topics:

>> “Idea-ology” and creativity

>> Software-development and data science techniques

>> Mindfulness

>> The mercurialness of human nature–its “good, bad, and [un-understable]”

>> The beauty of mathematics

>> Careers and professionalism

>> Related to the mindfulness topic above: trying to always keep the “big picture” in mind.

>> Centrism is underrated / one person’s meat is another person’s poison X

>> Metacognition

>> Literacy: i.e., in both the simple sense(s) of the concept, as well as the multilayeredly-complex (sense[s])!

Day _5_ of _61_

On “re-inventing the wheel” vs. improving how things are done or disruptive innovation, vs. “all the above”/other…

The purpose of this post is not to define or debate the above concepts–what are they, what’s the difference between them, etc. However, I can gently state that we should strive to use “common sense” and good logic, evidence-based analysis, etc.; we should also strive to avoid dogmatism–i.e., “Come on! How dare he claim that the earth is round, or, that we–our earth, isn’t the celestial/planetary body around which all others revolve! Geesh!”

Rather, the purpose of this post is to reveal something I’ve been pondering lately, related to cautious/diligent analysis and/or pattern-tracking, ideation, business, etc. In a certain area, or (set of) neighborhood(s)–somewhere in the city of Philadelphia (and nope, I won’t state which part–i.e., south, n.-east, center-city, west, the burbs etc.), I have noticed several daycares.

For emphasis, let me repeat the last two words of the above paragraph, with **extra** emphasis on the 2nd-to-last: there are **several** daycares. All in operation, seemingly doing very well, not lacking for new students. As I was thinking about how one can provide a software service–open-source, or paid, or both for- and non-nonprofit, I googled the term “list of daycare management software,” and this result was on top: linked here; from softwareadvice.com. I thus took a look at the first three results: result-1; result-2; and result-3.

They all seem nice and all, I’ll admit. However, unless I’m missing the items/feature-description, I don’t think any of those three providers cover–or perhaps, they simply don’t emphasize–the thorny topic of safety, law, and regulations (federal, state, local).

Conclusion: IMHO, daycare operators and other stakeholders–i.e., proprietors, managers and staff, parents, etc., should have software programs that emphasize this issue. Better yet, overall, daycare-mgt software should be responsive to the individual needs–unrealized or not–of particular daycares (/clients in general)!

Alternative Daycare-Management Software Conceptual Schema Download

Day _6_ of _61_

“Prof. ChaGPT” Series Continued (From LinkedIn)

Current Post’s Topic:

Music! 🙂

1)

Query: What’s the technical name of the doh reh mih fah soh lah tih doh notes?

The technical names for the musical notes are as follows:
_____ >> Doh is also known as “C” in the fixed-do solfège system, used in many English-speaking countries.
_____ >> Reh is “D.”
_____ >> Mih is “E.”
_____ >> Fah is “F.”
_____ >> Soh is “G.”
_____ >> Lah is “A.”
_____ >> Tih or Ti is “B.”

These notes are part of the diatonic scale, which is the basis for Western music.

2)

Query: What’s the Diatonic scale notes for chorus of Presley’s “Can’t Help Falling in Love”?

The chorus of Elvis Presley’s “Can’t Help Falling in Love” is based on the diatonic scale in the key of C major. Here are the notes of the chorus:
_____ >> Wise (G)
_____ >> Men (E)
_____ >> Say (D)
_____ >> Only (G)
_____ >> Fools (E)
_____ >> Rush (D)
_____ >> In (G)
_____ >> But (E)
_____ >> I (D)
_____ >> Can’t (C)
_____ >> Help (G)
_____ >> Falling (A)
_____ >> In (D)
_____ >> Love (G)
_____ >> With (E)
_____ >> You (D)

These notes follow the C major diatonic scale, and the chords in the background usually match these notes in the progression.

2)

Query: Please teach me how to easily compose a rap song’s chorus and verses?
Composing a rap song, whether it’s the chorus or verses, involves creativity and a structured approach. Here’s a basic guide to help you get started:

1. Choose a Topic:

Decide on the theme or topic of your song. What message or story do you want to convey? It could be personal, political, emotional, or anything you’re passionate about.

2. Brainstorm Ideas:

Jot down ideas, phrases, and emotions related to your chosen topic. This brainstorming will help you gather material for your lyrics.

3. Create a Catchy Chorus:

The chorus is the heart of your song. It should be memorable and catchy. Use a simple, repetitive melody or hook that captures the essence of your song. Your chorus sets the tone and keeps the listener engaged.

4. Structure Your Verses:

Typically, rap songs have 16 bars per verse. Each bar can contain 2-4 lines, depending on your preference. Use metaphors, wordplay, and storytelling to make your verses interesting.

5. Rhyme Schemes:

Experiment with different rhyme schemes. Common ones include AABB, ABAB, and AAAA. Rhyming adds flow to your lyrics.

6. Maintain Flow and Rhythm:

Practice your delivery to ensure your lyrics flow smoothly and match the beat. Pay attention to syllable stress, pacing, and pauses.

7. Use Imagery and Metaphors:

Create vivid images and metaphors to paint a picture for your listeners. This helps them connect with your lyrics.

8. Edit and Revise:

Don’t be afraid to revise and improve your lyrics. Sometimes, it takes several drafts to get your verses just right.

9. Practice and Record:

Practice your rap and record yourself. Listen to the playback, and make necessary adjustments to your flow and delivery.

10. Seek Feedback:

Share your work with trusted friends or fellow musicians to get constructive feedback. They can offer suggestions for improvement.

11. Perform with Emotion:

When you perform, infuse your lyrics with emotion and energy. Connect with your audience by conveying the feelings behind your words.

12. Be Unique:

Don’t copy other artists’ styles. Your authenticity is what will set you apart as an artist.

Remember that creating music, including rap, is an art form. It takes time and practice to develop your skills. Keep writing, recording, and performing to improve and find your unique voice in the world of rap.

Day _7_ of _61_

“Prof. ChaGPT” Series Continued

Current Post’s Topic:

The Ethics and Morality of America’s Decision to Drop Nuclear Bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki

Query: What is the consensus among historians, ethicists, and other scholars about the morality of America’s decision to drop nuclear bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki? All things considered, was it a morally sound decision–i.e. in the context of wars in general, and specifically, in the context of WWII?

The morality of America’s decision to drop nuclear bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II remains a topic of debate among historians, ethicists, and scholars. There is no one-size-fits-all consensus on the matter, as perspectives on the morality of this decision vary.

Some arguments in favor of the decision to use atomic bombs include:

Ending the War: Proponents argue that the bombings helped bring about a swift end to the war, potentially saving millions of lives that might have been lost in an invasion of Japan.
Historical Context: Supporters suggest that the context of total war, where both sides engaged in mass bombing campaigns, rendered the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki morally equivalent to other acts of warfare during World War II.
Japanese Responsibility: Some argue that Japan’s refusal to surrender and its continued aggression in the war, including atrocities like the Rape of Nanking, make the bombings a morally justifiable means to end the conflict.

On the other hand, there are counterarguments against the bombings, including:

Indiscriminate Killing: Critics contend that the bombings caused the indiscriminate killing of civilians, including women, children, and the elderly, which raises moral concerns about the proportionality and necessity of such an action.
Non-Combatant Immunity: The bombings violated the principle of non-combatant immunity, which holds that civilians should not be intentionally targeted in warfare. The scale and effects of the atomic bombings have led to moral objections on these grounds.
Alternatives: Some argue that alternative strategies, such as a blockade or a demonstration of the bomb’s power, should have been attempted before resorting to the use of atomic weapons.
Lack of Warning: Critics also raise concerns about the lack of a clear warning to the Japanese government before the bombings, which could have provided an opportunity for surrender without the use of nuclear weapons.

In summary, there is no consensus among scholars regarding the morality of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The debate reflects complex ethical and historical considerations, and individuals may arrive at different conclusions based on their own moral frameworks and interpretations of the historical context. It’s important to acknowledge the diversity of opinions on this issue and consider the arguments from both sides when forming your own perspective.

Day _8_ of _61_

Unfortunately, “That Good Night” Wins, Inevitably.

[Ref-1: The Referenced Poem.]

[Ref-2: Wikipedia]

In fact, very often, one feels like Dan Quixote, putting up a hopeless fight. Thus, perhaps the best remedy is for one to be at peace with their fate; cheerful fatalism (?).

Que sera, sera.

Day _9_ of _61_

Of Drake’s (and All Our Own) Beautiful Struggles, Inspiration, Serendipity, and Hope

As I emphatically stress via this page–on this same site, despite my steadfast support of Drake‘s work ethic and other admirable traits, I categorically **condemn** Drake’s misogynistic lyrics, tracks (or even entire albums sometimes, depending on one’s interpretation). Paradoxically, one of the admirable supra-traits*^ of his which I earnestly applaud is his (ability of) demonstrating anti-toxic-masculity traits or self-expression. “Love him or hate him,” the man is not afraid to talk about his feelings; to express vulnerability and self-doubt. And yes, to even croon oh-so-beautifully (IMHO, at least 😐 / 🙂 ), often singing ballads about romantic love (e.g.-1, e.g-2, e.g.-3). Often flawed, perhaps–his notions of love, that is; but (apparently good faith attempts [?] at) love, nonetheless.

[*^] = Despite my spontaneous coining of this term, it seems similar to this comparable Jungian concept.

And in that constant expression of feelings, Drake often reminisces earnestly about the hardships he endured before finally getting his big break(s). And this–I confess, my dear reader: this is one of the reasons I oh-so-**love** Drake, sans his misogynistic tendencies! Case in point: this song (“Away From Home”), the 2nd-to-last, off of his new album, For All the Dogs.

There I was, earlier today, filled with despair; thinking about the fact that it is an unbearable thought for me to get to Jan 1, 2024, still without a well-paying permanent job. And for the 8th, 9th, or 10th time, there I was, playing the song for inspiration, going “AWWW (!)” [ 😦 ], hearing him say I rode the Greyhound, way before the [private] jet! Again, one thing led to another, and eventually, there I was, on this page, the relevant Genius Lyrics web-page about the song in question.

And in case you didn’t notice–if you went to this page (on this same website), in addition to Drake’s music, I am also studying various movies–and/or, film-directors’/”auteurs'” works, including The Matrix. However, I’ve been hesitant–or, honestly **resistant**–to study the the other 2 movies from that first Matrix trilogy (let alone the new one!). Thus, imagine my sheer [pleasant] surprise when I came across the interpretation pictured below–of one set of lines of that song’s lyrics, which armed me with an interpretation*^ of the trilogy that makes sense, and which I hadn’t come across before!

([*^] = Later, I also came across this resource.)

First, here are the lyrics in question:

I remember fightin’ over Monica with Jason
I remember only knowin’ Andre and Jason
I remember buyin’ all the iceberg from Jason
That’s three different Jasons, my life like The Matrix…

Next, here’s the picture of the interpretation I’m referencing:

***_____***_____***

Today’s Key Take-Away:

Such serendipity touches the spiritual part of me that believes in concepts such as faith, miracles, Karma, etc. Not unlike the references made to those/such concepts in this song (When You Believe, by Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston).

