Awkward & Hilarious...

AWKWARD:


I LOVE awkward moments like that...I Guess I'm weird?

HILARIOUS:


Off to buy a case of Keith Stone...

Why Do People Fall in Love? (via Deepak Chopra)

According to Deepak Chopra, (best seeing author & spiritual 'guru'), says in the end of this book "The Daughters of Joy" (page 224) that: "people fall in love because their energies match.

When this happens, they feel as if they have merged. 2 become 1.

Usually one person feels a need that the other one fulfills without being asked. The match is automatic, and for as long as you permit the beloved to fill you with energy, the flow of love feels much greater than when you were alone."

I also heard, "Love is warm feeling in a cold world" as a lyric in a song at a bar the other night...makes sense.

That's probably the best description I have heard on the subject...

Perhaps they should teach that in school, instead of retarded things like algerbra, cause we all know how much we need & use algebra after highs school is over and we never use or need our feelings...right?

Stupid school system.

Anyway, Love ya'll...

:x

~Q~

How to Make More Friends & Do More Business

I got this email today from "Success Guru" Eben Pegen (if you DON"T know him, Google him).

He is one of the top marketers & entrepreneurs on the planet.

IF you think about it, Connections, Networking and Building Relationships is THE #1 thing to do in life and business.

Think about it, how do most people get jobs & more business or relationships? referrals & inside connections from FRIENDS.

Right?

Here is what his newsletter said about getting, building & keeping substantial relationships, here it is from Eben:

">>>NOTE: If you're interested in getting an advanced education in how to connect to influential and successful people in the business world, read this article:

Last night, I was teaching a session for our "Self-Made Wealth" program, and I shared a 5-step formula that I've discovered for making deep friendships fast.

I thought I'd take a minute and share it with you, since it's so powerful. This formula has allowed me to make friends with some of the most interesting, successful and even famous people - and it can work for you as well.

If you can master this simple 5-step system, I really believe that it can help you get access to, connect with and make friends with almost anyone you want.

And it can help you make friends FAST.

So What Make Me Believe That There's A "Formula For Making Friends?

And why hasn't anyone discovered this before?

Well, it turns out that we humans do the things that we do, for the most part, very predictably.

What I mean is that we go through predictable steps when interacting with other people.

You've probably heard of anthropologists, who go out and study people "objectively" - and sort of watch them to see "how they behave in the wild."

What they discovered is that when people are meeting each other - whether it's in a business setting, a romantic setting or a "just friends" setting, they do certain things in a certain order.

EVERY TIME.

For example, when two people meet each other for the first time, you might not realize it, but most of the first 30 seconds is about unconsciously figuring out who is going to be "in control" of the relationship.

I know that this doesn't sound very "enlightened" - but if you start noticing, you'll see that it's true.

And it doesn't matter who it is, how they're meeting, or where they're meeting.

Everything from who makes eye contact first, who smiles first, to who disagrees first - it's all part of the sub-conscious "inner animal" dance.

Now, when most people hear something like this, they say "well, I don't do that." Or they think that others who do this are somehow "unevolved."

NEWS FLASH: WE ALL DO IT.

You can't control it, and neither can I. It just happens, and it's going to keep happening.

Now, with that said, just because we humans have a bunch of pre-programmed "routines" that we go through when we meet each other does not mean that we have to go through them blindly.

In fact, I've discovered that the more aware we become of these routines - and the more conscious we become of how to use them productively, the more success we can have in business, with our personal relationships and with life in general.

How To Use The "Friendship Formula" For Success Connecting To Influential & Successful People...

Several years ago, I realized that making friends is one of the fundamental "common denominators" of all large-scale success in the world.

If you want people to like you, trust you, be influenced by you - and work with you in business effectively - then you must connect with them, bond with them, and build TRUST.

In other words, you must make friends with them.

After realizing that creating friendship is the "common denominator" of success, I went to research - and find out if anyone had "mapped" this process.

