20240612 SLLLAVERS FOR WEDNESDAY - NOT D-DAY, BUT IS P2P-ERA, AND I, KEN TAYLOR, ALREADY HAVE EVERYTHING I NEED!!!!!!!

SILENCE

Tried to silence brain for 80 seconds; kinda did it.

LLL - BHL

Live.  Love.  Laugh.

Bless.  Heal.  Love.

AFFIRMATIONS

1. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving, KIND human being.
2. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving and KIND human being.
3. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving and KIND human being.
4. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving and KIND human being.
5. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving and KIND human being.

Also said aloud for 80 seconds.

1. I, Ken Taylor, already have everything I need.
2. I, Ken Taylor, already have everything I need.
3. I, Ken Taylor, already have everything I need.
4. I, Ken Taylor, already have everything I need.
5. I, Ken Taylor, already have everything I need.

Also said aloud for 80 seconds.

1. I, Ken Taylor, am a confident human being.
2. I, Ken Taylor, am a confident human being.
3. I, Ken Taylor, am a confident human being.
4. I, Ken Taylor, am a confident human being.
5. I, Ken Taylor, am a confident human being.

Also said aloud for 80 seconds.

VISUALIZATION

197.4  Today's weight

198.0  Yesterday's weight

-0.6

I visualize weighing less tomorrow.

EXERCISE

Did my full base-80 routine for Wednesday, June 12, 2024:

1. ankle/wrist circles 80
2. toe/finger stretches 80
3. bicycle crunches 80
4. (MADE BED; PIANO)
5. flamingo R60, L60
6. shoulder rolls 80
7. ball/wall 15
8. angel/wall 15
9. counter stretch 15
10. squats 40
11. push-ups 40

READING, WRITING

Read for 80 seconds in SAPIENS by Yuval Noah Harari.  He says when we evaluate the happiness of humans, we might be neglecting that of animals and the earth.  Further, the happiness of rich white males cannot be viewed as the "same as" the happiness of, for example, poor black disabled lesbians.

Read for 80 seconds in A PROMISED LAND by Barack Obama.  He recalls being VERY frustrated by the economic dilemma we (the USA) faced in 2009; he met with his team & asked for ideas; he planned a speech to let Americans know what the situation was; word got out about the bonuses planned by the big banks; he convened the 15 biggest bank CEOs and explained the situation.

Read for 80 seconds in THE RIGHTEOUS MIND by Jonathan Haidt.  He says Kant might have had Aspergers Syndrome too (along with Bentham); but who knows????

Read for 80 seconds in MAN'S SEARCH FOR MEANING by Viktor Frankl.  He says

20240611 SLLLAVERS FOR TUESDAY - NOT D-DAY, BUT IS P2P-ERA, AND I, KEN TAYLOR, ALREADY HAVE EVERYTHING I NEED!!!!!!!

SILENCE

Tried to silence brain for 80 seconds; mild success.

LLL - BHL

Live.  Laugh.  Love.

Bless. Heal. Love.

AFFIRMATIONS

1. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
2. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
3. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
4. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
5. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.

Also said aloud for 80 seconds.

1. I, Ken Taylor, already have everything I need.
2. I, Ken Taylor, already have everything I need.
3. I, Ken Taylor, already have everything I need.
4. I, Ken Taylor, already have everything I need.
5. I, Ken Taylor, already have everything I need.

Also said aloud for 80 seconds.

1. I, Ken Taylor, am a confident human being.
2. I, Ken Taylor, am a confident human being.
3. I, Ken Taylor, am a confident human being.
4. I, Ken Taylor, am a confident human being.
5. I, Ken Taylor, am a confident human being.

Also said aloud for 80 seconds.

VISUALIZATION

198.0  Today's weight

198.8  Yesterday's weight

-0.8

I visualize weighing less tomorrow.

