How Much Is Too Much?
It’s 10:51PM I’m sitting in my living room typing this out and in the back ground my dryer goes off to tell me the laundry is done, the remote thermometer is telling me the fire is ready for the chicken to go on, and Remember The Milk just sent me a text telling me I have to complete the updated documentation for work before a 9AM meeting.
I am procrastinating because I know I have 470 email to catch up on from last week while I was out. I also have to schedule two trips for the next two weeks.
How much is too much and how do we as a ever busier people say enough is enough. Maybe I should make time to actually read the book Crazy Busy by Ned Hallowell. It’s on my book shelf but I feel too busy to read it right now.
Brain Rules — A Must Read
Reading and discovering how the Human brain functions to me is one of my favorite things to do. Not long ago I saw a reference to the book Brain Rules: 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home, and School
by John Medina. I immediately went online to see what this was about. After reading the reviews on Amazon I was eager to get my hands on it but was going to be leaving the next day for a 18 hour road trip. Audio books are great for long trips as they make the miles seem to disappear(I learned why in chapter 4). iTunes had it so onto the iPhone it went and I was set.
I drove 8 1/2 hours one way listening to the audio version the whole way. The list of things that he spoke about that I kept saying “yeah I know that, that’s not new but now I know WHY, and I understand THIS”, etc. It was like all of the connections were firing as John read the book and everything I thought I understood started to make more and more sense. The trip back was just as enlightening.
Needless to say I bought the book shortly after returning home and read through it in less than a day. I’m on my second read through it and I find it just as amazing. It’s written so that it’s actually enjoyable, with personal antic-dotes that nearly everyone can relate to. With these personal notes, it suddenly becomes committed to memory. Even with having listened to it and read it, on this my second read, I’m taking notes. Making comments in the borders. Highlighting whole sections.
Not since I read Driven To Distraction : Recognizing and Coping with Attention Deficit Disorder from Childhood Through Adulthood and Delivered from Distraction: Getting the Most out of Life with Attention Deficit Disorder by Ned Hallowell and John Ratey have I been this engrossed in a book and felt like I was understanding what was happening clearly for the first time.
So what are my favorite sections? All of them! The effects of sleep on your brain and what it does during sleep. How stress impacts your ability to think and learn. The importance of exercise and how a little can go a long way. Do you understand why toddlers go through the terrible two’s? I thought I did, but now I know. Did you know that teenagers go through the exact same thing? It’s a physiological change in the their brain that is happening. How about the fact that humans are meant to move and that cubicles and classrooms are evil! All of those with ADD/ADHD will appreciate this.
In summary, Brain Rules is a fantastically written book with facts, references, personal experience, and well thought out content for understanding what is going on in our brains. It will change the way you think about and understand the human brain, how it got to where it is today and what we can do to take care of it better now.
To purchase the book please see the links above. To learn more about this specific book or the other books mentioned please reference the following links:
The Comedy of Marriage
Walter Mathau in his long career of acting always seemed to say something in his movies that is funny and true in one breath.
In his movie “Pete ‘n Tillie” he is asked by his on-screen wife Carol Burnett “Honestly, I don’t know how we’ve stayed married for 11 years!”
His response is this one statement “because frankly I’d rather not discuss anything with you than with any other woman in the world.”
An Inspiring Quote To Brighten The Day
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”
–by Marianne Williamson
This is a little more new age than I usually like. But the message is one that everyone be reminded of.
The Difference of 3 Boys
You always hear about the oldest, second or middle, and youngest child syndrome. Being a middle child myself I am a firm believer in this. You see the differences in the three boys and the effect their birth order has in many ways every day but I saw it clearest this last week.
In the morning we listen to a set of music designed to keep them morning and getting ready. Most of these are catchy songs including Mr. Roboto and Bohemian Rhapsody. With this kind of environment it’s not odd to see them them dancing to one of the tunes.
My oldest is often focused on what he’s doing, ignoring the events around him unless it forces his attention away from what he’s working on. So if we are all singing or dancing as we’re walking around he’ll usually get up and join in.
My second son is all about staying busy. What’s next is his approach. He pays close attention to what others are doing and will generally join in with what most of us are doing.
While the youngest will join in but if you watch him while he’s doing something else and the music changes he just starts shaking and bouncing to the beat without missing a beat. He’ll keep doing what he’s doing but he just rolls with the change in the music. To watch him as he’s walking away and then to just start dancing while still moving is one of the highlights of the morning.
My Son’s Suprise
The other day my son awoke to a suprise. He got up looked down and saw something sticking straight out. He checked his pajamas and yep there it was. He comes into our room to tell us all about it.
Without going into details the funniest part was “It’s like it’s leading me around where ever I go.”
While his mother and I tried not to laugh openly, I thought, More true words have never been spoken. It will be your curse and joy the rest of your life.
Tickle Kung Fu
Me — “Wwwaaaahhhh! Here comes the Iron Tickle Fingers“
Ben — “No Dad! No More Tickle kung fu.“
Will — “Me Dad! Me! Tickle Me!“
Me — “Wwwaaaahhhh!” Tiger Tickle Claw strikes until he’s on the ground laughing.
Ben — “Dad tickle me like that next.”
How soon they forget.
