YouTube praises

I consume a lot of information everyday. An increasing amount of that information is coming via video. Most often, I'm consuming information to give myself a greater understanding of the universe, whether astronomy, particle physics, psychology, history, or so much more. However, I think levity brings light to life, so I also enjoy quite a bit of comedy as well.

As much as I enjoy my consumption of edutainment (yes, you read that correctly), this blog article has a very specific purpose: Recently, I've found myself glued to some very specific YouTube channels and websites. I want to share them with you. Please note, I'm not trying to rank these channels, I just want to share those that stand out in my mind at the moment.

First of all, I have to mention Hank and John Green. I can't get enough of their many entertaining and educational YouTube channels. I recommend starting with this one: http://www.youtube.com/user/vlogbrothers
Next, Destin gets some serious excitement from me with his channel Smarter Every Day
There are SO many more educational YouTube channels that I find amazing (e.g. Vsauce, veritasium, CGPGrey, minutephysics, DNews, PBSIdeaChannel, etc.), but I'll be sure to include a list directly to my subscriptions so you can dig around for yourself.
(Michael, Trace, Lacey, Anthony, Mike, and anyone else reading this from those channels... I find every one of your channels fascinating and hope my link to my subscriptions leads more viewers to you as well. Hank, John, and Destin were the ones responsible for leading me to you, so I thought I should mention them individually.)

As wonderful as the educational channels are, I have a few mostly-entertainment channels that I enjoy as well.
The Slow Mo Guys immediately come to mind. I have devoured every one of their videos and always look forward to more. (In fact, when Destin took a high-speed camera to Peru, I recognized the manufacturer and specs of the camera thanks to SloMoGuys Dan and Gav. Furthermore, I actually think it was Dan and Gav who eventually lead me to Destin's channel.)
Now, there is one comedic YouTube channel that stands out among the many others I view: Arturo Trejo's channel. I'd say more about it, but I think it's more fun to just go see for yourself.
Be sure to also check out the other comedy channels I subscribe to, such as Bad Lip Reading and Simon's Cat.

I find myself also enjoying a subset of entertainment videos, those having to do with entertainment reviews/commentary. At the top of my list is The Blind Film Critic, I think Tommy Edison does a noteworthy job of blending humor and his unique perspective on film.
There's also one of my long-time favorite channels by Adam Mader, which presents fun reviews of gaming as seen through the dillema of whether you should "Rent or Buy".

Now, after all of that praise to the educational and entertainment YouTube channels I enjoy, it's time to rave about the one specific channel that has excited me enough recently to make me want to write this article in the first place....
EpicTV
I often write about or mention the outdoor experiences in life which I crave. EpicTV definitely suits my adventurous side and has somehow managed to quell some of that craving, even when I'm staring at a computer screen. Admittedly, it can also be problematic.... I feel like a kid in a candy store as I watch ALL of the thrills I love unfold on-screen; I know that no matter how much I might want to do all of those things right now, I have to pace myself and enjoy what I can as I can.

Link to my YouTube channel subscriptions: http://www.youtube.com/user/IndianaTHart/about

Sometimes it can be overwhelming to see all of the videos stacked up in my feed, but as I start my way through them I'm reminded of why I put them there in the first place: the universe is so full of such wonder, beauty, and adventure. I feel privileged for the opportunities that I have had to enjoy some of it and I am grateful to my friends, family, and the many internet people listed above. All of you in my life, literally and digitally, sharing your adventures and knowledge with me, you inspire my passion and motivate me to seek adventure everyday.

Experience the challenge

I sometimes hear people remark at some of my adventures saying, "I could never do that." However, it's said that one person's heaven is another person's hell. I think every individual faces different challenges throughout life, as unique as the individual encountering them. In fact, we frequently see that not everyone considers the same things a "challenge". Afterall, what is a "challenge" really?

