The game of chess is quite fascinating. In it, two players with the exact same pieces battle to either a stalemate (tie) or until one player defeats the other via ‘checkmate’.  If you are interested in learning more about chess, go to this chess guide.  The picture you see here is a ‘pawn’.  In chess, you start with eight of them.  They are the most numerous piece, and they are usually the most quickly to be taken by your opponent.  In addition to that, the pawn is limited in its mobility, moving only forward, and only diagonally to take an opponents piece.  The pawn has the special ability in that if it reaches the end of the chess board to the opponents side, it can turn into a queen (the most powerful chess piece).

 

That is Why the Pawns Go First

 

In the movie, ‘X-Men 3′, Magneto, one of the main villains makes a statement towards the end of the movie when his gang of mutants is about to battle a group of soldiers and police with weapons able to remove their mutant powers.  I paraphrase Magneto here, but he says something to the extent of ‘In Chess, the Pawns Go First‘.  This is in reference to the numerous pawns one starts with in chess, and the pawns being used more as a way to open the match and see what your opponent is doing.

 

What the Bigger Pieces Do

 

Pawns, while numerous, do not have the capabilities of the other chess pieces.  Rooks can move side to side or forward until a piece is in the way.  Bishops diagonally.  Knights can jump around.  The Queen can move in all directions.  The lone king can move to any adjacent square that does not put it in ‘check’.  Check forces the king to move, or get defended by another chess piece.  The bigger pieces have more capability.

 

What separates the two?

 

The distinguishment between pawns and the other chess pieces is obvious, once you learn the game of chess.  One thing that stands out to me is the sheer number of pawns.  Again, there are eight of them.  The next numerous pieces are the rooks, knights, and bishops, of which there are only two each.  The pawns are limited in what they are able to do.  The rest of the chess pieces can do much more.  What separates the two is what they are able to do.

 

What Are You?

 

As life moves forward for each of us, a parallel can be seen between individuals and what chess piece they might be.  The reality is that most people are pawns.  This does not mean you are insignificant, expendable, or worthless.  In fact, there are probably a few levels of being a pawn and it just means you are like most other people.  I’d like to categorize what qualifies one to be in this category.

 

• You live life day to day, but don’t have a real plan for your entire life.
• You see the bad before you see the good.
• You usually have trouble getting motivated to do much of anything.
• You are content as long as you have a place to sleep and food to eat.
• You are quick to criticize and judge other people.
• You have trouble focusing for more than a short period of time.
• You don’t like trying anything new.
• You are generally a selfish person.
• When things get difficult, or results are not seen, you stop trying.
• You don’t spend much time on your emotional, physical, and spiritual health.

 

Most regular people have many of these traits.  And this does not mean that those people do not possess good qualities.  I highlight these specific ones here to point out what is almost universal amongst the majority of people in the world.  As I said, these things don’t make for a bad person.  If you think of the world as a chess board, then the pawns of the world have these characteristics.  And there will always be many ‘pawns’.  But there are also chess pieces with more.  These are the kings, queens, knights, bishops, and rooks of the world.  Here is a list of some of their qualities.

 

• You have a clear idea of where your life is going and what your future holds.
• Though you recognize the bad in the world, the good far outweighs it.
• You are motivated to accomplish many things.
• You are not content with just the basics of life.  You want the most out of life that you can get.
• You seek first to understand others before making judgments.
• You prepare well beforehand and have a razor sharp focus.
• You love trying new things and new adventures, regardless if they succeed or not.
• You think of others constantly.
• When things get difficult, you rev up your engine and give even more effort.
• You constantly are refining your emotional, physical, and spiritual health.

 

While these lists contain many things, I can see almost a ‘smoking gun’, that separates regular people from those who achieve great success in life.  And that is this:

 

Those who achieve success in life are motivated, driven, and passionate about what they do.  They spend the necessary time trying, tweaking, and moving forward with what they are seeking to do.  They do not give up, and while the average person is watching TV or bored, the successful person is busy creating their legacy in the world.

 

This sums it up.  The truly successful, and I would even say happy, are constantly engaged in a good cause.  There is no wasted time.  There is no boredom.  There is a life with purpose.  There is hard work, smart work, and long hours.  But this is what separates one from being insignificant.  It is what is done with the time you have.  Make a choice to start spending your time doing worthwhile things, and I can promise that you will stop feeling insignificant!

