Alriightttyyy!

Enough of all this bullshit - it’s time to resume training!  I’ve resumed my OBE and EM training, and it feels good to do something :-).  I’ve decided to start holding weekly practice sessions with the geiger counter as well.  Every Sunday, at 7pm EST, feel free to meet in the geiger counter chat room, and we can mess around collectively with the geiger counter.  I’ve added a timer to the page that counts down to the next practice session, so you know exactly when it will happen.

So, see you Sunday!

Hey everyone!

Per request of SheepKing, I decided to make game based on influencing my Geiger Counter!

Check it out, and let me know if you have any problems or suggestions.

Alrighty!

I’ve updated the look of ALW, along with adding some forums!

The look badly needed an upgrade.  The old layout was made as a temporary placeholder, and was a little bland.  The new is similar, except it looks more bad ass, and has bigger buttons.

I decided to add the forums for two reasons.

1. Some people were using the Video Board as a forum, and just posted multiple replies to get their message across.  I figured that would happen, and didn’t attempt to prevent it, because communication is good :-P.

2. Forums create a wonderful community feeling, which I don’t think was really captured with the Video Board.  I had hoped people would post videos of themselves, but I learned just as everyone else did - it takes a lot of effort to make even a simple video.  And a lot of people really don’t want to broadcast themselves over the internet for everyone to see.  Fair enough :-).

I scripted the new forums from scratch, because I didn’t feel like hacking around bloated forum packages found online (compare my script, 1,100 lines of code, to SimpleMachines, with 59,000 lines of code).  I’ll be adding more features over time, and if you have any suggestions, just let me know.

Other than that, I hope everyone enjoys the updates!

I was thinking…

I enjoy this site :-). In my mind, it’s a success.

I’m glad people are using the video board, and it’s fun to see what videos people post. I always watch them and read the replies, though I don’t always reply. The most requested feature seems to be an Edit button - I’ll probably add that soon.

The lottery game gets it’s fair share of use, though it’s dieing down a little bit. I was using it as a “warm up” before picking numbers, but my current strategy strictly forbids any form of “warm up”, so I’m not using it as much right now. Either way, I want to create more games for people to play with. I’m not sure exactly what the games will be, but I like having the statistics viewable to the public, so everyone can see how each other are doing. Maybe I’ll add a card game of some sort…

I enjoy the blog, but I do want to add some form of permanent content. Not just a stream of consciousness from me :-P. I’m not sure exactly how I want to accomplish this, or what permanent content I want to have, but the feeling is there :-). I always read the comments and internalize peoples’ questions and suggestions. Adding a comment to the latest blog entry is a better way to ask questions than sending me an e-mail. I have a hard time keeping up with my e-mail.

For December, ALW is averaging 390 unique visits/day. Our peak was August at 455/day, and last month at 419/day. We’ve been hovering around these values since June. My goal is not to attract random people to the site, but I do like to attract intelligent people who have experience in the weird topics we discuss. Eventually, I hope to attract people to the site who didn’t come here via PsiPog.net - not because I want to shy away from PsiPog.net, only because I want ALW to stand on it’s own feet. Alexa ranks ALW at 1,325,716th most popular site on the web :-). PsiPog.net is currently at 220,160th, by comparison.

I feel ALW now has an identity. We have a solid chunk of content and unique features that defines what ALW is all about. My next project will probably be to add another game or two, and then work on some non-blog content. Maybe spruce up the design a little bit (that large blank area to the right of the logo is really annoying :-P).

A huge thank you goes out to everyone who is reading this right now :-). I know a lot of people didn’t like the idea of archiving PsiPog.net, and creating ALW (I still get e-mails to this day about it) - but it was a big step up. So thank you for reading the blogs, using the video board, and playing around with the lottery game. And thanks of course for the honest feedback, which I always listen to :-). I hope to expand ALW for the new year by adding creative and unique features to the site, and developing strong content. Thanks again!

Also… if you didn’t notice, I updated the logo for the holiday season. If the website has an orange banner at the top, then hit Refresh on your browser :-).

I made a lottery game, to play with online. Check it out here:

Lottery Game

Let me know if you find any bugs or weird behavior. Happy fake winning!

EDIT: I’ve added more features. I about scared myself shitless with this result as well - winner: 03 11 26 36 40 [16], my ticket: 03 18 24 36 41 [15]. So close!

