Renaissance Club - formally Weekly Brainstorming Sessions

Taiwan Living in Taiwan
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Loretta - I don’t think I was being very clear. When I said I was “critical” but in a good way, that means critical in its original sense of the word - that meaning analytical, finding something’s good and bad points, and working towards building consensus on resolving an idea’s weaknesses. If I were nothing but a negative Nelly, I wouldn’t have become…well, suffice it to say I wouldn’t lead the life I now lead. Nor would I have so many people seeking my advice.

But I am practical, reasonable, and very grounded. I like imagining things, but I don’t really enjoy fly-by-night schemes that don’t get off the ground. I’m also a person who gets things done. I start something. I finish it. I see plans through. So, when I do resolve to do something, I like to be sure it’s doable.

Basically, then, I’m not suitable to be part of a group that’s going to sit around discussing their grand business schemes.

What I am is a Renaissance Man, as MK mentioned. My life is multi-faceted and often fascinating. I interact with a plethora of interesting people and projects on a regular basis.

Anyway, I think I’m going to stick to doing what I do best - that being interacting with people on a one-on-one or very small group basis. That model works best for me. So fear not, Loretta and others, I don’t think you’ll be seeing me at the Brainstorming Club. Your ideas are safe from me! :wink:

Incidentally, I think the Ignore button is one of Forumosa’s strengths. Let’s say you’re in a bar, and you’re standing next to someone you don’t like. Are you forced to talk to him? No, you can move. That’s what the Ignore button allows. Life is not a democracy. In leisure settings, not everyone has a right to our attention, but we do have the right to choose the people with whom we wish to interact.

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[quote=“elektronisk”]Miltown;

We talked about a group something like this at Ironman’s b-day but it was more aimed at learning new things or skills from each other and outside “experts” (i.e. computer music, 3-d, film editing, martial arts, etc.).[/quote]
OK, after a week of thought and talking to some people, I decided I’m going to take the road elektronisk and I talked about traveling. My ma asked me how my club was going this morning and she added some more things to the pot.

This is going to be code named “Renaissance Club”.

I see it going pretty much the way elektronisk broke it down. Someone from within the group or outside will be the day’s expert and we’ll all learn some new cool thing. That means that the focus will be different every week, but that focus will be totally dedicated to one topic.

The location will be determined by whatever we’re doing for the week. If it computer something, my house wouldn’t be bad since I have WiFi and all that, but, if we were cooking Japanese food, my kitchen just wouldn’t cut it.

I’ll come up with a topic for next week to be held at my place (probably some technical something, or maybe not, could be Taiji). And we’ll keep it going. Anyone can post here to suggest a topic or volunteer to lead one. If someone suggests one (and it sounds good) I’d try to hunt down an “expert.”

These will be like workshops with a pretty good set start and finish time as well.

Me ma also suggested doing things like watching a movie and discussing them (not Hollywood movie’s :wink:). One she told me about today was called “What The Bleep”.

I figure these things would be what, like 3 hours or so depending on what we did that day.

The BrainStorming is still going on today :smiley: Already got one guy here (looks like it might turn into beer and video games though). Oh! It just just turned into a trip to blueapple.com.tw/aboutus_blueapple.htm .

When we get back it’ll be beer and video games :smiley:.

How’s that sound?

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Hey, Miltownkid, I’ve got a great idea for your brainstorming club. I don’t know if you’ve been following the thread re lenses made from ice. You could start a fire with and ice lens and when you’ve got it going you could melt the ice of the lens to make tea for the members of the brainstorming club. First you use ice to make fire, and then you use the fire to boil the lens. It’s got to make people think outside the box.

trackertrail.com/survival/fi … mice2.html

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I would love to join you guys when If I live in Taipei again.

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OK, up for this weekend will be swimming hosted by me. More details to come (location/time).

I’ll go through the 4 strokes with tips and stuff. This might be a good way to kick start that weekly swimming you’ve been wanting to do :wink:.

It’ll most likely be a pool in Yonghe. I’ll also try to get a list of pools together from all the different threads and sites I’ve found thus far.

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Could you brainstorm until you find a pool that allows boardshorts? I don’t feel like waxing.

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Wow, there sure is a lot of “digital self-stimulation” going on in here, if you get my drift.

Anyway.

I’m definitely keen, work schedule permitting, on joining in on some of these meetups.

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Attention citizens!

Since the R Club is about the R and not about the $ or the :loco: Ideas, I’ll be there this Saturday. The pool venue was my idea, after all. :sunglasses:

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[quote=“Jefferson”]Attention citizens!

Since the R Club is about the R and not about the $ or the :loco: Ideas, I’ll be there this Saturday. The pool venue was my idea, after all. :sunglasses:[/quote]
Danger Will Robinson! Danger! (If I was asked what that was suppose to mean, I wouldn’t have an answer).

What time should we do this? It’s either got to be giga early (like 6:30 as was suggested by someone) or in the afternoon. I was leaning toward giga early :slight_smile:.

Some more info.

Tickets will be 100NT. I’ll post a whole thing in the Envents forum later on today.

Someone recommend a time.

I’ll be sure to ask about the board shorts. I think they should be OK. Those kind of shorts are good for doing lap swimming because of the added resistence.

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6:30 in the morning? I think the pool would have to be full of naked hula dancers to get me up that early. :noway:

Afternoonish sounds like a plan! :slight_smile:

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Actually most pools don’t allow board shorts. Bloody hell who knows why…
I want to relearn how to do the turn…

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[quote=“twonavels”]Actually most pools don’t allow board shorts. Bloody hell who knows why…
I want to relearn how to do the turn…[/quote]
That’s mostly cause they don’t think they’re swim suites I think. You could be fully clothed if you talked them into letting you be.

You mean a flip-turn?

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A brainstorm session by a pool? We can sunbathe, drink, AND do something productive? I like this idea…

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[quote=“miltownkid”]
You mean a flip-turn?[/quote]

Yep, I used to be able to do it both ways, but it appears that cellulite floats.

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If I shave my head do I still need to buy a plastic beany?

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I have to say, though, board shorts, or at least my board shorts, suck as far as surfing goes for the same reason. Resistance when you are trying to match the speed of a wave is the last thing you want. I find surfing much easier when I am just wearing a rash shirt and my swimsuit.

Speaking of which, I have an idea, just to toss around for now. Can I come to the next meeting to share it? I’ve been dying for an audience since it struck me in Bali my last day there.

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Sure thing. I’ve been a little busy this week, but this Saturday I’m going back to just “Brainstorming With Beer” (or Jolly Ranchers :wink:).
It’ll be a set time too. 2pm-6pm Saturday for anyone interested (just PM me or whatnot). I don’t think I have quite enough time to organize what I want to do next.

What’s next you ask? I’m going to organize a golf outing. I love hitting the balls, and I remember reading that others did too. :smiley: It’d just be at a driving range, but maybe sometime in the future I’ll setup a trip to an actual course to put the balls in the holes.

And for the following week I plan on doing a little Taichi (Taiji) seminar thing. This Sunday I’m finally going to make it out to the old association that I practiced with to see if I can bring some people by (shouldn’t be a problem). Then maybe we can go talk Taichi somewhere over lunch.

Golf and Taichi could possibly get switched (Taichi, next week and golf a little later on).

I have a couple pictures from last week’s swimming outing, I’ll get them up somewhere sometime soon.