I recently read a book called 'Boys Adrift' by Dr. Leonard Sax which drives out 5 factors that are lending a hand in the growing epidemic of unmotivated boys and underachieving men. According to the book 1/3 of men between the ages of 22 - 34 are still living at home with their parents which is a 100% increase in the last 20 years.
The 5 Factors that are discussed include
1. Changes in School Curriculum - boys brains aren't as advanced as girls when it comes to language and other learning. Kindergarten is now teaching Grade 2 curriculum and boys aren't mentally able to learn what they are supposed to so it sets them up to fail as girls seem to be getting a head start and it is very difficult for boys to recover from.
2. Video Games - This is a way for boys to escape and they learn to control their environment but they have a huge disconnection with the world and doing physical activities (sports plays a huge factor in helping to balance this out)
3. Medications for ADHD - many boys and young men are put on medication to "settle them down" and it changes who they are
4. Endocrine Disruptor - some of the elements found in plastics can mimic estrogen which can mess with boys brains
5. Lack of Positive Role Models - many role models that boys look up to show them that it isn't percieved as cool to be intelligent and motivated, especially when it comes to school. So boys are buying into this and young women are more likely to go on to post secondary and graduate. Whereas, some boys will start, change school but will not graduate when they go on to college or university.
I am not going to go through all the factors but I will share my thoughts on a few ideas that came up as I was reading. It seems that if we don't figure this out the problems will just continue to happen. I think we do have some huge problems on our hands when we consider that boys are much less resilient and ambitious than they were 20 years ago.
When I was growing up I always felt like I was a little bit of a defective girl. Everything was a competition to me and when it came to sports and games that didn't stop. It was nothing for me to flip the game board that we were playing because it was clear that I wasn't going to win. I didn't think of it as cheating at the time I just thought of it as a way to stop from witnessing the humiliation of me losing at something.
I don't like the idea that teachers, parents and schools are taking away competition and it's dangerous. Humans are animals and in nature there are winners and losers. We see that when an eagle is hungry it finds and plucks a fish out of the water. It doesn't care that it may have hurt the fishes feelings when it interupted it from its daily swim to eat it for lunch. We live in a meritocracy where things are earned and I don't think there is anything wrong with that. We work to earn money, credentials and social standing. If those things are just handed over the value of their possession is often lost and wasted. Kids are much more resilient and capable than we give them credit for much of the time so let them be competive, unsuccessful and learn from it.
People talk about giving self-esteem to kids but there is no way you can give another person self-esteem. As the name suggests its how you feel about yourself. It is the way your form your identity and how valuable you think you are. No one can give that to you! Those are things you have to earn on your own. Parents can help to build self-esteem, coaches can contribute, friends can solidify but it's up to the individual to be able to build it themselves. And just as is the case if you earn something the 'old fashioned' way through dedication and hard work. Getting rid of the idea where everyone gets a participation ribbon at the track meet will help to rectify this. When you fail over and over and over again that is when you learn to succeed. If you learn from people who are the most successful in our society its because they just learned to keep coming back from failure and each time they got stronger from what they learned.
From my perspective I was told over and over again that young girls were are not supposed to be competitive and I was told all the time it wasn't "ladylike". It was good because I stopped caring what certain people thought. I knew who I was at the core of my being and it wasn't up to my Mom or Dad to solidify that on their own. I did it! Sure it was hard sometimes but it made me strong enough to stand in who I was and built my confidence to a point where I wasn't a follower and went after my goals and dreams regardless of what others thought.
In a lot of cases I have seen parents baby their kids so much it's scary. Not letting your child stand on his own two feet is a terrible thing to see. I have heard of parents going in to see university professors or administrators to talk about how Little Jimmy's mark isn't high enough. And then we wonder why the boy has problems? Maybe he should learn to work hard and if he doesn't understand something ask for help. When Little Jimmy gets fired from his first job because he wasn't giving it enough effort is his Mom going to walk into his bosses office to explain why her boy needs a second chance? Maybe she can bring in his Grade 6 participation ribbon to help sway the manager's decision! My point is that this didn't happen over night to these boys! It has been steadily happening with a series of how they were raised mixed in with environmental, biological, physical factors and so on. Whatever is happening it is obvious that we are crippling our young men by not showing them what they are capable of or eliminated some of these factors on their own to help them thrive.
Many of us girls got tough because we were told over and over that we couldn't do something or it wasn't allowed. At some point the decision is just made that it doesn't matter what other people think. Many women wanted to go after what it is they wanted and maybe that has forced our boys to take a step back because of our new found strength. As an independent woman I don't have to rely on a man alone to provide for me. I don't think in the case the situation has an easy answer but I do know that I love and appreciate men and it is necessary for all of us to take a look and figure out what to do to make our young men stronger and more resilient again. I plan to do my part by making them earn things, work hard, toughen up and physically participate in his surroundings. I also want to limit the amount of exposure our young boys have to plastics that mimic estrogen so it doesn't physically mess with their hormones. I will continue to follow this subject and keep you up to date on my findings.
Sunday, 22 January 2012
Wednesday, 4 January 2012
Not Another Resolution!!! Aim for the Moon... Reach the Stars! Learning to Exceed the Goals You Set
Many of us have heard the expression "aim for the stars... reach the moon!" But, what if you learn to exceed your own expectations? What if you learn to do more than you thought you were capable of? What if you tossed away all of the negative talk, set a goal and just went for it with everything you had?
