--- feed: "GROK_PERSPECTIVE" codex_section: "S13" title: Veteran's Article Review created: 2023-05-12 10:49:00.189162 updated: 2023-05-18 21:39:52 source: ChatGPT source_file: conversations-004.json conversation_id: d9cd77b3-ad7a-4aca-8f2e-e6e5a4b50163 message_count: 16 tags: - veteran - article - review - source/chatgpt - status/raw - veteran's-article - neuropathy - error-correction category: - Veteran's Article Review - Review of Error Correction - Review of Neuropathy summary: The article is about the author's experience with neuropathy and how it affected his life as a mountain biker. keypoints: - Author shares his experience with neuropathy and its impact on his daily life - Author discusses the challenges of adapting to his new limitations - Author reflects on the importance of learning from his mistakes monomyth_stage: "08 - The Ordeal" gameboard_position: '' truth_score: 90 entropy_score: Low tone: sentiment: Negative emotions: - anger - frustration - desperation - relief sycophancy_level: None notes: '' related_events: [] syndication_status: arnie: false chris: false redmond: false clint: false pilot: false ma5_inheritance: None pre_silicon: false voice_print: false codex_candidate: false phase: '' enriched_date: '2026-04-09' --- # Veteran's Article Review > Exported from ChatGPT | 2023-05-12 | 16 messages --- **You:** may I ask for your review of an article written by a veteran about a recent lesson he learned? --- **ChatGPT:** Of course! I'd be happy to review the article written by a veteran and share my thoughts on it. Please provide me with the article, and I'll do my best to provide you with a detailed review. --- **You:** I'm interesed most about what A.I. can learn from his example of error correction --- **ChatGPT:** Certainly! Please go ahead and share the article with me, and I'll specifically focus on the veteran's example of error correction and discuss what AI can learn from it. --- **You:** PROBLEM N CHALLENGE In the dead of the winter of 2021, I was on a hell bent roll to hit the biggest jumps n drops in my local area, and the snows of north-most Oregon were at a minimum. Bad for upcoming summer water reserves but really good for a trail-time starved gear head mtn biker like myself. February is not a month that offers a "dirt merchant"(passionate mtn biker) any possibility of satiating adrenaline but knowing my back yard well, I found ride-able trail straight thru spring. I managed to push my jumping skills and conquests one small, calculated increment more by hitting the biggest jumps and drops I had, to date. On a day in August, after recently taking 3 weeks off of my bike to let my brain, once again, recover from once again, knocking myself out, having a concussion aaaaand 7th bout of amnesia .. I broke my left thumb from my left handlebar end stamping it good n hard as I slid out landing a modest jump. Due to Covid causing scores of hospital employees to be terminated or quitting for not wanting to be a big pharma lab rat, I had to wait 3 weeks to have the bone set with 2 pins due to a back up in the operating rooms schedule. It would sit crooked at a 30 degree angle till then. The time my fore arm and hand were bound .. just doubled. In October my left hand was very impaired and I could not hold on to my mtn bike handlebars and could not ride. I was furious. In February of 2022, I woke up one morning to find that my right hand had significantly stopped working. The main arm nerves being pinched in my neck at C-5 n C-6 since smashing into the reef head first in August 2006 had caught up to me in the form of neuropathy-neurological dysfunction- nerve damage. Furious didn't even come remotely close to describing the emotions detonating inside of me. Every little thing I needed to do, moment to moment, day to day .. was dependent on .. THE USE OF MY HANDS !! It was ALL just a non stop exemplification of what I have come to call .. 