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queen-scribbles · 5 years ago

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OK let's see... #5, 15, 23, 27, 37, 62, 79 for Adi; 9, 41, 55, 67 for Emiri; 10, 36, 46, 47, 50, 75 for Tavi; and 40 and 70 for all of them!

Ooooh, all excellent questions, thank you so much!

Adi

5 Do they have a secret handshake with anyone?

Not a handshake, but I feel like she and Lottie can have “conversations” through significant looks/raised eyebrows/nods etc when they need to.

15. What was the last thing they cried about?

I’m sure there was at least one stress-breakdown over the course of Pillars 1, no matter the canon.... OH. That fight with Crookspur slavers I keep redacted bc I really do plan to fic it someday. That went BAD. Very bad. She was crying for a while for a whole bunch of wildly contradictory reasons after that.

23. How do they usually wear their hair?

Single, semi-loose braid that’s usually pulled over her shoulder so she can play with the end of it while she reading.

27. What is their favourite holiday?

Spring Dawn and all associated celebrations

37. What is their favorite gif?

40. If I wanted to draw them, what would be distinct physical features that I would have to know to draw them correctly?

I mean, you have drawn her, and did a pretty perfect job of it. :) Important features for Adi would be her braid(loose escaping wisps to hang in her face optional), grey eyes, 99% chance she’s smiling, she wears a loooot of pale pink/light blue/spring-y green, DRESSES, and there’s probably inkstains on her hands and/or face.

62. Who, in their opinion, makes the best food?

Her brother Ben. He’s even better than Mama, which is saying something bc her mother is a fantastic cook. But Ben’s literally made a living from it, so he’s better.

70. What do you, the creator of this OC, like most about them?

Her curiosity and excitement about life in general.

79. What object do they care for the most?

Either her grimoire or her necklace. Both have very high sentimental value, being gifts from her family. Her parents gave her the grimoire(granted,all the time spent transcribing spells in it would be a shame to waste as well), and her brother Texatl gave her the necklace.

Emiri

9. Do they have any artistic talent?

Depends, would macrame count as art or crafting? She’s not “artistically talented” in the sense of being able to draw beyond stick figures, but she can do amazing things with knots in thread.

40. If I wanted to draw them, what would be distinct physical features that I would have to know to draw them correctly?

The halo, for Pillars 1 era. Her markings and glowing eyes(note: I’m not picky on how perfect the pattern of the markings is compared to her game model, or if you use Pillars 1 vs Deadfire). Her very sweet smile. unless you’re drawing her mid-battle with slavers, then you would need to draw her absolutely terrifying. Not a physical feature, but she’s pretty much always wearing 1-5 of those bracelets she makes.Most important is the adra greed one; since that’s her “friendship bracelet” that matches the blue one she made Aloth.

41. What is their favourite breed of dog?

Hound dogs. Nooo, Lottie didn’t bias her at all (addendum: I looked up hound/lab cross puppies when I was writing Skittish, and OH MY GOSH are they adorable. So lab/hound mutts might actually top the list after that point in her story...).

55. What is something they always wanted to do but too scared?

Tell Kana how she feels. Climb all the way up the rigging of a ship. She hates boats in general, but she’s always wondered what it feels likes up there.

67. What is something that is simple, but always makes them smile?

Darkest Rauatai cookies. Sleeping in a bed. Snuggling with Lottie or one of her other pets. Having friends.

70. What do you, the creator of this OC, like most about them?

How she’s stayed so kind and sweet and merciful when life has done its absolute DAMNEDEST to beat all of that out of her. She caught on to that and went “nope, I think not, I’m gonna be EVEN KINDER.” She’s rebelliously, recklessly kind and compassionate and I love it.

Tavi

10. What is their favourite room to be in, in the house they live in?

In Caed Nua, the training grounds or the barracks, swapping stories with the hired muscle. On the Defiant, up on deck with the wind in her hair.

36. Have they ever rode a horse before?

If you wanna call it riding. She’s not very good, and has only done it a couple times

40. If I wanted to draw them, what would be distinct physical features that I would have to know to draw them correctly?

Short messy brown hair, most of the time barely chin-length, but sometimes when it’s been a while since she had time to cut it properly,it almost brushes her shoulders. Lots of scars. Tattoo of Hylea’s symbol on her wrist, only the arching branches are sabres.

46. Have they ever won a contest before? If so, what for? What did they win?

There’s a couple melee-style tournaments she’s won, bc the prize was money and she was verging on dead broke.

47. If the world were to end in 24 hours, where would they be and who would they be with?

Wouldn’t much care where she was, but she’d definitely want to spend the time with her favorite people(Aloth, Khellin, Edér, Kana, Charity, Sagani, Xoti etc)

50. If they got called out by someone, what would they do?

Flip ‘em off, for starters. Maybe cuss in Vailian for good measure. Depending on who it is and how they go about calling her out, there might be some introspection and, if necessary, concession of changes and/or apologies to be made. Maybe.

70. What do you, the creator of this OC, like most about them?

Her bluntness, swearing, and firm belief that sleeves are bullshit. There’s no half measures with her, when she’s in, she’s fully-committed, whether that be achieving a goal or pursuing a relationship or whatever.

75. Have they ever partied too hard and their friends had to take them home?

Yeaaahhhh, only, unfortunately(?) it wasn’t ”friends” it was just poor Aloth trying to wrangle his drunk af girlfriend into bed.

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chapmanradio · 7 years ago

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Radio Gaga

While British rock band, Queen, is best known for Freddie Mercury’s incredible vocals, Brian May’s talented guitar work, and megahits like "Bohemian Rhapsody”, “We Will Rock You”, and “We Are The Champions”, the band also provided dozens of songs that fit the genre of popular 1980’s new wave. Their 1984 song, “Radio Gaga”, blends the vocals and instrumentation that we love with digital sampling and disco-elements, such as four on the floor beats, in addition to a successful music video to create the perfect definition of what a new wave song can be.

By the time “Radio Gaga” was released, Queen had been taking the world by storm for over a decade. For years they stood out from other bands because, for one, all four of their members wrote the songs, providing a different sound in each piece, but also because of how the tracks contained countless elements of other genres. For instance, there was opera in “Somebody to Love”, metal in “Stone Cold Crazy”, folk in “39”, and ballads like “Love of My Life” and “You Take My Breath Away”. The variety that Queen provided in all of their albums is part of the reason why they remained at the top of the charts all over the world for such a long time. With their ability to cater to many different audiences, Queen decided to mix things up in 1982 when they released Hot Space, an experimental disco album that contained hits like “Under Pressure” and “Las Palabras de Amor”. After the success of both rock and roll and disco albums, for the remainder of their time Queen used characteristics of both genres in most of their tracks, which is very evident in “Radio Gaga”.

“Radio Gaga” was written by Queen’s drummer, Roger Taylor, and it was written about how the expansion of television, and MTV becoming a center for music, had started to make the radio obsolete, and throughout the song he is reflecting on how great growing up around the radio was. He got the idea from his infant son, who while listening to a bad song on the radio, made an astute observation, saying, “radio ca-ca”, which Taylor was fascinated by. Not only is the style of music for “Radio Gaga” part of the reason it is considered new wave, but the lyrics themselves describe exactly what was happening to the world at the time, and how musicians no longer aspired to just be on the radio, but to be featured on MTV instead.

