LegendaryLife.com Blog

No, I am not a (severe) germaphobe nor have I lost my mind… but I realized yesterday that EVERYTHING we and all other living organisms do on this planet is thanks to bacteria. We had it all wrong, we don’t rule the Earth, bacteria do!

A little history

The very first organisms to inhabit this planet with any type of internal mechanism for survival are the bacteria, there is still a lot of debate as to whether they originate from our planet or hitched a ride on a comet billions of years ago. The one thing that is an indisputable fact is that every living organisms on this planet can trace it’s origins from the humble bacteria, from the trees that populate our forests to the shrimp you add to your salad… EVEN US! Yes, our distant ancestors are these little, microscopic and mindless bacteria! I am unsure if we have evolved to be any smarter but that is something to be discussed at a later date.

What are bacteria?

Bacteria are single celled organisms which are not only the oldest and most diverse kingdom of life on this planet (possibly the universe) but they are the cornerstone of just about everything on this planet. To put it bluntly, if there where no bacteria on this planet, there would be NO life. Not only that, but if we removed everything except bacteria from this planet, including rock and soil… you could clearly see the shape of the landscape from their presence alone!

Why are bacteria so powerful?

Bacteria are like woman for most men, you can’t live with them and you can’t live without them. Bacteria are responsible for some horrendous conditions but they are also the cause for some wonderous medical cures as well. Unlike viruses which are just floating strands of DNA with no rhyme or reason, bacteria have a purpose, they want to live! Actually, bacteria have an even stronger will to succeed then anything else on this planet, they can be found LIVING inside rock, up to 3 miles underground, in extremes of temperature and can even go into a type of hibernation lasting thousands of years until conditions improve. We humans have NOTHING on these guys, they are probably the first life to colonize other planets (galaxies), they are almost eternal in their structure and leave their mark everywhere. Who changed this planet from one killing life to supporting it? Well, bacteria! Sure, they haven’t written books nor are they very good conversationalists but they blow us in the dust in just about every other aspect.

What can we do to help bacteria?

Here is the funny thing about bacteria, they don’t want nor need our help in order to thrive. They are in their own little world with an arsenal of weapons that would make even the top generals in the United States wet their pants with glee. Bacteria are the first organisms to develop chemical and explosive weapons, if anything, we need to respect them before they blow us away! Bacteria can live off eating just about every natural substance in the universe, from iron to the rays of the sun. Bacteria can multiply even faster then even the horniest rabbits and put workaholics to shame. To put it bluntly, we need bacteria for our survival, they do not need us.

Perspective is key

So, what have you learned so far? Not are we incredibly fragile beings, to put it very lightly, but we are at the absolute mercy. If they ever “decide” (ei: evolve) to turn on us, we have no chance in hell of providing any type of plausible defense. Think about this the next time you say anything bad about these little guys who rule the universe!

The Bottom Line

Bacteria don’t love or hate us, they are indifferent to other forms of life.

I am an active subscriber to TEDTalks, if you never heard of this, you need to subscribe ASAP. Basically, every week, there is a speech given by a leading person in any given field of study. One week it may be Anthony (Tony) Robbins, another Richard Branson… Al Gore or other well known individuals. It’s guaranteed the few minutes you spend listening to these incredible individuals is worth its weight in gold.

TEDTalks: Dean Ornish

As usual, I have no idea who most of these speakers are, but every once in a while, I am absolutely astounded by the knowledge they share with the rest of us. Dean Ornish blew me away with his discoveries as they confirm what I have postulated for a very long time (and acted upon). I am not waiting for science to catch-up to my thinking, I am acting, on a daily basis until science tries to prove my theories wrong. Here is a few bullet points of the astounding discoveries he has made in the area of health, the body and longevity:

• one way to modify our existing genes is to create new ones, the other, our lifestyles
• when you eat a balanced diet, exercise and reduce stress, your brain gets more blood flow and oxygen… it actually GETS BIGGER!
• walking 3 hours per week after three months was found to create so many new neurons in the human brain that their brains got bigger!
• creation of new neurons (neurogenesis or brain cells) can be increased by consuming chocolate, tea, blueberries, alcohol (in moderation), stress and cannabinoids while consuming saturated fat, sugar, nicotine, opiates, cocaine, alcohol (in excess) and chronic stress are fantastic methods of killing them off
• increase in blood flow (from an active lifestyle) actually slows down the aging process, in some ways, even reversing it!
• heart disease can be reversed with an active lifestyle, clogged arteries have been shown to grow and expand after only a year!
• prostate and breast cancer risks drop DRAMATICALLY with an active lifestyle, tumor growth was inhibited by 70% for prostate cancer for health individuals!
• sexual organs get additional blood flow making you more “active” and “capable” with your mate
• 50% of smokers are impotent!
• telomerase is an enzyme that repairs telomeres, which are at the end of your chromosomes which control your lifespan, with an active lifestyle, you are actually LENGTHENING your telomeres… hence, you get a longer life by default!
• gene expression (prostate cancer used as an example), actually changes with an active lifestyle, the “bad” things get changed to “good”!

What does it all mean?

Quite simple, your genetic makeup that is given to you at conception is changeable based on your lifestyle. Even better… you can become smarter, stronger and healthier with age if you start young, eat a very balanced diet and get plenty of exercise both in and out of bed! Essentially, as Dean Ornish states, “our genes are NOT our fate!”… this is fantastic news!

The Bottom Line

If knowledge is power, then action is domination.

Buzvia: TED.com

I am happy to report that dreamclue.com has now reached the 2500 dream interpretations milestone of which a third have a photograph. Membership is also growing nicely and so is the slow but steady recognition of the strength of this system overall in helping people interpret their dreams in order to find meaning in their lives.

Our next goal is to reach 5000 dream interpretations with a 50% photographic rate.

If you haven’t already, check out dreamclue.com yourself and …get the message!

Cancer is a disease that, in a high portion of cases, is completely avoidable with proper diet, exercise and healthy living choices (including where and how you live). But for those unlucky enough to be diagnosed with cancer, I found this video that has some promising results. Screw chemotherapy, hello radio waves!

The Bottom Line

The best cure is avoidance.

WoodMarvels.com was chosen as a “Cool Pick of the Day” for April 17th by CoolPick.com… cool!

Like an old friend of mine use to say… when it rains, it pours

I am very happy to report that Dreamclue.com has been chosen by First Coast News, an NBC affiliate out of Jacksonville, Florida (USA) as “website of the day“! FANTASTIC!

Dreamclue.com was chosen as a “Cool Pick of the Day” for April 15th by CoolPick.com… cool!

I have a number of, what you may refer to as, pet peeves. Sure, mortality ranks up there as number one but a very close second is the effect that passion has on the passage of time.

Passion: The Good

Passion is a wonderful thing, if you are lucky enough to have found yours, then pat yourself on the back… you have found something that some spend their whole lives without. Passion can be described as things that you do, either for profit or for fun, which you simply cannot do enough of. If you are a musician, then your passion is playing instruments, composing songs and playing your next gig to screaming fans. If you are a gardener, then your passion is planting seeds, mending a garden and sharing the great bounty which you have created. If you are an entrepreneur, then your passion is developing something that has been in your mind and somehow turning it into a profitable enterprise. Passion is a wonderful thing!

Passion: The Bad

The problem with passion, especially if you have quite a few of them is that it becomes an addiction. I have never taken hard drugs but I can assure you that passion can be just as detrimental to relationships, finances and common sense as a cocaine addiction. How? Well, when you focus all your energies into something that gives you so much joy and a sense of accomplishment, things begin to fall apart in other areas of your life. I can honestly say that if there was a way for me to get married to my company and have kids with it, I would do it in a heartbeat… the love I experience for my companies is the same found in deep relationships, the same found in a chef’s eyes when you take a bite out of a food they have prepared and the same found in the eyes of somebody you want to spend the rest of your life with.

Passion: The Ugly

Luckily, or unluckily, depending on your perspective, I have developed a number of passions for myself. When I get worn-out of one, I just jump right into the next passion… and there goes my day! Am I addicted to my companies? Absolutely, I actually have to remind myself to take a break to do such menial tasks as eating, sleeping and exercising. I might be starving and as soon as I begin one of my hobbies, the hunger pains disappear! I am so involved in the cocoon I have created for myself that everything else seems to fade away. The worst part about all this is time, I will begin working at, let’s say 9am then I will take a quick look at the clock and realize it’s 2pm! This happens far more often then I care to admit.

