July 2008

While I studiously work on my own mysterious MindTweaking project, (you’ll get a sneak peak soon) here’s a mix of mind tweakish links to keep you busy.

1. ReactionEffect: Addictive, strange and pointless, what could be a better waste of time on a thursday than bleeping rotating squiggles? (Other than endless bubble wrap, of course)

2.50 Fun Ways to Maximize Your Brain Fitness Pointed out to me by Kelly at the Nursing School Search site, this list is a good reminder of just how many easy and effective ways there are to kick our brains into gear. How can you *not* like a list that says “eat blueberry pancakes” and “play with a pet”? [click to continue...]

Writing for MindTweaks is an exercise in staying focused, on track, on  topic and targeted.  I know, I know…  MindTweaks  may not *seem* particularly focused, but in the great creative chaos that is my life, this blog stands out as a beacon of consistency and order. (scary, isn’t it?)

Still every once in a while, I need to indulge in a bit of writer-ly spring-break madness, let my hair down and spew out free-form insanity. 

It may not be spring, but I need a bit of madness this week - and lucky you! I’m willing to share.  So without further ado, I present my notes for the Next Big Hit!

It’s a novel.
It’s a movie.
It’s a hit album.
It’s an uber-moralizing-epic-eco-horror tale.
It’s…

Volcano Virus!!!!

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Part of the Temperament/Social media series in collaboration
with Elemental Truths. You can find all of the relevant articles
linked at the bottom of the Introduction.

C holerics: goal oriented, independent, problem-solving leaders of .. well… everything. They want (and need( to be in charge - in charge of themselves, in charge of their environment, in charge of others.

They like affection, appreciation and attention well enough, but only when it’s offered on their terms, and generally, they’d prefer start a group, rather than join someone else’s. But don’t be fooled - they aren’t afraid to gate crash either, and are happy exert their influence and divert existing communities to their own purposes.

What’s the Web2.0 appeal for a Choleric?

Social Media is filled with endless communities, networks and discussions ready to be taken over, subverted, and bent to the Choleric’s will. Alternately, Cholerics can just create their own community, reigning over it as Grand-Emperor-Virtual-Poohbah.

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Long term readers are aware of the American Pseudo-Buddhist influence which underlies much of my thought process. (It’s good stuff, that Pseudo-Buddhism, especially when served over steamed rice and chased with saki -or so I’m told.)

You may also familiar with my unrelenting book addiction, fueled by frequent trips to the Half-Price book store, that dark-alley drug dealer that forces me to snort, smoke and mainline wholesale words and ideas indiscriminately.

So you’d probably expect me to have a pile of dusty books about Buddhism, Zen, and the like, right? Right!

Last week, heeding the call of addiction, I dug through the stack and plucked out an unassuming white paperback. I flipped through its pages and landed on a rather nice little meditation. Being the sharing sort (and feeling a bit lazy today) I thought I’d share it as this week’s mind tweak. Explanation of just why it’s a tweak follows, but first…

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Part of the Temperament/Social media series in collaboration
with Elemental Truths. You can find all of the relevant articles
linked at the bottom of the Introduction.

Phlegmatic temperaments play an interesting and oft-underplayed role in social circles: they’re maintainers. When the Melancholies have retreated into a moodiness, the Sanguines have flitted off to the next big thing, and the cholerics and supines are busy with their causes and goals, it’s the Phlegmatics that provide the calm, quiet consistent presence that keeps a network together until the rest of us get over ourselves and wander back.

But what do Phlegmatics get out of modern social media?

I remember taking some of my phlegmatic friends to dance clubs years ago. They’d sit quietly in the literal shadows of the building, watching others. I’d always be sure they were bored to tears, but on the way home, they’d tell me what a really wonderful time they had, and tell me about everything they’d observed.

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