I get a lot of e-mails. I read them all, and I always feel bad when I don’t reply to one. So I’m going to reply to some of the shorter ones here.

Hi Sean,
I’ve read your blogpost about extending your blog to a community website
this morning. I’ve been thinking about this a while and came up with the following
idea.

…

My idea was to let everybody create their own blog inside of your
community, where they can express themselves and write about weird
stuff, experiences, etc. To an initial post, one must be able to write a
response (again, cf. youtube) in one’s own blog.

This is now kept very short, but can be developed to a whole
community-system. I like the idea and it may serve ALW’s purpose.

Finally, I want to thank you for your blog as it contains some valuable
thinking.

See you,
kiepmad

That is an interesting idea that I may use at some point. I thought about doing something similar back when PsiPog was active, but never got around to it. I like the idea of people talking about weird experiences they’ve had in one central location, because that makes it easy to start categorizing and studying phenomenon - seeing when two people experience the same thing, and they couldn’t have influenced each other - etc. Good idea… I may do this one day…

Hi Sean.I have a question that i really want answered.here it goes:
when your trying for an OBE do u have to try to leave your body,or does it happen by itself?if you answered it would be highly appriciated.
Thanks,Ian

Some OBEs happen completely by accident and you don’t have to try at all. However, if you want to induce an OBE, then you will have to put forth some effort. The effort is usually in the form of progressive relaxation (meditation) technique. You can find some how-to information on both PsiPog.net and in the How-To category on this site.

Or… you might be asking: do you have to try and leave your body after the progressive relaxation? Meaning - after all that stuff, and you are on the border-line… do you have to actually TRY to leave at that moment? The answer to this is: usually no. Sometimes yes. But most of the time (especially when you’re first starting out), you’ll almost “stumble” upon the right state of mind, and find yourself out of body. A lot of my OBEs I didn’t even realize I was out of my body at first. I certainly was trying to have OBEs, but I wasn’t specifically trying at that exact moment, so I wasn’t expecting it. (Hopefully that makes sense :-P).

So I remember that post you wrote a while back about how you were waiting around to win the lottery to start doing all the things you really wanted with your life. I think SteveP’s current article jives pretty well with what you were writing about…

http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2007/08/a-better-life/

Enjoy, if you haven’t already seen it.

-Fred

Thanks for the link :-). That is a pretty good article. Honestly, I’m sort of sour on the whole “personal development” scene lately… I don’t know. Part of me just thinks it’s all bullshit :-). However, the link is helpful, so thanks for sharing :-).

Hey Sean,
This is Maila (pronounced My-lah), aka Mari, from your ALW site (BTW you did pronounce it correctly in the video, yay you ). I have an acquaintance who recently started broadcasting a show on Blog Talk Radio (don’t know if you’ve ever heard of it). I thought almost immediately of how cool it would be to be able to talk “on air” in real time with you and other members of ALW about , well, whatever the varied topic du jour. Thought you might be interested in checking it out so I figured I’d pass it on:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/faq.aspx

Later,
~Maila

That’s an interesting idea. We used to use Skype back in the PsiPog days, with some of the moderators, and chatters. It was fun :-). It reminds me of Coast-to-Coast-AM. It’s actually a really cool idea now that I’ve sat and thought about it some more :-P. This is another idea I will have to keep in my head. Thanks :-).

Hi Sean!

Im a big fan of u!!!
I like very much PsiPog and ALittleWeird!!!
I read every day your blog!!!

But… i need a little help…

I know u say that telekinesis is real… in ur blog… many times…
but… i need to make this question direct to you… by this email…
and i want a sincere reply…
because im trying 6 months… and nothing…
now… i dont know if this is real and keep trying… or if this is a bullshit and give up…

Telekinesis is real???
If is… can u tell me some tips?

Tks in adv.

Ur big fan…
Frank

TK is real. However - that doesn’t mean you should keep trying the same thing for 6 months! If it’s been 6 months, and you’ve been trying the same thing with no results, then it might be time to try something new. I’ve never been particularly great at TK - I recommend reading articles by JoeT and Float on upconline.net. We tested JoeT’s skills using the geiger counter, and he’s definitely legit. We didn’t test Float, but I’ve known him for a long time, and I personally trust him. So track those guys down - they definitely have more experience at TK than I do.

ok sean, i thought you’d find this interesting.

in pychcology (a cource in our highschool), our class tryed to learn to read these little cards with stars and circles on them and send them to each other telepathicly and the to best two people would do it together at the end of class in front of everyone. unforunately im not in my telepathic buddy’s class but if i was we totaly would have stomped everyone into the ground and won.) anyways i just thought you’d find it pretty awsome that we actually got a chance to show off our telepathy skills in front of everyone in school.
your friend,
brad
P.s. did you get arrested for graffitting that sign? lol

Awesome! Sounds like Zener cards :-). Did anyone in your class have a significant performance? And no, I didn’t get arrested - actually we cheated and digitally altered the video to make it look like I painted the sign, without actually painting it in real life ;-).

