About Susan Labadi

Susan Labadi trains Brain Health, Mindfulness Stress Reduction, and Promotes the Halal Lifestyle

Routing Out of the Rut

Posted on June 28, 2014 by Susan Labadi

Routing Out of the Rut

Routines have value, as they can protect good habits and their associated benefits. However, sometimes schedules get disrupted, and it is like battling ocean tides to pull effective practices back in line. This is what has happened since we’ve had two children graduate from college, another one is living at another campus, and our youngest is on summer break keeping busy with tennis and video games before summer school reins him into a schedule around mid-July.

Somehow, we just can’t seem to get back to a proper sleep-workout-dinner schedule, and the commencement of Ramadan this evening will certainly bring its own need for disciplined planning. However, I have no right to complain, as Muslims in the UK will only have 5 non-fasting hours to rehydrate, infuse their bodies with nutrition, manage to pray, and sleep within those few hours as well. We expect to begin fasting after a light suhoor about 3:30 a.m. and break the fast with iftar about 8:30 p.m., with about a minute shaved off each day until the end of it which is predicted to be July 28th.

Perplexed by inertia and a general lack of life’s energy, I found that my Chi igniting routines have fallen aside, and they have been displaced by chores and responsibilities that suck time without adequate payback. Granted, I have deliberately chosen to invest time in some things related to supporting my family bonds, but enough! That is why I greedily had to read about Olga Kotelko, the subject of What Makes Olga Run: The Mystery of the 90-Something Track Star and What She Can Teach Us About Living Longer, Happier Lives by Bruce Grierson.

Apparently, Bruce was having his own issues with feeling crappy and losing vitality, and that prompted him to take a personal interest in the marvelous Olga. It this reading, I found familiar researcher John J. Ratey, author of Spark-The Revolutionary Science of Exercise and the Brain (and he has a new book Go Wild-Free Your Body and Mind From the Afflictions of Civilization), offering more tidbits of the bonus that exercise brings to the brain’s performance.

It seems that even if you exercise though at a very high level, your muscle mass will degenerate precipitously in your late 70’s, yet Olga seems to be still making progress in performance. The book shares current research and possible reasons, as Olga is examined from many perspectives.

The reader obviously assumes that Olga must have superior genes, and that is part of the formula, for most long-lived people have had long-lived parents. Yet, others do too, but they don’t all exhibit the same trends in performance. Olga has some advantage from some of her genes, but not in others. What she does possess though is a hallmark of most long-lived people, and that is a correlation between having experienced and survived life struggles and developed resilience.

One researcher commented that between late teens and early thirties, if one had not experienced such trials, then one might be weaker or disadvantaged when challenges arise again later. Olga and many people of advanced age have this in common.
Curiously, as my daughter is experiencing a post-grad adventure teaching English to children in Turkey, close to the Syrian border, she has had a few stressful encounters, but seemingly has found her inner strength. In discussing this with my youngest, whom we dispatched to live with relatives in Jordan for a couple months the year he was home-schooled for 8th grade, he recollected that he came to find how he “grew up” when he had to travel alone and switch planes on his own along the way. The fact that he was immersed in a significant amount of Arabic, which was relatively unknown to him previously, added to his sense of empowerment.

What is it about hardship that helps us? I imagine that through it we learn that we are psychologically strong, and we realize that we can dig deep if we have to in order to become resourceful. We grow a carapace of protection and may even utilize a support network to weather the storms of life. Therein lies the cliché “If is doesn’t kill you, it makes you stronger.”

Back to Ramadan; besides detoxification honing the efficiency of my metabolism, there should be the benefit of further refining self-discipline and mental fortitude. Calorie restriction and intermittent fasting have benefits too. My eldest son, who lives for building muscles in the gym, used to balk at fasting because he bought into the belief that more protein, calories, and lifting weights would build bulky muscles and make him resemble Wolverine from X-Men. The paradox is that calorie restriction actually forces the body toward efficiency. He found that fasting elicited a rebound in lean muscle mass, giving him the desirable “cut” physique.

The stress of cold may also discipline the body to suffer some shock then stabilize. Similar to the cycles of hardship and resuming homeostasis, or interval training that we’ll mention in a bit. Perhaps this is also why folks who live in northerly, colder climates have generally better longevity too.

Chronic stress though is another matter. It’s important to have a sense of control and some autonomy, and that is why research has indicated that managers fare better than workers. Olga, as a career school science teacher, rarely had a boss. She called the shots, tackled her life on her terms raising two children as a single parent, and it was not easy.