Well it would make you feel powerful, enlightened, magnitized and unstoppable. These are the feelings I started this New Year with! I don't normally set "New Year's Resolutions" for a few reasons 1) I prefer to reach my goals (resolutions often fail) 2) I want to set my goals all year round at different points depending on my progress (Ready, Fire, Aim instead of Ready, Aim, Fire) 3) I want to acheive my goal and figure out the next step 4) I want my goals to become my habits because then they are part of my lifestyle.
I have always read 52 books a year consistently over the last few years. When you break it down it ends up being about a book a week. This year I wanted to switch it up and push myself further by setting the goal of reading 55 books for the year. I thought it was challenging and a stretch for me at the time. In October of this year I took a look at my list and miraculously had reached my goal 2 months early! That's when I though "okay so now what?" I wanted to bask in the success of what I had accomplished of course and then I thought "what if I keep going?" So page by page, chapter by chapter, book by book I ended up reading 75 books total. 20 books in just 2 months!
Many people embark on their New Year's Resolutions with reckless abandon. They start out hard and slowly falter. The problem is they lose momentum. So how do you make the staying power last? 1) Write the goal down 2) Post it somewhere you can see it, live it, breath it 3) Make small steps everyday (Don't go to bed until a bite has been taken out of your goal) 4) Track your progress (This keeps you committed to the cause) 5) Tune out the negative self talk and keep being positive with yourself. Most importantly 6) Hold yourself accountable (Don't let yourself give up you set it you finish it) 7) Don't try to boil the ocean pick 1 goal and see it through
Whether you plan to read more, lose weight or go travelling it is all about small consistent steps. In the IT world it is often said "If you can't measure it. You can't manage it" So make sure you are keeping track. If you falter, and it will happen because no one is perfect, own it, acknowledge it and take another step forward.
Whatever you are working on... go for it!!! Who knows you might actually surprise yourself by aiming for the moon and reaching the stars!
A few people have asked me to send out a list of the 75 books I read in 2011. So I decided to post my original list below to make it easier then having to check my earlier post. I also rated the Top 8 books of the 20 I just finished reading .
For your information in 2012 I haven't set a book goal as I have decided to focus my energy on some other initiatives. Of course I will continue to read but I was really satisfied with getting through this many books in 2011. I will still track my books just to see where I am at because it is part of who I am now :)
Marla's Reading List 2011 - 75 Books Goal Achieved
Additional 20 Book Read Between November and December
Top 8
56. 100 Ways to Motivate Yourself - Steve Chandler - Recommended by a friend this book was incredible as it related 100 short stories of how to turn a defeatest attitude into an inspiring one.
57. The Girl Who Kicked a Hornets Nest - Steig Larsson - The follow up to the Girl who Played with Fire
58. The Girl Who Played with Fire - Steig Larsson - The follow up to the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
59. The Help - Kathryn Stockett - Against popular taste a white woman writes a book on stories of black maids' stories in Mississippi (Didn't watch the movie but the book is fantastic)
60. Secrets and Strategies for Success in an Uncertain World - Martin Yate - A book that teaches you how to go for the job of your dreams by breaking it down into little pieces
61. A Woman Among Warlords - Malalai Joya - A woman writes her story of political struggle in Afghanistan
62. What got you here won't get you there - Marshall Goldsmith - Figuring out ways that you are getting in your own way and how to change your behaviour.
63. Success Principles - Jack Canfield - A huge book on how to go after your goals and different tactics and strategies to make it a reality
64. Women, Food and God - Geneen Roth
65. Goals - Brian Tracy
66. Goal Setting - Susan Wilson
67. The Legends of Hip Hop - Justin Bua
68. Green for Life - Gillian Deacon
69. A thousand splendid suns - Khaled Hosseini
70. There's lead in your lipstick - Gillian Deacon
71. Glitch: The Hidden Impact of Faulty Software - Jeff Papows
72. Drive - Daniel Pink
73. Great English Poets - William Blake
74. You were born rich - Bob Proctor
75. Young World Rising - Rob Salkowitz
Original List of Books (Posted in October)
Top 10 Books
1. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - Steig Larsson - Novel about a kick ass chick that doesn't take crap!