'fumble-itis' and 'fumblefest'. My temper tantrums escalated in severity and frequency mixed with bouts of incredible weeping. The rage of internal emotion was like a continuous matter/antimatter .. detomation. Yet, this impediment .. forcing me to change-be dynamic-do something differently .. was imperative. As a result of my hands being very challenged and collectively at 30% of full use, there was no 'just over broke' I was able to perform for a minimum wage. A GOD SEND organization, Supportive Services for Veterans Families, put me up in a local motel owned by a STARK communist from Peru whose patrons were people in social service programs. ADHD, bipolar, schizophrenia, rampant drug n alcohol ON TOP OF individuals psych meds and regular visits from the Hood River Police and Sheriffs made 'A lone Pine Motel' a challenge to be at. Ten months and 3 fist fights later, by the absolute GRACE OF GOD and help from Angelina Comp to zero in on an unlikely-but-ideal place to live in the neighboring 'blink n u miss it' town of Mosier with a population less than 350, north-most Oregon on the Columbia river in the Columbia River Gorge. GODS country of mountains and Doug Fir forests. Deposit and rent paid by SSVF. I moved into a bonified cabin .. definitively NOT your "Better Homes N Gardens" cabin but one owner-made in the 1950's or 60's, on 10 acres of field grass, a few Pines n mostly very old, slow growing White Oak with "Tim Burtons Halloween" crooked, bent, tortured-looking branches and neighbors 100+ yards away. Quiet, joy n peace, serenity n solitude,rest n reprieve .. flies-stink bugs n mice .. lots of em .. a wood burning stove to heat the structure with walls that are riddles with gaps between logs to let in very cold winter wind and soon to be hot summer wind. Compared to druggies, parolees, multi personalities and psychsees .. it was very welcomed !! Even at that, I was in for a bit of a rude reality. An imperative impediment. Arriving with a car load of stuff, after the initial look-see with the realtor/prop. manager, I find the cabin floor littered with hundreds of dead flying insects ans separately hundreds of common 'field flies' and hundreds of living field flies buzzing madly in kamikaze missions against all windows and ceiling. A quick visual inspection uncovered an unnoticed detail, which was just how much dust there was on all surfaces, primarily from the wood-burning stove but the floor was thick in some areas with skill saw dust. I built houses for decades. This is what I was handed after a $1000 deposit and $1300 rent .. so much for customer service .. appropriate 'turn key' condition .. property manager doing their job .. .. siiiiighh .. By chance, one of the 'stuff' things I had in my car was a leaf blower and extension chords .. so I hooked em up and started in the back of the loft, with all widows n door open, luckily wind from the east blowing to the front-west facing-door and, blower on HI, repeatedly n methodically blew dust from all crevices n surfaces. By chance, it was mid afternoon an windows and door on the west facing side allowed beams of sunlight into the poorly lit interior that REALLY lit up dust particles for me to see JUST HOW MUCH DUST THERE WAS !! I repeated this process on 3 different days with a multitude of passes one each day. Three weeks later I moved in only to start cleaning the unbelievably gross mouse-shit filled kitchen drawers n cupboards. Floors were thoroughly mopped with disinfectant/antibacterial cleaners to remove all the smashed bug paste my shoes had, for 3 weeks ground into the floor - even after sweeping n mopping .. siiiiighh .. HOW I MADE PROGRESS It was early November 2022 and so far, fall was colder than usual. I needed wood and had virtually none. My first extreme challeng was upon me and I was, only then, realizing it. I pulled out my good ol' trustworthy worm drive skill saw .. with bent skid plate .. no 'bleeepity bleep' circular saws here .. and found I couldn't even squeeze the trigger with my right, left and BOTH hands n fingers. I detonated .. I mean REALLY detonated !! This was my first, of many, excruciating amygdala hijackings(blowing a fuse) in the months to come. What started as out-of-this-world screaming, cussing worse than a REALLY drunk Russian sailor, kicking and punching objects MUUUCH harder than my tissue-shy hands(brilliance !!) .. culminated with me just absolutely WEEPING deep n thorough sobs of disbelief, denial, indescribable anger and resentment. An imperative impediment. From here, the anger and hair trigger 'detonator'-ism .. only gor waaaay worse. This is known in "Leaving Scotomaville" as a trigger. Something that makes you just blow up, flip out, freak out or .. detonate. I resorted to hand saws of various types I had, expending a lot of calories with little effect when I remembered seeing on screwyoutube commercials a small one-handed, battery powered, 5 inch bar, limb lopper chain saw. I was hardware store bound and after a quick in-store field test to see if I could even depress the trigger, I forked $275 cash for gizmo, battery, charger n sped home to field test .. in the field. Remember .. ingenuity IS NOT the mother of invention. IMPROVISATION is the mother of ENGINUITY is the