Changing times, are we ready for them?

This morning I was thinking about an article I did on this blog, August 8, 2025, entitled "In the Shadow of AI: The Future of Websites" in which I postulated that websites as we know them today would disappear in about 10 years because the act of searching will have radically changed by then. You will just ask an AI and it will get the answer for you. While I was thinking about this today I ran across a YouTube video by Christopher Barnatt entitled "Radical Computing Evolution" where he suggests that the old familiar Graphical User Interface that we all know and love will become an "Agent Command Interface ", that is, you will ask your computer to do something and the AI agent will carry out the task. This would go beyond simply opening programs and automating mouse clicks. You might for example ask in the computer to look through all your mail and create entries on your calendar for events pertinent to your daily routine. The agent would then run the appropriate programs in the background to complete all the tasks necessary to complete the objective. 

I have been using AI increasingly over the last two years, because it is the best way to get things done. As long as you know how to work with the AI agent. (An "AI agent" is a program that can act autonomously and plan the steps necessary to accomplish a goal without the user having to spell out each individual step.)

November 11 is Remembrance Day in Canada so I thought "I would like to create a poster of the Flanders Fields" poem with some artwork that would be both respectful and artistically correct to the year 1915. I headed over to Google Flow which is Google's image and video creation AI platform and I must say the agent did a marvellous job of framing the poem in a beautiful setting. Complete with the "Canadian Red Ensign" which was the flag flown in Canada prior to 1965. Below is the image created by the AI along with the instructions (prompt) I gave it: 

 

POEM: In Flanders Fields 
Written by  Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae in 1915

If you would like a full colour printable version of this poem suitable for 8.5 x 11" (US letter) printing you can download it here.

 

In Flanders Fields
By Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae

In Flanders fields the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row, That mark our place; and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing, fly Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, Loved and were loved, and now we lie, In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe: To you from failing hands we throw The torch; be yours to hold it high. If ye break faith with us who die We shall not sleep, though poppies grow In Flanders fields.

 

After the image was created I spent several hours reading about the old flag and the Canadian troops. The point is though, just like a librarian the AI brought together many historical items and each one provided me with a new avenue to research.

In future, this trend will continue and I can see the traditional, most driven graphical user interface that all computers use now days being looked at like a model T Ford. Indeed I think the whole concept of a computer with separate parts is about to be challenged. Integrated onto a single chip perhaps instead of discrete components.

However there is a downside I can see if people become overly reliant on this very helpful artificial intelligence. AI's need to be created which will nurture investigative skills in people rather than just giving them the whole answer up front. If we do not do this, I can see vital skills being underdeveloped or lost. Particularly in young people this can have catastrophic effects. Because one learns how to think at a very early age and they're usually some challenge aspect to whatever task is being undertaken. This is very important to do because the child also learns patience while they are working through any given problem.

Yesterday I was asked by someone to help them with a issue they had encountered when filling out a form online. Specifically they wanted to change some of its contents. Once we got into the discussion however it became obvious that the original form had been converted to a graphic and therefore the text could not be edited. However I could tell that they did not understand the nuances. To them even though it had been converted to a graphic you should be able to easily replace the text and perfectly match the font that was there in the original image. Anyone who is trying to do so knows how difficult it can be to match fonts in an image. This would normally be knowledge would gain through actually editing an image and learning the appropriate software. But even though they had had a phone and a laptop for many years they had never learned that different types of content can be displayed on a screen, and that it affects whether or not they can and it what they can see on their phone. This situation had occurred because technology as it evolves hides the details of how it works and unless one starts to investigate one never learns how the device truly works. In this case that meant that how they thought their phone worked was not how it really worked. It was also hard to explain the differences to them between a picture and a document file which could be edited.

Historically whenever society changed in response to major changes, be it the advent of electricity, the steam engine, or something else, people given enough time began to understand the new thing and adapt to it. However, I think this time around, we are in danger of losing the very skills we as human beings need to adapt to the massive changes technology is bringing. In the above example regarding editing a form the person did not exhibit any investigative desires. They were not curious about their phone displayed the form. They just thought because it "Looks like a form you can fill out." One should be able to edit it like a form and a word processor.

When I was a very young child, my parents would go crazy at Christmas trying to figure out what way to get me, because I would take everything apart. I am wanted to know how the thing worked and I did take everything apart! I still do it whenever I can :-) I am curious, some might call it insane curiosity but I really enjoy finding out that how and why behind whatever it is. This can take time, lots of time. I wish my days were longer. It is this desire which seems to be disappearing and that has me concerned. Because the world is so automated now, people assume that everything should just work. All I on the other hand marvel at what is going on behind the scenes. Even if I don't understand the device or topic, I know there is a huge amount of technical detail and people behind what ever it is. I do not take anything for granted. I still get excited about my seven-year-old electric chair. Occasionally when a repair technician comes over to fix the thing I tend to drive them a little crazy because I see the evolution of the technology. I will soon start investigating a replacement for this chair and I'm excited because, not only will I find the full service manual and read through it. I will most likely fry every aspect out :-) there won't be a mode I, a button or a module not turned on at one point. I know that it is very important and healthy to understand change.

