Carmelo Blandino explains why and how he rewired his brain to paint with his less dominant left hand
Must all learning be difficult, a series of miserably rote chores performed by schoolchildren trapped at their desks? Or can mastering multiplication, reading, science, and writing be a romp through the playgrounds of the mind? While most students would prefer that school be as easy as possible, the truth is that the deepest human understanding—the stuff that sticks with us…
Creativity is one of the most mysterious human qualities. Seemingly effortless for a rare few, it can be elusive for the majority. While the most extensive training in the world can’t turn an average Joe into Paul McCartney, these simple techniques can help edge the creative muse closer. 1. Limit your options. Studies show that restricting one’s choices can more…
I’m sitting on my suburban New York back porch on a spring day, reading Haiku in English: The First Hundred Years for Tweetspeak Poetry. The wind picks up. I read through explanations of haiku, which are more complicated than one might guess, and I land on the observation that the kireji is a cutting word. I knew that. In a…
When I flew home from the World Domination Summit (WDS) in Portland, Oregon, I brought a new friend along with me—and I didn’t even need to buy her a plane ticket. She’s a Brave Bot. She has big eyes and no legs and is the size of a domino tile. And when I need bravery, she’s supposed to give me…
It’s a disorienting decision—certainly for someone who makes a living selling words—to choose a form of expression that doesn’t use them. But I’d always dreamed of choreographing—not for a living but for fun. I wanted to see if I could learn its own unfamiliar and difficult language. Five months ago, I started a weekly class in modern-dance choreography. I’ve studied…
People collect many types of things, for many reasons. My choice is rhinos—that is, rhino figurines. It’s an odd thing to collect, I guess, judging from the bemused reactions I get when guests see them perched around my house. I’d like to say I began accumulating them to support their protection (they are in danger of extinction), but that wasn’t…
It was the fifth time that George Mason University hosted the conference on “Leading to Well-Being” but my first visit, and I’m so glad I attended! The goal of the conference is to explore “the innovative intersections of leadership and well-being” and it far surpassed my expectations. This year’s theme was Thriving Together “to inspire human flourishing throughout the world…
Esalen, a storied getaway perched above the thundering waves of the central California coast, was the setting for the second annual Esalen Inspirational Film Festival. While the resort itself is a powerful motivator for self-reflection and renewal, the festival played its part with a week of memorable images, skilled storytelling, and constant reminders that human beings are remarkably resilient. Woven…
