Preserving Your Treasures

Days like today, I find myself missing my children and grandchildren. At church, I was watching the children and the interactions they were having with their parents. They grow up so fast... as if it was a passing dream. It's been almost 30 years since I became a parent and the time has slipped swiftly by. Fortunately, I have many photos, videos, audio recordings and I have written about things we have done as a family or things that our children have done so I can have a tangible connection. We've also kept special things that our family members have made, as these are most precious.

One of the things I have done throughout the years (and I have made somewhat of a side business of it) is preserving, archiving and sharing these treasures. I would like to offer a bit of advice to those who are starting out in their families and maybe some help for those like me who like to savor those memories, yet have regrets about not preserving anything tangible. The first part is for those starting out in their families:

1) Take photos, lots of them. Take a camera everywhere. If you use your phone camera, learn how to transfer the photos on a more permanent device and do so frequently.

2) Take audio recordings of significant phone messages, family gatherings and so forth. Sometimes, a birthday or Mother's Day greeting can mean so much when played back years later. Record vocal performances as well... no matter how technically flawed you believe the performance is.

3) Don't forget to take video recordings of children playing, school events or major life events. At the time, you may think these moments are kind of silly, but years later they are priceless.

4) Save letters and emails from family members. You may want to scan them and save them digitally so you don't have boxes of papers taking up attic space or that get tossed when you are cleaning house.

5) Keep a daily journal or at least write about some of the more significant happenings in your life. Be factual and include details about the events as well as your feelings and directly quote what people said. Your memory isn't as reliable as you think it is, however the things you write now are indelible.

6) Have everything archived digitally and in formats that are "future proof." For instance, save documents in an easily recoverable text format and photos as JPEGs. Save videos to DVD and audio to WAV format and/or CDs and don't get rid of your DVD player or device with an optical drive just because you watch all your movies on cable or online now. I would recommend an older computer away for that specific purpose, even though you think it will become obsolete. Keep in mind that obsolescence is merely an industry fabrication - a ruse designed to keep you buying new products.

7) Keep copies of those archived files in a separate location, other than your home. My recommendation is to have several copies in different formats and different locations. Your primary location is at the home. Frequently back up your computer to an external hard drive. Additionally, back up your files to archive quality optical disks (DVD-ROM media) and seal them up and have them kept by a trusted friend or family member. Also, copy all your files over to an external hard drive and keep it in a safe that is in a separate location than your house... maybe in a briefcase that can be grabbed in case of evacuation. Finally, if you are in such a financial position, back up your files online, but don't under any circumstances upload materials that could be compromised for the purpose of identity theft or cause embarrassment for you if hacked.

And advice for those who regret not preserving these things:

1) Start now. Ask (beg pester or bargain if you have to) family members who have taken photos, videos or have other items of sentimental value that you can copy and carefully and respectfully copy them for yourself.

2) Write down memories that you have. Don't worry about trying to keep a chronological record because it will drive you crazy and you will get frustrated and give up. The beauty of word-processing is that you can go back later and edit and organize your journal as you remember details.

3) Talk to your family members and perhaps get audio recordings of their perspective of things that happened. Not only will you be able to have these documents or recordings of what happened from another perspective, but this is also good bonding time with your family members.

4) Don't be stingy with your memories. Share your stories, your pictures, videos, recordings, journals and so forth with your posterity. It may not mean much to them now, but you never know which of your children or grandchildren will crave for something tangible from you. Write heartfelt letters to your children... give them something to open up and cherish when you are gone.

5) Don't wait until you are dead to give your children and spouse meaningful things. It's good to draft up a will and keep it in a safe place, but as you advance in years don't be too attached to your possessions so that they have to wait until you are dead so they can have things. In my opinion, it is much more meaningful to give these gifts while you are alive and still have your sanity than for your family members to squabble over what they perceived were your intentions. I've seen a lot of unnecessary heartache and strained family relations over such arguments and misunderstandings. Finally, DO have a will and don't let anybody convince you to alter it out of their convenience. If you have strong feelings about what should be done with your possessions, have your will done up while you are in sound mind and preserve it in a safe place. Don't broadcast your intentions to your family members. Let them unseal it after you are gone.