2. Discover you Genius - Michael Gelb - About 10 genius' and how to use your own gifts to the fullest
3. Play their Hearts out - George Dohrmann - About the corrupt system of AAU Basketball in the U.S.
4. The Four Agreements - Miguel Ruiz - Being true to your word and not taking things personally
5. Born to Run - Christopher McDougall - Ultra-marrathon runners that live in Mexico and don't use shoes
6. Innovate like Edison - Michael Gelb - Thomas Edison' amazing attitude of continuning to move forward
7. Playbook of Success - Nancy Lieberman - Making a game plan for life and talking sports at work
8. Coaching Team Basketball - Tom Crean - Head Coach at Marquette teaches players to think team first
9. The Saint, the Surfer and the CEO - Robin Sharma - not taking life for granted and going after your goals
10. Quotable Michael Jordan - Quotes from interviews with Michael Jordan
11. The Devil and Ms. Prym - Paolo Coehlo
12. Complete Condition for Basketball by Human Kinetics
13. Step by Step Basketball Skills
14. How to play like the Pros - Jay Triano
15. How to improve at basketball - Drewett
16. The Solution - Lucinda Bassett
17. Take the stress out of your life - Jay Winner
18. Writing the killer treatment
19. Amazing Resumes
20.How to not make art - Julia Cameron
21.Secrets to the Monarch - Allison DuBois
22. Cover Letters that Knock 'Em Dead
23.Stress Solution - Penny Kendall - Reed
24. Women in Business
25. The Leader who had no title - Robin Sharma
26. The Wisdom of Bees - Michael O'Malley PhD
27. Leadership from the Monk who sold his Ferrari - Robin Sharma
28. Knock 'Em Dead Job Search 2009
29. Joan of Arc
30. Family Wisdom from the Monk who sold his Ferrari - Robin Sharma
31. Amazing Resumes
32. Blackfoot Book of Knowledge and Dictionary
33. Joan of Arc
34. By the River Piedra I sat down and wept - Paolo Coehlo
35. Harriet Tubman
36. Joan of Arc
37. Leonardo da Vinci - Christiane Weidemann
38. Harriet Tubman - Leading the Way to Freedom - Laurie Calkhoven
39. State of the Union
40. Big Book of Quotes
41. Life - Paolo Coehlo
42. How to see yourself as you really are - Dalai Lama
43. 11 Minutes - Paolo Coehlo
44. Big Book of Sports Quotes
45. The Book of Awesome - Neil Pasricha
46. Across the Line
47. Mixing Races - Romano
48. Selling the Wheel
49. A woman's guide to rapid weight loss
50. Malcolm X - Militant Black Leader
51. Money, sex, war, karma - Loy
52. Success Strategies Pt. 2 - Robin Sharma
53. Discover your Destiny - Robin Sharma
54. Harriet Tubman
55. The Pilgrammage - Paolo Coehlo
Well it would make you feel powerful, enlightened, magnitized and unstoppable. These are the feelings I started this New Year with! I don't normally set "New Year's Resolutions" for a few reasons 1) I prefer to reach my goals (resolutions often fail) 2) I want to set my goals all year round at different points depending on my progress (Ready, Fire, Aim instead of Ready, Aim, Fire) 3) I want to acheive my goal and figure out the next step 4) I want my goals to become my habits because then they are part of my lifestyle.
I have always read 52 books a year consistently over the last few years. When you break it down it ends up being about a book a week. This year I wanted to switch it up and push myself further by setting the goal of reading 55 books for the year. I thought it was challenging and a stretch for me at the time. In October of this year I took a look at my list and miraculously had reached my goal 2 months early! That's when I though "okay so now what?" I wanted to bask in the success of what I had accomplished of course and then I thought "what if I keep going?" So page by page, chapter by chapter, book by book I ended up reading 75 books total. 20 books in just 2 months!
Many people embark on their New Year's Resolutions with reckless abandon. They start out hard and slowly falter. The problem is they lose momentum. So how do you make the staying power last? 1) Write the goal down 2) Post it somewhere you can see it, live it, breath it 3) Make small steps everyday (Don't go to bed until a bite has been taken out of your goal) 4) Track your progress (This keeps you committed to the cause) 5) Tune out the negative self talk and keep being positive with yourself. Most importantly 6) Hold yourself accountable (Don't let yourself give up you set it you finish it) 7) Don't try to boil the ocean pick 1 goal and see it through
Whether you plan to read more, lose weight or go travelling it is all about small consistent steps. In the IT world it is often said "If you can't measure it. You can't manage it" So make sure you are keeping track. If you falter, and it will happen because no one is perfect, own it, acknowledge it and take another step forward.
Whatever you are working on... go for it!!! Who knows you might actually surprise yourself by aiming for the moon and reaching the stars!
A few people have asked me to send out a list of the 75 books I read in 2011. So I decided to post my original list below to make it easier then having to check my earlier post. I also rated the Top 8 books of the 20 I just finished reading .
For your information in 2012 I haven't set a book goal as I have decided to focus my energy on some other initiatives. Of course I will continue to read but I was really satisfied with getting through this many books in 2011. I will still track my books just to see where I am at because it is part of who I am now :)
Marla's Reading List 2011 - 75 Books Goal Achieved
Additional 20 Book Read Between November and December
Top 8
56. 100 Ways to Motivate Yourself - Steve Chandler - Recommended by a friend this book was incredible as it related 100 short stories of how to turn a defeatest attitude into an inspiring one.
57. The Girl Who Kicked a Hornets Nest - Steig Larsson - The follow up to the Girl who Played with Fire
58. The Girl Who Played with Fire - Steig Larsson - The follow up to the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
59. The Help - Kathryn Stockett - Against popular taste a white woman writes a book on stories of black maids' stories in Mississippi (Didn't watch the movie but the book is fantastic)
60. Secrets and Strategies for Success in an Uncertain World - Martin Yate - A book that teaches you how to go for the job of your dreams by breaking it down into little pieces
61. A Woman Among Warlords - Malalai Joya - A woman writes her story of political struggle in Afghanistan
62. What got you here won't get you there - Marshall Goldsmith - Figuring out ways that you are getting in your own way and how to change your behaviour.