Sometimes–apparently, the underdog comes out on top. So hey, who knows? If this random ordinary biracial Jewish Canadian-American dude eventually made it, there might be some hope for Yours Truly (a random Jewish Ugandan-American dude), yet!

But in the meantime, I will vicariously revel in “Drizzy‘s” success. And yes, Drake; never forget where you came from! Look back, be grateful, and keep doing what you love. But my good man, for crying out loud: are the misogynistic tendencies necessary?! 😐

Day _10_ of _61_

Data Science Dojo‘s Awesome AI Learning Resources; “The Gift That Keeps Giving”! 🙂

Surely, with such great resources at my disposal, what excuse do I have for giving up easily? After all, it’s always worth a try; and for a life-long-learning lover, what do I have to lose?

Building_LLM_Apps Download

Day _11_ of _61_

“Note To Self (/Seif)”

Apropos the resolution farther above, vis-a-vis the importance of using one’s own “proven and true” productivity techniques: earlier today, I was compelled to use one of my own. One of my maxims vis-a-vis getting stuff done is: once you remember it–i.e., that you have to get it done: either do it right away, or write it down–i.e., on a “to-do” list.

However, sometimes, one doesn’t have quick access to a notepad, or a laptop, etc. And granted, nowadays, a smartphone easily fulfills the same purpose–and I use it accordingly, very often. But earlier today, while making tea in the kitchen, I thought about a couple of ideas that I deemed very important. So as to implement them later, I had to record them somehow, to aid my memory.

And despite easy access to my smartphone, I didn’t have the freedom to type up a note–what with the prepping the tea-bags, microwaving the hot water and milk, etc. And then, voila! I remembered: Wait a minute! My phone has a voice-note recording feature! And ka-bam (!); I grabbed the phone, and verbally listed my ideas. Problem solved! 🙂 In fact, come to think of it, this incident also demonstrates one of the purposes of this campaign (linked here). Indeed, long live technology, and Long Live People!

Day _12_ of _61_

Am I Allowed to Call Myself a…

__[Fill in the Professional Title]?_

In the software development domain, there is a question that junior developers often ask themselves. “When am I allowed to call myself a software developer/engineer?”

(Is it…) When I write my first Hello, world (!) program? Or when I manage to design one of those tic-tac-toe or to-do list learn-by-doing apps? Or perhaps when I collaborate on a real-world project? And in a nutshell, there’s no clear answer.

In any case, similar to that experience, I suppose many other professionals–apart from those required to have state licensure or other credentials–can ask themselves the same question. And in this particular post, I am thinking about (aspiring professional-) writers. When can one confidently refer to themselves as a professional writer?

And similar to the software-developer identity, I’m unsure of the answer to this question. All I know is, I earnestly love writing. And I count myself very lucky to simply be a writer–professional, or not!

Day _13_ of _61_

Yes, I Believe I am … Allowed to Simply Be

IMHO, self-improvement/motivational advice often sounds contradictory. For instance, one wonders if the concept and action of “giving up” is as bad as it sounds, or as it’s often made to sound/seem. After all, according to mindfulness practice teachings, simply savoring our existence is a vital part of self-mastery.

Regardless, here we are: in yet another week, to–ready-or-not, keep toiling away. Best of luck to us all. And yes, as you can tell (my dear reader, …) I-for-one am simply resigned to my fate at this point. Having tried so hard for so long, I suppose this state of existence was inevitable, sooner-or-later.

So then, here I am, simply existing. Similar to that quote from Exodus 3:13-15–despite my own referring to my mere humanity, versus G_d’s sacred identity: I am.

Day _14_ of _61_

On The Curses and Blessings of Clichés…

On one hand, they’re indeed clichés. On the other hand, they’re true, and are (IMHO anyway) “tried and true” nuggets of wisdom. Like this one, for instance:

“[You just have to take it…] One day at a time.”

You got this.

Day _15_ of _61_

Empathy

Click Here to Return to the Top

(…) Is a difficult concept and practice. Sure, thankfully, most human beings seem capable of practicing a decent amount and quality of empathy. Nonetheless, our world seems to really suffer from an empathy deficit, all-in-all.

In any case, one (other) piece of good news in this context is this: some experiences (as in, good experiences–but mostly [IMHO], bad) seem to also equip us with better empathic abilities. Case in point: for many of us, if you’ve worked as a cashier–or nurse, or lawyer, etc., and you then have to deal with folks in those roles later, chances are, you’ll treat them in a kindler, or better informed manner.

And yes: unfortunately, “better informed” might translate into mean behavior. For instance, based on your “insider knowledge,” you might feel mistreated (by the cashier or lawyer), as you would have handled a client such as yourself differently (or “better”, subjectively speaking). Regardless, arguably, you’ll be utilizing a more potent form of empathy, compared to someone who hasn’t worked in those roles.

Moreover, regardless of whether or not we can relate better with a given individual, I believe empathy might be similar to various other tasks or skills. One’s odds of being a better empath might be improved by that person’s regular efforts vis-a-vis trying to “put [themselves] in other people’s shoes.” Ergo, we ought to always try to do that–strive to empathize with each other, regardless of whether or not we can relate to other people’s lived experiences.

Day _16_ of _61_

IBKR‘s Great Resources

Apropos day 3’s content farther above, I re-encountered some materials from IBKR’s portal, which–IMHO, might be worth sharing.

___ >> 1) Trader’s Academy–i.e., For Investor Self-Paced Learning:

This webpage provides a proverbial treasure-trove of educational videos for financial-market individual investors, and other interested parties. In addition to “the usual suspects”–i.e., information about stocks, bonds, options, and other financial market products, the portal also offers helpful guidance vis-a-vis how to use their tools (both basic and advanced). “But wait, there’s more!” 🙂 The portal even offers trainings related to taxes and retirement, as well as their APIs.

___ >> 2) Webinar About Toggle AI:*^

As an early adopter (i.e., as defined in this awesome book–link-1, link-2) of AI, ML, data science, big data, etc., and as someone that tends to ~~hate/~~ really dislike fads, I am already exhausted by all this AI hullabaloo! Thanks a lot, ChatGPT / OpenAI (sarc!). 😒 😂

Paradoxically though, I really do marvel–albeit in a more informed way, and with realistic expectations–at AI’s awesomeness (in the word’s true meaning). This new set of digital technologies can vastly improve our abilities in many fields–e.g. information-seeking and management, medicine, agriculture, etc.

And that proposition is also relevant vis-a-vis the domain(s) of finance and financial-market commerce. But if you’re skeptical–perhaps asking, “what’s your proof?!” Answer: the video shared above, and here.

[*^] = Very Important Note (!):

As of this post’s writing, I’m not sure how long this link will keep working. Ergo, I highly encourage any interested readers to spare some time to watch it. It’s merely 32:31 minutes and seconds, yet its content might make you very, very rich! 🙂 Seriously, btw.

Day _17_ of _61_

I)–On Genuine, Spontaneous, and Rather Pure Human Interactions: The Story of Ms. Ella–Part I

II)–“What makes you tick [?]”–i.e., day 4’s topic , Cont’d / On Spontaneity and the uniqueness of each day, Creativity, and Consistency

//———-//

I)–The Story of Ms. Ella–Part I

There I was, waiting for my order, near the counter at the McDee’s near my apartment. Dressed casually–as in, not really “dressy-casual,” or “glammed-up,” etc. And as is often the case, there was a good number of people like me–placing or waiting to place their orders, or waiting for their completed orders.

And of course, as is the norm in public–especially in a big city like Philadelphia, I was keeping to myself, quietly doing some “people-watching,” ruminating about one thing or another. Suddenly, an older lady–around 4 feet and 5 inches, certainly not 5 ft., approaches me.

She was dressed in a neat fall outfit; a light blue sweater-blouse, covered with a sleeveless white jacket; neat earth-tone slacks (I can’t remember the color though); and (if memory serves, …) dark blue sneakers. African-American, but very light-skinned–more-or-less biracial (half-Caucasian), really. With a neat hair-cut (similar to the “marine cut” shape, but with a good amount of (mostly-) gray-and-black hair on all sides. And to complete the neat persona/look, a handsome ovalish-squarish-shaped fairly*^ wrinkled face, and big square-shaped corrective lenses.

[*^] = Please note that I’m emphasizing this factoid for a reason; please keep reading to find out why.

Abruptly, she starts talking to me–in a very soft voice, forcing me to lean very close to her, so as to hear her clearly, amid the mild-but-substantive cacophony of kitchen activity, overhead jazzy-poppy music, eat-in customers’ lively conversations, and outside traffic–including Philly’s ubiquitous dirt bikes, of course.

To Be Continued (!)… 🙂

***_______***_______***

II)–“What Makes You Tick [?]”–Cont’d

What makes **me** tick? My authenticity, or–as a old friend described me once, my “effervescence”; a “free spirit” character–another quoted description, by an older (half-) sister, bless her own genuine heart.

However, as one of my students wisely counseled her classmates (in one of my early teaching years, in a communication basic course–COMM 1402 [link-1; link-2 / public speaking class at Kean U.), we need to balance such genuineness with other appropriate personality traits, whenever/however needed. E.g., during a job interview, or at work in general! But again, in this context, I’m glad to note that I do in fact earn a “PASS / ~~FAIL~~” grade (so to speak)! And yet…

For the past nine years–going on 10, soon–after earning my Ph.D., I’ve struggled to find my footing vis-a-vis an appropriate evolution of my personal-professional character. Which is not surprising, I suppose. I suspect that most ordinary humans will endure the same experience during crucible moments–or, what we might (misguidedly, at first, …) deem as “failures.”

However, here’s some (more) good news in this context: 2023 might be a turning-point year for me, vis-a-vis my long-delayed evolution. Come to think of it (/in fact), if the latter statement bears out, then I suppose the required progression will have played out in the form of a revolution.

Apropos the above possibility: first, please see farther below–17-II-B for a comprehensive list of upcoming changes to this site, as transcribed from the image(s) below–17-II-A. And unfortunately, I have to end the post after uploading the pictures ~~and transcribing the notes~~[*^]–as of writing this sentence, it is 12:21 AM, Nov 18 (2023).

[*^] = Change of plan(s)! I’ll also have to do the transcription later. 😦

Ergo, I apologize if the meaning-connection doesn’t (fully) make sense–at least in this particular post. In various upcoming posts, I will strive to flesh out the details–i.e., sub-topics and themes. In the meantime, here is the main point:

“Let the record show…,” that this year–2023 C.E.–is the year that Dr. Seif Sekalala has decided to really “be himself.” Or, as my student exhorted (“be your professional self!”), this is the year that I have decided to unabashedly enact my (real/fully) genuine–and simultaneously appropriate character (i.e., professional, intentional/mindful, ethical, etc.).

>> In other words, why “tone down” my PASSIONATE love for learning, my ebulliance and free-spiritedness, and my creativity?

>> In fact, “who knows (?),” perhaps that half-hearted self-enaction is what has really held me back all these years. Perhaps folks can sense that there is more beneath the surface, and are thus uncomfortable with offering a(n) academic tenure-track–or corporate C-suite position, etc., to this pretender that is uncomfortable “in [their] own skin?”

