Brain Blenders

Paris - Day Three (don't let le monsieur get you down)

Went on a cheese tour through some of the city today - and while it was interesting, frankly I am all cheesed out at this point. If you asked me if I wanted cheese tonight, I'd say "Nope! All good on the cheese front here." Which is damn hard to pull off in Paris - you can't fart in any given direction without hitting some cheese, no pun intended. But, nevertheless I have managed to get my fill of any and all types of cheese at this point. Even queso which is a type of cheese to my people would be on the "thou shall not pass list." Fromaged-out, as one would say - if one had made up the word "Fromaged".

After the cheese exposition I toured around the city on my own for several hours, and discovered something else - I don't walk like a European. They take quick, rapid steps and I take long, lumbering steps. They can probably hear me coming - if they couldn't hear me coming they could certainly have smelled the remains of the cheese carcasses on me! I know why they walk that way too...it's not just the tight pants, and pointy shoes, it's the freaking mass of humanity with no personal space. They are crammed in here and all walking (the real reason they are thin is that they walk everywhere). But, back to my point, if there is one...I don't do small, quick-steps...I might take long, "quicker-steps" somewhere - but the little chop-chop-chop crap is out for me. Which, frankly makes me a giant nuisance in the Paris sidewalk activity.

So yes, my fellow American's I have discovered the problem overseas and he is me! I am the big ugly American looking for a Starbuck's and saying MERCY here in Paris...and it has dawned on me that nobody is going say anything about it. They just roll their eyes, walk around me, and utter little things under their breath. For example, late last night on the top of the Eiffel tower a pushy Asian man tried to force me into a space that didn't exist, and I reminded him with my elbow that, "NO - I don't fit in your time-frame of exiting the platform, and you can wait!"

In short, I am spoiled with space. I like big rooms, open space to walk and run, and maybe, just maybe some cheese in a can.

Paris - Day 2

Oooh...whole new level of sickness. Went to the Sial show...walked around in the 90 degree heat INSIDE the expo center, with the serious smokers from other countries. The reason French people are so thin is that they don't eat, instead they smoke and drink tiny cups of coffee. Joking of course. On my way back to the hotel I did encounter a wonderful cab driver in a CLEAN Mercedes, who was nice to pull over twice whilst I hurled. They say the second day is the one that kills you - I concur. That's exactly what it did to me.

Next day went to the show and saw some cool cool stuff. Look at the pictures I posted under Paris for images and descriptions of the findings. More tomorrow...

Paris Day 1

Hit the ground running at @ 9 AM Paris time, made it through the security and out into a rainy Paris Saturday morning. If you want advice, fly out of the country, and people will line up around the block to give you little tricks you can use to: a) sleep on the plane b) recover from jet lag c) how to handle your first day in a dramatically new time zone. I heard lot's of advice, and did none of these things...in retrospect maybe I should have taken something on the flight so that I could have actually slept. That seems to be the biggest detriment to my stay thus far.

After dropping off luggage we walked to a cafe and enjoyed a Parisian breakfast which consisted of really serious coffee, some kind of orange drink, and several types of bread. The croissant was one of the best I had ever had, however the buttered toast seemed a bit out of place. Walked to the Lourve and decided to take a good run at the Denon gallery. It was the first time I had seen the Mona Lisa and if I hadn't known it was the most popular painting in the world I wouldn't have guessed it in the presence of such magnificent scale. I hate to admit this now, but walking through the Lourve things tend to take on an almost pedestrian nature. For the first hour or so I was in awe of the work, then I found myself unable to process all the magnificence...I had to leave the building in order to get it through my head what I had just experienced. There is no way you can see it in one day.

Paris

Heading to Paris on Friday...and will be writing about the experience if the hotel I am staying in has what they say they do...high-speed net access. Look for pics from the food show I will be attending, as I will place them in a folder on the right side of the page.

Thursday: Idea Festival

The Art of Peace: Robert Sapolsky and John Stempel discussed the art of hippy-dom and how to make a profit from crafting homemade hacky sacks. Just joking, really interesting take on peace and the perspective these speakers gave made room for thought in my head. Held at the Muhammad Ali Center during it's inaugural year certainly makes sense as The GOAT has been working for peace during the last half of his life. Wish the sessions were made into podcast's as Robert Sapolsky is a fascinating speaker... his delivery method is completely from memory, and his opinion (exactly the way he has couched it up) is really interesting. John Stempel, while being a valid candidate for this topic, has been teaching too long and delivers his content as a syllabus with a reading list and a mountain of references to other people's books. Does the academic community only hold validity in the published word?

Best thing that John Stempel said was that we need to understand the other man's language. He believes that American's are far behind the curve when it comes to speaking, foreign tongues. The U.S. is at permanent war, and there is no division between war and peace. We have to behave our way to peace. As a one time diplomat to the Middle East he heard it said that "diplomacy is the art of saying nice doggie while looking for a bigger rock." In modern diplomacy we need both institutions and actors, that will allow citizens to act in concert. Knowing the other (possible conflict), but not demonizing him is critical to growth.

