My blogging life

Putting aside the strictly personnel there are three 'public' areas of my life. These are:

1. My new found interest in triathlon.

2 Photography.

3. Philosophy, politics and general spouting of opinions.

What do I mean by public? I suppose I mean I write about them and post my ideas, theories and opinions on the net for all to see. Recently, Ive been thinking that my internet life has been very poorly thought out and in consistent.

So right, that's the first thing. Why do I care if my net presence is a mess. After all it's just a hobby isn't it? Well yes, but then again I do make (a little) money from photography and I'd like to boost this a little so a clean up (and more disciplined posting routine ) would be good there. Also, I'm sure my triathlon readers couldn't care less about the other parts of my life that get a run in my 'mindshaft gap' blog so separating those would be good.

So, with that in mind I've decided to do a few things. The first is I'm starting a new blog, goin down swingin.

So that will be three blogs.

PmacImagery. This deals with primarily stills photography and related topics. What related topics I hear you ask. Well this goes in two directions from the photography jumping off point. On one hand, coming from the camera end, I'll be looking at general technology issues, you know, computers, software audio visual kit, that sort of thing. Going in the other direction from photography I'll be discussing ideas around art and the creative side of my existence.

Goin Down Swingin. This is my new blog dedicated to my interest in triathlon. I love watching the DVDs of ironman triathlons, especially Kona, but I'll admit I'm not really interested in the elites. Rather it's the age groupers that reel me in. Even more specifically it's the old blokes in their 60s to 80s that slug it out with nature out there on the iron man course that inspire me. They know that in the end nature will win, that one day the body won't make it, but they are determined to go out fighting all the way. The are going to go down swinging at an opponent that can't be beaten but must be fought. I intend to follow that example, hence the title of the blog.

Mind Shaft Gap. The concluding scenes of Stanley Kubrick's masterpiece, Dr Strangelove, are a crazy mix of mindless optimism, unending paranoia, good people trying in vain to save the world and the routine being the greatest source of evil. To me this sums up so so much I see both I in myself and the world At large. Thus I've named my general blog where I consider the biggest and littlest topics of the day after perhaps the most insane concept in an insane situation. If you need more on the exact meaning of the 'mine shaft gap' Google it.

But I'm not done there. There is more. In addition to starting a third blog, I'm changing that colour scheme of the blogs, unifying them and creating a single look for my 'brand' .

So what's the colour scheme? Well basically it's three(ish) colours:

Black (or dark grey)
Blue
White (or silver)

Why those colours? Well No great story really, first I find them aesthetically pleasing (a fancy way of saying they look cool). Secondly they work well as a web format. Thirdly, I can easily get gear (that I would wear) in these colours.

So that's it, a new blog, some more careful distinctions in how and where I write and a new colour scheme. This isn't the end of the development but hopefully it's a solid beginning.

My ten rules for success, happiness or whatever. Rule 9

The Socrates rule.  Be an elitist, not a democrat, when it comes to opinions.

Lots of people (including me) will offer you opinions, rules, ideas, philosophies etc to navigate your way through life.  DO NOT LISTEN TO ALL OF THEM! There is a saying "everyone is entitled to their opinion", that is true.  But it is not true that everyone opinion is worth of being heeded.  Carefully weigh the opinions, and the people giving them, before taking what people say to you to heart.

My ten rules for success, happiness or whatever. Rule 6

The Omar  rule. A man's got to have a code.

Omar Little

Superficially this is a nice and simple rule but on the other hand, trying to develop, and then live by, a code is no easy task.

My ten rules for success, happiness or whatever. Rule 5

5. The Bourne rule. To change you have to really change your identity otherwise you are still just a fat/unfit/unhappy/unsuccessful person on a diet,exercise program/happiness program/trying harder.

(this is one of my more complex rules and one of my most poorly phrased - more work to go)

My ten rules for success, happiness or whatever. Rule 4

The Gorilla rule. Dont give up. “Success is a little like wrestling a gorilla. You don't quit when you're tired. You quit when the gorilla is tired.”
― Robert Strauss

All opinions can be wrong

Part of my continuing battle with the idea that peoples opinions are somehow sacrosanct and not open to challenge. This is a little spin on the idea that everyone is entitled to an opinion. I suppose I'm agreeing but backing that up with the right of opinions to be wrong.

If, like me, you have a preference for people actually thinking about stuff and not just acting on base instinct how about buying a Tee Shirt here at my Mineshaft Gap clothing store.