Ian's Enlightenment 2 EN

I'm Surrounded By Drama Queens

2014-07-07T18:54:00.003-07:00

Now one of the reasons I've made the choice to focus more on my blog and less on social media is because my blog is just me, my thoughts, my beliefs and my audience, if I even have one, would have to seek me out and if they don't like what the read, or see, tough shit, your the one that clicked on it.

Why I can't stand FACEBOOK.

This social network has become the worlds worst "Reality" Show. I have very few friends that I enjoy seeing their posts, and I probably have even fewer who enjoy mine. I've noticed that if it revolves around DRAMA, you will get a lot of likes and a ton of comments. However if you post something amazing, inspiring, or beautiful maybe one or two friends will comment. Now I don't know if that is the platforms fault for bring the worst out in people by using an algorithm to choose which posts should appear on your News Feed, or if it's just the quality of mindset that makes up my friend list. I'm going to say it's the platforms algorithm. Just because my friend LIKED something does not mean its "NEWS" to me, and if they commented on something I don't need to see it in my stream.

On this "Reality" FB Show people get sucked into this whole spiral of "Look at my Awesome Life" - wait I should have hash tagged that #LoveMyLife or #MyLifeIsAwesome or my favorite #LookAtMeMyLifeIsSoMuchBetterThenYours. Now I've been accused at getting caught up in this whole spirial, and I'll admit I've posted some fun stuff or pretty places but I don't think I hash tagged any.

Your also going to have someone who keeps taking pictures of what they are eating all the time. Someone else who is always out drinking, CHEERS! :-x Another one who doesn't understand that what happens in Vegas or Cabo does not have to be documented what-so-ever, and shouldn't be uploaded. Who doesn't have a #SELFIE friend? Every picture is a selfie, my question is if you have soooooo many friends why are there sooooooo many selfies. Another friend who only posts quotes from other people. Your MLM friend that only post pictures of events, products, and all the successful people with which they are working. The shameless realtor who has not figured out they need to have a FB Page for their business. The constant business promoter. The one we all hate is the one that is inviting you to play some mind drain game that if you start playing it will be harder to kick then heroin.

Retirement Lifestyle Choice #2

2014-07-07T18:48:00.005-07:00

What are you working so hard for in life. Most of society spends the majority of their day away from the people they love, dealing with people they can barely stand, to get numbers put into a commuter somewhere, or to get a piece of paper after 14 days with numbers on it, so that at the end of the month they can give those numbers to someone else they already owe them to.

Sound familiar? It should! That's your life and your parents, school teachers, councilors, and television convinced you to follow that plan for the best years of your life so you can eventually retire. So think about that for a second. When you retire you will be 65+. That means you worked and where away from the things you love and the people you love a minimum of 75% of your life. Now ask anyone this question and I would hope you would get the same answer. "If you could do whatever your heart desired or your mind thought up because you didn't have to work for money, meaning you could follow your true calling, your true passion, would you want that to happen at 65 or 25?"

Now the question is, "Why not live Free for part of the best years of you life, and go back to work in your golden years after your 65+?

Lifestyle Choices #1

2014-07-07T18:48:00.003-07:00

So I'm getting on a plane and going to Hawaii. Now I'm a big people watcher, so I can't help noticing a certain group which appears to be the Grandparents taking 4 kids from 7 to 14 on a trip to Hawaii. Grandpa has his Fadora hat on and is passing out the boarding passes. Now I notice things I that most people don't, simply because I don't live in the white picket fence world with 2.5 kids and a wife. I couldn't imagine having to organize a trip for 4 kids, a wife and myself. First thing that goes through my head is, "Man that looks expensive." Second thought happens as soon as the one that appears to be 13 complains about what seat they got and how long the flight is going to be without WiFi. Third thought is "Where do you think their parents are, and why are they not going?" Fourth thought, "I wounder if they would have more fun without the kids." Now as I'm writing this when I thought the fourth thought I was thinking of the grandparents, but now I realize the parents might have just pawned off the kids on the grandparents to get some alone couple time. Man alone time can get pricy with kids, especially if you have to send them to Hawaii.

Somewhere somehow someone convinced someone else to start a family, and I'm sure those in that lifestyle would never say if they could do it all over again the would make a different choice. However I'm sure they wounder what it would be like to be footloose and fancy free without a care in the world. I think what sucks people into the "normal" lifestyle of the wife and the kids and the white picket fence the mini van, with Saturdays and Sundays off with 10 total vacation (FREE) days is social conditioning and fear. I say fear because people are inherently afraid of being alone. Of coarse you would have to be blind or in a deep MATRIX sleep not to see that your being socially conditioned from birth to comply with a social (family) structure that essentially makes you a slave to what you created. From handing a baby girl her first doll, to giving a boy his first toy truck, they all have a phycological impact and start the programming to make you easier to control and manage later in life.