Body and mind seem to complement each other. Arthur Kramer, cognitive psychologist at the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology at University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana, studied Olga. He found that sedentary elders could be placed on an exercise protocol over 6 months, and they literally grew brains while improving their decision making 15-20 percent. Kramer changes the way he drives to work occasionally and even uses his left hand just to utilize different parts of his brain. Olga regularly challenges her brain with Suduko.

Analysis of Olga’s brain left observers awestruck. Between vigorous exercise, travel, and Suduko, her MRI revealed a marvel of preservation. Additionally, researchers have found other significant correlations that hail the benefits for college education, the teaching profession, the ultra-stimulating joy of world travel and studying foreign languages as having favorable effects on avoiding dementia and improved longevity. Contrast that with two factors known to erode life, namely sleep deprivation and poor diet.

Yet, between exercise and novel brain enriching experiences, exercise—using the body—keeps brain mass, plasticity, and processing speed. I know from my own biking excursions too that putting time and energy into fitness calms the mind, helps put all life’s chaos in order, and even new creative ideas bloom. It lifts mood and makes life’s difficulties seem less threatening.

Comparison between aerobic exercise and resistance training–like weight lifting–is revealing value in both. Even dancers are the focus of a current study at the Beckman Institute. Like Olga, who competes in eleven Olympic track and field sports, they move in a variety of planes, thereby utilizing more of their bodies than most.

This too reflects my observation that yoga and the movement in Muslim prayers yield mental and physical benefits. I’d heard that prayer to a Muslim is exercise, and the prostration position was suggested to me from my obstetrician years ago as a way to relieve pressure when I was pregnant. Even my mother mentioned that when I was a toddler, she knew I was not feeling well because I would go into that position intuitively. Furthermore, the motions inherent to yoga have benefits to circulate the lymph, and supposedly benefit the joints and connective tissue. A hospice worker, my husband met, expressed his commitment for yoga and cited that it has anti-cancer benefits.

Intensity in exercise and interval training challenge the body by throwing it into short-term stress, and then allowing the body and mind to recover. This seems to set up the capacity to handle this cycle repeatedly in life situations. Doing so actually increases the youth-enhancing human growth hormone (HGH), improves insulin responsiveness, and increases testosterone. Some say that one hour of exercise adds two hours to your life, and it’s a bit of a motivator to psych one’s self to push harder.

Reading how Olga has joie de vie helped me want to fight for the benefits it can deliver, because I hope to go long n’ strong to touch my dreams and fill my heart’s purpose.

Wishing you well this Ramadan!

How To Become Super Smart!

Quote

Posted on May 19, 2014 by Susan Labadi

How to Become Super Smart!
One of the best things about my life as a writer, educator, and entrepreneur is that I love to explore many things that stimulate my mind and creativity. This is why I adore working also in social media, because it necessitates that I stay current with many facets of the world. Exposure to the flow of links, images, and headlines is a smorgasbord of rich content.

A wise man once said that leaders often are superb generalists. They have to know a little about a lot in order to relate to people who have diverse interests and areas of expertise. I have found this to be true, but a leader must also possess some specific knowledge relevant to the function of that position as well. The best leader is an expert about the industry and works effectively with people who appreciate the leader’s skills. I have found that reading is key to help me lead, stay on top of trends, and it is the means to fuel my writing, speaking engagement topics, and it helps me in brainstorming ideas with others for events. It is a skill that informs my role as a mother who guides my children and my husband as well.

As a mom, I still get excited when my children tell me about a novel they are reading in school, and I want to read it…before they do. The kids capture me at all hours of the day and night to double check their writing, which is not always so pleasurable if it impinges on my sleep. Those favors I do for them can really pack my schedule, and it gets crazy busy some days when I also have to play chauffeur for their sporting events, pick them up from the auto repair shop, or just spend an hour debriefing their most recent crisis.

I mention these things because one of my darling sons had a coaching session with me, as I was the recipient of his insights. He stated that he thought I was “spread too thin,” and that I should focus solely on one thing at a time. I do believe he had a valid point, but the truth is that I enjoy and learn from everything I do. What he really meant though, is that he would like me to volunteer less and charge more for my work. Basically, he encouraged me to say, “No” more to the flow of requests that have been offered.

Perhaps it is a characteristic of my gender, but I will abide by his good counsel. There is often a conflict within me to do something “productive” rather than just indulge my numerous opportunities for frivolous distraction. I keep finding more things that I want to read and I am so glad that I am putting my speed reading skills to work for those things that need a quick scan.