It seemed that, if making friends was such a key part of success, that there would be many books on the topic that were available.

Guess what?

I was WRONG.

In fact, I found almost nothing written about the process of how to simply make friends.

There were no "mainstream" books that explained the formula - or how it worked.

And, maybe more importantly, there were no books or programs created specifically for business success that explained how it worked on a psychological level.

But I persisted.

Eventually, by studying the work of many different experts on everything from psychology to anthropology to business networking, I found a PATTERN.

And after putting the pattern together into a system, I was able to use the system to build an amazing network of friendships, business contacts and professional relationships - which has made a huge difference in my own success.

The 5-Step "Friendship Formula" Explained...

Here's the 5-Step Friendship Formula, with an explanation of each of the steps in the process.

1) Connect on something substantial that you have in common with the other person

2) Disclose something valuable or personal to deepen the relationship

3) Give-give-give, get... Give-give-give, get... build the dialog of lasting friendship

4) Balance the needs of the individuals and the friendship to deepen the relationship

5) Create a unique shared space within a group - and then ultimately create the group yourself

>STEP 1: Connect on something substantial that you have in common with the other person.

At the beginning of a relationship, it's critical to remember that you and the other person are really living in different realities.

Even though it seems like we are all "here together" in the same world, we're really on completely different channels - or pages.

I like to imagine that there's a transparent movie screen between me and the other person I'm meeting, and that we're each projecting a completely different movie on that screen.

Even though it looks like there's no difference, there's A HUGE DIFFERENCE in how we're seeing the world and each other.

This is why it's so important, in those first critical moments, to connect - to open up a common reality - with the other person.

And this is why it's important to make sure that the thing we're connecting on is substantial.

In other words, it's something that's important to both of us.

If I say "nice weather we're having, huh?" - that's not a substantial way to connect. Because it's what everyone says - and it's not related to something I have a deep interest in.

On the other hand, let's say that the person you're about to meet has an interest in old cars - and that they like to restore old cars as their hobby.

If you begin the conversation by asking them about the car that they're restoring, and telling them about your experience with cars, you'll have something meaningful to connect about.

Now, you might ask: "What does fixing up old cars have to do with getting someone to help me in business?"

And my answer would be: EVERYTHING.

I have a friend that decided that he wanted to meet more powerful and influential people, so he took up golf as a hobby.

And guess what? He met tons of powerful executives, and was invited out on the golf course by successful people constantly.

Humans are interesting creatures. When we become interested in something personally it becomes more than just "a hobby." It becomes a passion.

And when others talk to us about the things that we are passionate about, we like them and are interested in them.

So connect on something substantial. Start the conversation with something you know is personally meaningful to the other.

You can get to a level of interest and comfort that would otherwise take many hours to reach.

>STEP 2: Disclose something valuable or personal to deepen the relationship.

If you think about your closest relationships, you'll realize that the relationship deepened as each of you shared more "secrets."

That's the way it works.

We trust people more when they reveal their secrets to us.

Now, the secrets you reveal can be valuable information, or insights you've had about life - or they can be embarrassing stories or life experiences.

The key is that you must disclose something that is valuable or personal if you want to deepen the relationship.

>STEP 3: Give-give-give, get... Give-give-give, get... build the dialog of lasting friendship.

Most people who are trying to reach or connect with successful, powerful, influential people have a certain "smell" to them.

You can sense that they're trying to GET something from the person they're trying to reach.

You know what I mean - when someone approaches you, but you can tell that they want something.

This instantly brings up your guard, and makes you suspicious of them.

Well, you don't want to come across as wanting something. You don't want to come across as selfish.

So it's important to adopt a different mindset when you're going out to meet and make friends with successful people.

You must go out with the mindset that you're going to add value to them and their lives, and you're going to make the big investment first in the relationship.

That's why I say "Give-give-give... get."

You want to be giving three times for every time that you get something.

If you follow this as your mantra, you'll find that others will be much more interested in you.

