Aiming at one thousand.

Blogging for at bit more than three months I've realized that I'm not competing with the most popular blogs that are out there.
I've read about blogs with several thousand readers every day.  That's not me. I'm close to that number in total during my three months of blogging, meaning I won't quit my day job just yet.
I'm also still waiting for the first comment in my blog, wondering what I will do when that happens.
Anyway happy reading and a wonderful day for those who visit my blog.

Fake news

I'm watching a program about fake news.  It's scary to see what the world has become. But one of the guests in the program is talking about a cure that appeals to me. The way to fight fake news is with truth and facts, with truth and facts.
It's not an American problem, it's also a big part of the news in Europe. It might be one the biggest problems our world is facing.
I'll try to focus on truth and facts, truth and facts.

The Internet of things, and security.

Most people are not security experts. And I'm absolutely most people. It's scary getting aware of the fact that the Internet of things is a security risk. Many of the things in our life is networked and are at  risk of becoming hacked. Hackers are even able to hack our modern cars. It's both interesting and scary.
Pessimistic researchers claims that in our near future we will experience periods up to a week or two where the Internet is down. As we are becoming more and more reliable of the Internet, especially because of all the gadgets in our houses, cars and where ever we are. It's difficult, almost impossible, to imagine what it will be like. Let's hope we will not experience it.

Nobel peace prize.

Today the Norwegian Nobel committee made their announcement. This years winner of the Nobel peace prize is the president of Colombia, Juan Manuel Santos. But the prize is also a salute to the people of Colombia and all those who has been killed in the conflict who has been tormenting the country for more than 50 years.
The fact that the people votet no for the peace agreement tells us this is not the end of the conflict but hopefully the beginning of the end. Let's hope the Nobel peace prize will help the people of Colombia in their quest for peace as soon as possible.

Critical thinking.

A wonderful world is inhabited by critical thinking people. A critical thinker is able to deduce consequences from what he or she knows, and knows how to make use of information to solve problems and to seek relevant sources of information.

My goal is to teach my children how critical thinking can help them acquire knowledge and strengthen their arguments. I want them to be able to harness the complexity of the wonderful world they inhabit through the tools of critical thinking. The ability to think well and solve problems systematically will hopefully be an asset to them. My dream is that the education they get, from school, from their home and family will be like Bill Beattie describes it:

The aim of education should be to teach us rather how to think, than what to think - rather to improve our minds, so as to enable us to think for ourselves, than to load the memory with thoughts of  other men. 
Bill Beattie.

What happened to Ireland?

Looking at my last post most of you will realize that I'm procrastinating writing this post. And it's true, but I can't stop wondering what happened to Ireland.

During my first week of blogging most of my readers where located in Ireland. That suddenly changed and I don't know why.

But who am I to know?

This ends the procrastinating. It's time to get on with the goals of today. Taking small steps and making me proud of myself.

Knowledge or ignorance.

One of the first things one of my mentors (a psychologist) told me was: "Knowledge is power. Read and become wise."
The phrase "knowledge is power" is often attributed to Francis Bacon.

One definition of power is the capacity or ability to direct or influence the behavior of others or the course of events.

We live in a complex world and it feels even more complex when we realize: The more I know, the more I know I don't know. But maybe that is the first step in becoming wiser. Realizing that I don't know.

Not being aware the limits of ones knowledge is ignorance. And your ignorance is their power. Instead of letting your ignorance becoming their power, get empowered through knowledge. Be  curious and explore everything this wonderful world has to offer.

Travel and get to know new people and treat everyone you meet with respect. Read books and at least ones a year read a book on at topic you don't know much about; a religion, a country, a biography or maybe science or technology. Don't be limited by anything, just get a new experience. Some of my best reading experiences has been on these occasions.

But if I know what I don't  know I would already be wiser.
Knowing all would be boring.
If I am sure of something I don't need faith.
Not knowing doesn't mean it doesn't exist.

Flow.

Have you ever been occupied with something feeling that time and the world around you seems to stop existing?
It typically happens when the task isn't to easy and not to difficult. You have "a kind of perfect challenge."
The psycholog Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi is known for describing this fenomen calling it flow. He even states flow might be the secret to happiness. I do not entirely agree with him because happiness in my opinion can be achieved outside the state of flow. But a high degree of flow in your life does probably make you more likely to be happy and state: It's a wonderful world!

This is a short lecture where Mihaly Csikszentmihaly is talking about flow:

Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi on flow.

Blogging. I'm still learning.

I am a novise in this world og blogging. I am sure there are thousands of things that I need to learn. Now, in this early stage I can't help wondering. What is the most important feature of a blog? Is it the lay out and desing or is it the contents.

Today I have done some changes in the lay out and design, and I am sure it will be more changes as time goes by and I learn more. But my main goal will be to work on the contents mainly praising this wonderful world helping myself open my eyes to it.

Please give me hints and tips. I will appreciate them all as I keep on learning.

Make Good Feelings Grow

A few years ago. Actually it is almost 8 years ago. I read this article:

Abigail B. Calkin. A Minute a Day Makes Good Feelings Grow.

Now, going through changes in my life I suddenly started thinking about it again. After reading it I suddenly realized that the way I look at myself will reflect the way I look at everything and everybody surrounding me.

I might spend a minute a day making good feelings grow. That said, blogging about a wonderful world is already making good feelings grow.