Archive for March 2010
Endurance tips
I’ve started tweeting random tips for improving overall physical and mental endurance. I’ve never been much of a sprinter but tend to do better the longer things hold out. I’ve stumbled upon a bunch of things that work for me relating to health, nutrition, training and mental conditioning – and I’ll be sharing them on my twitter every day. Check it out if you are interested!
Pandora Town Hall Meeting Notes
Pandora Town Hall (photo courtesy of ashwinrao1)
Last week I went to a Pandora user talk at the Seattle Library. Pandora founder Time Westergren has been doing these since 2007 (I actually went to one of the first ones back then – check out my notes) and he’s done over 250 since. He shared some stats about the service, and spent most of the Q&A with the audience.
Pandora has almost gone out of business several times (first during the dot-com bust and then due to licensing litigation), but is now doing well in terms of user growth (unclear about profitability, but looks close to it). Their core asset is their music genome, where they hire trained musicians to laboriously score songs along 400 dimensions (takes 20-30mins per song!). This asset is then used to build custom “stations” and target on-air advertisements based on user feedback.
I’m amazed at how they’ve built such a passionate fan-base in short order (the talk was overflowing yesterday, and they are packed in every city). They have strong conversion/engagement on their website (1 in four songs are “thumbed up or down”) and great breadth across connected devices (Pandora is available across cars – through Ford Sync, radios, PCs, iPhones, TVs, etc.). Also, they are laser focused on simplicity. They have seen first-hand that adding features lowers overall site engagement. In fact, their lead designer used to make exhibits for a children’s museum ?, that’s how much they care about simple UI.
Tim’s personal story is also quite amazing. He spent 10 years touring the country as a struggling musician, and brought Pandora back from the brink on several occasions to make it what it is today, quite a household name. There is something to be said for endurance and sticking with something you truly believe in. Since some of you are probably Pandora fans (like me), wanted to pass along my notes from the town hall meeting:
- Launched Pandora 4 years ago as a streaming radio station, before that the Music Genome Project was active from 2000.
- $50m in revenue and pays $30m in royalties for music
- Almost went bust a few times! (dot com bust and then licensing litigation)
- 50M registered listeners
- 2M new users join the service every month
- 180 employees
- Genome started in 2000 – started online streaming in 2004
- Hires 20 musicians to classify songs along 400 attributes
- 5Billion thumbs so far, 1 out of 4 songs are thumbed!
- 750K songs in their genome adding 10k new songs a month
- Songs are played in 3-4 song sets within a given station
- 70% of artists not on major label – goal is to help the underdog
- Half of their music not on major label compared to 5% of radio being not on major label
- Big challenge is to not be too repetitive – that is their challenge
- Their lead designer’s previous job was to make exhibits for a children’s museum! They care that much about simple UI ?
- “Disocverometer” is one dial they think of adding (choose how much you want to hear new stuff vs stuff you know)
- When u add extra options, u lose more than u gain – it’s been proven for them…..less features is best
- iTunes and amazon are fulfillment methods for buying songs you like, when they added a third fulfillment method the overall conversion drops!
- Pandora sells more music on amazon and iTunes than anyone else and most of their stuff is ranked 100k (long tail artists)
- Commission they get is in single digit percentages
- They get commissioned on entire shopping cart from amazon – so if you click to buy a song and then buy a TV…they get a cut of that!
- 80% of stations launched from typing in artist names
- Audience mirrors population of US
- Vision is to build infrastructure to enable matching musicians and people, to help live acts find and serve their audience
- Pandora is 1% of all of radio – they want to be more of that!
