Reading: Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell
I am reading quite the amazing book right now – ‘ target=_blank>Outliers: The Story of Success.
![Outliers The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell](<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0316017922?ie=UTF8&tag=yuhustewarde-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0316017922"><img border="0" src="41bbHmtqpQL._SL160_.jpg"></a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=yuhustewarde-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0316017922" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" /> "Outliers The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell")
It’s written by Malcolm Gladwell, and I loves his previous books, The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference’ target=_blank>The Tipping Point and Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking’ target=_blank>Blink, so I was eager to read what he had to say once again. I’m only about half way through the book, but already I can tell that this will be my new favorite!
Have you read Outliers? Has it changed the way you feel about education, intelligence, hard work, and opportunity?
Freedom & Bananas
Like a lot of people around the country, I was glued to the television on Inauguration Day.
I was struck by how our passing of leadership, from one administration to another, goes rather smoothly when compared to some parts of the world. While many people now debate all the little hiccups of the day, I continual to be struck by how a gracious and graceful exchange ushered out and in a new leader and accompanying administration.
When I was younger, I had a pen pal in what was the called East Germany. She was a teacher behind the Berlin Wall. Our letters were full of stories about work, life, and love. I’d share my vacation adventures in Hawaii and she’s share her adventures at the Black Sea. Despite having lots of questions to ask her about what it was like to live in East Germany, I was always very careful to say nothing that would cause her harm should the letter be read by anyone else. I have absolutely no reason to think that our mail was censored, but my imagination ran rampant.
Years later, when the Wall was down and she moved about more often and freely, I asked her a few more specific questions about what life had been like growing up.
She said that she a change in leadership meant a tank would roll down the street and there would be military men marching in the street. As a child she’d look out the window happy, because it meant that there would be no school that day.
When I asked her what freedom now meant to her, she said bananas and pineapples. Behind the Wall, she said, the fruit wasn’t very good. And now she had more shopping options and she loved the bananas and pineapples.
She and I lost touch over the years. But on many times on Inauguration Day I thought about her several times. Now that a unified Germany is a little more mature, I wondered what she thought about a change in leadership, and how freedom looked and felt to her now.
On a day of historical significance, I thought about freedom and what it means to me, and has always meant to me. And I thought about bananas and pineapple.
Photo credit: wikimedia
Sunday Music: Sex on Fire from Kings of Leon
I think I’ll make Sunday a day for a little musical interlude, sharing with you what I’m listening to on my iPod.
Today, it’s Sex on Fire from Kings of Leon.
While far more popular in Europe than here, the three brothers have roots here in the the US, calling Tennessee home. The band takes its name from their father and grandfather, both of whom are named Leon. They explain their sound as a little southern rock, a little garage rock, a little hard rock, with a little alternative thrown in.
Take a listen and decide for yourself —
L’Occitane Winter Sale Saves You up to 50% Off Selected Products
Between my maturing skin and the environment that I work in, fighting the battle with dry skin often seems like a losing proposition. I count my lucky stars that I’ve discovered products that manage the problem, although nothing I’ve discovered has quite eliminated it.
L’Occitane has natural beauty products that are developed and made in the small town of Manosque in Provence. Drawing on Mediterranean inspiration, these are products designed with a love of the land, tradition, and with sustainable development in mind. The company has made a strong commitment to being socially responsible and that mean you can enjoy products that are good for you – and for everyone and everything else, too.
Making this point, is the L’Occitane sustainable development program in Burkina Faso around the production of shea butter. The company also supports literacy and support for women in developing countries, the fight against blindness, and the preservation of threatened traditional cultivations.
You can support a great company and some great causes, while still saving a ton of money, during the Winter Sale. Select products are up to 50% percent, including some of my favorites:
- Olive Paste for Hair – Great for all types of hair as a daily condition or as a weekly treatment. Sale priced $13.50.
- Honey & Lemon Tartlet Gloss – Keeps your lips nourished with a little bit of shine with it’s shea butter and honey formula. Sale priced $6.
- Citrus Verbena Fizzy Bath Salts – Scoop up a combinations of sugar and salt and turn your bath into an energizing experience. Sale priced $11.
- Bonne Mere Soap – Honeysuckle is my favorite choice among these all-natural soaps, with Milk running a very close second. They smell good, and leave my skin feeling clean and moisturized. Sale priced $3.50.
