In...Over My Head ?

I AM MAKING A GENERAL APOLGY! THOUGH APPRECIATING GOOGLE'S BLOG ALLOWANCES, GOOGLE'S 'MODERNIZATION' IS RENDERING POSTS WITHOUT ALLOWANCES FOR PARAGRAPH STRUCTURE (THOUGH THEY SHOW IN THE DRAFT FORM) RE: gocascadia.com - The Community Connector / Hello Hornby Community! / Life consists of many phases. After a life-time of kids, family, relocation and professional adaptation, at 80 now, I have been working on a website concept I feel can make a telling contribution. And, with our present global predicaments, I sense the timing is right to start making that difference. Although you may have seen the earlier version, its format structure was an administrative nightmare. So, arduously, I set out to have the site completely custom built and be acceptably user-friendly and responsive. Now, at long last, I feel sufficiently comfortable to invite you to check it out, and get on board to participate. In its early stages, working on the site’s growth from the Inside-Out, I encourage Lister-Members to help spread the word. I look forward to your input and critique. =================================================================================================== The above was some 2 years ago!...... With the pundits advise of: "You only get one chance!" I am still trying to get it right! However, financially restricted, I went off-shore for more affordable development skills. It has been an up-hill battle. At one stage the site was working well, but fell apart during a new Host's VPS Server change. Neither Developers, nor the new Host took responsibility. So though I have settled on a wonderfully conscientious host (one immense achievement), I continue to struggle getting some interactive site basics to work. This has led me to enter the following in our community's monthly 'First Edition.' =================================================================================================== IN… OVER MY HEAD ? “Life is like a Box of Chocolates!” (Donald Trump!) - “No, Dad, it’s: “Forrest Gump!” … At 82, what’s the difference? Like the Idiot Savant, or is it ‘Idiot Advanced ?,’ all begins to sound the same! Over my stretch of existence, early childhood shaped my voyage and no doubt my personality. After four years of internment, to be allowed to express myself freely felt like a gift. And so I sojourned, taking advantage of opportunities with mostly ill-timed projects, to ultimately become a happily settled, failed entrepreneur here on our idyllic Hornby. To skip to the pertinent here-and-now, as a mostly hands-on active type, my very likely last — yet most challenging — endeavor is the creation of a both local e-commerce, yet community–oriented, socially interactive website. Rather than working and living from the outside in, the focus is on integration and self-sufficiency, by working from the inside out; the radius of reach - ‘as required.’ Successfully experienced giants like Bill Gates and Bill Gross each leave their online legacies: “Online, a little late is too late.” (Gates); ”Timing’ is some 43% of the total effort.” (Gross). Plus, “You only get one chance!” Taking their well-earned advice to heart, while trying to make some contribution to our challenged species, I have been at this effort now for some 10 years, plus. Since ‘the devil is in the details,’ I shall spare you them! … Suffice to say this now elder mostly hands-on right brain, former theatre/ film producer/ director, continues to configure this highly demanding - primarily left-brain online enigma, determined to get at least one project up and running productively! - Especially with the legacy of my young grandchildren in mind. WHAT am I leaving them? Granted, as a niche market effort, gocascadia.com’s, ‘Look & Feel’ is retro! However, qualified online responses have opinioned: ‘Looks’ have never held a site from popularity (Craigslist, Facebook?). Rather: How easily and well does it function? - Is there room for un-interrupted personal expression? - Is there guaranteed privacy, security and safety? As an elder, exposed to the present ‘moderne’ of faint text and small fonts, I definitely seek visual clarity and non-challenging font size. Additionally, with our present covidnundrum, elders are challenged, and looking to find a manageable platform to join in and participate in their twilight existences. As such I am launching: eldersunite.com. This then brings me to this, my community-oriented epistle. I am requesting your subjective inputs. Do you feel I have something useful and worthwhile in gocascadia.com, or am I delusional? As such, I am inviting you to register, browse, and check the site’s workings and amenities, even upload an ad, and then send me your frank opinions. I will much appreciate your input and take your impressions to heart. Please know that all Community/ Neighbourhood gocascadia.com sites are identical clones, fully PHP/Java Script, custom-built, with only their databases being their own. With much appreciation, I await your responses. Sincerely, Jan Steen

NOTHING = THE SAME!

