Rating for 10/27: 3

Lately I haven't been the kind of person that I'd recommend others to emulate. There's some personal stuff going on that's been getting me down. One thing happened last night that might be significant. A while ago, on a day that I was scoring high (maybe a 4), I was out skateboarding, and I was unable to land a trick that isn't supposed to be very hard, yet I always have problems with. I was practicing agressively, trying to overcome my fear, psyching myself up, but I kept missing the trick. I stopped after 2 hours of frustrated attempts. Last night I walked outside, tired and a little depressed, pushed around a while, not really trying to do anything, and then I decided for the hell of it, to try that trick. I landed it first try without any effort. I figured it was a fluke and tried again. Apparently it wasn't a fluke, because I was nailing it. I was also landing several other tricks without much difficulty. It seemed striking, and perhaps signicant, that in my weakened psychological state last night I was skating noticibly better than in the stronger, more confident state that I was in the first time. It seems intuitive to think that when you're being productive and maintaining a strong psychological state all endeavors should be easier than when you're mentally scattered. Maybe it's a testament to Taoism or something--not trying makes you more effective than trying. I'm not about to treat that principle as truth, and my example is admittedly mundane and maybe insignfiicant. Maybe skateboarding is unlike most other endeavors. It does make sense that your mind might only be an obstacle while skating, unlike in other thing where it's an essential tool.

Rating for 10/26: 3

Another standard day. I'm making an effort this weekend to have higher than standard days.

Rating for 10/25: 2

I basically just screwed around yesterday. Hell yeah for Mozart though. I listened to Mozart too--piano stuff. Make sure to get Debussy in the play list. One cool thing was that I think I came up with a criterion for virtue that anyone would agree on, regardless of philosophical beliefs. The test is to ask yourself whether or not you believe that you are the type of person that you would recommend others to emulate. I've gone through all of the philosophies of ethics that I can remember, including the more modern stuff, and I can't think of any that would reject that test as a criterion for virtue. My guess is that someone would object to the word virtue before rejecting that test.

Rating for 10/24: 3

Yesterday was average. Worked, did well, biked, read a little, wrote a little, made dinner, went to bed.

I spent the weekend in Philly, with the sole goal of relaxing. I accomplished that, so it was a good weekend. Dan, you should watch GF2 as soon as possible. As someone once told me, " Godfather 1 sets you up nicely so that when you watch Godfather 2, you'll sh*t your pants." Also, I think I saw the face of God yesterday during the Eagles game. That was the best way to end a perfect weekend.