So if you read this on November 11, 2026 appreciate all the effort and sacrifice people have endured to allow us to experience these new changes and if you're reading this after this date, try to learn something new today. Get used to change and if you can learn to enjoy the trip involved in changing.

Patrick

 Note:All images displayed in this article were created by Google Gemini Pro. Any semblance to other work is purely coincidental.  All text is actually written by human and it is original.

Taking The Load Off

Wow, the latter half of October became busy. I had planned to do more here but there was no time. It was Halloween artwork and everything else related to the festivities. Maybe I should start on Christmas now… Don't tempt me 🎄🎅!

This article is all about keeping one's spirits up. I know many people begin to go downhill during this time of year and some in fact see the coming of the official festive season only through eyes of the dread. There is one simple rule I follow to counter all of this fear.

Allow yourself to think young again. Put down all the rules and limitations. Thank simply and not too far ahead. Try to approach things from a fresh unexpected perception. Just as a child would do, the youngest ones have no memory to run on so everything is brand spanking new. Just allow yourself to see it the way they do. That's a good start.

A fictitious small town in the early 20th century
 on a sunny warm day as people relax.

Try to limit interruptions and distractions. It's fine to go off-line for a while. Put all the technology down and get into something you want to do. Set things up so there are no interruptions. If you think about it that's what people used to do. My father would definitely have times where you could not interrupt him in whatever he was doing. You were asked to leave him alone and give them some space. This usually occurred Sunday mornings until noon. He would happily get into a book or a mathematical equation and sit for those several hours deeply involved in whatever the problem was at the kitchen table.

You would be amazed how beneficial just knowing you have a block of space to do whatever you want to do secure in the knowledge that you will not be interrupted will benefit you. The world can indeed get along without you for several hours straight.

Here's something I know you've heard before. Get decent uninterrupted hours of sleep, and again once this is arranged just knowing that you're going to get a good night's sleep is trimmed endlessly beneficial. It really does help take the load off.

When was the last time you had a dating or an afternoon with nothing planned? I don't know about you but the modern world has a tendency to try to fill every open day on the calendar. We must get away from this as a society. We all need some mental down time. It's a stereotype, but I'm reminded of the iconic "Small Town" where you could actually get out of touch for a while with the rest of the world. It sounds awfully inviting, I must admit. There is a lesson to be learned from that small town idea. Life will be over soon enough and regardless of your belief system, why rush through it? The most pleasurable and insightful things can occur when you're not actively doing something. When you allow yourself the space to breathe. Even as I'm dictating this article I find myself relaxing and slowing down just a bit. So just contemplating the idea is good.

I asked that pretty much sums things up. Have a great day and of course feel free to leave comments.
Patrick

 The next day: November 3, 2026.

I have an interesting problem… Even though I profess the benefits of "Taking the Load off" I find myself always wanting to do something. To be clear I don't mean that I'm incapable of sitting still and enjoying some peace and quiet. Rather each day in addition to relaxing I like to create something. AI has made it almost too easy and I missed the hands-on labour involved, even if the result is not a work of art. At the same time because I live in and insisted living building which runs on a verily tight schedule it can be difficult to get into a project.

This occasionally drives me crazy because I want to start something that will take at least four hours and yet I can't reliably do that because tonight I have less than an hour. So let's see what I can put together in the picture below. At this moment I don't know what it is. Hopefully it's something with colour…

From April 30, 2022 here is a nice photo of wild 
red-flowering currant Ribes sanguineum).

 

 I am always amazed by what I find in my own collection of photographs. Originally I didn't think much of this photo, but right now it seems perfect. Note this image is an quick export from my photo imaging software. I will track down the full resolution image and updated tomorrow.

 

Note:All images displayed in this article were created by Google Gemini Pro. Any semblance to other work is purely coincidental.  All text is actually written by human and it is original.

Halloween 2026

 

 This post will continue to get longer as Halloween approaches. Therefore the latest material and graphics for your amusement will be found at the bottom.There is also now quite a few graphics loading, and a few of them are quite large. Please be patient. 

I am a total 130% kid at heart, and proud of it, so when Halloween is even remotely close I get totally into the spirit of it. The same sort of thing happens around Christmas and I have over 50 Christmas albums to prove it. 

