From Apes, Our Monkey Minds

I’ve been reading this interesting book recently. Actually, two books by the same writer, back to back.
Surprisingly, it isn’t fiction.
I’m actually more inclined to pick up a novel (and of late, I’ve been devouring Pratchett with glee) than a non-fiction piece, unless the book is about business or marketing.
But here’s a big disclaimer: I am very much predisposed to reading about anything and everything to do with brains, mind, IQ, intelligence, potential. It intrigues me, this brain business. Especially the fact that I read somewhere (and repeated like a mantra) that we only use 10% of our brains.
Here’s a little literature review on brains, IQ and potential, courtesy of yours truly, condensed version of course. Then I’ll tell you more about this book I am currently dipping into and why.

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A Lil Sunshine Goes A Long Way

While I may not be the queen of positive thinking (but there’s always room for improvement), I gravitate towards anything that sparkles with enthusiasm.
Why be glum and drag everyone into your own messy and sorry affairs when you can be the exact opposite, and spread some sunshine to everyone you see?
We all know the key truths: smile, be happy, yadda yadda yadda. But we all (I know I can’t) can’t just pop out of bed looking like we swallowed a box of lollies.
So I do the next best thing: I remind myself.
By reading.
Forgetfulness is my middle name, and I am trying hard to remember things I am supposed to do.
But if you forget (like me), it is great to find Dan Auito’s “A Positive Attitude” Manifesto. Oh, don’t let the word manifesto scare you. It’s not that communist. Really. Just like the word guerrila is NOT that imposing.
Get the 19-page (quick and short) PDF read here. It’s free. And it sparkles.
http://www.changethis.com/14.PositiveAttitude

No Rainforest This Year

We’re not going to the Rainforest World Music Festival this year (SOB!) due to our business commitments and a whole load of projects. But we’ve encouraged all our friends to go and some are taking up the challenge.
This year seems to be a bit subdued (maybe too many years in the running now) but still, if you go, you will love it to bits. There’s absolutely nothing in Malaysia to rival this gorgeous music festival… and you won’t believe you’re in Malaysia either coz there’s going to be bunches of nationalities there! It’s a mini UN convention I tell you.

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What Colour, Courage?

A few days ago, I had the pleasure of interviewing a man who risked his life to save four children whom he barely knew.
Courage is not what you say but what you do.
This 37-year-old welder had so much of courage and so little fear that he entered a burning house 3 times to save four children.

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Naked in Everyone's Eyes

“What if your blog is read by people you don’t like?”
A good pal emailed me this question today and I guess, like all questions, it needs an answer.
While blogging is a great sanity exercise, blogging can take away your time, energy, focus and then some. It can get you addicted to reading (and sometimes, wasting time) because everything seems so juicy and you just have to read other people’s blogs… or in other words, we’re all human – we’re all ‘kay poh chees’ of the highest order.

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A Heartfelt Recipe

“You know, cooking with you is different,” Best Friend says, in between observing me chopping up tomatoes for the tomato salsa we were preparing.
“Why?” I look up in surprise. I know Best Friend is rather hesitant in the kitchen, and she sticks to dishes she can cook. Give her a new recipe and her world is in chaos, temporary though it may be.
“You always know your dishes will turn out well.”
“But of course!” I give her my broadest grin.

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Hibernating Thoughts

I don’t know about others but I do my best thinking (and get the strangest ideas) when I am alone, in the mornings, in my bathroom.
I can be taking a shower and suddenly this hot, new idea pops into my head. Or I can be washing my face, shampooing my hair or staring at the pimple wannabe on my face when I get hit by thoughts which I call inspiration.

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Playing with Words

Recently, I had the good luck to find some of my ex-lecturer’s art pieces exhibited at the KLCC Galeri Petronas. He paints over pictures cut from magazines. I saw four of his pieces there – dark paint over blurred magazine cutouts of people.
But whoever the curator was, he or she needed Strunk and White’s 1918 classic on how to write simple, clear and understandable English. Because the introduction to the work was convoluted and pompous. Whoever wrote such an introduction clearly wanted to seem more high-brow and knowledgeable than she or he really was. If I hadn’t seen my lecturer’s work before, I wouldn’t have known an iota of what the introduction was about.

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Days of the Unknown…

A good friend, K, told me once that he doesn’t want anyone to know or read his blog. He says he likes keeping it that way. I think it is easier to spill one’s guts out knowing NO ONE (or at least no one you know) reads your innermost thoughts and ramblings.
It’s becoming quite antithetical, this blog issue. It’s becoming so popular that everyone has a blog now. It’s everywhere. Corporate bigwigs are highly interested in blogging because blogging works. Blogging makes us human. It taps into the YOU which the Internet de-humanises.

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Warm and Fuzzy… Not!

I think it is a damn conspiracy. And I think God’s male. All powerful and all testosterone too.
I figured this out early in my life but I think the only way to see how it all falls into the puzzle of life is to look at a pregnant woman.

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