The word challenge carries many connotations. It could mean a call to action, a defiant stance, or even an expressed disagreement. However, there is another definition of the word "challenge" which stands out among the rest:

challenge - A test of one's abilities or resources in a demanding but stimulating undertaking.

That definition¹ reveals the internal struggle faced during a "challenge", whereas the others address only the external conflict. I think every challenge contains a component of that internal struggle, demanding some greater effort than is natural.

I once heard a climbing instructor illustrate the concept of challenge in a unique way. He drew two large concentric circles on the ground. Standing at the center of the circles, he explained that within the smaller circle was the "comfort zone"; a mind-set in which we feel safe and relaxed. He then stepped out of the smaller circle and into the next larger one. He pointed to the line of the outer circle and said that it represented the limits of safety, beyond that outer circle was the "danger zone". He then pointed to where he stood, within that outer circle, advising that he wanted the climbers mind-sets to stay there that day: outside their comfort zone, but within the realm of safety.

His demonstration touches on concepts studied in behavioral psychology. The "comfort zone" being a state in which a person is "anxiety-neutral". The "danger zone" being a state in which a person is reckless, where they are certain to injure themselves physically, mentally, or emotionally. It should be noted that dwelling, for a time, in the area between the two can be surprisingly advantageous.

In performance management studies, the zone between comfort and danger is called the "optimal performance zone". Beyond the comfort zone, the body's natural stress response enables a heightened level of concentration and focus. If the stress level is too high, a person has entered the danger zone and performance worsens and judgement is impaired. "The objective of the trainer or manager is to cause the person to enter the optimum performance zone for a sufficient period of time so that new skills and performance can be achieved and become embedded."²

So, a challenge can be sighted as anything which triggers a "stress response". Many people, such as myself, love the adrenaline rush of something new and exciting which pushes the body's physical limits. However, I don't consider those experiences my challenges. You see, I don't fear those experiences, I crave them and find comfort in them. Climbing a mountain, jumping out of a plane, camping in subzero weather; I find those experiences calming and familiar. I don't feel tested by them, I feel at ease. I've come to recognize that my challenges are internal.

The struggles I face come from within. Maintaining a healthy life-balance, cultivating friendships (not just acquaintanceship), silencing my self-doubt, and trusting the support of others when I feel vulnerable. It's extremely difficult for me to even list some of those points. For some, my challenges might seem small and simple, but the stress is very real for me and the fear can be undeniable. The good news is that I recognize that those struggles as my challenges.

For some time now, as has been noted in other articles, I have been focusing my energy on stepping out of my comfort zone and experiencing the challenges I encounter within. To be honest, it has not been an easy process. Were it easy, it would mean that I wasn't in that "optimal performance zone" of personal change and internal balance. So, when someone comments with amazement on something I do, I thank them and take a moment to compliment them on the things they do which I admire and find challenging.

We each have things which test our abilities and push us beyond the limits of our comfort. What I find comfortable may be unnerving for others. When I sense myself internally leaving my comfort zone, I consciously make an effort to evaluate what is triggering my stress and work through my fear. Regularly recognizing my challenges and stepping out of my comfort zone has become a significant "centering" exercise. It is also important to know and become with familiar with the limits of your zones.

During a avalanche awareness and training course, my instructor warned us that "problems occur when desire overcomes discretion". He was referring to the reduction in clear thinking when we become too focused on a specific goal or reward. We begin to ignore warning signs that we would otherwise recognize, if we kept a clear head. That's a serious problem, especially in life-threatening situation; that is when we have entered the danger zone. It's important to carefully evaluate the limits of a situation and define where the optimal performance zone ends and the danger zone begins.

While it's true that life is not measured by the breaths you take but by the moments that take your breath away, it's equally paramount to find a balance that allows you to keep breathing. Become aware of your challenges, embrace them as an opportunity to improve. Admire the heroes who find comfort facing the things you find difficult, show gratitude and offer encouragement to those who fear what you face. Remember, every person is a hero for facing the challenges they encounter in life.

