David Jason Wright's Posts - Urgent Evoke2024-03-28T23:39:02ZDavid Jason Wrighthttp://www.urgentevoke.com/profile/DavidJasonWrighthttp://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2236945059?profile=original&width=48&height=48&crop=1%3A1http://www.urgentevoke.com/profiles/blog/feed?user=0juhf8xig0aog&xn_auth=noHome in time for dinnertag:www.urgentevoke.com,2010-03-28:4871302:BlogPost:685052010-03-28T14:36:34.000ZDavid Jason Wrighthttp://www.urgentevoke.com/profile/DavidJasonWright
<div>"Ladies and Gentlemen, Japan Airlines International would like to thank you for choosing to fly with us on this happy occasion of your journey. Please remain in your seats with your seat-belts fashioned until the flight crew has turned off the 'Fasten Seatbelts' indicator."</div>
<div><br></br></div>
<div>The plane touched down on the runway L.A. Things were pretty quiet between us. They always were. We did our celebrating back in Tokyo, after we'd finished the job. Levannah smiled at me…</div>
<div>"Ladies and Gentlemen, Japan Airlines International would like to thank you for choosing to fly with us on this happy occasion of your journey. Please remain in your seats with your seat-belts fashioned until the flight crew has turned off the 'Fasten Seatbelts' indicator."</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>The plane touched down on the runway L.A. Things were pretty quiet between us. They always were. We did our celebrating back in Tokyo, after we'd finished the job. Levannah smiled at me though, which was nice. We made our way to the baggage claim, after saying goodbye to the others - who had connecting flights.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>Standing there, next to her, waiting for the luggage to tumble out of the little, dark chute, was just one long, drawn out unomfortable silence.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>"Jawa," she said, finally, "Dave?"</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>"Yeah?"</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>"You, uh, you wanna' come to my place for dinner?" She was biting her lip again. "I make a really mean Herbed Nut Loaf ."</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>"Okay," I said, doing little cartwheels inside, trying like hell not to act the over-eager fool. We shared a Johnnycab back to her place. These things really worked out a lot better than in the movies. When they first started hooking up the GPS to an onboard vehicle control system, I had these horrible visions of that old Stephen King movie, "Trucks" or something like that. But these self-controlled electric taxis were actually quite nice. We talked about it during the ride.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>At her place, I left my luggage by the door and activated my iPage. Levannah went right to work in the kitchen, after opening a bottle of Reisling. I sat on a bar stool keeping her company and catching up on all the missed emails and Tweets and Facebook updates. It can be a pain sometimes, not telling anyone where you're going.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>While she worked, we discussed my reluctance to quit using Facebook and just switch to the iPage's built in social network, we talked about why she preferred the Gumdrop to Apple's Nano-Paper, we talked about our work in Japan. That was really nice, being able to talk about it. I folded up the iPage and linked it around my wrist, setting the wallpaper to silver.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>From the fridge, I retrieved a small glass pitcher of water with a sliced lemon and some cucumber in the bottom of it.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>"I get that from the roof, you know," she said, "it collects in a little funnel-thing that runs down here and I run it through the filter and stick it in the fridge."</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>"That's genius," I said, honestly. I poured us a couple glasses as she made the finishing touches on our plates. It looked amazing.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>The nut loaf she made with onions, garlic and lemon grown in her own back-yard, and nuts and the rest from the community garden over on Chestnut. She served it with the best "stuffing." I just can't describe how good it was. We also had a mixed-greens salad with an amazing oil and vinegar dressing that blew my mind.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>"This," I said, "was amazing. I just can't express in words how delicious this meal was." I folded my napkin on the table and reached to refill my wine glass.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>"You want a coffee," she asked, "or anything?"</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>"I am pretty content right here," I said. "I don't need anything else right now."</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>"Yeah."</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>We sat like that for a while, drinking a little too much of the Riesling talking about life, about our jobs, about Japan and the project. It was a great night.</div>Feed the World, or - at Least Feed Somebodytag:www.urgentevoke.com,2010-03-27:4871302:BlogPost:674422010-03-27T18:21:47.000ZDavid Jason Wrighthttp://www.urgentevoke.com/profile/DavidJasonWright