>> Granted, some folks might also be “intimidated” or jealous, etc. But that’s not my problem! 😐

“So ordered”! 🙂

//———-//

17-II-A–Images:

_____ 0)–Attendant Post-Series: [Yes, I am…] Proudly Reinventing the Wheel (R.T.W.)!

_____ 1)–Current Week’s/Months’ (Nov-Dec) Goals:

To-Do List For Nov 12–21 / Nov to Dec 2023 Download

_____ 2)–Site Revision Task-Set I:

_____ 3)–Site Revision Task-Set II:

//———-//

17-II-B–Transcription:

Upcoming Site Updates–As of

Nov/Dec, 2023:

>> 1)–Mathematics

>> 2)–Languages

>> 3)–Autodidactic learning–esp., re: financial-markets and finance/economics (ref-1, ref-2, ref-3, ref-4, ref-5), and reading for pleasure; e.g.: Ken Follet‘s “Never”.

Creativity angle: this particular book (Never)–and others by Ken Follet–illustrate the evolution of international commerce and economics, and other human social-structural domains. They also demonstrate the human follies and other variables–e.g., natural disasters or pandemics–that influence international finance.

4)–Creativity-attempt I—here goes nothing [!]: 🤦‍♂️

i)–(Theatre-) Play-script writing

ii)–(Movie and TV-Show) Screenplay writing

5)–Creativity-attempt II: Other writing demonstrations:

i)–Speech-writing

ii)–Fiction-writing:

>> a)–For kids and young adults

>> b)–For adults

6)–Creativity-attempt III–again, here goes nothing [!]: 🤦‍♂️ Poetry

7)–Landing page update: done–Nov 26, 2023; details: addition of LongLivePeople! description, including venn-diagrams and illustrative AI and writers’ block images.

8)–Music-related: “Top 25…” (details to be revealed later, for IP-protection purposes).

9)–The Proudly Reinventing the Wheel blog series.

10)–Advertisement curation: based on location–i.e./e.g. for me, Philadelphia; and as randomly encountered online. A prime example of #-9 above.

Day _18_ of _61_

The Story of Ms. Ella–Part I I

(To Be Completed ASAP.)

//

Of Simple, Beautiful Existence

Surely, I will continue/conclude Ms. Ella’s heart-warming story as soon as possible (ASAP), as I promise above. And I will definitely complete the transcription of the rough–but rather artistic, or aspirationally creative (?) [🤔]–website update plans.

Amidst all the ambition, angst, or even–G_d-forbid (!), impatience; always worrying about one’s “productivity” (and yes, these are real “SCARE”/sarcastic quotation-marks! 😂), a poor soul–bless their heart, forgets that on balance, measured by the metric(s) of what really matters, overall, he/they deliver—they get s^^t DONE!

Furthermore, the poor soul fails to realize that lulls, mundaneness, road blocks, and meandering paths–that all these are a natural element of life. And yes indeed (I suppose…): humans plan, G_d*^ laugh(s).

//———-//

[*^] = G_d, or the gods / Fate / Whatever You Believe In–including our almighty science!

//———-//

Instead, as that wise sage–Max Ehrmann–exhorts us (in this poem*^^):

Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here.

//———-//

[*^^] = I believe the mathematical odds might be decent–or very good (perhaps 75+%) in favor of the eventuality that I will reference this poem again, and/or this one, among other motivational–or inspirational–ones.

//———-//

In other words, try to learn to earnestly savor your mere existence, you ~~poor~~[–nay, …] good/beautiful soul. Just try and be; simply, be.

Day _19_ of _61_

// Added Retroactively, on Day 20 (Nov 20, 2023)

Intentional / Mindful Break 1

Apropos the previous day’s resolution, I decided to intentionally take a break yesterday–i.e., vis-a-vis adding this post.

Day _20_ of _61_

Yet Another Week of Existence and Subsistence

And so it comes to pass, that a new week dawns upon us.

One can strive their hardest. Or, one can simply try.

Just keep striving, or keep trying.

Day _21_ of _61_

It Shall Be Done; …

Or, it shall be written, and it shall be done.

Regardless / either way, … (“fill in the blank”! 🙂 ).

It is my earnest belief that if one is determined to do something–or, at the very least, to **try to do** something, they will do it.

And I suppose the choice of the precise modi operandi of how exactly to do so–to get ish done, is up to each individual adult. But this depends on the context, of course. For instance, at work, the supervisor, and/or CEO, and/or, shareholders–etc., “call the shots”.

As for me, though (?): I believe I can safely hazard that around 80-something-% of my work gets done in either of two ways:

1)–I either do something immediately, as soon as I remember that I have to do it. OR…

2)–I write it down.

// In fact, oftentimes, as I am doing via these blogging self-challenges, I write it down, then force myself into a situation in which I will be ashamed if I don’t do something. That surely lights a fire under my you-know-what!

Just keep striving, or keep trying.

Day _22_ of _61_

On Genuine, Spontaneous, and Rather Pure Human Interactions; The Story of Ms. Ella:

Part II/Conclusion

With her soft voice–clear, articulate, and confident–but (rather/very) soft; thus forcing me to lean closer to her–downward, akin to leaning close, to try to listen effectively to a child, she abruptly launched a thinking-outloud-style analytical mulling. At first, I really struggled to make sense of what she was saying, given the abruptness of her approach, and the cacophony of our environment (among various other factors, of course; try to empathize with me–imagine yourself in that situation: how easily would you have comprehended Ms. Ella?!).

I had to politely request Ms. Ella to speak louder, and (to also request her) to strive to clearly explain what she meant. And eventually–thankfully, I was able to make heads and tails of her main point!

Her basic discussion-question to me was (paraphrased, or roughly quoted): Are you familiar with workers similar to nannies–funded privately, by parents; or, funded via government/nonprofit funds–somewhat akin to part-time child welfare officers, whose jobs entail picking up kids from school?

“Why, yes,” I responded; “why do you ask?” She then channeled my attention a group of 4 children, in a far corner of the eat-in section of the McDee‘s, apparently being chaperoned by someone who seemed to be doing that job. As for the identity of the chaperon in question (?): a Caucasian lady–younger, seemingly in the 30s to 40s age-range; heavy-set, with a kind face. And she certainly seemed to be a natural–in her element, with the munchkins.

She added that at first, she had assumed that the lady was the children’s mother. But then she realized that the kids were of different races. “Hmmm,” I concurred, “I see what you mean!” And their skin-tones were indeed of varying hues. Two looked Caucasian, albeit via a southern European-style tanned complexion. Another looked Latino; and another looked a little lighter in complexion compared to Ms. Ella, but Black, nonetheless.

After that icebreaker discussion, Ms. Ella and I meandered through various topics–in less than 10 or so minutes, mind, as we waited for our (to-g0-) orders! And in a nutshell, the essence of the conversation was related to the idea–or ideal–of how to live a good life.

Eventually, Ms. Ella revealed her age to me: 91! 😮 Remember–or, you can look back for reference, that in my first part of this story, I emphasized the fact that Ms. Ella didn’t look that wrinkly–at least, to me!

And among all the topics we discussed, I believe the most important one emanated from a question I asked her (again, paraphrased, or roughly quoted): If you had to give a young(er) person just **one** piece of advice–about how to live a good life (what’s the “secret sauce,” so to speak), what would you tell them?

Her response to me:

Listen. Learn to listen to people.

After all, more than anything, most people simply desire to be understood, and to be appreciated.

Day _23_ of _61_

“The Path”

Regardless of how impossibly difficult your situation might seem: as that wise sage told Eddie Murphy in this movie, …

…Remember! Stay on the path!

Day _24_ of _61_

[Set 1 of…] Dr. Seif’s Rules*^ of Life

//——-//

[*^] = Inspired By This Dude‘s Own Rules.

//——-//

0)–Rule number 0 (zero):

Oftentimes, rules can–and/or should–be bent, or broken.

1)–Rule number 1:

First, do not harm yourself, nor others. Obey the ten commandments, and strive to live your life within a framework of good ethics, to the best of your ability.

For instance, don’t self-sabotage by failing to follow through on simple resolutions or promises.

==> Example continued: If you resolve to write an entry per day for a certain number of days, do your best to do it.

==> Example concluded: If you barely manage to do it–e.g., between 11:45 PM to around 5 AM of the next day (such as this particular entry, written/published around ~11:45 to 11:50 PM, Nov 24, 2023), you’ve done it, or have tried your best.

Day _25_ of _61_

Intentional / Mindful Break 2

// Implementation of Planned Pause and Retroactive Resumption ; Ergo:

Added Retroactively, on Day 26 (Nov 26, 2023)

Pure Nothingness, and Chaotic-and-Orderly Everything-Ness

I am wondering if other folks can relate to that description–in the title above. For those of us that are (still) blessed with the gift of eyesight: when you close your eyes, I can hazard a guess that you can visualize memories from both the distant and near past.

Or, you can even visualize the things around you at that given moment, if you’ve deliberately looked at them for this purpose. This includes whether or not you’re inside or outside, and regardless of the shapes, colors, and other traits of the things around you.

But similar to what we experience during the deeper stages of sleep (i.e., N2, N3, and REM–ref-1–Google; and ref-2)–in fact, even during the liminal pre- and post-sleep stages, I am curious as to whether other folks can relate to another visualization and self-induced experience ability. A very powerful but very engimatic phenomenon of our ability to: either see and feel pure dark nothingness–a major reason for its usefulness capacity during medidation practice; or, to also visualize one thing or two things clearly–or, very many things, all at once.

We can experience these things in an orderly or sensible manner–e.g., for me, pictures of the universe, planetary systems, atmosphere, the seas, etc. Or, we can experience these elements in a vague fashion–similar to the feeling you get with “tip of the word syndrome,” but on a larger scale. You might be trying to plan something(s), or trying to figure out what to do, or inducing this feeling on purpose.

Regardless, the experience (can) involve(s) the visualization and feeling of tangible elements–of different shapes and colors and other traits. Or, it can involve a metaphysical state–for instance, you feeling how will when undertaking that one important project: i)–overwhelmed at first, ii)–then in control after getting your bearings and writing your planning documentation, iii)–anxious sometimes–some days will be bad days for sure, and finally, iv)–exhilirated and victorious, after you’ve completed the big awesome project.

The main point / moral of the story–related to the concept and practice of **creativity**:

Are we effectively harnessing the awesome power of our minds?

If “yes,” great. But if “no,” why not–why aren’t we strive to utilize?! And regardless of whether or not we are indeed harnessing these abilities, how can we do it more effectively?

Interlude 2–Progress-Check

Preview of Select Upcoming Topics:

>> [Sets 1 of “N”] of…] Dr. Seif’s Rules^ of Life* [Ongoing]

>> “Idea-ology” and creativity [Ongoing]

>> Software-development and data science techniques

>> Mindfulness [Ongoing]

>> The mercurialness of human nature–its “good, bad, and [un-understable]”

>> The beauty of mathematics

>> Careers and professionalism [Ongoing]

>> Related to the mindfulness topic above: trying to always keep the “big picture” in mind.

>> Centrism is underrated / one person’s meat is another person’s poison X

>> Metacognition [Ongoing]

>> Literacy: i.e., in both the simple sense(s) of the concept, as well as the multilayeredly-complex (sense[s])!