The next lesson we will learn the Elevated Eagle Tickle Attack. It involves being held upside down by one leg while being tickled with 2 fingers and thumb any unprotected tickle zone.
Turning A Rainy Day Into a Thing of Beauty
Last week I had the opportunity to visit the New York City/New Jersey Area for work related activities. It was during my stay in this fine area of the country that the weather went from sunny and 70 to sleet, snow, ice, and cold — 32 degrees.
Normally under such an unlucky turn of events you might be a little pessimistic about the outlook of this kind of weather, being far from home. I was not of this mindset. I saw an opportunity, however twisted, that only comes along once in a great great while — an extended stay in one of the great cities of the world by myself over St. Patrick’s day weekend.
Why was this such a great opportunity? Because I am undaunted by rain, snow, ice, freezing temperatures or any other possible obstacle when it comes to the possibility of enjoying great food! Just the night before my co-workers were telling me about this great classic steak house called Peter Luger’s in Brooklyn. Intrigued, I had called but there were no open reservations for at least 2 weeks. Now suddenly I had the chance to cash in on native New Yorker’s distaste for such foul weather.
My adventure started out by taking advice from a non-New York citizen on how to get to Brooklyn. He put me on a train that took me into the heart of Brooklyn but many many blocks away from my intended restaurant. After realizing I was way off the beaten path I got off the subway and started my way back up to the other end. But not without walking in almost 8 blocks in the onslaught of bad weather first. Surprisingly enough taxi and limo services were not running either.
I made my way back into the bowls of Brooklyn’s subway and then proceeded to chart my slow path back to Peter Luger’s. After 4 transfers I was within 9 blocks of this mecca of meat and though the weather had taken a turn for the worse I was not deterred in my drive to eat.
As a side note, when I arrived in the greater Tristate area it was moderately warm and I had only brought a golf pull over and mostly warm weather clothes. That day at lunch after learning my stay was going to be extended I went to the adjoining mall and purchased hiking boots and a change of clothes. So at this point, though the rest of me was soaked my feet were warm and dry.
I trudged through 4 inches of ice, snow and sludge. Pelting sleet in the face. At several points I was uncertain whether there was any hope of me reaching this dream of good food and a warm drink. Finally I saw a sign. Literally it was a sign that said “Peter Luger’s Parking”.
I knew I was close. My pace quickened. I saw the entrance. Oh No. There were people lined up by the windows! Would my trip have been in vain? Was my expectation of the native’s dislike for bad weather misplaced? Alas I redoubled my resolve and crossed the threshold to the desk where the owner’s wife was waiting.
In my best puppy dog eyes and pitiful, yet hopeful voice I could muster I begged to be put on the list for the food. The Maitre’d came over and the two of them took pity on my state and assured me that within the hour I would be enjoying a porterhouse steak aged to ripeness, broiled to perfection, and served right on time. My heart leapt at this news. My dreams would be realized! I wanted to cry at the top of my lungs! I WOULD EAT STEAK TONIGHT!
The thought alone warmed me and my now frozen cap of hair but to ensure I was properly thawed I headed to the bar to order nothing less than my 12 year oldGlenlivet and await my turn. As luck would have it while I was waiting 2 gentlemen walked in and got in line behind me. Without a second thought I struck up a conversation with them and within minutes you would think we had known each other for years.
By the time they called my name I had switched to joining the two gentlemen and we sat down together to enjoy the steak for 3. Now this restaurant is known for many things but one of them is not courteous serving staff. If there was any hesitation at all you would go to the bottom of the route for getting your order in. As Michael and John(?) were old pros at eating there they knew exactly what to get the first time they came around. We got the tomatoes and onions for an appetizer, Creamed Spinach, and home fries/hash browns with of course a Medium Rare Steak for Three Porterhouse.
They bring this steak sauce (why they call it steak sauce I don’t know. It should be illegal throughout the world to add sauce to a steak like that.) that we added to the tomatoes and onions. Amazing. Then the Creamed Spinach came to the table. HOLY FREAKING COW! That was truly the BEST creamed spinach I have ever eaten. Hence the capitals for the dish. The home fries were good but the main piece was still to come.
The steak arrived and they set it up so the juices flowed to the end of the plate. That’s important because that was the true steak sauce. Not the other stuff. The juice of the steak that you spooned onto the succulent pieces of pre-cut meat from a glorious, almost devine cut of Porterhouse steak that had been broiled in an 1800 degree oven long enoug to pinkify the center and slightly blacken the outside. It comes pre-cut so you just take a few pieces as you can. It’s so good that some of the cuts could be done with your spoon, because they don’t give you a knife for it.
My new found friends were slowly eating. They had not accounted for the eating speed or capacity of The Chinesebob. I easily enjoyed 30 of the 50oz steak in front of us. Not to mention most of the Creamed Spinach. At the end I insisted on picking up half the check as with them I ate more and paid less than if I had been by myself so it was only fair. And they were extremely gracious in dropping me off at the subway station that would take me back to New Jersey.
As I rode the train back to my hotel I could only think. I have done something I only dreamed about doing. I took what should have been a terrible weekend and instead turned it into one of those rare life moments where you fight through opposition to finish. I slept so well that night. Little did I know that the rest of the weekend would be more of these amazing adventures.