mysocodelife

[mysocodelife]

Is the Internet COINTELPRO, revisited?

Key figures in the black lives matter movement sided with Apple in the ongoing dispute between the company and the FBI. They submitted a letter to the federal court stating that their civil liberties and privacy must be protected. They referenced the FBI’s history of domestic surveillance, specifically citing the COINTELPRO program as evidence that the FBI cannot be trusted with a backdoor key. For those who may not know, COINTELPRO was an FBI program started in the mid-fifties; designed to spy on communists, and expanded to various domestic organizations: Ku Klux Klan, Black Panthers, and the Young Lords. They bugged hotels, homes, and even had FBI informants. The purpose was to subvert, destroy and extinguish these progressive ideas.

And it could happen again.

The only difference between now and then: the infiltration is more invasive and ubiquitous.

In the sixties, the data was discrete items: the images, audio and tapes. I am sure majority of this material sits in a government warehouse. The data they collect now is unlimited. As we enter the Internet of Things age, data will be abundant. Potentially, sensors will be everywhere.  Ordinary household items will become gateways for surveillance: your TV, your Keurig, your toilet– even your clothes. If it sounds scary, don’t worry – it is. But to be fair, just because it has the potential to happen, doesn’t mean it will happen.

With groups like the ACLU and movements like Black Lives Matter supporting Apple, the door is opened for greater dialogue around protection of civil liberties. The push back will help set a precedent to challenge these types of intrusions. As the internet continues to expand and technology becomes even embedded in our society, the rules must be re-written on government boundaries. It will become easier to snoop, spy, and enemize people. Kudos to the civil liberties front-line who recognize that data is critical to our fight for a better future.  

image courtesy of socialactive.

[mysocodelife]

Gov’t and Tech Follow Up

Here is an article by techradar. It delves a deeper into the Uk’s attempt to shore up cybersecurity. 

http://www.techradar.com/news/world-of-tech/uk-is-failing-in-the-billion-pound-war-against-cybercrime-1316482?utm_content=buffera6865&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

[mysocodelife]

Gov’t and Tech: The Ultimate Buddy Movie

One is the crazy renegade with nothing to lose. The other is the button down by-the-rules ballbuster. Separate, one loses control and dies, and the other never accomplishes anything. Together, they catch the bad guys and save the day. I am referring to the ultimate buddy team: government and tech sector. Robert Hannigan believes this partnership can change security and privacy in the 21st century.

At a MIT, director of UK spy agency (GCHQ), Robert Hannigan, called for governments and tech companies to team up. His reason: to tackle encryption abuses. He referred to the problem in moral terms, arguing that democratic societies need to strike a middle path between security and privacy. Hannigan did not provide any concrete details of how this partnership would achieve this goal. But he was sure it could not be based on 20th century solutions.

I have pushed the idea that governments and the tech sector should partner. The pros outweigh the cons. But they need to address an important question: Who leads the partnership? Historically, democratic governments have the power. 

They control the physical, economic and social infrastructure. The tech sector lived with this arrangement, until now. The online world has expanded, and has started to eat the 3D world. They construct and govern the digital infrastructure. If the government wants to survive in this new world, then they must play by their rules. 

They must learn to rely on each other’s strengths to succeed. Leadership will naturally emerge. The government will lead in certain areas and the tech sector will lead in others.

We need their leadership now. Data breaches have become more frequent. Malware is virulent, snaking its way through everyone’s network. People need help. They are looking for heroes, who can protect them and their privacy. This request is a tall order and is definitely not a 20th century solution. It is doable – time consuming – but doable.

My hope is that this partnership, this buddy movie, lives up to the hype. Both sectors have the strengths and the resources to re-imagine our digital and 3D lives. The emphasis should be on healthy collaboration with each sector leaning into their competencies and sharing expertise.  This is the kind of collaboration that I would pay to see over and over again.

Hannigan’s speech.

Some more buddy movie love. 

[mysocodelife]

Tech Illuminati?

What do Tim Cook, Elon Musk, Larry Page and Sean Parker have in common? Their disinterest in Trump’s plans for America. 

Business insider reports at a recent gathering of corporate and intellectual elite, Trump was a hot topic. The attendees are concerned about his rise to political power.