Reserved Topics:

>> Originally planned for day 27: Software-Development & Data Science Techniques and The Larger Picture: Business Process- and Productivity-Optimization

Day _26_ of _61_

[I–] Dr. Seif’s Rules, Cont’d (Reference)

II–Search-Engine- and Brain Dysfunction / Failure [Ongoing / Might Be Moved to Day 27]

2)–Rule number 2:

Regardless of how difficult it is to master, strive to learn to practice mindfulness*^, to the best of your ability.

At the very least, just try.

//——-//

[*^] = References:

>> 1) Mayo Clinic

>> 2) Pyschology Today

>> 3) American Psychological Association

>> 4) Wikipedia

>> 5) Google Search Results

Day _27_ of _61_

Good Faith Creativity-Execution, and/or an Invocation of the “(Rule-) Bending” Allowance of Rule Zero, as Defined Above, Under Day 24

Today’s Writing Accomplishment:

Post 1 of the “Proudly Reinventing the Wheel” Series.

Day _28_ of _61_

Creativity in General: What is It?

Random brainstormed definition attempt–to be verified or corrected later: Creativity–which can arise both spontaneously or in a structured manner, is the mental production of insightful ideas. These ideas are often transformable into into novel or impressive artifacts for various purposes–including work, artistic or recreational expression, metacognitive ideation processes, etc.

In subsequent posts, I will attempt to verify (or disprove, and/or add nuanced details to) that definition. I will also try to provide some examples of specific creative ideas–and/or idea typologies, as well as some specific artifacts, and/or forms and functions that (can) arise from the phenomenon.

Day _29_ of _61_

Creativity Via Mathematics

As I was looking at my pre-planned topic for today–after completing yesterday’s entry, I was somewhat gripped with panic and fear. Reason (?): I started second-guessing the premise of the topic! Can we in fact use mathematics to engender more and/or better creativity?

Quick answer: Yes, we definitely can! Given my tardiness with this post/entry’s deadline, I’ll try to succinctly demonstrate my assertion’s evidence via pictures. First, please take a look at the picture below.

Notice the fact that the camera clearly displays (and seemingly effortlessly, at that, …) the houses and street direction, as well as our distances from the point of focus (P.O.F). And for clarity: in scene-1–picture “W-PHL-3,” the P.O.F is the duplex house directly in front of us. But for the other two scenes (2–“W-PHL-5” and 3–“W-PHL-4”), the P.O.F is (/are) the farthest house(s) from us, with our vantage point the house porch from where I took the pictures, and very near the white cargo van, etc.

Now then, for the main insight in question. As I was trying to sketch these scenes, I was forced to deliberately consider how to clearly depict each of the three scenes, to demonstrate that taken-for-granted physics fact: objects farther away from us appear smaller. As I briefly remarked farther above, the pictures depict the above fact clearly, and seemingly effortlessly!

And in the end, the concept that helped me (subconsciously at first, then deliberately later), is that of angles. For reference, please take a look at the (very rough and messy [!] 🤦‍♂️) sketch below.

Details:

i)–Scene 1 (W-PHL-3): Notice the center or relative (versus “true”/stationary) north view via a 90-degree perspective–of scene 1. In other words, I can point straight at the house in front of me–akin to pointing from point A to D in the image below, versus pointing left or right.

ii)–And in the sketch farther below, for time-deficit purposes, I had to skip scene-3 (W-PHL-4)–with a sharp right ~~(or, relative western)~~ [*^] perspective of our sight. In that case, a bi-directional line–going left and right–would give us a 180-degree angle.

[*^] = Please Note:

The references are somewhat confusing, hence my strikethrough of the “relative western” designation.

iii)–However, in scene-2 (W-PHL-5)‘s sketch below–confusingly labelled #-3 (sorry [!]; trust me, I’m suffering right along with you 🤦‍♂️ [!]), notice the 45-degree (relative) north-western perspective of our sight.

//———-//

Honestly, this activity makes me realize that it is really sad, how math can be studied in a fun way. And yet–unfortunately, most of us hate it! In any case–surely, especially via the “Math is Fun” blog-tag on this site, we’ll delve further into this discussion!

Click Here to Return to the Top

Day _30_ of _61_

Extemporaneous Creative Writing Session 1–Part A:

Deliverables:

Brief Novel Chapter Section, and Attendant TV-Show / Movie Screenplay, and/or Theatre Play Script

Consolidated With Day 31; i.e.:

Dec 1, 2023’s Post.

Day _31_ of _61_

(Dec 1, 2023 )

Extemporaneous Creative Writing–Part 1*^

[^] = (To be continued gradually on other days below*.)

Sample Deliverables:

Brief Novel Chapter Section, and Attendant TV-Show / Movie Screenplay, and/or Theatre Play Script

//———//

Today’s Task: Brainstorming “How To” Ideas.

//———//

>> 1)–Empathy vs. bare/vivid imagination, and/or compelling description and exposition; partial esource: Ignited Ink Writing, LLC.

>> 2)–Related to 1 above: character development; source-1; source-2; source-3; others (via Google).

>> 3)–The necessary general ontological, format-/industry-/convention-/, and practicality-related considerations of the differences between novels, theatre-play scripts, and TV-show/moview screenplays. Click here ==> for Google search results.

>> 4)–Genre considerations; what kind of story are you trying to convey to your audience? E.g.:

==> Drama–comedy, tragedy, tragicomedy and melodrama;

==> Action and political intrigue or espionage / crime / mystery thriller;

==> Biopic, or a combination of the above, based on real-life stories–fully or partly;

==> What else should a writer consider in this context?

//———-//

>> 5)–A: Research, research, research!

_”_5)–B: “Just do it (!)“; don’t procrastinate. And (forgive the cliche, but yes: …): “practice, practice, practice!” Meaning: via a truism, but an inescapable and useful one: the more you write, the better you get at it!

Day _32_ of _61_

(Dec 2, 2023)

The Drama and Follies of Human Minds and (Human) Nature, And the Attendant Flaws of Our Digital Technologies: Part 1

Specific (Exemplary) Context:

Searching For Music Online

//———//

Part 2 to be posted farther below, later/ASAP.

//———//

In this 2-post series, I am trying to productively discuss at least 2 quandaries. Notice immediately by the way, that I can’t even dare to think or write **”resolve”**! Nope, I am not delusional! 😂

In a prior post above, I made a reference to “tip of the tongue” syndrome, which I discuss fairly substantively in this book. However, that annoying phenomenon is a proverbial tip of the iceberg in this context; please allow me to demonstrate.

Like many good (/”normal”) humans, I am an earnest lover of various genres of music–pop, hip-hop/rap and r’n’b, classical and jazz, afrobeats, etc. Consequently, I often “file away” lyrics and accompanying instrumental tracks of various songs (from all the above-listed, and other genres). In fact, at the beautiful home where I have lived since late summer of this year, I seem to have garnered some notoriety for often singing out loud, if/when the mood strikes–hey, sue me! 😂

And oftentimes, that acapella karaoke–so to speak–is insufficient; the music bug really bites (again, in a manner of speaking), and I really want to play my jam–whoo-hoo! Unfortunately, during such music-mood moments, I often don’t know–or remember–the title of the song, and/or artists.

Well, “that’s why G_d created Google,” I smugly exclaim. And off I go to Prof. G, typing in the snippets of the song lyrics I remember. Sometimes/often, I also type the artist’s name before or after the lyric-snippets. But on other occassions, the mere lyrics will bring me the song I am seeking.

And hey, instead of telling you, let me demonstrate the technique. First, let’s try one of my fav-artists–despite my condemnation of his misogyny, my buoy Drizzy (related links: 1–external–my related project; 2–internal). Let’s go with, (…e.g., …):

Example 1; Google Search Query:

“lyrics Drake How I’m feeling it doesn’t matter, coz you know I’m okay. Instead I ask myself why do you hurt me…“

And voila! Take a look-see at the screenshot below!

Unfortunately, sometimes–or, more often than I would wish, this technique fails to yield the expected result. Usually, the reason for that failure is my butchering of the song’s lyrics, especially when I also don’t know the name of the artiste.

Moreover, here is one other unfortunate fact: more often than we’d like, our memories fail us completely. In fact, in this context, we can discuss disorders such as dementias, or head trauma-related memory loss. We completely forget events, or (set of) fact(s), despite indisputable evidence that confirms our presence thereof, or prior knowledge of the facts in question.

However, the good news here might be that overall, our own minds (or those of loved ones, among other folks) serve their purpose. Statistically–or probabilistically–speaking, we fare well in our day-to-day lives.

Example / proof of our minds’ ability to resurrect facts or memories at our behest (so to speak):

Last Sunday, I was desperately trying to recall the names of two artistes (/rappers) of a particular late 90s / early 2000s. The only artiste of record I could recall was Keith Sweat. However, he was simply featured for the chorus and back-up vocals, versus the rap verses.

The only partial snippets or words I could recall–regardless of their partial accuracy, moreover–were the following:

i)–From the chorus:

You know I got those…in your [/those]…, we here to let you know, that it aint keep you getting high…

ii)–And from one of the verses:

Now you don’t see, what we see, sucker MCs try to contest me…

And there I was on Google: searching, and searching, and searching. For the queries, I used search-terms like “Keith Sweat [plus one set of verses from the above two]…,” all in vain. Eventually, frustrated, I gave up.

However, later, as I was laying on the bed, watching TV, somehow, spontaneously, the two artistes state names sprung up in my mind: “Lil’ Bud” and “Tizone.” And again, off I went to Google; but this time, I was ~98.5% sure that I would find the song in question.

Result:

Day _33_ of _61_

(Dec 3, 2023)

Organic Web-Traffic Growth Techniques For SEO Haters [ 😦 ]

Folks, without further ado, let me dive right in with a confession [ 😦 ]: I (“kinda/sorta”…) **HATE** (and yes, I know that “that is [such] a strong word) SEO! But lucky for me, in addition to old stodgy digital “Profs”–including our beloved (“Prof.”) Google de Alphabet [ 🙂 ], we have a cool new fresh (digital) instructor, “Prof.” ChatGPT (de OpenAI)! 🙂 So, I had to ask them about this topic. And voila! Please see below for their response.

First, my prompt:

Could you please give me a long list of techniques, of organically growing a WordPress.com website, without using SEO methods?

//———-//

And their answer:

ChatGPT Link; re: Organic Digital Traffic Growth

ChatGPT–Organic Digital-Traffic Growth Download

Day _34_ of _61_

(Dec 4, 2023)

Extemporaneous Creative Writing–Part 2

(Click Here For Part 1*^ Above)

Sample Deliverables:

Brief Novel Chapter Section, and Attendant TV-Show / Movie Screenplay, and/or Theatre Play Script

//———//

Today’s Deliverable (Table Below):

A follow-up/conclusion of part 1’s activity.

Creative Structure-Sample For Fiction Writing Download

Click Here to Return to the Top

Day _35_ of _61_

(Dec 5, 2023)

Introduction to “Drake-ology,” the Study of Drake

Discussion at Fort Hays State U.

Day _36_ of _61_

(Dec 6, 2023)

Admission of Failure, and Resolution to Keep Trying, And/Or to Improve

Unfortunately, the Drake event seems to have taken a huge toll on my mental capacity. Hence, I ended up not completing this day’s entry! 😦

All I can do is admit that failure, and resolve to strive to do better.

