Comments on: 32 Ways to Refocus on the Important http://www.farbeyondthestars.com/32-ways-to-refocus-on-your-priorities/ Augmented Humanity, Second Selves, and Cybernetic Yoga Fri, 11 Feb 2011 18:03:11 -0500 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: the minimalists http://www.farbeyondthestars.com/32-ways-to-refocus-on-your-priorities/comment-page-1/#comment-4576 the minimalists Fri, 07 Jan 2011 20:05:36 +0000 http://www.farbeyondthestars.com/?p=1368#comment-4576 [...] We wanted more time to focus on what’s important. [...] [...] We wanted more time to focus on what’s important. [...]

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By: The Landlocked Sailor » Minimalist Business: How to Make it Work For You http://www.farbeyondthestars.com/32-ways-to-refocus-on-your-priorities/comment-page-1/#comment-3614 The Landlocked Sailor » Minimalist Business: How to Make it Work For You Thu, 17 Jun 2010 20:31:54 +0000 http://www.farbeyondthestars.com/?p=1368#comment-3614 [...] 32 Ways to Refocus on the Important ” Far Beyond The Stars | The Art of Being Minimalist (farbeyondthestars.com) [...] [...] 32 Ways to Refocus on the Important ” Far Beyond The Stars | The Art of Being Minimalist (farbeyondthestars.com) [...]

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By: Richard Shelmerdine http://www.farbeyondthestars.com/32-ways-to-refocus-on-your-priorities/comment-page-1/#comment-3019 Richard Shelmerdine Fri, 16 Apr 2010 06:43:27 +0000 http://www.farbeyondthestars.com/?p=1368#comment-3019 I think that sometimes with personal development you can do so much that you start to forget the original purpose that you did it for. I developed a lot externally recently and now feel that I need to bring back the internal balance again. I think that sometimes with personal development you can do so much that you start to forget the original purpose that you did it for. I developed a lot externally recently and now feel that I need to bring back the internal balance again.

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By: John McLachlan http://www.farbeyondthestars.com/32-ways-to-refocus-on-your-priorities/comment-page-1/#comment-2878 John McLachlan Sat, 10 Apr 2010 16:06:20 +0000 http://www.farbeyondthestars.com/?p=1368#comment-2878 I know the "grey hair" thing is just another way of saying "I'm getting too stressed about stuff" but I happily have grey hair (as did my dad from the time he was 19). Anyway, there's nothing wrong with grey hair. :-) I know the “grey hair” thing is just another way of saying “I'm getting too stressed about stuff” but I happily have grey hair (as did my dad from the time he was 19). Anyway, there's nothing wrong with grey hair. :-)

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By: SimplyJo http://www.farbeyondthestars.com/32-ways-to-refocus-on-your-priorities/comment-page-1/#comment-2857 SimplyJo Wed, 07 Apr 2010 21:39:42 +0000 http://www.farbeyondthestars.com/?p=1368#comment-2857 Do you know what Everett I quit my day job almost 4 years ago now - before I discovered simpler living...because of that I never really embraced what being unleashed entailed. I kind of slipped into self-employment with an employed mindset... I never ever realised that until just reading your post - how strange? Over the last twelve months I have started adopting some of what you suggest but not all and not fully... here's to another moment of enlightenment! Thank you Do you know what Everett I quit my day job almost 4 years ago now – before I discovered simpler living…because of that I never really embraced what being unleashed entailed. I kind of slipped into self-employment with an employed mindset… I never ever realised that until just reading your post – how strange? Over the last twelve months I have started adopting some of what you suggest but not all and not fully… here's to another moment of enlightenment! Thank you

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By: Simple Living News Update http://www.farbeyondthestars.com/32-ways-to-refocus-on-your-priorities/comment-page-1/#comment-2803 Simple Living News Update Mon, 05 Apr 2010 14:01:56 +0000 http://www.farbeyondthestars.com/?p=1368#comment-2803 [...] 32 Ways to ReFocus on the Important [...] [...] 32 Ways to ReFocus on the Important [...]