Outside of the fact that it was released by one of the most famous bands on the planet, one of the reasons why “Radio Gaga” was so successful was because it appeals to many different audiences. As it covers how television has become more popular, it relates to the adults and teenagers whose lives have changed as a result of the new technology. Second, with the simplicity of the chorus, and the words “Radio Gaga” themselves, the song appeals to younger audiences, who can find fun in its words and artificial sounds. Lastly, the song connects with older audience in a variety of ways. Within the lyrics, there are references to radio shows in the past, such as “Orson Welles’ 1938 broadcast of H.G. Wells’ The War of the Worlds, and Winston Churchill’s ‘This was their finest hour’ speech from the House of Commons” (Wikipedia), which can bring back nostalgia for the listeners who experienced those events. Like many other new wave songs, “Radio Gaga” made the listeners feel the music, whether that be through memories or relatability.

One of the aspects of “Radio Gaga” that fits into the genre of New Wave is how it makes use of synthesizers and artificial sounds. During the new expansion of music in the 1980s, it became more acceptable to use machines to create noise, as music was not just about being “real” but rather about the importance of sounding good. Unlike many of their earlier hits, the beat in this song is produced by a drum machine, which creates a powerful and consistent background for the track. The synthesizer was used to create a bass groove-like sound, and it was prominently used as the introduction and supplemented the drum machine for the entirety of the song. Queen’s transition to new forms of creating music can also clearly be seen in how Taylor wrote “Radio Gaga”, as he locked himself in a room with just a drum machine and a Roland Jupiter-8 until completion. The use of artificial sounds helped add to the mood of the song, as the background synthesizer and its use in making some of the lyrics sound robotic caused “Radio Gaga” to sound much more futuristic, which perfectly fits both the theme of the song and the fact that music was taking a step in a new direction as well.

Another common theme in disco and new wave tracks is a constant “four on the floor” beat from the bass drum, to provide consistency and urge the listeners to dance. Despite the drums being artificially produced, “Radio Gaga” keeps four on the floor at all times. This beat, along with relatable lyrics and catchy synthesizer lines, creates a dance feel- a vital trait in new wave music.

While there are clearly several ways that “Radio Gaga” relates to new wave music from an audio perspective, it also does so through visuals. As there was a shift in the most popular music styles in the 1980s, it became increasingly more difficult for rock bands to make it onto MTV. Therefore, Queen had to make sure the video for “Radio Gaga” was nothing like anything else, which they did successfully as it was nominated for an MTV video music award. The video features the band travelling in a flying car, set in the 1927 film Metropolis during a war, and also shows the band teaching civilians a clapping dance for the chorus. With futuristic events and technology in the video, the impact of nostalgia is made even bigger, and makes viewers feel more connected to the world they live in today and what they’ve been through in the past.

In addition to the song’s popularity on records and on MTV, “Radio Gaga” was also one of Queen’s favorite songs to perform at their concerts. Most notably, Freddie Mercury sang it at Live Aid in 1986 in front of a crowd of 72,000, who came out to see a variety of bands as a fundraiser for the Ethiopian famine. During Queen’s turn to perform, the entire audience took part in the clapping dance introduced in the music video, which amazed guitarist Brian May. He said: “I remember thinking 'oh great, they've picked it up' and then I thought 'this is not a Queen audience'. This is a general audience who've bought tickets before they even knew we were on the bill. And they all did it. How did they know? Nobody told them to do it” (Wikipedia). This proved just how successful “Radio Gaga” had become, and especially how significant of an impact its music video had on all music fans. Additionally, the audience participation in the simple clapping made it evident that “Radio Gaga” had its own dance, which made the song all the more unique and relatable to the biggest new wave hits.

The success of “Radio Gaga” led to the song eventually being added to Queen’s second greatest hits album, and of all the songs on that list, it is the only one that really provokes dancing. While many of Queen’s tracks fit into the definition of what new wave music can be, “Radio Gaga” is the single song that does so the most; because what makes a song a part of the new wave genre? Most new wave songs have a couple of the following: they are a mix of rock and disco, feature a “four on the floor” beat, use synthesizers and artificial sounds, and provoke the urge to dance or also a feeling of nostalgia, sadness, or other emotions based on the song’s content. Some new wave songs have music videos to go along with them, and a select few have unique dance moves associated with them. “Radio Gaga” has all of those characteristics, and in addition, the message that it includes is important and relates to what is happening to the music world at the time this new music is introduced. Therefore, “Radio Gaga” should indeed serve as the basis for what a new wave song can be.

Tyler Brook

Radio DJ - Back to Middle School

December 6, 2017

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manage-management · 7 years ago

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Superficial The book came highly recommended but I found it very superficial. A set of amazing, hard-working, creative women are making a living being artists. How did they accomplish that? The author must have sent each maker a list of 10 or 15 questions and recorded their short answers without further probing. Seems they all wish they'd taken more business courses. Really? Fewer women and real conversations would have been so much more helpful. Go to Amazon

Absolutely Perfect!!!! After years of searching for a book or magazine that portrayed a realistic view of all types of women in the craft/art/entrepreneurial world - not just Caucasian women who are friends/associates/creators with other Caucasian women. While I have nothing against these scenarios, it just gets boring to see books and magazines pretending that no one else creates in this world but them and the occasional Africa-American, Asian or other race creator that they include to throw us a bone! What a breath of fresh air to find 'In the Company of Women'!!! A thousand thanks to Ms. Bonney for giving us a beautiful birds eye view into so many different creative and inspirational women. And, for me, different is the marvelous keyword! All ages, races, backgrounds, focuses and pursuits (just like real life!) It's a smorgasbord of talent. Just looking at the beautiful photographs (Sasha Israel) of these incredible women you can feel their strength, hard won success and their passion for what they do! I will be going over this book again and again because finally I have found what I have been searching for! Ms. Bonney, you've filled my empty cup by producing a book that takes us into a future were ALL creative women, can and do, keep company! Go to Amazon

Very happy about this Very happy about this, but a little sad that the hardcover wasn't as nice as the first time I ordered it for someone else. Go to Amazon

I love this book I love this book. I was pleasantly surprised to find that it actually features a diverse selection of women. The profiles are brief but it gives just enough information that you can get hooked in and if you want to know more about someone in the book you can easily look that person up. It's well made and I like the photography. Seeing into some of the studios and workspaces of these creative minds was really satisfying. I ended up buying it for a friend too. Go to Amazon

A nice book with inspirational thoughts but wished they would have ... A nice book with inspirational thoughts but wished they would have mixed up the interviews with a wider range of questions. Go to Amazon

It's About the Money, Not the Making This book should be called "In the Company of Urban Women Marketers": no grand matriarch potters or counterculture chicks selling jewellery at the farmers' market here! Seriously, I was hoping for meaty, thoughtful interviews with working artists and crafters talking about their creations and what drives them to make and do...but instead these are bite-size nuggets from creative women talking about their *businesses*. Seems obvious they were asked to answer standard questions, and most did so with an eye to their PR and brand-building. Disappointingly few photos (or even detailed mentions) of their actual creations. However...I did appreciate how frank and brutally realistic some of the women chose to be, with pithy financial and logistical advice and occasional doses of humour. There is plenty of business inspiration to be found in here for anyone thinking of quitting their day job and becoming a "maker" for real instead of just a hobbyist. As for the meaty interviews with makers, guess I'll stick to the ACC's bimonthly magazine, American Craft. Go to Amazon

Overall interesting but not enough "makers" Interesting choices by author for inclusion in this book. Many talented people who make a living arranging and designing for others but not many who actually "make" something with their own hands. No quilters or sewists, no jewelry makers or metalsmiths. That would have made a good book an even better book. Go to Amazon

It's a super gift - more than just for the coffee table If you follow Design Sponge, you'll want to keep this book around for inspiration. It's a super gift - more than just for the coffee table! Go to Amazon

Great gift idea for a creative woman Great book Some of the questions are truly poor and do not make justice to the women on ... Misunderstood the title--involved only artistic type entrepreneurs basically in NY or CA Great inspiration! Five Stars Five Stars I have given it as a gift several times to my women friends and they just love it! Four Stars Excellent book for women

#and Entrepreneurs (9781579655976): Grace Bonney: Books

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lifeideserve · 7 years ago

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Ep 1 - The Journey to a Better Life, Starts Here: What Jack Canfield Taught Me

We all have the ability, to be successful. And, while it’s common knowledge that a great education, valuable skills, and strong relationships, are pivotal to success, there are actually some fundamental beliefs, perspectives, and disciplines, that will dramatically increase your chances for success, regardless of your education and skills. Take this journey with me, as I share what I've learned, and we learn more together, to achieve success, beyond your wildest dreams! :-)

Hi, my name is Adrian McMillian. Welcome to “The Life I Deserve”!!