Most importantly though it's not the belief or the ritual that intrigues me. It is how people can manifest changes although they may insist that the change is due to a belief I see it as an ability which is innate to everyone. You don't manifest a change in spirit or situation because of "something", you do it because you undertook the effort to alter your self. Let's put the power where it belongs and it is always with the individual. And there isn't anything spooky about that .🧙‍♀️

So I enjoyed the festive season's even though I'm not a believer in any way shape or form. When I die, that will be it for the program known as "Patrick" now, some may find that perspective a little alarming. I find it comforting and indeed motivating.-Life is short and I am not going to waste it. So pardon me will I go Halloween crazy and then Christmas crazy. It is the chance to let a little creativity out while getting together with friends.

The photograph at the top of this article is simply a picture I took of a jack-o'-lantern purchased from the local Home Depot. The image is initially underexposed and then I ran what is known as a histogram equalization filter which simply brought all the colour regardless of how dark it was up into the visible range. I put it through the same software that I use to make my YouTube videos and put an animated background behind the image. Proof-one tripped out jack-o'-lantern face.

I will be adding more images as we approach Halloween and if I get time I will do a video. So stay tuned and feel free to come back to this post. All graphics in this post I will place in the public domain. If I come up with something really fancy I will also provide a download link. Until then take care

I'm going to do something very childlike, go out and buy some fluorescent paint, a black/white or two, some craft paper (preferably black) and a paintbrush. To be clear I'm no artist so this is most likely going to be a pleasant disaster... But not from the kid's point of view. I am writing this text ahead of time so a photograph may show up on this post in a day or two.

  

The image above with the haunted house was created by starting with a real photo of a dilapidated house in Vancouver British Columbia. Then re-rendered through an AI to give it is spooky feeling by adding the weather and the woman walking down the sidewalk. I then took the image and put it on a swirling the background which is simply the colours up from the original drawing blended together. The image is suitable for a computer desktop or printing if you would like.

An interesting note about the house: it was later renovated by the city of Vancouver as a historical building. They brought it back to its original condition using period specific paints. They then moved it slightly down the block to accommodate new construction which grew up around it. If I can get a good photo of the renovated building I will post it on the blog with a separate history. For now know that the house lives on in the 21st-century. I believe a small business moved in and is opened a coffee house on the first floor.  

Oh I can't resist it… I want to see what Ideogram AI can do with Halloween. I gave the AI the following prompt and here's what it came up with. I can't decide on which image I like better so I will post all four: (As far as I can tell from their usage policy these images can be used freely, but please check here before using them for any specific public purpose as these things can change.) Note: Clicking on any of the following images may take some time to display as it will be the full 4K version. Especially over Wi-Fi or phone.

PROMPT: " A Halloween image showcasing all the various iconic portrayals in the last 120 years. Blend each portrayal seamlessly into its neighbour so that the viewer understands the chronology. The colour should be vivid and appropriate to the era depicted. You should draw on sources from the movies, folklore, religion and popularity of the time."

 
All of these pictures should be suitable for reasonable size printing. I uploaded them in 4K. However one never knows what the blog compression algorithm will do. Let me know if you need the originals.Just post a comment or if you're on tablet/laptop use the feedback form on the right side of the screen.

 

 I really do find this amazing, the remarkable evolution in quality since the first AI generated image used on this blog, which you can find in "Nurturing the Creative Soul" posted on January 28, 2023. Where will it be in quality in the next 12 months? Who knows.

 

The really wild thing is, it took this AI to create all four images under a minute in a high resolution. Using just the single prompt mentioned above.

 

This AI really likes vampire's, they are definitely prominent. A nice spooky collection to start things off, I definitely say. Stay tuned there is more on the way!
 

 

 

Okay, one more from AI. But this time just using something local running on my machine, which by AI standards is very old about two years. I gave "Vision FX 2.1" a prompt to make me spooky theatre and after several hours and a few iterations one of the pictures it came up with was this one. Here is the prompt I gave the local AI:

 

"Using Halloween as the theme for the style, create the auditorium of the spooky 1940s movie theatre as seen from the back row. The auditorium slopes sharply down toward a massive screen displaying a black-and-white image of a horror movie with the castle and the lightning in the background. Make the weather windy and quite cold looking. Although it is a dismal image it should at the same time the intriguing to the viewer. As though reading a frightening story you still cannot resist turning the next page to find out what happens."

 

If you're like me, one of the fondest memories from Halloween's way in the past was playing around with the original fluorescent Black Lights. I think they may give off enough ultraviolet to give you a suntan and I know we were warned not to stare directly at the light for too long due to the specific wavelength of ultraviolet. It didn't stop me from absolutely covering my apartment with posters that would glow under ultraviolet. I kind of wish I had some photographs to share… While wandering around our local Spirit Halloween store I ran into several piles of modern black lights. They use LEDs and they do work, not quite the same deep purple glow though. Nevertheless I bought enough fluorescent paint with two black lights to crank up the bill over $200 Canadian in about seven minutes. So the photo below is me just goofing around. By no means a work of art, but a lot of fun.