Excuses. Lifestyle Choices #3

2014-07-07T18:48:00.001-07:00

I really hate when people give me excuses. I never like hearing the words, "I can't, because......" I always make people tell me "I'd rather......." Or "I want to....."

For example I will never let one of my friends tell me, "I can't because my wife won't let me." I'll make them say instead, "I would rather not come up to the lake for a guys weekend because I'd rather spend that time with my wife and kids." Because here is the thing, you can do whatever you want, everything is a choice each and every day.

"AMERICA" FUCK YEAH!!!

2014-07-04T17:46:00.002-07:00

Did you know that Congress debated and revised the wording of the Declaration of Independence, finally approving it on July 4. A day earlier, John Adams had written to his wife Abigail:

The second day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more.^[6]

Well looks like John Adams supported the 2nd amendment as well. Its sad to think back 238 years ago what declaring Independence from Britain must have been like. Did you know that Britain considered it an act of treason and saw the authors and endorsers as terrorist. Why would such educated men do such a thing and risk so much. What where they really trying to be Independent from?

Pretty simple really, I mean we where taught many different lies in school about religious freedoms and taxes on tea. However the real reason what to have a debt free currency. You see you can never build wealth for yourself or you loved ones if there is DEBT tied to every dollar you earn. Some of our greatest Presidents have been killed protecting the Declaration of Independence and a debt free currency. Presidents like Lincoln, Andrew Jackson, and JFK, all supported an independent debt free Currency. Weird that all had attempts made on their lives with only Andrew Jackson living through his attempt.

Now Americans don't realize this but there Independence only lasted till December 23, 1913. Which mean the United States as an Independent Nation with a Debt Free Currency only lasted as a Republic of 137 years. The Federal Reserve System (also known as the Federal Reserve, and informally as the Fed) is the central banking system of the United States. It was created on December 23, 1913, with the enactment of the Federal Reserve Act, This is a private Foreign corporation owned by non-american interest.

So have fun today celebrating your RE-Enslavement because this is the 100th anniversary of celebrating something that does not exist........ INDEPENDENCE!

P.S.
Just on a little side note all the world wars fought protecting this "Independence" where fought after it was lost!!

P.S.S
and just so we are clear...... the same foreign people who profit from central banking also profit from WAR!

WEIRD?!?!?!?!

But who am I to Judge? America Fuck Yeah!!

http://youtu.be/IhnUgAaea4M

Who Sold You on Your Lifestyle

2014-06-25T21:39:00.001-07:00

It's become very apparent to me the in talking to so many different people that they all have very different belief systems. Now I'm not talking about spiritual beliefs or religion, I'm talking about the belief systems that create their reality. People often ask me how I live a certain lifestyle, how do you travel so much, or all it looks like you do is have FUN, or I what I do for a living which allows you so much free time. I'm sure what they mean is what do I do for monetary compensation, because in my humble opinion trading my limited time in this experience for numbers in an account or pieces of paper, is the opposite of "doing for a Living". I've always made a contribution by helping people confront there limiting beliefs, and for some reason in the system we live in those numbers appear in accounts with my corporate name on them (YOUR NAME ALL CAPS) which gives me access to trade those numbers and paper for goods and services. Now I say it that way not to confuse you but to simply point out how bull shit the system you bought into works. I'm not trying to wake you up from the "MATRIX DREAM" you might be living, just maybe nug you a little so you stop snoring (bitching) so loud.

I think over the next few blog post I explore some of these nuances and offer up some of my perspectives on certain topics that get you voluntarily farther away from the life you want and closer to the drone slave your becoming.

What Do You Do? What Are You Doing?

2014-03-03T09:44:00.001-08:00

Things I Do

Well let's see, I Travel to see new places and experience different cultures to broaden my perspectives, I Snowboard, Snow Ski, Wakeboard, Kite Board, Paddle Board, Kayak, Surf, Mt. Bike, Dirt Bike, Ride Harley's, Race Cars, Skydive, Base Jump, Rock Climb, Paraglide, Speed Wing, Proximity Fly, Squirrel Suit, and I love walks on the beach to watch sunsets or sunrises, sometime I just feel like dancing, and other times I just want to be still and meditate with Graditude in my Heart and thankfulness running through my mind.

So Bad it was Blocked off Facebook

2013-12-24T23:40:00.000-08:00

So in my last blog post I posted some screen shots of a text message stream where I cut out phone numbers to keep everything anonymous. I didn't even have to tell anyone which texts where mine, but for some reason a person on Facebook wanted to lay claim to the other side of the conversation. After 24 hours of their comments they where blocked and comments removed. So here is what you might have missed and how you can get blocked from my Facebook.

Everything seems to be just fine..... Yet no one has told me which pictures to take down or how to word an apology if warranted.

Then the unthinkable happens.

