Have a Genius, Don't Be a Genius

Best-selling author of Eat, Pray, Love gives a TED talk about distancing oneself from the pressure associated with the creativity of an artist--and removing oneself from the 'center of the universe' to allow something external (the universe, God/Allah, your "Genius") to change the way you view your own creativity.

And I couldn't agree more. I feel like my daemon (the Greek work for the classical mythological creature that is benevolent source for creativity, not to be confused with the Judeo-Christian definition of the evil demon), comes to me as I sleep, as I people-watch, even when the sky reaches a certain hue in the evening. I am inspired by creation from the voices of the Genius living outside and inside me, who speaks to me in whispers at times and in shouts as needed. I am no genius, this I know...but I pray that my Genius continues to follow/harass me with creative energy for the rest of my life.

Listen to Gilbert's inspiring, and burden-releasing, talk here.

Spare Some Change?

From President Obama's mantra of "Change We Can Believe In" to the Egyptian people's recent empowering outcry for change, the Age of Information has made it easier for citizens of the planet to be the squeaky wheel that gets the oil.

Change.org is your one-stop shop for reform. You can find online petitions, and even start your own, to support and advocate for the cause of your choosing. They provide you with all the tools you'll need, including media outreach, and help connect you to a global network of like-minded people willing to spare some social change.

Make your voice heard today with Change.org!

The Gen X-Factor

According to USA Today's "Talkin' Bout Your Generation" interactive, I am a Generation Xer, through and through. From Atari and Operation, to the Walkman and the fall of the Berlin Wall, products and events from my formative and teenage years are ingrained in me for life.

It's crazy (crazy only because it makes me feel old to think I have memories that are older than some folks today) to think that since my generation, there have been two entire groups of people shaped by their cultural influences: Generation Y (the Millennials) and Generation Z (the Internet Generation). What's stranger to me still is that there are people (my son included) who never knew a world without 9/11, the Internet, and cell phones.

They say the generation you are born into and your cultural experiences help to define and shape you. While I'm a technophile at heart, I am glad to have been born into a time when society was learning to be more progressive but still held onto some values; yet I'm also grateful to still be alive in a time where Skyping is the norm, but, in my childhood, was "the future."

Take the quiz to find out what generation you belong to.

Do I Really Belong Here?

The migration of people across the world isn't a novel idea...after all, all humans can trace their origins back to Africa. As a displaced African (Liberian, specifically), living in the U.S. for the past 20 years, I feel a connection to the stories of other Africans living outside their homeland.  Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) produces a well-made interactive documentary series called Africa to Australia: Do I Really Belong Here?, which tells the stories of Africans who migrated there, either by choice or by force, and gives a human face to the issue of immigration and displacement.

Logo from Africa to Australia: Do I Really Belong Here?