EXERCISE

Did my full base-80 routine for Tuesday, June 11, 2024:

1. ankle/wrist circles 80
2. toe/finger stretches 80
3. bicycle crunches 80
4. (MADE BED; PIANO)
5. flamingo R60, L60
6. shoulder rolls 80
7. ball/wall 15
8. angel/wall 15
9. counter stretch 15
10. squats 40
11. push-ups 40

READING, WRITING 

Read for 80 seconds in SAPIENS by Yuval Noah Harari.  He says that the issues of "happiness" v "social achievement" is neither right nor wrong, neither one view or another view..... e.g.:  hunter-gatherers were likely extremely happy when they caught & killed a mammoth.  Were they happier than we are today?

Modern medicine has reduced the child mortality (at birth) from 33% to 5%.  Are the parents & families happier than the medieval parents who lost so many children?

Modern innovations have reduced illness-related deaths, crime, poverty.

But some say that with each new innovation comes a smaller degree of happiness.

Read for 80 seconds in A PROMISED LAND by Barack Obama.  He recalls feeling confident in his decisions about how to respond to the 2008 financial crisis, until someone brought the AIG (insurance company) bonus dilemma:  contracts already in place required payment of bonuses to people who were in effect responsible for the crisis; not paying them would result in lawsuits.  The CEO was new and only taking 1$ per year in salary.  BO thought it was a joke.

,,,

Read for 80 seconds in THE RIGHTEOUS MIND by Jonathan Haidt.  He says Immanual KANT (1700s) knew Hume & his ideas, and addressed the issue of morality as it relates to sentiment.  He asked if a person's feelings affect her morality.  No, says he.  Rather, there must be a priori reasoning to describe the relationship.

NOTE:  Haidt is writing more deeply & subtly, IMO.

Red for 80 seconds in MAN'S SEARCH FOR MEANING by Viktor Frankl.  He says "nowadays" people are less willing to see a clergyman for advice about their lives; they now are more likely to see a psychiatrist to find the meaning of their lives.  Frankl cites the example of a mother of 2 boys, the older one a cripple.  The younger one died, and the mother attempted suicide, but was prevented from carrying out her plan by the older son, who showed that he LIKED living, in spite of being a cripple. 

20240610 SLLLAVERS FOR MONDAY - NOT-D DAY, BUT IT IS P2P-ERA, AND I, KEN TAYLOR, ALREADY HAVE EVERYTHING I NEED!!!!!!!

SILENCE

Tried to silence brain for 80 seconds; mild success.

LLL - BHL

Live.  Laugh.  Love.

Bless.  Heal.  Love.

AFFIRMATIONS

1. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
2. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
3. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
4. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
5. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.

Also said aloud for 80 seconds.

1. I, Ken Taylor, already have everything I need.
2. I, Ken Taylor, already have everything I need.
3. I, Ken Taylor, already have everything I need.
4. I, Ken Taylor, already have everything I need.
5. I, Ken Taylor, already have everything I need.

Also said aloud for 80 seconds.

1. I, Ken Taylor, am a confident human being.
2. I, Ken Taylor, am a confident human being.
3. I, Ken Taylor, am a confident human being.
4. I, Ken Taylor, am a confident human being.
5. I, Ken Taylor, am a confident human being.

Also said aloud for 80 seconds.

VISUALIZATION

198.8  Today's weight

199.4  Yesterday's weight

I visualize weighing less tomorrow.

EXERCISE

Did my full base-80 routine for Monday, June 10, 2024:

1. ankle/wrist circles 80
2. toe/finger stretches 80
3. bicycle crunches 80
4. (MADE BED; PIANO)
5. flamingo L60, R60
6. shoulder rolls 80
7. ball/wall 15
8. angel/wall 15
9. counter stretch 15
10. squats 40
11. push-ups 40

READING, WRITING

Read for 80 seconds in SAPIENS by Yuval Noah Harari.  He says that Nationalism, Communism and Capitalism might all be "-isms" that DO NOT, in fact, lead to greater happiness.  He says historians do not often address this question, nor opine about which one is better.  Harari raises the question of what degree of happiness certain peoples (e.g., pre-Agricultural Revolution) had, when compared to today.  And, he states (correctly, IMO), that technological developments leading to "improved personal & social lifestyles" do NOT, in every case, lead to greater happiness.

