Cats, cats, cats

Dog lovers may everywhere may cringe in disgust, but I don't think there's a pet more loved and obsessed over than the cat.

Whether you've got a cat already or you're considering getting one, this great lens has all you need to know

http://www.squidoo.com/new-cat/

Office Pranks

I'm not really the type of guy who'd do an office prank, but I love the idea of it. I friend of mine pranks his workmates fairly frequently, usually when they go away on holiday. Needless to say he's a software engineer.

Anyway, I sent him this to give him some more ideas

http://www.squidoo.com/OfficePranks/

Victor Wooten

I'm a guitar player primarily, but I have a bass guitar as well, and I even filled in on bass for a few gigs in a friends band when their bass player was away.

I've been playing for about 10 years, and just quietly, I think I'm alright. But when I see someone like Victor Wooten play, I wonder why I bother. Infact, I wonder why I even bother getting out of bed at all.

You haven't lived until you've heard Victor play, check him out here, and be sure to watch the video.

http://www.squidoo.com/victor-wooten/

Tony Robbins

I was a little skeptical about Tony Robbins at first. From the outside he appeared a bit too saccharine, a bit too full on. I thought his seminars looked like too much chest beating and too much firewalking for my tastes.

I consider myself fairly opened minded, and allot of things I assumed I wouldn't like have turned out to be some of my favorite things when I've given them a go. So I was happy to check out a Tony Robbins tape program that someone lent me.

I didn't take long - I was converted after the first tape. The guy has a charisma that is so infectious. His lessons are practical, and he is great at pointing out the obvious things that everyone else has overlooked. I don't agree with all of his ideas, but thats not to say they are wrong or ill though out, but not everything can apply to everyone.

As much as I am inspired by his wisdom, I am also inspired by the man himself. He's achieved so many things I want to achieve, and he embodies so many things I want to be, that i can't help but look up to him.

Here's a couple of nice squidoo pages on him http://www.squidoo.com/antonyrobbinscompanies/ and http://www.squidoo.com/about-anthony-robbins/

Audio books

As a kid, I loved children's books on tape - the ones that had sound effects and different voices for all the characters. As an adult, I've maintained this interest, though now I prefer slightly more sophisticated topics (well, kind of...).

I really got into them when I got a boring night job where I had to sit around allot doing nothing. Now I 'read' them in my car, at the gym, while cleaning my house etc.

There are several advantages that audio books have over their printed counterparts:

1. If you have a short attention span like me, you'll often find yourself day-dreaming and reading the same sentence over and over. Audio books plough on unless you press the pause button, so your attention doesn't seem to wane as much. This is good, as it allows you to read books so much faster.
2. You get the correct pronunciation on words you may not be familiar with
3. The personality of the narrator can bring allot more life to the text than what your 'internal' narrator does at time.
4. You can take them anywhere if you have them stored on digital playback device - no lugging around of bulky items.

The one downside to audio books is the unnecessarily high price. Here's a great page on how to source great audio books for free:

http://www.squidoo.com/free-audio-book-downloads/

The Studio Ghibli Museum

If you're into anime, then probably will be familiar with the Studio Ghibli movies, like Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke and My Neighbor Totoro. I love everything about these movies, but my favorite part would be the vivid drawings, and the fantastic characters . Miyazaki and the other Ghbili creators have such fantastic imaginations. It's all on show at the Studio Ghibli museum in Toyko. Can't afford a trip there? This page might be the next best thing.

Stanley Kubrick

Stanley Kubirck is one of my favorite film directors. He pulls off some pretty amazing and unconventional things in his movies, for example the 'triptych' structure of 2001: A Space Odyssey. I also love his use of music - he fits the action so well around it that it feels like the music was scored specifically for the film, when it may have been written many years before.

Here's a great page on the guy with synopses for most of his movies: http://www.squidoo.com/stanleykubrick