2024 Holiday Season Closure

 I began reading a new book called "Teach Your Kids to Code: A parent-friendly guide to python programming" by Bryson Payne from no starch press in San Francisco, and excited to run some of the programs. I downloaded Python, but the window to run the code in goes absent. Hopefully, there's no cringing moment later on this in regard to maintaining the health of my download history. 

I finished reading another book by Joe Schmit called "Silent Impact: Stories of influence through purpose, persistence, & passion" which is a local debut to me. The small town shop I purchased it in is mentioned in the book and is signed. I recall now that I just wanted to check the price but ended up buying it. Good read and motivator to continue pursuing a publishing of my own. 

The last 10K I did this year was with Appleton's and Miron Company's "Fox Valley Marathon" where I did a tribute to my late mother, in regard to Cancer Research and Treatment. It was amazing and I am looking forward to next year's race already!

During this year, I received my Robotics Certificate, survived ASP.NET MVC and Entity Framework and refueled my interest/ambition with C# and the .NET Framework, and best of all - I learned of a specialty to pursue as an Embedded Software Developer working with machines and environments for AI. 

Hopefully you're warm, safe, and enjoying the holiday spirit!

__Mischief

 This is a review after reading the Green Bay Press-Gazette's headliner from the August 18, 2024 Sunday newspaper: America has a happiness problem by Natalie Eilbert from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Happiness and the Human Ecology

I had some questions arise about the data collected in the studies for enacting prompt response entrusting the common definitions we declare in happiness. 

Firstly, the data, what is it based from?

Socioeconomic factors were considered along with surveys that were written as a foundation for basing the research collected by health organizations (on youth, mental issues, suicide rates) along with the Healthy Minds program at UW-Madison application used to collect data to analyze the overall healthy state of its users. Alongside local efforts, a global "Happiness Report" is conducted with International data to compare with the continuous research of the well-being of its citizens. 

Secondly, the time period, was it considered?

The technology, time period, and age were big factors of this article. The age group that was determined unhappy fell within the range of teenager to middle-aged groups. Seniors were considered their happiest at the present time in comparison. 

I read this and immediately gravitated to the technological gap and luxury relaxing and aiding in their lifetimes. More time, less damage to health, expense reduction, consumer promoted societal standards, and better health distributions in food, inspection, and agriculture practices overall. Their happiness definitions would include these factors. 

However, the younger generations who seem to have base lined through the last couple of decades since their birth may not have felt drastic change like the previous generations. The first global catastrophe drastically altered life paths of many in their generation. If we could compare this to other global impacts, they were the least in danger and yet have suffered severe withdrawal habits that have altered their sense of reality and reaction. Not all were damaged during this time but the tremendous amount of loss (death) from Covid-19, loss of income, loss of a sense of footing in what was definitive to prosperity had changed their outlook on life after. They did not have back-up plans, they did not have savings, they did not have money for death arrangements, they did not have a plan on this alternative route. Everyone suffered a little bit and if they were not accustomed to it, felt the damage of it emotionally. 

Thirdly,  what does happiness attribute best with before Covid-19 and after?

Before Covid-19, happiness was a future projection of the American dream. College, Career, Marriage, Home, Family, Retirement. This was an undisturbed foundation that we based our happiness from. If you did not have it in this order, you would not be able to attain respectable accomodations inclusive to leadership qualities. Those that continued without this order, were adept to recover from Covid-19 and coped well in my opinion. With so much time on our hands, in my community, drug issues rose very drastically. Revenue became unstable and unsupportive which threatened the resources created from it which sparked panic (later an eye-opener for present state and future states we did not know we were unprepared for that happened sooner for us to adjust). Another issue in the happiness factor was realizing our living standards had receded into larger groups and bigger family spaces to support each other in a traditional sense. It does give the insightful recoil of pressure to violate the law to remain masculine in some mentalities rather than resort to parental adobes as well. 

After Covid-19, there is much repair. It has cost recovery, healing, and maintaining health to another degree for those affected by drug use. There's no change in the revenue but the time off had sped up technological advances that are cost ensuing to the gaming industry (and other online services, languages, platform performance and preferred services to integrate for security, features, new standards). Some thrived in the virtual office and work place around the world which began an exclusive competitive gain in the down-time that is being revealed to us slowly now that the offices have opened up and are regularly staffed. Happiness now is with those that overcame and persisted. 

Lastly, is happiness defined within us properly?

Happiness has been a huge beneficial factor in my personal life. To ignite a passionate love and let happiness in personal endeavors flicker its colors while its created light burst achevements to continue and celebrate have helped in dissolving a relationship. To want happiness for each other and support each other's strive for it was key. It wasn't reciprocated but the idea of it was enough. Happiness is a contentful stage of civility to uppend life luxury to be a productive citizen of no concern to changing it. If we understand our place as what creates our happiness by our actions we will value it. If we understand the comparison of others we see them as taking advantage of their own opportunities. That lifts the comparison beyond a doubt into an inactive state to prolong the life of happiness. 

When we measure emotions with questions and evaluate this data, the influences of our life affect our definitive responses and we are accetable to range to qualify our responses. If we could program happiness based on our technological profiles, profession, events, charitable contributions, services, programs of health, and profiles on social media - we would be more self-conscious in those decision-makings. Voila! Happy as we see fit. 

