Retrospect

New years' resolutions - idealistic plans of potential that often-times do not come to fruition. These are for people who crave attention. Do not be so proud to boast about what has not yet happened. That was my view.

Plans are good, but follow through with them. Eat healthier. Exercise more. Complain less. Read more. Procrastinate less. Learn a new skill. Catch up with past friends. How many times have these been made, and how many became habits, and eventually character?

This is my 2014 retrospect:

• Became more skilled at making cards
• Completed a marathon

Just two for this year. Hadn't completed anything else to a point which I'd consider significant.

Friendship Levels

Everybody else
You are a complete stranger, I will do my best not to get in your way.

Mostly Stranger
This is when I know of you - your name, and potentially some of your traits and skills. I will acknowledge your presence, but will likely still avoid you.

Simple Friend
I have interacted with you enough and I like/respect you. Will say "hi".

Regular Friend
I am comfortable enough around you to speak my mind.

Good Friend
I will go out of my way to help you - you can break my schedule.

Close Friend
I may share secrets with you. You can change my routine.


I dislike having a lot of simple/regular friends - I'd like you to be at least a good friend, or not a friend at all - I don't like half efforts, so if you're a simple friend, I'd like us to either keep growing our friendship until it's solid, or we shouldn't have started in the first place.

To move up in the levels of friendship, typically you'd have to be present in my life in my daily routine - the quickest friendships to build are the ones with the people within proximity; I will not go far out of my way for a stranger to turn them into a friend - there are enough people around me to grow and maintain friendships.

On Mastery

The capability to accomplish a task is ability.
The capability to accomplish a task easily is mastery.

When we see a great feat accomplished, we sometimes think, "I'd like to have that level of skill, that wealth of success, or that record of achievements." For the majority, it is but a passing thought. Of those who take action, many stay comfortable with just the basics. A lesser group keep going, and become professionals. Rarer still are the ones who attain mastery.

What makes this phenomenon happen is usually not the lack of consideration or knowledge for what is needed to improve, but the irregularity of practice. Irregularity can be measured in terms of frequency, effort, duration, technique, and recovery. The following list briefly covers each of these points:

• Frequency - How often we practice. Practicing frequently will help us retain familiarity with the skill, and make progress instead of backsliding.
• Effort - How hard we try. To advance in a skill, we must make the effort to exceed our existing capability.
• Duration - How long we go for. Each session we practice must be long enough such that we actually increase the proficiency of our skill.
• Technique - How we execute the task. Our practiced method of execution will be our natural reflex when performing it outside of practice, so make sure this is correct.
• Recovery - Whether we have an adequate break. Sufficient rest allows we to recover and let what we have learnt sink in, so that we are better prepared for the next session.

How can we achieve mastery? Through perseverance. Perseverance keeps us from inaction, from half-heartedness, from giving up. It keeps us consistent. In the adage, "good things come to those who wait", to wait is not to be idle; it is to continue practicing and improving, and in time, the good that we strive for will come.

The action we practice will be the habit we form. In order to achieve full mastery of a skill, the action we repetitively practice must be optimal. If someone has already established a successful technique, learn from them. When experimenting with a new technique, evaluate its effectiveness regularly so that it is either refined further or discarded early - conserve energy.

Attain mastery, it is needed in this world.

On Workplace Equality

Imagine yourself playing a Real Time Strategy (RTS) game, such as Starcraft. Your mission is to destroy enemy bases. You start off with a main base and 4 drones (or miners). You can either command these 4 drones to "attack" other players' main bases, or you can tell them to retrieve minerals.

Obviously asking your drones to attack an enemy's base is not very effective - the damage that each drone does is minimal, and can be considered negligible. On the other hand, they can retrieve minerals, which you can use to construct different buildings, and subsequently units that have specialized purposes.

Of these special purpose units, scouts are designed to expand your map vision, and discover suitable enemy bases to attack. Battle-centric units are designed to deal damage to those bases. Healers are designed to work closely with the battle-centric units by keeping them going. Transport units provide the infrastructure to accomplish operations efficiently.

   

In the midst of a game, all units must work together to achieve success. Without a scout to discover the enemy bases or new locations to retrieve minerals, valuable time will be wasted with your units parading the map. Battle units are the (oftentimes) sacrificial units that handle the serious action. Healers keep them going as they encounter resistance when marching into enemy territory. When structures are damaged, only drones have the ability to repair these, making them essential for survival. Transport units carry drones, battle units, and healers to desired locations to expand your base or attack.