- Shea Ultra Rich Body Cream – With a very high concentration of shea butter, this is a miracle worker at making my skin feel a little less like a crocodile. It protects and rejuvenates the skin, and while it’s incredible rich, it is quickly absorbed and not greasy. The 14.1 ounce size is sale priced at $49.
There are a lot more wonderful items that are greatly reduced, so turn yourself loose to stock up. With each order you’ll receive a free sample set, free gift wrapping kit, and the popular boutique gift card. For a limited time, you’ll also receive FREE standard shipping on all orders over $40.
Click on the ad above to start your shopping!
10% Discount Off SkyMall Orders
Have you ever paid attention to the Sky Mall magazine in the airplane seat pocket? Sometimes it’s a stand alone magazine, and sometimes in an insert in the in-flight magazine.
I am fascinated by all the fun stuff that you can find in that magazine!
Some of it, while fascinating, I wouldn’t have a clue what to do with it. But other things I think I might actually use.
Here are a few things that caught my eye recently:
The The Slanket’>The Slanket allows you to keep your hands free while still being all curled up and warm in a blanket. I could have used this over this past week, as I’ve snuggled up on the couch, but have still wanted to read or work on my laptop. It comes in five colors.
1000 Places to See Map’>1000 Places to See Map allows you to keep track of where you’ve been and plan where you’re going next. It coordinates with the book 1,000 Places to See in the USA and Canada, and would be a lot of fun for planning family trips.
The Scooba Robotic Floor Washer’>Scooba Robotic Floor Washer would come in really handy right now, and my kitchen floors are looking a little sad. This little gem will autonomously prepare, wash and scrub tile, linoleum, or sealed hardwood floors. What’s not to like about that?!
If you’re like me and enjoy spending time pouring over the Sky Mall catalog, you’ll appreciate this special offer:
You can save 10% off on any Sky Mall order that you place between now and March 31st, 2009. Maybe you’ll try one of my favorites items here, or select something that you’ve had your eye on for awhile.
All you have to do is enter the promotion code LSQ19 when you check out.
The discount does not apply to shipping and handling or sales tax, and cannot be combined with any other promotion, discount or offer. Gift cards and Bose products are excluded. Offer expires March 31st, 2009.
Facebook Explained
You can find me on Facebook, but now I feel like I”m stalking you.
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This? It’s a Skiing Injury
I’m currently grounded with a fractured toe and sprained foot. The injury happened when I slipped down the stairs while vacuuming. That’s not a terribly interesting story, so I’m saying it was a skiing injury while I was in the Swizz Alps.
If you know me well, you’ll know that it’s an obvious lie. But if not, it’s a whole lot more sexy than saying I was vacuuming.
For the next week or two, I’m confined to bed. Well, bed, couch, whatever. The point is that I”m supposed to keep my foot immobile and not put any weight on it. As it begins to heal up, then I can slowly increase my activity level until I’m back to full strength. The doctor said it would take awhile just to get back to 60-70% healed, and then it would continue to improve more gradually from there.
While playing hooky for a day to lounge on the couch, watch movies, and eat bon-bons is a wonderful idea, when it’s not a day or way of your choosing, it’s not anywhere near as much fun.
But here I am, lounging away. Spending lots of time writing, web surfing, talking on the phone, reading, and watching movies. It’s a sad day when the highlight is the Elvis Presley movie marathon that’s going on.
I’m getting used to it, though. A good thing since I have a long ways to go.
But I’m out of bon-bons!
Happy New Year & Welcome 2009
It’s always fun to start the New Year looking forward and thinking about what might come to be. It’s a day full of high hopes and lofty goals. A day when I’m charged up and ready to change myself and the world.
Somewhere during the course of the year, and it’s usually sooner rather than later, that enthusiasm wanes a bit. And before you know it, all the excitement of what was to be becomes regret about what could have been.
This year, more than ever before, I am committed to not letting that happen.
I am committed to making 2009 the year that IS instead of letting it devolve into the year of what could have been.
I’m not yet ready to share publicly my hopes, dreams, and goals. But when I do, I’ll be asking you to come along with me and support me on the journey.
I wish for all of you a very, very Happy New Year!
Image credit: SXC