Should these tech elites be interested in Donald Trump? Even if he becomes president will he be able to squelch the the Silicon Valley fire? I doubt it. I am sure there is a deeper reason to fear a Trump presidency.

For example, a few weeks ago Trump called for his followers to boycott Apple until they cooperated with the FBI. I am sure Tim does not want a candidate for the U.S. presidency to malign Apple.But even if Trump’s call was bogus, that kind of power in the wrong hands can create long term problems for tech creators. I guess that’s why Silicon Valley elite have become more involved in politics lately, especially in the Democratic party. 

I look forward to see if the tech giants actively try to stymie Trump’s ascendancy. If we hear Trump’s phone on the fritz or his twitter mysteriously shut down, I know the the men in the nanobot chairs have struck their first blow.

[mysocodelife]

From Code to Cruel

At Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center in Los Angeles, doctors, nurses, and administrators scrambled to save lives. Saving lives seems normal, but this time it was different. Hackers shut down the hospital. The hospital staff rushed to ensure their patients could be treated.

 All of their systems were inoperable: CT scans, pharmacy functions, and even communications were frozen. The staff had to communicate through pencil and paper. The silver lining: no one died. The bad news: the hospital system was infected with a ramsonware virus. 

They could not gain control of their systems until they deposited 40 Bitcoin –  the equivalent of $17,000 –  into an account. After a week of deliberation and consultation with the FBI, the hospital paid the ransom.

This isn't the first time ramsomware rattled software users. Back in 2013, multiple computers were attacked by the cryptolocker virus. Users paid 1 to 2 bitcoins –  $300 –  to return their computers to an operable state. Approximately, 250,000 computers were infected. The ransom collective set up a customer service center to field responses and help people manage their payments.

I am accustomed to indiscriminate attacks on individual users, but what makes someone ransom a hospital?

My belief: the physical and psychic distance digital environments simulate. When people live in a dis-attached environment – like they do on the internet – people are distanced from the messy intricacies and realities of human life.

The connection between dehumanizing and violence toward others is known. The Nazi called Jews rats. The slave masters called the Africans: slaves, niggers, mongrels, bucks and wenches. Even mafia hitmen describe their mental gymnastics to lessen the humanity of their target in order to kill them.

In Less than Human: Why We Demean, Enslave, and Exterminate Others, author, David Livingstone Smith, comments on this process: “Dehumanization is a response to conflicting motives. It occurs in situations where we want to harm a group of people, but are restrained by inhibitions against harming them. Dehumanization is a way of subverting them.” (264)

This process applies to our discussion today. To add clarity, lets look at the hospital’s online and offline image

Online, the hospital is an orchestra of access points and symbols; black screens and white text; yes/ no commands and rows of data.  Offline, the hospital presents a different picture. 

Cancer ridden children reliant on breathing machines. Families circled around a loved one as they struggle to speak their last words, coughing up spit and blood. Health professionals feverishly darting back and forth trying to attend to the needs of a premature baby.

 All of this occurs within a cacophony of crying, sobbing, machine beeps and intercom messages. Which picture promotes a healthy link to the rest of society?

If a hospital is just 1s,0s scurrying though a system of tubes and devices, then a hacker is more likely to attack it. When they see a hospital, they see open access points and weak firewalls, not a 3-year-old fighting for their life.  

 I am not here to demonize hackers. Code is great. It gives us the power to re-imagine our lives and construct reality. I do not think hackers seek opportunities to dehumanize others.

I do believe the longer anyone lives in these environments their sense of self and humanity changes – for the worst.  If we are not careful, we will exchange our humanity for a false bliss, and lose ourselves to the cycle of dehumanization and exploitation.

image courtesy of Herald Sun 

[mysocodelife]

Apple vs. FBI: Round 1

Apple got a letter from the government, the other day.

