Sans Direction http://sansdirection.posterous.com How does it feel? posterous.com Mon, 14 May 2012 12:51:00 -0700 My Health Principles: No Weightlifting http://sansdirection.posterous.com/my-health-principles-no-weightlifting http://sansdirection.posterous.com/my-health-principles-no-weightlifting

I have no interest at this point in weightlifting. This is for three reasons:

  • There is little in my life that it is reasonable for me to lift that I cannot. There is some in my life where it is unreasonable to lift that I can lift, like the big TVs we still have. 
  • The places I see the most problems, health-wise, involve more endurance. I get winded walking up stairs or trying to run, for example.
  • I have broken things accidently by using my existing strength. I don't want to add to this problem.

At some point in the future, I might get involved in strength training. But I cannot forsee that day.

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1980483/icon_black_muffin.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4SDBZTjvCcGB Sans Direction sansdirection Sans Direction Wed, 09 May 2012 10:35:00 -0700 Reading the Weight Graph http://sansdirection.posterous.com/reading-the-weight-graph http://sansdirection.posterous.com/reading-the-weight-graph

Should present trends continue, I may be 230 lbs or less by Christmas.

I wouldn't bet my life that this will occur, but I would certainly like it if that were so.

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1980483/icon_black_muffin.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4SDBZTjvCcGB Sans Direction sansdirection Sans Direction Sat, 28 Apr 2012 12:39:00 -0700 Forcing Order: Quantified Self http://sansdirection.posterous.com/forcing-order-quantified-self http://sansdirection.posterous.com/forcing-order-quantified-self

[[posterous-content:pid___0]]I really have to credit Tim Ferriss.

I heard about his book, Four-Hour Body and it opened up a thought for me. The body is a system, and you can hack that system. I've read some, tried some. It has been a while, and I don't do everything he suggests, but that concept, that this is a system you can control, was a mind-blowing thought.

It was a mind-blowing thought because, during my time getting my second BS degree, I got up past 300 lbs, topping out at somewhere between 330 and 350 lbs. It wasn't as if I wasn't mobile: I was taking classes and thus walking all over campus. I was sitting and coding for class, sitting and reading and trying to understand the class, sitting and waiting for the next thing to happen, but I was walking all across campus. It wasn't as if I was eating constantly: I was waking up to make 8:30am classes and not eating until after 6pm, sometimes until after 10pm. By the metrics I understood, I should not be heavy, but I was.

It was a mind-blowing thought because there were inputs besides exercise involved. During the time between my top weight and the point I started weighing myself, I had been a member of a gym, and, for a while, I would go on the treadmills for a while, then lift weights, then walk some more. I hadn't started weighing myself, so I can't say anything about the effect on my weight of that, but I can say I found it uninspiring, that I didn't have to buy new clothes after the experience. I can also say that I took two things out of the experience: the realization that I desire more fitness and less fat but not more muscle -- there are many things I've broken, not knowing my own strength, and in my walking-around life, there's little that I have to do that taxes the strength I do have -- and that there is one machine, one that focuses on back strength, that I could peg the first time trying and do reps.

The thought that it's more than simply food and exercise, which I had tried and thought failed me, but timing and other sorts of things, and that you can and should document it. This lead me to look into Quantified Self, which inspired me to start making the graph you see. There are 56 entries, not 56 days, because hey, when you're trying to develop a new habit, especially one that occurs when you're at your least alert, sometimes you miss a few days.

Looking through a book list on the topic of Quantified Self, I found The Decision Tree by Thomas Goetz, a book that's all about the changes in health care in the data age, and it's inspiring me to take more steps. I want to send my spit to 23andMe and learn about what my genes say about me. I want to get a FitBit and start keeping track of my movement. I might even join the school gym over the summer. I have started collecting location-based apps on my Android phone, both to start keeping track of my walking and to quantify my life. 

One of the best ideas I got from Decision Tree is that people who have more control over their lives have better health outcomes. I will try to start developing ideas and bringing updates to this site. When I develop more tools for me document, I will start placing their results here. That is something I can control.

Thank you again, Tim Ferriss.

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1980483/icon_black_muffin.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4SDBZTjvCcGB Sans Direction sansdirection Sans Direction Wed, 21 Mar 2012 10:35:18 -0700 New Gear Day is always fun. http://sansdirection.posterous.com/new-gear-day-is-always-fun http://sansdirection.posterous.com/new-gear-day-is-always-fun
New Gear Day is always fun.
The unit is roughly 5"x5 and glossy black, and it behaves how laptops have taught us to expect touchpads to behave, with tap-and-hold mapping to click-and-hold, etc. I work with two computers on ...
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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1980483/icon_black_muffin.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4SDBZTjvCcGB Sans Direction sansdirection Sans Direction Tue, 20 Mar 2012 08:05:31 -0700 Any of y'all users of Plus also doing Latitude? http://sansdirection.posterous.com/any-of-yall-users-of-plus-also-doing-latitude http://sansdirection.posterous.com/any-of-yall-users-of-plus-also-doing-latitude
Any of y'all users of Plus also doing Latitude?

