memory

Merry Christmas 2.0!

~ randyaa ~ Leave a comment

Merry Christmas!

We’ve done Christmas a little bit different this year.

  • Hours spent in the malls: 0
  • Hours spent online shopping: 0

Sorry, we can’t give it away just yet though…

By this time everyone should have heard our request for memories for grandma.  Everyone wants to know what our gift was, and so rather than describe it, we thought we’d just show you.

Grandma's Hug Jug

To explain it, this is the card we gave her:

It was 1991, the year of the ice storm.  Your house was one of the few which still had power.  Mom dropped us off to spend the day with you.  To keep us busy, you pulled out a few empty gallons of milk which we decorated and filled with warm water.  You called them our “Hug Jugs.”  When we got cold you told us to hug them to stay warm.

It is said that memories are one of life’s greatest gifts.  They are like little hugs from the past that come to warm our hearts.  This is Grandma’s Hug Jug.  Inside, you’ll find cards which contain memories or pictures from your family and friends.  Some contain thoughts of all the times you have made us laugh, others contain memories of how you have helped us to be strong or how you have touched the lives of those who love you.

When you feel the need for a warm hug or a few giggles reach in and pull out a memory or a picture from the past.

And finally, if you’d like to read over some of the memories people have, they’re all available below:

Thanks for everybody’s help who contributed, we couldn’t have done it without you!

Do something with it

~ randyaa ~ Leave a comment

Information in itself is of no value. It is like a blueprint. The blueprint of a building is worthless; only the building has value and significance. The blueprint may be destroyed with impunity, for another can easily be made, but a building cannot be destroyed without careful deliberation. ~ Garrett Hardin

The Internet is filled with producers and consumers of Information. It is estimated that a person is bombarded today with more information in a single day than a person in the 19th century would have come across their entire lifetime.

Does The amount of information we’re being given benefit us?

Some of us maybe. Most of us? probably not. Information is only as useful as its implementation. You can read all day about Quantum Mechanics or Molecular Biology or even Modern Fashion. You can even become the worlds greatest expert on the Nile without ever stepping a foot in Egypt. How useful is all that information? Will you ever build a Quantum Computer? Will you ever make a startling discover for the Human GNOME project?

Produce Something (not just more information)

Take the information you absorb and do something with it. Telling others is not enough. Society only moves forward due to innovation and creativity of the masses. If people only share what they hear from others then all we have is a giant information chain letter.

  • You remember 10% of what you read
  • You remember 20% of what you hear
  • You remember 30% of what you see
  • You remember 50% of what you hear and see together
  • You remember 70% of what you say
  • You remember 90% of what you do

By doing something with the information you’ve gathered, you not only aide your memory but you also run the risk of creating something new and unique.

Produce Substance

If all you’re producing is information then what value is it adding? The information needs to yield some results otherwise you’re just creating information that was created from information which will create more information and we’re in an endless cycle.

With all the information out there its bound to give you some ideas. Do one of them. Don’t just say you’re going to, follow through. You’ll be amazed at the sense of accomplishment it gives you when you can look at something and say “yep, that was me.” While you’re at it document your efforts and share them. This doubles your efforts as you’re not only producing the end result, but also the information on the process for someone else to duplicate and add to. Before you know it you’ve collaborated and built the first home brew Quantum Computer.

Now, stop reading this and go out there and do something with it!