First for Always

Presumably, this will be an entry that will serve as an introduction to me as it is my first post to this blog (my first post to any blog, really). I guess I will keep with expectation and attempt to impart my person to you.

I like to think of myself as having a simple yet complex personality. Simple, in that I enjoy mostly simple things in life (ie nature, hiking, etc). Complex, in that I enjoy a gamut of complexities (ie puzzles, Go, computer programming, poetry, literature, etc). I label myself (if be such a need) as a thinker and observer mostly. I am not the loudest person in the room, and yet I am not quite the quietest. Often times I find myself listening rather than talking.

This brings me to an interesting deviation, in that I am writing about myself and my interests in this blog. I would, on the shallow end, say that it is the opposite of my persona to attempt to share my opinion on certain subjects. However, if one digs to the complexity that lies underneath (as is such in a seemingly simple system) it is there that through my observation, the overflow of such pours to the pages.

I have written poetry for most of my life, but have never formally published it (probably out of fear of rejection, another topic altogether). This seems to be the next logical step to a semi formal place to lay my thoughts down. Albeit that most of what I say here will more than likely be the shallower end of the pool in context of deeper ideas that I may have, simply because I will probably save those for my personal journal. However, certain entries of that may end up here as well (in copy of course).

I consider myself by no means an authority on any subject(in that I am an "elitist"). I am eager to learn new things and to master everything that I can that this life will give me time. Even if I am learned well in an area of particular interest to me, I try to approach critique with humility, as there are always things that one can learn that they didn't know at the beginning. I am, in the end, not above reproach. I will present certain facts that will border on truth (I say border because most truths can be reinterpreted by the reader into something completely unintended by the author. In any event that I feel strongly that something is a complete truth, I will state it with certainty and give facts to backup my analysis) but can always accept viewpoints other than mine. That is one reason I decided to do this. Peer review. I have several ideas about the world around me and, rather than live inside a safe bubble where I am always correct, I want to present them in the open for others to comment on (perhaps getting good dialog along the way). The format may at times be scattered and informal and at other times quite formal and given quite a bit of thought. As such, I may not update on a daily basis if I do not feel it worthy of note until my thoughts are better collected.

I am a fairly technical person and interested in all things technical. I am not interested in technical topics simply for the sake of them being technical, however. I am interested in all things beautiful and that which has potential and balance. I like to think of discovery and innovation (technical or otherwise) as a subtle dance between man and the physical nature of our universe (the physical nature being the laws that govern it). In this dance sometimes we lead and sometimes it leads, guiding us with its clues to the hidden mysteries of the unknown. I am mostly interested in the interrelation of technology with biological processes in that in application one can see the potential for extensions of one self into the technological realm. I am not really speaking of science fiction with biomechanical bipeds walking the earth wreaking havoc on the "weak". Mostly I view technology as a tool that can be used for our further success. I do not believe that this should be at the disadvantage of natural processes such that we begin fabricating (ie mass producing for our capatalistic consumption) multitudes of super intelligent beings that slowly begin to displace other lifeforms available today. I think that all things technological should be held in moderation, so as to not loose focus on reality. I, personally, do not wish to live in a William Gibson nightmare of Japanese metropolis gone wild with revolting artificially intelligent technology (although I do find the symbiotic closeness with technology and biology explored in his text fascinating). I am extremely fascinated with Artificial Intelligence, for the simple fact that therein lies the secrets to intelligence waiting to be found. Do with it what we may, they are there for us to discover. I am not so much interested in creating a synthetic human being (my wife and I can flawlessly create a perfect being with little effort), but I would like to pursue further the search for the subtle nuances of that which is the oldest of frontiers, that of intelligence. For I feel that in it lies the very nature of life itself, or rather perhaps the potential to know those things (for that is the largest thing about intelligence, being the potential to learn as opposed to the end product as such).

I must say with enthusiasm that I am quite excited about this subculture of blogging and more fascinating: podcasting. I am a huge fan of The Evil Genius Chronicles, In The Trenches, and IT Conversations. I am experimenting with this medium myself and hope to produce a few along the way. When I do begin producing shows this will be an addendum to those shows, a place where one can come and receive notes and various errata pertaining to particular topics presented. I hope that the readers will be interested in what it is that I consider good subject matter (as much of a nice as that might be).

Thank you for taking the time to read this post and I hope that you will return for more in the coming days, weeks, and months.

Paul