Dear readers:
This post is a comment on the break that I have taken from posting, over the last two-and-a-half months.
I have been holding off posting new articles to my blog, for the most part, due to the large number of articles that need to be edited, before I can move forward with new articles.
I would apologize to my readers for the lack of updates, but right now, it is essential - for the sake of perfecting my quality of work, refining my points and improving my credibility, and making the fruits of my work manifest physically - to spend as long as it takes to refine and finish the political articles which I posted to my blog incomplete (and to fix-up my art, and some other things around my house), before I can commit to new projects.
A partial list of these unfinished articles can be found at the following link:
http://aquarianagrarian.blogspot.com/2019/10/links-to-all-of-my-published-articles.html
When these articles will have finally been completed, some of the articles towards the top of the list (in the link above) might appear in a book, bearing a title something like Lost Essays.
That book will eventually be available on the Books page of www.joekopsick.com (which is still under construction) and on the Books page of this blog.
You can buy my collections of best essays (prior to 2019) at the following address:
http://www.aquarianagrarian.blogspot.com/2017/05/two-collections-of-essays-now-available.html
A partial list of these unfinished articles can be found at the following link:
http://aquarianagrarian.blogspot.com/2019/10/links-to-all-of-my-published-articles.html
When these articles will have finally been completed, some of the articles towards the top of the list (in the link above) might appear in a book, bearing a title something like Lost Essays.
That book will eventually be available on the Books page of www.joekopsick.com (which is still under construction) and on the Books page of this blog.
You can buy my collections of best essays (prior to 2019) at the following address:
http://www.aquarianagrarian.blogspot.com/2017/05/two-collections-of-essays-now-available.html
About a month ago, I finally got a new phone, after going several months without one. Getting a new phone allowed me to
set up a new Facebook account. I'm not giving that number out freely yet, though, because I’m trying to avoid getting too many phone calls (which was a huge
problem for me in 2021 and 2022, because it began to interfere with my ability to get work done).
You can follow me on Facebook at the following address:http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090385913768
Part of the reason why I have been away, includes the fact that I was kicked off YouTube in early 2021. After that, I uploaded about half of my videos to a new YouTube channel (username @joekopsick1540), and posted the more controversial of my videos to Rumble, where it is unlikely to be removed or censored.
Please visit the following link to see my new YouTube channel:
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_sq2Ku0ZpWiGeQetFGa_wg
Please visit the following link to see my Rumble channel:
http://rumble.com/c/c-1519125
Please visit the following link to see my Rumble channel:
http://rumble.com/c/c-1519125
I am currently working on ceasing to print the documents that I use in order to keep my life organized, so
that I can edit them digitally whenever I want, without slowing myself down by
printing them. These include my to-do list; my list of things to buy; my list of binders full of documents and how to organize them; and my lists of contacts, and whom I need to call.
I would like to take this opportunity to suggest, to my readers, that if their finances need organization, they make a list of all the websites they use (or at least all the websites associated with their utilities and bills), and make a list of the usernames, passwords, and e-mail addresses which they will need in order to access their favorite websites and pay their monthly bills.
Doing this has helped me save time, and has helped me to plan my finances better, so that I can focus on other, more important tasks (the most important of which - when this list of people to call is complete - will be to resume levels of socializing which were normal before the Covid pandemic and its related restrictions.
I would like to take this opportunity to suggest, to my readers, that if their finances need organization, they make a list of all the websites they use (or at least all the websites associated with their utilities and bills), and make a list of the usernames, passwords, and e-mail addresses which they will need in order to access their favorite websites and pay their monthly bills.
Doing this has helped me save time, and has helped me to plan my finances better, so that I can focus on other, more important tasks (the most important of which - when this list of people to call is complete - will be to resume levels of socializing which were normal before the Covid pandemic and its related restrictions.
This will allow me to move onto the next step; of organizing my digital
archives (including plans to edit and finish articles, and turn them into
books, making them available for purchase; as well as archiving for my website, www.joekopsick.com, in order to finish construction on it).
Then, I need get my work-related documents together, for the purpose of unionizing my workplace; and get my health-related documents together in order to make a more complete medical history of myself than the hospitals which have treated me.
This phase part of a more long-term plan, which includes goals such as making better health decisions, researching Covid and other topics related to public health (for the purposes of writing political articles about those subjects), obtaining a raise, getting a better health insurance policy for the company, and beginning the task of reforming the private security industry (or at least outlining a plan regarding how it should be done).
This phase part of a more long-term plan, which includes goals such as making better health decisions, researching Covid and other topics related to public health (for the purposes of writing political articles about those subjects), obtaining a raise, getting a better health insurance policy for the company, and beginning the task of reforming the private security industry (or at least outlining a plan regarding how it should be done).
Another project will be to neatly frame those paintings and mosaic art pieces which I have already created, and making them available
for sale on Etsy (and through my website). I plan to spend the proceeds, from selling that art, on more art supplies, because I want to make more Lego mosaics, more drawings, and also learn how to make stained glass pieces. I also hope to take up wood crafting some time soon, so that I can make musical instruments and shelves.
I plan to sell books as part of my next campaign (not sure when that will be,
or what position). Once the next round of political writing (during that
campaign) is done, I can work on hobbies (music, screenwriting, visual art,
etc)..