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By: Everett Bogue http://www.farbeyondthestars.com/32-ways-to-refocus-on-your-priorities/comment-page-1/#comment-2782 Everett Bogue Sun, 04 Apr 2010 00:57:19 +0000 http://www.farbeyondthestars.com/?p=1368#comment-2782 I disagree.<br><br>1. Most of the costs in the newspaper industry come from distribution. This kills reporters salaries. I agree with you that newspapers are adapting and applaud the ones that are.<br>2. News is moving online and replacing newspapers in an incredibly efficient manner. Still most of the stories are repetitive, negative, and not useful information for most people.<br>3. You can save hours a day to work on the important by not focusing on news. <br>4. This is not a head-in-the-sands approach. You still hear about most important stories because you live in this world and people will tell you when something important happens.<br><br>You don't have to agree with me. Everything on this blog is a choice. This is my view though. If you have your own views you should start your own blog and use your own name to represent yourself instead of just being a passive anonymous instigator.<br><br>Thank you for your time. I disagree.

1. Most of the costs in the newspaper industry come from distribution. This kills reporters salaries. I agree with you that newspapers are adapting and applaud the ones that are.
2. News is moving online and replacing newspapers in an incredibly efficient manner. Still most of the stories are repetitive, negative, and not useful information for most people.
3. You can save hours a day to work on the important by not focusing on news.
4. This is not a head-in-the-sands approach. You still hear about most important stories because you live in this world and people will tell you when something important happens.

You don't have to agree with me. Everything on this blog is a choice. This is my view though. If you have your own views you should start your own blog and use your own name to represent yourself instead of just being a passive anonymous instigator.

Thank you for your time.

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By: A reader http://www.farbeyondthestars.com/32-ways-to-refocus-on-your-priorities/comment-page-1/#comment-2774 A reader Fri, 02 Apr 2010 17:35:35 +0000 http://www.farbeyondthestars.com/?p=1368#comment-2774 Thanks, Everett, for your well-reasoned reply. I disagree.<br><br>I think, contrary to your assertion, newspapers are doing a lot to try to save themselves. (Well, some are and some aren't.) And the distribution method (paper) is far from the only challenge. Those publications that are online-only (Huffington Post) rely heavily on "legacy" newspapers for their news content. "Rely" is a kind way to put it; others call it stealing. <br><br>When a publisher moves a newspaper online (only), they deprive potential readers who do not have access to computers or smart phones or other EXPENSIVE devices of the news--the information they need to make decisions about their cities, neighborhoods, homes, schools, groceries. Paper newspapers are widely available; computers/smart devices are not. Ever try to get online at a public library computer? Demand is high; supply, low.<br><br>And newspapers come from a renewable, recyclable resource. What about the toxic elements in computers and iPhones, or the huge amounts of fossil fuel energy required to cool and power the server farms that make the Web possible? What about the planned obsolescence of computers--the fact that your computer or iPhone is obsolete within a couple of years (at best)? And the fact that you then have to find a responsible way of disposing of it?<br><br>I think the ethics of minimalism might be more complicated than I've seen you depict them on your blog. (Maybe I've missed an entry where you addressed this.) Your minimalist lifestyle is highly dependent on some costly (in a personal and a planetary sense), complicated technology. You should be as aware of that as ethical omnivores (especially) should be conscious of where the meat they eat comes from and how it was raised and slaughtered.<br><br>And I'd humbly suggest that giving up your newspaper subscription--especially if it's your sole, local, community newspaper--is something many people might regret down the road. Maybe when they find that their newspaper has run out of money, there's no profitable replacement on the horizon, and there's no reporter writing about the local school board's spending sprees for travel.<br><br>I, too, could go on and on about this. But I'd suggest that you might more responsibly recommend to your readers that, to focus on what's important, they use some discernment about the type of news they consume and make a reasoned choice about which source or sources are delivering journalism that informs, inspires or entertains them. <br><br>And then CHOOSE the one or two news outlets that serve them best. Don't recommend that they just don't follow the news at all. That's just a head-in-the-sand approach that benefits no one--including would-be minimalists. Thanks, Everett, for your well-reasoned reply. I disagree.

I think, contrary to your assertion, newspapers are doing a lot to try to save themselves. (Well, some are and some aren't.) And the distribution method (paper) is far from the only challenge. Those publications that are online-only (Huffington Post) rely heavily on “legacy” newspapers for their news content. “Rely” is a kind way to put it; others call it stealing.