If you don't want to read it I don't blame you neither did I so my buddy JTB read it to us Karaoke style

on YouTube here is the link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dG9eD6FskE

I think Coli was referring to how long it took to type up that response. A responce that took this from an anonomys screen shot post with the question to public opinion as to what pictures need to be removed from my Facebook www.facebook.com/iankirknetwork - to a personal attack on me and others on the stream.

I find it fascinating that the person causing the drama is the one apologizing for it as well.

Oh good she's "done here"

Don't know who Cyn is below but she has some valid points

Well at least I'm not the only one being attacked in a public forum. Cyn, I don't think your comments are "sad," whatever that means and as far as being "all the average," she obviously didn't look at any of your pictures or relationship status before saying that..

Wait Wait she's about to be "done" for the second time...... Thank God!

Damn I messed up I thought we were "done"

So if it was a long text that I left out I apologize but I don't know how a screen shot would do that. But you would think that two 2hr phone conversations would be enough time to set up plans.

My intentions? I thought those where clear in the post. 1) What pictures on my Facebook would cause someone to react this way. 2) Is an appology owed to anyone?

You know she's right I did say I would make sure to be in a WiFi spot during her travels and upon her scheduled arrival. That day I said the max amount of time that could go by before I would text back was an hour.

However the day that she was text blasting me I was no where near a phone for the second half of the day.

Ok so to be clear, pictures can destort the truth?

Wait Wait. Who's putting negative energy where?

Let's remember the blog post was anonymous. So I didn't take a private discussion public. I took words and ask the public what on my Facebook would cause someone to say these statements about my page.

But what you couldn't see was the instant messenger messages coming in on the chat line. Now these are only being posted by me because the person who sent them said "You might as well post this too" in the 2nd message. Well here you go.

I See Crazy People

2013-12-22T20:39:00.001-08:00

So I love living in beautiful places and having friends come visit. I am also extremely luck to be able to reserve Condos or Villas to make sure they get to stay in 4-5 star accommodations. Sometimes things can go sideways with plans. Mostly because of unforeseen complications in other peoples lives. Most recently I experience this in a way I never have before so I thought I would post it to try to understand what the hell happend.

So you know the background I posted a video on YouTube of me getting my hair cut for the first time in a year and a certain Facebook friend asked me out to dinner with my new look publicly in the comments.

Well one of my best friends told me if I didn't take her up on it he would no longer be my friend. His friendship means the world to me and even though I knew he was bluffing I put things into motion to make this dinner happen.

So after a few private messages on Facebook I find out she would really like to come to Tahoe. One of the Villas came available over a weekend so I reserved it right away and sent a message that it was available and that it would be a great time to come visit. After talking on the phone twice we confirm on meeting up in Tahoe.

Here's what happend next.....

Remember I don't have a cell phone so I only can get messages from WiFi spots so I don't get messages every second of my life. For me I check them once a day. It's an experiment I am doing for a year to see if it keeps me more present with my friends who are around me. I'm 3 months in so far and loving it...... And she knew this!!!! Please judge me just like she did.

Later that day I receive this:

I have not taken down any pictures so please go on my Facebook and let me know which ones I should take down if I am serious about wanting to date someone. Or comment below.

Now the conversation moves to Facebook........

I don't understand why an apology is needed, can someone please enlighten me?

Just Like You

2013-09-27T20:08:00.001-07:00

Over the past year I have noticed that everyone wants you to be just like them just not quite as cool or good or talented as them. I think its funny but I understand the internal battle we all experience to put ourselves out there when we know we are not quite the best in the group. Its easy to be the best in your pier group, but not so easy to push yourself and get outside your comfort zone and surround yourself with people who push your limits. I know I feel exposed, both emotionally and physically whenever I put myself in these type of situations. The interesting thing about all of this is most people are always projecting their insecurities on you. Maybe its always less about me and more about them. Time will either promote your or expose you.

Categorizing People You Meet

2013-01-12T23:12:00.000-08:00

Nothing will get me to flip in to arbitrary mode quicker then when someone (especially of the opposite sex) attempts to put me in some category in their mind without really getting to know me. I know this my sound a bit weird but I think there is so much more to a person then what you may get out of them from your standard get to know you questions. So I will run you through a scenario in this post and you can call me whatever you want but I don't think you will call me boring or think I am your average or normal conversationalist by the end.

So I remember this time I was at wine bar and this gal started asking me questions, like, "What do you do?" Now I know this is a standard question that most people ask, and I would say that about 20% really care or are interested in what your actually do, and the rest are just trying to figure out what they can get from you or if you can help them with something they are interested in doing. NOW I ask people this all the time everyday, but the difference is I am trying to understand how to relate to them, and explain things in a manner they might better understand. OK so back to the 80% of people that ask this question. So we will call this gal Becka, and she whats to know, What I Do.....

