A re-post from author Paulo Coelho’s monthly newsletter by the author.

Inventory of Normality by Paulo Coelho

I decided to conduct a survey among my friends about what society considers to be normal behavior. What follows is a list I have made of some of the absurd situations we face in day-to-day life, just because society sees them as normal:

1] Anything that makes us forget our true identity and our dreams and makes us only work to produce  and reproduce.

2] Making rules for a war (the  Geneva Convention).

3] Spending years at university and then not being able to find a job.

4] Working from nine in the  morning to five in the afternoon at something that does not give us  the least pleasure, so that we can retire after 30 years.

5] Retiring only to discover that  we have no more energy to enjoy life, and then dying of boredom after  a few years.

6] Using Botox.

7] Trying to be financially successful instead of seeking happiness.

8] Ridiculing those who seek happiness instead of money by calling them “people with no  ambition”.

9] Comparing objects like cars, houses and clothes, and defining life according to these comparisons  instead of really trying to find out the true reason for being alive.

10] Not talking to strangers.  Saying nasty things about our neighbors.

11] Thinking that parents are  always right.

12] Getting married, having  children and staying together even though the love has gone, claiming that it’s for the sake of the children (who do not seem to be listening to the constant arguments).

12ª] Criticizing everybody who tries to be different.

14] Waking up with a hysterical alarm-clock at the bedside.

15] Believing absolutely everything that is printed.

16] Wearing a piece of colored  cloth wrapped around the neck for no apparent reason and known by the  pompous name “necktie”.

17] Never asking direct questions, even though the other person understands what you want to  know.

18] Keeping a smile on your face when you really want to cry.  And feeling sorry for those who show their own feelings.

19] Thinking that art is worth a fortune, or else that it is worth absolutely nothing.

20] Always despising what was easily gained, because the “necessary sacrifice” – and  therefore also the required qualities – are missing.

21] Following fashion, even  though it all looks ridiculous and uncomfortable.

22] Being convinced that all the  famous people have tons of money saved up.

23] Investing a lot in exterior beauty and paying little attention to interior beauty.

24] Using all possible means to show that even though you are a normal person, you are infinitely  superior to other human beings.

25] In any kind of public  transport, never looking straight into the eyes of the other passengers, as this may be taken for attempting to seduce them.

26] When you enter an elevator, looking straight at the door and pretending you are the only person inside, however crowded it may be.

27] Never laughing out loud in a restaurant, no matter how funny the story is.

28] In the Northern hemisphere, always wearing the clothes that match the season of the year: short  sleeves in springtime (however cold it may be) and a woolen jacket in  the fall (no matter how warm it is).

29] In the Southern hemisphere,  decorating the Christmas tree with cotton wool, even though winter  has nothing to do with the birth of Christ.

30] As you grow older, thinking  you are the wisest man in the world, even though not always do you  have enough life experience to know what is wrong.

31] Going to a charity event and thinking that in this way you have collaborated enough to put an end to all the social inequalities in the world.

32] Eating three times a day, even if you’re not hungry.

33] Believing that the others are always better at everything: they are better-looking, more  resourceful, richer and more intelligent.  Since it’s very risky to  venture beyond your own limits, it’s better to do nothing.

34] Using the car as a way to feel powerful and in control of the world.

35] Using foul language in traffic.

36] Thinking that everything your child does wrong is the fault of the company he or she is keeping.

37] Marrying the first person who offers you a position in society.  Love can wait.

38] Always saying “I tried”, even though you haven’t tried at all.

39] Putting off doing the most interesting things in life until you no longer have the strength to  do them.

40] Avoiding depression with massive daily doses of television programs.

41] Believing that it is possible to be sure of everything you have won.

42] Thinking that women don’t like football and that men don’t like interior decoration.

43] Blaming the government for everything bad that happens.

44] Being convinced that being a good, decent and respectful person means that the others will find you weak, vulnerable and easy to manipulate.

45] Being convinced that aggressiveness and discourtesy in treating others are signs of a  powerful personality.

46] Being afraid of fibroscopy (men) and childbirth (women).