This show was designed to help you identify your passion. And, figure-out, how to pursue that passion.

Here’s a quote that I learned from Jack Canfield, on finding your passion, and your purpose in life: “Don't ask what the world needs, identify what makes you come alive, and then go do that. Because what the world needs, is people who come alive!”

“The Life I Deserve” project was designed to help you, come alive! Join me, as I help you discover your passion. And, then, determine, how to pursue your passion!

I also want to help you, to enhance your health, grow your wealth, and fill your life, with happiness. Subscribe to the Podcast, and stay tuned, as we explore these different areas.

Health

I will share ideas, perspectives, and interviews, on how to enhance your physical, mental, and spiritual health.

My favorite exercise, is dancing. For several years, I’ve been very involved in salsa dancing, and the other dances, you would find at a salsa club, like Bachata, and Cha Cha. I love all types of dances! I started taking West Coast Swing classes a few years ago. And, then I got busy with other things, and stopped the West Coast Swing. But, I really enjoyed it! I really think I’m going to have to work more West Coast Swing, into my life. :-)

Wealth

I will share information, insights, and opportunities, that may help you to, increase your income, and increase your return on investments.

I grew up in San Leon, Texas. Which, is between Houston and Galveston. I have 2 brothers and 2 sisters. We didn’t have much money growing up, but we did have very caring parents.

Through many years of study, and hard work, I am now a Director of Technology, for a major motion picture company in Los Angeles, California.

However, the path to true financial freedom, is passive income! I discovered the power of rental properties, about 15 years ago. I bought my first property on Halloween day, of 2002, in beautiful Santa Monica, CA. I have learned a great deal in the last 15 years. And, I’ve developed a strategy that works very well for me. Stay tuned, for episodes, in which I share more about my experiences, and strategies in real estate investing.

Happiness

I will share insights and perspectives, that will help you to discover your passions, and empower you with the skills, resources, and support, to pursue your passions

Happiness, can be an elusive pursuit. What makes one person happy, can be drastically different, from another person. And, for each of us, the source of happiness, changes over time. To make the happiness pursuit even more complex, it is heavily impacted by our past, and associations that we’ve made. True happiness, is often connected with, helping, reaching-out, and connecting with others. It’s human nature to help our brothers and sisters. I believe happiness must be a shared experience. Because, if we only look out for our own happiness, we will end up feeling empty.

What makes me happy? Besides dancing, I love spending time with family...visiting my Dad, creating memories my sisters and brothers. And, of course, I really enjoy time spent, with with my, amazing and talented, nieces and nephews. I also love catching-up with friends. I enjoy tropical vacations. And, I really love helping people.

So, how can we, all, take our happiness to the next level? And, how can we spread that happiness, to the people we love, and care about? Listen to upcoming shows, as I interview experts in this area.

Listen to this entire episode, as I share with you, a powerful formula, that will allow you to take control of your life. Also, I will share with you a story, that has impacted me, and my view of the world. And, I have no doubt, that it will impact you as well!

Questions, Comments, Compliments

“The LIfe I Deserve” is here for you! Please let me know what type of topics you’d like me to research. What kind of people you’d like me to interview. Or, if you, have something valuable to share. If you have any knowledge, insights, perspectives, that can help people to improve their health, wealth, or happiness, reach out to me. Visit “TheLifeIDeserve.com”. And send me email or voicemail. From the Web Site, click on the “Contact” tab, and you’ll see a button, that will allow you to record voicemail. Or, if you’d rather leave email, just fill-in the form, just below the voicemail button.

I really want to hear from you!! And, yes, I mean you! Reach out! Let me know what’s on your mind. Let me know how I can help you. Or, maybe you have an inspirational story, or thought, that you’d like to share. I really want to hear from you!! Just go to “TheLifeIDeserve.com”, and then go to the Contact Page.

Unlocking Success

Jack Canfield, is known as America's #1 Success Coach. He is the founder of the billion-dollar book brand "Chicken Soup for the Soul", a leading authority on Peak Performance and Life Success.

So, how did I discover Jack Canfield? While in college, I was got a job at the NASA Johnson Space Center, in Houston, Texas. I was very excited! As a staff member, of the "Scientific and Technical Research Library", I worked hard to prove myself. And I was humbled by the fact, that some people I met, would literally leave Earth for a Space Mission. What made the difference, between a person, doing a job they dread, and a person living their dream, as an Astronaut? Looking for clues, I noticed that many patrons of the library, would put themselves on a waiting list, for a particular set of videos. Out of curiosity, I added myself to the waiting list. After a few months, it was my turn to check-out the coveted videos. The videos were by Jack Canfield. They were titled "Self-esteem and Peak Performance". I watched the videos. Despite the fact, that the videos were already several years old, everything Jack talked about in the videos, made sense to me. The lessons were timeless. And, the concepts were simple, but powerful. Before watching the videos, I had no idea, why some people seem to be on the easy road to success, while others, seemed to be heading down a dead-end road. Watching the videos, I realized that I would be able to accomplish anything, by re-programming how I thought and reacted to my world. Those videos, were the beginning of a new life for me! It's amazing how small changes in the way you approach life, can dramatically change your world! Let's Do This! This is the reason for "The Life I Deserve". I invite you to take this journey with me. I invite you to try, new ways of thinking, and ways of being, that may help you to become the person you want to be, for yourself, and for the people that you care about. Over the next several months, I will evolve "The Life I Deserve" into a medium for sharing, learning, and growing together. Please feel free to share with me your thoughts, suggestions, comments, and questions. If I can help even one person in a significant way, this project, and the effort involved with this project, will all be worthwhile. We are all trying to navigate our way through life. Working together, we will not only survive, we will thrive!

