Motivation

There are lots things to help procrastinate, computer gaming, Internet, welfare, wealthy parents, low standards, solitude. It's often difficult to find motivation to get better, to budget your time and take everything in moderation.  Solid parenting & family, strong culture and a strong dream can help give you a handle on how to work for greater longterm gain instead of a smaller immediate gratification payoff but there are lots of things fighting against that.

School is becoming more and more a daycare holding pattern than a place for learning. College is works sheets, not fostering innovation.

For many Fight Club was a big inspiration. If it takes a meme to motivate you, that's fine too. Sometimes having a clear picture of what you want for your future. Maybe a partner can be your muse.

We must all suffer from one of two pains: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret

I think what really matters is that you find something that motivates you. I don't really care if it's a book, movie, money, boys & girls or meme.  As long as it gets you to do something it's worthwhile.

One person's trash is another person's garbage

The last few months have seen us pretty poor money wise while I look for work.  However we live adjacent to an apartment building which is the last in a line of four apartment buildings. So many people live in such a small parcel of land, it's awesome. People here like to throw away things that are perfectly good. They don't have a use for them so they place it neatly in the dumpster, problem solved! Right?

This much population density and this attitude toward stuff means free stuff for me:

• 1 x coffee table holding my server, printer and misc
• 2 x trash cans, one in use, one in basement
• 1 x deck chair on the... porch
• 1 x silverware organizer
• 2 x small stands / foot stool. used to elevate our LCDs
• 5 x milk crates doing everything a milk crate does best
• 1 x foot locker with children's toys. Locker is in excellent condition too. Most of the toys were passed to my aunt who works with kids with disabilities. 
• 1 x metal bowl, probably a base for a Xmas tree, now holding a plant

It's pretty awesome. Some stuff I put on Freecycle but because we can't afford stuff for ourselves right now I end up using most of what I find. Either way, it stays out of the dump and sometimes it finds an awesome home.

Today I found a hibachi grill, a tiny little guy sitting on the top in th dumpster.  It was a little dirty but that's it.  I spent the afternoon cleaning it and am now looking forward to grilling food this summer.