Passion: Perspective is Key!

I am fortunate to be able to pursuit my passions despite the limitations imposed upon me by others and my lifestyle. I am most fortunate that one of my passions is my body… specifically, working out and pushing it beyond it’s limits. This actually works rather well in my case because my other passions involve sitting in-front of a screen and typing, animating, modeling or composing on a computer. I found out a while back that passions themselves aren’t the problem, they should have a life cycle, the problem is when they are in unhealthy endeavors. If you are lucky enough to experience the joy that comes with exercising a passion in your life, always remind yourself that it will be there the next day and the next… you need to take a break (complete one) every once in a while in order to refresh your batteries and enjoy the other experiences that life has to offer.

The Bottom Line

Passion is wonderful, but like other things in life, must be balanced.

I have spent over a decade in the 3D industry under various roles in my company. It’s a field that continues to compel me to create and explore where your only limitation is your mind. Here are some really cool animations I have found!

Doll Face by Andy Huang

This is a powerful animation illustrating how the endless pursuit of beauty is not only crazy but also harmful. Harmful to your pocket book, self-esteem, health (chemicals in cosmetics aren’t good for you) and generally take away from a persons uniqueness.

Morula by Propa

Great animation that is highly stylized that expresses the growth of the human spirit and love leading to rejuvenation.

The Hiccups by Jordan T. Caylor

Sure it’s political as hell but it doesn’t take away from how original I find this… really nice and simple!

Fabulas: La Lampara by widam

Although I have no clue what they are saying, the message is clear and the character animation is very well done. I especially like the flame effect in this animation.

The Bottom Line

3D is cool!

Let me state emphatically, ignorance doesn’t equate to stupidity nor mental defects but rather a systematic choice to, purposefully, choose irrelevance in the place of true knowledge.

Ignorance comes in many shapes and sizes

I am sure you know people who, if their life depended on it, couldn’t find a country like Iraq or even Canada on a map. There are others who still believe the planet is flat and that the sun rotates around it. Still others who, for some crazy reason, believe fervently in the supernatural which, by its very definition, cannot come from natural processes (thus cannot exist). Yes, I bump into these types of people every once in a while, although I enjoy a good debate when ever I can get it, there is no way of debating anything based on facts when a mind is full of ignorance. It’s like trying to break down a solid brick wall using nothing more then a hammer made out of paper mache… it’s a futile effort.

Ignorance isn’t hard to find

Anybody who has lived long enough soon realizes that there seem to be more ignorant people out there then otherwise, you can see them “reporting” the news through various media, you can talk to them while at your local shop buying supplies and even while driving down the road. I am sure I am not alone in wondering where the heck did all these people who wouldn’t know a dime from a quarter keep coming from? Is there some alien spaceship dumping people at will on our planet in the hopes of creating a super human race as tame as a herd of farm animals?

Why are people ignorant?

I can easily state that the reason why there are so many ignorant people all around us is because they have become mentally lazy. It’s far easier to sit in-front of a television for a few hours a day then to actively work towards making ones life better or of others around us. As well, it’s easier to follow tabloid journalism and read-up on the latest fads created by marketers then to truly become a student of history and human nature. Why are people ignorant? Because there is NO COST for them to continue being so. Put another way, societies around the world are less interested in developing intellectuals then they are consumers. The era of great debates still exists but its popularity has faded in the minds of the masses who absolutely must know why celebrity “who cares” got red shoes instead of black ones. This statement is no truer then today, regardless of the type of government you choose to live under.

How to solve the problem of ignorance

The problem of ignorance comes from several circles but the most important way to solve this mental epidemic is to place a higher value on creativity, education and passion. A population that has found their reason for being is of far higher strategic and economic value then one based on herd mentality. Education is also key, from the sciences to the maths, I am not saying kids should be studying Shakespeare but what I am saying is that the mental faculties of critical thinking MUST be the foundation upon which knowledge is given. Lastly, creativity, an incredibly rational and passionate person is useless to all of us if they cannot have the creative abilities that allows them to see outside of normal thought patterns. A physicist who finds the solution to a Unified Theory is useless if he cannot explain it to a six year old, much less the general public.

The Bottom Line

Ignorance is a choice, stupidity isn’t.