Just Smile

When I was still in high school, I used to work as a hostess at weddings to make some pocket money on the side. All you had to do was stand there and/or direct people to their table with a big smile.

Since it’s not the most challenging job in the world, we used to play a “game” where we had to make the people who were coming in smile.

So there we were, four or five girls smiling insistently at all the wedding guests just to have them smile back and hence gain points in our little game. And believe it or not, it worked 99% of the time. Unless you are really depressed, mad or crazy, it is almost impossible not to smile back to a person who is giving you the biggest smile they have.

Here’s a Ted talk (that I discovered through Marc) on the power and effects of smiling:

http://www.ted.com/talks/ron_gutman_the_hidden_power_of_smiling.html

So smile and :

M

The Best Job

The video speaks for itself:

 

 

 

To my mom, the best mom in the world.

Don’t try to challenge me on that…

… I’ll win.

M

From Scratch

You can do so much, with so little.

This is one of the most important things I learned in scouts. We would be camping in the middle of the woods and would have to create or construct tools and other stuff, out of nothing.

Creativity and resourcefulness were key. And of course, the belief that “there must be a way!”. And armed with only that determination, we would do wonders with only a rope and a piece of wood.

When we were kids, my mom used to draw little smiley faces on the tip of our fingers. This process would take hours- including the drawing, our amazement, and the stories we would make up with those little characters.

No need for fancy puppets, no need for big TV screens, no need for endless games and dolls. All she used was our fingers and a pen.

I’m telling you: WONDERS.

M

Rough day?

Thanks Shauny for the link!!

http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/Aqnpdx/:j6$y$qF$:AqH8ATts/www.buzzfeed.com/mjs538/13-simple-steps-to-get-you-through-a-rough-day/

Song of the day: Great cover of “Rivers of Babylon”- Sublime

Have a great day!

M

 

 

Make It Count

Cool Video:

 

 

Whatever it is 🙂

M

Therapy Dance

In the island of Cebu in the Philippines, hundreds of inmates of the Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center have taken to performing large-scale dance numbers to such classics as Michael Jackson’s “Thriller,” Queen’s “Radio Gaga” and several songs from the “Sister Act” films to help pass the time while serving sentences or awaiting trial.

Dancing in prison? that’s breaking conventions. And one of the smartest idea I’ve heard.

Dancing liberates their minds and bodies and can only do good.

Watch their video:

Here’s to Zeina Daccach, who did an incredible similar job in the Lebanese prison, giving drama classes to the inmates.

Her documentary of the making of “12 Angry Lebanese” is one of the most moving videos I’ve ever seen. It challenges traditional mindset and deeply touches you. If you haven’t seen it, I strongly strongly recommend it (I wrote strongly twice, on purpose).

And in the same dance spirit, here’s an awesome video shared by Cyril, in which two brothers dance the tango. At the beginning of the 20th century, it was badly seen for women to dance in Buenos Aires,  it took a lot of time for this to change…

Enjoy!

M

Making Dreams Come True

Watch this great story:

http://cainesarcade.com/

You never know when they may come true 😉

M

Random Laughs

When you think about it, the best and strongest laughs are the ones that come out of complete absurd and random situations.

When someone tells a joke, all they get is a smile, a chuckle or sometimes an “oh I knew this one *forced satisfied smile*”.

But when something random/stupid/absurd happens you may burst in uncontrollable laughter. Sometimes it’s just the spontaneous face expression of one of your friends. It’s those precious moments in which you laugh with all your heart that matter. And the best thing is, these types of laughs are the most contagious!

Random song of the day: “Banana Boat Song”- Harry Belafonte

Aaaand some more randomness for the road 🙂

M

The Eyes.. They Never Lie :)

Did you know that it is super easy to spot a fake smile? just look at the eyebrows of the person, if their ends dip slightly, then the smile is real!

Genuine smiles are generated by the unconscious brain and different muscles are contracted in a real smile vs. a fake one. When you smile on command, your brain tells your mouth muscles to move outwards. When you really smile, not only does your mouth muscles move but your brain gives an unconscious signal to you cheek muscles which are contracted and raised, making the eyes crease up, and the eyebrows dip slightly.

Song of the day:”Sunshine Reggae”- Laid Back

Gimme gimme, gimme just a little smile,

M

Speeches

A lot of you already know the famous “Steve Job’s Commencement Speech” that he gave at Stanford in 2005- (For those who want to see it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UF8uR6Z6KLc).

A few days ago, Marc brought to my attention another inspiring speech by Adrian Tan: http://halfhalf.posterous.com

Read it, it’s worth it 🙂

Song of the day: “Life Is Sweet”- Natalie Merchant

M