from Plus Public Activity Feed for Dave Jacoby https://plus.google.com/114091415913150177607/posts/LwPjLSruArZ

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1980483/icon_black_muffin.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4SDBZTjvCcGB Sans Direction sansdirection Sans Direction Tue, 20 Mar 2012 07:35:28 -0700 Sean and I worked on our bikes yesterday, then rode a little. http://sansdirection.posterous.com/sean-and-i-worked-on-our-bikes-yesterday-then http://sansdirection.posterous.com/sean-and-i-worked-on-our-bikes-yesterday-then
Sean and I worked on our bikes yesterday, then rode a little.
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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1980483/icon_black_muffin.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4SDBZTjvCcGB Sans Direction sansdirection Sans Direction Wed, 14 Mar 2012 11:05:59 -0700 Anyone have a strong preference for Syncly vs Dropbox Photo Upload for moving photos you took off... http://sansdirection.posterous.com/anyone-have-a-strong-preference-for-syncly-vs http://sansdirection.posterous.com/anyone-have-a-strong-preference-for-syncly-vs
Anyone have a strong preference for Syncly vs Dropbox Photo Upload for moving photos you took off your Android phone?

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1980483/icon_black_muffin.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4SDBZTjvCcGB Sans Direction sansdirection Sans Direction Wed, 14 Mar 2012 08:36:04 -0700 No title http://sansdirection.posterous.com/no-title-3736 http://sansdirection.posterous.com/no-title-3736
Mona Nomura originally shared this post:
Happy π Day to my Google+ friends.
Celebrate!
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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1980483/icon_black_muffin.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4SDBZTjvCcGB Sans Direction sansdirection Sans Direction Tue, 13 Mar 2012 22:20:38 -0700 Complex LazyWeb question: I have my weight for most of the last 20 days in a MySQL database. I wa... http://sansdirection.posterous.com/complex-lazyweb-question-i-have-my-weight-for http://sansdirection.posterous.com/complex-lazyweb-question-i-have-my-weight-for
Complex LazyWeb question:

I have my weight for most of the last 20 days in a MySQL database. I want to kick it out and graph it, and I want the trend, which is, in essence, total( weights of last n days ) / number of saved weights over last n days.

I know I can grab it with Perl and munge until I'm blind, but I'd rather use the awesome power of MySQL to as full an extent as I can. I think this means nested queries, but I really don't know. I'm down with generic CRUD stuff, but I more often combine basic queries in Perl than make fancy queries in SQL. Help?

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1980483/icon_black_muffin.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4SDBZTjvCcGB Sans Direction sansdirection Sans Direction Tue, 13 Mar 2012 12:50:51 -0700 I hate Chrome right now. http://sansdirection.posterous.com/i-hate-chrome-right-now http://sansdirection.posterous.com/i-hate-chrome-right-now
I hate Chrome right now.

from Plus Public Activity Feed for Dave Jacoby https://plus.google.com/114091415913150177607/posts/eeWXEtg2HwT

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1980483/icon_black_muffin.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4SDBZTjvCcGB Sans Direction sansdirection Sans Direction Mon, 12 Mar 2012 21:20:16 -0700 I'm 400/500 with the SaaS homework for +Coursera . Considering not doing the sessions part. It is... http://sansdirection.posterous.com/im-400500-with-the-saas-homework-for-coursera http://sansdirection.posterous.com/im-400500-with-the-saas-homework-for-coursera
I'm 400/500 with the SaaS homework for +Coursera . Considering not doing the sessions part. It is 10 past midnight.

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1980483/icon_black_muffin.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4SDBZTjvCcGB Sans Direction sansdirection Sans Direction Sun, 11 Mar 2012 21:20:15 -0700 300 of 500 so far. #SaaS #RubyOnRails Ruby on Rails Documentation is useless unless you know what... http://sansdirection.posterous.com/300-of-500-so-far-saas-rubyonrails-ruby-on-ra http://sansdirection.posterous.com/300-of-500-so-far-saas-rubyonrails-ruby-on-ra
300 of 500 so far. #SaaS #RubyOnRails

Ruby on Rails Documentation is useless unless you know what you're looking for.

from Plus Public Activity Feed for Dave Jacoby https://plus.google.com/114091415913150177607/posts/2zPfZwpjm4H

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1980483/icon_black_muffin.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4SDBZTjvCcGB Sans Direction sansdirection Sans Direction Sun, 11 Mar 2012 13:05:19 -0700 Running my laptop's audio through my TV's speakers makes me happier than I can logically justify. http://sansdirection.posterous.com/running-my-laptops-audio-through-my-tvs-speak http://sansdirection.posterous.com/running-my-laptops-audio-through-my-tvs-speak
Running my laptop's audio through my TV's speakers makes me happier than I can logically justify.

