Read & Write Every Day

As a rule, I try to both read and write something particular every day.  I don't necessarily try to read 'a book' or even a chapter from a book...  I don't try to write a proper blog post or a poem.  However, I do try to read an impactful article about history or philosophy or politics or gaming or science or love or business or sports or family.  I do try to write a reminder or note to myself about ways to stretch my character or things to read or things to do or ways to improve or house projects to do...  I try to write a note to my wife or a proper email to a friend or colleague or a great quote I just read, or even a blog post that I'll never post. 

Regardless, I try to keep my reading and writing regular and varied.
The benefits of exploration, new experiences, the unknown, learning, and having new topics to discuss and converse about are all priceless. It also allows me to free my mind of stagnant views, prejudices, misinformation, and stereotypes.  I don't make this claim because I feel that I'm small minded or intolerant, but rather because of the complete opposite- because I think I am open minded and I want to continue to challenge my thoughts, ideals, perceptions, and intuitions...

I'm always open to suggestions on things to write about, read, discover, or look into.  

This entry wouldn't be complete without a few quotes that have caught my eye lately:
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"Great works, and great folly, are indistinguishable at the outset"
-Adam Steltzner

(There are so many critics and judges out there in the world.  Too many times we criticize risk takers, tinkerers, and thinkers; but rarely pause to think about how closely related success and failure are.  In addition, our culture is a "play it safe" culture, one which is consumable for and by the masses; one that doesn't like to think individually or creatively...  So I say, lets remember to proceed with caution with regard to those among us who dare to challenge convention and "normalcy")
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"It's infinitely easier to be a critic than a celebrator" 
-Brain Pickings
(Related to my above thoughts, we fall much more easily into negative critique and judgement these days than we do to praise and celebration.  Many out there think that to criticize is a mark of intelligence, deep thought, and individuality.  Unfortunately, this breeds a state of negativity that permeates our culture too much and too frequently.  Take a breath, listen, evaluate, and then gather our thoughts before opening our mouths...  we'd all be slightly better for it.)
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"We are what we repeatedly do.  Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit."
-Aristotle
(This one's pretty straightforward.  You can call yourself anything you want, or proclaim to "be" whatever it is that is fashionable or easy, but until it is part of the fabric of who you are, what you do, or what you believe in and stand for, it's all just temporary window dressing.  Stemming from this though, excellence is "a way", and not an ideal or decision...)

Inspiration from reading these quotes has driven me to think and write.  I like it like that!


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Edit/Update***

I found this quote this morning:

"Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain. But it takes character and self-control to be understanding"

-Dale Carnegie

It plays into my feelings from above, where I defend the Brain Pickings quote about celebrating rather than criticizing so easily.  I love how my continued discovery of the world (the universe) comes back around on itself in so many interesting and layered ways.  Sort of the essence of this post at the onset...