The Universe Is Speaking

Last November, I visited my family, in Houston, for Thanksgiving. For some time, I have been trying to figure-out the next steps to take in my life. During that trip, I remembered, it was Jack Canfield’s teachings, that significantly impacted my life, years ago. Maybe I should meet Jack in person. Maybe I should go to one of his events. After discovering Jack Canfield, years ago, I checked-out other motivational speakers, to see what I could learn from them. Zig Ziglar was another great inspiration. Zig was a Texan, full of Texan personality and charm. And, a great sense of humor. He would tell amazing, impactful, true stories. He also, would sometimes tell fictitious stories, that would either make a great point, or inspire his audience with laughter, or both. Here’s one of Zig’s funny fictitious stories. A lady in Dallas, went to see an attorney, about a divorce. The attorney said, “Do you have any grounds?”. “Why yes”, she said, “we have about 40 acres, right out here, on the north end of town”. [laughing] He said, “ma'am, that’s not what I’m talking about, do you have a grudge?”. She said, “No, but we have a nice little carport, on the side of the house”. [laughing] He said, “Ma’am, does that man ever beat you up?”. “Oh no”, she said, “I’m up every day, at least an hour, before he even turns over”. [laughing] He said, “Ma’am, do you accept any responsibility for the difficulties?”. She said, “What do you mean?”. He said, “Well, do you ever wake-up, grouchy?”. She replied, “Oh no, I just let him get-up, on his own”. [laughing] He said, “Well, why do you want to divorce the man?”. She said, “He just can’t communicate.” [laughing] I remember hearing about Zig’s passing several years ago. And I remember thinking, I should’ve seen him, in-person. Well, no more should’ve’s. I’m going to meet Jack Canfield. So, I checked-out the date and location for the next event. At the end of February, in Newport Beach, Jack was teaching his “Breakthrough to Success” course. This course is based on his amazing book titled, “The Success Principles”. Okay, end of February would work. Okay, now how much. $3,000. $3,000? Hmmm. Am I really going to get that much more out of meeting him in person. I decided to go to the gym, get a workout, and think about it. I worked out, came back to my room, and noticed that my binder was not on the nightstand, where I usually put it. I searched everywhere. I went out to my car. Not there either. I looked for at least an hour. Then I started taking inventory, in my head, of the valuable items, in my binder. A cashier’s check for $2,500, from a real estate deal, I had in progress, and gift cards, totaling $500. I had exactly $3,000 in my binder. I told myself. Okay, if I lost the binder, and the $3,000, it’s not the end of the world. I’ll deal with it. After more searching, I finally fell asleep. I woke up the next morning, and somehow remembered exactly where I last placed my binder. I found the binder, with all of the contents inside, including the cashier’s check, and gift cards. The universe was telling me, I can afford the $3,000 to work directly with Jack Canfield. So, I went online, and registered for Jack’s “Breakthrough to Success” seminar. Ironically, it was the last day for the early registration bonus, which was VIP status. VIP status meant, even more time, to spend with Jack!!

A Week of Learning, Exploring, and Sharing

I’ve been to many real estate seminars, but never a motivational seminar. So, I really didn’t know what to expect. The first night was only for the VIPs. I got there early. I spoke to some of the other VIPs. One girl, I spoke with, had been to several motivational seminars. A couple of them, were from Tony Robbins. She told me that she really like the Tony Robbins seminars, however, that nobody got to meet, or spend time with Tony. Tony was on stage, then escorted backstage by bodyguards. Just after telling me that, she said “there’s Jack”. I turned around. And Jack Canfield is standing right behind me. He was speaking to someone. But, as soon as he finished, he warmly said hi, and greeted me. I introduced myself. Told him how he’s already impacted my life, and gave him my “The Life I Deserve” card. He read my business card, “The Life I Deserve”, what a perfect name! I spoke with Jack briefly. I noticed that the girl who was sharing, her motivational event experiences with me earlier, was waiting anxiously. So, I graciously introduced Jack to her, and stepped away.

Broken Agreements

The next morning, we all met in a big hotel ballroom. Music was playing. And the Jack Canfield team gave us high 5’s as we entered. Jack laid-out the logistics. And had us sign to a list of rules, we would abide by. “Arrive on time”, “Do all of the homework”, “Sit in a different seat, after each break”, “No alcohol (until the end of the week)”, “No new, major decisions within 2 weeks after course ends”, and several other commitments. Jack explained each. Different seat each time, to get us out of our comfort zone, and so we would do the exercises with different people each time. Alcohol (even the prior day/night), can affect our focus. And, no major decisions, for 2 weeks, because, in Jack’s words, people sometimes leave the course with a natural high. Jack asks us to then sign the page. Basically, it’s a contract. Oh yeah, Jack also had us read every item out loud. We then had to all stand, if we agree to play by the rules. Jack walked around to see if anybody was not standing. I’ve never experienced so many measures to have everyone keep their word. A couple of days later, while everyone was seated, Jack asked people to stand if they had broken any rules. I was surprised to see, that most of the attendees, stood. Apparently, we all need to work, more diligently, on keeping our word. I remained seated, at first, anyway. But, then I began to review in my head, all that we promised. Okay, we were supposed to think of 100 successes in our life. I think I only wrote down about 60. So I stood. The lesson, if you give your word, keep it. This will improve every aspect of your life. Especially, with yourself. We need to be able to tell ourselves that we are going to do something. And follow through. Broken promises, deteriorate relationships, and they also deteriorate your belief in yourself.

Silent Hug Process

Everyday began with different exercises, physically, and mentally, to get into a state, in which we could open up about our goals, challenges, self-image, and fears. One great exercise, was the silent hug process. I didn’t think I would get much out of this, since I do a lot of dancing, and I’m close with my family and friends. However, Jack taught us how to hug. Kinda seems silly, huh? A lot of the exercises felt kinda silly, at first. However, after years of acting and improv classes (earlier in life), I realized, sometimes you have to just let go. Try the exercise. In improv classes, I learned, if to don’t commit to the scene, it just feels awkward for everyone (you and the audience). Back to the hugs. Jack’s guidelines for hugs; Left to left, so the hearts are closer aligned. No talking. No fidgeting. Breathe. Make eye contact for a couple of seconds after (instead of trying to quickly run away). Okay, let’s give some hugs. After about 10 minutes, you feel, an amazing amount of positive, loving, energy in the room. It was a great way to start each morning. It enabled us all, to feel a little more connected (which enabled everyone to share a little more).

E + R = O

Have you ever heard someone say, that person “made me mad”? In reality, things happen, people do, or say things, we may not like. However, it’s up to us, to decide how to process, whatever happens, or what is said. Jack gives a great example of this. He’ll pick on someone in the front row of his seminar. For example, he might say, “Look at Susan here, can you believe her? She’s dressed like she’s going to a picnic. She’s not dressed for a seminar. And boy, does she ask a lot of questions. Is she even listening?” After giving an example like this, Jack would then ask, “how many people think this would make the person feel bad?”. People would raise their hands. He would then tell them, it was actually a trick question. Because, in this example, only Susan, has the ability to make Susan feel bad. Susan could say, “I knew I should have dressed differently”. And she could say “I guess, I’m asking questions, because, I’m the only one not getting the concepts”. Or, Susan, could say, “Jack’s just picking on me, because he knows I”m confident. I mean, look at me! I’m in the front row. And I ask questions, that other people are afraid to ask. As a matter of fact, with the way he’s looking at me, I bet he has a crush on me”.

The secret formula here is E + R = O. This stands for Event + Response = Outcome. You see it’s not the event, alone, that determines the outcome. It’s what Susan says to herself afterwards that determines the outcome.

That’s just a quick example of this powerful concept. We will cover this more in future episodes.

Come As You Will Be

There were many great lessons. And, I think everyone, became clearer on their life purpose, there goals, and the necessary actions, to get to those goals. For me, the most powerful exercise was the “Come As You Will be Party”. This was the final exercise, in which everyone, was to attend a cocktail party, as if we were 5 years, into the future. As for the people, I talked with, at the Come As You Will Be Party, Phillipe-Franz was the most prepared. He had a copy of his book. The custom cover had great detail. He was dressed in a tux. And he discussed, in detail, how successful he was. And, how he gives back, to the world. I would provide more detail, on Phillipe-Franze, “Come As You’ll Be” image, but I was preoccupied. In my mind, I was thinking, “maybe, my goals should be more aggressive?”. So, where was I, for this, 5 years into the future, party? I had sold over a million copies of my book “The Life I Deserve”. I think Phillipe-Franz had sold 100 million copies of his book. I speak internationally. I was recently interviewed by Oprah Winfrey. And, I’ve been invited to do a Ted Talk. I have a 4,000 square foot house in Santa Barbara, CA. Same town, as Jack. How convenient. As a matter of fact, we occasionally meet for lunch, and brainstorm on ways to help more people in the world. Also, I have a 3,000 square foot house in Maui, where I frequently entertain family and friends. I travel the world, speaking, and training, on how to each person can achieve the life they deserve. And, of course, teach some salsa dancing, while I’m at it!! The “Come As You Will Be” party is powerful because we all have a mental image of ourselves. And we do things unconsciously to support that image. If you’re image, of yourself is 30 lbs overweight. You will quickly get back to that weight, no matter how great the diet. If you’re image, of yourself, is making $75,000. It will be extremely difficult to ever make $100,000. At the “Come As You’ll Be Party”, we spent about 2 hours, with an image, that we were each, very successful. We talked in detail, about our businesses, investments, books, vacations, and philanthropic activities. After the party was over, you want to take the actions to make it a reality!!