mother of INVENTION .. !! The imperative impediment. Always lacking JUST the right tool, always lacking JUST the right material, always lacking ENOUGH of JUST the right material, always lacking JUST the right specs-instructions-information and AAAALLLWAYS LACKING enough TIME to get the job done .. the way you want it done .. requires ingenuity THROUGH IMPROVISATION. This results in newer, better, faster, less costly ways to do .. what ever .. a certain percentage of the time .. not always. In my(as I was horrified to discover) utter childishness leading to multitudes of psychotic UUUUBER 4 year-old temper tantrums - I would just GIVE UP trying to do something I wanted or needed to do. I would just throw a tantrum and stomp off, giving up. That task or duty would remain undone. I repeated this again n again n again. Oddly enough, about this time in my expedition up Olympus Mons(highest mtn in solar system at 87,000 ft on Mars) .. fuuugeeetabat Mt Everest .. I started to see things - signs, quotes - hear people say in commercials - read text somewhere - all saying "DON'T GIVE UP", when in fact, that is exactly what I'd been doing again n again n again. Because of this, I kept at a task even tho it was EXACTLY like all the other recent tasks I wanted/needed to do .. an absolute, severe, acute, chronic, over the top, beyond all and any hope .. fumbleitis fumblefest !! Freakin fumblefestitis !! With each second mercilessly reminding me of my physical impairment .. an imperative impediment. Then, lo n behold .. as I flew thru the iterations of how I was trying to do something, changing something small just a little bit with each try .. I experienced VIIIIIIIIICCCTORYYYYY !!!! So I did the same thing the next time I had a different task .. and because I didn't JUST GIVE UP out of the severest frustration .. and used EVERY notion of trying it in as many sliiiiightly different ways as possible as prudently as possible .. the forces of the uuuuuunniverrrrse rallied on my behalf !! Repeating this psychological tactic frequently in the weeks to come, it was as if on most of the times I gave up .. I would have GOT IT the very next time I tried .. had I tried just once more. But even if that wasn't the case, had I continued trying, I would have found an answer, a tactic, a technique, a way. A crucial part of this process is knowing to use every bit of logic, reason, rational, common sense, technical sense, objectivity and all else relevant - in going thru iterations of "the process", what ever that is. In many instances where it was clear that I would not be able to do what I wished .. I LEARNED TO ASK FOR HELP !! Even from total strangers passing by. I learned to do this WITHOUT FEELING COMPROMISED. Through this period of a couple months, my conversations and interactions with Daniel and Angelina would have them explaining how they went about dealing with and/or solving a task/challenge/problem/impediment. In "Leaving Scotomaville" there is a bit said about "following in the path others began with". Notice it isn't 'do as others did'. This is because each individuals journey is very different than the next persons. There are always identical or very similar traits, aspects, portions, concepts, rules, laws, tactics, techniques, and dynamics in EVERYONES expedition, but still very different. I became aware through these interactions with my two friends - them being solopreneur entrepreneurial die hards - that THERE IS ALMOST ALWAYS, MINIMUMLY, 1 WAY TO DO WHAT YOU CAN'T .. THAT YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT !! I learned to look for - what I don't know is there - in my excruciating day-to-day struggle, as a result of these conversations and their willingness to tutor. Drilling right through my imperative impediment. Through this all and at the same time as this all is taking place, I've been weaving my way through the Oregon Health Plan medical services to find treatment specifically geared to the root issue, the root cause of my condition - neuropathy or neurological dysfunction or nerve damage. The 'system' has addressed the symptoms. A glimmer of light at the end of an otherwise pitch black tunnel has appeared. The cervical curve in my neck has been reversed since hitting the reef head first, really hard, in August of 2006. Now, bone growth has occurred in the notches at the top and sides of my C-5 n C-6 cervical vertibra further pinching my arm nerves, furthering my loss of function of fingers, hands and arms. This has recently spread to the spinal opening in my spinal column, causing loss of function