Day _37_ of _61_

(Dec 7, 2023)

[Set 1 of…] Dr. Seif’s Rules*^ of Life Continued:

Please refer to post/day 24 farther above for 1st rule.

//——-//

[*^] = Inspired By This Dude‘s Own Rules.

//——-//

0)–Rule number 0 (zero):

Oftentimes, rules can–and/or should–be bent, or broken.

//——-//

2)–Rule number 2:

Be kind to yourself.

Day _38_ of _61_

(Dec 8, 2023)

[Set 1 of…] Dr. Seif’s Rules*^ of Life Continued:

Please refer to post/day 24 farther above for 1st rule.

[*^] = Inspired By This Dude‘s Own Rules.

//——-//

0)–Rule number 0 (zero):

Oftentimes, rules can–and/or should–be bent, or broken.

//——-//

7)–Rule number 7:

Remember that these are my own rules. Beyond learning from your parents, teachers, clergy folk, friends, etc., strive to scrutinize the “advice” you get from various sources. A the very least, “take it with a grain salt.” Or, feel free to reject it, if it doesn’t fit in with your values/beliefs/aspirations, etc.

II–Poetry-Composition Table

10)–Rule number 10:

I know that this here is much “easier said, than done.” Nonetheless, it’s true.

Strive your hardest to always keep the big picture in mind. Stated otherwise, this rule/principle might sound like a cliche to those of us that try to pursue “The Path”–of mindfulness. Regardless, it’s true: “this too, shall pass.” In other words, just keep chugging along, no matter the roadblocks in your way; just keep putting one foot in front of the other.

“After all is said and done,” we don’t really know our real final destination–the situation in which we’ll end, despite our aspirations. Again, keep all this–and the above-stated advice in mind, and keep your chin up. “Stay calm, and carry on.”

Day _ 46 _ of _61_

(Dec 16, 2023)

[Set 1 of…] Dr. Seif’s Rules*^ of Life Continued:

>> Please refer to post/day 24 farther above for 1st rule.

//——-//

[*^] = Inspired By This Dude‘s Own Rules.

Of Writing Debts to Others (i.e., Readers); But Mostly, to my Self

For the past several days’ entries, I continued listing my new set of “life rules”. And if anyone has been following the entries, you would have realized that I wrote them in advance, covering multiple days ahead of time.

Fair enough, I guess. As rule #-0 states, rules often can–and/or, should be bent, or broken. And apparently–i.e./e.g., for day 43 (Dec 13), I also added some other content.

Regardless, today, the urgency of the task caught up with me again, so to speak. I had to write a new entry.

IMHO, it’s funny how people who don’t write professionally, think writing is easy. Or, perhaps they know it’s hard, but they don’t quite grasp how (very, very…) hard it is. In other words, there seems to exist a huge empathy deficit in some folks’ minds–non-writers, that is.

In any case, here I am, faithfully fulfilling my pledge–to myself and my readers; coming through, managing to write this day’s entry. And the main topics of the entry are:

1)–A brief discussion of the difficulty of writing–as I do above, and…

2)–A look ahead at what I hope to write/upload on this and other pages of this site, over the next several days.

First, I suppose I need to write a few more entries of this style; i.e., simple prose, thinking out loud–on virtual paper–or, on a screen, so to speak. I have also been planning to write some poetry; at the very least, just one. But preferably, ~~at least 3, or~~ a total of 5, via the perspectives I pinpoint on this table, uploaded to this page (the “Teaching & Research” page of this site).

However, regardless of what I exactly I manage to write or upload, the indubitable fact in my mind is that I really do **need** to keep journaling publicly. Over time, I am discovering that there some effective mental tools–so to speak, that help me achieve, and/or maintain, an ideal psychological-motivational balance or equilibrium. These include mindfulness practice, to-do lists, etc.

But journaling, both private and public–perhaps public, more than private, might be the most effective of such tools. The specific words I used to describe its effect–as I was thinking about it sometime yesterday, are:

Writing–specifically, journaling [seems to] cleanse(s) my mind (/soul).

And if that’s true indeed, how can I–in good conscience, fail to [at least try to] do it conscientiously?

Day _ 50 _ of _61_

(Dec 20, 2023*^)

“TCT” Table–Day 1

^Same As Above*

Sekalala “TCT” Table–Day 1 Download

Template

Day _ 51 _ of _61_

(Dec 21, 2023)

Of Struggles and Persistence; a Minimalist Entry

Yet another day, yet another set of struggles. But onward, we keep marching.

A luta continua; vitoria e certa.

Day _ 52 _ of _61_

(Dec 22, 2023 *^ )

[*^] = Took a deliberate break on this actual day. Hence, I am instead writing the entry on Dec 23, 2023.

Reportable/Notable Leisure Activity/Experience:

This movie–linked here, and via picture below, and its awesome inspirational, story.

Day _ 53 _ of _61_

(Dec 23, 2023)

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[Cover Content: …]

Omunaku Kaama

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A novel By Seif Sekalala.

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[Page-Top Marker.]

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[Title-Proverb Explanation-Page: …]

Luganda Proverb:

Omunaku Kaama, yerandiza yekka.

//—–//

Translation:

Kaama’s best ally–that poor lonely tendril, is their own initiative. Somehow, they (Kaama) ingeniously find the support-stem they need to reach up for the sun.

—

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[Multiple Page-Beginning Marker.]

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Part I–December, 2053

Chapter 1

Anastasia Mushaka playfully giggled, squealed, and made funny faces to amuse baby Vivi, as they sat by the large window of their 18th-floor suite at the Sheraton hotel. She was also looking at the skyline of the city of Philadelphia, while planning how to pull off her risky plan. Vivi was already 10 months old, and she seemed to enjoy the view of the city.

[Next: …]

[Description of the city vista (as observed by Anastasia).]

***_____***_____***

Anastasia’s employers–the ambassador of the Confederation of Panafriland to the United States, and his wife–had left them earlier, to attend a dinner with the visiting high-level delegation from Panafriland, including President Melissa Kisoboka, the Minister of Foreign Affairs–Dr. Elvis Nyerere, and other delegation dignitaries. The dinner was also a meet-and-greet event, for the President and Panafriland government delegation to meet some of the wealthy expatriates and dual US-Panafriland citizens.

This group was a particularly powerful constituency of the coalition that had enabled Panafriland to become as wealthy and powerful as it was, a feat that no other other African country had ever managed to pull off. Throughout the eras before, during, and after the Umoja Ni Nguvu (“Stronger, Together”) revolution, the wananchi wa kimataifa (citizens in the diaspora) had mobilized over 50 billion USD-worth of materiel and logistical support. They had also provided priceless technical advice, and political support–including an intense lobbying effort in Washington, DC.

Given that history and current power dynamics, President Melissa, Minister Nyerere, and Ambassador Clive Kakubo had to keep the kimataifa wananchi (K.W.) satisfied. Come to think of it, Anastasia mused: given the mysterious Project X‘s critical juncture, the Panafriland government would be crazy to stop mollycoddling the K.W.!

***_____***_____***

[Next: …]

[Dialogue: President Melissa and Minister Nyerere are quizzing Clive about his progress with his current Project-X-related assignment. But he is distracted, thinking about Anastasia’s weird behavior, lately.]

—

[Multiple Page-Ending Marker.]

\\—–\\—–\\//—–//—–//

To be continued gradually–and more-than-likely, privately. In other words, save for the novel’s synopsis–and/or, other carefully considered excerpts, the author will strive to finish and market the manuscript privately–i.e., to an agent, and/or publisher, etc.

//—–//—–//—–//

“How-To” Resources

1)–Ken Follet’s “Master Class” Essay. “Full disclosure (!)”: Follet is also my main role model, vis-a-vis creative–esp., fiction–writing. 🙂

Day _ 54 _ of _61_

(Dec 24, 2023)

[Set 1 of…] Dr. Seif’s Rules*^ of Life Continued:

>> Please refer to post/day 24 farther above for 1st rule.

//——-//

[*^] = Inspired By This Dude‘s Own Rules.

//——-//

0)–Rule number 0 (zero):

Oftentimes, rules can–and/or should–be bent, or broken.

//——-//

14)–Rule number 14:

Related to rule #-7: regardless of your extensive knowledge or wisdom–as a professional, or as a good person: be humble, and be very careful vis-a-vis giving advice, especially if the person(s) you’re advising have not requested for said advice. Unfortunately, many of us are oft-felled by the “Achille’s Heel(s)” of self-righteousness and hypocrisy. Strive to avoid that trap, dear friend.

Day _ 55 _ of _61_

(Dec 25, 2023)

“Speaking of [Mars]…”.

To those around the world that celebrate it, Merry Christmas. As for the day’s substantive topic, let’s dive right in!

Having watched “The Martian” movie the day before yesterday, I somehow started wondering about the details of space travel. Specfically, I was thinking (or wondering about) the details of how trips to and from outer space–especially the moon and Mars–are engineered. And despite not knowing the technical term of the object, I was picturing the Low Earth Orbit (LEO) shuttle, versus the capsules that return to earth–i.e./e.g., the command module of the Apollo mission, etc (as depicted in the “Other Source” webpage picture below).

So there I was, googling away! And voila (!); please see below for some relevant links.

>> i)–YouTube video 1 (the narrator divulges the details I was pondering starting at time-point 4:41 of 12:22).

>> ii)–YouTube vide 2; the more concise version.

>> iii)–“From the Horse’s Mouth”: NASA’s own telling.

>> iv)–Other Source 1

>> v)–Other Source 2.

Day _ 56 _ of _61_

(Dec 26, 2023)

“Chats With ‘Prof. Chat'”

Internal Link (to the LLP Webpage)

Day _ 57 _ of _61_

(Dec 27, 2023)

Part A–Progress-Check: How Hopeful Was I On Day 0, and How Hopeful Am I Today?

Please note: yes, I hereby assert that one can argue, that this measurement can uncover a “true zero”!

However, for the sake the conventionality and quality assurance, let me also use an alternative scale, given the abstract nature of the concept in question–i.e., “hope”.

Day 0 of the “61 Days” Essay-Series:

0–1–2– [3] –4–5–6–7–8–9–10

1— [2] —3—–4—–5

Vs.

Day 57 of the “61 Days” Essay-Series:

0–1–2–3–4– [5] –6–7–8–9–10

1—–2— [3] —4—–5

//——-//

Part B–Self-Granted Extension For Poetry-Composition(s)

I need to “invoke” rule #-2 as defined farther above, re: kindness to self, and/or, in conformance of the counsel given in this beautiful poem (Desiderata, by Max Ehrmann):

Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.

You are a child of the universe,
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.

Surely, I will attempt the five poems I promised myself farther above. But not today. Too tired, I’m afraid.

Peace and Love.

Day _ 58 _ of _61_

(Dec 28, 2023 *^ )

[*^] = Unfortunately, I forgot–or somehow, “didn’t get a chance”–to write my entry on the allocated date. Instead, I am writing it today, on…

Dec 29, 2023.

Part A–Poetry-Attempt 1

Title: Am I?

Yet again, here I am;

Imperfect surely, I am;

But d^^^nit, I will keep trying.

All I can do, surely, is try.

Try–and keep trying, at the very least.

And yes, I am;

Failing or succeeding, but steadily trying, I surely am.

