The Brain Alchemist is my new blog that I started on a new platform a few months ago. I
explore and write about neuroscience, communication, social media and content strategies that boost learning, engagement and influence. Click here to check it out.
August 12, 2010
June 02, 2010
December 21, 2009
November 05, 2009
August 12, 2009
February 25, 2009
Brainwave at the Rubin Museum of Art in New York City
Between February 21 and April 23, 2009, The Rubin Museum of Art will host its second annual Brainwave, which "explores the intersection of mind and matter with nearly fifty different events, including discussions with some of the world's premier artists and neuroscientists." Here are just some of the offerings:
Twelve-time Grammy Award winner Paul Simon has a conversation with Daniel J. Levitin, the neuroscientist credited with fundamentally changing the way that scientists think about auditory memory.
Meditation teacher Sharon Salzberg meets with neuropsychologist Barbara Fredrickson to engage in the effects of positive psychology.
Stephen Mitchell celebrates the publication of his The Second Book of the Tao
with a conversation on the psychology of the Taoist philosophy with neurobiologist and SUNY Professor John Kubie.
What is consciousness? To mark the publication of Alva Noë's new book, Out of Our Heads: Why You Are Not Your Brain, and Other Lessons from the Biology of Consciousness
, Alva Noë sits down with artist Eric Fischl to talk about how streams of consciousness work.
Why don't we eat fish guts for breakfast? Professor Paul Rozin is the leading authority on the olfactory senses of taste and smell. Here he sits down with noted chef Mario Batali to explore the edges of taste. Are we hardwired to find some things disgusting, or are these distastes acquired?
Pay attention! In her book Rapt
, author Winifred Gallagher grapples with a number of provocative questions, including "Can we train our focus?" and "What's different about the way creative people pay attention?" Here she talks to performance artist Laurie Anderson about how the quality of our lives depends largely on what we choose to pay attention to.
Best-selling author Daniel Goleman discusses his new book, Ecological Intelligence, and what it means to be "green," including unearthing the hidden environmental consequences of what we make and buy.
Meditation teacher Sharon Salzberg meets with neuropsychologist Barbara Fredrickson to engage in the effects of positive psychology.
Stephen Mitchell celebrates the publication of his The Second Book of the Tao
with a conversation on the psychology of the Taoist philosophy with neurobiologist and SUNY Professor John Kubie.What is consciousness? To mark the publication of Alva Noë's new book, Out of Our Heads: Why You Are Not Your Brain, and Other Lessons from the Biology of Consciousness
, Alva Noë sits down with artist Eric Fischl to talk about how streams of consciousness work.Why don't we eat fish guts for breakfast? Professor Paul Rozin is the leading authority on the olfactory senses of taste and smell. Here he sits down with noted chef Mario Batali to explore the edges of taste. Are we hardwired to find some things disgusting, or are these distastes acquired?
Pay attention! In her book Rapt
, author Winifred Gallagher grapples with a number of provocative questions, including "Can we train our focus?" and "What's different about the way creative people pay attention?" Here she talks to performance artist Laurie Anderson about how the quality of our lives depends largely on what we choose to pay attention to.Best-selling author Daniel Goleman discusses his new book, Ecological Intelligence, and what it means to be "green," including unearthing the hidden environmental consequences of what we make and buy.
Click here to read the full list of "Meetings of the Minds." I plan to attend and blog about at least some of these events.
February 12, 2009
February 10, 2009
December 31, 2008
A Happy New Year!
People tend to underestimate how strong, resilient and resourceful they are. Trust yourself to be your Best in 2009.
Happy holidays! I wish all of you a happy, healthy and prosperous 2009!
December 01, 2008
Release stress and weight these holidays...
We are launching a community-based free half-hour program, hosted by Sue Stebbins, Master Coach
and clinical hypnotherapist, starting the second of December at 12:30 Eastern Time to GIVE People struggling with Stress and Weight and Isolation a BREAK -- want to join the fun and-- Drop the Holiday Baloney...?? Click here.