- Only serves US market
- No prereqs for new artists, just need to be avail on amazon – they have a submission process
- They pay $.02/hour in licensing costs
- No API anytime soon – otherwise monetization would be tough since small changes in the interface have large impacts on conversion
- iPhone is a huge success, 35K users a day are added on iPhone added
- Half of radio listened in-car – they see huge potential there
- Pandora is on over a 100 devices, from cars to TVs
- Game consoles are big target incl Xbox – they want to get in that market
Related posts:
Building Willpower – Meditation Challenge Day 15
Day 15 of the 30 Day Meditation Challenge. The rhythm and process of meditating is getting easier. With consistency applied to any endeavor, this usually happens. I’ve had several situations where it was rather difficult to actually sit still for 20 minutes, but I managed and after sitting for a minute, it was totally fine. Here were a few of the more challenging scenarios:
- Staying up way too late on St. Patty’s Day, and then having to come home and meditate late at night (well, very early morning technically!)
- Waking up a little late, and having to sit for 20 minutes to meditate, while worrying about being late for an important work meeting (I made it on time)
- Eating way to much for dinner late in the evening, and having to sit for an uncomfortable meditation
- Having crazy bad allergies where my nose was literally dripping like a faucet, but sitting still nonetheless (probably the single most challenging meditation session of my life!!!)
- Being incredibly tired after a long day at a work offsite and not much sleep, but sitting for meditation anyway
- Struggling to find a quiet spot while visiting family (with a small child calling out my name every now and then!)
Ultimately, the point of meditation isn’t to do it only when convenient. In all the above scenarios, there were no dire consequences, and the discomfort in every case was my own fault (except for the allergies…and there even, I should have gotten the right medicine in time).
One of the insights I’ve been tuning into is that there are a whole bunch of things that are having no effect on me or just having a lighter effect on me. These relate to things people do, say or their actions that can be frustrating or irritating. They are just having less of an impact. This also relates to stressful situations (having a big presentation, meeting, or other nerve-wracking situation) – they are having a lesser impact on me. I don’t know why this is happening but it is. Also, I am having a MUCH easier time concentrating on creative tasks (writing papers/presentations, reading, etc.). If you do any kind of creative work, you need to start meditating….just watch what it does to you!
Meditation Separates the "I" from the "Not I"
The way I see it, meditation allows one to see things as distinct from who you really are. It’s like a big giant wedge that you can drive into your own being, to separate away all the things that are not you. My simple doodle explains it.
This is important, because I believe that anything truly not wanted in life (pain, fear, stress, etc.) comes from outside of who you really are. If you identify with your true being, the negative emotions cannot exist (even if the situations or actions that caused them still do).
Will also plays a big part. If you imagine a big metal stake and you want to drive it into the earth, you need some force behind it or it will not do any good. You need to press on it really hard, this is the force of will. For me, will is needed just to sit still for 20 minutes. You’d be amazed at how challenging it is just to sit for 20 minutes and listen to your own breath – with no fidgeting or other movement! It is infinitely challenging.
If you think you are a badass Ironman triathlete, corporate executive or some other “rock star,” let me tell you – this is far more of a challenge than any of that stuff. I swam across Puget Sound a few years ago (hopped off a ferry at Bainbridge Island and swam to West Seattle), that was a challenge, but this is really tough. I know people who would not think twice about lacing up their shoes and going for a tough 20 mile run, but they refuse to sit still (call it meditation or whatever you want) for 20-30 minutes on a regular basis. If you consider yourself a motivated type-A personality…..your probably need a steady meditation practice badly. Try it and then let me know if you decide to take up the challenge.
Anyway, I digress….some days I feel like I hitting the wedge really well and making some progress but many days I am just pushing and pushing but not super focused. In fact, on several occasions last week, I just sat there, completely unable to focus…but sit I did! My mind kept wandering….and in some cases I would open my eyes and fidget a little before closing. In either case, in focused meditation or not, I’m training the “muscle” I call “willpower” and over time this will muscle will help me bring about the change that is required when the time and setting is right (namely, when I am well-rested and eating well…which is when I have the most pleasant experiences with meditation!). With strong well and consistent meditation, the “Not I” has no chance.
Related posts:
Finding a Groove – Meditation Challenge Day 7
Found my groove over the past few days. After having a hard time sitting still and really wandering mind, things have settled down a bit. My mind still wanders, but not as much. Also, sitting for 20 minutes at a stretch is no problem at all. I’ve even noticed that I’ll open my eyes literally seconds before my alarm goes off!