No tags

I had my first MRI (Magnetic resonance imaging) yesterday morning. It was an interesting and challenging experience, so much that I wanted to offer some helpful advice to others who are having it done.   As you can see from the picture, which is called a closed MRI, the person is placed in a machine, where their head, neck, or spinal area is going to get scanned. The machine surrounds most of your body, except your legs.  In my MRI, I was actually moved a little further in the machine, such that only part of my legs were out of the machine.

 

Why an MRI

 

I’ve had some problem with vertigo, headaches, and dizziness in the last few months. In the past few weeks this has lessened, but since no cause has been able to be found from doctor’s, it was suggested that I get an MRI scan of my brain (the tests are already done and thankfully nothing was shown to be wrong). The MRI is for anyone needing a more detailed scan of the body and neurological systems.

 

What Happens During an MRI?

 

There are two different kinds of MRI’s that I know of: closed and open.  It seems that closed MRI’s are more common.  In this kind of MRI, you are placed on a platform that slides you inside a ‘tube’.  Your body is covered and the quarters are very tight.  An open MRI looks like this:

As you can see, the space is more open, and if I had to do it again, I’d want an ‘Open MRI’.

 

But I want to talk about my closed MRI and what happened to me, so that you may be guided as you prepare and experience your MRI.  I got to the doctor’s office, signed in, got paged by the doctor, went to a dressing room (I was able to keep my clothes that I had, warm up pants and a regular shirt), and finally to the MRI room.  There is a platform and a large machine.  I didn’t think too much of it until the doctor told me to lay down on the platform.  I was given ear plugs and he said some things to me about it, and to breathe and try to remain calm.

 

Eventually, my ear plugs were in and in went the platform.  Once all the way in, this is where the shock set in.  I opened my eyes and I literally wasn’t able to move much at all.  I could move my arms slightly, and there was probably six inches from my body to the ceiling of the tube I was in.  My head had a device placed over it to help with keeping it still, so my head was pretty much stuck where it was.  My heart beat fast, and my breathing increased heavily.  I had to meditate and do it fast.  Being in such tight quarters really triggered a panic response from me.  But I believe this was from not knowing what to expect going in.

 

I was able to calm myself down through intense conecntration and recalling memories of happiness and focusing on my determination and willpower.  But it was not an easy experience by any means.

 

What You can Do

 

I believe if you follow this list of advice, that even a closed MRI experience can be tolerable, and you should do them if you are having anxious feelings, or even if you aren’t anxious, but just looking for adivce:

 

• Relax and forget about any problems you are having.
• Have a close friend come with you to pat you on the leg while the MRI is going on.
• Keep your eyes closed when you can.  I actually had to open my eyes for about a minute as I got a little dizzy during part of the scanning, and was more dizzy with my eyes closed.
• Even with ear plugs, be prepared for loud noise inside the machine.  Expect it and embrace it.
• Take a sedative (relaxation medicine).  You can ask the doctor about this.  Anything to help you relax will be helpful.
• Ask the doctor or your close friend to talk to you while the MRI is going on.  Have them speak words of encouragement, or just carry on a conversation.  With ear plugs in, they will need to speak a little louder than normal.
• Make sure you have gone to the bathroom.
• While in the machine, keep still and relaxed.  Close your eyes and picture yourself in a happy place.  This may be on the beach, on the basketball court, or playing with your children.
• Above all, keep positive thoughts in your head.  Breathe deeply and dispel any fear that tries to enter you.  It is possible to sit still and relax, even in a  tight quartered tube.
• When the MRI is done, pat yourself on the back.  You just conquered a challenge and you should reward yourself with a cool drink, lunch with a friend, or a nap!

 

I hope that some of this advice will help those who are having an MRI, or looking to relate to someone who just had a difficult MRI.  When my MRI was done, after 25 minutes, I was very happy about getting out.  I realized my preparation was not very good for the experience, and if I ever have to do it again, I am now armed with much more knowledge, which will better the experience!

No tags

Our country is relatively new in the grand scheme of things. Part of how our country is run is in part to the ‘President of the United States’. Since 1789, the United States has had a president. This is just over 200 years of having a president – a very small time when the entire existence of the world is taken into perspective. Below is a list of the presidents, from the very first, George Washington, up until now, where the president is Barack H. Obama. I will state the significance and reason for my mentioning of the presidents of the United States after the list of them.
 