Illumine Training, who provided the course “Advance Study Skills” is having a 70% off FLASH Sale! So jump on board if you want in on this super savings. It is only good for 48 hours starting 9 a.m. UK time Monday through Wednesday and the cost is about $8.50.

You can’t beat that for a 2 part course that only takes about 90 minutes and gives the know-how on speed reading and mind mapping for students. Another bonus is that you can have access for 1 year, so you can go back and review anytime for up to 12 months.
It is perfect for students and others like me who are overly committed and have a bustling life.

Here is the link http://tinyurl.com/ptplfgv This is an unpaid testimonial… 🙂

Step Up, Start Up, and Connect to a New Economy

Posted on May 10, 2014 by Susan Labadi

As printed in ISNA’s Islamic Horizons May/June 2014

It was April 2013 in southern California, and no one wanted to leave the secret venue which gathered entrepreneurs, investors, and other business people who would serve as mentors. The air was charged with mutual admiration as over $200,000 was secured by some people who had presented their business plans for a mere 6 minutes. Afterward, networking gave critical connections, solutions, and encouragement to several attendees who traveled from all over the nation. This was a solution to resolve an economy in a tailspin–a breakthrough to mend something long broken.

Income inequality in the U.S. was minimal in the 1970s, as Harvard economist Larry Katz described, “Americans grew together.” Since then a world-wide growing disparity has shifted, fueled by globalization, to affect U.S. wealth distribution, whereby in 2011 Michael Norton and Dan Ariely of Harvard Business School noted that the top 20 percent own 84 percent of total wealth.

Following the 2008 financial crisis, The Great Recession saw 9 million American jobs eliminated and cited an income recovery reported for 2009-2010 of 2.3 percent; however, economist Emmanuel Saez corrected that perception by revealing that for 99 percent of Americans, there really was no recovery at all. In fact, most people’s incomes only rose a scant 0.2 percent, while the upper crust–the 1 percent–experienced a recovery of 11.6 percent, as discussed in Chrystia Freeland’s Plutocrats: The Rise of the New Global Super-Rich and the Fall of Everyone Else (Penguin, 2013).

Freeland writes about Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) who in his address, “The American Idea,” at the Heritage Foundation in 2011 said, “[the] true sources of inequality in our country [are] corporate welfare that enriches the powerful and empty promises that betray the powerless.” He disparages “a class of bureaucrats and connected crony capitalists trying to rise above the rest of us, call the shots, rig the rules, and preserve their place atop society.”

The 2008-09 recession left an estimated 24 million Americans unemployed or underemployed, and a lethargy economy threatening a global scale collapse, which can only theoretically be avoided if our mindset is refocused toward entrepreneurship, new business. Gone are the days when one could aspire to a protected job with benefits and comfortable pension. Education–initially conceived to prepare disciplined Prussian soldiers and then corporate workers–has broadened its scope to embrace innovators, creative designers, and problem solvers across a range of integrated disciplines capable of working collaboratively and willing to pursue lifelong knowledge and skills acquisition. It is the new reality, as massive challenges such as global warming, fresh water shortages, nuclear waste, and world hunger call upon us to offer solutions in order to survive. A crippled economy greatly contracts conventional practices, and ambitious initiatives are required.

Luigi Zingales, author of A Capitalism for the People: Recapturing the Last Genius of American Prosperity (2012), wrote, “When the pilgrims planned their trip, they did not ask the government for money; they asked private investors. When Abraham Lincoln’s family left Kentucky in search of new pastures in Illinois, they did not ask the government for money. When more than 300,000 people rushed to California in search of gold, they were not subsidized by the government.” The reality is that we can only rely on Allah’s guidance and need to step up, take responsibility, and help each other toward prosperity and protection for the common good.

An entrepreneurial dynamism is rising and adaptability is the order. John Dearie and Courtney Geduldig, authors of Where the Jobs Are: Entrepreneurship and the Soul of the American Economy (2013), met over 200 of America’s entrepreneurs one summer on a cross country road trip, and they found that, although not always stable, new businesses could expand employment rapidly; their policy needs are different from established, larger corporations; and that they need help, which policies could provide as nurturance to start-ups. This spirit is fueling a trend which holds much promise for economic recovery, hopefully of a sustainable sort.

Known to many fans as Baba Ali from Ummahfilms.com, Ali Ardekani loved watching Shark Tank on television, and he had gone to family and friends to fund his idea to create a boxed game product for Muslims. It was successful on a small scale, and he enjoyed meeting new people and making connections. Ultimately, he decided that he could leverage his growing popularity to help other budding entrepreneurs. And so, the California meeting was promoted through a YouTube video by Ardekani using his style of video production and ebullient personality.