63. Success Principles - Jack Canfield - A huge book on how to go after your goals and different tactics and strategies to make it a reality
64. Women, Food and God - Geneen Roth
65. Goals - Brian Tracy
66. Goal Setting - Susan Wilson
67. The Legends of Hip Hop - Justin Bua
68. Green for Life - Gillian Deacon
69. A thousand splendid suns - Khaled Hosseini
70. There's lead in your lipstick - Gillian Deacon
71. Glitch: The Hidden Impact of Faulty Software - Jeff Papows
72. Drive - Daniel Pink
73. Great English Poets - William Blake
74. You were born rich - Bob Proctor
75. Young World Rising - Rob Salkowitz
Original List of Books (Posted in October)
Top 10 Books
1. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - Steig Larsson - Novel about a kick ass chick that doesn't take crap!
2. Discover you Genius - Michael Gelb - About 10 genius' and how to use your own gifts to the fullest
3. Play their Hearts out - George Dohrmann - About the corrupt system of AAU Basketball in the U.S.
4. The Four Agreements - Miguel Ruiz - Being true to your word and not taking things personally
5. Born to Run - Christopher McDougall - Ultra-marrathon runners that live in Mexico and don't use shoes
6. Innovate like Edison - Michael Gelb - Thomas Edison' amazing attitude of continuning to move forward
7. Playbook of Success - Nancy Lieberman - Making a game plan for life and talking sports at work
8. Coaching Team Basketball - Tom Crean - Head Coach at Marquette teaches players to think team first
9. The Saint, the Surfer and the CEO - Robin Sharma - not taking life for granted and going after your goals
10. Quotable Michael Jordan - Quotes from interviews with Michael Jordan
11. The Devil and Ms. Prym - Paolo Coehlo
12. Complete Condition for Basketball by Human Kinetics
13. Step by Step Basketball Skills
14. How to play like the Pros - Jay Triano
15. How to improve at basketball - Drewett
16. The Solution - Lucinda Bassett
17. Take the stress out of your life - Jay Winner
18. Writing the killer treatment
19. Amazing Resumes
20.How to not make art - Julia Cameron
21.Secrets to the Monarch - Allison DuBois
22. Cover Letters that Knock 'Em Dead
23.Stress Solution - Penny Kendall - Reed
24. Women in Business
25. The Leader who had no title - Robin Sharma
26. The Wisdom of Bees - Michael O'Malley PhD
27. Leadership from the Monk who sold his Ferrari - Robin Sharma
28. Knock 'Em Dead Job Search 2009
29. Joan of Arc
30. Family Wisdom from the Monk who sold his Ferrari - Robin Sharma
31. Amazing Resumes
32. Blackfoot Book of Knowledge and Dictionary
33. Joan of Arc
34. By the River Piedra I sat down and wept - Paolo Coehlo
35. Harriet Tubman
36. Joan of Arc
37. Leonardo da Vinci - Christiane Weidemann
38. Harriet Tubman - Leading the Way to Freedom - Laurie Calkhoven
39. State of the Union
40. Big Book of Quotes
41. Life - Paolo Coehlo
42. How to see yourself as you really are - Dalai Lama
43. 11 Minutes - Paolo Coehlo
44. Big Book of Sports Quotes
45. The Book of Awesome - Neil Pasricha
46. Across the Line
47. Mixing Races - Romano
48. Selling the Wheel
49. A woman's guide to rapid weight loss
50. Malcolm X - Militant Black Leader
51. Money, sex, war, karma - Loy
52. Success Strategies Pt. 2 - Robin Sharma
53. Discover your Destiny - Robin Sharma
54. Harriet Tubman
55. The Pilgrammage - Paolo Coehlo
Tuesday, 20 December 2011
Please... Get Out of Your Own Way!
I just finished reading another interesting book! This one was by Marshall Goldsmith called "What got you here won't get you there." Marshall is an executive coach that helps his clients uncover the characteristics they have that are getting in the way of further personal progress and success.
Most people think that because they have been successful to this point they will continue to find success in the future. This is a dangerous position to be in because there are many things that can get in the way of continued success. He has a list of about 20 habits that the individuals he has worked with were using to the detriment of their own success. Some of the ones I found most interesting include:
#11 - Claiming credit you don't deserve
#12 - Making excuses
#16 - Not listening
#17 - Failing to express gratitude
#19 - Passing the buck
I thought he made some very valid points in the making excuses and passing the buck sections because although as an individual people might think they are escaping judgement... they really aren't! As he put it "I have never seen feedback that said "I think you are a great leader because I love the quality of your excuses." Or, "I thought you were messing up, but you turned me around when you made those excuses."
In the passing the buck section he said "When was the last time someone said "We think you're a great leader because we love the way you avoid responsibility." Or, "It seemed like you were making a lot of silly mistakes, but you changed my mind when you passed the buck and demonstrated someone else was to blame." One of the biggest parts of being a leader is being able to take the brunt of problem and filter the message down approapriately through the right channels to make sure the problem gets fixed.
