hanging out with shaun before he leaves for ann arbor

I have a problem with sleeping late. Gotta start reconditioning my mind to wake up early.

I hung out with Shaun today, because he was leaving Singapore soon. Too bad I forgot to take pictures.

But pictures are besides the point. Photos or not, he remains a rather close buddy of mine, and we share alot of our ideas together. We *get* each other. We understand each other, and the issues that we think about. I'm the reader, and he's more of the pusher - he knows how to ask the right questions, while I try to synthesize the answers on the spot. I think thats what good friends do to each other, share knowledge, and probe through all the assumptions.

It is through hanging out with him that I have arrived at some really good ideas. It is about thinking those ideas out, talking about them, sharing them, engaging with these ideas that something original comes about.

And this time, it was no exception. I discovered that 3 traits are necessary in these journeys.

Sensitivity
Be aware of whats happening around you. Look at what the people are doing, hearing their conversations, and knowing the various contexts that people are immersed in.

Observant
Now that you have all the data, one has to be observant in piecing together how different pieces fit; how a seemingly random event might be actually part of an actual whole, how disparate observations are actually linked together. Along with this, one should also be aware of when these connections might NOT exist at all in the first place.

Inquisitive
The only thing left is simply asking questions. Ask different questions, but ask with an intent to figure something out - to get to the core of things. Some question might seem stupid, but their answers might not be.

So there you have it. The 3 traits to an enriching life. Along with this attitude one becomes open-minded, discerning, and well, is on the way to become a wiser and wiser person...