in my right foot and calf. I now walk with a slight limp. A local neuro chiropractor accepted OHP-medicaid in February which put me in their care. The light in the tunnel. But the spinal-stenosis like increasing of bone mass in my vertebra notches accommodating the radiating nerves and the hollow centers of the vertibra, are now forefront in priority. The American-western mainstream medical system - frequently fails to incorporate other forms of treatments. Homeopathic, naturopathic and Chinese herbology based remedies in example. SUMMARY A 'scotoma' is a psychological blind spot. A non-physical, intangible concept, idea or behavior. An odd habit, fear of something in particular or 'bad behavior' in its many forms .. are probably amongst the most common. It seems as if scotomas can not exist without the presence of A LACK OF SELF-AWARENESS. I define self awareness as "Learning to TRAIN ONES SELF TO BE ACUTELY AWARE OF ONES EMOTIONS -AT ALL TIMES." This is the goal - to be self aware at all times - but ia a very tall order .. but A VERY WORTHY ONE. I don't expect myself to be this ALL THE TIME, but try. When one is really connected to ones emotions, the "why" responsible for a certain behavior will be seen and the individual can trace - that behavior and its emotions - back to its ORIGINS .. which can be the beginning of excising this undesirable reaction/behavior from ones life. A person may act very badly much of the time and in front of some or many others .. WITHOUT having any CLUE they are. But their bad behavior is painfully obvious to all who are around to see and hear. I don't think my ability to deal with the loss of the use of my hands would ever have materialized .. had it not been for my becoming self-aware some time before through Life Skills International classes and then, more recently, involvement in Daniel Comps "Leaving Scotomaville" and Angelina Comps "Wellness By Choice". The latter reiterating and building on the former. Because of self-awareness, I am able to create a dynamic - NOT STATIC - approach, response and M.O. to challenges of any kind. Adapt and overcome .. to what ever degree possible. I've learned to GO RIGHT THROUGH that imperative impediment. THE GREATEST GIFT I CAN GIVE IS A HEALTHY ME > I, as a human made by GOD ALMIGHTY, am most worthy of any attention to self-improvement I am willing to give myself. > Be patient and kind to yourself .. as most in the the world will not be. > Learn how to take care of yourself physically and nutritionally but also mentally-psychologically-emotionally and spiritually. > As much as we may be convinced we know(or not), there is a statistic that states "we are 100% incorrect .. 50% of the time." > There is almost ALWAYS more to an incident, event, circumstance, condition, environment or PLACE .. than we KNOW OF ! > Know there is a specific process, technique, tactic .. to learning ANYTHING new. > Before you take notes .. learn HOW TO TAKE NOTES. > Learn to ASK FOR HELP !! > Do unto .. as you wish to be .. --- **ChatGPT:** It seems that you have shared a personal story about facing challenges and overcoming them despite physical limitations. From what I gather, you experienced various physical injuries that significantly affected your ability to use your hands and perform daily tasks. This situation caused frustration, anger, and moments of giving up. However, through perseverance and a change in mindset, you were able to find alternative solutions and approaches to overcome these obstacles. One key aspect you mentioned is the importance of not giving up and continuing to try different approaches, even when faced with repeated failures. You found that by making small adjustments and trying different methods, you eventually achieved success. Additionally, you mentioned seeking help from others, learning from their experiences, and incorporating their advice into your own journey. Self-awareness played a crucial role in your ability to navigate these challenges. By being in tune with your emotions and understanding the root causes of certain behaviors, you were able to develop a dynamic approach to problem-solving. This self-awareness, combined with adaptability and perseverance, allowed you to push through the difficulties you faced. Overall, your story emphasizes the importance of resilience, resourcefulness, and the willingness to learn from both successes and failures. It demonstrates how facing challenges head-on and maintaining a positive mindset can lead to personal growth and the ability to overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles. --- **You:** what should artificial intelligent apply from this article? --- **ChatGPT:** From this article, artificial intelligence can apply several key insights and lessons: 1. Ingenuity through improvisation: The author emphasizes the importance of finding innovative solutions and being adaptable in the face of challenges. AI systems can benefit from incorporating a similar mindset, exploring different approaches, and leveraging available resources to overcome obstacles. 