Rule of 5

Ever since, I listened to Jack’s “Self Esteem and Peak Performance” videos, years ago, I knew about the “Rule of 5”. A simple concept. In summary, we should each perform 5 actions, every day, to move us toward a breakthrough goal. A breakthrough goal, would be a goal that would really impact your life. A goal that would be so significant, that not only meeting it, would positively, influence your life, but also the pursuit of it, transforms you into a better person. The “Rule of 5” is such a simple concept, that I overlooked how great it could work. Normally, we think of our end goal, and we breakdown what needs to be done. And set a date for each of those items. The Rule of 5, however, forces you, if you are disciplined about it, to get things done every day. It doesn’t matter if they are tiny steps. The Rule of 5 works well, because it keeps the momentum going. If you’re writing a book, for example, which happens to be my breakthrough goal, you must come up with 5 things you can do, toward that goal. You could study someone’s work who you admire. You could add some items to the outline for your book. You could do a little research on one of those items. And, at the end of the day, if you don’t have 5, you push yourself to come up with another item or two. Since I took the “Breakthrough to Success” course, I’m happy to report, that I’ve been implementing the “Rule of 5” every day!!

BTS Summary

Overall, the Breakthrough To Success experience was great!! I’ve learned many great skills from Jack, which have already made a huge impact on my life.

“The Success Principles” Book

I would highly recommend the “Breakthrough to Success” training. If nothing else, at least buy Jack’s book “The Success Principles”. Or, if you’re like me, and you’d rather have a narrator, with an amazing voice, read you the book, while driving, or on the treadmill, you can get the audio version instead. I have Amazon links to both of these on “TheLifeIDeserve.com”. Please use the links from “TheLifeIDeserve.com”, as they will provide me with a very small commission, which will help to support this show. The price to you, is exactly the same, as going directly to Amazon. I sincerely appreciate your support!! :-)

Teaching is the Best Way to Learn

Since the Breakthrough To Success week, I’m happy to announce, that I’ve decided to become an official Jack Canfield trainer! I’m very excited to be taking this journey!! I’m confident that working with Jack, and his training program, will empower me with the tools and skills to be even more instrumental, in helping people discover their passion, set goals, overcome obstacles, and build a life that they deserve!!

Story

I’m going to leave you with a story that I heard Jack tell. This story was part of my inspiration, to create “The Life I Deserve”.

Susanna Crowder was a homeless person, living on the street, in a city, in Ohio. It was winter, and she was 8 months pregnant. She didn’t feel that she had the capacity to take care of herself, much less, a newborn baby. She was very depressed. She was also not in a good mental state. She wasn’t taking her medication. She would dig in dumpsters, for food. She was basically, trying to survive long enough to give birth to the baby. After that, she was planning to kill herself. She had already planned to throw herself in front of a train, that came by, every day, at a certain time. When it was really cold, she would seek shelter in the local library. The library would kick people out, if they weren’t reading, or buying books. One day, she went into the library, to get out of the cold. She walked by a table of books. Susanna said, “I just grabbed one, and I went to a corner, where nobody would bother me”. It happened to be the first “Chicken Soup for the Soul” book. She randomly, opened the book to a story called “Puppies for Sale”. It was a story, about a little boy, who saw a sign, outside of a store, that said “Puppies for Sale”. The little boy went in, and asked to see the puppies. The guy whistles to the back, and someone brings out the box of puppies. The little boy said, “How much are you asking for the puppies?”. The man replied “$20 to $50, depends on the dog”. The little boy replied, “I’ve only got $3.28”, as he put all of his money, on the counter. But I’ll pay you $.50 a week, until it’s paid in full. The man asked, “Which puppy, do you want?”. “I want that one”, the boy said, as he pointed to a puppy, who was limping. The man said, “Oh, you don’t want that one. He has a damaged hip socket. He’ll never be able to jump, run, and play, like the other puppies”. “That’s the one I want”, the boy said. “Kid, are you listening? He’ll never be able to play like the others”, the man replied. The little boy, continued, “That’s the one I want”. The man replied, “Well, you can have that one for free”. The little boy, said, “No, I want to pay full price for him. That puppy is just valuable as the other puppies”. The man replied, “Why would you want to pay full price, for that puppy?”. At that moment, the boy reached down, to pull up his left pant leg, revealing his badly twisted left leg, which was in a brace. “You see, mister, I figure that puppy is going to need someone who understands him”. As Susanna, read that story, she got goosebumps, and said to herself, “If someone could love that puppy with his brokenness, perhaps someone could love me with my brokenness”. And at that moment, she decided not to kill herself, at that moment, she left the library, and went to a mental health center, she got back on her medication. In the course of a year, she got out of that situation, she got a job, she bought a house, she started something called “Soup Kitchens for the Souls” where she not only feeds people, but she teaches people the skills to become self-sufficient. And she still runs her foundation, to this day.

That story resonates with me. Did it resonate you? If so, let me know. Visit the “Contact” page on “TheLifeIDeserve.com”, to send me voicemail or email. We all have the power to inspire, and make a difference, in someone’s life. What difference will you make?

Okay, now time for something a little different. What time is it?

It's Trivia Time

Jack Canfield holds the Guinness Book World Record, for having seven books, simultaneously on the New York Times, Bestseller List. However, it took determination to get there. In 1993, Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen, approached publishers with the very first, “Chicken Soup for the Soul” book. How many “no’s” did Jack and Mark get, before a publisher said “yes, I’ll publish your book”?

Send your answer from the Web Site, “TheLifeIDeserve.com”. From the Web Site, you can leave voicemail or email. Just click on the “Contact” tab. Again, today’s trivia question is, how many “no’s” did Jack get before publishing “Chicken Soup for the Soul”. Go to “TheLifeIDeserve.com”, to submit your answer.

That’s going to do it, for today’s show. My mission, is to inspire and empower, those that I encounter, to live full and meaningful lives, by sharing lessons learned, tools for self improvement, and life-changing perspectives. I’m starting a journey. A journey, to pursue a better me, to inspire a better you, and to help influence, a better world. Subscribe to the Podcast, so we can take this journey together.

Closing

Thanks again, for listening to the “The Life I Deserve”. This Podcast was designed for you! Designed to enhance your health, grow your wealth, and fill your life, with happiness!! Visit “TheLifeIDeserve.com”, and send me voicemail, or email. Let me know something about you. What inspires you? How I can help you? What advice do you have? ��Do you have a suggestion on, how I can improve the show? Let me know. And, if you just happen to love the show, please post a review on iTunes! :-)

Thanks, again! I love you all!! Until next time… goodbye.

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jessestoddard · 8 years ago

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Today’s interview with Kimberly Griffin is part of my ongoing blog-to-book project: Life After High School: Secrets To A Successful Life By Those Who Have Had Twenty Years To Think About It (or) What They Didn’t Teach Us Gen Xers In High School. If you missed the last post, click here, otherwise, you can start at the beginning here.