I'm also currently putting together two demo albums of parody songs, for my
band Nippleback. This will hopefully lead to studio sessions and a
professionally produced CD (or at least recorded with good quality and
physically created by myself).
I will probably write an article on conversational etiquette at some point too
(reflecting upon my experiences being talked to, on the phone, too much, during the
COVID shutdown).
I am also slowly putting together PowerPoint presentations, for Chicago College
of Complexes, about government surveillance software, and the roots of C.o.C.
in the I.B.W.A. mutual aid society and its "hobo colleges".
I'm also working on putting together digital and physical libraries of
anarchist and libertarian literature, for the Lake County Libertarian Party and
its website.
Additionally, I am helping a friend set up a political discussion salon in her
home (which includes a library); and developing a poll about amending the
Constitution, which she will hopefully help me market to a large audience.
More long-term goals that I have, include creating my own version of a three-dimensional color-coded political spectrum (which I have written about before, and plan to call "the politosphere").
I hope that, when it is finished, the politosphere will eventually be available made-to-order, as an educational tool, and that it will come with a guide to help the student understand its dimensions.
I plan to use that politosphere as a basis from which to write a textbook about anarchism. I plan to develop that textbook into a syllabus for a university-level course.
I was also thinking about not telling people too much about what I plan to do in the future, because it spoils the surprise. But now that this article has been written and published, that will be difficult, so I will just have to learn how to do that selectively.
More long-term goals that I have, include creating my own version of a three-dimensional color-coded political spectrum (which I have written about before, and plan to call "the politosphere").
I hope that, when it is finished, the politosphere will eventually be available made-to-order, as an educational tool, and that it will come with a guide to help the student understand its dimensions.
I plan to use that politosphere as a basis from which to write a textbook about anarchism. I plan to develop that textbook into a syllabus for a university-level course.
I was also thinking about not telling people too much about what I plan to do in the future, because it spoils the surprise. But now that this article has been written and published, that will be difficult, so I will just have to learn how to do that selectively.
What I am trying to do here, in this article, is to demonstrate how to practice mindfulness.
I learned about mindfulness from spiritualist Alan Watts. Watts has said that meditation does not require one to empty one's mind.
Ancient Chinese philosopher Wu Hsin made a similar statement, which possibly influenced Watts's comments. Wu Hsin said, “The inherent nature of mind is to process thought. To attempt the cessation of thought goes against what is natural. The goal, therefore, is not the cessation of thought. The goal is cessation of identification with thought.”
I learned about mindfulness from spiritualist Alan Watts. Watts has said that meditation does not require one to empty one's mind.
Ancient Chinese philosopher Wu Hsin made a similar statement, which possibly influenced Watts's comments. Wu Hsin said, “The inherent nature of mind is to process thought. To attempt the cessation of thought goes against what is natural. The goal, therefore, is not the cessation of thought. The goal is cessation of identification with thought.”
I have found, lately, that if I talk about what I am doing
while I am doing it, it improves the quality of what I am doing.
Talking about what you are doing while you are doing it (or, at least, putting what you are doing at the forefront of your mind), in order to avoid getting distracted by irrelevant conversation or stray thoughts, in order to avoid making mistakes and do things correctly. Exercising mindfulness has been helping me solve my problems with task initiation and executive
functioning.
My hope is that practicing mindfulness will be instrumental in allowing me to accomplish the mountain of tasks I have to achieve (listed above), and in helping me be more thorough in refining and completing the task at hand, so that I can either finish it once and for all, or "finish it enough" for now and set it to the side until a later designated date.
My hope is that practicing mindfulness will be instrumental in allowing me to accomplish the mountain of tasks I have to achieve (listed above), and in helping me be more thorough in refining and completing the task at hand, so that I can either finish it once and for all, or "finish it enough" for now and set it to the side until a later designated date.
I suggest that everyone who follows me - whether on my blog, on Facebook or Twitter, or on YouTube or Rumble - check out Alan Watts and learn
about mindfulness.
Thinking about how to be more mindful about what I am doing, has been very helpful to me lately, when it comes to deciding which task is most important to begin next, how to "think outside the box" by standing above what I'm doing and seeing it all at once, and avoiding taking things too seriously.
Thinking about how to be more mindful about what I am doing, has been very helpful to me lately, when it comes to deciding which task is most important to begin next, how to "think outside the box" by standing above what I'm doing and seeing it all at once, and avoiding taking things too seriously.
Visit the following link to listen to Alan Watts talk about mindfulness:
http//www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CUMqKdSoXc
You can follow me on Twitter by visiting this address:
http://twitter.com/joe_kopsick?t=3dAPuU_Pf6o6ClscKwbDA&s=09
http//www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CUMqKdSoXc
You can follow me on Twitter by visiting this address:
http://twitter.com/joe_kopsick?t=3dAPuU_Pf6o6ClscKwbDA&s=09
Please let me know if you are interested with assisting in any of these
tasks, by e-mailing me at jwkopsick@gmail.com. And feel free to e-mail me with questions and comments about any topic.
Written on April 13th, 2023
Published on April 13th, 2023
Edited and expanded on July 25th, 2023
Published on April 13th, 2023
Edited and expanded on July 25th, 2023
