In this session, we looked at the reasons why infographics are becoming an important, highly popular way of presenting information. We showed how to find data, how to build your message, and how to put together your infographic using great, free tools. Below is the presentation for this two-hour session.
I have realized that there’s something that drives me to do the things that I do, and let go of the things that I don’t.
For example, I am an advocate for open source software, like the gimp and Inkscape, when the rest of my creative friends bemoan my choice over adobe products, saying that they could not get their work done without them. The reason is clearer to me now why I can.
I am an advocate for calorie counting and whole foods and vegetarianism and light exercise, like walking. Many of my friends think that calorie counting is too much work for them, that whole foods are bland and tasteless and that they could not possibly adopt the lifestyle, or that they could never live without meat. They feel that you can’t get proper exercise outside of a gym. I have evidence to the contrary.
I use a Chromebook, and feel that I am working towards a chromebook- and mobile-only computing style. I still have some needs, such as archival storage, video editing, and DVR that will keep me tethered at some times to a traditional desktop or server, for now, but that is changing. My friends say that they couldn’t get by without their tower.
I gave up drinking in April of 2012. I believe that I will never drink again. I was not able to stop until I believed it was possible. Until I envisioned living without it successfully, I didn’t, and so I couldn’t. I have friends that are deep in the grip of alcoholism. They believe that there is no other way. This is obviously not true, and yet, they persist.
In the face of oppositional ideas, harder paths, and seemingly unobtainable goals, I believe that I can achieve, which makes it possible. When I don’t, I can’t. If you can’t bring yourself to believe that something is possible, that you will never gain the benefits from it, or that it’s not worth the effort or time, then you are assuredly right: you can’t in your mind, so you won’t in reality.
It is impossible to surprise yourself in your beliefs when you are both the non-believer and the non-actor. Though not guaranteed, it is possible if you believe that it can be. Until you can say out loud that you believe that you can, and believe it, you may want to hold off trying. Without belief, doing may be impossible.
One response I’ve gotten to this idea is that it is so hard to believe that which you do not. I would say that this perceived effort is a sign that belief is not likely at this time, and that when you are ready to believe, it will be easy. You will have some key evidence that the seemingly impossible is possible. The evidence may be the result of things going to far down the opposite path. You’ll have some break in the clouds to hold on to long enough to believe. Seize it — it’s the difference for me in acting and doing, or not.
All of these sessions are offered at Princeton Public Library, Witherspoon Street, Princeton NJ. They are in the Technology lab on the second floor furthest from the main stairwell. Please come and join me to learn about these fun and useful technologies!
Tues, Feb 5 from 7:00-8:30 Discovering Google Chromebook
Wed, Feb 20 from 6:30-8:30 Tools to Create Infographics
Mon, Mar 11 from 6:30-8:30 WordPress Camp for Beginner Bloggers Part 1
Mon, Mar 18 from 6:30-8:30 WordPress Camp for Beginner Bloggers Part 2
Tues, Apr 9 from 7-8:30 Ten Things to Know About Your Android Tablet
Tues, Apr 16 from 6:30-8:30 Tools to Create Infographics
Wed, Apr 24 from 7-8:30 Discovering Google Chromebook
Tues, May 14 from 6:30-8:30 WordPress Camp for Beginner Bloggers Part 1
Tues, May 21 from 6:30-8:30 WordPress Camp for Beginner Bloggers Part 2
Wed, Jun 5 from 7-8:30 Discovering Google Chromebook
Wed, Jun 12 from 7-8:30 Ten Things to Know About Your Android Tablet
An article on technology offerings at PPL: http://www.princetonlibrary.org/blog/2013/02/latest-technology-classes-ppl
So, a very good friend who has been struggling with their weight for a very long time has been talking with me over my time losing weight. The chats were often a restatement of what I say here on this blog, how to get started, what to expect, how to find success in losing weight. I balk at the idea of weight loss being difficult or that somehow I am extraordinary in my loss because the methods that I used were easy to adopt, easy to maintain, and the outcomes were relatively quick and painless. For those of you who would love to have the conversation of how I lost almost 100 pounds in under a year without a strong effort, this post is for you.
In order to lose weight, there are some misconceptions that I do not agree with. I find it easier to pursue weight loss and a new nutritional lifestyle if you disbelieve the following ideas and pursue alternatives as described:
1. Weight loss requires exercise.
You do not need to exercise to lose weight. Repeat. Exercise will make you feel better, look better, and increase the speed of weight loss, but it is by no means necessary. Every human burns some amount of calories just by their normal function, commonly called your BMR, or basal metabolic rate. Mine is around 2000 calories, because I am a 39-year-old, 6′ 2″ male of about 200 pounds. As long as I eat less than 2000 calories in a day, I will not gain weight. If I eat less than that in a day, I will lose at some rate. If I exercise and stay below my BMR, I will lose weight quicker, feel better, and look better, with more energy, stamina, and self-confidence. But it is by no means necessary.