  The FBI requested a back door into their IOS system to search for information on the San Bernardino terrorist.  Apple’s response – no. Apple wrote a letter to their customers to say this backdoor threatens customer’s security and will lead to disastrous consequences. The chief consequence: a backdoor in the wrong hands means access to every iphone. The backdoor would function like a universal key to unlock anyone’s iphone. Over the last two weeks, the drama continued to unfold. The FBI responded. Google CEO weighed in. Bill Gates threw in his two cents. The Republican presidential nominees debated it. And number articles were written about the issue.  For more information, click the links above and below.

http://bzfd.it/1Q8BdDz.

http://tcrn.ch/1OB1Ywo.

http://tcrn.ch/1TIMjCY.

http://bit.ly/1OB29aZ.

http://on.mash.to/1VJ5ZV5.

http://bit.ly/21nmxZI

This issue speaks to larger problem we have: our government is not equipped to handle the demands, challenges and issues of a digital age. Our government – especially the law enforcement agencies – is accustomed to investigating knowns: known actors, networks, territories and crimes. To solve crimes online, they investigate unknowns.

Traditional investigations relied on known methods: paper trails, informants, and records. They have experience with these types of crimes and criminals. Think about the classic Donnie Brasco case. The FBI used an agent to infiltrate a known network, the Mafia. He used known tools – ­­­surveillance equipment and wire taps –  to record conversations and track information. The FBI knew all the pieces. His information gave them the ability to solve the puzzle. Case closed.

Fast forward to today. The knowns have become unknowns. The actors are varied and amorphous: U.S. corporations, hacker collectives, nations, nation-backed hacker collectives. The network is diffuse and changing. If FBI did have a Donnie Brasco, what network would they deploy him or her to? 

A sea of nefarious agents exists. They are up against tidal wave of digital malfeasance, they cannot swim through.  The best option – assert control over U.S. tech companies.

 If they can monitor and control one of the largest smartphone companies on the planet, it would be a step in the right direction. They would have access to known network, monitor and control lines of information and have the ability to identify actors.

 As tempting as this solution sounds, it is not the right solution. The FBI – much like the rest of the government – needs to partner with tech companies to achieve one goal: re-imagine government services. The goal should be to enhance the government’s ability to operate online. 

This a complex solution, but the best solution. The partnership would offer the best paths to help our law enforcement agencies police, online. The methods will be different, but the goals are the same –stop bad guys. Hard but doable.

The alternative is a standoff between our companies and the government. I do not want that. The government does not want that and I do not think the American people want it either.

image courtesy of techcrunch.com.

[mysocodelife]

.... and another one

I am a year and half into grad school with another year and half to go. While the classes have been great and the social life non-existent, I have gained clarity about this blog. 

MySoCodeLife started as a business blog. I wanted to write about the insights I gained as a struggling entrepreneur in the nascent digital community in NYC circa 2007 -2010. It was fun, but my posts were erratic. Grad school happened and the this blog took a tranquilizer dart and went to sleep - a long sleep. The dormancy proved to be necessary. I entered grad school with the expectation of pursuing a Ph.d., but this has changed and I have searched for the best topic. After 18 months, I now have it.

The new equation: ethics+technology= MySoCodeLife.

The purpose of this transition is to combine my interests from grad school, ethics, with my professional expertise and focus, technology.   It is time to use this space to clarify and spread my ideas. Here is the scope:

As technology continues to pervade all aspects of our life, consumers and creators are starting to raise questions about prevalent issues: data, privacy, security, and access. In addition, technology appears to carry social baggage online. Questions include: 

How do algorithms replicate the racialized  status of a user ?

Do algorithms re-create gender inequality?

How do we situate ethics as a lens to create as opposed to tacky add-on post creation?

Is technology contributing to an cooperative network or furthering the aims of corporate capitalism?

These are just a few questions. I will have more. I also want to explore the marketing pay off this combination offers to the marketplace. Ethics and ethical thinking provides a insight into the habits and decisions people make. It can be analytical cornerstone to evaluate market habits for specific target population.

The complexion of this blog will evolve and change but I plan to situate it between these two poles. 

Thanks for reading. I look forward to learning with you. 

[mysocodelife]

Welcome, to the new school, grad school!

I am back in graduate school to pursue an academic degree, a Masters in Divinity (M. Div). 

I am hoping this degree is a launchpad to a phD. (God Willing) If that is not God's plan for my life then I will move on to something else. 

I want to transition this blog into a hybrid: half business and half academic. 

I believe I exist  somewhere in between those two poles. 

I love the product of the scholar and the businessman (woman). 

Look forward to my posts. They should be at least interesting.

[mysocodelife]

Top Life Lessons at 33

I turned 33 recently. Thinking about my life I realized that I have learned many life lessons. Looking at those lessons, I can identify the top four that I think are important for success in my future, and important for anyone younger than me who wants to be even more successful than I am by time they are 33. 

