http://www.illumik.com The Art of Life & the Long Road to Zen… Tue, 04 Nov 2008 09:49:27 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en "Hunger is not the worst feature of unemployment; idleness is."  ~William E. Barrett I was laid off from work last Thursday, October 30th. I have a decent severance package and have applied for unemployment. I do want to take some time off, but need to make sure I use that down ... http://www.illumik.com/2008/11/04/worst-feature-of-unemployment/ The past couple of weeks have been emotionally and professionally exhausting. A lot of things occurred that pushed me to my emotional limits. One event in particular was the straw that broke the camel's back... So I decided to drive to Yosemite. That's just what I needed. It's been over ten ... http://www.illumik.com/2008/10/06/rebooting-oneself/ "Should this world ever cease to exist, Stephen Colbert will live on." states an article at CNN.com. I think this is absolutely hilarious and yet awesome at the same time. Should humans cease to exist and aliens happen upon his DNA, Stephen Colbert can be cloned. Sounds like a sketch ... http://www.illumik.com/2008/09/08/colberts-dna-to-be-shot-into-space/ Today marks the 50th anniversary of instant ramen. 50 years! I had no idea instant ramen had been around that long. I bet 80% of Americans have had instant ramen at some point in their lives, but I'm sure 99.999% of us have never heard of Momofuku Ando, the inventor of ... http://www.illumik.com/2008/08/25/50-years-of-instant-ramen/ If you caught the Olympic's opening ceremonies, you were probably amazed at the theatric quality of all the Chinese performers. One that particularly caught my and my daughter's attention was 9-year old Lin Miaoke, who sung "I Sing for My Country" as the Chinese flag entered the arena. It turns out ... http://www.illumik.com/2008/08/13/olympics-scandals/ From the comfort of my San Jose office, I was reminded that we live in earthquake country when my phone call to Burbank abruptly ended as the ground shook beneath them. That made me think about an email recently circulated that I forwarded around myself: Doug Copp's "Triangle of Life" survival ... http://www.illumik.com/2008/07/29/earthquakes-and-a-lesson-in-context/ I read a quote today... Wise people think without talking; fools talk without thinking. I find myself thinking a great deal. I feel there's a lot to think about. However, I also find that I don't talk when I should. That's just my nature. And I admit it makes me feel "foolish" ... http://www.illumik.com/2008/07/10/thinking-versus-talking/ With the rising prices of gas, I've never been more conscious of my driving habits. I drive a 2003 Toyota Tacoma Pre-Runner Xtra Cab with an 18-gallon gas tank. I usually get between 250-260 miles out of a single tankful of gas before the low-gas light comes on. I've read up and ... http://www.illumik.com/2008/06/24/getting-more-mileage-out-of-your-tank/ What was up with that sky here in South Bay this sad Friday, June 13, 2008? Perhaps it was just some strange manifestation in nature of our collective hearts upon learning of Sean's passing? It was like the sky grew "sadder" as the news reached family and friends as the day ... http://www.illumik.com/2008/06/13/rest-in-peace-sean/ WARNING! Spoilers below if you haven't seen the season 4 finale of Lost! Wow! What an episode! I have to admit, I'm quite the Lost fanatic. It's the only show I've ever followed from season to season. Actually, it's the only TV show I watch. Perhaps a little surprising considering the ... http://www.illumik.com/2008/05/29/john-locke-is-jeremy-bentham/