 I am just beginning to get into AI as it pertains to doing full-motion video. Ultimately I would like to create a few sequences with the storyline to put on the computers downstairs in the lunchroom. As a matter of fact, last night I spent two hours creating a witch character.

I believe the experience thus far has given me the tiniest insight into the detail that goes into a movie or even a commercial.This image was created using Google Flow.

 

 

The following video clip was created using "Ideogram AI" which I have used to create all of the artificially intelligent generated images on the blog up until this point. Unfortunately, I can only afford to subscribe to one AI service at a time. So we will be using Google Flow moving forward. This in no way is a reflection of the quality of either service, it is simply a financial decision. This image has been compressed and rendered down a fair bit in order to make it appropriate for the Internet. Please let me know if you want the full resolution version. This is the complete clip. Totally spooky in my opinion.

 

My paper shredder filled up, and I was inspired. I thought "what if we get the AI to create an image of a jack-o'-lantern stuffing candies into a paper shredder only do it in the style of Norman Rockwell?" This is the result and I think it's marvellous. I'm quite aware that I've gone AI crazy in the last two weeks, but not to fear I will return to sanity after the Halloween season.

 

 

November 3, 2026:

That's the end of the 2026 live Halloween post. There will of course be another one in 2027.

I shall do a Christmas version of course starting in early December and will be adding to it throughout the month. So stay tuned for that post I have no idea what graphics I will generate or create by hand. Feel free to send me suggestions!

Take care Patrick

Kindness

 

Whenever the topic of kindness comes up everyone assumes that we refer to being kind to others. "Being kind to oneself" is often pushed to the background if it is discussed at all. In this article I am suggesting not only is being kind to oneself underappreciated it is necessary to be kind to you first. This is because unless the individual has a chance to look at themselves and resolve their own issues around being appreciated and receiving kindness from themselves they often mildly corrupt the kindness they try to apply to others.

--- You can think of this as a mild form of sabotage.

On the other hand if you have honestly reviewed what you are feeling taken steps to improve your personal situation in a way that allows you to put down some emotional baggage, then you are in a much better position to truly show kindness to others. If on the other hand you find that whenever you are kind to people or even a certain person there is a negative effect for you. For example you feel tired after interacting with them or showing them generosity, that is a clear indication that you have some personal work to do regarding being kind to oneself.

It is my personal opinion that North America has placed a huge focus on the external world rather than paying equal attention to what's going on with the individual. This is equivalent in my book to running a car at full speed and being astonished when either the battery or the gas runs out. Perhaps because of my physical disability I am more aware of my internal world because for the most part mother nature gave me no choice. I had to learn to work with myself because the standard playbook of being completely unaware of the limits and indeed ultimately the insights my situation posed simply were not going to work if I did not pay attention to them. Actually I feel very lucky and am very appreciative that things have worked out the way they have.

Challenges can give a person the opportunity to look at a situation from many different viewpoints and from the inside as well with the external. I see this is a real gift. I can sympathize with the difficulty that many people experience in life because I could not ignore my own. The more you know about your self the better you will be to help others and adapt.

One of the things I see in my assisted-living facility is many people avoiding change. Trying to say the same or achieve again what they once had. "Why?…" I find myself asking. Things have changed and you must as well. If you don't all that happens is you set up a conflict. A never ending struggle that will draw your energies away. Approach the situation in an alternate way. If you have lost the ability to do something find other ways to achieve the same goal. If you can't tie your shoes for example with one hand anymore. Don't waste time and effort putting them on the old way. Perhaps think about a different design of shoes or one of the many devices available. This gives you insight to yourself and the ability to help others and as a side effect empathize and practice being kind to the world.

Look inside and be kind to yourself. That is the first step and it will make all others much more attainable and your appreciation of the greater world will indeed increase. A video on this very topic will appear on this website very soon. For now take care of yourself give yourself the permission to be kind. And then move on.

Patrick 

** NOTE: The picture displayed at the top of this article is from the service Ideogram AI.  As a layperson, I have read their relevant "terms of service" and determined, to the best of my ability, that the image may be viewed by the public.  However before any reuse, please review fully their terms and if necessary contact the company for more information.

The use of said image does not imply any affiliation or endorsement.    

 

What Is the Very Essence of Problem-Solving?

 We all have a friend or a family acquaintance who is the go to person when it comes to resolving device issues or even understanding the latest smart TV. What makes them so good at what they do? Is it a skill that can be learned? Or is it some "magical power" they received by virtue of watching 60 years of Star Trek? 😀

In this article and accompanying video I would like to break down what I personally think are some of the key attributes of such people. Let's start with a short list: This is from my own perspective. You may definitely feel differently about the following four points.