Sean,

How do you think the video board is working out? I will probably get around to posting an actual video once I get settled into my new station in Utah (ugh). I admire the individuals who have been brave enough to post videos of themselves so-far.

I finally graduate out of this crazy school this Thursday. It’s a shame we couldn’t have had a beer together. It would probably have made for some of the most intriguing conversation I have had to date. Oh well, my thoughts flow better through text at any rate.

Ciao,
Myrmior

The video board is slowing down :-P. Partly because I haven’t been participating like I should be. I may post a video this weekend to try and get something rolling. I e-mailed some of the old moderators from PsiPog about the video board, and only stony was available to participate… so that kind of bummed me out a little bit. I was hoping I could attract a few more mods. Oh well.

Yes, a beer would have been interesting :-). However, like you, my thoughts are also better formatted for text :-P. Perhaps we’ll cross paths in the future.

Hi there , i;m from poland and i read all of your articles day by day . YOU MAKE MY WORLD BETTER !
thank You !

Thank YOU! And you’re welcome! I’m honored to have helped in some way. Now stop feeding my ego…!

Hi Sean!
I have 2 very important questions about the sub-c link, but first I have to tell you my philosophy….hopefully I won’t bore you to death but the main idea counts:
… I believe that if you can control your sub-c just like your conscious you can do ANYTHING you can imagine…..since then I read more on the net and that conclusion has grown stronger ……now I’m trying to find a way to control my sub-c but the only idea I have until now is that link…pls tell me what you think about it…..and now the questions:
1 When I read about the link with the sub-c I was very enthusiasmed about the idea and wanted to try…..but last night another thing came to my mind: If I make that link and the sub-c makes a personality of it’s own I won’t be able to get control of it like my conscious…..is it true? If it is then I can’t make that link……and that sucks! :((
2 If hopefully I can still get total control of my sub-c even if it makes a personality of it’s own, will I be able to ask it to make me different (after I make the link) …..I mean stuff like healing or making me stronger( I once read a story about a father who got
the strength to lift a car when it was about to fall on his child…..and I know for sure that the power came from his sub-c after receiving a strong emotion)? And did you ever ask it to change you?
Thanks and I hope you write more about the sub-c on your 2 sites…Bye!

To preface, I have to disagree with your philosophy. However, you might be right, and I might be wrong. But just in general, I don’t subscribe to the theory that controlling the subconscious will allow us to control ANYTHING imaginable. But who knows?

1. The subconscious doesn’t really make a personality of it’s own… I know when I write about my subconscious, a lot of times it seems like it has it’s own personality. Which it does in a sense. But it’s still just an extension of myself. It’s not like another PERSON inside of me. It’s me! Just a different part of me, that my conscious mind doesn’t normally have access to. Don’t worry about “losing control”.

2. Yes… sort of. You can ask your subconscious to change parts of you, and it might comply… however - probably not in the sense that you’re thinking of. I’ve used my subconscious to make more long term changes that took weeks or months to accomplish (like stronger muscles, or different psychological lessons). I’ve had very little success with rapid short term changes. For example, if I told my subconscious, “Send me adrenaline so I can lift a car”, I highly doubt it would work. (Though to be fair, I’ve never tried it :-P.)

As a tip for anyone who sends me an email in the future, the best way to get a reply is to be short and sweet, and not have overly complicated questions. And if you don’t get a reply - ask again in a week! I get a lot of e-mails, and I quickly forget when someone sends me an email unless I reply immediately after reading it the first time (which is rare). So send me another, and keep bugging me until you get a reply. I honestly don’t mind as long as it’s not TOO rapid :-P.

I also hope the authors of the emails that I shared don’t mind that I posted them publicly. If you do mind, then just throw me another email and I’ll edit it out of the post :-).

So I just had an idea, which I think is pretty good.

