Duc N. Ly

At work, we had a presentation on memory. I wanted to pass on a few bullet points.

• The presenter Kristin gave us a few tips on remembering names of the person you met.
• Slow down and listen when the other person say their name.
• Humans can think seven times faster and we can listen.
• Try to repeat their names back to them in a nonchalant way. Repetition retains the data.

• Jotting down even bullet points improves or retains the data.
• Learn the language of memory which is visual imagery.
• Memory or data needs to be organized and file like the paper filing system. Most of the time our memory is jumble up. There’s no methods or organizing system for the data.
• Access and retrieval at the time that is need is the key.  The analogy uses this imagery:  Imagine that our brain is a filing cabinet.  It’s easier to find what we are looking for if the data is filed.  It would take us longer to look for a file if all of the files have been dumped and mixed.
• Stress impairs memories.  Stress in some ways mixes this system.
• 70% of memory will be lost in the next 24 hours.

Goal Setting Worksheet.pdf

freedom blog

I came across this spiral Postalco notebook in the latest May 2008 issue of GQ American. At the bottom of the page, seemingly out of nowhere, the editors of GQ mentions this spiral notebook as their favorite. They carry them around and ‘beat them up’. Mike Abelson, the owner of Postalco, mentioned that the cover is made of cotton and wears like a nice pair of denim. Postalco has a shop in California, around LA I think. I’ll have to check the magazine for the address. A search on the web brings up an on-line order, however the language is in Japanese. The retailers carrying these products are extensive and re-known. I wrote an email, and to my surprise, Mike replied. I’m awaiting for the arrival and will be featuring the notebook in the near future.

There is the mysterious Map book: No. 10010

All maps show how we understand space, from directions drawn on napkins to maps of ancient Egypt. Having a unreliable sense of direction and getting lost often is how the authors gathered the collection of hand drawn maps featured. These hand-scrawled maps may reflect how we really understand the spaces around us. -Postalco

That quote really captures the way I feel about maps and visual thinking. I’ve gotten lost a number of times and I’m always fascinated as to how I reorient myself again.

http://ducly.wordpress.com/2008/05/27/postalco-arrival/

Over the wonderful sunny weekend, I went on a hike with some friends to Angels Rest. While hiking we spoke about relationships. One person mentioned ‘The Five Love Languages’ by Gary Chapman. I did a quick search on my Goodreads.com to add it to my ‘List of Candidates’ (Steve Leven of Levenger’s term from his Bookography concept.) Any how, Amazon has a package deal with includes a faux leather journal for writing to accompany the reading of the book. However, due to popular demands, it is currently not available on Amazon. Try Ebay.

How do you discover your spouse’s - and your own - love language? Chapman’s short questionnaires are one of several ways to find out. Throughout the book, he also includes application questions that can be answered more extensively in the beautifully detailed companion leather journal (an exclusive Amazon.com set). Each section of the journal corresponds with a chapter from the book, offering opportunities for deeper reflection on your marriage. - Cindy Crosby.

I think this is a great present for Mother’s Day idea.

Other books about relationships: Passionate Marriage

Once in a while, I’ll take a look at Mark’s blog and can’t stop myself. Whether he’s talking about the latest duck confit or the new wikisym, I find it entertaining and informative. He often quotes people. So I’ll quote him here. I came across this: “Much of our most important writing is written to ourselves and to our immediate circle of family, friends, and allies. This intimate or nobitic information includes not merely calendars and grocery lists, but also work for planning our future endeavors, as well as correspondence to our future selves and our progeny.” - Mark Bernstein.

It got me to thinking about Personal Information Management (that Stephen Smith has blogged about) and personal, or intimate information. I remember just a few weeks ago, my wife was telling me some of her mental notes. She does not keep notes. But while she talked, I took some notes then I realized that her open talk or brain dumping and my capturing was setting up some goals for the year, whether it was a vacation wish list or the next movie we might look at.

A good example of how paper can translate to the internet/interactive:

nytimes.com/interactive/2008/03/28/arts/FOLD_IN_FEATURE

There is a new trend in converting those one shot photographs into animations. Animoto.com provides music for up loads. One can use their library of tunes or up load one’s one audio file. It’s connected with flickr and photobucket. Animoto looks for sets in these account that one has to link. The shorts are free for 10 or so images but full length will cost a little more but affordable. For $30 will buy a year’s worth. Try it out first to see if you like it. I just did a quick one and the option to blog was irresistable.  You can also send it to YouTube video.

If you sign up mention this code:  iyqbzlro for $5 off.

Photobucket also provides slide shows of photos that are in sets.

While I was in Europe, I happen upon Luxe.tv cable.  Luxe does these wonderfully stylish features of the world’s luxurious places, fashion, and tech.  The cable channel does re-run a lot of the features which is very annoying.  There is the website to follow when I got back home.  I kept wondering if they would have videos on their website.  Sure enough,  Luxe.tv is on several video sharing sites such as Youtube.  I thought this one on Mrs. John L. Strong stationary was appropriate for the blog.

Coffee and notes

Originally uploaded by Duc N. Ly.

It’s always a difficult decision: what to pack? I took this notebook because I had notes from the previous visits in 2004. The silver pens are newly acquired and I thought I bring them along.
The Zebra gel (middle of the picture) pen didn’t survive the plane ride well. For some reason, perhaps the change in altitude and airplan pressure, the gel pen skips alot.

red stampOriginally uploaded by Duc N. Ly.

I’m visiting Poland for Easter. A friend show me this document. I was impressed with the strong paper and the fountain pen marks.