Michael Anuzis » Thought

Mike Anuzis, Died in World War II.

anuzis — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 03:31:02 +0000

I didn’t know there was another Mike Anuzis… Apparently he died in World War II… His name is engraved on a memorial in Georgetown, Illinois. I’d like to visit one day to pay my respects.

Thoughts on Life & Death (Cont.)

anuzis — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 00:04:44 +0000

If you haven’t seen Randy Pausch’s ‘Last Lecture’ where he shares his thoughts on life & death, you’re missing out. I couldn’t agree more with his approach to making the most of life despite a rapidly impending death.

I’ve embedded Randy’s full lecture below (1h 15m)

Some of you may prefer this shortened (12 min) version he provided on Oprah.

& for some different thoughts with the same aim, you might enjoy this podcast where I share some of my personal strategies for keeping it positive despite impending death. Enjoy!

WANTED: Sustainable Gifts

anuzis — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 03:20:17 +0000

Giving an undesired gift used to be considered better than nothing. “At least it’s thoughtful, right?” Not anymore, at least not in my book.

The question is all over the place, “Is consumerism sustainable?” In its current form the answer is clearly no. Now, not only are you giving someone a random object that will take up space, you’re potentially giving them a guilt trip for wasting natural resources on their behalf. How thoughtful!

Here’s a suggestion: Give your friends and family a gift that will keep on giving. One that can be immediately converted to cash if they so choose, but that is more likely to give them a warm feeling inside for the next 8-12 months… at which point they can re-use it for the same warm feeling, or withdraw it for that cash if it turns out they need it… with the cycle continuing endlessly. Now there’s a great gift!

To those of you who insist on giving me gifts, the #1 thing on my wish list would be Kiva gift certificates to help grow my portfolio. Thanks & happy gift giving!

Daily Self Evaluation – 2005

anuzis — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 00:08:05 +0000

While feeling introspective, I dug up my Daily Self Evaluation from 2005. I recall going strong on this for a while, but eventually stopping because it was too cumbersome.

I’ve spent a good amount of time rethinking this and am going to take a stab at something better…

Personal Constitution – 2005

anuzis — Wed, 12 Sep 2007 23:58:31 +0000

This particularly introspective day led me to dig up my old Personal Constitution from 2005. While I’ve stopped looking at this constitution every day, it’s interesting to see how stable my views have remained:

Personal Constitution of Michael Anuzis

Article I. Core Values

1. Humor; The human race has one really effective weapon, and that is laughter.
2. Unwavering Ethical Alignment; Although bending to such pressures may bring loss and suffering in the short term, the long term implications of a firm ethical stance far outshine short-term benefits. ‘Unwavering ethical alignment’ is further defined as:
– Not violating ethics for personal gain
– Not violating ethics to avoid personal suffering
– Not turning a blind eye to the violation of others
3. Beginner’s Mind; I keep a beginner’s mind in all matters. As soon as the mind of a beginner is lost learning will slow, ignorance will build, and the mind will atrophy.
4. Optimism; I am an optimist by choice. With effort it is always possible to see the good in something.
5. Integral View; I will never take a firm stance on an issue without exploring both sides of the argument. The truths of both sides should be acknowledged in all things.

Article II. General Values

1. Integrity; If I say it will be done, it will be done.
2. Simplicity; I value a simple lifestyle.
3. Wealth; The concentration of wealth while others starve should be a source of shame.

Article III. Interpersonal Relationships

1. Non-complacency; It is important to maintain a healthy respect and appreciation of those I interact with.
2. Non-Smothering; People should feel comfortable parting ways with me.
3. Superficiality; I am not superficial under any circumstances.
4. Friendship; I will not deny friendship to anyone.

Article IV. Habits & Behaviors

1. Meditation; I sit in meditation for at least 10 minutes daily.
2. Kung Fu/Tai Chi; I practice a five Kung Fu forms and one rotating Tai Chi loop per day.
3. Introspection; Investment of time with the greatest returns.
4. Mentors; I maintain a minimum of 5 mentors from whom I strive to adopt their strong points.
5. Life & Death; I live each day as though it is my last. I will accept death as it comes, and will have no regrets.

Thoughts on Death

anuzis — Sat, 26 May 2007 21:06:38 +0000

Death is often associated with fear and suffering. In this short podcast I debase the common reasons and make the argument for a jolly old time. Let’s start on your deathbed and ask some casual questions from there.