My Guitar Playing Style

I started playing guitar about 35 years ago. When I started playing, I didn't pay attention to the details about where my fingers were supposed to go, so my fingering on some of the chords is wrong and I have been playing that way ever since. I developed habits that stuck. Now, this does not affect the way I play but if I try to teach somebody how to play guitar, I have to try to place my fingers in the correct position so those errors are not perpetuated through somebody else. This is why I am sometimes reluctant to teach guitar lessons.

It feels uncomfortable for me to try to change those habits and I'm not gonna do anything to modify my techniques because it will interrupt my playing and seriously jeopardize my mojo. At this point of the game, I don't even think about playing the chords. It's as natural as breathing. My mind doesn't even process things like what notes or chords I am playing and if I start to think about it or if I become conscious about what my fingers are doing, I mess up. Some people refer to this as "muscle memory." This can be a good thing and a bad thing all at the same time. The good thing is that the details don't get in the way of our craft. We can just do it without thinking about it. The bad thing is that we tend to become complacent or get into a rut if we continue to do the same thing and never learn anything new. I have to purposely try to go out and develop new techniques, write new music or experiment by either modifying the things I already know or trying something that is completely different. When you go outside your comfort zone artistically, there are two possible things that can happen: 1) It doesn't work... sound's horrible or just doesn't have do anything. 2) Sometimes (and this is more the exception than the rule) the sound is fresh, unique and inspiring. So, in essence, with trial and error, there aren't any mistakes, just successes in finding out what works and what doesn't work. You eliminate what doesn't work and preserve what does work.

One of the things that I discovered a long time ago (concerning musicianship - particularly guitar) is that it is unfair to compare one guitarist to another. Now, there are some phenomenal players that can seemingly do anything on the guitar (though I am not one of them). I do feel, however, that every guitar player eventually develops a unique style, or voice. There are some guitarists that are so distinctive, that they can't easily be replicated. I can almost instantly recognize when I hear guitar riffs from Carlos Santana, Mark Knopfler or Edward Van Halen. I can also recognize which one of my children is playing the guitar. As a matter of personal opinion, I believe that we should work on finding our voice and developing that, rather than trying to emulate other artists. This could probably be applied with any musical instrument or voice. It could probably also be applied to any artistic endeavor. Find your voice... develop your style. Be unique and be a pioneer in your craft - that is, after you have learned the basic rules.

We Are ALL Students

I consider every human being to be a student. We are ALL students, because we all learn things. There are several different approaches to learning or different types of students, in general.

1) The “education is an asset” student. This person sees education merely as an asset to advance in a career. The end goal is earning potential. The diploma is more important than the learning itself. This type of student is most likely to cheat on tests, embellish a résumé, plagiarize or pay for others to write school essays.

2) The “school is a chore - school is a bore” student. This category likely contains the highest amount of dropouts or those who never go on to pursue higher education. These are the students that sit in the back of the class and ruin the experience for other students… sleeping through lectures, making fun of other students and teachers, and not participating in and/or sabotaging group projects.

3) The overachiever. This can be a good thing, but overachieving can also get in the way of learning. When a student is too focused on the GPA or trying to comply with the established curricula, he or she may never develop critical thinking skills - in other words, being able to be resourceful and innovative. There is another type of overachiever who wants to get involved in everything. The downside of this is that this could lead to burnout and discouragement or in many cases the depth of learning is compromised because they are spreading themselves too thin. Such overachievers need to know their limits.

4) The closed-minded academic. This student is done learning and has put a cap on his/her education and can’t be taught anything new or any new material is only used to validate what has already been established in the mind of this student (whether that information is correct or not). This student may be a high school graduate or a Phd, but the level of education or “degree” is the pinnacle of that student’s learning and there can’t be any greater or further accomplishment.

5) The unconventional scholar or skeptic of formally accepted principles. This student is quick to follow rumors, conspiracy theories, Internet memes or urban legends, but is skeptical of established curricula or theories that have been backed with overwhelming scientific evidence, studies and statistical data. This student reads between the lines and tries to figure out what is said by what is NOT said.