November 24, 2008
November 06, 2008
October 21, 2008
September 12, 2008
August 11, 2008
July 28, 2008
March 20, 2008
Spring Equinox
It's been busy around here (I will update on the developments soon), and my blogging gave in. Today
is a fresh start. It's Spring Equinox. The word "equinox" derives from the Latin words "aequus" (equal) and "nox" (night), which translates into "equal night." During the equinoxes, the Sun is positioned directly above the Earth's equator, and day and night are about the same length all over the world. Some believe that we should actually make our plans for the New Year on Spring Equinox. The winter months preceding the Spring Equinox are good for reflection and contemplation, but now is the time to spring into action. Have you given up on any of your 2008 resolutions yet? Today may be a good day to bring the important objectives back into focus. Let's get in sync with nature, affirm our clear intentions for 2008 and receive the energy boost we need to shake off the winter slumber.
February 14, 2008
What do “love” and “law” have in common (besides the fact that they both start with “L”)?
I won't be eating chocolate today as I am on a 30-day raw food experiment. As I sit here buzzing 
from all the sweet fruit I've consumed (I hope it's the fruit), I am pondering the following question:
What do "love" and "law" have in common (besides the fact that they both start with the letter "L")?
Service comes to mind. The value of the legal profession is measured by the service we provide. And the service is driven by love. What we love, though, varies from person to person. One could be driven by:
- love for people;
- love for justice;
- love for ideas;
- love for lifestyle;
- love for money;
- love for family;
- love for himself or herself (self-worth)
- etc.
Does the nature and quality of our service depend on what we love? What do you think? What drives your service?
February 01, 2008
January 24, 2008
January 14, 2008
January 08, 2008
January 01, 2008
December 19, 2007
November 21, 2007
Happy Thanksgiving!
Many thanks to all my readers! 
Happy Thanksgiving!
November 20, 2007
November 08, 2007
A Brand You World - Global TeleSummit
Today I am listening in on “A Brand You World - Global TeleSummit.” Here are just a 
few presentations I want to hear:
10am ET: Evangelizing Evangelists to Build a Business and Build Your Brand a panel facilitated by Guy Kawasaki with Krishna De, John Jantsch, Andy Sernovitz, Tim Demello.
11am ET: How To Write A Great Business Blog with Debbie Weil.
12pm ET: How Coaching For Performance Can Help Your Employees Develop Their Personal Brand and Realise Their Potential with Carol Wilson.
4pm ET: Promoting Brand You with Viral Marketing on the Web with David Meerman Scott.
6pm ET: Identity You: Creating a Personal 5x5 Branding Strategy with Phil Gerbyshak.
If you can’t listen to this event today, the recordings will be available as a free podcast on Monday. You need to register to get the instructions for accessing the podcast.
October 31, 2007
Time to let your monsters out
We all have them. Hidden in our own haunted houses, they wait for the right moment
to pounce and send chills down our spines. Do you deny the light of day to any of your fears, negative habits or concerns? Halloween is a perfect time to acknowledge their existence and have a little fun with it. Here’s what you do. Let’s say, one of your haunted house inhabitants is procrastination. Pick a monster toy for it. For example, rubber worms in green oozing slime can be a nice representation of being stuck. Get all your monsters and gremlins out of your haunted house and line them up in a place where you can see them. Let them hang out there even after Halloween is over as a reminder of who is in charge. Monsters tend to have less control over you when you see them. Whenever you feel their creepy presence, just take a look at their toy representative and have a laugh. They are really not that scary in the daylight.
Happy Halloween!
October 26, 2007
October 24, 2007
Lawsagna turns one year old today!
I’ve been serving up Lawsagna for a full year now. It’s been an exciting year, filled
with blogosphere explorations, new friends, and lots of learning. I am happy to report that many stop by for a Lawsagna bite, and some opt for seconds. I’ll do my best to keep it healthy and varied. And if you like it, I can deliver Lawsagna right to your mail box.
Thanks a lot to all of you for your support!
October 15, 2007
October 11, 2007
October 01, 2007
Learning Incubator
- Are you a knowledge worker whose livelihood depends on how quickly and
accurately you process information each day? - Are you a life-long learner with the passion and curiosity for knowledge who wants to use this knowledge for impact?