So my response was, "Well I Snowboard, Wakeboard, Kite Board, Surf, Mt. Bike, Dirt Bike, Race Cars, Skydive, Base Jump, and I love walks on the beach and sunsets or sunrises. What about you? Now Becka's response was, "NO I Meant What DO YOU DO? Now here is where it gets fun, I just stare at her with a "Are You Stupid" look on my face and say nothing........... Total awkward Silence! For at least 30 seconds to a minute.

Then you have to look like you had an epiphany, roll your eyes, and loudly say, "OOOOHHH you mean what do I do for monetary compensation?" Now understand that for the most part some people might not know what "monetary compensation" is and you might just have to roll your eyes again and say "money." Now here is a little trick, if this person is really into you they won't care and they will be more interested in what you do for fun then what you do for monetary compensation, so if they persist just ask them what they do for fun since you already told them what you do for fun. This is also another trick, because they could be the most boring person on the planet and not worth the next vibrations from your voice box if they can't answer the question. It's sad but over 80% of our current society globally has no purpose driving their daily actions, and I would say that ratio is greater in the US because most are consumed by pop culture and their jobs.

Having Fun Yet? Well you have to understand that this type of conversation is going to go bad 80% of the time, but just understand that your sorting for someone that might have other interest then how stable you income is and if you have a retirement plan, or if they will be able to brag to their friends or parents about your title (MD or Dr or PHD or Esq.). Sometimes you just need to sit back and think to yourself, "What is this person Really asking me?"

So what happened with Becka, well as soon as she could not put me in an income category she flipped out. All I could do is think to myself is, I am sure glad I was able to find out what she values in her friendships, by taking a conversation in a direction not anticipated or expected by the other party and watching them deal with the unexpected, and the feeling of not being in control. Better to find it out now then later. Another way to do this is to push someone out of a plane for the first time, but I will cover that in another post.

In a quick closing note, try this with anyone, see how it goes, leave a comment or share it with a friend, and most of all just have fun with it and stop having the same boring conversations with people because they will keep giving you the same boring relationships.

Management Ethics

2013-01-09T15:38:00.002-08:00

Ian Kirk

PO Box 2775

Olympic Valley, CA 96146

January 9, 2013

Customer Service Center
Safeway Inc. - M/S 10501
P.O. Box 29093
Phoenix, AZ 85038-9093

Dear Customer Service Center:

Although I find it an unpleasant task, I feel that I must bring to your attention a problem I am had with your manager, Russell at The Tahoe City CA location.

Being new to Tahoe City I have enjoyed shopping at the local Safeway for all my grocery needs. On my visit on January 9, 2013 I asked a teller if Safeway cashed pay checks from the ski resorts, because I was new to town and didn’t have a local bank where I could make the deposit, and she didn’t know so she told me to ask Russell the manager.

Russell directed me over to another counter and asked for my check and if I had ever cashed a check at Safeway before, I reply, “No I have never cashed a paycheck at Safeway before.” He told me to type my social security number into the ATM/Credit Card Scanner machine at the counter. For some reason we had to redo the process again because something didn’t go through, and Russell again asked me if I had ever cashed a check at Safeway before where I responded, “No I have never cashed a Paycheck at Safeway before.” After retyping my social security number into the ATM/Credit Card Scanner it endorsed the back of my paycheck. Russell then told me to sign the back of it over what the machine had printed on the back of the check. I asked him for a pen and he went and got one from the produce stocker because he didn’t have one on him or at that counter. Upon looking at what was printed on the back a fee of over $10 was going to be taken out of my check for cashing it at Safeway. I calmly ask Russell if this was correct and he informed me that yes it was a check cashing fee. I asked Russell why he didn’t tell me that there was going to be a fee involved and he said, “I do so many of these I just figured you knew that there was going to be a fee involved.” I responded by saying, “I told you I had never cashed a check at Safeway before three times. Do you think it is fair that you charge me a fee without disclosing it to me first? Russell responded with a demeaning tone, “ I don’t know where you can cash a check without a bank account without paying a fee.” I calmly responded by informing him that I could have taken it to the Casino’s or to Bank of the West and they don’t charge a fee to cash a check and now that you have endorsed the back of the check without disclosing that there was going to be a fee I can take it to either of those places to cash it now. To which he turn to his coworker Kelly and told her that I was requesting that the fee be waive since it was not disclosed to me by neither him nor the ATM/Credit Card Machine I typed my Social Security Card number into. Kelly just shrugged her shoulders and mumbled something to the effect that, “yep 2.50 per 100 dollars that right.” I said to Russell well how about just giving me a 10 dollar Safeway gift card since I do all my grocery shopping here anyway and we can forget the fact that you didn’t tell me there would be a fee for cashing my check. He informed me that NO he could not and would not do that and told me, “You were born in 1977 you should know better than to think you can cash a check without paying a fee.”

