Reading List : Survey answered as requested

I was touched when I was approached for my blogs to be put on to the Reading List, for this to happen, I had to provide survery of my blogs, so here are my answers :)

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Questionnaire follows:
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A1 - Who are you?
My name is Paul Burden and these blogs are my discoveries in various interests I wish to understand and maintain, also to encourage my grammer as most of my first posts may have the odd grammer problem, which I eventually fix.

Originally I made the alias "z0manifest" to keep email spam at bay, 'non manifestation' and another way to think of it is, 'zero manifest'. Later shortened it to z0man for my online friends. The idea for the alias came from seeing another friend's alias.

Back in 2005 I was originally very cautious and scared of being open and sharing my thoughts online, blogging was very new, then in 2007 having suffered and still am suffering from mental health issues, decided to utilize my blogs to keep my interests up as well explore new avenues.

A2 - What is the title of your blog? (Please provide a link or URL)
I have several actually, in order of creation (Top being the first)

Tech/Geek Corner
Personal Corner
Blender Moments
Game Experiences
z0man's Dev
Political Thoughts
z0man's Parkour

A3 - When did you write your first post?
January 2005

Back in my young naive years, a close friend of mine came round and we drank beer, watched videos, experimented with his new small camera gadget and then became amused at the orbs from the random camera shots we took.

A4 - How many posts have you written in total?
As of now including this one, around 253

B1 - What are your main areas of interest?
Everything you see in my links and labels at my personal corner blog.

B2 - Do you have any political interests you wish to promote? - If yes, please describe:
Encourage openness and thinking outside the box, shame the corrupt.

B3 - Do you have any commercial interests you wish to promote? - If yes, please describe:
At the moment only this free social web application called shared-cookbook. Not sure how long the site will last unless I get more support. I hope to develop the site a little further to support financial estimates of shopping.

B4 - Do you have any other areas of interest you wish to tell other people about? - If yes, please describe:
I enjoy seeing new inspiring creations, such as websites, games and films.

C1 - What are your connections with Reading?
After leaving the Royal Navy my father was very keen to get me interested and working with computers, also he knew that the job aspects in Scotland was not so bright. Having found out that Berkshire is meant to be Silicon Valley of the UK, he decided to settle the family down south (Not sure how true that is now).

Practically lived in Reading all my life, accept for 2 years of it was in the US . Yes I tried to live in the US, my deepest love for someone turned complicated, learnt various lessons, split on a mutual agreement and still friends, enough said there.

C2 - What do you think is the best thing about Reading?
Reading Bus Service.

C3 - What do you think is the worst thing about Reading?
Too many pubs.

C4 - How would you like to see Reading change in the future?
less pubs and more cheap fun reactional physical activties such as, bowling, archery, and shooting people with pretend laser guns.

Would you be interested in participating in future Reading List Blog Network initiatives?
Yes :)

Time to Change!!!

WOW!!!! A campaign called, "Time to Change" costing roughly £18 million to help break the myths of mental health!!! Never thought I'd see such a campaign highlighting Mental Health problems.

The article stating the launch is here.

I Over excited myself....

After a meeting with this volunteer opportunity, their organization is the dream find for me, they treated me to lunch :)

Spent the last day planning and writing up any possible interesting features we could add to a web service, a couple of nice ideas popped out during our meeting so they have been slapped into the plan ^^.

I was so pumped that day I exhausted myself the next day, even fell physically ill that day too (oops). I've calmed down and waiting for their feedback on my recent plan updates, even showed them logo design ideas.

I have to get two references and a police check, the organization deals with people of a young age group. Bonus, I will be working on a new machine, be seeing people on and off in the office and they buying my lunch and travel expenses! Course I still have to wait for their feed.

On top of providing a web service for them, I hope to enlighten their organization with open source solutions (They seem very intrigued).

New Project Getting Pumped Up

Didn't think I'd ever see the day where I'd be so pumped about a new project like this before.

The Meeting
No Internet but after a chat, showed them Open-source software, shared some of my thoughts how the site should function, they seem happy with me.

Pumped Up
After the meeting, went into hyper mode planning more features not yet finalized.
Hopefully the organization can me on track, going to share a plan file together see :P

NEVER RUSH!!!
Can't go rushing into anything even if things are pumped up.
I know the people I spoke had this "Pumped Up" feeling too.

RULE 1
Don't get any Web host until the site main core features are fully implemented and tested :P

Prepare for a Shock

The Iceman - watch more funny videos

I also finally managed to stop laughing at this and figured out who created the funny "Masters of the Internet" video clips. The guy who created it is non other than Peter antencio

Inspiring person that Peter.

Supportive Sites

Horsesmouth
Very open place covering many topics of our lives. From workplace and family, to learning and finding new career paths.

http://www.horsesmouth.co.uk/

My Best Advice: Young Low

BBC has published yet another interesting article with unemployment.

'Working, what's the point?'

Shows two young people under 25 struggling get back into work, low and depressed.
I can understand they low moods, they have to mentally push themselves out of it.

"Can't work", "no one will hire me".

My Advice to Those two people in the Article.
Stop smoking
This will aid in saving up for further travelling expenses possibly.
To get to the courses.
Use all resources available for quiting, getting close friends/family to remind why you try trying to quit, start taking patches, use the non-smoking clinics.
Apparently takes 90 days to give up a human addiction (+10 days to be safe).

Stop watching the TV
This causes your brain to go into passive mode and become less active. Use the Internet more constructively to exercise the mind, encouraging yourself to explore other interests online.
Learn something new on the internet also. http://www.reddit.com/ is a nice place to start.

Stay healthy as best you can
Eat healthy, Drink healthy, happy body, happy mind.
Remind yourself to get into some daily routine and exercise, possibly arrange some activity with friends. Like walking somewhere on just a lunch.

Never give up trying either
If you ever feel low, speak to someone don't bottle it up, even it means chatting to people online you have never even met face to face.

Young People Disturbed

1 in 10 young people find life meaningless.

Yes not being in work or education can be depressing too :( I sure hope they have access to the Internet and use it to it's full extent. Yes everyone who suffers these symptoms require every support possible to curb it.

Even though this is bad news for young people, including myself having experienced some episodes. Any article relating to "mental health" is always encouraging and inspiring for me to try and help in some way.

• I regularly devote some of my time, chatting to mentally troubled people online.
• I try to encourage people to try new things and being open about issues.
  
• I research and suggest ways to treat these symptoms.
• I like to enlighten people who are poorly educated about these issues.
• I was inspired to make a website from these issues (more will come).

Full article here. This young person is an example of positive attitudes, change.

UPDATE
Believe I have what I am looking for and it is called, "Reading Refocus".
They seem very open and they like to also think different and try new things like I have.
They are looking for someone who to help update their website.
Possibly a mentor in technologies for people.
So this sounds like a gold mine for me.
I will look forward to this :)
I have butter flies now...
Didn't think I'd ever find a volunteer opportunty like this.

UPDATE2
Argh nothing is going to happen till the 19th Jan, I have to be paitent here! ? Good comes to those who wait. ^^. The person I am to meet about this opportunity, has a cold :(

Cluttered House Despite Self Clean Image

This news article caught my eye. Unfortunity he died and been laughed at paramedic (aparently). I strongly believe he fell down due to his parents passing away.

What was interesting to note, despite his untidy house and cluttered mess, he still managed to keep himself looking tidy, clean and smart for when he left his house!!

See the article here.