Pull up a chair, get your cup of coffee (or tea) and join our conversation about informal learning and professional development.
Think how rapidly things change nowadays. Successful knowledge workers have the skills to learn fast, think clearly and act decisively. They don’t feel overwhelmed with information because they know what to look for and how to find and prioritize it. Yet, many of us would probably agree that we have very little time to work on the skills we need to learn better. Here’s an idea. Let’s have a conversation about our informal learning and professional development. How do we learn? What works and what doesn’t? How can we maximize our learning “on the job” – by doing what we already do anyways, but perhaps with better approaches, frameworks, and focus?
Are you ready to take charge of your learning? Join our Learning Incubator community to share your learning goals, achievements and tips for success, to inspire and get inspired to be the best learner you can be. Bring curiosity, humor, respect, and appreciation – that’s how we learn best. The membership is free. What’s there to lose, except a good conversation?
September 28, 2007
September 24, 2007
A learning community in the works
I am working on a new idea right now and have a question for you. Even though my
posts often focus on the formal legal education, some of you may know that I also have a strong interest in informal learning and professional development that happens on the job and outside formal training programs. It is a fascinating topic for me because that’s how we learn most of our adult life anyways. I suppose, informal learning becomes even more important these days because:
- Things change fast, and it can be hard to keep up without feeling overwhelmed.
- People change their places of employment and careers more often, so they have to learn effectively and efficiently to be able to make a quick impact.
- Some of us are Renaissance souls who just like to learn new things.
- Many companies face knowledge transfer issues as baby-boomers retire.
- In the legal world, law schools don’t teach all the practical skills lawyers need and at the same time law firms no longer have the time and capacity to train their young lawyers, so law graduates have to fend for themselves. It is even more important for those who start their solo practices or join smaller firms, which is the majority of law graduates.
With that in mind, I plan to start a free-membership community to have a conversation about how we learn informally and test-drive some of the approaches. Perhaps, we could share our learning goals, aspirations and stories, talk about what works and what doesn’t work, offer tips and support for our individual learning journeys. It would be nice to know how we can maximize our learning while doing what we would do anyways, but perhaps, with better approaches, structure and focus. It can be similar to weight loss support groups, except instead of losing pounds, we will be gaining knowledge. What do you think? My other site, Buddy-In-Law, which allows forums, wikis and other neat social networking things, can probably accommodate this.
If you think you may be interested to join, please send me an email to ana (at) lawsagna.com, I just want to gauge the potential interest. I’d also appreciate any suggestions you may have on categories and topics for discussions.
September 12, 2007
Gone Fishing
I am on vacation this week, so I won’t be able to post as frequently. To make sure you
have enough to read (I know…couldn’t resist), here are a few links to various resources on learning skills.
How to manage time better:
Time Management Pretest: How Efficiently Do I Manage My Time?
Time management tips and resources from Academic Skills Center at Dartmouth College
Time Management Schedules to download form Academic Skills Center at CalPoly
21 Ways to Add More Hours to the Day at Lifehack.org
How to process information better:
10 Essential Mind Mapping Links at Codswallop
Improving Note Taking with Concept Maps at Mind Tools
Memory Principles: Quick Reference Guide for Brain Compatible Learning Principles
What resources help you study better?
September 03, 2007
A slice of "Lawsagna" with a "Cup of Chai"
I am brewing my own learning concoction as a guest blogger at Cup of Chai. Inspired by
the unique design of My Cuppa, a color-matching guide mug that allows you to mix milk with your coffee just the way you like it by matching the color guide on the inside of the mug, I wonder what kinds of ingredients I would choose for a learning potion. You take a sip and turn into the best learner you can be. Do you want to know the recipe? Follow me all the way to Switzerland.
August 29, 2007
I am thrilled to be an Official SOB
Liz Strauss at Successful Blog honored me with the title of an Official SOB –
a Successful and Outstanding blogger, that is. Here is what she says about SOBs:
They take the conversation to their readers, contribute great ideas, challenge us, make us better, and make our businesses stronger.
I thank all of our SOBs for thinking what we say is worth passing on. Good conversation shared can only improve the blogging community.
