Beware of the Chick Flicks!

There have been two surprise hit movies this summer, "I Love You, Man" and "The Hangover", which have been drawing in big crowds since their release.  Their success has baffled the experts prompting waves of stories on why are these movies successful.  For those of you who haven't figured it out, let me explain why these two movies have been hits:  

They are secretly "Chick Flicks" in disguise.  

Let me explain.

Chick Flicks are movies designed to appeal to a female audience.  The theme is always the same - the central character has trouble with a relationship/friendship, and turns to others for help, and through a series of loosely tied together scenes, understanding is reached with a happy resolution in the end.  Usually, but not always, this happens at a wedding.

Sound familiar?

(By contrast, in a Guy Movie, the central character has trouble with authority/establishment, uses guns, he works alone but picks up a busty babe along the way, and through a series of loosely tied together scenes, understanding is reached through the use of guns, violence and car chases.     Usually, but not always, this happens at the docks/train station/airport (something transportation related).)

"I Love You, Man" and "The Hangover" are both Chick Flicks, but with guys in the lead roles, not women.  By doing so, they have cleverly doubled the potential population of those willing to see this movie (e.g. both men and women).  Chicks are driving the traffic and popularity of these movies.  They make for an (apparently) effective compromise movie, but in reality, guys, you are being dragged to a chick movie. 

If you don't believe me, go to IMDB.com and look at the breakdown of votes by gender.  While more guys than women have voted, woman have given both movies the higher overall rating.  Find me a movie staring a Schwarzenegger, Stallone, or Willis where this is true. 

I found them both entertaining - better than I thought, but not as raunchy as I was expecting.  I did like the fact that both of them had washed out muscle guys (Lou Ferrigno and Mike Tyson) in comedic roles (see upcoming post on this).  But deep down, they disappointed.  They are one and done movies, never to be seen again.  Me, I'm waiting for "Inglorious Bastards."

Happy viewing

4 Exercises to Sharpen Your Brain

Number 3 is my excuse as to why I obsessively play with tape and rubber bands. I am not fidgeting; I am stimulating the brain. That is my excuse and I am sticking with it. Oh - and it is why I mangle movie tickets, too.

Thanks Dr. Mao and Yahoo Health:

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4 Exercises to Sharpen Your Brain

By Dr. Maoshing Ni - Posted on Fri, Jun 19, 2009, 1:12 pm PDT

Think of your brain as a muscle: It gets stronger with exercise. Your everyday mental tasks are like walking, but how about a real workout? Try these simple exercises to boost your brain power and clear away the fog of forgetfulness.

1. Use your non-dominant hand: Tackling new tasks improves brain capacity in younger people and has a restorative effect on mental faculties that are declining. Boost your brain power right now by performing everyday activities with your non-dominant hand. If you're right-handed, use your left hand to eat, drink, comb your hair, and brush your teeth. Try writing your name with your non-dominant hand or put your mouse pad on the other side of the keyboard.

Why does this work? The human brain starts declining after the age of 30 especially in women with each successive pregnancy. By exercising your brain through the use of non-dominant hand, you are stimulating the opposite side of the brain and activating blood flow, which slows down the brain aging process and improves mental capacity. Evidence from functional brain imaging shows that the process of neuroplasticity -- the brain's natural ability to form new connections -- can be enhanced by studying new things, especially hand-eye coordinated exercises like developing the use of your non-dominant hand and practicing visualization meditation. For an effective guided visualization that will also increase your years, check out Meditations to Live to Be 100.

Stimulating communication between the two hemispheres even helps physical balance. Mind-body exercises like tai chi coach people to use the right and left side of the body equally. Try switching it up in sports. For instance, in tennis, switch the racquet to your non-dominant side and play.

2. Work out your brain: You have to use it or lose it! You can work out your mind just like you work out your body. Mental exercises that will keep your brain fit include doing crossword puzzles, playing chess, or memorizing names, shopping lists, and phone numbers. When I was a young boy, to keep my brain function strong, my father had me memorize Tang Dynasty poetry. Every day I had to memorize a new poem and recite it back. Learn the words to a poem or a new song and repeat them back from memory. Set aside the calculator and add manually instead. Keep challenging yourself with tasks that are new to you.

Whatever mental exercise you choose, the key to success is to practice every day at the same time; you are developing and activating new neural pathways, and consistent cycles will keep the brain on track.