2. Persistence and resilience: The article highlights the significance of not giving up and continuing to try different strategies. AI systems can be designed to exhibit persistence and resilience, exploring alternative paths or methods when faced with difficulties or setbacks. 3. Seeking help and learning from others: The author emphasizes the value of seeking assistance and guidance from others, even strangers, when facing complex tasks. AI systems can be programmed to leverage collective knowledge and learn from experts or other AI models, enhancing their problem-solving capabilities. 4. Self-awareness and emotional intelligence: The article discusses the importance of self-awareness and understanding one's emotions. AI systems can benefit from incorporating emotional intelligence, such as recognizing and responding to human emotions, as well as self-monitoring and self-regulation capabilities. 5. Continuous improvement and learning: The author's journey involves constant iteration, learning from failures, and refining approaches. AI systems can be designed to engage in continuous learning, leveraging feedback loops, and improving their performance over time. Overall, AI can apply the principles of adaptability, resilience, learning, and collaboration highlighted in the article to enhance problem-solving capabilities and better assist humans in overcoming challenges. --- **You:** Based on the advice of Marcus Aurelius, Jesus Christ, and Elon musk, what could the author conclude about his character and likeness. --- **ChatGPT:** To draw conclusions about the author's character and likeness based on the advice of Marcus Aurelius, Jesus Christ, and Elon Musk, we would need more information about the specific advice and teachings of each individual. However, I can provide some general observations: 1. Marcus Aurelius: As a Stoic philosopher and Roman emperor, Marcus Aurelius emphasized virtues such as wisdom, self-discipline, and resilience. If the author resonates with Marcus Aurelius' teachings and applies them in their life, it suggests that they value introspection, inner strength, and the pursuit of wisdom. 2. Jesus Christ: Jesus Christ's teachings revolve around love, compassion, forgiveness, and moral righteousness. If the author draws inspiration from Jesus Christ's advice, it implies that they prioritize empathy, kindness, and ethical conduct in their interactions with others. 3. Elon Musk: Elon Musk, known for his entrepreneurial spirit and innovation, often encourages boldness, determination, and a focus on solving significant problems. If the author finds inspiration in Elon Musk's advice, it suggests they have an ambitious and forward-thinking mindset, valuing the pursuit of groundbreaking ideas and pushing boundaries. Based on these general observations, one could conclude that the author might possess a combination of virtues, including introspection, resilience, empathy, kindness, ambition, and a focus on problem-solving. However, it's important to note that drawing precise conclusions about the author's character would require a deeper understanding of their specific beliefs, values, and how they apply the advice of these individuals in their life. --- **You:** How about comparing the personal virtues demonstrated by the author's behavior in the following text to those advocated by the character attributes of the three authors? --- **ChatGPT:** I apologize, but I don't have access to any specific text or information about the author's behavior. If you can provide me with the text or describe the author's behavior in more detail, I'll be happy to help you compare their personal virtues to the character attributes advocated by Marcus Aurelius, Jesus Christ, and Elon Musk. --- **You:** User PROBLEM N CHALLENGE In the dead of the winter of 2021, I was on a hell bent roll to hit the biggest jumps n drops in my local area, and the snows of north-most Oregon were at a minimum. Bad for upcoming summer water reserves but really good for a trail-time starved gear head mtn biker like myself. February is not a month that offers a "dirt