Now I don’t know what type of managers training that you as the Safeway Inc. use but I would hope it does not include belittling long term customers in front of other employees when the management fails to disclose a fee attached to a process the customer is unfamiliar.

I don’t know how you as Safeway Inc. would like to resolve this situation but I am interested to find out because after taking my other check to Bank of the West, which is less than a mile down the road, and telling the teller what had happen, she ask if it was the short stocky manager? I responded, “Yes it was, his name is Russell.” To which she responded, “That’s not surprising he is a real ________.” Let’s just say she used an adjective that should not be used in a professional business letter, and if you choose to want to contact her to verify this incident I would not want to get her in trouble with her management for a slight slip of the tongue speaking off the cuff and from experience.

In conclusion I appreciate your prompt attention to this matter and look forward to whatever resolution you choose, and sharing that resolution with the local chamber of commerce, the entire staff at Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows, the Better Business Bureau, and all forms of social media. It’s not the events that happen to us that shape our outcomes, but the reactions we have to those events that shape the final outcomes in our lives, businesses, and relationships.

Sincerely,

Ian Kirk

Salty Loop

2012-08-21T12:50:00.004-07:00

Now here is a little ride I did yesterday. Looks like I am posting my blog about once a month. I might need to pick up the pace on my blogging. I can't believe how many fun trails are all over the place in the Redding CA Area.

It's Been A While

2012-07-22T00:37:00.005-07:00

Things are not always the way they seem. It's been a while since I have posted anything, but its not because I didn't have anything to share at all. I have had so many life lessons over the last 6 months it is astounding to me and would be for you as well. Instead of blurting them all out at once, I have got a strategic plan to relinquish this mind bending knowledge, that might just warp your reality into something you have never imagined possible. I got some great advice today and that is to treat everyone you meet like a young child no matter who you are meeting. Leave all preconceived notions of how successful or unsuccessful someone might be because of what you see, because you vision can deceive you. Remember that a Rose comes with Thorns and time will either expose people or it will promote them. I should have paid better attention to what Brett Michaels was saying years ago.

You Better Do That Before.......

2011-12-14T11:39:00.000-08:00

I have often mentioned to friends and acquaintances of a mini-retirement plans of sailing around the world. Their response is always, “You better do that before you have kids!!” Of coarse at this point I ask my favorite question which is, “That an interesting perspective, what made you come to that conclusion?” I am sure you can only imagine the responses I get from people who are stuck in the Rat Race of life. Here are a few that make me laugh…..

Responses like:
1) You can’t just take your kids out of school!!
Haha – I think they will learn more w/ me on a boat sailing the world
2) Your kids will rebel because U R taking them away from their friends
Haha – They will make new friends & learn new languages & customs
3) You can’t just up and leave, they are playing _______
Haha – Oh yes I can watch me & send me an email on what I missed… oh yeah they will be playing __________ in Italy.

Who knows, you may find that you don’t need to be face to face as much as you think for you business to grow. It might just so happen that you meet clients or future partners who need your services on your vacations or mini-retirements. Interesting para-dime to try to escape work for work sake and end up getting more business through your global living lifestyle. The more you control where, when, and what you do for monetary compensation the more freedom you will find.

We all can’t wait to hear how the first one goes for you, but I do have a bit of a challenge for you and that is attempt to do one in the summer and one in the winter as well for the same period of time. This will force you to push your comfort zone a little more & it will force the family to become independent of the “school schedule” families are forced on. Look at it this way a month or two of home study where you as a successful business consultant in a foreign land are educating your own children & educating each other through experience, is much better then your kids learning below average lessons from below average achievers in their local schools (side note to any “haters” both my parents are retired teaches & they support this aforementioned comment).
We should be teaching our kids these automation systems from the beginning, so they can be free from the Rat Race Lifestyle. All of the schooling systems around the world are teaching them to become worker bees in the collective. Think of the lessons you could pass on to them that you have learned that will be paramount in their development as a free thinker. Think of how different their lives will be because you took the time to teach them what traditional school won’t. That is how to be & live FREE!!

When Mentor's Appear

2011-08-25T15:40:00.000-07:00

I was working 12-14 hours a day when my muse fell in my lap. The funny thing is that it took me over a year to see it and listen to someone who could help me make it happen. I had just read The 4 Hour Work Week back in 2008, and knew that my current path of work was too dependent on me. Actually after starting it took me 8 months to listen to someone who was part of the "New Rich" for me to break my old business thought processes and accept his mentor-ship. My suggestion is find someone that has done what you want to do and copy them. You don’t necessarily need to “Find Yoda” but you do need a mentor.

Dear Old Way of Thinking

2011-07-12T17:58:00.000-07:00

Dear Brand X,

I’m sorry to have to write this in a letter. I’ve tried to talk to you, but my please have gone unanswered.

There is no easy way to say this.

It’s over.

Please understand, it’s not you… it’s me.

Okay, maybe it is you.