Accept Christ at an earlier age. In my life, accepting Jesus as my Lord and Savior is the most important decision of my life. Being connected to God through Christ has enabled me to live a supernatural life. My life, my body, my intelligence, my community, my purpose, my work have all changed for the better because of my relationship with Jesus. I encourage people to develop a relationship with Him early. The early you get to know Him, the better your life becomes for a lot longer. The relationship gives you:  Better Outlook. More Power. Better Life. The life  even lasts forever.

Learn lessons from others. A young man is walking down the street and approaches a ditch. As he gets closer, he notices that there is another young man in the ditch. The young man in the ditch cries for help. Both young man lock arms as the young man in the street pulls back and the young man in the pit aids this effort by using his legs to climb. After much effort and methodical movement, both young men collapse in exhaustion on the concrete in the street. The young man from the pit eventually stands up and heartily shakes the hand of the young man from the street. He explains how he fell in the pit, how long he was there and what it was like to be there for the past half-hour. The young man listens with empathy and offers some words of solace. The young men say some mutually encouraging words to each other then they leave.

You should always learn the "pit experiences" of life like the young man in the street did - from another person.He listened to the story, connected, provided empathy and kept it moving. He did not need to experience  the "pain" of the situation when he had the trusted word of a man who experienced the pit. The main piece of advice is to seek mentors and people, listen to their stories, avoid their pitfalls and embrace their stories/advice of success. This can come in the form of people. When you do not have access to people, read books. Read tons of books. Read  boatloads of books.  The conversations and literature will change your life, and  empower you to be more successful.

Its better to ask for permission than to beg for forgiveness. I got the phrase right. You are used to reading it as "Its better to beg for forgiveness than ask for permission".  The truth is that permission may hurt more on the outset but the success from asking permission lasts longer. Whereas bypassing permission  brings your the satisfactions of getting what you want  in the moment but the pain of  begging most likely will  last forever. Permission is the single most important asset in any era. It is especially important in the 21st century. The connected economy calls for permission as our technology makes it easier to establish relationships with people to a profitable end. The best book to read is Permission Marketing by Seth Godin. Even though it is written from a business perspective. It is has immeasurable value for using permission to start friendships, work with co-workers or even work with your boss. 

Love is the greatest conqueror. What do Mahatma Gandhi, Mother Theresa, and Martin Luther  King, Jr. have in common? They changed the world without once using a weapon. Well ,that is not true. They did use a weapon, love. They destroyed regimes, toppled social hierarchies and inflamed the world with purpose - all through love. They chose the higher ground of love to change their life, and  consequently, the lives of others were changed. If you want to change your work, your school, your church, your environment, your family, act with love. 

[mysocodelife]

Passion Makes You Dumb

Passion is the fuel that powers your execution. I have written about it before.

Passion without wisdom makes your dumb. Unfocused passion leaves you clueless  in a haze of activity without any results.

With wisdom, passion has a sharp edge.Wisdom is like that rugged, calloused blacksmith that takes the raw material of energy and enthusiasm. and through bending, cutting, and  forging creates a weapon, passion.

This new form of steel cuts through resistance. Slices through setback. Penetrates opposition.

The best way to weaponize your passion is to have a strategy and a plan to execute. You should be able to outline what you are doing and how you are going to do it. Your plan should have a solid methodology with a focus on particular set of goals and outcomes. This is how you properly wield your passion toward success.

[mysocodelife]