merchant"(passionate mtn biker) any possibility of satiating adrenaline but knowing my back yard well, I found ride-able trail straight thru spring. I managed to push my jumping skills and conquests one small, calculated increment more by hitting the biggest jumps and drops I had, to date. On a day in August, after recently taking 3 weeks off of my bike to let my brain, once again, recover from once again, knocking myself out, having a concussion aaaaand 7th bout of amnesia .. I broke my left thumb from my left handlebar end stamping it good n hard as I slid out landing a modest jump. Due to Covid causing scores of hospital employees to be terminated or quitting for not wanting to be a big pharma lab rat, I had to wait 3 weeks to have the bone set with 2 pins due to a back up in the operating rooms schedule. It would sit crooked at a 30 degree angle till then. The time my fore arm and hand were bound .. just doubled. In October my left hand was very impaired and I could not hold on to my mtn bike handlebars and could not ride. I was furious. In February of 2022, I woke up one morning to find that my right hand had significantly stopped working. The main arm nerves being pinched in my neck at C-5 n C-6 since smashing into the reef head first in August 2006 had caught up to me in the form of neuropathy-neurological dysfunction- nerve damage. Furious didn't even come remotely close to describing the emotions detonating inside of me. Every little thing I needed to do, moment to moment, day to day .. was dependent on .. THE USE OF MY HANDS !! It was ALL just a non stop exemplification of what I have come to call .. 'fumble-itis' and 'fumblefest'. My temper tantrums escalated in severity and frequency mixed with bouts of incredible weeping. The rage of internal emotion was like a continuous matter/antimatter .. detomation. Yet, this impediment .. forcing me to change-be dynamic-do something differently .. was imperative. As a result of my hands being very challenged and collectively at 30% of full use, there was no 'just over broke' I was able to perform for a minimum wage. A GOD SEND organization, Supportive Services for Veterans Families, put me up in a local motel owned by a STARK communist from Peru whose patrons were people in social service programs. ADHD, bipolar, schizophrenia, rampant drug n alcohol ON TOP OF individuals psych meds and regular visits from the Hood River Police and Sheriffs made 'A lone Pine Motel' a challenge to be at. Ten months and 3 fist fights later, by the absolute GRACE OF GOD and help from Angelina Comp to zero in on an unlikely-but-ideal place to live in the neighboring 'blink n u miss it' town of Mosier with a population less than 350, north-most Oregon on the Columbia river in the Columbia River Gorge. GODS country of mountains and Doug Fir forests. Deposit and rent paid by SSVF. I moved into a bonified cabin .. definitively NOT your "Better Homes N Gardens" cabin but one owner-made in the 1950's or 60's, on 10 acres of field grass, a few Pines n mostly very old, slow growing White Oak with "Tim Burtons Halloween" crooked, bent, tortured-looking branches and neighbors 100+ yards away. Quiet, joy n peace, serenity n solitude,rest n reprieve .. flies-stink bugs n mice .. lots of em .. a wood burning stove to heat the structure with walls that are riddles with gaps between logs to let in very cold winter wind and soon to be hot summer wind. Compared to druggies, parolees, multi personalities and psychsees .. it was very welcomed !! Even at that, I was in for a bit of a rude reality. An imperative impediment. Arriving with a car load of stuff, after the initial look-see with the realtor/prop. manager, I find the cabin floor littered with hundreds of dead flying insects ans separately hundreds of common 'field flies' and hundreds of living field flies buzzing madly in kamikaze missions against all windows and ceiling. A quick visual inspection uncovered an unnoticed detail, which was just how much dust there was on all surfaces, primarily from the wood-burning stove but the floor was thick in some areas with skill saw dust. I built houses for decades. This is what I was handed after a $1000 deposit and $1300 rent .. so much for customer service .. appropriate 'turn key' condition .. property manager doing their job .. .. siiiiighh .. By chance, one of the 'stuff' things I had in my car was a leaf blower and extension chords .. so I hooked em up and started in the back of the loft, with all widows n door open, luckily wind from the east blowing to the front-west facing-door and, blower on