I just don’t feel appreciated. It seems our relationship is just all about YOU. There was a time when I was fine with that, even embraced it. We had some great times talking about you – like when we would laugh at that funny commercial you were in, or the time we were driving down the highway and saw your billboard. That was hot! My friends and I used to talk about that one a lot!

But I’ve changed.

I need more, and I want to pay less.......

And, well, you are stuck in the past. We never really “talk”, you know? My schedule is crazy and I just don’t have as much time as I once did to do the things you enjoy – like working, paying bills, watching TV and reading newspapers. That’s okay once in a while, but I have new interests, too. I know you don’t like how much time I spend on the web and in social networks, but it’s not just about you anymore.

I hate to hurt you, but I’ve met someone else…your archrival.

I didn’t plan for it to happen. We met online in a social network and, at first, just chatted occasionally. But then something happened…

We connected! They told me about themselves and shared interesting information. And they wanted to get to know ME! It wasn’t all about them. They listened; they cared; and they made me feel valued. I’d be lying if I said it meant nothing. They had me at “Hello. How can I help?”

With you I feel our relationship has always been one-sided and you only care about one thing…

What I can do for you.

What about me? What about what I want? What about being involved in the things I enjoy?

I defended you to all of my friends. When they were talking trash about you, I tried to be loyal. You weren’t even there to defend yourself, and I just felt used.

So this is goodbye. I hope you understand. I needed more from you than you were willing to give.

I hope we can still be friends.

Well, maybe not.

Xoxo,

Your former customer (or employee/partner whatever you feel is appropriate)

P.S. This has nothing to do with your silence when I asked you if I looked fat in my new shirt.

Has Facebook Had it Day in the Sun?

2011-06-14T08:26:00.001-07:00

So I found this old blog draft that I never posted back in 2011:

It's so funny because many of the people that work at these firms have very sort memories. Mark Zuckerberg himself never thought anyone could ever compete with MySpace. Everything has a cycle, except for Apple because that is a CULT (j/k... actually not really.... its a cult). You would think that Sean Parker would have remembered his rise and fall as well with Napster. Personally I think that it will go public and these founders if they are smart will be selling shares as fast as they can to get out an onto their next project. The public will buy up these shares of a company that has no real profits to speak of (unless it becomes over run with adds but then everyone will leave anyway) and is extremely fickle client base could be off in a second so some new network.

Remember the new intelligence is what can you learn then Unlearn and then relearn something new. 10 year cycles and they are getting shorter.

Wow I guess I saw that coming. I mean all Facebook is a place where everyone can blab to the world about all your opinions, and your kinda force fed it on your news stream by your "friends". The people blabbing think everyone in the world cares and all the readers are just trying to see if they are as cool as they think they are compared to everyone else. I mean I do it to, it's kinda addicting, I even have a blog. I must be super self absorbed thinking that anyone or everyone will want to know what I think about curtain things. Actually quite the opposite. I try to depict my life in social media to attract like minded people and detour others. I mean just look at the last two blog post and you will see some people having an attraction or a strong dislike for the experience that is me.

Women VS Men Who is BETTER?

2011-06-13T14:53:00.000-07:00

What I have found is that men are like a square on a waffle and women are like the syrup. My perspective comes from the side of working in partnership with people not as a boss or an employee. I am completely unemployable, for many reasons, and I have never had a "JOB." If you want to know the toughest boss to work for all you have to do is look in the mirror and you will see them. You, of coarse are your own worse boss simply because you are, for the most part, too easy on yourself and allow yourself to get away with things you would never allow an employee to get away with at all.

Ok now that we have got that out of the way lets digress back to men are like a waffle squares and women are like syrup. I think that makes gay co-workers the butter but that's a whole different very slippery topic and we need to say focused. Ok, you are going to love this and it is going to make so much sense after you read it you are going to want to jump through the screen into cyber space and find me to give me a big hug and kiss (or a pat on the butt depending on your gender or weather or not you like butter or not). This is going to be enlightening insight, so pay attention.

MEN are like waffle squares because they are only good at doing one thing at a time and they can get overloaded very quickly. WOMEN on the other hand are like syrup, because they can definitely sweeten things up but if you pour too much on it can get down right messy. They can multi-task all over the place while staying on task and organized, getting all the squares to hold the highest amount syrup. Keep in mind one must always be careful when applying syrup because it is aways easy to get carried away because who doesn't like nice hot warm syrup. Well I will tell you who doesn't like that much syrup, your stomach and the waffle. See eventually you will end up putting too much syrup on the plate and it will eventually give you one big soggy cold mess.