Nice! Thanks to Liz, I am now in a great company of the SOBs. Check them out.
August 21, 2007
A learning whirlpool
When was the last time you experienced a learning whirlpool? Learning whirlpools happen when the tides of curiosity and synchronicity meet to produce a rapid stream of ideas that spin and jolt you to the core. Learning whirlpools are energizing and refreshing for the mind. Here comes one now...
Begin with a question, or “5.75 Questions You’ve Been Avoiding”. Feel the pull of your 
curiosity: “I had an ‘itch’ I had no choice but to scratch.” (Danny Meyer, the author of “Setting the Table” interviewed by Rosa Say). Let go of the familiar ground and lead the change: “transform an idea into a plan into an action.” Embrace synchronicity. Feel the rush of thoughts, take a deep breath and submerge into silence, watch a new story unfold in your mind’s eye. Be yourself and notice what makes you happy. Write your story "with all your senses."
**This was my attempt to respond to Liz’s "Think and Link" challenge inspired by Joanna Young. That was fun. My head is still spinning with all the things I learned.
August 06, 2007
Drum rolls, please…Buddy-In-Law is here!
I’ve been waiting for this moment for a while now…for almost 8 months, to be exact, 
filled with my labor of love, lots of learning, anxiety, and anticipation. Finally, I am happy to announce the launch of my internet-based learning portal – Buddy-In-Law.com. I envision this site as a platform where I offer training courses and workshops for legal professionals. The first course on the menu is Introduction to Legal Writing, designed for individuals whose first language is not English and who want to study law, conduct research in U.S. academic institutions or work as legal professionals. The course builds the foundation of effective legal writing while introducing students to the US legal system. Students practice the basics of case analysis and legal reasoning as they learn to structure, develop, revise and edit their writing, and get familiar with some key concepts from logic and rhetoric. Conceived for non-native speakers of English, it can be a good review course for anybody who needs to brush up his or her writing skills.
The course is designed in the Open Source course management system Moodle, which supports the “social constructionist pedagogy” (for those who care). What it means in practical terms is that the course platform allows for good interactive components, including chats, forums, and instructors’ feedback. At the same time, it is very flexible. Students can access lessons at their convenience and progress at their own pace. Please check it out, tell your friends who may be interested in the course. I’d also appreciate any feedback you can give me. Lawsagna, of course, will continue as usual, and hopefully, be even better, with your help and support, my dear readers.
July 24, 2007
May 16, 2007
Letter to a Young Lawyer
Inspired by Rainer Maria Rilke’s “Letters To A Young Poet,” Stephanie West Allen of 
Idealawg invited her readers to post on their blogs their “Letter to a Young Lawyer.” Since I receive correspondence from the ABA Young Lawyers Division, I am among the audience, still trying to figure things out. But I decided I’d give it a shot and write about a few paradoxes that I observed in law school and the beginning of my law practice. So, here we go.
Dear Young Lawyer:
You have chosen a profession and a career that is full of contradictions. By now, you should be comfortable with contradictions as they are abundant in the pages of law books that you are reading. They are just another problem to solve. Isn’t it what we do – solve problems? This brings me to the first contradiction:
- Lawyers are very good at solving other people’s problems, but they often disregard their own needs, hence the sad statistics on the dissatisfaction and burnout among lawyers. Wouldn’t we take better care of our clients if we took better care of ourselves?
- If you entered law school because you were not sure what you should do with your life, be aware that you can graduate from law school, pass the bar and begin practicing, and still not know what you should do with your life. The upside is that you can pay your bills as you are trying to figure out your life’s purpose.
- Some people love law school and hate the practice of law, others hate law school and love the practice of law.
- Everybody wants to be in top 10 percent in law school, everybody can’t be in top 10 percent in law school. According to the ABA Legal Education Statistics, in 2006-2007, 43, 920 students were awarded J.D. or LL.B. degrees. 10 percent of that is 4,392. There is a future for you in the legal profession even if you are not in top 10 percent, and (gasp!) you haven’t done the law review or moot court.