Why I Steal

My name is William W. Murray, and I love to steal. I steal because I can't help it. I see something I want and I need to have it. If I can't get it own my own, I start thinking of how I can get what I want with my wife's help. She usually helps. Sometimes she does not want to get involved . Most times she pitches in to make it happen. I try not to do it too often. Because I don't want other people to catch on. I don't want them to realize how easy it is to take take take and never get caught. But the lure of the goods calls me like a siren song on a moonlit evening in the Mediterranean Sea. The insane thing is that I have been doing it for years right under peoples noses and even in front of their noses. My urge blatantly exposed -my thievery easily traceable. This is how I steal: I select a  product/course  that I can get deep gains from--usually a writing course or something business or critical thinking related;then I buy it. I make the purchase with my debit card or a credit card My secret: I buy at a price that is lower than what the product is worth. I have become richer for it. Most products and services sold online were born in blood.  Many of the marketers and creators endured pain and trauma to gain the skills that I am now acquiring.  Many of the got cussed out by a boss, maligned on a popular tech blog when they went against the start-up grain, chastised by their own staff, questioned about the validity of  their work,  publicly  humiliated and industry isolated   I pay $200 or even $1500 for  a product or service that actually cost that person $15,000 to $50,000 to create. I  just show up, pay money and abscond with their goods. Me=winner I have shared my secret with you. I hope you join me so we can be as thick as thieves. When you are ready, I even have a nice cave hideaway where we can count and share our treasures.

Let me know.

  Image courtesy http://www.ifcfilms.com/films/the-art-of-the-steal

[mysocodelife]

What's the Service Angle?

" I want to be a tech entrepreneur"

"I want to get a product manager position at Dwolla" "I want….”

“I want….” I hear people all the time talk about how they want to work for the next big  tech company or how they want to build the next big thing in technology.As noble as those aspirations are, I wonder if people really understand what they are asking for- if they really know what the next step entails. These opportunities, as glorious and popular as they are, require a deep level of sacrifice and contribution from any individual with a startup title. They require a person to sacrifice their social, personal life so that a company can become a rocket. In most cases, these people put the work in and their company just plummets.  Most of these positions demand 100 hour work weeks or mandatory lock down -you can't leave until the project is completed.

The only way you will truly prepare yourself for grueling work hours with maybe an even a descent work environment coupled with insane demands is if you have the heart to serve, that is, you view your work as a significant contribution that you are willing to give at a steep cost.

Your heart must be focused on giving more than receiving. Your dedication has to lead you to go the extra mile not because you were asked or told because you knew it had to get it done and you wouldn’t have it any other way. You must have  a sense of belonging to the art you are creating for the people you are creating it with and for. It simply can't be an ego play or a social climb. My warning to individuals who do not have a heart to serve-stay away. Spend time discovering what you really want to do, be and who you want to do it for and with. Instead of seeking the position because of the glory or its importance, find out what the deep commitment and sacrifice the position is calling for and if you don't want to or can't fulfill it. You shouldn't be doing it.

[mysocodelife]

The 21st Century Writer(Remix)

21st Century writers need to write well, sell and exploit the media matrix..

The next set of skills writers can use are: coding, (public) speaking and design.

Coding. Learning to code  is critical to understanding the layout and future formation of our society. Coding is a craft that will serve as the foundation upon which many digital society will be built. Digital work is affecting how we buy, communicate, connect, sell, and even govern. Any writer who wants to listen to the heartbeat of our global society will invest the time to code now. They will be prepared to comment or critique our infrastructure providing real time, credible insight into how society changed or needs to change. 

(Public) Speaking. Know how to articulate your ideas in writing and speaking are two different skills. Writers should know how to articulate their ideas, their product benefits, convey compassion by speaking. Public speaking provides a space for  genuine connection, and for writers to present their ideas in a different way then typically experienced by their tribe.  These opportunities to connect with their audience via webinars, conferences, digital talks, and podcasts are avenues for more connecting and selling. 

Design. Design is a integral part of the future of technology and messaging. For years, copywriters worked with bright images, flashing signs, and other symbols of media to convey a message. This relationships will continue in the 21st century as the mediums change and become more interactive but the need for messages that connect increase. Writing and design will share even more intimate relationship online as pictures, moving art aka video are integrated. Learning how to structure space, images and color with words will enable writers to reach audiences at all sensory levels. And empower them to control how the message is created and even perceived

[mysocodelife]

The 21st Century Writer

It seems like it sucks to be a writer. The newspaper industry has tanked and traditional publishing outlets are gone. Even though these various mediums to publish have dissolved, ironically more opportunities abound for writers in the 21st century. The only catch is that they have to do more than write. They have to be able to write well, sell and exploit the media matrix.

  Write Well. Writer should write well; that is, they should write so their ideas and concepts can be easily understood by another human being That is it. Please do not confuse writing well with being sophisticated or using $69,000 dollar college words. Writing well simply means that you can clearly communicate an idea in your own voice. Check out Jeff Goins  for more help. Sell.