See the moral of the story is we all have specific things we are programmed to be good at by nature. Give MEN one task at a time and don't overwhelm them. Give women the freedom to multi-task and don't box them in. Be careful not to pour to much on their plate, because it is never obvious that they are full, like it is with MEN as waffle squares. You know when dealing with syrup, it is easy to make it even better with a little encouragement. That's like putting the syrup in the microwave. CAUTION the syrup needs to be allowed to release some steam here for its own good, and this steam could be misdirected and steam can burn you, but don't worry because the syrup can't control where the steam goes. Now leaving the cap sealed will cause problems, big problems so don't be scared of getting burned by a little misdirected steam. You see once it gets too hot the pressure will make it blow up and then you have ruined a perfectly good microwave just because you where scared to get a little steam burn.

Alright so lets remember the best waffles are made from scratch with big deep waffle squares and don't come prepackaged and frozen. Ley-go-My-Ego? You can have that cookie cutter, no square depth have-in, cold, stale, made for a toaster, dime a dozen waffle all to yourself, cause I would not be caught dead with one on my plate. Yes it does take longer to make them from scratch, and hell you might burn a few, but I have got to tell you it is well worth it. WARNING!!!! DON'T let me ever catch you buying the cheap fake syrup. Only, and I mean only, get the real maple syrup that comes in a nice glass container. Yes it does cost more but all that other stuff is bad for you, and will end up giving you cancer or maybe some other disease that is even worse. When looking for syrup size does not matter but Bigger is not always better, see above about dosage amounts.

HAPPY OFFICE SPACING!!
IaN KirK

The Power of Time, & Your Running Out of it Moment by Moment!

2011-06-11T11:35:00.000-07:00

There is a great book that was published called Success For Teens. It is so important that we do what King Solomon says and that is "Guard your Heart for it is the well spring of life." In addition to that you might want to also keep an eye your kids. Funny thing is that you may watch out for your kids more then you watch out for yourself. Remember to watch who you hang out with because you are always an average of the people you hang out around. You might want to invest in a Bose Head Set for your office!! Learn a different language or something, but block the negativity around you. Trust me I have been in that environment and no matter how strong you think you are eventually their ideals and mindsets will rub off on you and you will pass them on like a disease to the people you have influence over.
Remember internship and mentor-ships usually come free with priceless relationships, connections, and advice. That compared to 100K in debt for a piece of paper and no means to pay it off anytime soon should make it easy to point your kids in the right direction. Always look at ROI (return on investment) it is the best gage of weather you are going the right direction. Example of 4-8 years of time ending up -100K in debt is BAD….. or 4-8 years interning or developing a “muse” & saving or generating 2,500 per month makes you a millionaire which is GOOD. We all have the same amount of time. Time is our most valuable asset, and the one thing that we are all running out of and can’t by anymore of, so use it wisely. You can either choose to spend time, or invest your time, but again the choice is yours. Who you choose to spend your time with and who and what you invest your time in will drastically change the course of your life and the lives of those around you.

Overcoming Negativity & The Secrets of Super Achievers

2011-06-10T14:55:00.000-07:00

A interactive talk about how our thoughts create our results in all aspects of our lives. In this talk we will discuss where negativity comes from and how to overcome the effects. We will take a look at characteristics of super achievers and analyze how they get the results that they get and why they get them consistently. We will also go over three steps that you can take in order to take the steps you need to reach your own goals and start to climb the mountain of your dreams.

Don't You Wish It Was Recess

2011-06-07T12:56:00.000-07:00

Nothing much has changed since the playground at recess. If you got to be the captain, you got to pick who you wanted on your team. You never worried about someone saying they didn't want to play because that would be just ridiculous. You also didn't pick players based on any other criteria except to have the winning team. If you did you would lose the game, and no one wants to be a loser. Well some kids did and tried to pick using friendships or in order not to hurt anyones feelings, I think they all ended up being social workers, or something to that accord, who never help anyone and just keep avoiding the problems by shuffling the problems around. Guess what, those kids never get elected to be a captain ever again. Anyways I digress back to the point which is we need to play the game to win. For those of you that feel bad for the ones who don't get pick till last, just think of the motivation they now have to get better. The American workforce and business owners have a rude awakening coming there way in the upcoming years with globalization. Their current entitlement attitude is going to get them no where in this new economy of the 21st century. In order for anyone to get more then they already have or attract the right people to their business or organization they must first become more then they want to attract.

How to Use Philosophy as a Personal Operating System: From Seneca to Musashi

2011-05-25T15:42:00.000-07:00

How to Use Philosophy as a Personal Operating System: From Seneca to Musashi

I just got back from the Bay Area after doing a talk on Overcoming Negativity and the 3 Habits of Super Achievers. It was amazing to see people Wake Up to the idea that their "beliefs" and their speech is creating their circumstance. The next day I was at a Giant's game bending the rules and sitting in the "Club" section, and it was on a Sunday. I mention that it was on Sunday because many of my Rat Race friends wouldn't go with me because their J.O.B required them to be at work the next day at 9am. I stopped doing anything on Monday's just to protest what everyone else finds normal.