To win, all enemy bases must be destroyed, while holding your own. But do you value all of your units equally? If you lose the function of any one group, can you really be confident you will win?

On Writing

Writing. The articulation of words to capture attention and incite imagination. But when is an essay a story? What makes a quotation timeless? Why is a love letter beautiful?

Empathy. When a person relates to the message. When a reader feels in touch with a persona. When a writer has accurately penned thought and emotion into type and script. How is this accomplished effectively through mere words and phrases?

Flow. It is important to maintain fluency throughout the article; disjoint sentences and paragraphs will quickly close the mind and hinder understanding. Start with a topic that interests your readers. Lead them through related concepts, each laying down a foundation for the next. Establishing a smooth flow is essential to keeping your readers focused, but there is more than just eloquence that brings a note to life.

Variety. Exercise a combination of short and long sentences to achieve "sound bites" - phrases that resonate in the reader's mind. Avoid using a term multiple times if possible - this can create distractions and break fluidity of the text. Different terms with synonymous meanings juxtaposed is a pleasure to read.

Impact. The memorability of a piece of writing can be enhanced through writing techniques. Switch between active and passive voice. Break the rules. Use repetition intentionally for effect. Repeat a word when its definition superceeds the meaning of the full sentence. Repeat a sentence when it makes a crucial point. Never repeat a paragraph.

Revise. Step back and take in your work with fresh eyes. What is the topic? Does it flow? Is it coherent? Will it be remembered? Can it be improved? How does it end? Ask these questions as you revisit and refine your composition.

Conclude. Whether it be a cliffhanger, a twist, or a resolution, conclude. Leave your readers with the feeling of satisfaction of a good read, and inspiration to try something new. As always, practice makes perfect.

On Running

I began my ascent into running in March 2011, in my final year of university. I signed up to the university gym with a friend (Chris) at the beginning of the semester, determined to get fit. On my first go at the treadmills, I remember setting the speed to 7.0, not understanding what it meant. For 20 minutes I kept at that pace, then exited the gym and thought, "that was a good run".

Three years on, I am a consistent runner. Not a superhuman, but I can run at a decent speed of 12.0 km/h for an hour. The speed at the treadmill, I realize that it meant 7.0 km/h. My walking speed now is around 5.5 km/h. I reflect upon those first steps, and I laugh at the notion that I walk nearly as fast as I used to run. If life is a game, I would comfortably say I've leveled up.

Apart from keeping fit, my resolve to run is fueled by multiple factors. I enjoy the adrenalin rush I experience while running, and the sense of security and confidence that if running is a required action for survival, I am prepared. In addition, I take pride in being able to say I have run a thousand miles, like the song.

This year I'm joining the Auckland marathon to extend my limits, and while I'm at it, I'm fundraising for the Heart Foundation. If you like, you can make a donation in support.

Things Take Time

At the beginning, we start out with our bits and pieces. Make sure you don't only plan for the outer shell, if the core function isn't there, it isn't going to be useful, so plan this early as well.

We need to break down what we want to do, and divide the work up into sizable units.

Then we have to shape each into its required form.

Polish your work with some decorations, this gives it the flare that makes it stand out.

Make sure each one is stellar on its own.

When the parts are all whole, complete the sum.

Things take time. Keep going until they are done.

On Friendship

I would compare friendship to building a fire between two people. The stronger the friendship, the greater the flame. But all fires need fuel - if it is not fed, it will eventually subside and grow cold. Likewise, if two people do not keep in contact with each other, their friendship will fade.

How do you start a fire? The moment a stranger greets another, a spark flies. Over time, producing enough sparks will set off a flame with a steady glow. Such a fire is easily kept alive when the two have a close proximity to the flame. Once the distance grows, keeping the fire going requires more effort.

As with multiple friendships, each of us will have multiple fires to feed. Running between these fires uses energy. Given that every person has their limits, not every flame will be able to be fed. As such, the other party would have to take a turn at fanning the flame to keep it burning. If neither is able to keep it up, then they become strangers again.

With this in mind, striking a match when there is no base for the spark to live on would be wasted effort. At the opposite end of the spectrum, it would not be a waste to ignite a crate of fireworks doused with petrol on top of a volcano to save a friend from making irreversible adverse decisions.

So, I've got a box of sparklers, anyone wanna play?