The age group affected in this study require more attention to define their self (also part of the article in defining the types of happiness they were looking for - purposeful being the lack of needed in life declarations). It's the American identity that is beginning to form in the happiness studies in comparison to the world. We are slowly dropping our satisfaction in life and our traditional identities are maintaining as usual. What are we doing wrong? What do they want that have no words or idea for? What are we missing in our eclectic public of good manners and customer serviceship? 

I think the scope from which we learn (mainly European descendency) is beginning to see the first steps of monoculturalism and want to reinforce a life support in happiness to shape a new culture of the future. But, what is it? 

I just want to recommend Tsha Tewahsana for inter-tribal lineages and future blended ascendants of Indigenous perspectives to trust in individualism by working towards these goals as a professional in your career field. It is an option, evaluate your intake, and perform for yourself until you discover your higher attained purpose (usually the mid-life crises). It's something in us that begins to die, preparing our belief, strengthening them, and reinforcing old wounds by addressing our personal dominance throughout our life. 

www.tshatewahsana.org

__Mischief

Consumer Habits Part III

A small contribution of consumerism in Native America from __Mischief!

Designed By __Mischief

I have experience in silk screen printing by hand (college course supplied), sewing, beading, and upcycling clothes I already own into repaired pieces to continue until I throw them out - delaying the next purchase as far as I can. The designing process for clothes has to be the most enjoyable skill to possess in any creative coot's toolbox. The best recommendations come from the eccentric, eco-sustainable, and versatile products that you must consider before purchasing. 

1. A small battery box operated wire light. This can double into night-running gear, multiple dress designs (use white or light fabric) and can be versatile for almost any other function you need lights for. The battery pack is decent, I am thinking there's going to be a smaller battery pack in the near future, but until then, a AA size for two is the best (and affordable that I can find). String Lights Link Here (Amazon)!

2. Sewing Patterns: Pick the simple pattern you can modify as you sew. The more complex, the more designed by that pattern you must stick with. Besides using funky pattern change-ups and adding embellishments the pattern can be changed based on having this simple template to follow. Adding cut-outs also works. This might be an obvious addition, but let's encourage your designer self first by making a mistake and saving that idea/hack on how you recovered that time well spent. Sewing Pattern SERP

3. Headdress designs. I have been trying to design a headdress that I can wear daily and gaining a collection in something masculine rather feminine. I also tread lightly on ceremonial headdress designs as needing an actual person to develop with. What I can do, I try blending contemporary with futuristic blends to satisfy my lineage but also to establish the artistic measures as an inter-tribal blended person (multiple tribal affiliations). There aren't any guidelines as to how traditional regalia changes, it just does as the person creates something in their background history and affluence to their cultural right. As future continues to greet us, we will be seeing more blended regalia out there. 

Try remaining an original style with any blended versions - they can insult us if not done properly. Try starting at any base and working your way upwards with something small until an accomplishment can be recognized for your designs. 

4. Ribbon Skirts. So fun, affordable, and fast to make. Spring and Summer Seasons and with the right leggings Fall to Winter can provide designs made by you a life to breathe in unity of continuation. I have seen many and continue to enjoy witnessing these designs. I like to bunch the sides of my ribbon dresses and pin them or sew by the knee (for larger women especially) to give a shape to them that hugs and accentuates curves. Above the knee must have a gathered fabric to poof out and over while being cinched. 

5. Consider your region. I enjoy Woodland styles of clothing, which require a sense of "squaw" dress/shirts and the Iroquoian cuts of long-sleeve dress shirts that flutter. Adding wood embellishments, antler buttons, and upcycling velvet with waistlines from jeans or calico holds that offer an optimal fashionable statement. There are other variations to consider, floral medicinal beadwork, satchels, quiver burned wood and leather carry cases, the basket purse, and silver jewelry. Of course - Always keep a pair of moccasins fresh! 

Consumer Habits To Try

Always buy pants first. The season to start fresh is with the pants, then the capris, then the shorts, and finally the waistline for the skirts. Always buy something you are comfortable and secure with in the waist! 

Extra cash means stocking up on extra fabric and supplies for designing clothes with. This does include going to the local thrift store and checking out the largest sizes for fabric purposes. You may not want to wear those big t-shirts but you can upcycle them. (I once remade an uncle's hawaiian shirt into a dress shirt with ribbons on it with pins on the side to form a figure with the fabric and original shirt!)

Scarves and hats with long beads/shells. Stay natural. If you can find a good hat, go for it. Keep it out of the sun (it does fade the material). Scarves can be used for multiple things if you buy it big enough. They can transform into vests, headwear, and trail along the backside if you tuck it in a belt and let it hang like a peahen. 

Wear a jacket with a different style while buttoning them up all the way to not buttoning it at all. Wear the article in all forms to get the maximum style out of its design. 

Last but not least - throw it away. Don't save everything. It is okay if you cannot bear to look at it any further. Letting articles go does relieve space and time to continue using it. Move on!

As I continue to live on a budget during my collegiate battles into a career - I will continue to post what helped my style during this time. When you can - the best advice is to go back to the basic foundations of style and design by creating your own. Learn to sew, thrift, and bargain as young as possible and rely on it as often as possible. 

__Mischief