from <b><a href="http://geniuspowermagic.blogspot.com">Genius, Power, Magic</a>.</b><br></br>
<br></br>
<a href="http://www.urgentevoke.com/"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453367825468539618" name="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453367825468539618" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_q4MozubTJCE/S65BJOKYwuI/AAAAAAAAAGI/GH6Lf4F1JL8/s400/Evoke.jpg" style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 302px; height: 98px;"></img></a><div style="text-align: justify;">So, I'm "playing" this new game. It's called <b>Evoke</b>; and it isn't easy (click the title to go to the site). This blog post, or (more accurately) the actions it describes, will earn me one point in a <b>Massive Multi-Player Online Game</b> where players attempt to literally make the world a better place by…</div>
from <b><a href="http://geniuspowermagic.blogspot.com">Genius, Power, Magic</a>.</b><br/>
<br/>
<a href="http://www.urgentevoke.com/"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 302px; height: 98px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_q4MozubTJCE/S65BJOKYwuI/AAAAAAAAAGI/GH6Lf4F1JL8/s400/Evoke.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453367825468539618" name="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453367825468539618"/></a><div style="text-align: justify;">So, I'm "playing" this new game. It's called <b>Evoke</b>; and it isn't easy (click the title to go to the site). This blog post, or (more accurately) the actions it describes, will earn me one point in a <b>Massive Multi-Player Online Game</b> where players attempt to literally make the world a better place by taking actions in the real world to create lasting changes that effect everyone.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">Top players (those that submit an <b><i>Evokation <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">- a written or video presentation detailing a project you intend to undertake to change the world) are eligible for Online Mentorships with social innovators and business leaders, travel scholarships to the first EVOKE summit in D.C.,</span> <b>seed investment to start developing your first social venture</b>, <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">and other EVOKE rewards.</span></span></i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_q4MozubTJCE/S65CV5b9c5I/AAAAAAAAAGQ/6D_g6EOKgJE/s1600/Game_Logos.gif"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 154px; height: 152px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_q4MozubTJCE/S65CV5b9c5I/AAAAAAAAAGQ/6D_g6EOKgJE/s400/Game_Logos.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453369142755029906" name="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453369142755029906"/></a>Like I said, though, it isn't easy.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">I've had to stop playing other great games, like DDO, Vampire Wars, pretty much all those I took the time to put over there. <---</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">This post then, is two-fold. I want to tell you about <b>Evoke</b> (go to <b><a href="http://www.urgentevoke.com/">UrgentEvoke.com</a></b> to take a look and (hopefully) sign up, maybe we can team up on something <i>Huge</i>. The second thing I want to tell you about is my intention for the Project Two - <i>Food Security</i>.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">I'm supposed to "increase food security for at least one person in [my] community." How the hell do you do that?</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">I really don't know. Here's what I've come up with so far.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><br/></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><b><a href="http://blueplanetco-op.com/aboutus.html">The Blue Planet Cooperative</a></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">This is a tiny little organic produce shop, juice bar and deli. It costs $25.00 annually to become a member, but members get a 20% discount on all purchases. The last time I was in there, I learned that you can gain an additional discount by volunteering one (I think it was one) day a week to work there (counter, cleaning, stocking, whatever).</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">I'm including this because - well - it's local produce so I'm supporting local growers, which helps keep them fed, reduces the drain on the overall resources because the food <i>I'm</i> eating doesn't have to be shipped from god-knows-where (which doesn't help feed someone in my community, but go screw, it helped me make up my mind).</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">My intent is to bike down there and join up, see if / when I can help out (for more $aving$). That's part one.