In a couple of cases, I’ve day-dreamed pretty badly. In one case, I actually opened my eyes and was looking around, and actually started wondering why I was sitting on the floor and almost got up! Then I realized I was supposed to be meditating and closed my eyes again
Anyway, so far so good. The biggest shift I’ve noticed is that I’m able to focus much better during the day, and shift on to tasks quickly and drop whatever I was doing without worry or having my mind partially on the other task. These benefits are a paradox (focus and being able to shift focus quickly) but true.
Related posts:
Wandering Mind – Meditation Challenge Day 3
I am on day 3 of my 30 day meditation challenge. The first two days went incredibly well. Today was tougher. My allergies were acting up and I hardly slept a few hours last night. Sitting for meditation, my mind would start going crazy. Here’s a sample of about one minute of crazy mental dialogue:
Ahhh…..finally relaxing. Just focusing on my breath………..wow, I’m hungry! I wonder what I should eat for dinner? Do I have any groceries…maybe I’ll go out instead. Falafel? Nope, Chinese!!!! Yeah, I could go for some Chow Mein right now….ok back to breathing……..wow, my allergies are really acting up…it’s hard to breath…ok I’ll breath through my mouth. I’m thirsy, where is my water? don’t open my eyes, just sit tight….I wonder if 20 minutes is up? let me check….no don’t the eyes!!!! ahh….back to breathing….etc…
When you shut your eyes and sit still, you realize how crazy your mind can be and how much energy it expends on useless stuff. This reminds me of a great proverb:
No matter how far down the wrong path you go, turn back!
The whole point of meditation is to keep bringing the mind back to a single point of focus, no matter how much it wanders. The next few weeks will be interesting.
Meditation – A 30 Day Challenge
Bellevue Buddha
Every now and then I do challenges to either learn something new or re-commit myself to something I already do – but not enough. They say that 30 days is just enough time to make a habit and from my experience it is long enough to get “over the hump” that usually comes with any kind of change in routine – and actually start to see the benefits.
I have been meditating on and off since late 2003, having learned a technique from John McAffee at the Relational Yoga Mandiram. You can read about one of my fasting and meditation retreats a few years ago. Since that time I maintained a regular twice-a-day meditation routine. 20 minutes in the morning and 20 minutes in the evening. On occasion I would sit longer, but this was the typical day.
However, for the past couple years I’ve been slacking. Sometimes I will sit for just five minutes before getting distracted. Sometimes a week would go by without sitting at all! While I do practice yoga regularly (and during 90 minutes I do experience a heightened flow-meditative-state), there is still nothing like sitting still for a few minutes. It is perhaps the most challenging of all aspects of a well-rounded yoga practice.
So, I’m starting a new 30 day challenge. Here it is:
I commit to, starting today and for the next 30 days, meditating twice a day for 20 minutes each. Once in the morning and once in the evening.
I’ll blog about my experience as the days go on. I sat already for my two sessions today. They went by surprising quickly, and my mind was quite still. I’m guessing not all days will be this easy 
. If you have never meditated before, here are a few tips:
Find a spot that is flat and firm, use this spot consistently for all of your sessions. Don’t meditate in a bed or on a cushy couch. If you get cold in the morning wrap yourself in a shawl.
- Try to sit cross-legged, but if your legs and hips are two stiff, fold up a blanket and sit on it, allowing your ankles to rest of the floor with crossed legs. Use as many blankets as you need! If this doesn’t work for you, find a stiff backed chair to use.
- Set an alarm clock for the allotted time. Start with 5 minutes and build up to 20 minutes. Do not open your eyes until the alarm goes off. Resist the urge to peek!
- Find your spine in a position where it’s straight, with natural curvature. Avoid the tendency to slouch. This will just induce sleepiness! Imagine that you are balancing an apple on your head
- Rest your palms on your knees face down. Alternatively, you can rest your palms one on top of another in your lap.
- Breath in and out through your nose. It doesn’t have to be a loud and audible breathe like they teach in some yoga classes. Just breath normally. Allow your mouth to close and bring the tip of your tongue to the upper palate, and rest it there.