No one is perfect I am pretty sure everyone gets that at this point! We all have flaws and many of them. This book teaches leaders to confront their problems and make themselves better in the process. Instead of doing it behind closed doors Marshall uses 360 degree anonymous feedback. He conducts one hour long interview with a list of people the client recommends him to talk to. By collecting this type of feedback Marshall can ensure that when the feedback he receives isn't easily dismissed by the recipient (sometimes the truth hurts). These were the people the recipient wanted feedback from in order to get better in the first place so they are much more open to getting this information back.
I thought there was an interesting additional comments when Marshall explained the data collection process though. The respondents Marshall is interviewing are asked to follow the following 4 rules:
1. Let go of the past - you are no longer allowed to hold a grudge against the recipient you are giving feedback on. If you aren't willing to accept this condition you cannot continue to grade the process of the recipient. This makes sense because if the respondent isn't going to move forward then they aren't going to lend a hand in the progress someone who improving.
2. Tell the truth - the process works best if people are as honest as possible and not just saying what they think the interviewer wants to hear
3. Be supportive and helpful - leave cynicism and negativity out of the process
4. Pick something to improve yourself - this way respondents are more focused on improving than judging and they may also experience how difficult it is to change as well
Another thing I made note of was to watch what you hear other people say about you when you are around. It helps give you clues as to what you can do to be better. You can also pay close attention to non-verbal communication which happens when people interact with you. They give off the true message of how they really feel about you that the words they use may disguise.
Overall these concepts help to shed light on some key ideas that may help you to get out of your own way which lets success come through a little easier. You may have old dinosaur habits you are using from a long time ago that no longer fit with the concept of who you are now or who you are capable of being. Don't be afraid of change! Life is an evolution and some small changes can sometimes make a very big difference in how you come across to people.
Most people think that because they have been successful to this point they will continue to find success in the future. This is a dangerous position to be in because there are many things that can get in the way of continued success. He has a list of about 20 habits that the individuals he has worked with were using to the detriment of their own success. Some of the ones I found most interesting include:
#11 - Claiming credit you don't deserve
#12 - Making excuses
#16 - Not listening
#17 - Failing to express gratitude
#19 - Passing the buck
I thought he made some very valid points in the making excuses and passing the buck sections because although as an individual people might think they are escaping judgement... they really aren't! As he put it "I have never seen feedback that said "I think you are a great leader because I love the quality of your excuses." Or, "I thought you were messing up, but you turned me around when you made those excuses."
In the passing the buck section he said "When was the last time someone said "We think you're a great leader because we love the way you avoid responsibility." Or, "It seemed like you were making a lot of silly mistakes, but you changed my mind when you passed the buck and demonstrated someone else was to blame." One of the biggest parts of being a leader is being able to take the brunt of problem and filter the message down approapriately through the right channels to make sure the problem gets fixed.
No one is perfect I am pretty sure everyone gets that at this point! We all have flaws and many of them. This book teaches leaders to confront their problems and make themselves better in the process. Instead of doing it behind closed doors Marshall uses 360 degree anonymous feedback. He conducts one hour long interview with a list of people the client recommends him to talk to. By collecting this type of feedback Marshall can ensure that when the feedback he receives isn't easily dismissed by the recipient (sometimes the truth hurts). These were the people the recipient wanted feedback from in order to get better in the first place so they are much more open to getting this information back.
I thought there was an interesting additional comments when Marshall explained the data collection process though. The respondents Marshall is interviewing are asked to follow the following 4 rules:
1. Let go of the past - you are no longer allowed to hold a grudge against the recipient you are giving feedback on. If you aren't willing to accept this condition you cannot continue to grade the process of the recipient. This makes sense because if the respondent isn't going to move forward then they aren't going to lend a hand in the progress someone who improving.
2. Tell the truth - the process works best if people are as honest as possible and not just saying what they think the interviewer wants to hear
3. Be supportive and helpful - leave cynicism and negativity out of the process
4. Pick something to improve yourself - this way respondents are more focused on improving than judging and they may also experience how difficult it is to change as well
Another thing I made note of was to watch what you hear other people say about you when you are around. It helps give you clues as to what you can do to be better. You can also pay close attention to non-verbal communication which happens when people interact with you. They give off the true message of how they really feel about you that the words they use may disguise.
Overall these concepts help to shed light on some key ideas that may help you to get out of your own way which lets success come through a little easier. You may have old dinosaur habits you are using from a long time ago that no longer fit with the concept of who you are now or who you are capable of being. Don't be afraid of change! Life is an evolution and some small changes can sometimes make a very big difference in how you come across to people.
Sunday, 11 December 2011
Gas Hole and Fuel the Film
I just watched the movies Gas Hole and Fuel the Film and I have to say my view about oil has really changed based on these movies. It is really important when watching movies like this to keep a critical mind about what is being shown. However, even after taking that into consideration both of these movies raise some interesting questions about the state of the world we are creating right now. The ideas they bring forward in these films are rivoting. For example, thinking about who killed the electric car and other alternative fuel patents have been bought and just to be squashed (Gas Hole). Oil interested lobbyists and the roles they play in funding the U.S. Governement Presidential candidates. It is really scary that this is the state of things now!