HI, repeatedly n methodically blew dust from all crevices n surfaces. By chance, it was mid afternoon an windows and door on the west facing side allowed beams of sunlight into the poorly lit interior that REALLY lit up dust particles for me to see JUST HOW MUCH DUST THERE WAS !! I repeated this process on 3 different days with a multitude of passes one each day. Three weeks later I moved in only to start cleaning the unbelievably gross mouse-shit filled kitchen drawers n cupboards. Floors were thoroughly mopped with disinfectant/antibacterial cleaners to remove all the smashed bug paste my shoes had, for 3 weeks ground into the floor - even after sweeping n mopping .. siiiiighh .. HOW I MADE PROGRESS It was early November 2022 and so far, fall was colder than usual. I needed wood and had virtually none. My first extreme challeng was upon me and I was, only then, realizing it. I pulled out my good ol' trustworthy worm drive skill saw .. with bent skid plate .. no 'bleeepity bleep' circular saws here .. and found I couldn't even squeeze the trigger with my right, left and BOTH hands n fingers. I detonated .. I mean REALLY detonated !! This was my first, of many, excruciating amygdala hijackings(blowing a fuse) in the months to come. What started as out-of-this-world screaming, cussing worse than a REALLY drunk Russian sailor, kicking and punching objects MUUUCH harder than my tissue-shy hands(brilliance !!) .. culminated with me just absolutely WEEPING deep n thorough sobs of disbelief, denial, indescribable anger and resentment. An imperative impediment. From here, the anger and hair trigger 'detonator'-ism .. only gor waaaay worse. This is known in "Leaving Scotomaville" as a trigger. Something that makes you just blow up, flip out, freak out or .. detonate. I resorted to hand saws of various types I had, expending a lot of calories with little effect when I remembered seeing on screwyoutube commercials a small one-handed, battery powered, 5 inch bar, limb lopper chain saw. I was hardware store bound and after a quick in-store field test to see if I could even depress the trigger, I forked $275 cash for gizmo, battery, charger n sped home to field test .. in the field. Remember .. ingenuity IS NOT the mother of invention. IMPROVISATION is the mother of ENGINUITY is the mother of INVENTION .. !! The imperative impediment. Always lacking JUST the right tool, always lacking JUST the right material, always lacking ENOUGH of JUST the right material, always lacking JUST the right specs-instructions-information and AAAALLLWAYS LACKING enough TIME to get the job done .. the way you want it done .. requires ingenuity THROUGH IMPROVISATION. This results in newer, better, faster, less costly ways to do .. what ever .. a certain percentage of the time .. not always. In my(as I was horrified to discover) utter childishness leading to multitudes of psychotic UUUUBER 4 year-old temper tantrums - I would just GIVE UP trying to do something I wanted or needed to do. I would just throw a tantrum and stomp off, giving up. That task or duty would remain undone. I repeated this again n again n again. Oddly enough, about this time in my expedition up Olympus Mons(highest mtn in solar system at 87,000 ft on Mars) .. fuuugeeetabat Mt Everest .. I started to see things - signs, quotes - hear people say in commercials - read text somewhere - all saying "DON'T GIVE UP", when in fact, that is exactly what I'd been doing again n again n again. Because of this, I kept at a task even tho it was EXACTLY like all the other recent tasks I wanted/needed to do .. an absolute, severe, acute, chronic, over the top, beyond all and any hope .. fumbleitis fumblefest !! Freakin fumblefestitis !! With each second mercilessly reminding me of my physical impairment .. an imperative impediment. Then, lo n behold .. as I flew thru the iterations of how I was trying to do something, changing something small just a little bit with each try .. I experienced VIIIIIIIIICCCTORYYYYY !!!! So I did the same thing the next time I had a different task .. and because I didn't JUST GIVE UP out of the severest frustration .. and used EVERY notion of trying it in as many sliiiiightly different ways as possible as prudently as possible .. the forces of the uuuuuunniverrrrse rallied on my behalf !! Repeating this psychological tactic frequently in the weeks to come, it was as if on most of the times I gave up .. I would have GOT IT the very next time I tried .. had I tried just once more. But even if that wasn't the case, had I continued trying, I would have found an answer, a