1. They come in every issue with a completely open mind. And have a tendency to look at the issue from multiple perspectives. If they could they would indeed try to walk a mile in someone shoes.
   
   One of the most important skills in problem solemnly is the ability to step out of your own mental framework of limitations. Most of us spend the day in this framework because it makes the mental load light on the brain. There is a structure to your reality and everything it's interpreted and filtered through this reality. Being able to put this framework aside makes it possible to be open to unconsidered possibilities. This is the biggest aspect of the essence of problem-solving. If you can do justice first step then you are 90% there to fixing what ever the issue is.
   
   You would be surprised how many people can't or are unwilling to go outside of their framework of reality. I have seen people stop dead in their tracks, hold up their hands and say "I don't know how to make this thing work." Even though the answer may be right in front of them, but not presented in a way they are used to.
   
   A real-life example: Someone bought an Amazon TV and couldn't get the built invoice assistant to work. Here's what they were doing, momentarily pushing the correct button on the remote control and speaking in to the built in microphone. They try this over and over… To no avail. If they had bothered to glance up at the TV while momentarily pressing the button they would've seen a larger message on the screen which read "Press and hold the button down well speaking." Instead they were just pressing the button momentarily and completely ignoring the message on the TV set. The answer was there all the time but they were locked in to their framework which said "You only press a button on a remote control briefly."
   
   
2. They aren't afraid of saying "I don't know.". Then there mind starts to search for possible ways to break the problem down.
   
   Sometimes you are confronted with an issue which is completely baffling or you don't know how to break the various aspects down in order to search for the appropriate answers. Good problem solvers will always ask for alternate input and ideas. This includes using AI to gain further insight or fellow colleagues. Sometimes you just have to sleep on the issue as well, until you get one of those "Eureka" moments. (I find this happens quite a lot with me.) A key point here is, if something isn't working using one approach, don't just repeat the same approach over and over. The open to asking others or stepped back from the problem for a while. Very often an answer will come to you later in the day.
   
   
3. They cultivate emotional awareness in themselves. This aids in the ability to look at a situation in different ways and identify biases they may have which could block the solution.
   
   Additionally, cultivating your own emotional awareness allows you to adapt to other people's way of explaining an issue. In its most basic form this could be just recognizing and adapting to the fact that the person who you are trying to help solve a problem has a completely different way of describing the issue than you're used to. To use a computer as an analogy, you may be completely clear on exactly what a "Drag bar" is on a typical computer screen. The person with the problem on the other hand may have no clue as to what you're referring to. They may see the exact same object and call it a "small rectangle". Emotional intelligence allows you to adapt to another way of communicating with the world under the circumstances. The first step in adapting is to understand how you communicate and how you interpret things. Then using this awareness to translate appropriately in order to make the communication between all parties clear.
   
   
4. Not only do they love to solve problems, they love the entire process. They may experience a little let down if the solution is to easy. 
   
   Oh, this one is so applicable to me! 😊I do love the thrill of solving a problem. I really do love the difficulty. There is one little downside you have to be careful though, and that is knowing when to move on in order to keep a project or other activity on schedule. Left to my own devices I would focus on one aspect for an entire day. Getting everything perfect! Well this can also be a way to shoot the project down completely. The good news is I am slowly learning not to get stuck. But I admit I still love perfection. And I am finding a happy ground between "Too Easy" and achievable.  

Edited photo of a Stella d'Oro Daylily. 
Just thought it looked nice with this post.
Download full size by clicking on image (3285 x 2266) 11 MB

You may have a different order or additional items than the ones I have indicated above, but I think the essence of problem-solving is in these four steps.

Problem-solving is a critical skill, and it is something I do every single day. Indeed I welcome the various challenges and I am the first to say that I actually enjoy difficulty in a variety of aspects. To clarify that previous statement, "difficulty" in this context refers to having to do additional work to find an answer and making progress during the process. Just making something difficult without any reason or expected outcome is a waste of time and can only lead to polite frustration.

There will of course be and accompanying video once I have fleshed out the points mentioned in the above list. For now however, take care and have a great night or morning where ever you are.
 

Patrick

** NOTE: The picture displayed at the top of this article is from the service Ideogram AI.  As a layperson, I have read their relevant "terms of service" and determined, to the best of my ability, that the image may be viewed by the public.  However before any reuse, please review fully their terms and if necessary contact the company for more information.

The use of said image does not imply any affiliation or endorsement.    

You Must Have Aspirations (at least one)

 

To my way of thinking "aspirations" are something one assumes everyone has… I have met a few people now however who don't appear to have any desires or goals to reach for. They take each day as it comes without any thought of tomorrow. I find this incredibly perplexing. Not only that a few of them literally don't want an aspiration. They appear to be quite content almost blindly going from one day to the next. This short-circuits my brain.