The movies even talk about people who have gone missing or were killed for their inventions or views on this topic. It was amazing to find out that both Henry Ford and Rudolph Diesel created vehicles that ran on different substances than the oil we know of today. Ford used a type of alcohol and during prohibition the production was shut down until gas became the fuel of choice for Ford's cars. The Diesel Engine was originally designed to run on peanut oil! Mr. Diesel mysteriously disappeared when he boarded a ship and his body showed up a few days later in the water. He had drowned!
I also loved seeing how other countries have dealt with these types of challenges! Germany's people demanded change and it happened for them. Sweden was also incredible in terms of the stance they took to be more sustainable.
Please watch these films and comment on them. We are all so powerful to make a changes. The movies give a lot of different ideas to make an impact. Vote with your dollars on the products you choose to buy and target political leaders who share your stance on these issues.
The movies even talk about people who have gone missing or were killed for their inventions or views on this topic. It was amazing to find out that both Henry Ford and Rudolph Diesel created vehicles that ran on different substances than the oil we know of today. Ford used a type of alcohol and during prohibition the production was shut down until gas became the fuel of choice for Ford's cars. The Diesel Engine was originally designed to run on peanut oil! Mr. Diesel mysteriously disappeared when he boarded a ship and his body showed up a few days later in the water. He had drowned!
I also loved seeing how other countries have dealt with these types of challenges! Germany's people demanded change and it happened for them. Sweden was also incredible in terms of the stance they took to be more sustainable.
Please watch these films and comment on them. We are all so powerful to make a changes. The movies give a lot of different ideas to make an impact. Vote with your dollars on the products you choose to buy and target political leaders who share your stance on these issues.
Saturday, 26 November 2011
Self - Immolation
This one comes to you midway through the book "A Woman Among Warlords" by Malalai Joya about a young woman in the middle east fighting for freedom and speaking out against an extremist male centric brutal viewpoints of the warlords who currently control her country.
Self – Immolation By Marla Gladstone
She set herself on fire
She walked into the flames to find freedom
In a world full of hatred, fear and death
Where killing a woman is equated with the weight of killing a small insect
When she marries her opinion holds no weight
She is seen as goods, a service, items for sale
Traded for livestock in the form of a simple business transaction
She isn’t a person. She is property.
I heard she set herself on fire
She walked into the flames to find freedom
How bad do things have to be for that to feel like a sweet and welcoming release
No simplicity in learning, growing, reading or writing
On her it is a viewed as a waste
Too much of a challenge on her inadequate mind
Her precious subtleties held under lock and key
Her beauty hidden away so not a soul can see
So she set herself on fire
She walked into the flames to find freedom
Her presence so potent she is forced to hid under fabric and scarves
Doing anything to escape the life in which she was born
So slowly her light gets buried deep inside for survival
No one can reach her down there
It is safe damp and dark
Full of tears pain and suffering
An unforeign feeling felt by many women all around our world
And yet there is still hope
A simple escape for even a few seconds as she hears these simple words
It’s called Self-Immolation
See I set myself on fire too
I walk into the flames to find my freedom
Not through dying but through living
Not through quitting but through giving
We are one in the same
Why would I hide when I have the ability to shine
I vote because you can’t
I raise my voice as I hold your hand
You are not alone
Only a few generations removed from these liberties we so easily take for granted now
A time when women had no rights on this very land
Not allowed to be owners for they were the property in which a man laid his stamp on her left hand
A woman married for survival - a kind of forced slavery
Doing chores, making meals, having babies everything he pleased
We’ve been living in the longest war since the beginning of time
The battle of the sexes
I refuse to be treated as “less than”
I won’t hide my beauty inside
I won’t let myself die
My goals, my dreams, my aspirations, my schemes
Are my weapons as I struggle through… by any means
Because when they damage you, they damage me
And I won’t rest until we find equality
When any young girl chooses to follow her dream
Not because she did what she was told
And not because she learned to “play her role”
So set yourself on fire
Walk into your fear to find your freedom…
Self – Immolation By Marla Gladstone
She set herself on fire
She walked into the flames to find freedom
In a world full of hatred, fear and death
Where killing a woman is equated with the weight of killing a small insect
When she marries her opinion holds no weight
She is seen as goods, a service, items for sale
Traded for livestock in the form of a simple business transaction
She isn’t a person. She is property.
I heard she set herself on fire
She walked into the flames to find freedom
How bad do things have to be for that to feel like a sweet and welcoming release
No simplicity in learning, growing, reading or writing
On her it is a viewed as a waste
Too much of a challenge on her inadequate mind
Her precious subtleties held under lock and key
Her beauty hidden away so not a soul can see
So she set herself on fire
She walked into the flames to find freedom
Her presence so potent she is forced to hid under fabric and scarves
Doing anything to escape the life in which she was born
So slowly her light gets buried deep inside for survival
No one can reach her down there
It is safe damp and dark
Full of tears pain and suffering
An unforeign feeling felt by many women all around our world
And yet there is still hope
A simple escape for even a few seconds as she hears these simple words
It’s called Self-Immolation
See I set myself on fire too
I walk into the flames to find my freedom
Not through dying but through living
Not through quitting but through giving
We are one in the same
Why would I hide when I have the ability to shine
I vote because you can’t
I raise my voice as I hold your hand
You are not alone
Only a few generations removed from these liberties we so easily take for granted now
A time when women had no rights on this very land
Not allowed to be owners for they were the property in which a man laid his stamp on her left hand
A woman married for survival - a kind of forced slavery
Doing chores, making meals, having babies everything he pleased
We’ve been living in the longest war since the beginning of time
The battle of the sexes
I refuse to be treated as “less than”
I won’t hide my beauty inside
I won’t let myself die
My goals, my dreams, my aspirations, my schemes
Are my weapons as I struggle through… by any means
Because when they damage you, they damage me
And I won’t rest until we find equality
When any young girl chooses to follow her dream
Not because she did what she was told
And not because she learned to “play her role”
So set yourself on fire
Walk into your fear to find your freedom…
Wednesday, 26 October 2011
Marla's 55 Books 2011
So as I mentioned I set the goal that this year I was going to read 55 books by December 31, 2011. Yesterday, I just reached it so I thought I would post my reading list so that people can see what I was reading. Some of the books I didn't make a note of who the author was so forgive me. I will do a better job of documenting it next time. My cousin, made a great recommendation and asked me to include a Top 10 List in case you were interested in reading the best ones. So here is the list...