//=====//

Part B–Poetry-Attempt 2

Title: “S.”

Surely, I am a good person (?)–or am I?

Unlike other bad people, I am…

Confident, ~~conscientious/~~–then again, of this, I am not sure (am I indeed conscientious?).

Careful-but-carefree; and perhaps an overthinker as well? After all, do I not often find myself pondering about…

Existentialism, and the meaning of that-

“S“-word (?)! Apparently, I seem to know way too little! But one thing or person I have to know–to at least try to know? Answer: that complex entity: my own person and mind; my

[S/] self.

Day _ 59 _ of _61_

(Dec 29, 2023)

Poetry-Attempt 3

Title: “Unworthy“

Who am I (?), my goodness (!), this unworthy person!

That cannot dare compare themselves to those worthy ones;

Bless their hearts, surely, for they so toiled and paved the path for me.

Chains and whips, they endured,

Insulted, mistrusted;

Who am I (?), my goodness (!), this unworthy person!

Gassed, killed, displaced

All of it, they endured,

Bless their hearts, surely, for they so toiled and paved the path for me.

Ridiculed, cheated, unseen,

And surely beneath those of us that are smarter than they,

Who am I (?), my goodness (!), this unworthy person!

But are you sure?

Are those grievances based in fact? Regardless,

Bless their hearts, surely, for they so toiled and paved the path for me.

Surely, you’re confused,

For no such martyrs can exist, all at once–mistreated for their mere sex, or religion, and surely not because of their customs and rituals!

Don’t you know, you ingrate, that such words cannot be uttered here, on this hallowed island? Surely, you’re wrong. So yes, perhaps you should ask yourself:

Who am I (?), my goodness (!), this unworthy person!

Bless their hearts, surely, for they so toiled and paved the path for me.

Day _ 60 _ of _61_

(Dec 30, 2023)

Poetry-Attempt 4

Title: “[W]DK“

With free verse, we flow,

But not about “Them“; at least not for now.

Placid, but pensive too, admittedly.

No, we don’t know; or do we not, indeed?

Enough then; at least, we will know (?).

Placid, or amidst tempests and torrents?

Arid, or vibrant?

Alas, no, we don’t know.

Placid then, ~~but pensive too, admittedly~~ at least.

Somehow, some day: we will know.

Day _ 61 _ of _61_

(Dec 31, 2023)

Poetry-Attempt 5

Title: The Kind Enigmatic Entity

the-kind-enigmatic-entity-2 Download

//—//__\\—-//\\—-//__\\—\\

[Set 1 of…] Dr. Seif’s Rules*^ of Life: Conclusion

>> Please refer to post/day 24 farther above for 1st rule.

//——-//

[*^] = Inspired By This Dude‘s Own Rules.

//——-//

0)–Rule number 0 (zero):

Oftentimes, rules can–and/or should–be bent, or broken.

//——-//

15)–Rule number 15:

Strive as best you can to follow these rules. But always remember the first rule–#-0 (zero). Not because you intend to be unethical or fickle!

Au contraire, remember it–and if necessary, use it, to achieve and/or maintain pragmatic ethics, and to always adjust your strategies and tactics accordingly.

Strive to follow the rules, so as to ensure your good integrity. After all, you’re not a selfish or inconsiderate person, and you don’t make promises you can’t keep. Relatedly: try to be very careful, judicious, and wise, as you compose any other sets of rules!

Click Here to Return to the Top

The Amazing–yet “artitificial”– Wisdom *^ Knowledge f Prof. ChatGPT!

🙂

^I’m very doubtful about the ability of a machine to generate wisdom.*

Ordered By Random Topic

>> Topic 1: “Compassionate Capitalism”

==>> Query: “Tell me about compassionate capitalism, similar to Ford’s belief in paying good salaries and pricing his cars affordably, so Ford employees can buy them“

Compassionate capitalism, often associated with the practices of business leaders like Henry Ford, is an approach to capitalism that combines profit-seeking with a sense of social responsibility and fairness. The concept centers on the idea that businesses should not only focus on maximizing profits but also consider the well-being of their employees and the community at large. Henry Ford’s approach is a classic example of this concept, as he aimed to pay his workers well and price his cars affordably.

Key principles of compassionate capitalism include:

Fair Wages: Paying employees fair and livable wages, ensuring that workers can afford a decent standard of living.
Affordable Products: Offering products or services at reasonable prices, so they are accessible to a broad range of people, not just the elite.
Employee Well-Being: Caring for the welfare of employees, including their physical and mental health, job security, and opportunities for advancement.
Community Engagement: Being actively involved in the local community, contributing to social causes, and addressing issues that affect the community.
Sustainable Practices: Adopting environmentally sustainable practices and considering the long-term impact of business operations.
Ethical Business Conduct: Maintaining high ethical standards and values in all business dealings.
Long-Term Perspective: Focusing on long-term business growth and sustainability, rather than short-term profit maximization.

Henry Ford’s introduction of the $5 workday in 1914 is a prominent example of compassionate capitalism. By paying workers more than double the industry standard at the time, he not only reduced employee turnover but also allowed many of his workers to afford the very cars they were producing. This, in turn, expanded the market for Ford automobiles and contributed to the success of the company.

The concept of compassionate capitalism acknowledges that businesses can be financially successful while simultaneously benefiting employees and the community. It’s a recognition that capitalism, when practiced with a social conscience, can be a force for positive change and shared prosperity.

>> Topic 2:

Curiosity, re: Advanced Math–Part I

==>> Query: “How to learn advanced math as a visual learner“

Learning advanced math as a visual learner might require more in-depth visualization techniques and a strong grasp of fundamental math concepts. Here’s a structured approach to help you learn advanced math visually:

Master the Basics: Ensure you have a solid foundation in elementary math concepts. Visualize and understand fundamental operations, such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.
Visualize Algebra: Use visual aids for algebraic concepts like variables, equations, and inequalities. Create graphs, charts, and diagrams to represent algebraic relationships.
Geometry and Trigonometry: Geometry heavily relies on visualization. Practice drawing geometric shapes, angles, and figures. Visualize trigonometric functions through graphs and triangles.
Calculus: Visualization is essential in calculus. Understand limits, derivatives, and integrals by visualizing the slopes, areas, and curves involved. Graph functions to see their behavior.
Linear Algebra: Visualize vectors and matrices in linear algebra. Use diagrams to understand transformations, eigenvalues, and eigenvectors.
Differential Equations: Use slope fields and direction fields to visualize solutions to differential equations. Graphical representations can help you understand dynamic systems.
Abstract Math: Some advanced math, such as abstract algebra or set theory, can be challenging for visual learners. Focus on understanding the concepts and creating visual mental models.
Proofs and Theorems: Learn and visualize mathematical proofs step by step. Create diagrams to illustrate geometric proofs or logical structures.
3D Visualization: Develop your 3D visualization skills, particularly for topics like multivariable calculus and 3D geometry. Use software or physical models if needed.
Graph Theory: Visualize networks and graphs for topics like graph theory. Drawing graphs and visualizing paths can aid in understanding.
Complex Numbers: Use the complex plane to visualize complex numbers, which have both real and imaginary components. Understand how they rotate and transform.
Technology Tools: Utilize mathematical software like Geogebra, Desmos, or Wolfram Alpha, which provide visual representations and interactive learning experiences.
Online Courses and Tutorials: Enroll in online courses or watch video tutorials specifically designed for visual learners. Many online resources incorporate animations and visual aids.
Real-Life Applications: Connect advanced math concepts to real-world applications. Understanding how math is used in various fields can make it more tangible.
Practice Regularly: Practice is key. Solve a wide range of problems and visualize the solutions. Repetition helps reinforce your visual understanding of mathematical concepts.
Work with Visual Learners: Collaborate with fellow visual learners or engage with teachers who understand your learning style. They can provide additional visual materials and explanations.

Remember that advanced math can be challenging, and it may require more time and effort. Be patient with yourself and seek help when needed. Visualizing complex concepts can make them more accessible and enjoyable to learn.

>> Topic 3:

Curiosity, re: Advanced Math–Part II

==>> Query: “Online/web and other creative and fun resources of learning advanced math“

Learning advanced math can be both fun and engaging when you utilize online resources and creative tools. Here are some online and creative resources for learning advanced math:

Khan Academy: Khan Academy offers free online math courses, including advanced topics such as calculus, linear algebra, and differential equations. The interactive exercises make learning fun.
Brilliant.org: Brilliant provides interactive courses in math, science, and engineering. You can solve challenging problems, engage with the community, and learn advanced math concepts.
MIT OpenCourseWare: Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) offers free online courses in advanced math. Explore their OpenCourseWare to access lectures, notes, and assignments.
Wolfram Alpha: Wolfram Alpha is a powerful computational engine that can help you visualize and understand advanced math concepts. It’s especially useful for calculus and differential equations.
Coursera and edX: These platforms offer courses from universities worldwide. Enroll in advanced math courses and access interactive materials and videos.
Desmos: Desmos is an online graphing calculator that’s great for visualizing functions and graphing complex equations.
GeoGebra: GeoGebra provides interactive math tools for geometry, algebra, calculus, and more. You can create and explore mathematical constructions and graphs.
Paul’s Online Math Notes: This website offers free notes and tutorials for various advanced math topics, such as calculus, differential equations, and linear algebra.
Mathway: Mathway is a math problem solver that can help you understand and check your work on various math problems, from algebra to calculus.
Art of Problem Solving (AoPS): AoPS provides resources for avid math learners, including textbooks, an online community, and challenging problems.
Numberphile: Numberphile’s YouTube channel features fascinating and fun math videos that explain complex concepts in an engaging way.
3Blue1Brown: This YouTube channel uses animation and visualizations to explain advanced math topics, making them easier to understand.
Project Euler: Challenge yourself with mathematical and computational problems. Project Euler offers a collection of problems that require creative thinking and coding skills.
Cut the Knot: This website is filled with interactive puzzles, games, and math curiosities that can make advanced math enjoyable and entertaining.
Math Art Galleries: Explore online galleries that showcase the intersection of math and art, such as the Bridges Organization’s art exhibitions.
Math Magazines: Read math magazines like “Math Horizons” or “Mathematics Magazine” that often include interesting articles and puzzles.

These resources offer a combination of interactive tools, video tutorials, problem-solving challenges, and engaging content to make advanced math more accessible and enjoyable.

>> Topic 4:

Curiosity, re: Advanced Math–Part III

==>> Query: “random advanced math problems with solutions explained“

Certainly, here are a few random advanced math problems with solutions explained:

Problem 1: Calculus

Find the derivative of the function f(x) = 3x^4 – 2x^3 + 5x^2 – 7x + 2.

Solution:
To find the derivative of the function, apply the power rule for differentiation:

f'(x) = 4 * 3x^3 – 3 * 2x^2 + 2 * 5x – 7
f'(x) = 12x^3 – 6x^2 + 10x – 7

So, the derivative of the function is f'(x) = 12x^3 – 6x^2 + 10x – 7.

Problem 2: Linear Algebra

Given a matrix A = [1 2 -1; 3 0 4; -2 5 1], find its determinant.