3. Move your fingers to improve your brain: Many people marvel that Asian children seem so intelligent. It could be because they use their fingers more frequently. They eat with chopsticks and at one time, they used to compute with an abacus in school. In fact, some studies have been done with children who use an abacus daily, and findings show that engaging the fingers stimulates nerve endings that go directly to the brain, increasing circulation. Take advantage of this by practicing motor activities that use your fingertips, like crocheting, knitting, and other arts and crafts where you are manipulating small parts. Try playing the piano or a stringed instrument.

Here is an exercise you can do anywhere, at any time. Put one finger on top of the one next to it, then try to stack the next finger on top of that. Or hold a pencil or pen between your index and middle fingers, roll it over until it's balanced between the middle and ring fingers, then again to between the ring finger and pinky. This exercise has a beneficial impact on brain health for anyone at any age, but especially for people in their 40s, 50s and beyond -- when signs of brain aging starts to set in.

Why does this work? A map of the brain shows that the nerve endings on your fingertips correspond to more areas of the brain than any other body area, except perhaps the tongue and lips. Therefore, finger exercise and movements can be useful in stimulating the neurons in the brain. The National Institute of Mental Health conducted experiments that showed finger exercises enlarged the capacity of the participants' brains, increased connections between neurons, forged new neural pathways, and increased circulation to the brain areas. The researchers concluded that finger exercise contributed significantly to brain plasticity, the ability of the brain to renew itself. Increased circulation means more oxygen and nutrients for the brain cells and decreased waste products that clog up the brain.

4. Stimulate brain acuity with self-massage: To improve concentration and memory try this self-massage that stimulates two easy-to-find acupressure points on your neck at the base of the skull. Cross your hands behind you with the palms cradling the back of your head, your thumbs in the grooves on each side of your neck, and your index fingers crossing one another below the skull, just above the thumbs. Sit in a chair, lean your head back, and let it rest against the pressure of your thumbs and index fingers. Slowly inhale deeply through your nose and exhale through your mouth, letting your whole body relax. Do this for three to five minutes. You'll increase blood flow to the brain and at the same time relax the neck muscles, which often tense up in response to stress, constricting blood vessels in the area.

You can find these, and many other brain boosting tips in my new book, Second Spring. I invite you to visit often and share your own personal health and longevity tips with me. May you live long, live strong, and live happy!

--Dr. Mao

Anoop: my good luck charm

One other note on the job search has been the the role of another good friend here at work: Anoop. Anoop, or as we like to call him, Snoop or Snoop Dog, has had a profound impact on my career here and for my reasons in being in Minnesota.

Nine years ago, my first phone interviews were with Anoop, and he was the one who recommended bringing me up for final rounds. When I joined, Snoop became my first manager. He moved onto another job, but we have tried to keep in touch.

Up till May 14th, we had not had lunch or chatted together for a while. I remember the date, because it was to be the day before my last day of work. The next day, however, my extension came through for another 30 days.

Snoop, still feeling some lingering managerial responsibility for me, scheduled a follow up lunch for about 30 days out to see how I was doing. That was last Wednesday. The next day, I found out extension number two came through. Coincidence? I think not.

My new last day, is July 31st. I have lunch scheduled with him for earlier that week. Also, he is on notice that he needs to be on standby in case I get an interview. Meeting with him has resulted in me getting a paycheck; that is a streak I am looking to continue

Thanks Snoop

The Extended Extension

For those of you keeping up with my latest trials and tribulations of the job search, I have a minor update, and it is good news. I got another extension to continue the temporary assignment on which I am currently working. This is my second extension which will keep me employed until the end of July. I am very excited about this news, as I will be able to continue working on my current project which I enjoy, plus pick up a new one, while all the while still being employed (read: paid) and I can still look for positions internally.

This extension came through the efforts of two people. The first is my friend Danielle, whose heroics were described in an earlier posting ("Lessons from the Job Search", May 18, 2009). The second is a former manager of mine, N, whom I worked for seven years ago. There is a funny story on how N's and my path had crossed, yet again.

When I started working for her, I was at one of my lowest points professionally. The job I was promised when I moved to Minnesota was changed, dramatically. I was either going to have to accept the change or I would be fired. I wanted to leave then, but in the post 9/11 economic downturn, I thought it best to fight it out rather than take my chances. My new boss was N. We hit it off well, and although I didn't like my new job, I liked working for her. She was very bright, very dynamic, and she gave me opportunities to shine. We worked together very well. After 18 months, N was promoted to a new job, and soon, so was I, but we kept in touch over the years.

