One of the most amazing aspects of being an entrepreneur is the absolute joy you get from being constantly forced to learn new things!

Enjoying the rewards, paying the costs

Honestly, what other type of non-job other then an entrepreneur can you be paid to do what you absolutely love to do and gamble, quite honestly, on all your past success to throw yourself into yet another higher level of possibility! The rewards of entrepreneurship as a lifestyle are as endless as it’s costs but the journey sure as hell is a fun one!

Case Study: WoodMarvels.com - how it began

I started this site after many years of having this idea in the back of my head. I really love wood, I enjoy the flexibility that this material provides and its availability just about anywhere. Nothing beats the smell of pine or cedar… so, I decided, enough is enough… I am going to develop this site right now! That was back in October, at first, it was difficult developing an entire new level of standards and procedures, not to sound too technical but after years of producing industrial 3D animations, switching to wooden toys takes a little bit of work to pull-off correctly. For several years, I also really wanted to get into manufacturing, I have visited some amazing shop floors around North America and to be honest, I LOVE BIG MACHINES!

Case Study: WoodMarvels.com - models from virtual to physical

So, back in October, I started essentially producing new virtual wood marvels on a weekly basis but about two months ago, my second dream was finally made available to me… manufacturing! I built all my wood marvels in my computer, they looked great and I got some great feedback from customers but being able to ship on-demand merchandise anywhere in the world is a whole other level of accomplishment. It took a few weeks but now I am as comfortable in the “manufacturing-on-demand” area as I am in the 3D one. I am not a professional in either by any stretch of the imagination, but I have developed enough knowledge of both industries to easily converse with engineers and other professionals on an even platform.

Just for the heck of it, you can see the evolution of the designs from one of the very first models I created to the second-to-last one (latest one is still rendering).

Shark (September 2007′ish)

Full Armor Gear Bull (June 2008′ish)

Case Study: WoodMarvels.com - book from virtual to physical

Now, this is where things get really interesting, I am a few weeks away from having a book published encompassing 25 of my top models available print-on-demand through BookSurge.com (an Amazon affiliate). Things have gone full circle, the models are produced on-demand in the physical world and now, my guides and books as well! Isn’t this really cool! One of my goals in my life was to publish several books, this is my first, at the age of 32 and I really enjoyed the process and can’t wait to actually hold in both my hands what where once but virtual items inhabiting the deep recesses of my mind.

Where do you go from here?

WoodMarvels.com has been a tremendous success, it has opened several doors in my life and I look forward to developing that property well into the future. My other properties are slowly growing and I am sure they will open as many doors if not more then what I have just shared with you… which is still but a glimpse of things to come. The fact that I managed to do this while traveling around the world, visiting one of my dream places (Cape Tribulation in Australia) and climbing mountains in South Korea really make these successes all the more enjoyable! I already have two other non-WoodMarvels.com books stewing in my mind which I hope to release next year. My priority is to get the next huge goal I have had in my mind for several years now… LegendaryLife.com. I wish I honestly could live a thousand years because I have so much yet to accomplish and experience, trying to cram all of this in one lifetime while still being able to enjoy that life is a very tall task indeed!

The Bottom Line

Nothing beats a dose of entrepreneurship to introduce some vitality into your life!

Buzvia: BookSurge.com (on-demand publisher), Ponoko.com (on-demand manufacturer), WoodMarvels.com (on-demand happiness!)

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.

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.

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!

(image from NASA)

I can look at the above cloud animation all day… clouds are clouds right? Well, these ones are special… they are the clouds found on Mars!

Why is this so fascinating to me?

Most likely, within my lifetime, I will never get the opportunity to visit another planet or moon… if I am wealthy enough in the future, I can spend a few days in space but exploring alien worlds is probably going to be left to my descendants to experience. This animated picture, no matter how brief or grainy, is as close I will get to looking up in the sky on another planet. In the few frames of this animation, I see hope, success, wonderment and many other adjective, including expletives, that describe my deep desire to really explore this world I was lucky enough to be born on. It’s also a very tragic reminder of the limitations placed upon me from birth, that of my own mortality which I realize logically I can do nothing about but emotionally bothers me to no end. They say all living life on this planet has an urge for self-preservation built into it… I think I was born with an extra helping of this ingredient when I was created by my parents.

The reality of Aging

I am quickly approaching my 32nd birthday and from talking to others who are older then me, I have come to the realization of the cruel joke played on us by Mother Nature, the process of aging itself. I am starting to think those with Alzheimer’s are lucky, you see, they are aging and not in the best of shape but don’t realize this. It’s like going 100 miles an hour straight into a brick wall but instead of looking at the wall coming straight at you, you are facing the other direction.

Why is the process of aging a cruel joke?

Right now, I am in my early 30’s but mentally, I feel no different then when I was a teenager, I still have the same feelings, urges and essentially the same body. Double my age to 60 and guess what, I will still have the mind of a teenager but the body of an old fart… double that again, now 120 years old… still with the mind of a teenager but most likely the day after a party and the body that is simply unrecognizable. What I am saying is that physically we age rather quickly but mentally, well, not so much. Do I look forward to looking at myself in the mirror on my 100th birthday? As I continue to take great care of myself, most likely yes but I will also have a feeling of great loss of the body I have now is gone, never to return. Aging is a one way road that is part of the deal when you become mortal.

The Bottom Line

Anybody who says they love the process of aging is suffering from a mental disorder.

Buzvia: Mars Exploration Rover Mission