(eh, ben)

Read for 80 seconds in A PROMISED LAND by Barack Obama.  He recalls that decision making as POTUS was characterized by giving his team a challenge to come up with a solution, while knowing that he was the one to give it a green light (or not).  They generally agreed to the "stress test" (_______________ (wish I could define it)) as being the best course of action.  He also became swamped with chance - e.g., a 70% chance that Plan A would work, but doing nothing at all would possibly be a 30% of a good result..... etc.

Read for 80 seconds in THE RIGHTEOUS MIND by Jonathan Haidt.  He says Lucas and Sheeran studied the life of Bentham (17XX), and concluded that had he lived today, he'd receive the diagnosis of "Asberger;s Syndrome."

Note:  I'm not sure why this is important.

Read for 80 seconds in MAN'S SEARCH FOR MEANING by Viktor Frankl.  He says he was forced to change clothes into those of a recently killed fellow inmate, and he found in the coat, a Jewish prayer.  He felt this gave him meaning.

(CORRECTION:  I stated earlier that Frankl was able to keep the original manuscript of his book, but that wasn't true, since he "gave up" his coat (along with the manuscript) when he changed clothes.  Frankl makes no mention here of what happened to his manuscript.)

The prayer he found, and his own thought processes, led him to understand the meaning of "the meaning of life."  Others concluded that if they did not survive, then their lives had no meaning.  Frankl concluded that the suffering gave his life meaning.

20240609 SLLLAVERS FOR SUNDAY - NOT D-DAY, BUT P2P-ERA, AND I, KEN TAYLOR, ALREADY HAVE EVERYTHING I NEED!!!!!!!

SILENCE

Tried to silence brain for 80 seconds; mild success.

LLL - BHL

Love.  Live.  Laugh.

Bless.  Heal.  Love.

AFFIRMATIONS

1. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
2. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
3. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
4. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
5. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.

Also said aloud for 80 seconds.

1. I, Ken Taylor, already have everything I need.
2. I, Ken Taylor, already have everything I need.
3. I, Ken Taylor, already have everything I need.
4. I, Ken Taylor, already have everything I need.
5. I, Ken Taylor, already have everything I need.

Also said aloud for 80 seconds.

1. I, Ken Taylor, am a confident human being.
2. I, Ken Taylor, am a confident human being.
3. I, Ken Taylor, am a confident human being.
4. I, Ken Taylor, am a confident human being.
5. I, Ken Taylor, am a confident human being.

Also said aloud for 80 seconds.

VISUALIZATION

199.4  Today's weight.

199.2  Yesterday's weight.

+0.2

I visualize weighing less tomorrow.

EXERCISE

1. ankle/wrist circles 80
2. toe/finger stretches 80
3. bicycle crunches 80
4. (MADE BED; PIANO)
5. flamingo L60, R60
6. shoulder rolls 80
7. ball/wall 15
8. angel/wall 15
9. counter stretch 15
10. squats 40
11. push-ups 40

READING, WRITING

Read for 80 seconds in SAPIENS by Yuval Noah Harari.  He says the question of "are we happier with X?"  is seldom asked by historians.

It's been 70,000 years since the Cognitive Revolution:  are we happier now than our predecessors were?

Nationalism says we're happier if we have political self-determination.

Communism says we're happier if we're under the dictatorship of the proletariat.

Capitalism says we're happier if we have economic growth and material abundance, teaching self-reliance and enterprising, resulting in the greatest number of people being the most happy.

Read for 80 seconds in A PROMISED LAND by Barack Obama.  He recalls the frustration of the economic crisis of 2007-2008; his team had suggestions, but they were fearful that any of these possible approaches might unravel the GLOBAL economy; BofA and Citigroup were targeted for the replacement of their CEOs and Boards, but many feared it would not result in much beyond symbolism.  They considered nationalizing the banks (per Sweden's solution to their 1999 crisis).

Read for 80 seconds in THE RIGHTEOUS MIND by Jonathan Haidt.  He says Jeremy Bentham (b England 1748) postulated that there were too many rules, etc. in British society, and so offered a simplified approach:  any law should be subject to UTILITY:  if it gives the greatest happiness to the greatest number of people, it's good.  He identified ways of characterizing both pains (dolors) and pleasures (hedons) as they applied to proposed laws.

