Half Awake

Today is the anniversary of my first post at Halfawake, which reminds me that it’s currently Confidence Week. My loudest shirts are all lined up and I’m preparing to tell a bunch of people off (in a kind, well-adjusted way, of course). Should be fun.

I’ve been thinking about why I started this blog, and where it’s going. If I remember, the original motivation was to practice getting my thoughts out. I try to follow the life advice of my friend Bads - “strike while the iron is hot”. If I see something or think about something that’s important to me, I record it here, and that helps me file it away mentally rather than throwing it into my cerebral incinerator. I don’t necessarily expect to get feedback about my posts, but the feedback I have received, both on the blog and in private emails, has been excellent. In the end I guess I’m just trying to engage a different part of my brain… The part that doesn’t constantly think about algorithms for solving non-smooth systems of differential equations.

I’m glad that this hasn’t become another failed project left by the side of the road, and I hope to keep it going for another year.

A friend of mine suggested today that the week before Thanksgiving should henceforth be known as “Confidence Week”. As someone who is routinely told by others that I need to be more confident, this caught my attention right quick. He explained that the main tenants of Confidence Week are that individuals apologize less and wear more ostentatious clothing (cowboy shirts and anything with flowers would work for me, but your outrageous outfits may vary).

Confidence Week ends on the Sunday before Thanksgiving, and starts on the Monday six days prior. Since today is Saturday and Confidence Week ends tomorrow, I’m looking to do something mighty confident in the next 24 hours.

Thanks to Jason for the suggestion!