Solution:
To find the determinant of a 3×3 matrix, use the formula:

det(A) = a(ei − fh) – b(di − fg) + c(dh − eg)

In this case:
a = 1, b = 2, c = -1
d = 3, e = 0, f = 4
g = -2, h = 5, i = 1

Now, substitute these values into the formula:

det(A) = 1(01 – 4(-2)) – 2(31 – 4(-2)) – 1(35 – 0(-2))
det(A) = 1(0 + 8) – 2(3 + 8) – 1(15 – 0)
det(A) = 8 – 22 – 15
det(A) = -29

So, the determinant of matrix A is -29.

Problem 3: Differential Equations

Solve the differential equation: dy/dx = 2x – 3.

Solution:
Integrate both sides with respect to x:

∫(dy/dx) dx = ∫(2x – 3) dx

This simplifies to:

y = x^2 – 3x + C

where C is the constant of integration. To find C, you’ll need an initial condition or boundary value.

These are just a few examples of advanced math problems with solutions. If you have more specific problems or need explanations for other mathematical concepts, please provide them, and I’d be happy to help.

>> Topic 5: Network-Analysis Key Concepts

==>> Query: “Network analysis key concepts“

Network analysis involves examining relationships and interactions within a system, such as social networks, communication networks, or transportation systems. Key concepts in network analysis include:

Nodes: These are the individual entities within the network, which can represent people, computers, cities, or any other relevant unit.
Edges: Edges, or links, represent the connections or relationships between nodes. These connections can be directed (one-way) or undirected (two-way).
Graph: A graph is a mathematical representation of a network, consisting of nodes and edges. It’s a visual way to depict the network’s structure.
Degree: The degree of a node is the number of connections it has. In social networks, this might represent how many friends someone has.
Centrality: Centrality measures identify the most important or influential nodes in a network. Common centrality metrics include degree centrality, betweenness centrality, and eigenvector centrality.
Clustering: Clustering measures the density of connections within a group of nodes. It helps identify communities or subgroups within a network.
Path: A path is a sequence of nodes connected by edges. The shortest path is the most direct route between two nodes.
Network Density: Network density measures how connected a network is. A high density suggests many connections, while a low density indicates fewer connections.
Scale-Free Networks: In some networks, a few nodes (hubs) have a disproportionately large number of connections. These are known as scale-free networks.
Small-World Phenomenon: Many real-world networks exhibit the small-world property, where it takes relatively few steps to connect any two nodes.
Community Detection: This involves identifying groups of nodes that are densely connected within themselves but have fewer connections to nodes outside their group.
Network Visualization: Tools and techniques for visualizing networks are essential for understanding their structure. Software like Gephi and Cytoscape can help in visualizing complex networks.
Network Metrics: Various metrics, such as network diameter, transitivity, and assortativity, can be used to quantify specific aspects of network structure and behavior.
Random Graph Models: These are mathematical models used to describe and compare real-world networks. Examples include Erdős-Rényi and Barabási-Albert models.
Dynamic Networks: Networks can evolve over time. Understanding how connections change and adapt is crucial in dynamic network analysis.

Network analysis is a versatile field used in various disciplines, from social sciences to biology, transportation, and computer science, to gain insights into the structure and behavior of complex systems.

Life-Long Learning ROCKS! 🙂

A)–Personal and Business/General Finance Resources (Random Order)

1)–Schwab/TD-Ameritrade: “Think Or Swim”

2)–Alternatives From Trust-Radius–e.g. Fidelity’s Active Trader Pro, E-Trade, Interactive Brokers, etc.

3) Robin Hood’s intro to options trading. Please be very CAREFUL with these!

B)–Citizen Science

Zooniverse! 🙂

Career-Development

IBM’s

“Cloud Advocate”

Training

Exam-Prep Tool: “Ingrid”

IBM Cloud Study Guide-1 Download

IBM Cloud Study Guide-2 Download

IBM Cloud Study Guide-3 Download

IBM Cloud Study Guide-4 Download

IBM Cloud Study Guide-5 Download

Special/Random Topic:

First Aid

(SEP 23, 2023)

Question:

If someone suddenly collapsed in your presence; in addition to calling 911, what can you do to help save the person’s life?

Answer:

This (link) might help!

Please Note:

More recent versions might be available–check with Prof. Google! 🙂

20 Days of Creativity

A Performance Art Project

By Seif Sekalala

(Aug 11 to 31, 2023)

Day 1 of 20; Aug 11

Tools

Day 2 of 20; Aug 12:

“Loading…”

(Troglodyte’s Guide…List 1)

Day 3 of 20; Aug 13:

“Searching…”

i)—Before.

ii—Now-I

iii)—Now-II

iv)—Now-III // Past And Future?

Untitled-I—Created With StarryAI (Link)

Untitled-II—Created With StarryAI (Link)

Day 4 of 20; Aug 14:

Effective Ideation–Part I

i)–Part A–Diagram/Visualization

Please Note:

>> This version is an early draft; improved versions will be uploaded–or can be provided, later.

>> For instance, example #-iii’s details in columns 5 and 6 are missing details such as software-code composition and testing, collaboration–if/as needed via tools such as GitHub, etc.

Sample Ideation Processes Download

ii)–Part B–“Lines, Chaos, and Color.”

(As mentioned in column 1–“Early Ideation,” example 2 .)

Day 5 of 20; Aug 15

Effective Ideation–Part II:

Relevant Details For Part I’s Diagram/Visualization

i)–A: Details, re: column 3 “Relevant Knowledge Domain”

As I note in the basic description within the column, we can think of this element using three basic/overarching categories, i.e.: i)–arts, ii)–sciences, and iii)–interdisciplinary/general/other. However, we can break down these categories more effectively, to enable us to find the right information about our ideas.

For instance, this article from Wikipedia provides a classification of five main fields, i.e.: i)–humanities, ii)–social sciences, iii)–natural science, iv)–formal science, and v)–applied science. Other (more reliable [?]) sources in this context include: i)–the international baccalaureate subject list for K-12; ii)–college / university majors–e.g. Smith college, MA-USA as a random example (Wikipedia article about Smith college: link); and iii)–the subject categorization list by Quacquarelli Symonds.

In the above “Sample Ideation Table” example, the ideator has to refer to such relevant sources of academic/general knowledge classifications (as listed in the previous paragraph) to appropriately improve their idea(s). For instance, example 1–for a new polygon-style wheel–would necessarily involve knowledge domains such as the basic sciences–including math, physics, and chemistry; and applied sciences–e.g., engineering.

That proposition–i.e., reference to the appropriate knowledge domains is equally necessary for ideas 2 to 4. Among other fields, the ideator might benefit from consulting literature from fine art (for example 2), computer science (for example 3), and music- and pop-culture studies (for example 4, the Drake article).

ii)-B: Details, re: columns 4 “Available Research,” 5, and 6.

If the above exercise–i.e., reference to academic/industry literature confirms that the idea is viable/necessary, the ideator has to continue their research and development processes via columns 4 to 6. It should be noted that various elements of 4 and 5 necessarily intersect with column 3. For instance, a first-time inventor of a hardware product (e.g., example 1)–without a background in basic/natural and applied sciences–will necessarily have to keep referencing the relevant basic knowledge of the fields of mathematics and physics, while reviewing the advanced literature of Google Scholar, or the patent office records.

Finally, if all the above stages have proceeded smoothly, the ideator has to construct/compose/refine their product, service, or information-deliverable. And thereafter, they have to test it (via lab- and/or field-tests, and other methods), to ensure that it works as well as it was envisioned. This stage will also often intersect with regulatory review- and approval-processes, e.g. with FDA for drugs or food products, and other relevant government or societal mandatory or best-practice-enforcing organizations–e.g. university IRBs, and the academic peer-review processes.

Day 6 of 20; Aug 16:

A Monster’s Hidden Beauty;

Math in Art and Art in Math: Introduction

ChatGPT List of Math Topics,

From Easiest to Hardest

Day 7 of 20; Aug 17:

A Monster’s Hidden Beauty;

Math in Art and Art in Math: Random Image Set-I

Photo by Hervu00e9 Piglowski on Pexels.com

Untitled-II-Kaleidoscopic

Untitled-III-Forge of Neon

Day 8 of 20; Aug 18:

A Monster’s Hidden Beauty;

Math in Art & Art in Math: Random Image (-Set-) 2

Day 9 of 20; Aug 19:

A Monster’s Hidden Beauty;

Math in Art and Art in Math: Random Image (-Set-) 3

Relevant Link

Day 10 of 20; Aug 20:

A Monster’s Hidden Beauty;

Math in Art and Art in Math:

Random Artefact 2023-08-20

(/Image-Set 4)

John Conway’s Game of Life; Link 1 (Wikipedia Article )

//—–//

John Conway’s Game of Life; Link 2 (A Website of The Game Itself )

Day 11 of 20; Aug 21:

“Plus ça change…” (*^):

A Quick Observation, re: Technological Evolution

(^) = “The more things change*…”.

Editorial Note:

The “Monster’s Hidden Beauty ” series will be resumed in due course.

Any fairly keen (and old-enough, or well-read-enough) follower of technological evolution can attest to the aptness of the above title-quote: “The more things change […, the more they remain the same].” For instance (–to “dive right in”), hardcopy-newspapers might not be as popular as they once were. But “lo and behold,” we now have these…

Web- and native-app versions of the same thing. One can include a variety of other new technologies as similar examples in this regard. For instance, (IMHO, anyway, …) Instagram and FB have elements of what we used to have via photo-albums. And of course, MP3/4 audio and video files are today’s version of CDs, cassettes, etc.

Surely, we take this fact for granted. But every once in a while, I (-for-one) pause, and I earnestly marvel at this evolution. Case in point: imagine my utter surprise yesterday, when I came across a digital/smart-phone app version of ham radio and walkie-talkie tech, an app called “Walkie-Talkie”! Here, see for yourself!

But as I allude above while discussing Instagram and other personal photograph-reliant social media apps, the new technologies combine the older core technologies with new media and technologies. For instance, in the case of this “Walkie-Talkie” app, users’ chats are interrupted with advertisements of other apps, including gaming apps. Voila, please see below for an example.

The app’s advertisement guides a user (rather defly, IMHO,…) vis-a-vis how to play the fighting game. And I have to confess, curiousity “got the better of me,” and voila, there I was, playing this cool smart-phone app video-game (get it [?]).

Dear reader, please allow me to repurpose a quote by Morpheus, from “The Matrix“…

Welcome…to the increasingly-dizzying world…of (digital-) technological evolution.

Day 12 of 20; Aug 22:

“I’m a [Clueless Man], In a [Roblox-World]” (!); Part 1

😐🤦‍♂️

Editorial Note:

Details/context provided under day 13 entry.

Day 13 of 20; Aug 23:

“I’m a [Clueless Man], In a [Roblox-World]” (!); Part 2: Details/Context

___In the sixth section of the “Troglodyte’s Guide–Random List 1″–via this website’s LongLivePeople digital-technology guide page, I (strive to) provide a pithy/user-friendly set of definitions about Web3 and metaverse technologies. What are they (?); do we need them (?), etc.

___And in addition to the definitions provided via that list’s (G-Search & Wikipedia) results, I believe the basic digital picture story of yesterday’s entry (i.e. Day 12 of 20, Aug 12), can also augment our understanding. In that (Day/Aug 12) entry above, I demonstrate what I was lamenting to my nephew and niece, aged 13 and 11, respectively. Despite his earnest fascination and enjoyment of the game, for crying out loud, uncle Seif is utterly clueless in that world!