Mr Sapolsky had some great analogies;
1. We are in some instances the same as animals
2. Have things in common but execute them in a completely novel way
3. Exhibit behavior that is unique only in humans

Oddly enough his examples of aggression, dominance, and murder are all not unique to the human, but exhibited across many other animal species. But according to Robert Sapolsky "the only chance we have to solve this social problem (lack of peace) is to look at those examples where humans are uniquely alone in their approach - like their ability to give selflessly." His example of this is the work of some Catholic Nuns, who have worked with men on death row where they find the worst behavior in humans and give to them their absolute best. Really interesting approach from what appeared to be a real guy...he told a story of how his son was being picked on at school, and his first reaction was to kill the other kid. Instead he told his son to invite the other kid over to play. All other options seemed fallible to him, as they involved death or the involvement of a third party like the school or a counselor for his kid. I found this was an interesting approach to violence...bring it closer to yourself in hopes of creating a relationship that would supersede the action.

I would have found it interesting to have a possible third member of their panel. A military strategists to give some perspective to the obvious questions left in the room. How do we maintain the freedom's we have come accustomed too, without lording our military dominance over the world? However, in retrospect the lineup of speakers made sense in the spirit in which it was given - look for answers outside of the normal set of typical solutions. Peace is not easy.

Rebirth of a Nation

Acclaimed DJ, author, and all around bright guy DJ Spooky remixed Birth of a Nation by Griffith into something pretty cool. Prior to the show he gave a little history on the movie, some perspective on the period of time in which it was made, the fact that it was the first movie shown at the White House. Finally his reasons for remixing it which was to give a DJ's perspective that maybe you could remix history. It is his art project, and for the show I was grateful.

While I really like DJ Spooky's work...as I sit here in the Brown Theater I must admit...I get it! You can remix a movie into a new type of message, but damn it drags a bit right around hour number two.

I 'm not saying it wasn't interesting but I've seen French cinema with more punch, and less artistic fluff. My only hope at this point is that Spooky runs some Public Enemy tracks over some Tampon commercials.

Idea's come everywhere

One of the more reassuring aspects of the Idea Festival is the statement from most of the speakers I heard over the last two days is that " good ideas can come from anywhere".

I would add that you must be looking for the right redundancy in the culture in order to identify the tell-tale signs of an emerging idea. Everyone looks for ideas, but many overlook the seemingly mundane or divergent thoughts as signs of an idea whose time has come. A ripple of thought can be the trigger for a larger notion that can become a full onslaught of a movement. Without looking for the ripples, you only catch the waves that are already upon you. Watch the little stones being dropped in the streams...they make the best precursors for the growing tides. 

I find this unilaterally accepted by every person I've met who embody those special qualities and mindset of an innovator and creative entrepreneur. Not every person at this festival is geared that way...but they are open to the thoughts around them.

Idea Festival

I am in Louisville, KY at the Idea Festival. Mainly bacause the wonderful tagline..."great ideas can come from anywhere. This fall they'll be coming from Louisville, KY."
I love the concept that great thoughts can come from the most unknown places...and if we keep our eyes open for the right set of cues than we can identify the breakthrough ideas and act on them.

Really I came to the Idea Festival because of the power and diversity of the speakers and events. The lineup includes former editors of Fast Company, chefs, artisans, scientists, and DJ's. That is the kind of event that I can get into...stay tuned and I will update with my thoughts and reactions.

The Areas of My Expertise

Some time ago I purchased and read the book "The Areas of My Expertise" by John Hodgman and told many about it...to the point that the publisher sent me a personal thank you with a lock of her hair. It was coarse hair and I found it unpleasant to touch, handle, and digest - but it made for a wonderful paint brush.

You might know John Hodgman from the now somewhat famous Mac/PC ads where one guy is playing the part of a mac and the other dude is a PC, he is the PC. Here is a HUGE photo of one John Hodgman here. I took this photo with my Canon GL-2 and transfered the digital image to Adobe Photoshop CS-2 where I added the cat. John asked for the file for his website, but he wanted me to remove the cat from the image as he felt it was unnecessary to the artistic integrity of the picture. I refused to do so, and the refusal has caused a large rift between us that I am unsure will ever be rectified.
But, notwithstanding our professional feud his latest work is brilliant. I have enjoyed the recent audiobook so much that I have listened to parts of it twice, and once while completely unconscious in my hyperbolic chamber. Hodgman reads the book himself, and the performance is worthy of tuning in for. So come on, you cheap bastards - pony up the $18 on iTunes and give your ears a thrill. Or steal it from your local music provider.

eNook is here

 

Well, I went ahead and got an eNook. You know, the desk I mentioned a few months ago here on BrainBlenders that hangs on the wall and folds down enabling one to keep a tighter workspace. I really don't need a tighter work environment...but I do love the idea of being able to stand at my desk and have others walk up to the space and comfortably look off of my computer screen. And although many have questioned my sanity I really like it. My real hope is that it will afford me more communication space around my office. I would prefer the space to become a very open use location.

To give you some perspective the unfolded workspace is 42 inches high. 37 inches wide and 100% dope (sorry...listening to KRS-One right now).