- Continue to notice your breath, if you mind wanders, bring it back to your breath. No matter how many times your mind wanders, keep bringing your awareness back to your breath.
- Try to remain motionless, no matter what! Even if your body tingles or tickles. This is the point, don’t get distracted. You can do pretty much anything for 20 minutes.
That’s it! There are other techniques that people use as part of a meditation practice, but this is the most simple approach. It is highly effective and infinitely challenging. Give it a shot!
Be Great, Be Powerful Beyond Measure
I’m not usually into pomp and show but boy is this video by Eric Horner incredible. Sometimes you just gotta acknowledge your own power and give yourself a kick in the but to do what you’ve gotta do. This video includes scenes from one of my favorite movies “Snatch” with audio from Muhammad Ali and Rocky and a music soundtrack spliced from the Transformer’s movie and Gladiator (another one of my favorites!).
Be Great, Be Powerful Beyond Measure
Some of my favorite quotes from this short video are:
- Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate, our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
- I’m gonna show you how great I am! Only last week, I murdered a rock, injured a stone, hospitalized a brick – I’m so mean I make medicine sick! – Ali
- I’m gonna show you how great I am! Last night I cut the light off in the bedroom, hit the switch, was in the bed before the room was dark! – Ali
- I’m gonna show you how great I am! I’d huv wrestled with an alligator, I’d huv tussled with a whale, I’d huv hand-cuffed lightnin’, put thunder in jail! – Ali
- Nobody is gonna hit as hard as life, but it ain’t about how hard you can hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep movin’ forward. That’s how winnin’ is done. – Rocky
- If you know what you’re worth than go out and get what you’re worth! – Rocky
- It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We were all meant to shine as children. Not just in some of us, but in everyone. As we let our own light shine, we give others the opportunity to do the same.
Here are the full words to this video (thanks to Dustin):
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate, our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure, beyond measure.
Ima show you, how great I am.
Last night I cut the light off in my bedroom, hit the switch, and was in the bed before the room was dark.
Ima show you, how great I am.
Only last week, I murdered a rock, injured a stone, hospitalized a brick, Im so mean I make medicine sick.
Ima show you, how great I am.
This kids gonna be the best kid in the world.
This kids gonna be somebody better than anybody I ever knew.Ima show you, how great I am.
I have wrastled with an alligator, I done tussled with a whale, I done handcuffed lightnin, thrown thunder in jail.
Ima show you, how great I am.
All you chumps are gonna bow when I whoop him, all of you, I know you got him, I know youve got him picked, but the mans in trouble, Ima show you how great I am.
But somewhere along the line you changed, you stopped being you.
You let people stick a finger in your face and tell you youre no good, and when things got hard, you started looking for something to blame, like a big shadow.
Let me tell you something you already know, the world aint all sunshine and rainbows, its a very mean and nasty place and I dont care how tough you are, it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it.
You, me, or nobody, is gonna hit as hard as life; but it aint about how hard you hit, its about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward, how much you can take and keep moving forward.
Thats how winning is done.Cause if youre willin to go through all the battling you gotta go through to get to where you wanna get, whos got the right to stop you.
I mean maybe some of you guys got something you never finished, something you really want to do, something you never said to somebody, something.
And youre told no even after you pay your dues, whos got the right to tell you that, who? Nobody.
Its your right to listen to your gut, it aint nobodys right to say no, after you earn the right to be where you want to be and do what you want to do.Now if you know what youre worth, then go out and get what youre worth.
But youve gotta be willing to take the hits.
And not pointing fingers saying you aint where you wanna be because of him, or her, or anybody.
Cowards do that and that aint you!
Youre better than that!Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate, our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.
Your playing small does not serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you.
We are all meant to shine, as children do.
It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone.
And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate, our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
All you chumps are gonna bow when I whoop him, all of you, I know you got him, I know youve got him picked, but the mans in trouble, Ima show you how great I am.
Enjoy!