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><br/></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><b><a href="http://www.citysprout.org/">The Lincolnville Community Garden</a></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">Did you know we had our own community garden? Me either. Also, I don't know anything about gardening. Well, I know a little. I had a garden in my backyard at Dad's house in Farmersville. I thought I'd start out as a volunteer member, cleaning up, weeding, etc. When next-year's Box Memberships come up, I can sign up to do some actual growing - eat some and donate the rest to, I don't know, does the St Francis Shelter take food donations like that?</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">Or maybe... I guess I could offer to make the Box Membership donation in the name of the St Francis Shelter and anyone from the shelter could go there and work the land. That may be a little too "it's a wonderful life."</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><br/></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">I could volunteer at the local "wherever there is a soup kitchen," and might even do some good - but <i>Food Security</i> is about the long-haul, not just one or two (or even a few) meals. If anyone else has an idea how I could expand on this, I'm all ears.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"><br/></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">How can I - What can I set up to help someone <i>- some people</i> - feed themselves? How the hell do you <i>teach a man to fish</i>? Most of this is about me - it's helping the environment, which is good; but I think it's a cop-out to focus on my own Food Security.</div>Beyond the Bounds of Moderationtag:www.urgentevoke.com,2010-03-27:4871302:BlogPost:671222010-03-27T15:00:00.000ZDavid Jason Wrighthttp://www.urgentevoke.com/profile/DavidJasonWright
<img alt="" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2234222510?profile=RESIZE_480x480" style="float:left; margin-right:5px" width="324"></img> It is impossible to spend more than a few hours walking the streets of downtown Saint Augustine and not know about the excessive homeless population. Children and adults alike (so many teens!) huddled together in the shadows or making and selling some inexpensive bauble - usually flowers formed from folded up corn-stalk.<div><br></br></div>
<div>It seemed, at first, that I would find no mention of the phenomenon that Food Security in St Augustine (or indeed the rest of North Florida),…</div>
<img width="324" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2234222510?profile=RESIZE_480x480" alt="" style="float:left; margin-right:5px"/>It is impossible to spend more than a few hours walking the streets of downtown Saint Augustine and not know about the excessive homeless population. Children and adults alike (so many teens!) huddled together in the shadows or making and selling some inexpensive bauble - usually flowers formed from folded up corn-stalk.<div><br/></div>
<div>It seemed, at first, that I would find no mention of the phenomenon that Food Security in St Augustine (or indeed the rest of North Florida), that it was a problem of the homeless. I know that this is not the truth; there are families - in homes, and with jobs who struggle to feed themselves.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>In late 2009, Florida was ranked 30th among the 50 U.S. States for food security<b>*.</b> But below the national average - with 12.2% of households "food insecure" and 4.9 percent with "very low food security." This would be reassuring if it didn't mean that one in eight households <i>in my city</i> have to face hunger on a regular basis.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>I imagine that this is partially due to the recent recession, difficulty in finding work and government assistance, but otherwise, I have trouble making peace with this idea.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>I've been hungry - <i>really hungry</i> - once in my life. I was unemployed, renting a trailer and working at a Day Labor facility here in town. Some days, there just wasn't enough work. I struggled to pay for Ramen Noodles. It was harsh. And I know my experience cannot speak for anyone else's, but I got a menial labor job at Burger King and I busted my ass to ensure it wasn't a problem again (knock on wood).</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>When I first approached this topic, I assumed that Food Security would only be a problem for the homeless, during Flood conditions or due to Storm Damage. I see now that those assumptions were erroneous.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>While I cannot find reference to what causes this insecurity with food, I found a number of area groups organized to combat it:</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2234224554?profile=original" alt="" style="float:right; margin-left:5px;"/>The Salvation Army Senior Citizens (<a href="http://salvationarmysouth.org">salvationarmysouth.org</a>), The Catholic Charities Bureau (<a href="http://ccbjax.org/networkofcare.html">ccbjax.org/networkofcare.html</a>), and St Francis Soup Kitchen (<a href="http:/immaculateconceptionjax.org/volunteer.ivnu">immaculateconceptionjax.org/volunteer.ivnu</a>) among many others, are working to combat the situation in Jacksonville. In St Augustine, it seems this problem is almost the sole durestiction of the St Francis House (<a href="http:/stfrancisshelter.org">stfrancisshelter.org</a>) and government services.