In the 21st century, writers need to know how to sell their products- be it a book, poetry, a report or a course. Writers need to know how to present and position their product in the marketplace and close just like a traditional salesman or saleswoman does. Now, this does not mean you sell in traditional sleazy way but that you learn to craft a promise, ask for the sale and fulfill the promise by over delivering. Writers are going to have to learn this skill because in the 21st century writer is interacting with their fans, tribe or audience directly. The publisher is gone, and writers need to know to lead their tribes down a path to heartfelt exchange of money and art. Exploit the Media Matrix.  Writers are the bridge between all content mediums: broadcast media, online media, social media, music and design. In all these mediums ,  words are required to deliver a message; images, sounds, grunts and flashing image are not enough to provide meaning. People use and needs words to sell persuade, convince, convict, create, and inspire. If you write well and know how to sell what you write, you will have opportunities to do amazing work across various mediums with very interesting people, which will most likely result in generous paydays and better opportunities. This means that writers can explore various avenues to market their talent. Ad agencies and startups need copywriters, television networks need writers for their shows and online content, and  Amazon is waiting for your bestseller. 

I covered the basics. The next post on this topic will feature some additional skills the 21st century writer can develop.

[mysocodelife]

Buy Experiences, Not Stuff

Stuff does not last long. It's here today and debt tomorrow. Many people discover quickly that the stuff they buy usually is not cool enough to impress their friends or last long enough to be enjoyable and memorable. If you want to purchase something that is high quality and long lasting, buy experiences.Travel, pick up the violin, mountain climb, go hiking with some friends, learn a new skill - do things. Accrue a lifetime of memories and shared experiences that never lose their luster. You will actually discover you will have more friends impressed with you than your new (insert company name here ) tablet.

  Photo courtesy of babble.com

[mysocodelife]

Start Building Your Library

I am not into things. I rarely buy clothes. I probably do a major purchase once a year for a marriage or an interview. I don't own a ton of gadgets. I have what I need to use. It's just that material  things do not pull at me. I need them and I do enjoy them  but when I think of investing my largess buying sixty pairs of Air Jordan's doesn't  appeal to me. I spend money on information, knowledge, and wisdom. I  found that the more I invest in these three things, the more opportunities, people and money come my way.  I have an underlying desire to be strong in these areas because of an assumed connection between learning and life success.  The best way I have optimized and preserved my ability to learn is by building a  library. I have a collection of well over a 100 books: some I have read, other I will read or may never read. Many of the books have contributed to my spiritual, personal and professional development. These books have helped to shape and build quasars of creativity within my soul and are immeasurable in their benefit in my life. They have been with me  for good part of my life and hopefully will remain. My advice is to start now and start small. Start by focusing on the books that have personal value and move on to books that impact your worldview and help to cultivate a philosophy about life. Here are a few of mine: The Bible: The single most important book in my life. I am follower of Jesus and this book lays a roadmap to becoming like Him. I have different versions in print and in my phone. Always a go to book in times of wonder and awe and in times of confusion and anger. Crucial Confrontations: I have quoted and applied the principles of this book throughout my life. I have it accessible so I can reference or memorize a strategy or a technique to resolve conflict. I have been impressed with how  we as human beings, with the right outlook and approach, can diffuse hostile situations at home, at work and in our lives. The Way Of The Superior Man: A great  book for men to understand how to live a mission centered life. As men, living out of your mission provides the openness to experience life the way God intended. Tongue: A Creative Force: A small book by an Arkansas minister named Charles Capps changed my words, which changed my life. Learn to speak words of life and you will have life. Sacred Marriage: I was told that to read James Joyce's book Finnegan's Wake.you should  rent a flat in Venice and spend your days eating pasta. After eating, read the book, take a nap  and dream your way instead of reading your way through the book.  Sacred Marriage is similar to Finnegan's Wake because your do not read it, you journey with it. You do not sit down and ingest the book in one setting. You read the book as you grow through life. Five pages here. Two chapters there. Letting every reading springboard you further down the road of life to a healthy a Christ centered marriage. I could name more. Maybe I will some other time. Enjoy building.

  Image courtesy of http://www.libraryhotel.com

[mysocodelife]

The Lifestyle of an Entrepreneur: Home

                                              HOME.