I've had relationships that I've "given" to for years and years before I every asked for something in return.

And guess what? The rewards have been beyond my wildest dreams.

>STEP 4: Balance the needs of the individuals and the friendship to deepen the relationship.

When you begin a friendship between you and another person, it's actually like being in a relationship with THREE people.

There's you, there's the other person, and then there's the relationship itself.

When two or more people get together, they form a little "eco-system" or culture that's unique to that group of people.

There are certain words, phrases, jokes and references that become the "language" of the friendship or the community.

And what's interesting (to me, anyway) is that the more the relationship grows, the more the individuals feel a pull to "conform" to the "culture" that's formed.

At some point, you begin to feel tension.

You start feeling pulled between what YOU want and what the GROUP wants.

Have you ever been out with a group of friends, and you decided to go home, but everyone in the group started saying "no, you can't go - stay with us!"...?

Of course, that's what groups do.

They pull you into the group.

And here's the paradox: For a friendship to thrive in the long-term, you must balance the needs of the friendship with the needs of the individuals.

Make sure you don't get "sucked up" by the friendship.

Make sure you balance your needs, your desires and your interests - but also meet the needs of the friendship.

By balancing both, and being aware of the pull to do both, you'll create a much stronger relationship.

>STEP 5: Create a unique shared space within a group - and then ultimately create the group yourself.

Let's say that you make friends with someone at a business seminar.

You're in the middle of hundreds of people, and you meet that person you've wanted to meet for a long time.

As soon as you've connected with the other person, it's important to create a little "us" feeling within the group.

Maybe the two of you are both passionate about a particular sport. You can make a joke that the others in the bigger group don't look like the "sports type."

In other words, you're creating an "inside joke" between you and the other person.

This is very powerful. It has a bonding effect, because now it's "you and me" in a big group of "them."

And ultimately, to take this to its most powerful level, you should be the one to create the group in the first place - by starting to hold social and networking meetings with interesting and powerful people.

That way, you can do all of these steps very quickly and efficiently with many people... quickly.

If you use this "Friendship Formula" as the TEMPLATE for all of your business relationships from now on, you will find that you can accelerate and deepen your relationships much faster - and you can connect with people that you didn't think it was possible to reach.

If you've been reading this and thinking to yourself:

"Wow, I really need to learn and master connecting with others - because I get how important this is going to be for my long-term business and financial success..."

For more info about making connections, networking, read How To Win Friends & Influence PEople" by Dale Carneigie.

Classic book with priceless & timeless info,

Your Friend on The Inside,

Quinton

What Does Psalm 23, a Nigerian Church in Itawon & Pulp Fiction Have in Common?

I have a confession to make.

Its Easter Sunday back home, (Easter Monday already here in Asia) and being raised a Christian, (Irish Catholic actually) I am feeling kinda guilty because I realized that I have not been to church in well, months.

Back at home in Canada, I make an effort to attend mass regularly, especially on important holidays such as Christmas, Thanksgiving and of course Easter.

Further more, taking into consideration the somewhat wild & uninhibited lifestyle I have been indulging in during my travels living overseas, I thought I should make a return to church this Sunday for Easter mass.

The only problem is, none of the churches here in Seoul are in English...

So yesterday I woke up before noon (for the first time in a long time on a Sunday since I have been living in Asia) and I went on a mission to find a English Easter Service.

Sat night I stayed over at a friends place in Itewon (an English Speaking Foreigner Village in Seoul) and walked around the neighborhoods for about an hour until I found an 'English speaking' church.

But what I found was something out of a movie, I walked into an all Nigerian Baptist Worship Service.

I was with my Korean friend (whom she has never been to church before) and we were the only 'non Nigerian' people in the entire congregation...talk about awkward. (plus we were like 20 mins late).

Imagine walking into a stadium were everyone is wearing black suites, and you walk in with a bright white one with neon flashing lights on it.

That's exactly how I felt.