VIVE LA DIFFERENCE, the French put it. 'Long live the difference' (English translation). Though that may be a seemingly insightful exclamation, let's have a closer look at its values and extremeties. In animal life, differences can show up as the reality to pounce upon, and devour. 'Discrimination' is inborne; it is Nature's most vital law allowing clarity of being able to tell appart potential FOOD, i.e sustenance, from the self and kindred beings. Modern humans run on a broader scope. Globally interconnected by race, various languages and habitats, differences can either be extremely attractive, or become the very reason to be taken as undesirably awkward, foreign, or aggressive. Additionally, our own personality, societal background and circumstances ultimately shape us in to becoming who we are. And over the years the more insightfully out-standing with possible aggravant characteristics, will adjust their behaviour of earlier personality traits by shaping themselves in to becoming more amenable 'characters.' Thus all of life becomes a continued effort at making adjustments. Adaptation it is called. And if you don't, or can't, you will suffer the consequences. However some things can't be adjusted. In Dutch (my Mother Tongue) there is a saying: 'De aard van het beestje' i.e.: The essence of the beast. (Aarde = Earth) i.e., there may be a stage when: 'That's just the way it is' comes in to play, and ultimately needs to be acknowledged and accepted!.... Regardless all efforts, after all attempts have failed, and 2 people can just NOT see eye to eye! In chess this is called: A DRAW!...... 'Well I say, though we did our very best, yet continue to bring out the worst in each other, maybe it is TIME to acknowledge that in this case - our case - VIVE LA DIFFERENCE has proven NOT to work, and be applicable. Though in principal I fully buy the VIVE LA DIFFERENCEDe aard van het beestje won out over every attempt to ameliorate, console, or find common ground! As such, though I generally buy the VIVE LA DIFFERENCE , entitled to retain one's personal essence and harmony, I say: VIVE LA DIFFERENCE, but NOT at all costs!

COGNITION: Left Brain v Right Brain > Your Brain v My Brain > other creatures Brains!

LIFE ON EARTH! A word spoken - an opinion expressed. The language of humans - communicating. WHAT do you mean? .... I get it, or I don't get!.... Harmony or Disharmony!.... Confusion? WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER! or ARE WE? High in its head, Mankind is being seriously challenged! Are we on the cusp of extinction, taking multiple species with us, or is there still potential to re-interpret and, with a renewed understanding, at long last fit in to re-establish the equilibrium of life on EARTH? Bringing me to tears every time I watch it, the below amazing footage speaks for itself! Want to start a conversation? [ NOTE: I am having annoying dislikes with the 'modern', lack of paragraphs (Google/ re-adjusted) format of the Blog looks. I can not apologize for it: It is what it is! To activate the URL/ Link below, I suggest 'capture' the link, and drag-drop it in to your browser.] https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=wL--zc1KIxk

'As a species > WE are just NOT DOING THAT WELL!

The English cliche: 'Shit or get off the POT!' could by now be rightfully applied to us as a species. Though we have been SHITTING jus fine, we have yet to manage being a considerately moderate and acceptable integrated species, honouring the beauty of all of life's existence around us! Instead! We are the ME-ME-ME species! GIMME/ GIMME/ GIMME + GIMME MORE! WHhere multitudes gather daily to express themselves on FB and Twitter, in fact taking the conduit to jerk off, as I am here, in my own inhibitable way, interpreting my own concept of MEANINGFUL? (WHAT is the definition of 'Meaningful?) Is it all purely subjective? Although Life continues to be a 'TRIP,' where before all was unfolding day-to-day in sheer DOINGSs, the voyage is becoming a far more self-absorbed, questioning what I, and 'WE' am/are actually achieving - type of reality, with the added - WHAT do you still have to contribute to this species, during its clearly flailing and seriously questioning existence!? Where before I was in the thick of day-to-day routinely motivated 'being,' I am now questioning every move I make; Where before Time past acceptably quickly - a day's a day - with projects naturally unfolding, and a future holding certain finite promises.... - days have now turned in to recognizing repeated habits while reflecting on past issues. I have become aware of my every move! I am walking in to the kitchen - WHY? ....Grinding my morning's umpteen thousand coffees, WHY? > who for? - What's left to experience here? Am I just a burden's COST in the way of an organized 'DEMOCRATIC' system, which is actually contributing awesomely! In untold ways. I am truly a fortunate camper! - Comparitively speaking there is absolutely NOTHING to complain about. And, at recently 82 of age, I continue to be motivated to complete my gocascadia.com website. Anyone out there interestesd in buying one of my domains? (so that I can finish said website?) gopoco.com/ codall.com/ zipcody.com Till next expression... whoever you are reading this.... Jan Steen wishing you all well PS: Would be 'FUN' actually connecting with any of you? ....:)>

LIFE = Motivation ! DEATH our ultimate Demise!