2. I can only lose weight if I do not eat carbohydrates or if I do not eat fat.
It is the type of food that I eat that is making me overweight. Everyone needs carbohydrates, fat, and protein. There are better choices of carbohydrates, such as whole grains, and worse sources of carbohydrates, such as powdered donuts. I eat both, and have eaten both throughout my weight loss. There are better sources of fat, such as olive oil, and worse choices of fat, such as butter. I eat both, and have eaten both throughout my weight loss. I am mostly vegetarian, and get 15% of my calories every day in the form of vegetable proteins. It is not the type of food that you eat that makes you overweight, it is the excess number of calories that your body does not burn that makes you overweight. If you are burning 2000 calories a day, and you eat 1800 calories in donuts every day, you will be very sick, but you will lose weight. If you choose instead to eat about 1000 calories in nutrient rich carbohydrates, 400 calories in protein, and 300 calories in unsaturated fat, you will lose weight and feel good.
3. Losing weight will allow me to eat the food that I want again.
If you are losing weight so that you can have bread and cheesesteaks again, or if you are avoiding pizza until you get to your first goal weight, in my opinion, you are doing it wrong, and setting yourself up for future failure. If you want a cheesesteak, have one. Count the calories for it (kaiser roll, 200 cals, minute steak 110 cals, 3 fresh mozzarella ciliegine balls, 60 cals) and mind your calories for the rest of the day, staying below your calorie stopping point.
4. I’ll just watch what I eat, the counting thing is unnecessary.
In my opinion, using scales, calories and other measurements are a way of assuring yourself that progress is being made, and that you are staying within your limits. Guessing at the calories of something in front of you, then not putting it in the caloric perspective of the rest of your day, is how we gain weight. We live in a society that gives you single meals with your entire day’s worth of calories in just a few bites. If you want to eat one meal a day, then do it, but by all means, know that you are doing it.
5. I just want to look better, I don’t need to look at the scale to do that.
Weigh yourself every day. Be aware of everything you can know about your body. Measure your arms and neck and waist and write them down, or get them into a database, like MyFitnessPal. Track your wins and losses. Ignore your mirror because it will lie to you. It will tell you that you are ugly and fat and that you are not worth improving. It will not remind you that your calorie counting and other methods are obviously improving you. That’s what your scale is for.
If you have questions, I have answers. Comment, or email me at lemasney@gmail.com
I was given a great opportunity to teach people how to create great presentations.
TIME: January, 2013
LOCATION: METRO, NYC
The presentation I used is here:
Learn how to incorporate design elements to create captivating, memorable, and effective slide presentations. In this day long session, technology instructor John LeMasney will cover a variety of design tools and techniques, including images, colors, fonts, readability, and movement. Skill Level: Intermediate.
If you like this post, or if you feel like it might help someone, please share it. Thanks!
How do I feel today; What did I do today?
I’ve been rather depressed lately. It’s mostly chemical-based, but there are a few stressors and other triggers that have been bringing it on. I tend to meet depression at major points of life change, and some, like the end or beginning of the year, are built-in. There’s also, though, the change that my body has gone through, and the ways in which my eating has changed for maintenance mode, rather than losing mode. One might think that the suddenly allowed addition of 700 extra calories in a day would be welcomed, but for me, it has been a fearful transition. There’s fear that my eating habits will return to the way that they were, where I eat simply because food is there, or simply because of the way that I feel, and that’s scary. I enjoy eating according to a plan, with a purpose, and to a goal, but now that the goal is reached, there is more unknown than known in the future. One might ask “Isn’t your goal now to stay where you are?” Well, yes, but there is more enjoyment in movement towards betterment (transformational) than stability in betterment (transactional), and even though I know what I must do, there is a struggle there with no clear wins or finish lines. I’ve met this depression before, when I graduated from degrees, when I accomplished other goals, and when I changed relationships. There is pain in ending, and fear in new beginnings. It works out in the end, when there is stability and familiarity in the new situation.
What or how have I been eating recently; What did I savor?
I have been eating cautiously lately, mostly whole foods, mostly vegetables, nuts, whole grains, and fruit. There is joy in eating what you know, and a certain solace in the familiar.
How have I been moving?
It’s cold, and so I’ve continued to slack a bit in my movement. I’m walking about 5000 steps a day, about half of what I walk in nicer weather. I’ve been spending most of my usual walking time finishing projects and starting new work.
My FitBit profile: This is where I track my daily activity, sleep, and workouts.
My Fitness Pal food diary: This is where you can find out exactly what I ate today.
