Be Here. Now.

Sep 28

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I did something different tonight, on the advice of Dr. Amanda (Mandy) Wintink of the Centre for Applied Neuroscience Coaching – I practiced mindfulness while eating my dinner. Focusing on the act itself, instead of distracting my attention with music, television or even a book. I savoured each bite, remembering the textures, aromas and flavours that filled my senses. Each swig of from the cold bottle of Tankhouse Ale sent a wave of biting sweetness down my throat, in stark contrast to the steaming plate of pasta.

I was mindful of my meal – and felt calm and sated.

I had attended Mandy’s lecture at the Centre for Social Innovation last night, where she talked about Getting the Most out of Your Brain. I’ve been particularly aware of the importance of our noodles – not only is it the centre of plans, memories, decisions, ideas, productivity, happiness and emotion, but it’s also the “government of the body.” How you act (and react) to the world around you all depends on the health of 3 lbs of grey matter.

The greatest feature of our brains is its plasticity – or its ability to adapt to its environment and how its being used. If you constantly bombard it with a never-ending, hyper-active stimuli found in television for example, it will re-wire itself to anticipate instant gratification. Nicholas Carr’s Is Google Making Us Stupid made a similar point, and his latest book, The Shallows is currently sitting on my coffee table, waiting to be cracked open. Guess it’s time to flex another set of muscles and focus on in-depth reading…

We’re all aware that a healthy body, fuelled by exercise and good food, leads to a better life. I’ve learned that the same can be said of our brains. The 3-fold path of improving our productivity, increasing our happiness and enhancing our creativity can only lead us to a more optimal brain. I’m ready to take those first steps…

It's not a game, it's life

Aug 13

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Is it a game of chance or skill? That question runs through my mind as I check my hole cards – pocket aces. Play aggressive to scare off those who might hit a lucky card on the river, or trap my opponents and bilk them for as many chips as possible? I take into consideration the players’ stacks around me, their tendency to bluff, the tells that scream I’m not interested in this hand. All signals that contribute to my final calculation… All in.

The poker analogy has been over-used in the game of international politics. Stanley Kubrick insisted that the War Room table in Doctor Strangelove be covered with the green felt used in casinos: he wanted the actors to convey the sense that the fate of the world was nothing more than a game of cards. It seems that Tal Pinchevsky is tired of the connections drawn between poker and politics, and argues that chess should be the metaphor of choice.

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In lieu of new thought…

Aug 09

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Just going to share some scribbling I took about a week ago:

The 2 Indian men chattered nonstop next to me. As the wafts fragant basmati punctuated by aromatic bursts of garlic naan assaulted my nose, it was their baritone voices that left a deeper impression. You could tell they of an educated ilk – besides the various name dropping of the latest books they’d been reading, and their general disdain for morning television shows, they enunciated their words with almost military precision. It was like listening to captivating radio personalities dueling over the airwaves, jabbing, feinting, bobbing and weaving their words. The content was of no matter: arguing about Israel, the history of German beer, travel restrictions in today’s security conscious era. I was privy to a future that I wanted to find myself in 40 years time. Enjoying a good meal, yakking about anything and everything under the sun. Mental exercises with gastronomic delight.