Read for 80 seconds in MAN'S SEARCH FOR MEANING by Viktor Frankl.  He says suffering is unavoidable in any aspect of living; he refers to his most significant experience in the concentration camp at Auschwitz.  He acknowledges that (from post-camp analyses) there was only 1 chance in 28 that anyone would survive.  He recalls his first manuscript of his book which he had hidden in his coat.  He ascribes the meaning of HIS life to be the "survival" of the manuscript, and his own survival (including his inner child), as simply that survival.

(Or something like that.)

20240608 SLLLAVERS FOR SATURDAY - NOT D-DAY, BUT IS P2P-ERA, AND I, KEN TAYLOR, ALREADY HAVE EVERYTHING I NEED!!!!!!!

SILENCE

Tried to silence brain for 80 seconds; mild success.

LLL - BHL

Live.  Laugh.  Love.

Bless.  Heal.  Love.

AFFIRMATIONS

1. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
2. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
3. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
4. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
5. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.

Also said aloud for 80 seconds.

1. I, Ken Taylor, already have everything I need.
2. I, Ken Taylor, already have everything I need.
3. I, Ken Taylor, already have everything I need.
4. I, Ken Taylor, already have everything I need.
5. I, Ken Taylor, already have everything I need.

Also said aloud for 80 seconds.

1. I, Ken Taylor, am a confident human being.
2. I, Ken Taylor, am a confident human being.
3. I, Ken Taylor, am a confident human being.
4. I, Ken Taylor, am a confident human being.
5. I, Ken Taylor, am a confident human being.

Also said aloud for 80 seconds.

VISUALIZATION

199.2  Today's weight

201.0  Yesterday's weight

-1.8

I visualize weighing less tomorrow.

I've "screwed up" for the last few weeks.  I don't know why I've lacked motivation.  But today, I am beginning a 12 day plan to follow my exercise/diet routing every day, until I leave for Europe.

For the next 12 days, I'm back to the simple "do routine & weigh daily" approach.

EXERCISE

Did my full base-80 routine for Saturday, June 8, 2024:

1. ankle/wrist circles 80
2. toe/finger stretches 80
3. bicycle crunches 80
4. (MADE BED; PIANO)
5. flamingo L60, R60
6. shoulder rolls 80
7. ball/wall 15
8. angel/wall 15
9. counter stretch 15
10. squats 40
11. push-ups 40

READING, WRITING

Read for 80 seconds in SAPIENS by Yuval Noah Harari.  He says "the modern era" is described by historians who are "close" (in time) to the latest innovations or catastrophic events in pessimistic or optimistic words........ and is also described by other historians who are "farther away" (in time) to those same events, in LESS, or MORE optimistic/pessimistic words.

Harari is trying to cover all the bases, it seems.  But he concludes this chapter saying we can't know which direction we're heading until we're almost there.  I.e., at Heaven's Gate, or Hell's Antechamber.  It will depend on how a possible series of events rolls out in the coming years.

Read for 80 seconds in A PROMISED LAND by Barack Obama.  He recalls being so frustrated by Wall Street Bankers (Goldman Sachs and Chase, notably), who were WAY out of touch with the common folks, that he (BO) began to smoke more, not less.

  ,,

Read for 80 seconds in THE RIGHTEOUS MIND by Jonathan Haidt.  He describes how Autism (low empathizing, high systemizing came to be defined - by 2 men who were Autistic.

The spectra Haidt (source:  Simon Baron-Cohen, 2009) uses are "high empathy - low empathy" and "high systemizing - low systemizing" - which immediately led me to ask where I land on the chart (p. 137).  I also asked myself if I was "naturally" empathetic, or if I made a conscious effort to avoid being nosy (I.e., asking others how they feel, or what their lives are like, etc).  I am that way, but I don't know if it's natural, or forced on me by my diplomatic parents.

Systemizing, OTOH, seems to me to be in my nature.

Read for 80 seconds in MAN'S SEARCH FOR MEANING by Viktor Frankl.  He says that if the cause of unhappiness is AVOIDABLE, then that cause should be removed.  But if it is UNAVOIDABLE, then perhaps it can be ameliorated by attaching a MEANING to it.  LOGOTHERAPY.

1.