47] And finally, thinking that your religion is the sole proprietor of the absolute truth, the most  important, the best, and that the other human beings in this immense planet who believe in any other manifestation of God are condemned to the fires of hell.

Yes, it’s actually true, (and not an urban legend); French artist Paul Coudamy designed a complete cardboard office for an ad agency in a warehouse in the North part of Paris.

Book shelves made out of cardboard and lighting with upside-down white umbrellas, reflect light in the most creative way. The designer called it, “magic.”

This space is completely modular, customizable with movable partitions. I’m not sure about the ergonomics but it looks cool. And if you get bored, you can move it around.

What a fabulous piece of art furniture in the lobby of the office. It needs a few pillows. Deepali?

Paul Coudamy managed to create this on a strict budget, He designed furniture, twenty work stations, partitions, meeting rooms and storage using 4cm thick water-resistant honeycomb cardboard mounted with wood glue and tape.

Pretty impressive. Looks like a fun place to work and the making of a business on the creative edge of new expression.

For more on Paul Coudamy visit the website: www.paulcaoudamy.com.

I love the idea; customize your wedding rings with a fingerprint on them. I’m not talking just anybody’s fingerprints; I’m talking yours and that of your beloved’s. How about that for your commitment ceremony? It’s kind of like becoming blood sisters/brothers with your best friend, but even better; it’s swapping fingerprints. These 14K white gold fingerprint bands are made by Brooklyn based Camille Hempel.

Just to give you a snapshot of this designer’s background, read this, taken from Camille’s bio:

Camille’s creative process is informed by years of building things in diverse fields, everything from toy prototypes to furniture and prosthetic limbs. Her designs are made to stand the test of time and will endure as heirlooms to future generations. All of the pieces feature unique parts and construction techniques, everything is substantial without unnecessary weight and, above all, this jewelry is comfortable to wear.

I can’t help but feel incredibly inspired.  Check out more of Camille Hempel by visiting the website at: www.camillehempel.com.

Some of you might remember last year’s Better Living Show in Portland, Oregon and the funny video short I did while at the show. The event (I’m happy to say) was a smashing success and I had a blast.

The video was recently featured on ImproveYourHomeandGarden.com.

Here’s to having fun right now in the mist of challenging times and to hone in on a positive aspect of our human race: going green. Here’s last year’s video:

As you many know (if you’ve read my post, ‘Are We Re-living the Decline of Rome and the Birth of a Renaissance‘) I’m a big fan of author Patricia Martin and her new book, ‘RenGen: the Rise of the Cultural Consumer and What it Means to Your Business’.

It (in short) rocked my world and opened my optimistic eyes to a growing demographic of people who are profoundly changing the way we are living and doing business in the world. That includes me.

I had some questions for the author which she graciously agreed to answer in this interview:

Cheryl: What is a Cultural Consumer in the Renaissance Generation and who are the RenGen?

PM: The RenGen, short for Renaissance Generation, is a cultural movement created by the confluence of art, education, entertainment and business. This is the generation that will speed the shedding of our current and lead us to the creation of a new society. This process is occurring because given the seismic shifts in our world, our old values, belief systems, even our understanding of money, is no longer relevant. A powerful new player is at the center of this movement: the cultural consumer. Cultural consumers thrive on information and ideas to fuel their creative self-expression. As the RenGen gathers force in our civilization, it will change how we live and work.

Cheryl: While reading your book, I had several profound ‘aha’ moments where many of the characteristics you described fit me exactly, in both my personal and professional lives and the lives of many people around me. It was astounding. I’d always considered myself a creative but never really saw myself as part of a growing demographic of cultural consumers until now. Can you talk more about that and if you’ve experienced something similar?

PM: One of the most gratifying experiences for me as an author is to hear from people all over the world that they feel validated by the book. I arrived at my ideas about cultural consumers by tracking the data and listening intently to people as thoughtful, creative individuals. Now that the book is out, I seem to have hit on something even bigger than my estimates. People are getting in touch with their inner creatives. They are expressing themselves, and given our new administration, they are getting ready to contribute these energies to improving our world situation in any way they can. read the rest of this entry »