6) The balanced, continually learning student. This student has a thirst for knowledge and considers education a lifelong pursuit, seeking knowledge from multiple sources and updating/upgrading that knowledge by studying current events and reports. This student prefers reliable, unbiased sources, yet also looks at the varying views and compares and contrasts them, ferreting out valuable data. This student is resourceful and applies critical thinking skills - never forming a solid opinion as a stimulus response, but rather, after deep research and cognition. This student excels in learning, not necessarily for the sake of a high GPA or honors (though he/she understands that hard work usually leads to those honors), but learns to acquire knowledge because doing so improves one’s life and builds healthy communities.

This is just a list, my list, but there may be other items to add to it and some may disagree with it. That’s ok. You might wonder where you fit on this list. Which category are you or which category am I? Can we change? Well, of course we can change and we don’t have to accept that we are in one particular category or other. Honestly, I used to belong to the “school is a chore - school is a bore” category while I was in K-12 school. It wasn’t until I was in my senior year of high school that I actually started enjoying school. Now, I’ve always enjoyed learning though, so most of my education has been more a product of non-traditional or informal training, rather than what I can learn in a classroom setting. That being said, as an adult I have enjoyed classroom learning. I enjoy the interaction with other students and the stimulating lectures and classroom discussions. I have also struggled with being an overachiever, usually being at the top of my class as far as grades are concerned. This has led to some severe anxiety as a student.

Some learning methods provide a more healthy approach to being a student than others. As we all strive as students, let us be more efficient in our learning so that we can get the most out of it.

Decoding the Media

Just a friendly reminder... so-called "mainstream news" is not necessarily a reliable source of information. I'm not saying don't watch it - by all means watch it, but remember to do so with critical thinking skills... in other words, don't get sucked into the the deception. With the onslaught of so much information, it's difficult to know what to think or what is true. Here are some things to remember:

1. 1) Look out for rumors, conjecture, exaggeration, conflation, selective editing and blowing things out of context.
2. 2) Piece the article or video clip together to see if you can spot the agenda behind the story - there is almost invariably an agenda, sometimes it takes a sharp eye and objective mind to spot it.
3. 3) Learn the difference between passion and fact. Just because a statement is beautifully and passionately stated does not make it true.
4. 4) Follow the money. Many stories are promoted using campaign funds and lobbyists with deep pockets. This is literally a multi-billion dollar industry. Money talks.
5. 5) Check your emotions and pick out facts. Media is ALL about emotion. Nobody wants to watch a dry speech - however... such narratives are carefully crafted and calculated to elicit emotional responses, rather than provide factual information.
6. Explore both sides of the issue. As issues become more heated, media becomes more polarized - even to the point of extremism. Often (but not always) the truth is found somewhere in-between.
7. Dig deeper. Biased sources (pretty much all of them) highlight what they want you to see and hear while glossing over or completely omitting crucial, but pertinent information.
8. Sometimes the truth is obfuscated not by what is said but HOW it is said. Listen for understanding. Media is much akin to sales or a con. The truth is buried in there, but you need to develop skills to decode it for accuracy.
9. Don't react. Breaking stories rarely have enough information to make an informed decision or opinion and as stated before, don't let your emotions override facts. Don't jump to conclusions at first glance.
10. Know the difference between science and Science™ (or pseudoscience). The true scientific method is to look for facts, not cherry-pick them to advance an agenda or promote an ideal. Science does not lie, but people do. Once again, follow the money trail. If a scientific study only looks at a part of the data or relies on computer modeling, ignoring current data and measurements, it's not science. It's an agenda. Oftentimes celebrities and educated "experts" make assertions that are well-beyond their area of study or expertise. Know their backgrounds, level of education and biases before falling into a flawed belief system.
11. Educated yourself. Having a college degree does not automatically endow you with expertise on ever subject. Education is a lifelong pursuit and requires humility and an open mind. Once you believe you are "educated" and therefore don't need to learn anymore you actually attest to your ignorance.
12. Current events and issues - understand that things change, people change and what was true yesterday isn't necessarily true today. Some people/entities and things change for the better, others change for worse or they just get better at lying. That being said, this does not necessarily apply to morals, values and principles based upon truth, righteousness and honor.
13. Media can and IS manipulated to falsely portray events or are complete fabrications. Check your sources and research multiple sources.
14. So-called "fact" checking websites are not always truthful or unbiased. Keep in mind that these are subject to being skewed by their own biased opinions and also being sold out to those with lots of money. Raw data from government sources may provide better insight, but remember that U.S. government has been involved in scandals from corruption, so data may be skewed, redacted or inaccurately presented.
15. Take accountability for yourself and become a thinking, responsible adult. Never shift that responsibility onto another person or entity or the government. We all need help from time-to-time, but ultimately we are ALL agents unto ourselves and responsible for our own actions, thoughts, words... or apathy, negligence and idleness - whatever the case may be.