You can imagine how much I stood out being a 6'7 white dude with a shaved head walking in with a tiny Korean girl.

But it was actually really cool, it felt like I entered some community village in Africa and it made me think & realize how all cultures, races, religions and backgrounds all want the same things in life:

Peace,

Happiness,

A sense of Community & Intimate Relationships

& a meaningful existence for themselves and their families, no matter what part of the world they live in.

I have to admit, I have never read the Bible or anything like that, although it is my goal to someday try to because really, what other book as made such an impact on the world's society beside it?

I have heard a few scriptures and verses in my time, and this one is probably my favorite, even Samuel Jackson quoted it in Quinten Terrintino's classic Pulp Fiction.

Its funny because as soon as I sat down for this service and was handed a bible to follow the readings with, this was the first page I randomly opened it to...

Psalm 23:
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.

He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
for his name's sake.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
forever.

Hope you all have a blessed Easter weekend and remember to be great ful for all the people & 'things' you have in your life, cause trust me, ALOT of people around the world have very little, except their faith & hope in a future of peace & happiness.

Peace be with you all,

Quinton

"Life Lessons" Sunscreen Song: DANCE. TRAVEL. LOVE & LIVE AN UNINHIBITED LIFESTYLE

First time I heard this song was in university stressing out before a final & drowning in papers due. I cranked this song, called up some friends, partied all night.

Do I remember what I got on those tests?
No.

Am I stell best friends with my buddies from university?
Yes.

Enough Said.
Listen to this song, and dance like no one is watching you...cause no one is :-)

Poem / Song Lyrics:
Ladies and Gentlemen of the class of '97.
Wear sunscreen.
If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it.
The long term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists, whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience...
I will dispense this advice now.

Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth; oh nevermind; you will not understand the power and beauty of your youth until they have faded.
But trust me, in 20 years you'll look back at photos of yourself and recall in a way you can't grasp now how much possibility lay before you and how fabulous you really looked...
You're not as fat as you Imagine.

Don't worry about the future; or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubblegum.
The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind.
The kind that blindside you at 4pm on some idle Tuesday.

Do one thing everyday that scares you.

Sing.

Don't be reckless with other people's hearts, don't put up with people who are reckless with yours.

Floss.

Don't waste your time on jealousy;
Sometimes you're ahead,
Sometimes You're behind.
The race is long, and in the end, it's only with yourself.

Remember the compliments you receive, forget the insults;
If you Succeed in doing this, tell me how.

Keep your old love letters, throw away your old bank statements.

Stretch.

Don't feel guilty if you don't know what you want to do with your
Life.
The most interesting people I know didn't know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives, some of the most interesting 40 year olds I know still don't.

Get plenty of calcium.

Be kind to your knees, you'll miss them when they're gone.
[ Lyrics from: http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/b/baz_luhrmann/sunscreen.html ]
Maybe you'll marry, maybe you won't, maybe you'll have children, maybe you won't, maybe you'll divorce at 40, maybe you'll dance the funky chicken on your 75th wedding anniversary.
Whatever you do, don't Congratulate yourself too much or berate yourself either.
Your choices are half chance, so are everybody else's.
Enjoy your body, Use it every way you can... Don't be afraid of it, or what other people Think of it,
It's the greatest instrument you'll ever own...

Dance... even if you have nowhere to do it but in your own living room.

Read the directions, even if you don't follow them.

Do NOT read beauty magazines, they will only make you feel ugly.

Brother and sister together we'll make it through
Someday your spirit will take you and guide you there
I know you've been hurting, but I've been waiting to be there
For you.
And I'll be there, just tell me now, whenever I can.
Everybody's free.

Get to know your parents, you never know when they'll be gone for good.

Be nice to your siblings;
They are the best link to your past and the people most likely to stick with you in the future.

Understand that friends come and go, but for the precious few you should hold on.
Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and lifestyle because the older you get, the more you need the people you knew when you were young.

Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard;
Live in Northern California once, but leave before it makes you soft.

Travel.

Accept certain inalienable truths, prices will rise, politicians will Philander, you too will get old, and when you do you'll fantasize that when you were young prices were reasonable, politicians were noble and children respected their elders.

Respect your elders.

Don't expect anyone else to support you.
Maybe you have a trust fund, Maybe you have a wealthy spouse; but you never know when either one might run out.

Don't mess too much with your hair, or by the time you're 40, it will look 85.

Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it's worth.

But trust me on the sunscreen...

(Brother and sister together we'll make it through
Someday your spirit will take you and guide you there
I know you've been hurting, but I've been waiting to be there
For you. And I'll be there, just tell me now, whenever I can).

Everybody's free.

Miss My Ol' College Days....

UBC Vancouver's New Commercial: "Winning"
Proud to be from VanCity, Rated #1 City in the WORLD.

Can't. Stop. Winning...

~Q~

Indo River Waves...Epic!

Can't wait to check this out!

"Lighting a candle dispels the darkness. An act of love illuminates the soul". Life in Japan Post Earthquake Disaster

Below is an Emailed Letter from a friend's friend who is living in Japan after the Earthquake / Tsunami, where she has lived for the past decade teaching English. Very moving!

Best quote was "Lighting a candle dispels the darkness, an act of love illuminates the soul." (Illustrates importance of choosing how you feel and how you choose to think.) Enjoy:

"Hello,

First I want to thank you so very much for your concern for me. I am
very touched. I also wish to apologize for a generic message to you all.
But it seems the best way at the moment to get my message to you.

Things here in Sendai have been rather surreal. But I am very blessed to
have wonderful friends who are helping me a lot. Since my shack is even
more worthy of that name, I am now staying at a friend*s home. We share
supplies like water, food and a kerosene heater. We sleep lined up in
one room, eat by candlelight, share stories. It is warm, friendly, and
beautiful.

During the day we help each other clean up the mess in our homes. People
sit in their cars, looking at news on their navigation screens, or line
up to get drinking water when a source is open. If someone has water
running in their home, they put out sign so people can come to fill up
their jugs and buckets.

Utterly amazingly where I am there has been no looting, no pushing in
lines. People leave their front door open, as it is safer when an
earthquake strikes. People keep saying, "Oh, this is how it used to be
in the old days when everyone helped one another."

Quakes keep coming. Last night they struck about every 15 minutes.
Sirens are constant and helicopters pass overhead often.

We got water for a few hours in our homes last night, and now it is for
half a day. Electricity came on this afternoon. Gas has not yet come on.
But all of this is by area. Some people have these things, others do
not. No one has washed for several days.

We feel grubby, but there are so much more important concerns than that
for us now. I love this peeling away of non-essentials. Living fully on
the level of instinct, of intuition, of caring, of what is needed for
survival, not just of me, but of the entire group.

There are strange parallel universes happening. Houses a mess in some
places, yet then a house with futons or laundry out drying in the sun.
People lining up for water and food, and yet a few people out walking
their dogs. All happening at the same time.

Other unexpected touches of beauty are first, the silence at night. No
cars. No one out on the streets. And the heavens at night are scattered
with stars. I usually can see about two, but now the whole sky is
filled.

The mountains are Sendai are solid and with the crisp air we can see
them silhouetted against the sky magnificently.

And the Japanese themselves are so wonderful. I come back to my shack to
check on it each day, now to send this e-mail since the electricity is
on, and I find food and water left in my entranceway.

I have no idea from whom, but it is there. Old men in green hats go from
door to door checking to see if everyone is OK. People talk to complete
strangers asking if they need help. I see no signs of fear. Resignation,
yes, but fear or panic, no.

They tell us we can expect aftershocks, and even other major quakes, for
another month or more. And we are getting constant tremors, rolls,
shaking, rumbling. I am blessed in that I live in a part of Sendai that
is a bit elevated, a bit more solid than other parts. So, so far this
area is better off than others. Last night my friend*s husband came in
from the country, bringing food and water. Blessed again.