---

¹ Challenge - The Free Dictionary
² "Comfort Zone" - Wikipedia

Saturn and a snow

April has been a rather aberrant month this year. Here in Colorado, we've experienced a second winter of sorts with a pair of significant snowstorms in the past few weeks. April has also brought with it some unnerving events for many people in the United States, as well as around the world. Looking beyond our planet though, April is also host to a few enjoyable astronomical occasions.


[Thanks to Neave's Planetarium!]

Tonight, April 25th, the planet Saturn will rise within 4 degrees of the full moon. It will hug our celestial satellite throughout the night for a wonderful viewing experience. You may want to bring out your telescope or a pair of binoculars to try and catch a glimpse of Saturn's rings.



Don't worry too much, if you're unable to catch a glimpse of Saturn tonight, the planet will be visible in the night sky for some time to come. Most notably on April 28th when it will be in opposition (directly opposite the Sun) and at its closest distance to Earth. Long time readers know how much I enjoy astronomy, so it should be no surprise that I will definitely be finding a great place to hike with my telescope and witness the wonders of the night sky.

---

2013-04-26@08:00:00 MDT UPDATE: Added a photo from my viewing of Saturn's rings last night. Taking a photo through a telescope lens does the beauty of the rings no justice.

Water is necessary

What do you need? What is essential to every day of your life? In the world of instant gratification, global communication, and relative safety, you might find yourself thinking that you "need" more than truly necessary: Food, Water, Shelter.

When I wrote the survival series, it was about educating people whose basic needs are met in their daily lives. My hope continues to be that those articles can be a helpful resource and provide the knowledge which could save lives in unexpected situations. However, today is Earth Day and I'd like to take a more globally aware view.


URL: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:D-P005_Kein_Trinkwasser.svg

There are far more people in this world who live in a state of basic survival need everyday than those whose needs are met. People lacking proper nutrition, basic safety/security, and the most basic life need: water. In my articles about the human population reaching 7 billion, I mentioned some statistics about water and sanitation.

Lack access to safe drinking water (1.1 billion): 17.74%
and/or
Lack access to basic sanitation (2.6 billion): 41.93%

Years ago, I briefly shared a video from charity:water about their projects to bring clean drinking water to people around the world. Two years ago, I saw another video from them that I've been thinking about since.

URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCHhwxvQqxg

The necessity of water to life is unmistakable, so too are the detrimental effects on the people and communities lacking clean water. Now and again, some people in the developed world are shocked into a life without basic needs (e.g. New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, New England after Hurricane Sandy, the disastrous Carnival Triumph cruise ship). It's in those situations that basic survival skills become the focus of every moment; imagine living always in that state. As the video notes, the time spent trying to meet our basic needs is time that can't be spent on developing ourselves and our community.

Not everyone has the resources, desire, or freedom to lend to the needs of others, but we all feel stress when our needs are being threatened. By keeping an awareness and empathy about that stress, maybe we can each make an effort to recognize and connect with others, helping to improve the overall human condition with the simplest kindness.

Groundhog Day 2013

Throughout the day today, I thought often of previous Groundhog Days and the experiences and enlightenment that came with them. As Groundhog Day 2013 comes to an end, I find myself thinking about the passage of time. Experience teaches us a great deal about ourselves and, given the right circumstances and encouragement, when can grow and learn everyday.

I continue to value and appreciate the lessons of my own journey -- some of which I have reflected on in recent articles -- and I am hoping and planning an exciting year ahead. However, I am also careful to temper that excitement with the recognition that I would not be able to have such opportunity ahead nor the appreciation of my journey without being mindful of who I am in the present.

By the time this article publishes, I will be watching "Groundhog Day" (again). Like Phil, of the film, repeating the same day countless times while learning to improve himself, I hope to continue to embrace the beauty of each day -- even its familiarity -- and mold myself into the man I want to be in my continued journey. And while I value the significance of this year, for me, I recognize that time continues on and everyday brings with it new growth and opportunity.