Top 10 Books
1. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - Steig Larsson - Novel about a kick ass chick that doesn't take crap!
2. Discover you Genius - Michael Gelb - About 10 genius' and how to use your own gifts to the fullest
3. Play their Hearts out - George Dohrmann - About the corrupt system of AAU Basketball in the U.S.
4. The Four Agreements - Miguel Ruiz - Being true to your word and not taking things personally
5. Born to Run - Christopher McDougall - Ultra-marrathon runners that live in Mexico and don't use shoes
6. Innovate like Edison - Michael Gelb - Thomas Edison' amazing attitude of continuning to move forward
7. Playbook of Success - Nancy Lieberman - Making a game plan for life and talking sports at work
8. Coaching Team Basketball - Tom Crean - Head Coach at Marquette teaches players to think team first
9. The Saint, the Surfer and the CEO - Robin Sharma - not taking life for granted and going after your goals
10. Quotable Michael Jordan - Quotes from interviews with Michael Jordan
11. The Devil and Ms. Prym - Paolo Coehlo
12. Complete Condition for Basketball by Human Kinetics
13. Step by Step Basketball Skills
14. How to play like the Pros - Jay Triano
15. How to improve at basketball - Drewett
16. The Solution - Lucinda Bassett
17. Take the stress out of your life - Jay Winner
18. Writing the killer treatment
19. Amazing Resumes
20.How to not make art - Julia Cameron
21.Secrets to the Monarch - Allison DuBois
22. Cover Letters that Knock 'Em Dead
23.Stress Solution - Penny Kendall - Reed
24. Women in Business
25. The Leader who had no title - Robin Sharma
26. The Wisdom of Bees - Michael O'Malley PhD
27. Leadership from the Monk who sold his Ferrari - Robin Sharma
28. Knock 'Em Dead Job Search 2009
29. Joan of Arc
30. Family Wisdom from the Monk who sold his Ferrari - Robin Sharma
31. Amazing Resumes
32. Blackfoot Book of Knowledge and Dictionary
33. Joan of Arc
34. By the River Piedra I sat down and wept - Paolo Coehlo
35. Harriet Tubman
36. Joan of Arc
37. Leonardo da Vinci - Christiane Weidemann
38. Harriet Tubman - Leading the Way to Freedom - Laurie Calkhoven
39. State of the Union
40. Big Book of Quotes
41. Life - Paolo Coehlo
42. How to see yourself as you really are - Dalai Lama
43. 11 Minutes - Paolo Coehlo
44. Big Book of Sports Quotes
45. The Book of Awesome - Neil Pasricha
46. Across the Line
47. Mixing Races - Romano
48. Selling the Wheel
49. A woman's guide to rapid weight loss
50. Malcolm X - Militant Black Leader
51. Money, sex, war, karma - Loy
52. Success Strategies Pt. 2 - Robin Sharma
53. Discover your Destiny - Robin Sharma
54. Harriet Tubman
55. The Pilgrammage - Paolo Coehlo
Top 10 Books
1. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - Steig Larsson - Novel about a kick ass chick that doesn't take crap!