Legacy Gear - They Don't Make it Like They Used To

I have started a quest for select types of legacy audio, video and computer equipment for my business. It is interesting that some of this stuff that formerly would have been dumpster fodder, is making a comeback or is in demand. I'm not sure if it is for the same reasons I want to use it for or not though.

There is just something cool about owning some of this gear because in my opinion it is more than just for function, but for beauty. Just like vintage automobiles, there was a sense of pride and competitiveness that went into manufacturing this gear. It was meant to last and was made out solid materials. This equipment was made so that you could repair, calibrate and replace broken or worn parts.

I find it disheartening that consumerism has overtaken our market of goods and rather than having the option to repair items at the component level, we simply haul it out to the dumpster and buy a new one and don't even think twice about it, because the newer one is better anyway. We call this "programmed obsolescence" and it is the process that keeps the manufacturers in business, or should I say it makes them filthy rich. This hasn't always been the case. The way that we do business has fundamentally changed. Many of our products are outsourced to cheap labor. An advantage is that it is less expensive for consumers for the same class of product produced many years ago, but the disadvantage is that since these items are not designed to be repaired, it is more cost-effective to simply go to Best Buy and get another one.

One of my professions has been a repairman. I once had a job repairing TVs, VCRs, CD players and other consumer electronic devices. We would get truckloads of them and "refurbish" them. This was in the early 1990s. I think there are a few companies that still do this, but by and large, this market has virtually evaporated. It's just not worth it anymore because most of the consumer electronics are simply junk - straight from the manufacturer. Without boring you with technical details about the internal components, suffice it to say that even though improved technology has given us more features, durability and repairability is simply not even an option at the component level and even at the modular level (board level), it is often necessary to get the parts through a scrap dealer or through aftermarket parts supplier (that are usually of questionable origin).

There's not much of a market for repairing consumer items anymore, so I only do this occasionally and selectively... and when I tell potential clients how much the repair costs are, they usually make the decision to replace the inoperative item. Which brings me back to the market of legacy equipment. There are technicians who still work on this stuff, usually as a hobby, but sometimes they actually earn a living at it. Personally, I find it somewhat gratifying to clean up and refurbish a vintage piece of gear. Mostly, though, I just enjoy restoring one of these items to its original beauty and functionality. There's just something about the solidness... the chunky aluminum... the shiny chrome or brushed stainless steel... the buttons, levers, knobs, lighted meters and analog controls that makes me smile with sentiment.

Education Vs. Indoctrination

What is the difference between education and indoctrination? We hear those terms thrown around a lot lately. We see this used as a term of demographics when trying to make a point - as though "educated" strictly means possessing a college diploma. Then we hear the word "indoctrinated" - which is usually a disparaging term. What is the difference and who can determine that?

Let me start out by answering the question of: "who can determine that?" As a student of any institution, you should be able to objectively view your curricula and seek out the information you are trying to learn. It's called "critical thinking" or in other words, you should be able to challenge that which is presented without fear of reprisal. If it is any other way, you may want to reconsider your education options. Critical thinking does not mean that you are only allowed to express views within a narrow margin of acceptability, but that you are to use the information that you are given, process it with your own mind and come to a conclusion. Now, there ARE wrong conclusions that students can ultimately derive as the end result, so critical thinking isn't a "free-for-all" of opinion, however opposing or alternate conclusions (within sane parameters) should be valued and considered. Many times, revolutionaries have presented ideas that contradicted conventional ideals and academia - and have changed the world in a positive way.