These people are quite young in their early 20s to the oldest being early 30s. You would think by that stage of life a person would have a few goals at the very least. Maybe it's because they are all in stable situations where most of their needs are met. (I'm talking here about the assisted living building I live in. So maybe this is particular to these kinds of environments.) I cannot recall a time when I didn't have a goal. Even as a very young child I remember thinking clearly "If I could figure out how a light switch worked I could take over the world." I kid you not that is verbatim what I used to think as a child, of about four or five years old. You can find it either amusing or perhaps a little disturbing :-). In either case however I had a goal, an aspiration. I think this attitude of mind frustrated both of my parents because I would come up with spectacular ideas and my parents would have to explain to me why you can't make a steam engine out of just a coffee can and perhaps some tubing.

I think a critical component of my early years was seeing my father build some small item on the floor with my sister and I watching. One time this was a simple electromagnet which she made by simply wrapping some wire around a nail and connecting it to a battery. My sister and myself may not quite understood what he was doing at the moment but we both perceived the sheer joy. And that I believe is key, aspirations involve great emotions and great emotions push personal evolution. That's overstating it a bit but you get the idea.

Now, society seems to be heading in the other direction, not finding the solution and thereby gaining insight to a question, we are now strictly focusing on getting just the answer. Maybe this is why I am beginning to see and meet so many people without ambition. On the surface one may think that "ambition" itself is unnecessary when you can go straight to the answer. To that I counter that a great deal is gained from the process of heading toward a goal. Very often the insights are yet very subtle and at the same moment profound for the individual. That is something you can just not get by going straight to the answer. Think back less than 100 years ago and people would routinely do high mathematics in their head. Or work it out by hand on paper. What a remarkable set of skills they gained and undoubtedly those skills would be applied to various situations throughout their lives. I can't help thinking that as we modernize we are losing the real depth and benefits of hard work and the rewards of aiming toward an achievement.

I will be doing a video for this post in the next few days so please return to the blog and let me know what you think. In the meantime however I hope this short bit of text has given you something to think about. 

Till then, Patrick 

** NOTE: The picture displayed at the top of this article is from the service Ideogram AI.  As a layperson, I have read their relevant "terms of service" and determined, to the best of my ability, that the image may be viewed by the public.  However before any reuse, please review fully their terms and if necessary contact the company for more information.

The use of said image does not imply any affiliation or endorsement.    

 

Reframe, and you will see opportunity everywhere

 

I talk a lot about opportunities. But I've begun to realize that there are even more opportunities available then I had first thought because initially I had imposed a set of restrictions which I wasn't aware of on what exactly an opportunity should look like.

This is something we all naturally do, however if one removes the subtle preconditioned we place on any given opportunity which might arise than a whole range of possibilities opens up. For example, let's say we are looking for an opportunity in a certain field, let's say the nonprofit sector. Further presume that we already have an idea in our heads which we believe would be of great benefit to a particular community. We've done the research, added up the various costs and the pros and cons of slightly different approaches. Then we approach a few organizations and are very surprised as well as disheartened to find that we are turned down after a series of very polite meetings.

What just went wrong? In this case the reason was because we didn't demonstrate any previous experience in the nonprofit realm. Of course the agencies would be nervous about funding an idea and a person who had no previous experience and was a complete unknown.

Now let's approach this same opportunity in a different way. Rather than beating the door down and visiting the agencies as a complete unknown, we instead volunteer with a nonprofit group. Getting to know how things work, and a much better overview of issues. Not to mention networking with various people. Then once we have a bit of a track record we pitch the very same idea and this time we get support and some small funding for our idea.

Green Timbers Park Surrey BC July 24, 2026

The difference between these two approaches is obvious, the first one we attempted to bulldoze what we perceived as a marvellous concept. In the second situation we work with the group gaining a track record and understanding along the way. We approach the same opportunity in different ways and one way led to success. Maybe not the full idea which is often what happens when you are asking for funding but we made a step in the right direction.

Opportunities really begin to appear when you think incrementally. The steps involved toward an ultimate goal, rather than trying to achieve everything all at once. When one approaches a situation in this slower more methodical way there are many benefits. A deeper understanding is acquired which can only be gained by going through the more detailed process. Additionally your network of acquaintances grows tremendously. And let me tell you that network may be important throughout your entire life not just the project at hand.

So when you are looking for new opportunities, make sure to consider the situations which might help get you part of the way there rather than attempting to reach the full goal all at once. I can guarantee that when you adopt this approach you will see many more "opportunities" available to you.

Have a great day!
Patrick

 

** NOTE: The picture displayed at the top of this article is from the service Ideogram AI.  As a layperson, I have read their relevant "terms of service" and determined, to the best of my ability, that the image may be viewed by the public.  However before any reuse, please review fully their terms and if necessary contact the company for more information.

