Zerebria

I have a retarded mind: I very often go through the best ideas in books and posts without noticing them right away. They usually become some sort of “seed” in my head and take 3, 4 days to fully grow, without me having the least intention to do anything about them. And then one day, as a flower that opens after a delicate nurture, I say: “wow”, and do something about it.

Writing the successes of the day was one of those great ideas. Simple, non-coded, very little time-consuming, it pays off in a way that is almost scary. (more…)

Almost a month has passed by (funny how fast January always vanishes: like all newborns, the year is full of energy), and maybe there is enough distance already to recapitulate what were the latest Christmas like.

In my case, they were of a strange kind. (more…)

In “Getting Things Done”, David Allen affirms that the size of projects does not matter (for those who are not familiar with the GTD methodology, Allen defines “project” as any desired result that requires more than one simple action-i.e. a “pack” of actions with a defined purpose), and in terms of logic, he is right. Everything in his book is rigorously logic. But it makes me think of certain Zen masters. (more…)

I love books, so I always try to improve my reading system by making it as organic as possible; I intend to get a system that sort of “defends itself” from the aggressions of modern life, hurry and other everyday monsters. I’ll talk another day about the working and behavior of my reading pile, which is still evolving. Here I want to explain the tiny ecosystem of my “now reading” area and how it works. (more…)

I write this post after having heard this same cliché from the lips of several people, belonging to areas of the academic spectrum that range from illiteracy to PhD. In all cases, it exuded that feeling of filthy simplicity that I hate the most, and it’s my job to eradicate clichés and try to replace them with thinking. Here is the troublemaker: (more…)

While any moment is good to start, personal journaling has always been a classical example of new year resolution. And a very healthy one: it increases your awareness and allows you to squeeze to the most the juice of every moment. Furthermore: in an age where time plays and fools us so badly, I have come to think that journaling is a must for mental sanity. (more…)

Happy new year. May all of you achieve plentifulness and reach completion along 2010. May everyone resembles some more the human being he is really intended to be, all free from any kind of social, traditional, educational or psychological harnesses. May all of us be happier, wiser and more free in 365 days’ time.

Yeah, right: metaphors, images, similes… I am talking about poetry here, about making your personal computer really personal. The using of original names for your computer folders and control lists can do a lot to stimulate your creativity and improve your focus. (more…)