Somehow at this time I realize from direct experience that there is
indeed an enormous Cosmic evolutionary step that is occurring all over
the world right at this moment. And somehow as I experience the events
happening now in Japan, I can feel my heart opening very wide.

My brother asked me if I felt so small because of all that is happening.
I don*t. Rather, I feel as part of something happening that much larger
than myself. This wave of birthing (worldwide) is hard, and yet
magnificent.

THANK YOU AGAIN for your care and love,

Lighting a candle dispels the darkness, an act of love illuminates the soul."


This letter puts things & life in perspective not to sweat the small things in life, and to realize that all things are just small things that are not life threatening.

I encourage you to light a candle, say a prayer for those in dispare, not only in Japan and here in Asia, but all over the world.

You CAN make a (THE) difference in someones life.

Peace & Love,

Quinton

MY "LOVE & HATE" RELATIONSHIP WITH ASIA

I decided to shoot 2 complimentary videos to document & illustrate the good, the bad and the ugly truth's about living / traveling in Asia...

I have to admit the good heavily out weighs the bad, but both videos make interesting & valid points about the lifestyle, language barriers, the dating life and culture shock that all occur here.

(fyi, both videos were filmed "pre Japan disaster' so that's why there was no mention of that tragedy).

The Good:
5 Things I LOVE About Living in Asia

I thought I would show you an example of my #1 favorite thing about living in Asia: *being constantly surrounded by insanely hot women everywhere I look! Here is a new friend I met, a Cheerleader at the KBL Bball game in Incheon. Life is Good. Winning!


Here she is in action @ a double overtime playoff game I was just at. This KBL game was WAY better than the NCAA finals I watched online earlier, Uconn & Butler, thanks for the most pathetic game ever...(also, the foreign players make 200K USD for playing 4 months a year! Pretty good gig, I am thinking I should lace up my ol Nike's and try out since I still haven't seen anyone come up to my shoulders in this country yet...


Now The Bad:
5 Things I *HATE* about Living in Asia

Here is a picture of my #1 hated thing about living in a HUGE city in that all I seem to do is commute here.
This is a picture of me passed out on a subway after having to commute 2h back home at 7am after being out all night...

Apparently I was not the only one having a rough ride home, like I mentioned in the 1st video, out of the 25 countries I have been too, I have NEVER seen so much blatant public drunkenness (& red faces) anywhere else on this planet. Period.


Now The Ugly @ 4am:
I had to re-post this video from a previous post b/c my buddy Josh just goes off on a rant about all the BS that we experience traveling, working & living in Asia (disclaimer: it was filmed after St. Day so we both had a few liters of green beer in us), but after the fist 90 seconds of jibeerish ranting, there are some solid points made about the society conflicts here...


Conclusion = Asia Rocks traveling & partying with Rockstars


Hope you enjoyed the tour,

Your virtual guide :-)

~Q~

~THE FAB 5~ Bald Heads. Baggy Shorts.Trash Talk

Growing up I lived, breathed and slept basketball (and sometimes I actually DID sleep with my basketball)

I read this book when I was in my 1st year playing basketball in college @ U of W about The FAB 5 Michigan Wolverines. A NCAA team in the mid nineties that revolutionized the game of bball: Trash talk, bald heads, baggy shorts & hip hop and the fact that 5 freshmen Webber, Rose, Howard, King & Jackson could be real WINNERS.

Almost 20 years later, here is a ESPN documentary about that legacy that they left on the game.

Part II

PartIII

Fab 5 = a Visionary Team & Leadership.


Chris Webber & Jaylen Rose were my idols. I loved the flash of their games and style so much so that in high school I shaved my head, got an ear ring (yes, my mom freaked out) and even one game I actually got a technical foul for wearing my shorts too low. Seriously.

Shocking the World & Always Winning,

Quinton