What about indoctrination? Indoctrination, by definition, is to accept a set of beliefs uncritically. Or in other words, critical thinking is not allowed. Many schools and other institutions of learning claim that they teach "critical thinking skills" however, when the curricula is challenged, students meet reprisals in the form of unsatisfactory grades and public shaming. It is no secret that the majority of university and public school faculty as well as those writing the textbooks are unabashedly liberal and their ideals seep into the curricula, even in benign or unrelated subjects. We also see a few private colleges with far-right biased ideologies that ignore or discredit that which does not mesh with their theological basis. These are examples of indoctrination - where facts are suppressed, history is rewritten and agendas are shamelessly promoted. In those cases, it is the responsibility of the student to fill in the gaps in order to augment their education or reeducate themselves with facts - but this must be done on their own time and on their own terms, otherwise there is the risk of academic penalties.

Education, on the other hand, is the unfiltered truth - the good, the bad and the ugly. It is nearly impossible for a student to possess objective critical thinking capabilities when only being exposed to a portion of the information or blatant falsehoods. This is why it is vitally important for potential students to do their homework - I mean, do their homework about the educational institutions that they are planning on attending as part of their preparation for secondary education. Some degrees are barely worth the paper they are printed on and some colleges, even some prestigious Ivy League universities churn out graduates that have very little useful skills or practical knowledge to enter into a competitive job market, but are merely a product of social engineering. Education is a valuable resource, but when education is tainted by misinformation, then it is more damaging to our society than if we are left to our own devices for our learning. Which is a segue into what defines "educated."

As a study in demographics, many are led to believe that those without a college degree are uneducated. This is not necessarily true and is usually used as a means to disparage those without diplomas - as if their vote or opinion is devalued because they don't possess a costly piece of paper or as if they are less qualified at a particular job (even though the job may be unrelated to their degree) because they haven't learned their skills in a formal classroom setting. Intelligence is not defined as a level of education, and a level of education does not necessarily validate a person's intelligence or competence. As a college graduate or professor, to assume a position of intellectual superiority (especially in those subjects unrelated to your degree or specialty) over all those who have not had the privilege of attending a university, is pretentious and pompousness and amounts to nothing more than elitism through entitlement. I would assert that there are MANY individuals who truly are educated and whose knowledge, opinions and skills rival those who have graduated from universities, even some with advanced degrees. Granted, that some professions require a degree and passing residency and board certification for their specialized skills, but those are the exception, not the rule.

A university education is merely one path (out of many) toward becoming educated, and becoming educated is just as much a proactive endeavor, requiring integrity and ethical behavior, as a university student, as those without the privilege of being able to attend a formal classroom setting. It is sad to say that many students cheat, party or coast their way through school and nonetheless walk out with the same diploma as those who work hard and honestly towards their degree... who have truly earned their diploma. The price of an education goes well beyond the cost of tuition and books, but more so it is the time and effort spent pursuing your field, researching your subjects and applying your knowledge. It is delving in beyond the curriculum presented to you and pouring your whole heart and soul into your current subject of study... and to accept the good, the bad and the ugly, in all its glory.

Literacy: It IS That Important

There is the school of thought that since we rely so heavily on technology, we shouldn’t devote as much time to literacy as we did in previous generations. I would assert that the opposite is true. Now, more than ever, it is important to strengthen our written communication skills, because much of our communication is text-based. It is much more difficult to understand the intent of a purely text-based comment than one that is done verbally, where you can hear and see the person talking. Since much of the verbal and nonverbal cues are lost when using text only (even in perfectly worded statements), it is vitally important to communicate clearly.

I can confidently say that a day doesn’t pass that I’m not exposed to something that somebody wrote that is either: a) ambiguously written, b) unintelligible, or c) rife with spelling, grammar, punctuation or usage errors to the point of changing the intended meaning or at minimum, distracting from the spirit of the message.