The use of said image does not imply any affiliation or endorsement.    

The "Gift" of difficulty.

 Much can be learned from the difficult things in your life. Don't shy away from them.

This is a topic that is worth revisiting, simply because it is so important in a person's development and perspective of the world. Every time you are faced with a difficult situation whether it be a decision, or something in which the correct answer cannot easily be found online (or by asking your favourite AI.)

The most amazing thing is, if a person faces their difficulty head on goes through whatever process entails, when they come out the other end there not only is a "solved problem" but they have demonstrated to themselves that they can handle the situation they just went through. This builds character and a deeper understanding of the individual. Challenge has a habit of doing that. You will always learn something.

The next time they face any type of difficulty they will benefit from a deeper reservoir of coping skills. You can't get this kind of knowledge by simply reading about it or watching a video. The person must go through the event themselves. Learning ahead of time can always help in coping with the difficulty, but nothing replaces dealing with the specific situation.

If you don't have challenge in your life then you will have less coping skills. As someone who's been on the earth for 67 years, I can tell you personally that facing difficulties always yields many more positive results in the long run.

A 1963 student in grade 7 making their  presentation about 
the discovery of electricity. (AI generated)

 Depicted in the picture above is a grade 7 student in the year 1963, presenting their a science experiment to the class. This was quite the common event and the details in the picture are not overblown. The student would've had to do all lot of manual research, and this is before, way before, the Internet. It would have been difficult for him. But the student would've gained so much insight and experience, not of the topic per se but of the process of doing the assignment. Gathering the materials, doing the research, and then putting it all together in the above panorama.I wonder how this compares with the current grade 7 curriculum? Take a look at the image again and imagine some of the insights the student would have gained throughout his project.

Learning to enjoy the difficulty itself

Image Credit: NASA. April 7, 2026. The Artemis II crew
Clicking on the image will take you to the NASA 
photo information page.

The most amazing thing about taking on a project of any kind where you are forced to stretch your self is that the difficulty can actually become joy. As one overcomes each problem, there is a sense of satisfaction and growth. Do this enough and you begin to look forward to the problems about to be faced. It can actually become quite intoxicating. This is why when you see photographs of researchers celebrating over an achievement they appear so ecstatic. Not only have they reached their goal, in the process they may have discovered something unknown. Months or years of work can have such marvellous paybacks.

 

The world is in constant change.

 Another important point is that you must be willing to change. Often times, what is perceived as a difficult issue isn't. The difficulty is that you are unwilling to change and sometimes that's all the difficulty truly is. People often get locked into routines and they become very comfortable in those specific environments. The world however is in constant change, and challenging you to adapt with it. In order to truly see difficulty as a gift, the first step is often identifying whether you are subconsciously insisting that the situation adapt to you rather than you adapting to the situation. Trust me, the correct answer in this situation is for you to adapt to the situation.

 

Personally, I have found writing this short post very inspiring and although it always takes much longer than I first envisioned it was indeed worth it. One cannot help but think back to all the accomplishments achieved in just a short time. The amount of effort which must've gone into each one is just dumbfounding… And yet someone began the undertaking, the initial first steps. You can't be afraid of difficulty, you must embrace the challenge!

There will be a follow-up video shortly to this article, so stay tuned.
Patrick 

I heard someone say "You should have three goals a day."

I heard someone say "You should have three goals a day." What a great way to look at one's life, I thought.

There are some many benefits to that single attitude:

1. It grounds you because you have to consider what you would like to do in a single day.
2.  It keeps goals attainable, and in doing so provides a sense of completion when the task is done.
3.  It forces you to think about what you're doing with your life in general.

 At first glance, it appears that everyone has an overwhelming list of things they need to accomplish every day. In truth there are the items which do indeed need to be addressed and then there are many things which can be de-prioritized. Many people don't like prioritizing because it takes consideration and effort. It is a first and essential step. You can't do everything and this critical understanding ensures that you focus on the attainable.

 If you find after consideration that a particular goal is not attainable in one day then you have the opportunity to reevaluate. This insight might not have occurred to you, if you had not taken the opportunity to consider what you wanted to accomplish in a single day. So it is very much a "win-win" situation. The three steps help you to consider the things you might've overlooked otherwise. The old saying "The devil is in the details." is very true in this case.

Keeping the number of goals to just three also helps to keep focus. You can comprehend, the beginning, the middle, and the end. In my volunteer work there is a very strong tendency to take on much more than just three goals in a single day. These three steps have helped me immensely. 99% of the time I find that the additional tasks can be planned for another day. That is to say to make them part of tomorrow's list of three goals.

Do you have an alternate way of approaching goals in your life? If so, please comment below.

This short post has been one of my three goals for today.

All the best for a great day everyone.
Patrick

May 27, 2026 - Grabbag of photos.