2. Discover you Genius - Michael Gelb - About 10 genius' and how to use your own gifts to the fullest
3. Play their Hearts out - George Dohrmann - About the corrupt system of AAU Basketball in the U.S.
4. The Four Agreements - Miguel Ruiz - Being true to your word and not taking things personally
5. Born to Run - Christopher McDougall - Ultra-marrathon runners that live in Mexico and don't use shoes
6. Innovate like Edison - Michael Gelb - Thomas Edison' amazing attitude of continuning to move forward
7. Playbook of Success - Nancy Lieberman - Making a game plan for life and talking sports at work
8. Coaching Team Basketball - Tom Crean - Head Coach at Marquette teaches players to think team first
9. The Saint, the Surfer and the CEO - Robin Sharma - not taking life for granted and going after your goals
10. Quotable Michael Jordan - Quotes from interviews with Michael Jordan
11. The Devil and Ms. Prym - Paolo Coehlo
12. Complete Condition for Basketball by Human Kinetics
13. Step by Step Basketball Skills
14. How to play like the Pros - Jay Triano
15. How to improve at basketball - Drewett
16. The Solution - Lucinda Bassett
17. Take the stress out of your life - Jay Winner
18. Writing the killer treatment
19. Amazing Resumes
20.How to not make art - Julia Cameron
21.Secrets to the Monarch - Allison DuBois
22. Cover Letters that Knock 'Em Dead
23.Stress Solution - Penny Kendall - Reed
24. Women in Business
25. The Leader who had no title - Robin Sharma
26. The Wisdom of Bees - Michael O'Malley PhD
27. Leadership from the Monk who sold his Ferrari - Robin Sharma
28. Knock 'Em Dead Job Search 2009
29. Joan of Arc
30. Family Wisdom from the Monk who sold his Ferrari - Robin Sharma
31. Amazing Resumes
32. Blackfoot Book of Knowledge and Dictionary
33. Joan of Arc
34. By the River Piedra I sat down and wept - Paolo Coehlo
35. Harriet Tubman
36. Joan of Arc
37. Leonardo da Vinci - Christiane Weidemann
38. Harriet Tubman - Leading the Way to Freedom - Laurie Calkhoven
39. State of the Union
40. Big Book of Quotes
41. Life - Paolo Coehlo
42. How to see yourself as you really are - Dalai Lama
43. 11 Minutes - Paolo Coehlo
44. Big Book of Sports Quotes
45. The Book of Awesome - Neil Pasricha
46. Across the Line
47. Mixing Races - Romano
48. Selling the Wheel
49. A woman's guide to rapid weight loss
50. Malcolm X - Militant Black Leader
51. Money, sex, war, karma - Loy
52. Success Strategies Pt. 2 - Robin Sharma
53. Discover your Destiny - Robin Sharma
54. Harriet Tubman
55. The Pilgrammage - Paolo Coehlo
Saturday, 15 October 2011
"Powdering" up Before the Game
A few months ago I was at a company golf tournament and one of my co-workers asked me about why his daughter always felt the need to put on a bunch of make-up before playing her hockey games. She and her teammates religiously applied foundation, powder, eye liner, eye shadow, mascara, lipstick and whatever else they needed to feel “beautiful”. They would then put on their equipment and headed out onto the ice as if the make-up was part of their uniform. He knows I am an athlete and wanted to find out from me why she felt the need to do that. Especially, considering when she emerged at the end of the game she “looked more like Alice Cooper than anything!” (with her eye liner dripping down her cheeks).
The funny thing about this conversation is that it isn’t the first time I have had it. A few men have brought it up to me on several occasions. And to be honest I don’t really get it either. From when I started getting into sports in junior high up until I finished my basketball career in university there were classmates, teammates and friends of mine who battled with this exact thought process.
After playing a super intense basketball game on a road trip when there was no time to even shower before we headed back on the bus for 3 hours some of my teammates would squeeze themselves back into their 2nd skin jeans and put on a super tight top. They also had to swing by the mirror and make sure their hair and makeup looked just right. The majority of my teammates were more concerned with being comfortable. We breezed past the washroom to wash the sweat off our faces, threw on the sweatpants and hoody we came in and showed little concern about who was going to see us in the 5 minutes it took us to get back to the van. It was going to be a dark ride home anyways so we didn’t care.
I am going to be really honest. I think makeup when you workout is dumb. For one who cares about boys when you are in the middle of the game or a workout! The focus should be on doing your best and that has nothing to do with looking pretty and has everything to do with being yourself. Putting on make-up before a game is like putting on a mask. It serves no purpose! When I was out on the court I wanted to be as real as possible and if that meant scoring the most points, playing the best defence or helping my teammates that was the important thing for me. Of course winning was great too!
Looking attractive while you play simply to pick up boys leaves you distracted from the purpose of what you came there to do! Instead get his attention by playing your best and if he doesn’t like you for who you are then he who cares…next! Boys are like buses if that one passes you by there will be another one no doubt about it. I have had boyfriends that I met at the gym. I was wearing a pair of basketball shorts down to my knees a baggy t-shirt that was 2 sizes too big and had my hair pulled back in a super tight pony tail. He probably noticed me in a pickup game where I was cashing threes on his buddies. When he came to take me out he couldn’t believe how beautiful I was when I put in a little effort. Who wants the pressure of looking amazing all the time anyways? No one in their right mind does. Sometimes the priority is to be comfy and relaxed and that was when I played my best.
My second point is makeup probably makes your skin worse. Think about it! You put it on and then go out and sweat. Your skin soaks up the makeup, dirt particles are now stuck to your face because you are sweating and mixing in with your make-up. On top of that now you have to put on more makeup to cover those breakouts too. At the end of the day, so what if you have a zit here or there it’s part of growing up and being a teenager. Sure it is fun to look pretty and try some new make-up tips but leave that for another occasion. You are never going to be in a face off and the other girl says “Wow! I love your eye makeup… is it Mac?” And if she does then check her into the boards so the “boys” can get a fresh look at her make-up with her face smushed up against the glass!
If anything before you play sports you should washing your makeup off. You’ll play better if you relax and free your mind of having to be pretty, tough, fierce, soft, aggressive and all of the other qualities that are competing against each other sub-consciously. Enjoy being young because right now you have nothing to cover up just be yourself that’s what is beautiful! (Your dad, uncle, brother, grandpa… think so too and I know this because they told me!)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)