More than the summit

Much of our psychology and sociology is dedicated to studying and preserving existence. Throughout history, it appears as if humanity is determined to derive some purpose for life. I, personally, have spent a great deal of time and much thought trying to seek purpose in my life. However, the singular search for purpose seems so futile and the results, if any, are flimsy and fleeting.

Before I elaborate, let's start by addressing "purpose". The basic principle in the purpose of existence is as simple as Shakespeare: to be or not to be. Our purpose is to sustain ourselves, sustain our species, and to sustain the existence of all life. Everything else we construct, both mentally and as a society, is external to that basic premise.

Some philosophers have argued that the constructs beyond those "basic needs" are meaningless, pointless, and unnecessary. There was a time when I thought that way as well. Now, it seems, I had the wrong idea and I needed to alter my perspective a bit to see things differently.

The change in my view came as part of a larger shift in my thought and attitude. In hindsight, I can see the first public indications of that shift in my article "A midsummer's hike":

I love finding new and exciting experiences throughout the world, but I sometimes find myself pushing physically so hard toward some goal that I ignore what I'm feeling about the experience of getting there. I certainly enjoy the external aspects of the experience (e.g. beautiful views, incredible company, wondrous wildlife). I hope that this new approach to my pace will help me to be mindful of the internal experience as well.

The hike that day was spectacular. Not only did that small change in approach impact my overall enjoyment, the subtle shift caused some of the ripples which would slowly change my attitude and approach to life from then on.

So, what is it that we're really searching for in life? What is this internal drive that we all seem to feel at some point in our lives? Let's circle back to the idea that anything outside "purpose" is "meaningless". I would like to now argue in opposition. While those things necessary for sustaining existence are certainly essential, they are not substantial. And it is that substance that truly is "meaningful".

Reflecting on the shift I experienced during that hike and how it applies to the concepts of purpose and meaning, the relentless pursuit to achieve some goal (purpose) deadens the nuance (meaning) of the experience. It's foolish and dangerous to hike in ignorance of your environment, so too is it foolish to go through life without finding meaning in the experience.

As with the weather on a hike, it was an external influence that started the necessary change in my internal process and shifted my mindset. Had I not accepted that external influence, I may never have come to understand that while the basic essence of life defines what challenges we face in life, it is the substance in our lives that enriches how we approach those challenges. Sometimes things don't go as desired and you get rained on, but it would certainly be a less enjoyable experience if you wear your rain gear all the time.

The wonder of existence comes in finding the balance between preparing ourselves for the challenges while keeping our perspective open to the beauty. Do we push hard toward only one goal (e.g. the summit, the essence, to be or not to be), trampling both thorn and flower as we march? Or do we change our pace and shift our perspective, to better feel the substance (both painful and wonderful) of our existence?

Soaring through the stratosphere

The highest point on Earth is the summit of Mount Everest [wikipedia] at 8848 meters (29029 ft). The average cruising altitude of a commercial jet airplane is about a thousand meters higher at around 10000 m (≈33000 ft). On Monday, October 8th¹ Tuesday, October 9th² a date still to be determined³ Sunday, October 14th, Felix Baumgartner will step out of a specially designed capsule and freefall from over 37000 m (over 121000 ft). During his "Red Bull Stratos" jump, Felix will break quite a few records, including becoming the first person to pass the speed of sound (≈1200 km/hr) on a skydive.

In addition to the obvious awesome-factor, this event will hopefully aide in the advancement of space exploration. Felix will be wearing a "next generation" pressure suit, which might be useful to astronauts in future travels beyond our small planetary home. The detail of scientific data Felix's capsule and suit will gather will be helpful in the study of the atmosphere, spacecraft design, and the effects of such a "fall" on the human body.