When a publisher moves a newspaper online (only), they deprive potential readers who do not have access to computers or smart phones or other EXPENSIVE devices of the news–the information they need to make decisions about their cities, neighborhoods, homes, schools, groceries. Paper newspapers are widely available; computers/smart devices are not. Ever try to get online at a public library computer? Demand is high; supply, low.

And newspapers come from a renewable, recyclable resource. What about the toxic elements in computers and iPhones, or the huge amounts of fossil fuel energy required to cool and power the server farms that make the Web possible? What about the planned obsolescence of computers–the fact that your computer or iPhone is obsolete within a couple of years (at best)? And the fact that you then have to find a responsible way of disposing of it?

I think the ethics of minimalism might be more complicated than I've seen you depict them on your blog. (Maybe I've missed an entry where you addressed this.) Your minimalist lifestyle is highly dependent on some costly (in a personal and a planetary sense), complicated technology. You should be as aware of that as ethical omnivores (especially) should be conscious of where the meat they eat comes from and how it was raised and slaughtered.

And I'd humbly suggest that giving up your newspaper subscription–especially if it's your sole, local, community newspaper–is something many people might regret down the road. Maybe when they find that their newspaper has run out of money, there's no profitable replacement on the horizon, and there's no reporter writing about the local school board's spending sprees for travel.

I, too, could go on and on about this. But I'd suggest that you might more responsibly recommend to your readers that, to focus on what's important, they use some discernment about the type of news they consume and make a reasoned choice about which source or sources are delivering journalism that informs, inspires or entertains them.

And then CHOOSE the one or two news outlets that serve them best. Don't recommend that they just don't follow the news at all. That's just a head-in-the-sand approach that benefits no one–including would-be minimalists.

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By: Everett Bogue http://www.farbeyondthestars.com/32-ways-to-refocus-on-your-priorities/comment-page-1/#comment-2733 Everett Bogue Wed, 31 Mar 2010 16:22:57 +0000 http://www.farbeyondthestars.com/?p=1368#comment-2733 I don't have an issue with journalism, A Reader. I have an issue with the newspaper's continued reliance on trees to distribute the news.<br><br>Print distribution is:<br>1. Making newspapers fail.<br>2. Forcing the best journalists to look elsewhere for work that pays enough to support their lifestyles<br>3. Leading to the remaining journalists at these institutions to write fluff pieces about celebrities to get attention.<br><br>This is not just Nymag, the New York Times is suffering the same fate. They're dumbing down news in order to keep their dying system of paper distribution afloat.<br><br>This news has and will go online. The sooner the papers realize that paper isn't the answer anymore, they will have the money to pay real journalists again and this will solve the problem.<br><br>I could go on and on about this, but I see my position as more responsible than waiting for newspapers to cease to exist because of irresponsible management.<br><br>When they start writing stories that matter again, I will start reading again.<br><br>Thanks for the critical eye. I don't have an issue with journalism, A Reader. I have an issue with the newspaper's continued reliance on trees to distribute the news.

Print distribution is:
1. Making newspapers fail.
2. Forcing the best journalists to look elsewhere for work that pays enough to support their lifestyles
3. Leading to the remaining journalists at these institutions to write fluff pieces about celebrities to get attention.

This is not just Nymag, the New York Times is suffering the same fate. They're dumbing down news in order to keep their dying system of paper distribution afloat.

This news has and will go online. The sooner the papers realize that paper isn't the answer anymore, they will have the money to pay real journalists again and this will solve the problem.

I could go on and on about this, but I see my position as more responsible than waiting for newspapers to cease to exist because of irresponsible management.

When they start writing stories that matter again, I will start reading again.

Thanks for the critical eye.

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By: Everett Bogue http://www.farbeyondthestars.com/32-ways-to-refocus-on-your-priorities/comment-page-1/#comment-2730 Everett Bogue Wed, 31 Mar 2010 16:17:34 +0000 http://www.farbeyondthestars.com/?p=1368#comment-2730 Thanks for your comment Ellen! Resorting antique furniture sounds awesome. I'd love to read more about it, send me the link when you're all set up! <br><br>Best,<br>Everett Thanks for your comment Ellen! Resorting antique furniture sounds awesome. I'd love to read more about it, send me the link when you're all set up!

Best,
Everett

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