Kimberly Griffin

Lake Balboa, CA

My Life In High School

Who were you in High School and how did you feel about it?

I was a transplant from two other high schools, the last of which I loved, and thus I hated being forced to move to Anacortes. I was so pissed that I didn’t realize we lived on an island, for nearly 3 months! (AHS was the least friendly of my 3 high schools if you can believe it.)

The product of a nomadic family, I’ve perpetually been the “new girl” since I was 5yrs old. While that did force me to be a social person and make friends quickly, I didn’t really have a specific group that I belonged to.

My close friends and I had connections to several of the typical groups. Playing sports and being involved in the arts and student government classes lent a hand in the well-rounded association we had with our peers.

What did you think your life would become when you graduated?

Lordy. I thought for sure I’d be married with 3+ kids by the time I was 30.

…And that I’d be on to my 4th career by the time I was 50. (Filmmaker, Lawyer, Anesthesiologist, Politician.)

Time goes by slowly when you’re a kid without a smartphone and the Internet! Lol. (Science has indicated that kids have a higher level of serotonin, which is supposedly linked to the perception of time.)

Needless to say, this here life goes by a lot faster than I’d planned on! =P

My Life After High School

What happened in your life to you, for you, and by you in the last twenty years (how have you used your time and who have you become)?

College and real life struggles, chasing dreams, getting clarity, getting comfortable in my skin, discovering that it’s the journey, not the destination that matters, learning to value what I already have, and discovering what really makes me happy.

My Life Lessons

What were the major life lessons and wisdom that you gained during your journey over the last 20 years?

Run for president while you know everything

Life only goes faster

Smart people know when to quit

You can’t make someone love you and you can’t bring someone worthy into your life until you love yourself

There are three voices inside of us—listen to the one that whispers

While you can’t control anything you can have control in things

All you really have in this life is yourself and your shared experiences

It’s not about waiting out the storm but dancing in the rain

Everybody gets put in the barrel so have some compassion

Letter To My High School Self

If you could write your 18-year-old self (or however old you were when you graduated) a letter, and send it back in time, what would you say? What lessons or wisdom did you learn? What encouragement or warnings would you give yourself?

Slow down!

Enjoy what you have around you. It goes quickly. Go to community college, allow yourself this time to grow and learn. You can still go to University later. Get some financial understanding—you ain’t got none!

Learn to ask for what you want. Blue collar integrity is great but go get some white collar smarts. You live on a gorgeous island, surrounded by artists! Forget about trying to fit in with your peers and search out the amazing illuminated people in your community!

You want to grow up so badly—you will! And then you’ll be an aging adult for the rest of your life! So stop being in a hurry to get there, lol.

Be patient with people and stop being judgemental. While you’ve had a pretty amazing life up to this point, you haven’t had enough life experience to make any sound judgments about people.

Speak up for yourself! You don’t have to take what’s handed to you.

Everybody feels lonely. But people don’t know what you need to make you happy. Only you can figure that out, so ask for it!

Be patient with boys. It takes them longer to figure out they want a partner, let alone what kind of partner!

College loans aren’t free money—they have to be PAID BACK!

Invest in future you. You’re on the edge of developing technology. Learn about business and finance. And take shop classes! You’re actually quite business minded and good with mechanical reasoning!

Stop wasting your time with daydreaming and naps. It’s wasting your time to be creative! And do it now, while you don’t have many time-sucking responsibilities! Ya got talent, kid!

Not that you can help it, ’cause we won’t know a lot about it until later but eat simple foods. No more processed crackers, bread, chips, candy, etc. This stuff will REALLY hurt your body down the road, thanks to the chemical crap they put in there.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

That just about does it for interviews. In the next post, I will analyze and conclude.

Are you from Generation X? I want to hear what you think! Please comment below and participate in the conversation about What They Didn’t Teach Us Gen Xers In High School. What do you wish someone told you when you were eighteen?

Life After High School: Interview with Kimberly Griffin Today’s interview with Kimberly Griffin is part of my ongoing blog-to-book project: Life After High School: Secrets To A Successful Life By Those Who Have Had Twenty Years To Think About It (or) What They Didn’t Teach Us Gen Xers In High School.

#Interview

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loa-fm · 8 years ago

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(Loa) Hoops and Dreams: A Look Inside Basketball in Việt Nam Published February 16, 2017 By Brian Lâm

Basketball in Việt Nam jumped to new heights in 2016 with the establishment of its first professional league: the VBA - the Vietnam Basketball Association.

Hoàng Ca arriving to his second home, the local basketball gym in Vancouver. FB/Henry Nguyễn Meet: The Flash Brothers

“The atmosphere. To be able to perform in front of the whole city, basically anybody who plays basketball in the city, in Hà Nội. You actually wanted to represent them and actually wanted to do well for them,” says Hoàng Nguyễn, who is known to fans as Hoàng Ca. The Ca stands for Canada, where he grew up. Last year, he and his twin brother Đạt Nguyễn, known as Đạt Doc, played for the Hanoi Buffaloes in the VBA. The 27-year-old brothers have played basketball their entire lives and cite the fans as their source of inspiration to continually improve their game both on and off the court.

Never imagining the possibility of turning a hobby into a full time passion, the twins have been dubbed by fans as the Flash Brothers, and have made quite a name for themselves in the VBA’s inaugural season, which ran from August through October of last year.

Đạt Doc (left) and Hoàng Ca (right) preparing for the next defensive stop. FB/Henry Nguyễn

Now in the off-season, the Flash brothers are working to improve their game. Hoàng is famous for his three pointers, dribbling, and driving skills while his brother is famous for his incredible speed, crossovers, and shooting. However, both are relatively undersized at 5 feet 9. It’s an obstacle that the brothers have faced their entire lives.

Hoàng laughs, “We can play, it's just that we small. I have pride in being small Vietnamese. We show some heart out there. Show that some of us can play.”

Born in Hà Nội, the brothers went to high school in Vancouver, Canada. And it was there that their love for basketball evolved. The game brought them closer together, playing pickup games as often as the recess bell rang.

“I get to play high school level in Canada and I also played pickup in Canada, and that helped a lot for my development,” he recalls. “Once I go back, in Vietnam there are a lot of club teams, but not professional, just for fun.”

These club teams existed in every major city, and leagues existed for player for all ages and levels. And in 2011, a basketball team named “the Saigon Heat” was launched. This move, spearheaded by the XLE Group, a sports development agency in Việt Nam, marked Việt Nam’s first move into the professional sport of basketball, sparking interest and inspiration from both the local and global Vietnamese community.

Hoàng says this is when everyone started to come out and play basketball. The Rise of the Basketball Enterprise

The Saigon Heat represents Việt Nam and competes in the ABL, the ASEAN Basketball League, against 5 other teams in Southeast Asia. Equally crucial to the game are the fans. 25-year-old Trí Phạm from Sài Gòn, religiously follows basketball and says fans are starting to go crazy over basketball and that it’s quickly catching up with soccer.

Trí says, “If there's one interesting thing about basketball in Việt Nam, I would say it's the fans. The fans are always supporting, enthusiastic, they are probably the most supporting fan in the whole league. Because if you watch an ABL game or Saigon Heat then you would know it right away.”

He says Việt Nam began broadcasting NBA games for the first time in 2016, driving completely new fans to the game.

And now that Việt Nam has its own professional league, people are seeing a way to create the infrastructure and environment for basketball to flourish in Việt Nam. Both the VBA and Saigon Heat were founded by XLE Group. Their CEO and Managing Partner is Connor Nguyễn, a longtime sportsman and tennis coach turned entrepreneur.