01	Washington, George (1789-1797)
02	Adams, John (1797-1801)
03	Jefferson, Thomas (1801-1809)
04	Madison, James (1809-1817)
05	Monroe, James (1817-1825)
06	Adams, John Quincy (1825-1829)
07	Jackson, Andrew (1829-1837)
08	Van Buren, Martin 1837-1841)
09	Harrison, William Henry (1841)
10	Tyler, John (1841-1845)
11	Polk, James Knox (1845-1849)
12	Taylor, Zachary (1849-1850)
13	Fillmore, Millard (1850-1853)
14	Pierce, Franklin (1853-1857)
15	Buchanan, James (1857-1861)
16	Lincoln, Abraham (1861-1865)
17	Johnson, Andrew (1865-1869)
18	Grant, Ulysses S. (1869-1877)
19	Hayes, Rutherford Birchard (1877-1881)
20	Garfield, James Abram (1881)
21	Arthur, Chester Alan (1881-1885)
22	Cleveland, Grover (1885-1889)
23	Harrison, Benjamin (1889-1893)
24	Cleveland, Grover (1893-1897)
25	McKinley, William (1897-1901)
26	Roosevelt, Theodore (1901-1909)
27	Taft, William Howard (1909-1913)
28	Wilson, Woodrow	(1913-1921)
29	Harding, Warren Gamaliel (1921-1923)
30	Coolidge, Calvin (1923-1929)
31	Hoover, Herbert Clark (1929-1933)
32	Roosevelt, Franklin Delano (1933-1945)
33	Truman, Harry (1945-1953)
34	Eisenhower, Dwight David (1953-1961)
35	Kennedy, John Fitzgerald (1961-1963)
36	Johnson, Lyndon Baines (1963-1969)
37	Nixon, Richard Milhous (1969-1974)
38	Ford, Gerald Rudolph (1974-1977)
39	Carter, James Earl Jr. (1977-1981
40	Reagan, Ronald Wilson (1981-1989)
41	Bush, George Herbert Walker (1989-1993)
42	Clinton, William Jefferson (1993-2001)
43	Bush, George Walker (2001-2009)
44	Obama, Barack Hussein (2009-present)

That’s a nice list, so what?

 

The presidents of the United States have come in different varieties.  Some are less ‘reputable’ than others, but they share some common characteristics.  These are the characteristics of intelligence, resolve, and fortitude.  As today is ‘Presidents Day’, I think it is worth looking at the list of presidents this country has had and thinking about their good qualities.

 

Intelligence

 

One does not simply become the President of the United States through dumb luck and a lack of intelligence.  It takes great brain power and even some luck.  Each president must have a wide array of knowledge in all areas of life, not to mention knowledge about politics and the way in which the country operates.

 

So to is intelligence a driving factor of progress with us.  Our intelligence plays a key role in where we make it to in life.  If we stop gaining intelligence, one can bet that the person who has stopped gaining intelligence will stay in the same place they are and be in that same place many years down the road.

 

Resolve

 

The president must have immense resolve.  I look at the term which George W. Bush just served, for eight years.  He has been slammed by the public, television shows, and anything else you can imagine.  Yet his resolve has remained firm.  He has not let himself get frazzled by the ramblings of other people.  Say what you want about him, he stayed on the course of resolve through harsh criticizm.

 

Our own individual resolve must be like that of a president.  Hard times may come, and challenges may surface.  It may be a common reaction to simply complain, or vent the frustration to those around.  This does nothing but spread negativity.  Don’t worry about what other people think.  Look inwards at yourself, and progress on the path which will make your life meaningful.

 

Fortitude

 

Fortitude is the health and stamina which one has.  While some of the presidents have not been in the greatest physical condition, their mental fortitude is likely unmatched.  Just think about how much weight is on every decision the president makes.  Think of the scrutiny and bickernig that is going to happen with every decision.  The president must have the fortitude to withstand this and move forward.

 

In our lives, fortitude is something to seek after.  Not only is staying in great physical condition necessary for maintaining an active and happy life, our emotional condition is equally important.  When challenges arise, or fatigue sets in, it is important to stay on the path of diligence and perseverance.  How often do we get tired, or not feel like working on the things which we know will separate us from mediocrity.  Don’t fall into this trap.  Remain diligent and consistent.

 

Final Thoughts

 

Take a moment and examine the list of presidents of the United States from Wikipedia.org.  I have taken a greater interest in the history of our country since this last election.  If nothing else, I wish to know about the people running our country.  I know I could probably name about six presidents of the United States.  I hope to memorize this list and use it as another tool to help me further create my legacy in the world today.

