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.

Thinking Caps - Blokes Manifesto

The Blokes Manifesto was inspired by my mate Warren Butterworth (Butters) trying to change his nickname. Other inspirations were prompted by my wife Lindy. There have been Manifestos for many things - now it is time for blokes of the world to unite. The manifesto aired on ABC radio late November of 2008 and stacks of listeners sent through their suggestions for what other things needed to go into the Blokes manifesto and what things should be in a Blokettes (Womens) Manifesto. What additions would you make? For other Thinking Caps check out Thinking Caps CD Glenn Capelli on itunes - particularly Sea Squirts and The Sport of Urination link to this topic

Scratching Places

To scratch is to seek ideas - to create an environment (internally and externally) that creates the freedom for ideas to flow. For some, ideas flow from meditation and an internal journey. For others it is about stretching your eyes, ears, arms to different sights, sounds and textures. For finance man and friend Harry Bronn, ideas flow when he takes himself to the challenge of the Simpson Desert in the heart of Australia. This is what harry says:

Thinking about what scratching means for me. From the blog it appears it "is an ideas hunt".

Reflecting on what my Simpson Desert 4WD trips mean, that will fall into the "my sense of identity" bucket.

I need to feel that freedom that comes with traveling that immense and limitlessness expanse. The clear sense of danger, which retreats if you do your preparation 110% and use that many layers of experience driving and traversing the challenging 1,000 plus dunes. The absolute feeling of remoteness and sense of self, the massive canopy of stars at night. The thought of being so much on your own and still not be alone. To know that you can do this large challenge without triggering a Tipping Point. That you are so alive and capable to do so much with your life.

The old Peter Sarstedt song asks 'Where do you go to my lovely, when you're alone in your bed, tell me the thoughts that surround you, I want to look inside your head...'. Where do you go to for ideas to flow?

Thinking Caps - If We Allow It, We Teach It

One of my radio pieces on ABC 720. Dedicated to Glynn Watkins my former Principal when I started teaching at Wanneroo Senior High School. Glynn passed away in October 2008, two months after I recorded this piece and one week before it aired. This and other pieces feature in Thinking Caps book to be released in Jan 09 and other pieces are available on itunes Thinking Caps CD.

Passion Bums

In their book The Art of Possibility Psychologist Rosamund Stone Zander and musician/conductor Benjamin Zander, Bejamin talks of musicians who play with great passion and refers to them as 'one buttock players'. He says that when musicians are truly inspired they play with such heart and emotion that they are in a state of physical flow. He noticed that in such flow their bodies would sway from side to side and impassioned piano players would sway from one buttock to the other. Given this he urges all musicians to become 'one-buttock players'.

Having the passion in your bum is one thing that defines true inspiration, having the passion printed on your bum is another. Consider this.

Recently at the Pharmaceutical Conference of Australia Dr Lisa Nissen, Senior Lecturer at University of Queensland was named 2008 PSA Pharmacist of the Year (along with co-recipient Angelo Pricolo). Lisa had also received Young Pharmacist of the year in 2002. As she received her award she oozed joy for her work and told everyone that after winning the Young award in 2002 she went straight out and had a Pharmacist’s Pestle and Mortar tattooed to her left buttock. Pure magic!

So, on behalf of Lisa I ask you, what is it that you are so passionate about that you would tattoo your bum with it? For me, it could be Neoteny (my life philosophy – check Thinking Caps CD on itunes for the description piece and song) but it may also be Kaizen – the passion for tiny, on-going improvements; ‘How better?’ thinking or Widezen – the passion for ‘How else?’ thinking. Perhaps I need three buttocks?

Bumble Bee

A self-esteem song that honors diversity. Used by many schools and we teach it with some AUSLAN (sign language). I have also used it in some Keynote speeches and Innovation-Leadership work. Enjoy. Available on Songs for a Thinking Learning Classroom by Keith McDonald and myself www.glenncapelli.com and itunes.