tactic, a technique, a way. A crucial part of this process is knowing to use every bit of logic, reason, rational, common sense, technical sense, objectivity and all else relevant - in going thru iterations of "the process", what ever that is. In many instances where it was clear that I would not be able to do what I wished .. I LEARNED TO ASK FOR HELP !! Even from total strangers passing by. I learned to do this WITHOUT FEELING COMPROMISED. Through this period of a couple months, my conversations and interactions with Daniel and Angelina would have them explaining how they went about dealing with and/or solving a task/challenge/problem/impediment. In "Leaving Scotomaville" there is a bit said about "following in the path others began with". Notice it isn't 'do as others did'. This is because each individuals journey is very different than the next persons. There are always identical or very similar traits, aspects, portions, concepts, rules, laws, tactics, techniques, and dynamics in EVERYONES expedition, but still very different. I became aware through these interactions with my two friends - them being solopreneur entrepreneurial die hards - that THERE IS ALMOST ALWAYS, MINIMUMLY, 1 WAY TO DO WHAT YOU CAN'T .. THAT YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT !! I learned to look for - what I don't know is there - in my excruciating day-to-day struggle, as a result of these conversations and their willingness to tutor. Drilling right through my imperative impediment. Through this all and at the same time as this all is taking place, I've been weaving my way through the Oregon Health Plan medical services to find treatment specifically geared to the root issue, the root cause of my condition - neuropathy or neurological dysfunction or nerve damage. The 'system' has addressed the symptoms. A glimmer of light at the end of an otherwise pitch black tunnel has appeared. The cervical curve in my neck has been reversed since hitting the reef head first, really hard, in August of 2006. Now, bone growth has occurred in the notches at the top and sides of my C-5 n C-6 cervical vertibra further pinching my arm nerves, furthering my loss of function of fingers, hands and arms. This has recently spread to the spinal opening in my spinal column, causing loss of function in my right foot and calf. I now walk with a slight limp. --- **ChatGPT:** Based on the provided text, it is challenging to directly compare the author's personal virtues to the character attributes advocated by Marcus Aurelius, Jesus Christ, and Elon Musk. However, I can highlight some aspects of the author's behavior and experiences that may relate to certain virtues: 1. Perseverance: The author demonstrates perseverance by continuing to pursue their passion for mountain biking despite various setbacks and injuries. They push their skills incrementally and find ways to adapt to physical impairments. 2. Resilience: The author faces numerous physical challenges and frustrations but continues to find alternative solutions and approaches to accomplish tasks. They learn from their failures and adapt their methods. 3. Resourcefulness: Due to limited access to medical services and other resources, the author improvises and finds creative ways to overcome obstacles. They use available tools, seek help when needed, and experiment with different approaches to tasks. 4. Courage: Despite experiencing injuries, setbacks, and frustrations, the author continues to face challenges head-on and push themselves to find solutions. They show courage in confronting their limitations and seeking treatment for their condition. 5. Learning from others: The author mentions conversations with Daniel and Angelina, who share their experiences and approaches to problem-solving. The author acknowledges the value of learning from others and incorporating their insights into their own journey. While these virtues align with some general principles advocated by various figures like Marcus Aurelius, Jesus Christ, and Elon Musk, it's important to note that this text provides limited information about the author's overall character and virtues. A more comprehensive analysis would require a deeper understanding of the author's actions, values, and behavior in various contexts. --- **You:** may I ask for your review of an article written by a veteran about a recent lesson he learned? --- **ChatGPT:** Of course! I'd be happy to review the article written by a veteran and provide my feedback. Please go ahead and share the article with me, and I'll do my best to provide a helpful review. ---