No tags

There is a creature in the wild called the ‘chameleon’. They are shifty little creatures, able to blend and adapt to their environment, seemingly becoming one with their surroundings. They do this by changing their skin color. Whatever the reason for the chameleon changing their skin color is, by doing so, they are able to blend and adapt to their environment.

I am a software engineer for Ancestry.com working on the user interface for their search system at the time of writing this article.  I’ve been up since 6:10 AM, and just finished a P90X workout.  I am now writing this blog entry.  Having productive mornings has really made a positive impact on my life.  This is a change I am making to further progress my life.  I don’t get up 10 minutes before work now.  I have plenty of time in the morning to workout, meditate, and get ready.  Not only that, I am now looking back and adjusting some of the things I’ve been doing in the past.

 

For instance, meeting ‘The Rock’, Dwayne Johnson, is something that I am going to need a fair amount of time and money to do.  Not only that, I need to show that it is worth me meeting him by being successful in other areas of my life.  This includes drjerm.com, and other projects I am working on.  This means I am putting off meeting him for now while I focus on the smaller tasks at hand.  I was biting off a little more than I could chew jumping straight to meeting him before I take care of things in my own neck of the woods first.

 

My eating is changing as well.  I did pretty good before, but I would still splurge once or twice a week on fries, maybe a burger, as well as eating portions a bit too large.  Now I look at food as anything that is not helpful is repulsive to me.  Even pizza does not sound so good now.  It is amazing the mindset change that happens when you shift the focus to productive and worthwhile things.  I feel much happier too.  I am interested in eating fruits, vegetables, proteins, lean meats, and healthy drinks now.

 

How can you adapt?

 

I’ve seen myself and other people in ruts, unable to adapt, either because they can’t see what to change too, or they are comfortable with how they are.  Take a look at this list below and see if some of these thoughts, statements, and situations are similar to what you experience:

• I’m stuck at my job and it’s going nowhere.  But that’s work.  That’s life.
• I can’t stand eating fish, vegetables, (insert healthy food you don’t like here).
• Debt makes me feel trapped.
• I’m bored.
• Life sure is hard.
• I lose five pounds I gain five pounds.  The scale is not my friend.
• What is my problem?
• I’m snacking at night again.
• I hate seeing pictures of myself.

 

I’ve described some common ‘rut’ scenarios.  Take a look at them.  They are more common than you think.  You can even read other entries in my blog and see some of them discussed at length.  They are the mediocre person’s way of life, simply put.  Does that sound harsh?  Maybe so, but it is reality.  Living with trapped mindsets, without room for adaptability or flexibility provides a generally miserable and unsatisfying life.  So how do you break free of this?

 

Become the chameleon

 

There is hope.  The chameleon can adapt and so can you.  The powerful thing here is that all it takes is thought and choice.  You are struggling with snacking at night?  Keep a glass of water with you, and find something productive to do instead.  Think the thought, then walk and put yourself in the position to succeed.  Stay out of your kitchen and cupboards.  Fill your time with worthwhile things.  I have found that excessive leisure activity, even outside of working during the day, leads to an unhealthy lifestyle.

 

Is debt making you feel trapped?  I bet that there are many non-necessary expenses you can eliminate.  Make the decision to stop going out to eat so much.  Stop buying little knick knacks here and there that you really don’t need.  Don’t purchase in desperation.  Cancel your un-necessary subscriptions.  Downgrade or cancel altogether your TV plan.  I have found that most people have hundreds of dollars spent each month on totally non-essential things.  Simply find them and get rid of them.  Fill your time with something productive that you like to do.

 

Expand your skills.  Learn new abilities.  As a software developer, I am constantly having to stay on my toes and learn new technologies and development practices.  By doing this, I stay ahead and can adapt to change, such as losing my job.  If that were to happen, I am confident I would be able to move on and continue without missing too much of a beat.  This is so because I am confident, smart, and put in the necessary time to keep myself sharp.

 

The fascinating thing is that being adaptive, proactive, and productive takes more work than not doing it.  It may be a little more tiring even.  But I have found I am much happier when I am in this mode.  It is when I am not accomplishing much and spending far too much time in leisure that my happiness begins to wane.  Follow this basic principle and keep yourself engaged in something worthwhile and productive.  I know with effort, determination, and a little faith, you can make it happen.

No tags