Fast forward six years to April: Job eliminations are announced, and both N and I are without positions. N had been on a fast track to the upper echelons, so I (and others who knew her) were very shocked to hear this news. I applied and interview for a job as a Business Development Manager; it is basically the same job I was doing before the cuts and it was at the same job grade. I didn't get the job, but I found out N was in the running.

I was surprised she had applied for the job, as it was several job grades lower than where she had been. I knew she would do a great job in this position; if I had been asked to chose between me and her, I probably would have chosen her. When I found out she was being considered, I did the right thing: I sent her a note wishing her well. Instead of letting the awkwardness build from both of us wanting the same job, I decided to do the grown up thing; I told her that I had interviewed (if she didn't know this already) but I didn't get selected; I heard she was still being considered and I wished her good luck and I hoped that she would get the job. As it turns out, she did.

Fast forward another month: I am working on this temporary project. It is a good job and a needed position, but with all the cost cutting going on, everyone has to pull extra weight. If I was to get another extension, I would not be immune. Step in N. We are now both in the same division; she was staring her first project and it was massive. The scope had expanded exponentially from the original charter; she was looking for some help. She knew my situation so she proposed an extension for me as well. We had worked together well in the past and she thought we would be good again in the future. So did I. So through the helps of Danielle and N, I got another extension. I'll be employed for another 7 weeks.

Funny how things work out sometimes.

On being an idiot

Last night, for the first time ever, I let my car run out of gas. I have pushed the limit of the gas tank since, well, I started driving, so it was inevitable that this would happen.

I was lucky in many ways: it was springtime (e.g. not sub-zero with snow), I was in the Twin Cities (actually between St. Paul and Minnie), it was not in heavy traffic or a busy street, and there was a generous shoulder so I could pull of safely.  Plus, I had no place I needed to be, nor anyone else in the car with me.  Yeah, I was lucky.

I could bring out a whole host of reasons why I didn't fill it up sooner: the gas station I would have gone to was closed, I-94 was closed for repairs, the stars were not aligned. Ultimately, it came down to pushing my luck. I waited too long and by the time I got to end of the tank, I didn't want to go on a wild goose chase looking for a station that did not exist. That an the iPhone was really slow in pulling up nearby gas stations.

So I tried to push it to the one station that I knew existed. My famous last words were "it is only a few miles away - I can make it." About then, the car started sputtering and slowing down. My attempts to conserve gas by turning off the air, the radio and breathing shallow (figure it couldn't hurt) did not help. 

I ended up walking to a gas station for a tank and gas. It took about 30-40 minutes round trip, which was made easier by admiring the skill of the marketer who priced the gas can I was now  in possession ($9.99 for plastic, empty). I think - considering the situation that people are in when they walk into a SuperAmerica needing a gas can, they could charge even more.

After the one fillup, the car still wouldn't start, but I was able to get a hold of a friend for a ride. Thank you Mr. Gassman for taking picking me up and driving my dumb @ss back to the gas station and then to my car for round two. Fortunately, this time, the car started and it seems to be working fine today.

Two very curious things about last night:

(1) Never underestimate the kindness of strangers:

I ran out of gas right behind a family that had car issues of their own. Their truck had died, and they had to come out in their other car to pick up the driver. They were from Wisconsin, and a ways from home. They were trying to figure out how they were going to pay for the tow - not the repairs - but the tow. Yet, when the tow truck came to hall off their vehicle, they were concerned about me and leaving me behind. I assured them I had a friend on a way to help me out, but they wanted to wait and make sure.  I assured them I was fine several times before they would go.  Yep, there are still good people out there.

(2) Never underestimate the number of jerks there are on the road:

I was on 35E heading North, ready to exit onto 36, when the car started sputtering and slowing. The car behind me pulls right up on my bumper. I put on my hazard lights to alert him that not all was right with my car, yet this seemed to have the opposite effect. He started driving closer, to the point I could make out his hand gestures and what he was saying. His comments were not exactly kind; he broke several commandments and suggested behavior made illegal by laws against bestiality.  This was probably a karmic message specifically for me, based on my driving style. It is a lesson learned.

Anyway, the car is doing fine today, and I have a gas can, used only twice, that will soon have a new home with a friend who has a garage.  I can't let that expensive piece of plastic go to waste.

Happy driving.

...and it is in Vegas!

Apparently, there is a trade show for everything

http://www.rollercon.net/