Connor tells the story of how he got to this point: “Never been back to Việt Nam, decided to visit, ended up being invited back to Việt Nam to work for a company. And so I worked in Việt Nam in 2008 for a year, got the entrepreneurial itch again, and started a sports training school in 2009 and things kind of took off from there.”

After coaching tennis in Việt Nam, Connor decided to take an entrepreneurial stab at growing sports altogether, upon realizing the potential of basketball becoming big in Việt Nam.

Connor sees three major pillars influencing the success of sports in any country, the first being youth development, the second being sports as entertainment, and the third, sports as a business.

Sports As a Business

“To create sustainable systems, so instead of just taking money from the government and spending it or spending a lot of money on a professional team without thinking about the business model,” Connor says. “So that we can move the country to be able to compete internationally and have success. To create more pride.”

Alongside the business challenges are cultural ones. With basketball’s increase in popularity, players like Hoàng suggest that there may soon be a shift in the common perception in Vietnamese culture that sports are a waste of time and that youth should focus on their studies. He says there are valuable lessons to learn from this process.

The Saigon Heat make a school day visit to Trường THPT Nguyễn Du, a local high school in Sài Gòn. FB/Henry Nguyễn

“A lot of young kids told me, hey maybe when they grow up they will be playing for Hanoi buffaloes. I tell them to love the game and play with all the passion” Hoàng says.

As kids, the Flash brothers played soccer, the most popular sport in the world. But after reading the comic book Basketball Slam Dunk, they switched to basketball. They fell in love with the game and began playing every day after school.

The Flash brothers played on this court in Hà Nội everyday during their childhood.

Hoàng says, “[Đạt’s] school was closer to basketball court which now we still play and that court is called home court. We don't know any rules or anything. When we see the court is feels so super high. A lot of people playing already. When we see them we wonder how can someone shoot from so far away at 3 point line. I can barely dribble. I was amazed. Those guys back then was my idol. Man maybe one day I can be like them.”

Fast forward to today, the Flash Brothers are now helping young players up their game.

The game has grown from its local roots through the efforts of individual and organizational collaboration. XLE Group is building basketball from the ground up and they aren’t doing it alone.

He also works in close partnership with the Vietnam Basketball Federation, working hand-in-hand with them from the federation side, and the private side.

The Vietnam Basketball Federation is the governing body of all Vietnamese basketball operations. They’ve expressed their motivation to turn basketball into the number two Olympic sport in Vietnam, just behind shooting. It will be key to develop popularity among youth.

Heritage Players

Taking notice are Việt Kiều, members of the Vietnamese diaspora. In the league they’re called “heritage players.” Justin Young, a 23-year-old Los Angeles native, is one such player. He played for the Hanoi Buffaloes in 2016.

He says, “My parents were born in Vietnam. I think it's huge. Just to have Vietnamese Americans from America come to play. The fans over there look up to Việt Kiều who go over there. They expect a lot because you're coming from America. They expect Americans to be a lot tougher, a lot better, a lot bigger playing basketball. The more Việt Kiều we have over there in the league, the better for the competition, and development. More fans would come and watch the games.”

The XLE Group seeks to bring more overseas Vietnamese players to contribute to the league. They believe heritage players can inspire a new generation of basketball players and set examples and high standards of play.

And critical to XLE’s strategy of growing the sport is showcasing local, specifically Vietnamese talent. VBA teams consist of roughly 13 players: ten native Vietnamese, two Việt Kiều, and one import. Imports are non-Vietnamese players that have come from America, Canada and the Philippines and are typically the more skilled players in the league. Limiting the team to one import player per team is a key strategy in drawing out more fans, like Trí Phạm.

“To have Việt Kiều in the league to improve the quality of the game for sure,” Trí says. “And to give a good image for the fans to say we have good players and they are vietnamese too, they’re not going to bring white dudes to the league, no matter how good they are they can't really relate. People want to see Vietnamese players, good vietnamese players.”

Getting Ready for the International Stage The Southeast Asian Games takes place this year, a multi-sport event for eleven nations across Southeast Asia. Việt Nam is looking to build its national team to create a presence on the international stage.

Hoàng understands the role large organizations like XLE Group and VBF play in making this happen. Olympic medals for Vietnamese athletes in taekwondo and shooting have proven that early investments into these athletes can provide both short and long term benefits.

He says, “The people in the Vietnam basketball federation actually considers to develop player and want to make basketball big in vietnam, they have to commit to it, not by words but by actions.”

Hoàng believes Improving the facilities is the number one priority. Courts with hardwood, not concrete, floors where you can play at night would draw out local talent. Improving the level of coaching is number two: having people who know the game and pass that knowledge on.

XLE aspires to inspire the love for the game to millions of Vietnamese. As the community grows, so does its impact and interest. Who knows, basketball may one day challenge soccer to become the number one sport in Việt Nam.

Hoàng sends a message to players, “You have a chance. The chance comes to you knocks on your door, and you open and take it. Who know maybe you can do something bigger. If you have a chance, take it.”

That’s Hoàng’s invitation to all who are interested in basketball in Việt Nam, to come out to the VBA’s open tryouts happening early April in Los Angeles. You heard it here first.

______

Vietnam Basketball Association

Teams | Highlights | Player Stats | News & Updates

Saigon Heat

Team | Highlights | Asean Basketball League

#Vietnam #basketball #ballislife #Vietnamsports #NBA #VBA

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type2diabetestreatments-blog · 8 years ago

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Straight Talking at the 2012 DiabetesMine Innovation Summit

New Post has been published on http://type2diabetestreatment.net/diabetes-mellitus/straight-talking-at-the-2012-diabetesmine-innovation-summit/

Straight Talking at the 2012 DiabetesMine Innovation Summit

To my mind, the DiabetesMine Innovation Summit I've hosted the last two years is not a "conference." Rather, in the true tradition of a "Summit," it aims to bring key decision-makers and other folks passionate about diabetes care together in one room for some very frank conversations about where we are now, what needs improvement, and how we can get to a better place as quickly as possible.

On that note, the Pharma executives and FDA and ADA officers present at this year's event — held Friday, Nov. 16 at Stanford University in Palo Alto, CA — certainly got an earful from patient advocates! One of my colleagues from Alliance Health Networks called the event "a focus group on steroids."

This year's event was less of a design workshop (how to make products that patients actually want and need) and more about breaking the "gridlock" in the diabetes industry: Why does every diabetes tech product have its own clunky cables and not share data with other products?! Why aren't companies working together to form standards for this stuff, that would also ease the FDA approval process?

Some of the "Powers That Be" folks in the room this year included the CEO of the American Diabetes Association Larry Hausner, as well as ADA's new Chief Medical Officer Dr. Robert Ratner; Joslin Diabetes Center CEO John Brooks III; endo and educator extraordinaire Dr. Steven Edelman; legendary researcher Dr. Bruce Buckingham (he crashed the party!); Horst Merckle of Roche Diabetes and the data-standards initiative Continua Alliance; Yogen Dalal, co-founder of Glooko; Patti Brennan, National Director of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Project Health Design and many more. About 105 people in all.

Companies represented at the Summit included: Sanofi Diabetes, JnJ LifeScan, JnJ Animas, Dexcom, Abbott Diabetes Care, Bayer, BD Medical, Eli Lilly, Insulet, Medtronic Diabetes, Roche Diabetes, AgaMatrix, Glooko, Enject, Dance Pharmaceuticals, Hygieia Inc., Omada Health, Misfit Wearables, Valeritas, VeraLight and Target Pharmacies. (Tandem's CEO and the CEO of WellDoc both unfortunately had to opt out at the last minute.)

