Counting the *other* kind of stars ...

[nelsonic]

Tip: play this in the background while ur reading this issue: https://youtu.be/AVprz0nm0Y4 😉

When ever I think of stars I imagine being outdoors with my loved ones, looking up and seeing the milky way: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milky_Way

and/or: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Starry_Night

(which I had a great time re-creating in art class as a kid, thanks Mr. Taylor for encouraging me to copy Vincent...! also drew/loved https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caf%C3%A9_Terrace_at_Night
as side: @carolrmc do we still have any of my school art from IPS...?)

Our plan to be living in nature with our loved ones soon: https://github.com/dwyl/phase-two
where we will have our own (DIY) planetarium to bring astronomy to life for everyone! 🌃

But for the next 2 years we need to be counting "virtual" stars in order to achieve our goals.

Counting GitHub stars is part of our mission because it helps us "track the popularity of our content" ... which in turn adds momentum to the "flywheel" ...

Once we achieve our objective of building a Product that a few (thousand) people adore using, we will "transition" to "Phase Two" and can focus on doing "all-the-things" we love with our friends & family!

I'm excited about both "phases" in our lives.
We're so incredibly lucky to be in the position to be "in control" of our lives
to the extent that we get to decide what we chose to "work" on each day
whereas most people are just grateful to have any job that keeps them "afloat" ...
and that we have a goal and corresponding plan to systematically achieve it while having a positive impact on the lives of everyone we are in contact with. ❤️ ✅

We are the luckiest people in the history of earth. 🍀
every day we win the "lottery of life"
because we get to focus on the "top" of Maslow's hierarchy of human needs ...! 🎉
instead of being "stuck" at the https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bottom_of_the_pyramid ... 🏦
we have freakin' running water from a tap in our heated warm/dry/safe homes!! 🚰
think about it... 💭
that was a privilege reserved for kings/queens/emperors in times gone by... 👑
how many people do you know who take this for granted ...? 😕

I'm so grateful for everything and everyone in my incredible life!
And I suspect that if you have read this far, you are too... 🤔

It's not all been "easy" for most of us, but the "efforts" and "sacrifices" we have made
are all relative in the scheme of things...

I didn't have to walk 10 miles bare foot to fetch water each day as a kid, did you?

Let's make the most of our good fortune by transferring our luck to as many people as possible and building tools that help everyone on the earth make the most of their lives.

Note: this last image/meme only makes sense if you've watched The Lego Movie
which, if you haven't add it to your "Queue" now! 😜

[mk4111]

😭 😭 😭 😭 😭 😭 (Note: happy tears)
THIS. FOREBAH. Please please please please please <3