  The tension was apparent.

It was time to do work. I had to write, work on business planning objectives and plan my next few days. It was time to clean.The floors had to be swept, the bathroom had to be scrubbed  and the garbage needed to be thrown out. It was a zero sum game. There was going to be a winner and a loser. I honestly wanted to wiggle my way out of it but I am married and saying that you are shirking out of your share of the housework is akin to saying that you drown puppies for a living. Left with no choice or reasonable way of escape, I cleaned.  It was atrocious . We have two cats that leave globs of hair all over our apartment as if they are collecting fur for cats with hyperthyroidism. My kitchen sink looked like my refrigerator got drunk and puked all over our dishes and then in a drunken stupor defecated the rest of its meal on the dish rack. The bathroom had dirt in the tub. I mean dirt. I started to wonder if my wife skin was made of graham crackers.  I cleaned all of it.  I cleaned it in haste and anger. I had goals and I wanted to get them done. By the end if the night, when it was time to go to bed,  all I had done was cleaned. No goals were accomplished. I am pretty sure my story sounds familiar. Most of the entrepreneurs I know are juggling  household/ home responsibilities and obligations. The first post for Lifestyles of an Entrepreneur focus on your home because the tension between these obligations  and creativity can create real problems for entrepreneurs, especially first time entrepreneurs.If your not careful,  you  will end up in a cycle of distraction and never get anything done. In this post,I differentiate between single and married entrepreneurs. I have been both a single and married entrepreneur. Those are two different experiences.  Each has its strengths and .... well strengths. Single You should live a minimal maintenance home. The best option is a studio. A nice studio but a studio. If you cannot afford it then a room in a two bedroom apartment with a roomate. You should not go beyond this boundary because anything more high maintenance equates to a drain on your cash or your time. Larger apts have to be cleaned, scraped, fixed, bulletproofed (depending where you live) and maintained. Right now, you do not have time for that and most likely the cash either. Oh, another option is to live at home with your parents. Mutligeneration dwellings are a feasible option. Depending on your parents/guardians and your ability to sell your vision they will let you  crash at their home for little or no rent.  Trust me, this helps. It worked while I was obtaining a grad degree. I staid with my parents for $250 a month. It worked. I could come and go as I please, and had extra cash, which I would have use for rent instead I used to fund business projects. Another thing to focus on is how you create in your home. If you do a majority of your work at home, then you need to have a process and a space for you to get work done. Don't be haphazard about safe space/safe time issues. It is incredibly easy to get sucked into a friend event, a date or some other "to do" that has nothing to do with your deliverables. The best way to guard against time and space vampires is to garlic proof your schedule by clearly marking out what you need and sticking to it. Married Being married as an entrepreneur can be a battleground unto itself. No where is that battle more felt than in your home. Home can a serious issue for too many reasons to get into in this post. So I'll give you three ways to make your home situation work as an entrepreneur, and if you guys have any others please let me know in the comments below. 1.  Diligent About a Schedule. Figure out what your best times to create are and carve out that time. You need to do this for two reasons. First, most married people are locked into their spouse schedule. If you do not  set guidelines then most likely your time will be absorbed by your spouse or home. Second, having sacred time to create helps you plan the rest of your life. It will be easier to answer questions like "Can we go out with Tim and Crystal on Saturday evening?" 2. Communicate. Put your schedule on a whiteboard, leave it on the coffee table or the refrigerator. Pick your best way to communicate your carve out time. Its essential  for maintaining peace in your house hold. Otherwise, your spouse will set expectations of you to complete certain tasks in the house or other responsibilities you will not do. An added bonus is if your spouse knows when you are working they will know when they can pitch in to help you. 5. Share.  Even though you are high powered, super charged entrepreneur on the go, find  a way to share some of the household responsibilities. Maybe you can't do it all but do something. Clean the bathroom, be responsible for spring cleaning or taking the cars to the car wash.  It creates an atmosphere of respect and shows your spouse that you care about where you live, how you live and about them.   It important to remember one of the main lifestyle goals of an entrepreneur is to streamline their life to focus and pour a good chunk of their time, talent and treasure into their mission.  It takes much practice and patience to arrive at the balance that you desire. Being plan-ful and communicative goes a long way for both single and married entrepreneurs.