from Plus Public Activity Feed for Dave Jacoby https://plus.google.com/114091415913150177607/posts/iKfxYg2vVUd

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1980483/icon_black_muffin.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4SDBZTjvCcGB Sans Direction sansdirection Sans Direction Sun, 11 Mar 2012 11:50:43 -0700 +Darren Kitchen and +Declan McCullagh suggest using a VPN when you don't trust the WiFi. Great id... http://sansdirection.posterous.com/darren-kitchen-and-declan-mccullagh-suggest-u http://sansdirection.posterous.com/darren-kitchen-and-declan-mccullagh-suggest-u
+Darren Kitchen and +Declan McCullagh suggest using a VPN when you don't trust the WiFi. Great idea, but AnyConnect is incompatable with my phone.
Connect securely to your corporate network with Cisco AnyConnect for HTC. We are pleased to welcome a growing number of HTC Android devices that are compatible with An...
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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1980483/icon_black_muffin.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4SDBZTjvCcGB Sans Direction sansdirection Sans Direction Sat, 10 Mar 2012 10:05:33 -0800 In the union, trying to code. http://sansdirection.posterous.com/in-the-union-trying-to-code http://sansdirection.posterous.com/in-the-union-trying-to-code
In the union, trying to code.

from Plus Public Activity Feed for Dave Jacoby https://plus.google.com/114091415913150177607/posts/ZUEyzpwyrxy

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1980483/icon_black_muffin.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4SDBZTjvCcGB Sans Direction sansdirection Sans Direction Sat, 10 Mar 2012 07:50:39 -0800 Oh, fun. Power's out. http://sansdirection.posterous.com/oh-fun-powers-out http://sansdirection.posterous.com/oh-fun-powers-out
Oh, fun. Power's out.

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1980483/icon_black_muffin.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4SDBZTjvCcGB Sans Direction sansdirection Sans Direction Fri, 09 Mar 2012 21:35:27 -0800 There was another meeting this morning. Right now, the name has kinda been named BoilerIP, and th... http://sansdirection.posterous.com/there-was-another-meeting-this-morning-right http://sansdirection.posterous.com/there-was-another-meeting-this-morning-right
There was another meeting this morning. Right now, the name has kinda been named BoilerIP, and they're kinda moving from the original concept ( a meeting place where people get together and network over breakfast ) to a working group to try to make Purdue a more startup-friendly place. Or, a "band of guerrillas".

I'm increasingly unsure what I can do to help. There's a series of important steps here. There's pushing for changes in Purdue's policy to make it less draconian, and I don't have the President's ear, but Gerry does. There's developing community and work spaces and meeting areas, and there's already some people and groups (+Lafayettech , Verge) that are into that. There's recruiting mentors and angel investors, alumni who are interested in helping the next generation of Boilermakers. I don't know if there's a role for me.

But you do have to like a group that references Metcalfe's Law.

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1980483/icon_black_muffin.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4SDBZTjvCcGB Sans Direction sansdirection Sans Direction Fri, 09 Mar 2012 21:06:54 -0800 Is anyone out there familiar enough with Ruby and iterators to give me some help? http://sansdirection.posterous.com/is-anyone-out-there-familiar-enough-with-ruby http://sansdirection.posterous.com/is-anyone-out-there-familiar-enough-with-ruby
Is anyone out there familiar enough with Ruby and iterators to give me some help?

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1980483/icon_black_muffin.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4SDBZTjvCcGB Sans Direction sansdirection Sans Direction Fri, 09 Mar 2012 16:51:26 -0800 So, I can't type plus.pl "Lots of stuff" into the command line and get something out any time soon. http://sansdirection.posterous.com/so-i-cant-type-pluspl-lots-of-stuff-into-the http://sansdirection.posterous.com/so-i-cant-type-pluspl-lots-of-stuff-into-the
So, I can't type plus.pl "Lots of stuff" into the command line and get something out any time soon.

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1980483/icon_black_muffin.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4SDBZTjvCcGB Sans Direction sansdirection Sans Direction Fri, 09 Mar 2012 07:20:34 -0800 I'm starting to ease into startup circles, and that means meeting people. Currently, I have no bu... http://sansdirection.posterous.com/im-starting-to-ease-into-startup-circles-and http://sansdirection.posterous.com/im-starting-to-ease-into-startup-circles-and
I'm starting to ease into startup circles, and that means meeting people. Currently, I have no business cards, and I don't particularly want them. Why kill trees? But people I'm meeting are asking for mine. I could scrawl my name and email on a piece of paper ripped out of a notebook, but that seems unprofessional.

I have set up an about.me page, but saying "Go to this URL" strikes me as ineffective, which leads to writing stuff down, which leads to the same unprofessional issue of writing down URLs instead of email addresses.

So, when someone says "Do you have a business card?", what is the good 21st Century Response? Should I keep a QR code with my VCard ready to go on my phone? Something else?

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