 

It is Wednesday and I have the day off. I promised myself that after lunch I am heading out, just to see what I can see and find what I can find. So the following is going to be the result of that :-) . Sometimes you just have to go with the flow.

This post will literally lengthen over the course of this week. For now however at 8:09 AM this Wednsday morning I think I will start off with a few older photographs that for no particular reason I like and I hope you will enjoy as well.

Clicking on any photo will download a full high resolution version. 

Spring purple crocuses and yellow daffodils. (2002)

This photo was taken on March 23, 2002 as I was passing by someone's yard and the way the light struck the flowers just caught my eye. 

 

Japanese Pieris (Pieris japonica) (2002)
Download version enlarged to 6480 x 4320 pixels. PNG file

I remember, it was it down for in Vancouver and I still had to take the time to catch this photo. My Home St., West seventh in Vancouver. I don't remember much else but I remember this photo clearly.☔

Japanese Horse Chestnut tree (2026)
Download version enlarged to 5472 x 3648 pixels. PNG file 

Somehow, with the lamppost at the side of the image this chestnut tree looked even taller. I'm always amazed by how the ordinary things you see every day and look extraordinary if you just look at them the correct way. One of my goals this year is to take a lot more photographs of the things around us. People are always looking for the extraordinary things in life, the dramatic, the outrageous, but what I find interesting are those things that their only here for a short time. Then mother nature changes things up.

Elegant Roses (2026)
Download full size version 5472 x 3648 pixels. PNG file

 As usual, I caught sight of these roses completely by accident while wandering by a neighbourhood garden. Not only are the flowers spectacular, the juxtaposition of the powerline towers in the background really caught my eye. Just goes to show that in the middle of our technological world you can still find mother nature showing off her best.

A field full of buttercups! (2026)
Download full size version 5472 x 3648 pixels. PNG file

This picture was taken today out in Surrey. Something about it just screams a joyful summer. What more could you want a field full of buttercup flowers and beautiful trees in the background?😎

 

Vibrant mixture of wildflowers. (2026)
Download full size version 5472 x 3648 pixels. PNG file

 This is just the tiniest patch of wildflowers. I couldn't think of a way to describe it, so I ran it through AI and the AI thought it was an entire field complete with butterflies. That gave me an idea, this would be perfect if one could make all wall sized mural or even wallpaper, if the colours could be preserved. How a picture is framed really does affect one's perception. If I had moved half a meter in either direction the scene would've been broken. More pictures will be added to this post over the coming weekend, "so stay tuned" as people used to say.

Rhododendrons on the patio. (2026)
Download full size version 5472 x 3648 pixels. PNG file

One of the first rhododendrons to bloom on the patio. What a marvellous way to start the spring and summer seasons. The colours are so vivid, and yet so subtle. This is one of those photos where the standard JPG or 8 bit-colour PNG file format really can't do the image justice. You need a 16-bit format and a good monitor. However I have done my contest to bring out the colours for you.

Hydrangeas (2023)
Download full size version 5472 x 3648 pixels. PNG file

 Can't tell you where I was when I took this photo. Nevertheless it is one of my favourites. Something about the shadows and the vivid colours with the deep green leaves really resonates with me.

Tulips (2022)
Download full size version 5472 x 3648 pixels. PNG file

 

Okay, this picture drives me crazy, the shades of colour in the original photograph simply cannot be rendered accurately by the.jpg file format, and since my supper only outputs the PNG image using the same colour limitation I'm going to try something. Click this link to download the image in a TIFF file which does retain all the original colours. Be aware however that this file is much larger about 125 MB. If enough people request it I will start providing full download images in this file format.

NB:If you do try to download the large Tiff image of the tulips you may receive an error that the Google viewer cannot properly display the image and another error when you try to download it. Both of these errors are due to the size of the file but will not stop you from downloading the photo.
 

 

 A little bit of background on most of the new photos (2026) on this post. These images were created from what is called a "raw file format" which means that the camera does not do any post processing what you see is what you get. But this also means that the colour range is much higher than can be displayed on a normal monitor or standard PNG file. However even with this limitation, I find the images to look richer. One other side effect of this format is that sometimes visual distortion may appear because the camera does not correct for the limitations of the built in the lens and I have done my best to correct for this see the picture below for an uncorrected example. I think I have it very close but not perfect.

.Example of an uncorrected raw photo.

 The above the image is not the same photo. It does however illustrate the extreme distortion that modern cameras correct for automatically. However, it contains over 17 million colours. Compared to the normal 1.6 million colours found in a JPG phot or some PNG files. Doing the correction by hand rather than letting the camera do all the work frequently results in a much better photo when converting to PNG. Now you know how the small lens in that compact camera can get the photos it does… It's not the lens it's the camera performing some magic for you behind the scenes.