I really like the section above where Tim "danced" around the College topic. It was a very diplomatic response I must say, especially coming from Tim. In the spirit of #GraduationWeek I have been posting some fun facts on my Facebook page to see what some people's perspective's are on the topic. Its amazing, I really think some people are awaking to the idea that just getting a degree does not mean you are going to have a wonderful life. I hope we can get more young people to start doing Tim's Dream lining and stop just accepting advise from the previous "broke" generation. You ask college grads why they went to college and most answer because there parents would have "killed" them if they didn't go and get good grades. Go get that degree!! Maybe we should start an after school high school program that teaches Kids ROI (return on investment). At least then they could make an educated decision on weather or not to spend the next 4-6 years occurring debt. To lean lessons that will be obsolete by the time the graduate.

Even though Tim's book is a few years old it is way ahead of what college kids are learning in "Marketing" & "Business" Classes in our State schools. One of my old wakeboarding school students had me look over a final paper he was going to turn in as a senior project, and after reading two pages I told him to go down to the registers office and as for a FOUR YEAR REFUND!!!

One of the most important things you can do is described above by Tim. Pick your mentors and pick your friends because you will always be an average of the 5 people you spend the most time with in your life. That's why I am now hear on Tim's Blog, to meet others who want to live the life of their dreams, and who want to help others realize the same.

Enthusiasm a Cornerstone of Success

2011-05-20T16:28:00.000-07:00

The other Corner Stone of the success pyramid is Enthusiasm. Check out this picture of this kid coloring, he is going after it with some enthusiasm, and I bet he is going to get more color on the page then the person lethargically coloring next to him. Come to think of it I don't believe I can think of one person that has ever been successful in life that was not enthusiastic of the pursuit. They may have been outside the lines from time to time but they always got more "color" on the page, if you know what I mean. Of coarse we where never taught that in our schooling system, nope, we where told to, "Stay within the lines, the lines are your friends." NOW that is some major POVERTY programing. Think about it, no one ever became successful staying with in the lines, those are the people that end up on Social INsecurity.

Sometimes I hear people ask someone how they are doing and the person responds, "Same ol', Same ol'" or you will hear, "Busy, been super Busy." Stick a fork in them cause they are done!! They might as well be dead because their enthusiasm is nonexistent. There is no life, there is no enthusiasm and I defiantly don't want to be around anyone with that type of response who does not want to change their outcomes. Just a little note between you and me, people that claim to be busy only do it to sound like they are important. Don't tell them, or if you are one of these people don't tell me, but the fact of the matter is that everyone has 24 hours in a day, however some get done in a day what others take weeks or even years to do. Why is that the broke people are the busiest. I'm not talking poor, I'm talking BROKE. You know their liabilities have them by the throat, and they continue to trade time for money and mortgage their future. No wonder they have no enthusiasm the only thing they have to look forward to is another day of work to pay off things that they could never afford.

Today is May 20th 2011, and some think the world is going to end tomorrow. I wonder how people would live today different if they knew that tomorrow was the last day. Check out the people that think it is going to end and I believe you will see some levels of enthusiasm that boarder on "ENSANITY" I guarantee that they would not talk like the above examples.

The Corner Stone of Industriousness

2011-05-13T17:42:00.000-07:00

Looking at the corner stone of the pyramid of success you will find the word industriousness. I recall the first time I read the word and thought to myself of conveyor belts and a line of factory workers. Now of coarse I said to myself that's got to be the opposite of what I would perceive as a stepping stone to success. Well as you might have guessed I had misunderstood what the word not only meant but also didn't comprehend the significants of its placement as a corner stone. Industriousness as Coach Wooden understood it meant true work at your highest capacity; fully engaged, totally focused, and completely absorbed.
How many people do you know that can be defined as Industrious, by that definition. Well I know the answer for me was NOT MANY and if someone knows where they hang out let me know because I would like to meet them. I think about the people I often come in contact with including myself, and we are quite the opposite. We are always looking for an easier way, a faster way, a way that does not require us to completely commit 100% or get uncomfortable. That's no way to live, thats the definition of a loser, "Oh I will give it a try." We need to remember what Yoda said in The Empire Strikes Back, "Do or do not, there is no try."
If we want to live the life of our dreams, we are going to have to pay a price and stop looking for it to go on sale. One of those prices to pay is doing what others will not do, at a level of engaged focus, that others lack the discipline to maintain, to live how most will never live. Isn't that the real reward of having Industriousness. To know that no matter what you gave it all you had and when you reflect on your efforts you have no regrets. I know this is something that I personally need to work on while I stop comparing my results to others. The only one we need to compare ourselves to is the person who looked you in the mirror yesterday. If we can say that we are better then we where yesterday and we did all we could do today to grow as much as we possibly could, we should rest easy at night knowing we made the most of our most valuable asset which we are all running out of, TIME.