The Stork

This was one of the advertisements from Monster.com. Watch and be inspired by its powerful message.

TedTalks: Information Design and Statistics

Before, I see statistics as numbers, graphs and charts with boring imprinted all over it. But, when I saw Hans Rosling presentation at TED about third-world myths and how he debunked them, I was blown away on how he creatively presented (using Trendalyzer) the huge volume of data and statistics.

Hans Rosling: Debunking third-world myths with the best stats you've ever seen

TedTalks: Creativity

I discovered TED via Twitter when one of my contacts posted a great video about why we do what we do. TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design which started out in 1984 to bring people together from these 3 disciplines in a conference. TED's website makes the best talks in these conferences available for free for the public.

Imagine that! All the great ideas from the world's greatest thinkers readily available as a source of inspiration to us. I salute and commend all the people from TED for such a wonderful endeavor and powerful mission of spreading these great ideas. In this regard, this is my own small way of spreading these great ideas. I will compile by topic the best videos, from my standpoint, where I learned and inspired the most.

The first topic I am posting is about creativity. The first video is from Tim Brown who is the CEO of the "innovation and design" firm IDEO. He discussed the vital link between play and creativity. The second video is from the author Elizabeth Gilbert who shared the radical idea that instead of the "rare" person being a genius, there is a genius in all of us.

Tim Brown: The powerful link between creativity and play

Elizabeth Gilbert: A different way to think about creative genius

Stand up. Finish Strong!

When I saw this video about Nick Vujicic, I remembered the old adage, "I was complaining that I had no shoes until I met a man who had no feet." 

On the other hand, even if Nick is without limbs, he has been a constant source of inspiration and strength to those who are facing challenges and obstacles in their lives. He indeed stood up and finished strong! 

Feeding the fire

This is from Sacha Chua's blog, she is a popular Filipino techno evangelist and the entry is about her father, John Chua, a well-known and respected photographer here in the Philippines. This article struck a personal chord and had been a constant source of inspiration. I hope that you will be inspired and moved as well in becoming "fire feeders," for being so passionate in life that it will serve as a beacon amidst mediocrity.

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How ashen my father was under the harsh fluorescent lights, I thought, as I pulled a chair up and offered to help him with the small computer I'd just restored. I knew that he needed the computer for his work tomorrow and that he was under a lot of stress. Yet despite the strains of the day, his voice was gentle and thankful, so different from the harried voice I'd heard on the phone earlier - so different from the impatience and grumpiness that frightened many of the employees.

Even as a child I had always seen him with a vivid red sunburn from days spent exploring the world and taking pictures. When he removed his watch or his eyeglasses, you could see pale strips of porcelain-white skin - part of his Chinese heritage. He lived like that, too - fantastic adventures coupled with a surprising gentleness. He glowed with the incredible passion that filled and sustained him: his photography. My father encouraged us to pursue our dreams. He lived his, and that gave us hope. He loved photography, getting up early and working late into the night creating beautiful images. Of all the people I know, he was the one most passionate about his dreams.

Today... today was different. The color seemed to have drained from his face. There was an unaccustomed sadness in the voice that had so often told me exciting stories of wild adventures. Today his words seemed to come from very far away. He asked me for such small, simple things. And because he asked so gently, I wanted to do everything. He was so grateful when I got them to work. Sometimes I couldn't. Instead of becoming cross, he simply smiled and said that that was okay.

We finally got the camera and the computer to work together; all that he needed for the next day's. My father let out a sigh and began to confide in me, unfolding his frustrations and his fears. We talked of passion and frustration, of plans and pains. He was worried about my sister and about the company. Their indifference sapped his strength, undermined his confidence. I looked at him closely. Suddenly he seemed so very old and so very tired. I wanted to throw my arms around him and cry.

How I wished I had been the one to follow in his footsteps, but my heart is in another field. I learned something important: fire feeds fire. I must always be near other people who are passionate about something or my soul will die as his seems slowly dying.

When the next day brings with it the thrill of the shoot and a system that works, perhaps he will rediscover his passion. I can only hope that the people around him realize how important they are to him. Their incompetence can break him. Their interest can inspire him. His work is important to him. He is important to me, both who he is and what he stands for.

May the world never break my father's spirit nor quench his passion. In a world of dim lives and mediocrity, he blazed with a light that so few know.