___I can barely control my mobility and basic body functions–walking, running, sitting, etc.; in fact, I keep straying into the road, and sometimes, into the fountain or pool! 😐🤦‍♂️ And when folks walk up to me, I struggle to communicate with them, and again, I have no clue, vis-a-vis how to interact with them.

___How am I supposed to “hang out” in there, what are the interaction rituals, what games should we play, etc. But thankfully, little-by-little, (I believe) I’m getting the hang of it (as it were!). For instance, I’ve learned to use the chat feature, and I keep profusely apologizing for my country-bumpkin ways (so to speak), when fellow Roblox sojourners walk up to me. Sigh…

___I’m not sure if any readers will make this connection–or honestly, whether it makes much sense, if any at all. But honestly, being that Roblox world makes me somewhat like Neo in The Matrix, awestruck at the fact that there’s (a [/another/]) real world out there somewhere, full of adventure, potential, and a variety of dangers.*^

___Sorry dear readers, but I have to re-use my amended Morpheus quote from the day 11 entry (farther above): …

Welcome…to the increasingly-dizzying world…of (digital-) technological evolution.

Day 14 of 20; Aug 24:

Roblox Studio “For Dummies”

1)–How to Install It (on Mac):

(Click Here For Windows…)

//——-//

2)–Screenshot …

(of My Own Creator Hub Account) :

//——-//

3)–How to Create!

The video below is part 1 of 14. Here is the creator’s channel for the rest: linked-here.

Day 15 of 20; Aug 25:

Basic Graphic Design Tools

“For Dummies”

1)–Canva:

//——-//

2)–Adobe Express:

//——-//

3)–Figma:

Day 16 of 20; Aug 26:

Musicology:

Feeling, Practice, Theory

1)–First, let’s try FEELING (not just “listening to”) the subject of our study: music.

We can love, feel guilty, yearn, feel sad; and/or, (simultaneously) enjoy or marvel at all these– and other–feelings.

E.g., via the artists and tracks below.

We can revel in our success(es), feel patriotic, and party!

2)–Next, let’s try doing/practicing it:

2)–Finally, we can TRY to study it.

ChatGPT Musicology Definition Download

IMHO, music is rather/very similar to…

(the concept of) LOVE.

We know–and can do/practice–it so well. Or can/do we, really?

Regardless , it is an eternal mystery.

Day 17 of 20; Aug 27:

Photography & Cinema;

1)–Photography…

//——-//

2)–…And Cinema!

___A)–The first movie:

___B)–The first CGI movie:

___C)–And the prototypical modern CGI movie!

How Far We’ve Come, Indeed!

Day 18 of 20; Aug 28:

The Art of Poetry…

Via General Prior Knowledge & ChatGPT

___1)–Prior knowledge: iambic pentameter (IP)

As an English major, I had to study Shakespeare in a required course. And therein, I learned about iambic pentameter.

But as I started composing this post–despite my prior general knowledge about the topic, I had to look up the query:”types of poems apart from iambic pentameter.” And yep, you guessed it; I used an online search tool whose name rhymes with the words: “frat-Chee-Bee-G”. [ 🙂 ] Result:

Certainly! There are various types of poems that use different patterns of rhythm and rhyme. Here are a few examples:

Haiku: A traditional Japanese form with three lines of 5, 7, and 5 syllables respectively, often focusing on nature and moments of reflection.
Sonnet: A 14-line poem typically with a specific rhyme scheme. Shakespearean (or English) sonnets have three quatrains followed by a rhymed couplet, while Petrarchan (or Italian) sonnets have an octave and a sestet.
Free Verse: This type of poem doesn’t adhere to any specific rhyme or meter, allowing for more creative freedom and a natural flow of language.
Limerick: A light and humorous form with five lines, typically with a rhyme scheme of AABBA.
Acrostic: A poem in which the first letter of each line spells out a word or message when read vertically.
Villanelle: A 19-line poem with a specific structure of repeating lines. It has five tercets (three-line stanzas) followed by a quatrain (four-line stanza).
Ballad: A narrative poem that tells a story, often in a rhythmic and musical way. It can have varying rhyme schemes and meters.
Epic: A long narrative poem that typically focuses on heroic deeds, often in a grand and elevated style.
Ode: A lyrical poem that addresses a specific subject, often characterized by its serious and elevated tone.
Sestina: A complex form with six stanzas, each with six lines, and a final three-line stanza (tercet). The end words of the lines in each stanza follow a specific pattern.

These are just a few examples of the many different types of poems that exist. Each type has its own unique structure and characteristics, allowing poets to express themselves in various creative ways.

___2)–IP-Poem Example

(Source: ChatGPT)

___3)–Example of Villanelle Poem

(Source: ChatGPT)

___4)–Other Poem Example 1

(Source: ChatGPT)

___5)–Other Poem Example 2:

(Source: ChatGPT)

Day 19 of 20; Aug 29:

What is Mindfulness, and

How Can We Practice It?

As of August 2023, we’re fortunate to live in a bold new creative world, filled with all the innovations documented above (i.e./e.g., generative-AI, CGI, Web3, etc.), among others. This new creative world is beautiful, and it is filled with freedom and potential: endless possibilities to define ourselves using our own rules and parameters; free to ideate, create, share ~~(and care [?])~~.

Unfortunately, this new bold world is also a world of troubles, anxiety, fancy busy-ness, and endless thinking. Morever, we have largely moved on from the institutions and traditions that used to comfort us, but oppressed us at the same time–dogmatic, rigid, exclusive. As a result, we now seem to have a deep void that is hard to fill.

As in / for instance: sure, we’re “spiritual, [but] not religious (e.g.: Google, and Wikipedia).” But how exactly should we practice that open, non-judgemental spirituality? One possible answer: mindfulness.

But again, what is it? How do we practice it (correctly)? Unfortunately, I do not know. But I am committed to trying to learn. “Here goes nothing!”

___>> 1)–What is mindfulness?

___>> 2)–13 ways to practice it;

___>> 3)–Tai-Chi moves for beginners;

___>> 4)–One set of self-care practices via Desiderata, by Max Ehrmann; and finally…

___>> 5)–Savor your breaths, my friend. Breathe in the goodness of life, and breathe out the toxicity of overthinking, negativity, and inhumaneness. But how can you do this effectively? One good method is box breathing, as explained here.

Day 20 of 20; Aug 30:

On Spirituality, Powerlessness, Existence

Let’s try to keep things simple. Five points can suffice for this topic–at least for now.

//——-//

___1)–You’re NOT in control.

Regardless of whether or not you believe in (a) (D/)diety(/ies), or pure science, or neither/nothing: your psyche or soul did not trigger its own existence, nor that (the existence) of the vessel–your body and brain–that house it. And after all is said and done, we cannot control the events of the universe.

___2)–We can enable ourselves to succeed.

Despite the above-mentioned lack of control, we can indeed control our destinies. We can swim against the harsh and capricious tides of mere/blind fate. We can think/create, work hard/smart, and succeed.

___3)–Good and bad phenomena / events both exist in our world, and we’re often powerless to cause, influence, control, or stop them.

This point is related to the previous two above.

//——-//

___4)–We ought to use our minds to “do the right thing”; we ought to practice good ethics.

And we ought to use our minds to solve problems, create, and innovate!

//——-//

___5)–But ultimately, it’s ok not to be in charge, not to be in control.

Beyond striving to be good persons, working hard, solving problems, creating and innovating, etc., we ought to savor/relish our mere existence. Ultimately, it’s ok to simply exist, to simply be; simply, be.

Click Links Below to Skip To:

Overarching Initiative, 2024+:

The Humble Ideator

61 Days of Hope:

(Oct 31/) Nov 1 to Dec 31, 2023.

Quick Links

O’reilly Software Architecture Patterns

// Separate Link (Opens In New Tab)

Meta / Author’s Self-Reminder:

…

…

…

…

…

Day _0_ of _61_

>> First, I believe it might be worthwhile to ponder the following (and other related) questions: who am I? What are my abilities, and what are my values? So then, …

Other (Random) Topics on My Mind Today…

Day _1_ of _61_

“The B/Million Dollar Game”

Day _2_ of _61_

“It’s just one of them days…”.

Day _3_ of _61_

Financial-Markets Trading:

A Potentially Realistic Path to That (M/)Billionaire Status*^!

(*^Reference to Day _1_ Post Above)

Source-1; Source-2; Source-3

Please look for more, and please read the dislaimer below.

Disclaimer:

This is NOT financial advice! I am simply sharing about my own experiences. Please do your research–thoroughly, and/or consult with a licensed financial advisor before investing in securities / the financial markets!

Day _4_ of _61_

“What makes you ‘tick’?”

Interlude 1

Preview of Select Upcoming Topics:

>> “Idea-ology” and creativity

>> Software-development and data science techniques

>> Mindfulness

>> The mercurialness of human nature–its “good, bad, and [un-understable]”

>> The beauty of mathematics

>> Careers and professionalism

>> Related to the mindfulness topic above: trying to always keep the “big picture” in mind.

>> Centrism is underrated / one person’s meat is another person’s poison X

>> Metacognition

>> Literacy: i.e., in both the simple sense(s) of the concept, as well as the multilayeredly-complex (sense[s])!

Day _5_ of _61_

On “re-inventing the wheel” vs. improving how things are done or disruptive innovation, vs. “all the above”/other…

Day _6_ of _61_

“Prof. ChaGPT” Series Continued (From LinkedIn)

Current Post’s Topic:

Music! 🙂

1)

2)

2)

Day _7_ of _61_

“Prof. ChaGPT” Series Continued

Current Post’s Topic:

The Ethics and Morality of America’s Decision to Drop Nuclear Bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki

Day _8_ of _61_

Unfortunately, “That Good Night” Wins, Inevitably.

Day _9_ of _61_

Of Drake’s (and All Our Own) Beautiful Struggles, Inspiration, Serendipity, and Hope

Day _10_ of _61_

Data Science Dojo‘s Awesome AI Learning Resources; “The Gift That Keeps Giving”! 🙂

Surely, with such great resources at my disposal, what excuse do I have for giving up easily? After all, it’s always worth a try; and for a life-long-learning lover, what do I have to lose?

Day _11_ of _61_

“Note To Self (/Seif)”

Day _12_ of _61_

Am I Allowed to Call Myself a…

__[Fill in the Professional Title]?_

Day _13_ of _61_

Yes, I Believe I am … Allowed to Simply Be

Day _14_ of _61_

On The Curses and Blessings of Clichés…

Day _15_ of _61_

Empathy

Day _16_ of _61_

IBKR‘s Great Resources

Day _17_ of _61_

I)–On Genuine, Spontaneous, and Rather Pure Human Interactions: The Story of Ms. Ella–Part I

II)–“What makes you tick [?]”–i.e., day 4’s topic , Cont’d / On Spontaneity and the uniqueness of each day, Creativity, and Consistency

Day _18_ of _61_

(^Reference to Day _1_ Post Above*)

>> [Sets 1 of “N”] of…] Dr. Seif’s Rules^ of Life* [Ongoing]