- Contrary to what your classmates, career services and other stakeholders want you to believe, you don’t have to go into BIGLAW if you are in the top 10 percent. What will make you feel the blood rushing in your veins every morning? (“Coffee” is not the right answer here.)
- You may like a certain subject matter in law school but it doesn’t necessarily mean that you will enjoy that area of practice. Stay flexible, get a taste of various areas of practice, rotate through different departments in your summer programs. Give yourself time to decide.
- In law school you are led to believe that the practice of law is about unique knowledge, expertise, and problem-solving skills. Once you begin practicing, it becomes more about people and relationships, just like in any business.
- There is no “one day” and you won’t have free time, so find a way to do what you want to do right now. If you are “paying your dues,” make sure you know what you are getting in return.
- The practice of law is local in nature, but you are likely to feel the global currents more and more these days. Stay informed of what is going on in the world and how it affects the profession.
- The world is changing faster than you can say “mutatis mutandis,” be prepared to change with it. Gerald Weinberg wrote in “The Secrets of Consulting”: “When change is inevitable, we struggle most to keep what we value most.” If you find yourself struggling, it’s a good time to ask what is important to you and how you can get it.
April 10, 2007
March 16, 2007
March 08, 2007
Smart bites
Today I am serving up a few brainy diet suggestions along with a 
story of how you can turn a dinner plate into a memory peg.
For an appetizer, choose among The 29 Healthiest Foods on the Planet, as recommended by Belly Bites (via Lifehack). How about some crab cakes for vitamin B12 and zinc to boost your immunity? Or steamed artichokes with zesty lemon juice on top to give you a nice dose of antioxidants? Plus, the smell of a lemon will invigorate you.
For the main course, fish curry looks good, according to Eat Smart by Christen Brownlee in Science News Online. The foods you eat affect not only your body, but your brain as well. You probably already know that fish is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which are good for your brain. What you may not know is that curcumin - a component of the curry spice turmeric - may reduce the amount of beta-amyloid, a protein that can aggregate into waxy deposits that have been associated with Alzheimer's symptoms.
You can finish your dinner with a choice of Top 10 Foods for a Good Night’s Sleep, suggested by Yahoo! Food. Sleep allows us to consolidate our memories so that we can learn new things. Did you know that March 5 – 11 is 2007 National Sleep Awareness Week? To catch some Z’s, drizzle a little honey in your warm milk or treat yourself to one of the low-fat lullaby muffins, made with whole-wheat flour and bananas (the Yahoo! Food article has the recipe).
But before you doze off, check out the Waffle House grill cook cheat sheet via information aesthetics. It illustrates the way in which a cook marks the orders. For example, a tub of jelly placed upside down at the 6 o'clock position on a dinner plate indicates scrambled eggs and a wheat toast. It made me wonder if a dinner plate could be used to memorize, let’s say, the filing deadlines for pleadings in the civil procedure rules. One minute of a clock can represent one day so to remember the deadlines, you would need to visualize the positions of the clock hands. Then, you can come up with foods for different stages of the process, and you are ready to arrange your “action-plate.” Is it too much work for what it’s worth? I don’t know. Sleep on it.
March 06, 2007
February 14, 2007
January 15, 2007
The Secret Society of Happy Lawyers
The Idealawg and Life at the Bar are conspiring to start The Secret Society of 
Happy Lawyers, but it looks like some secrets may soon come out. How about opening the VALVE of Happiness as a rite of initiation? The VALVE is a code that stands for:
- Vision. Happy lawyers have a vision of a better world and a better Self.
- Attitude. Happy lawyers have an attitude that enables them to meet daily challenges with courage and grace.
- Love. Happy lawyers share love for people that inspires their service.
- Values. Happy lawyers have values that guide their choices.
- Energy. Happy lawyers have energy that propels them to do the best work they can.
Are you ready to open your VALVE of Happiness?
Related post:
Happy hour for lawyers: interview with Alexander Kjerulf, Chief Happiness Officer
January 01, 2007
December 26, 2006
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disclaimer
- The content is provided for general informational and educational purposes and should not be construed as legal advice. This weblog does not create an attorney-client relationship.
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