As explained in this video [Red Bull Stratos], the whole event will be broadcast live by the Red Bull Stratos team in Roswell, New Mexico via 35 cameras. My appreciation of astronomy, high-adventure, and technology will certainly have me watching the broadcast with excitement. The path of our progress as a species was started with the single step of one person, a single step taken beyond the trail already made and supported by the people who walk by their side.

---

¹ 2012-10-06@07:00:00 MDT UPDATE: Mission postponed to 9 Oct, due to weather concerns.
² 2012-10-09@11:45:00 MDT UPDATE: Mission aborted during launch preparations due to wind conditions.
³ 2012-10-09@13:00:00 MDT UPDATE: Next weather window appears to be 14 Oct.

Getting a full slice of pie

Last year, I presented some information about the mathematical concept of "tau". Most importantly, I encouraged an educational focus toward the practical:

Keeping the students as the priority, certain "weird math" gets discarded. For example, did you know that a full pi radian angle is only 180°. If I were to use only pi to cut you a slice of pie that means you would only get half of what you asked for because a circle is really 2π. Using τ you would have access to the full 360°.

Today is again Tau Day and I would like to remind you to get that full slice of pie in your life. Use an open mind and the power of critical thinking to find the methods which expand your world-view.

As I've said in some fashion in other articles:

Never accept "because I said so"; find a better source, one which will help nurture your curiosity not belittle it. Explore the world around you, excite your mind with interest, accept the dynamic nature of "fact", and wonder at the beauty of information.

Vi has put together another fun video [YouTube] about Tau this year. As she says in the silly fun of her song:

"We get further from truth when we obscure what we say."

Tau is a simple and easy way to understand the math of circles. And, let's be honest, math is far to important to be overlooked because someone long ago decided to make it appear harder to conceptualize than it really is.

A midsummer's hike

Ten minutes after this article publishes, the June solstice of 2012 will occur (2012-06-20@23:10 UTC). As written in my "Survive in extreme temperatures" article published at the last solstice (December):

During a solstice, the "tilt" of the Earth is at its greatest angle in relation to its orbit around the Sun.

For astronomers, today's solstice marks the start of Summer in the Northern hemisphere. As much as I love astronomy, I prefer to view the seasons as we do our days: When the Sun is at its peak during the day, we say it is midday. In the same way, when the Sun appears at its Northern most in the sky, it is midsummer.

This midsummer marks the start of my primary hiking season. In fact, by the time this (automatically) publishes, my girlfriend and I should be well on our way to the location of our hike. We are both avid hikers year-round, but I've found that I most enjoy tackling larger summits during the warmer months.

During this hike, I am hoping to try something new. I have a tendency to push myself to find and maintain a constant pace while hiking; essentially, forcing myself to march up mountains. This time, I'm going to experiment with strategically changing the pace based on incline.

If we encounter a flat area, I hope to push myself slightly beyond a comfortable pace. When we encounter an incline I hope to slow myself to a pace below my comfort. I'm curious to observe the results on my overall performance. My goal is to keep the focus on comfort, not time or destination.

I love finding new and exciting experiences throughout the world, but I sometimes find myself pushing physically so hard toward some goal that I ignore what I'm feeling about the experience of getting there. I certainly enjoy the external aspects of the experience (e.g. beautiful views, incredible company, wondrous wildlife). I hope that this new approach to my pace will help me to be mindful of the internal experience as well.

Review: The Flinch

The Flinch by Julien Smith
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Flinch was an entertaining and enriching book and I am glad to have read it. I really enjoyed the light, fast-paced, and fun style of Julien Smith.

I have touched on the subject of fear in my blog and I had planned to circle back again to it again. The Flinch gave me some new inspiration, physiological experiments, and a different perspective for a familiar topic.

I enjoyed the book enough to devour its entire contents in one sitting. I like to imagine that Smith had originally written more, taking us further beyond the comfort of everyday, but the editors simply flinched.

View all my reviews