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>I also found a PDF link concerning a five-year partnership between government and private organizations designed to increase Food Security in the state. Florida's rise to 30th place in the nation seems to be due (at least in part) to these folk's efforts. <a href="http://www.flimpact.org/publications/2004/2004-HungerInFlorida.pdf">http://www.flimpact.org/publications/2004/2004-HungerInFlorida.pdf</a></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>I feel a kind of outrage, aimed primarily at myself - at those who share in my oft-times excessive lifestyle. I over-eat, I regularly indulge in candies and snacks I neither need or particularly want. I eat sometimes when I am thirsty, and I know it.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>I'm not going to stop eating, but I sure as hell am going to look at ways to curb my [appetite is the wrong word]. At the <b>very least</b>, I will stop wasting my hard-earned money on soda pops and candies when I could be donating it to people - children - who don't get to eat <i>right here in my home town</i>. I'm too pissed off, too disappointed, to write further.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><b>*According to the <a href="http://jacksonville.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/stories/2009/11/23/daily14.html">Jacksonville Business Journal</a>, Tuesday, November 24, 2009.</b></div>Someone kick me in the pants.tag:www.urgentevoke.com,2010-03-27:4871302:BlogPost:669742010-03-27T11:39:27.000ZDavid Jason Wrighthttp://www.urgentevoke.com/profile/DavidJasonWright
I come to this site - usually in the wee small hours of the morning - and I read some great (and not-so-great) blog posts and emails about changing the world - about actually making a difference in the course of human events. I feel pumped, excited, eager even to stretch out my own hand and rock the boat a little. To "be the change" myself.<div><br></br></div>
<div>And then it's time for sleep, or time for work, or what-have-you. It's so very easy for me to get excited about the prospect of these…</div>
I come to this site - usually in the wee small hours of the morning - and I read some great (and not-so-great) blog posts and emails about changing the world - about actually making a difference in the course of human events. I feel pumped, excited, eager even to stretch out my own hand and rock the boat a little. To "be the change" myself.<div><br/></div>
<div>And then it's time for sleep, or time for work, or what-have-you. It's so very easy for me to get excited about the prospect of these projects - of who we can be and what we can become - but then life intrudes and I let it.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>I'm so very tired of not doing everything I can.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>I know I can do more. I want to do more. I'm thinking too small here. In my personal life, professionally, ecologically - everything. I ought to be doing more.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>So, I guess I better just jolly-well do it, huh?</div>Wednesday, March 24, 2020tag:www.urgentevoke.com,2010-03-24:4871302:BlogPost:617762010-03-24T19:30:05.000ZDavid Jason Wrighthttp://www.urgentevoke.com/profile/DavidJasonWright
<div><b>via Twitter (7:02AM)</b> "Ware ye, O' Man! It has risen lo' his long, dread slumber."</div>
<div><br></br></div>
<div><b>via Facebook (7:10AM)</b> "Up and Atom!"</div>
<div><br></br></div>
<div><b>via Twitter (8:30AM)</b> "Finished another 90-Day cycle. 184 lbs. 13%. Feel effing fantastic!"</div>
<div><br></br></div>
<div><b>via Twitter (11:40AM)</b> "It's done. The new book is ready for the publisher. I'll keep you posted.</div>
<div><br></br></div>
<div><b>via Twitter (1337PM)</b> " I ate the best…</div>
<div><b>via Twitter (7:02AM)</b> "Ware ye, O' Man! It has risen lo' his long, dread slumber."</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><b>via Facebook (7:10AM)</b> "Up and Atom!"</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><b>via Twitter (8:30AM)</b> "Finished another 90-Day cycle. 184 lbs. 13%. Feel effing fantastic!"</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><b>via Twitter (11:40AM)</b> "It's done. The new book is ready for the publisher. I'll keep you posted.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><b>via Twitter (1337PM)</b> " I ate the best vegan lasagna I've ever tasted this afternoon. OMFG! Thanks for the recipe @whoeverthatwas.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><b>via Twitter (1359)</b> "Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men?"</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><b>via geniuspowermagic.blogspot.com (1500PM)</b></div>