We’re not all writing experts. I know I’m not, and I make a lot of mistakes or break rules, especially in casual writings. I think even the most literate among us commit errors and break rules, but that’s not what I’m referring to. Let’s first consider what communication is. One of the definitions for communication (which is most fitting in this case), is: “the successful conveying or sharing of ideas and feelings” (New Oxford American Dictionary) - the key being, successful. If your intended audience misunderstands your text-based message, then most likely you have failed as a writer. Part of the responsibility also falls upon the reader (such as reading for comprehension and increasing vocabulary), but a significant proportion of problems occur because the writer failed to write in a way that was comprehensible for general audiences.

What can we do about this? One of the most important things to improving in any skill is to practice. Write every day. But that is not enough. Most of us write every day (texting is considered writing), but nevertheless the end result is horrible for many writers. The key is to learn the rules of writing… and practice them. We’ve all heard the phrase “Practice makes perfect.” But that is only partially correct. If we are practicing, but without discipline or correction, we learn bad habits. A better axiom is: “Perfect practice makes perfect.” Any skill that is worth learning requires many hours of not only trial and error, but also correcting those errors when they are discovered and focusing on those errors to make weaknesses into strengths.

Let’s explore some of the more common breakdowns in written communication.

Grammar

For this example, proper grammar includes sentence structure, word usage, and intelligibility. Whenever you write something, read it back to yourself or better yet (especially if you have been accused of not writing clearly), have someone else proofread it. It’s better to have a friend proofread your work and give you constructive criticism than to post it online and be publicly humiliated. If this is a consistent problem for you, consider taking English classes. There are some that are even free or inexpensive. Grammar can be tricky, especially if you need to improve in your verbal communication as well, because many people tend to write the way they speak.

Spelling

Technology gives us some tools to aid us with spelling, but the trick is that we also need to use some cognitive reasoning as well. Your spell-checker doesn't pick out inappropriately used words that are spelled correctly. As mentioned before, practice is the key. If you learn the wrong way to spell words, you will develop bad habits, whereas if you learn the correct spelling of words, it will become automatic. One of the biggest problems I see is with homophones (words that sound similar but are spelled differently – example: there, they’re, their). Most of the time, misuse is more of an annoyance than anything, but in some cases a homophone error can completely change the meaning of your sentence. Take, for instance, the words accept and except. They can be diametrically opposite in their meaning. If you except someone, that means you are leaving them out, but what you really meant to say was accept, which is to include that person.

Punctuation and capitalization

I included those both together because these are generally problems associated with laziness, but also they are general indications of where to start, pause and end your statements. Think of them as waypoints to guide your writing. One of the things that will cause a seasoned reader to abandon your document without finishing, is run-on sentences. It is almost as annoying to read, a document filled, with misplaced punctuation, having your reader, pause at the wrong times during, your sentences. And sentence fragments.

Reaching toward excellence

When we get beyond the basics of written communication, we can work on improving what we’ve built upon. With so much information to read everyday, readers appreciate clear and succinct communication. In other words, don’t be too wordy. Write what you need to write and see what you can trim while still communicating effectively. For blogs, posts and articles, many readers tend to prefer bulleted lists. Your most important information should be in your numbered and highlighted bullets and then your explanation follows. You can also do the same with conventional paragraphs. Nobody wants to read your extraneous, irrelevant ramblings. At minimum, break your article up into smaller paragraphs. I can guarantee that most (if not all) readers will not even attempt to read an entire page with no breaks.

Keep your works interesting. Avoid awkwardly worded phrases or overused words. Some writers have favorite words they like to use, over and over and over again. After awhile, some readers will find themselves counting the instances of those words, rather than reading for meaning. I almost used the word “actually” in that last sentence, but I realized that is one of my “go-to” words that I need to use less often, and it would have been completely unnecessary in that particular instance.

Whether you like it or not or want to admit it, you are judged by your level of literacy. It may be an unfair judgment, but those who struggle with spelling, grammar, punctuation/capitalization and general readability are seen as less competent or less intelligent than their more literate peers. Those who master written communication are regarded as "educated" and their works are given more credence than their contemporaries - especially those engaging in debates or dissertations.  

Let us strive for more excellent communication by mastering the basics and continuing beyond for readability. I know I still have much to learn and I continue to learn. I hope someday that in every instance, my readers will understand not only the words, but the intended meaning and even feelings behind what I have written.  Now that’s a lofty goal!