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LETTERS FROM A MENTALIST
HOW TO REMEMBER NAMES
"I'm sorry, what's your name again?" We've all been there, with the lazy excuse of being "bad with names, but great with faces." As if that numbs the insult of forgetting a name we just heard. There are remarkable techniques for a bullet proof memory, but I won't bombard you with those just yet. Instead, here's a quick way to remember more names, with ease.
SEX SELLS
Does our perception of a crime change, depending on the sex appeal or M.O of a criminal? When a mugger uses scare tactics to nab a purse, he's a disgrace to society. But when a woman lifts a wallet under the guise of a seductive kiss, it's sexy. The act becomes romantic, but the crime has not changed, just our perception.
YOUR DESK
We grow up in schools where desks are chosen for us, desks that stick rigidly in line, maintaining a rote structure to the cold classrooms of America. Having survived a district with the LOWEST graduation rate in the nation, I feel slightly robbed of creative potential.
As it happens, and by much good fortune, I now choose my desk. An environment that supports the flourishing of work and great ideas. A station that welcomes free thinking and exploration. Something I wish for anyone who enjoys their working life, and finds - or desires - real gratification in daily practice.
The following video has truly captured my interest. Although, I did thoroughly enjoy a documentary on "Helvetica" font. So it's possible I'm too easy to please.
PICKPOCKET
If you're looking for a new movie to watch, I cannot recommend this film enough. Bresson's "Pickpocket" is a seductive glimpse into the romantic world of a master theif, and his conflict on the road to redemption. It's a truly hypnotic 75 minutes.
PAUL NEWMANS PSYCHOLOGICAL TRICK
Paul Newman uses a psychological technique - Pattern Interrupt - to subdue a perp. If you're interested in the technique, click here to read how it saved me from a fast 5 in the snot box. Otherwise, enjoy this clip. I'm certain you will.
ON FLOW
"Flow" caught my eye between the mental disorders and sexual insights of the psychology book shelf. I'm 7 chapters in, so I'm not here to give a review of this book. But I would love to introduce you to the author, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (pronounced / MEE-hy CHEEK-sent-mə-HY-ee). A wonderful writer who strongly illustrates the notion of living in a flow state. That is to say, a state of true happiness.
I'm very much against the state of the "self-help" industry, and wouldn't classify this as a "self-help" book by any stretch. Rather, it's a compelling look at what FLOW is, and it's causations. The video below was filmed at TED, and I think it's a nice introduction to his work. Maybe, just maybe, you'll pick it up. If you do, bring a highlighter.