<div>"I almost forgot that today was the day. Ten years ago, on this date, I wrote a blog on <u><a href="http://www.urgentevoke.com">urgentevoke.com</a></u>, imagining what my life might be like in the future. I thought I should revisit that post today.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>"I am utterly flaberghasted by my own lack of vision. I wondered then whether or not it would be possible for me to do real good in world. Less than a decade later, I find myself so lucky. So incredibly blessed to have been able to share my talents with the world, and through that, able to draw attention to the need for change.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>"When the first book <b>exploded</b> and I found myself in front of actual audiences interested in what I had to say, I was dumbfounded. Though, thankfully, not struck dumb. I was given a forum from which to apply the knowledge and skills I learned from endeavors like <i>Evoke</i> and <i>Heroic</i>.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>"I wouldn't have needed that forum, amazingly enough. I was able - even before the first book was published - to help teach people, through comics and games, how to effect real change in the world, both locally and globally. With the friends I made through Evoke and other networks like it, we've helped put the world on a course we can be proud of.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>"I don't feel ashamed to talk to my nephew about the world I'm leaving behind when it's my turn to check out; I thought I would. My own children will, I hope, be proud one day - when they're old enough to consider such things - of the work we're doing for their world.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>"I never bought that island I wanted. I didn't get the house in Australia; and I haven't yet visited the poles - but those were vanity dreams anyway. I make a comfortable living in the best field I could work in, I'm surrounded by a loving family and fantastic friends; and I no longer feel helpless or inneffectual about the dark things in the world.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>"If this last nine years has taught me anything, it's not just that I can accomplish absolutely anything I put my mind to - but that my mind is woefully inept at envisioning just how far I can go."</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><b>via Twitter (1504PM)</b> "New post on Genius, Power, Magic: <a href="http://tinyurl.somat">http://tinyurl.somat</a>."</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><b>via Twitter (1541PM)</b> "Feel guilty about not drawing any panels today - but you know what? So what? It's a good day, and I'll draw an extra panel tomorrow."</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><b>via Twitter (1728PM)</b> "Getting ready for dinner with the folks, then pub crawl with pals from high school - come out and meet my old buddies!"</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><b>via Twitter (2113PM)</b> "Dinner was great! Parents really took to the whole Veg-Thing, I am constantly amazed."</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><b>via Facebook / Twitter (2240PM)</b> "I can't believe everyone is here! [IMAGE]"</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><b>via Twitter (2310PM)</b> "Thank you @warrenellis for the beauty and wonderment that is the 'Pint O' Whiskey.'"</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><b>via Twitter (2438PM)</b> "Okay, that's enough. Taking everyone to the beach down by ___ Street. If you missed us at the pub..."</div>Shadow of the Gamemastertag:www.urgentevoke.com,2010-03-24:4871302:BlogPost:615462010-03-24T17:37:09.000ZDavid Jason Wrighthttp://www.urgentevoke.com/profile/DavidJasonWright
I really feel like I'm overstepping my bounds here.<div><br></br></div>
<div>I said as much in the email I sent to <b>Jane McGonigal</b>, but I was paging through Afrigadget and Poptech (I <i>really</i> liked <b><a href="http://www.poptech.org/popcasts/derek_lomas_open_source_games">Derek Lomas</a></b>'s <a href="http://playpower.org/">Playpower Foundation</a> - I may be looking into what I can do to help out there too, before long) and others, it occurred to me that I'd already been inspired by…</div>
I really feel like I'm overstepping my bounds here.<div><br/></div>
<div>I said as much in the email I sent to <b>Jane McGonigal</b>, but I was paging through Afrigadget and Poptech (I <i>really</i> liked <b><a href="http://www.poptech.org/popcasts/derek_lomas_open_source_games">Derek Lomas</a></b>'s <a href="http://playpower.org/">Playpower Foundation</a> - I may be looking into what I can do to help out there too, before long) and others, it occurred to me that I'd already been inspired by someone doing - not exactly what I have in mind, but close.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>Jane McGonigal's <a href="http://www.ted.com/talks/jane_mcgonigal_gaming_can_make_a_better_world.html">TED Talk</a> was the first one I'd seen (aside from <a href="http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/aubrey_de_grey_says_we_can_avoid_aging.html">Aubrey DeGray</a>'s - which only led me to maintain my vegan eating habits and hope/ plan for life after 100) that led me to action. I looked up World Without Oil - which led me to Evoke - which led me to taking action. Any action, even these little baby steps.