Instead of forums, what if we had like a strictly video forum?  You post a video of yourself on YouTube, and then enter it on the forums here as a “new topic”.  People hit play, and see you either ask your question, or talk about something.  Then they reply with videos of themselves, in response.

I have no idea how it would turn out, but it sounds like a cool thing to try.  If you don’t understand what I’m saying, just imagine a normal forum… Now remove all text in threads and posts, and replace it with videos.

I may just implement this… it’s fairly straight forward, and as long as YouTube handles the video side of things, it won’t cost any bandwidth either :-).

Would you (the reader) participate in such a forum?

My dad had an idea for promoting A Little Weird, and wanted to turn it into a short video.  Somehow he convinced me to play along :-P.  I was skeptical at first, but I’m fairly pleased at the outcome now that we’ve finished.  That’s me in the video.  Please leave comments because my father wants to know what everyone thinks about it.

Hey everyone,

I’ve really enjoyed A Little Weird (ALW) so far. I like it better than PsiPog.net (my old paranormal website) for a variety of reasons. I know that ALW doesn’t provide as much value to the audience compared to PsiPog.net, but I still feel I’m more on the “right path” with ALW than with PsiPog.net.

I want to add more features, but I’m having a hard time deciding what direction to move in. I want to do something original. I don’t want to add all the same generic website staples that exist in every community. Forums are nice, but just plopping up some forums with no direction doesn’t feel right. It’s too bland.

I want a real community. I want everyone to feel as though they are truly a part of something. I want members to take pride in the community, and feel a sense of ownership.

One idea that I keep returning to in my head is that disagreement is vital. I want to attract people with drastically different beliefs and opinions. On PsiPog.net, it felt like we kept trying to get everyone to agree on things. When we failed, we got frustrated, and when we succeeded, things became boring. I don’t like either outcome. I think reality is far too enigmatic to be in agreement on how it functions. I want every member to express themselves as individuals. I want disagreement.

Not that I want members to fight with each other. I simply want healthy and vibrant discussion. I think we can disagree without being mean about it :-).

It’s nice to focus on weird topics because there is so much to discuss. With a focus on the bizarre nature of reality, there is so much unknown. There are no definite answers. I like that. It allows the mind to really think freely and breeds intriguing ideas.

I’m not sure how to build this community. It’s still foggy in my head. I have a collection of ideas, but they aren’t connected yet into one game plan. I’m also not sure how to guard against our natural drive to make others agree with ourselves. It’s natural for a human to try and get people to agree with him/her. I want people to express themselves, and have vibrant discussions, but I don’t want people to gravitate towards those they agree with. If anything, I want the opposite. I want members to gravitate towards people they adamantly disagree with. I’m not sure how to create an environment for that to happen naturally.

I was about to fall asleep one night, when I came up with some ideals for this community in my head. They went something like this:

1. Strength from Contrast

2. Unity through Diversity

3. Know Thyself, or maybe, Courageous Self-Expression

The first one means that contrast is what makes us strong. Our strength, as a group, comes from our differences. The second one means that we should embrace our diversity, and unite under the idea that we are different. So many groups exist because the members have the same beliefs… I want the opposite of that. I want a community that exists because we are all different. The third one I have trouble putting into words, and I’ll probably change it. But the idea is that we each need to be personally strong, and know who we are as individuals. We need to stick up for what makes us who we are, and not be easily swayed by our insecurities.

These are all just ideas at this point. Just floating around inside of my head (and now floating around on the internet :-P). I’m curious if anyone has any further input. I will be solidifying this idea over the next month or so, and once I get a clear vision, I’ll start moving towards it. What do you think?

To me!  I’m 24 today.

Feels the same as yesterday… just a day more.

You’ll notice that I’ve updated ALW’s theme a little bit.  If things look messed up, it’s either because I’m currently working on something, and have to temporarily mess around and test - or you just need to refresh your browser.  In fact, it’s probably a good idea to refresh your browser now, if you already haven’t :-P.

I added a simple little feature.  If you look at the upper-right hand corner of all the posts, there is a minimize button.  Click on it, and the post will minimize!  Amazing :-).  That little tidbit is courtesy of the great Moo.fx JavaScript Library.  A library with a bunch of cool effects.

I’ll continue to work on the theme here and there, improving little by little.  I feel this strategy is a better idea than working on it behind the scenes, and releasing one big update.

~Sean