Innertia: to do nothing, or remain unchanged. (death?) > Motivation: The general desire, or willingness to do something (life!). Whereas plant life consists of leaves, roots and bark, dependant on sunlight to form stem structure and needs of soil and water to grow and prosper, warm-blooded creatures are made of flesh, blood and bones, running through their veins and brains. As equally functioning systems, we are merely different! As a shorter existing, more quickly unfolding entity, the human species is presently going through some major challenges. Not that similar scenarios haven't been challenging before! Still, as a Johny-come lately, humanity has created more earthy havoc to the globe than any dinosaur over its 75 million years! And all in a mere 150,00 years (add a few, if you need to). Over the centuries, our numbers have multiplied phenomaly! We now duplicate our Global numbers, I understand, within some 10 calendar years. Gues what? Except for global wars - killing thousands of nubile male youth + deseases like the plague, and aids, now we haave the Covid virus running rampant, especially amongst the redundant elders. Mother GAIA is literally giving us a 'Wake-Up' call! Hey humanity, enough of the 'take-taake-take!'> get your shit together. Have a thought about integrating, with some consideration for 'fitting in' to the rest of life around you! If you refuse by continuing to be self-absorbed with your high-feluten 'me-me-me' take, I am afraid things will contiunue to go down hill. So? Smarten up, and try to fly right! Look for ways to waste less and integrate better! Begin to appreciate that - though not equal for all - life is a one way trip! And if you are given good substance and circumstance, use, respect and cherish the opportunity, and set out to contribute possitively!

How former Illusions have Become the New Realities.

Life on Earth is circular! The SUN comes up (if UR lucky) and over 8 - 12 hours light, it goes down! 99.999% of our plants & species do not question it. But we head-possesed humans whirl non-stop by creating new ways of expressing ourselves. Our old style, hands-on, 3 dimensional practicalities, with the now incesssant and determined High-Tech Online behaviour is a confluence of marrying the former shovel to the now reigning Internet Hub. When our 2 boys were young, inquisitive, and ask questions, their mother would generally answer: "That's just the way it is!" Most of life is inexplicable. The very concept of 'Reason' has become an enigma. Basics suggest a species procreate by prolonging itself. If it works, it lives another day; if it does not, it will fall by the wayside and disappear. Nothing appears to be a big deal. Remember the historic 17 million years of the dinosaurs? Who can even get their head around that one?.... Somehow, this creature that is us may very well become an early hybrid off-shoot line that proved itself unworthy to continue to participate in the greater scheme of earthly unfoldings. YIP, we are no grass, or chicadee, or even Dinosaur! We have become a pain in the neck of Mother Gaia, and she has begun to put her foot down on our excessive tresspasses! Still! ..... whilst there's life, there's the glimmer of hope in being! Once reduced in numbers and possibly finding re-invented routes of adjustment, in smaller adjusted numbers, we may still continue to exist, and express ourselves. I'll DRINK to that! (PS: I notice a newly introduced format?!/ No questioning the Author/ A mere implementation!/ ....all a part of the tech-folk being in charge! ) We are more and more controlled by left-brainers. .... Mankind is rapidly on its way to deleting FEELINGS. Soon, clones will run our lives. Parenthood will be a thing of the past..... We are very close as we speak.... Thank Mother Gia GOD I'm 81 and phasing......

REALMS of Identity !

 VIEWS @ 26183

Regardless background, pressures are to commit & adhere to one's local status quo! 

As such we are forced to exist within the realm of 'environmental reality restrictions'. 

To express yourself as an individual beyond these acceptable behaviours, takes extra effort. 

The attempts of doing so (at an early age with some) - these 'groping efforts' of being 'different' - may initially be stifling  ..... But over time, as one continues to attempt to 'fit in' - with concerted efforts of trying to become 'acceptable'  - these individual 'ways of being ' may ultimately 'Kick In.' 

"OH, it's 'her/ his' way of being!"  .... [i.e.  whatever!  Still, you have arrived!]  

When NOT part of the status quo, it will always be a challenging factor to live outside whatever the 'NORM"you live within is defined as.  

To me, life is a constantly unfolding personal reality! Those of us challenging the norm ought to have our allowances to reinterpret it, with the hope and goal to have our differing views ultimately ACCEPTED!   

So? If your home environment is not conducive to your differing views, it may necessitate having to take a journey elsewhere to have your broader views accepted, and feel more grounded as an individual.