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>The ideas I have, the things I think I can do, line up with what's going on in these games. I'm hoping I can accomplish what's brewing in my festering brain pan without clutching too tightly to the shirttails here. If I could do anything, however, that was compared with the work of Ms. McGonigal and her contemporaries, I would be proud.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>I'm already active on Twitter and Facebook (djasonwright will get you there); so I became a fan and started following her there. I also added <a href="http://blog.avantgame.com/">blog.avantgame.com</a> to my RSS Feed and sent an email to say thanks for the inspiration (probably the 487th such that she's received).</div>Where are my building blocks?tag:www.urgentevoke.com,2010-03-24:4871302:BlogPost:523352010-03-24T15:54:28.000ZDavid Jason Wrighthttp://www.urgentevoke.com/profile/DavidJasonWright
<div>I want to change the world.</div>
<div><br></br></div>
<div>I want to change the world because <s>I don't like the world I live in.</s> I think the world can be changed; it <i>should</i> be changed. And I've read a lot about changing yourself first, doing little things to do great things, and all of that - but I've never done it. I live in a small (for the U.S.) 12' x 24' space and I watch <b>Lost</b> and play video games and write role-playing game scenarios that I may never run (I'm a…</div>
<div>I want to change the world.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>I want to change the world because <s>I don't like the world I live in.</s> I think the world can be changed; it <i>should</i> be changed. And I've read a lot about changing yourself first, doing little things to do great things, and all of that - but I've never done it. I live in a small (for the U.S.) 12' x 24' space and I watch <b>Lost</b> and play video games and write role-playing game scenarios that I may never run (I'm a pen-and-paper gamer).</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>So I'm looking at this list of <a href="http://designinafrica.wordpress.com/2008/10/23/innovation-in-africa-tips/">33 innovation</a> tips / rules for design / hints for making the world better. And I'm trying to pick one to start with. One to focus on.</div>
<div><br/></div>
It is very difficult for me to choose <b>one</b> of these <i>Secrets of Social Innovation</i> as my favorite. Coming at the list "cold," it isn't a very easy group of concepts to get my head around. My brain wants them all to line up in a nice row and look pretty; but they don't. Coming from different authors, from different notions of what has to be done, from different perspectives - at least they're grouped nicely.<div><br/></div>
<div>But I'm over analyzing this thing; I'll take each one at face value.<br/><div><br/></div>
<div>The most obvious choices, based on my background and experience, would be <b>Think Creatively</b>, <b>Think and Act Like a Child</b>, <b>Think and Act BIG</b>, and <b>Make it Inexpensive</b>.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><b><i>Think Creatively</i> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">is the one that draws the most on my soul. As an artist, I feel like it's my lot in life to stand here on this blank canvas and use whatever I can find lying around to create</span> some new thing</b>. I've never applied that to anything other than <i>comic book art</i> and <i>role-playing games</i> before. It feels like a challenge.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>The Agent of Change standing behind me, goading me to prove myself. Do something, anything, other than drawing pictures no one will see and writing games no one will play. Get up go out and <b>create something</b>. And I hit my first roadblock.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>What <i>can</i> I create? What can I do? How the hell am <b>I</b> going to change anything?</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>I have an idea forming in my rotten little mind. I know it's brilliant. I know it has the potential to be amazing. I know I can reach a million people who might otherwise never give this a second glance. I think I can do it fairly cheap, I think I can do it right, I even think it's something I can follow through on and maintain well into my golden years if necessary. I just don't know the details of what <b>it</b> is. I don't even know if I'm even the guy who <b>should</b> be doing it. Screw it. <b>Think and Act BIG</b>, right?</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>It's my ball, I'll run with it. I might be over-stepping the original scope of this post; but eff that. It's time to let the Glorious Monster off his chain. Time to do some damage!</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>You want me to think creatively? Think and Act Big, unfettered and unhindered like the mind of a Child? You got it.</div>
</div>