Budapest Conference

Visual note taking can make for wonderful summaries of information. I spoke at a Conference in Budapest and created a variety of wall summaries for the participants. Check www.glenncapelli.com shop for our DVD CAPMAPS on how to create a variety of visual notes.

Jottings

A journal is a beautiful thing. Ink, heart and thoughts become one. Sometimes a scribble can say something better.

CAPMAPS - Visual NoteTaking

I was at a National Speaker's Meeting listening to London based Frank Furness CSP talk about aspects of this Speaking Life and some of his approach to spreading his word. The attached picture is page one of my notes and apologies to Frank for my art work of his moustache! I have kept journals since I was 12 and what has emerged in my journaling is a visual note taking approach we call Cap Maps (Creative, Analytical and Practical). Such a visual note taking system is based on a variety of Visual Approaches (Tony Buzan's wonderful Mind-Mapping is one of hundreds of visual techniques) and some of the principles of how memory works (Stand-Out Effect, Association, Chunking...) Check www.glenncapelli.com Shop for our DVD set on How to CAPMAP.

Leonard Cohen - Thinking Caps

As a lad I read them all - the poems, the lyrics, the novels. Leonard Cohen saved me on a night or two. My mates couldn't understand - EMO hadn't been invented then. I wrote this piece for ABC 720 radio in Western Australia and it aired early in 2008. Last weekend Lindy and I watched Augie March (superb), Paul Kelly (beautiful) and the great man and band of Leonard Cohen. It was inspired and I wear my tour t-shirt proudly. May we all find beauty in the cracks that let the light in. More Thinking Caps can be found on itunes - Thinking Caps CD.

There Are Artists Within

Sometimes we do not know what talent (what crayons) rest within until there is a spark.

A friend of mine started sculpting after she gave birth to her first child. Said that something was born within as she gave birth. Another friend (Botts - Andrew Belotti) discovered he could paint when he was doing Physical Therapy as part of his recovery with Guilliane-Barre Syndrome (GBS). Ironically, I received this letter from another old mate, Kiwi Mark Godwin, and his private artist within became public after his wife contracted GBS. He wrote:

Bron got sick with GBS in August 2007 which saw her in hospital from August 2007 until January 2008. I spent the first few weeks not knowing what to do with myself (as you know I dont drink..........much).

I was cleaning out my daughters wardrobe and found a blank canvas and some paints which at the time begged me to paint on it. I started my first masterpiece which just happenned to be the very first painting on my blog.

My daughter came home that night and said where did you buy that and I said that I had painted it. I am afraid my daughter didnt believe me and I arrived home the following night to find another blank canvas and a wee note saying prove it and the rest is history.

I have never had lessons and didnt know I could paint but I know that each of us can rise above our grief and problems to create things of beauty or things that we can stand back and say with self pride....................I did that!

When we fall we can use the ground beneath to help us, and those around us, to rise up. May all kinds of artists within - find a way out, an expression. Enjoy. Mark's blog is www.pictureitponderitpaintit.blogspot.com

Fitness Machine - igallop!

When presenting in India I came across a newspaper article about a fitness machine called the igallop that guaranteed all users fitness, good looks and even a brighter personality. It set me thinking about all the fitness machines that live unused in sheds everywhere. This Thinking Caps piece aired on ABC 720 mid 2008. Other Thinking Cap pieces are available on itunes.

Teaching AUS - Alternative Upper School Wanneroo SHS

25 years ago I was asked by Glynn Watkins, Betty Cockman and Gary Fisher to design a High School Experience for students at Wanneroo Senior High School who did not necessarily want to go onto University. I interviewed for an off-sider in this adventure and found an old football mate Rod (Nuttsy) Nunn. Together we designed a two tiered timetable with each student having an individual timetable that took precedent over the group timetable. The group timetable was part Summer Camp, part Kibbutz, part Work Experience, part Electives and part Communications 1 and 2. Communications 1 was me teaching English skills - talking, reading and writing with confidence. Communications 2 was Nuttsy and had maths and science as its base.We didn't know it then but the whole thing was really based on Kaizen; finding out what each student needed/wanted (sometimes not the same thing) and building their skills bit by bit working from a 'strengths and interests first' basis. 54 young folk made up the Wanneroo Alternative Upper School and recently former student (and current musician) Gary Jay Palfrey sent through a photo. Ahh the memories - an exciting, vibrant year and one where hair on the head still played a part in my life. The snap is the young me (to your left) with the young Nuttsy.