D. Gardner

Resolutions Already Falling Down

January 9, 2015 by D. Gardner Leave a Comment

Here it is the 8th of January and this is only the second time writing. Well, who cares! because no one is reading this thing anyway but me.

Tomorrow I will reach out to two companies that I might want to buy.

I will reach out two one person and try to setup a meeting to talk about my consulting services.

I will talk to one person tomorrow about getting my software company started.

I also have a new goal. My brother Mike finished his “How to Make a Skimboard” Video so we are trying push skimboard making to the scouting communitee. So I am going to try and spend 30 minutes a day pushing that.

Until tomorrow.

Short Term vs Long Term

January 5, 2015 by D. Gardner Leave a Comment

I just read a quote.

“People overestimate what they can do in the short term and underestimate what they can do in the long term.”

The quote was attributed to Bill Gates. The point is to set a goal and then do something everyday to accomplish that goal. so I am going to try and do that this year. writing in this blog is going to be one of those things I am going to try and do everyday. I should put at least some of the goals I am going to try and accomplish this year.

1. Buy a business

2. Implement Pay for Value at that business.

3. Start software company.

4. lose 52 lbs.

As part of this process I will report everyday what I did the previous day to accomplish those goals.

Looking For a Music Service

October 30, 2014 by D. Gardner Leave a Comment

My brother-in-law Charles Talbot, asked me where I would look for new music.

Here was my response

I would start with the free Pandora. We had the premium service for three years before Amanda wanted to move to Rhapsody.

Pandora, Free-Ad supported/ Premium 36 dollar a year(last time I checked)

Pros – Cool because you can share the Premium with everyone in your family

Lots of choices

Create your own channels

Cons –

Only about 100 songs in each channel

Can’t choose specific songs to listen too.

Can’t listen offline

There are two paid services worth checking into. Spotify and Rhapsody

I am paying for Rhapsody @$15 a month. (it would cost me $30 for spotify) (they are both $10 a month for one device)

Rhapsody::

Pro’s

They allow three mobile devices to be playing music at the same time. (This is why I have this service)

Create your own playlists.

Listen to what ever you want when ever you want.

download music to your device to listen offline.

Playlists with the most popular music.

Create your own listening Channel

Good variety of prebuilt channels.

Listen through the browser on as many PC’s as you want.(Share with lots of people)

192K for listening(I don’t know this about Spotify

Cons,

Hard to discover new obscure music, but there lots on there

Occasionally, brand new music and old music is not available. In the last three years(Coldplay’s last two albums and Taylor Swifts Red are the only three albums I know of that took a couple of months to finally get on Rhapsody)

Occasionally, on my phone, it forces me to reconnect to the server with a message “Somewhere your account is playing, please login again”

Spotify::I liked this a lot better than Rhapsody a couple of years ago, but I chose Rhapsody because it was cheaper to share with my family

Pro’s

Free Version-Ad supported (This is new, since last checked)

It’s easier to discover new music

Listen to any song when you want to.

Play lists.

Con’s

$10 for each device

Only listen on one device at a time.

Free version forces ads and occasionally throws music in there I don’t like.

I downloaded this today and am going to try out the free version, just for something different.

I might think of switching if they had a family plan.

There are lots of other music services.

Grooveshark has the coolest names but quality of music and selection is more limited. I payed for this service for a year because I got a t-shirt with the subscription.

Soundcloud – Dennis uses this to find good really obscure music.

googlemusic ( tried this a year or so ago not that great)

Itunes has a radio option, but I’ve only tried it for about 10 minutes, maybe 6 months ago.

Education Tsunami

July 8, 2014 by D. Gardner Leave a Comment

Education throughout the world is on the precipice of quantum leap in education. We are starting to seeing the magma being spewed from the fiery depths of the volcano. The earthquake has already happened the crashing waves of the internet have engulfed an already beleaguered education system. As with all catastrophes there will be casualties, but more exciting is the great opportunity to reach out and help others and build a better and much more grand future.

Here is how I got started thinking about this;

I read an article today about a teacher feeling overwhelmed that there was never enough time, resources or help to get everything done that he needed. I can understand the feeling. Back a couple of years ago I taught a couple of college classes. Both of them required me to teach them graphics arts software. Just as the teacher in the article I felt I didn’t have the resources to give them the experience they were going to need in the real world. I felt I was just barely staying ahead and felt I cold do a much better job. Then I was given the opportunity to make a lot more money working for a company and so I didn’t get the opportunity to continue my teaching. Then I got into an MBA program that was all online. After going through that program I realized that there are tons and tons of resources that teachers can use to help each student have a better learning experience.

Instead of complaining that we don’t have enough we need to be looking to the resources that can give us a much better opportunity to learn than was ever available in the past. There is way more than enough on the internet to go around.

The future is now. The abundant education is upon us. We need to be rejoicing because of the wonderful innovative age in which we live.

Here are a couple of examples of things that can help kids learn.

Free Classes from MIT

Free Technology Classes from Udacity

Learning about anything from Khan Academy

Here is the article. that started the discussion.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/peter-greene/the-hardest-part-teaching_b_5554448.html

Ramblings

June 17, 2014 by D. Gardner Leave a Comment

Here are few things that are bouncing around in my brain.

First: It’s super cool the US men’s national soccer team was able to beat Ghana yesterday. It looked like a win by the skin of their teeth. Even though they played well, I don’t hold out much hope for them getting out of the group stage.

Second: Cold weather. Over the last couple of days the weather has gotten colder. In the 50’s which is reminding me I would like to move somewhere warmer.

Third: Is the scripture from Acts 5:15

15 Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them.

I was surprised at the power that Peter had acquired in the short time since Jesus Christ ascended to heaven. I would like to have that type of faith and power.

Fourth: surprising new music from Willie nelson.

There’s a guitar in the corner
That used to have a song
I would hold it while it played me
And I would sing along . . . Willie Nelson

You may not like Willie’s style or sound, but at 81 he is still a poet.

Normally I am not a Willie fan. I don’t like his style or sound. However, If you’re looking for a break from your normal music playlist give his new album a listen; maybe you’ll find something that speaks to you.

http://www.sfgate.com/entertainment/article/Review-Willie-Nelson-picks-up-his-pen-on-new-LP-5556107.php