In addition to debuting our Patients Call for Innovation video, this year's agenda included the following:

The DiabetesMine Design Challenge Story & Evolution of Online Patient Advocacy

opening remarks by me

The Future of Open Models for Diabetes Care

Dr. Iklhaq Sidhu, Chief Scientist, Fung Institute for Engineering Leadership, and Director, Center for Entrepreneurship & Technology at U.C. Berkeley

(with insights from CloseConcerns)

Diabetes Collaborations to Date & Obstacles That Remain

Linda Johnson, JDRF Director, Partnering & Alliance Management

FDA Perspective: How Different Constituencies Can Work Together Better

Dr. Alberto Guiterriez, FDA Division of Chemistry and Toxicology Devices

Interactive Panel 1: Device & Data Interoperability

Moderator - Anna McCollister-Slipp, FDA patient representative and co-founder of Galileo Analytics

Interactive Panel 2: Breaking Out of the Clinical Silo into Lifestyle Thinking

Moderator — Gabe Kleinman, IDEO design

Patient Reactions...

from Patient Voices Contest winner Jana Beck & D-dad blogger Bennet Dunlap

Taking a Systems Approach to Improving Life with Diabetes: What Does it Take?

Activity led by Dave Weissburg of IDEO design

If you're curious, we have just posted the slidesets from the event here: http://www.slideshare.net/AllianceHealthNetworks/tag/innovation-summit — although slides without voice-over and context are sometimes hard to interpret.

Some of the highlights were Dr. Sidhu, making the analogy between the diabetes industry and the computer technology industry. His key messages were:

What can we learn from the IT industry?

Customers want open standards. It will happen.

It only takes one player.

Change is irreversible once it happens.

... and Dr. Alberto Gutierrez of FDA, who was at once apologetic for the slow pace of evaluations, while also pushing back on "scapegoating" of the agency by device manufacturers. In truth, the approval process for new software requires only a 15-day review, he said. All three of the FDA representatives on hand — Guteirrez, Stayce Beck and Arleen Pinkos — were exceptionally open and candid with the group, which was much appreciated and is hopefully a harbinger of better relationships and faster approval processes going forward.

Two of our patient reps at the Summit already published great blog posts summarizing their takes. Please see:

Bennet Dunlap of YDMV on "Batman, Super Heroes and the DiabetesMine Innovation Summit"

and

Doug Kanter of Becoming Diabetic on "The DiabetesMine Innovation Summit"

I also asked a handful of additional DOC activists and our Patient Voices Contest winners (all of whom attended the Summit on scholarship) to send me a few paragraphs of their own reactions. Here is a selection of choice quotes from the feedback received:

Bernard Farrell -

"I consider myself extremely lucky to attend the 2nd annual DiabetesMine Innovation Summit. I got valuable insight into: the challenges of diabetes data sharing and work completed to better enable this; I also was fortunate to hear someone from the FDA talk about the difference between devices and drug approvals and how the FDA was working hard to gather expertise that will make future device approval much easier. We all hear so many rumors, positive and negative, about the FDA. Talking with some FDA people after the event made it clear to me that these are hard-working, intelligent, committed folks, doing their very best to get use the safe and effective technology that we need.

"The afternoon panels clearly showed how the same challenges are viewed across the diabetes spectrum from patients, doctors, and industry. Listening to their opinions and being able to offer suggestions and questions was invaluable. The design firm IDEO led an amazing product brainstorming session where the entire Summit agreed on top three priorities; identified stakeholders involved in solving them; and provided a large set of ideas that might be part of the solution. Whew -- this session alone made the Summit invaluable.

"I wish continued success to this meeting in future years. It's a unique opportunity to combine talents, expertise and stakeholders in one room so we can listen to and hear one another."

Karmel Allison -

"It is always really encouraging to be in a room full of people smarter than me, especially so when they are all talking about ways to improve my disease care.

"I found the voice of the FDA representatives especially interesting to hear, as they were able to both admit fault and deflect some of the blame that is repeatedly put on their shoulders by the companies we all know and hear all the time. I was encouraged to see the progress of many of the device manufacturers in terms of data analysis and representation, but also realized that, given the inertia and reticence of the organizations in question, the best short-term solution will have to come from the community -- those of us who are willing to put in time and effort because we care, and therefore will not be bogged down by the oversight that comes with trying to charge money for devices and software in the medical technology space.

"In that sense, the most valuable part for me has been that it encouraged me to stop waiting and get to coding, so that I can at least get the multi-device graphs that I care about for myself."

Sara Krugman -

Quoting others:

"I see my endocrinologist, maybe 4 times a year; what exactly does the data on that one day tell me? I can get tips at the margin, whatever... but what we need is something that integrates our data in a format that we can form our own understanding and make our own decisions." - leader of the first patient panel

"Data is useless unless you can analyze it; as a clinician with diabetes data it's all about how it is presented, how it's displayed. iBGstar is a great example. I've gotten teenagers to test and log their data because of the great interface. But when they bring it in, the data is useless and this is the reason clinics ask their patients to use logbooks. Because a lot of the software that is out there just doesn't present the data in a friendly way." - one of the clinicians present

"A patient, long before he becomes the subject of medical scrutiny, is, at first, simply a storyteller, a narrator of suffering -- a traveler who has visited the kind of of the ill. To relieve an illness, one must begin, then, by unburdening it's story" - Emperor of All Maladies

Jana Beck -

"For me, the most surprising thing about the Summit was the degree to which I felt that the day ended with a real feeling of consensus. To me it felt like everyone in the room - patients, HCPs, industry representatives, and the representatives from the FDA - were agreed on the fact that diabetes technology is in need of much improvement, and that that improvement needs to happen at a greater speed than it has been in the last few years.

"It was also encouraging to see how much the patient experience and patient needs really do drive the diabetes technology industry (or at least the companies represented at the Summit). I was particularly impressed with the non-PWD Dexcom representatives wearing G4 systems themselves (although I regret forgetting to ask if they tried to keep their sensors on for seven days and if so, how?) and the story about AgaMatrix sending cameras home with some patients so that they could learn more about how the patients fit diabetes in with their day-to-day lives."

Manny Hernandez -

"I LOVED having in the same room patients, surrounded by decision makers from industry and, perhaps as important (if not more), seeing FDA represented by Dr. Alberto Gutierrez and two people from his team. Not only was it valuable to hear them, but also hearing Dr. Buckingham and someone from Dexcom R&D give Dr. Gutierrez props over the 180-degree shift in terms of response times from his office. As a patient, this was a very welcome piece of information and a source of great hope for the future of technology for diabetes patients in the U.S. (and worldwide).

"I definitely missed having the payer sector represented in the event. I heard how insurance companies and Medicare hold so much of the power underlying the success of just about any initiative to benefit people living with diabetes, so they need to participate in these summits: hearing the voices of patients, industry, and regulatory bodies. Today, our voices may be a bit dampened by the fact that employers are a bigger percentage of the business of insurance companies, but with the broader adoption of the Affordable Care Act, patients are going to have a bigger voice and will exercise their right to speak up for what they want in the form of care. It only follows that payers be present at a forum like the DiabetesMine Innovation Summit moving forward."

Excellent points all, and thank you to EVERYONE who participated for the hard work you do all year round towards the common goal of making life with diabetes BETTER.

Disclaimer: Content created by the Diabetes Mine team. For more details click here.

Disclaimer

This content is created for Diabetes Mine, a consumer health blog focused on the diabetes community. The content is not medically reviewed and doesn't adhere to Healthline's editorial guidelines. For more information about Healthline's partnership with Diabetes Mine, please click here.

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