On the operational side of Ardekani’s celebrated gathering was Victoria Caldwell, an international online marketing consultant and founder of Barakah Biz Network, who promoted, organized, and supported this event (http://youtu.be/MXhtogWhsX0), and who continues to do so around the country in order to help people make resourceful connections that can take their businesses to the next level. Both Ardekani and Caldwell explain that often times once businesses have a successful start, they run short of resources, both financial and experiential. It becomes imperative to have guidance and to access connectors who have the capacity to make their businesses grow in an ever changing global landscape.

What Ardekani and Caldwell cultivate comes down to a climate of trust. By providing the opportunity for people who are seriously seeking mentors, connections, and investment, they help fuel the growth of an economic shift to self-sufficiency, the type that brings true wealth building and greater employment.

Ardekani says that many people don’t know how to brand their businesses and need advice on legal aspects. They also need help with online marketing and use of media. When asked about what types of businesses usually receive funding, he explained, “Whatever makes money; ideas that are novel are not as likely.” Successful models which are already functional that need growth revenue are mostly selected for investment.

Terms of funding are not overseen by the organizers of these events, as they are privately arranged between parties, but they could provide an opportunity for Islamic financial instruments to be a guide for the design of those terms. Rather than eroding the foundations of equity through charging interest (riba), a prospect of shared ownership with shared risk can be created to cement investor support to those businesses seeking funding and mentorship.

On a larger scale, another system proposed for economic robustness is evolving from LaunchPosse. Known for his founding success at Zabihah.com, Shahed Amanullah and his Georgetown colleague, Richard Ambrose, are partnering to create a model that can leverage social networks to provide resources for knowledge, money, and even moral support. It is the reality of necessity that propelled its inception.

Amanullah explained, “From this point on, there will never be enough jobs for people. How do we as a society address this issue? Either we accept the new reality of a permanent underclass, or we try to get people to start their own businesses, to employ themselves.” He refined his vision, “From those thoughts came the initial concept of LaunchPosse, which will be a platform where ordinary people can take an idea and leverage their social network to turn it into a functioning business or social enterprise.”

Meeting the global perspective of investors and entrepreneurs of the day, Amanullah is thinking big. When asked about if there were a relative age category or demographic he is seeking to work with, he stated, “We’re hoping to launch our new venture globally—we see no distinction between new businesses here or in places like Egypt, Honduras, Uganda, or Bangladesh. We are designing LaunchPosse to appeal to any age, class, or educational background. We are tired of seeing the benefits of technology roll solely to the digital elites.”

Regarding mentors in his system, he has met quite a few through his entrepreneurial and international work with the State Department. “We’ve found the ones that really motivate you, keep you on track, make you believe in yourself are the most important stakeholders in your success. The number one thing most budding entrepreneurs lack is confidence.”

A believer that aspirations can become reality, Amanullah expounds energy and a convincing argument, “We wanted to build a platform that every day, ordinary people could use to make their dreams come true. Entrepreneurship is a right that all people should enjoy, and we intend to make a successful business catering to the 99 percent of those who are not being pursued by VC’s and incubators.”

Many people are familiar with Robert Kiyosaki’s bestseller Rich Dad, Poor Dad which references a quadrant model that suggests the way to get out of the “rat race” and achieve financial independence is through business ownership or investment. Given the current economics, these networking models may be effective strategies to maintain a decent standard of living. If we continue to slide toward increasing unemployment, we will have to adapt to preserve stability and hope to thrive. Never before have common people had such access to the world; the question is how quickly can we prepare and serve it?

Rambling in Ol’ Kentucky

Posted on May 1, 2014 by Susan Labadi

Rain in Kentucky, which gives more depth to the pleasant aroma of oak lumber in this rural warehouse. Living the dream of exporting something real and exclusively American to the world. We drive nearly all night to rise again in the same country, but immersed in a different culture, where native American and immigrant Americans have sired tobacco plantation wealth and speak a dialect twangy and saccharine. People move more slowly and eat more heartily here, expediting an earlier coronary demise. To hear stories of the wah-wah (Civil War) and moonshine tales.

Photo submitted by James Horton

The blending of commerce and culture sing to me. I yearn to expand this adventure to seek new venues with more colorful cultures and crafts. This is my dream, a vision long cast, kept on hold while parenthood dues are paid. The debt nearly rendered for the gift of my blessings, it is time to produce the stepping stones necessary to bargain in the souks of the world, trade stories, and treasures.

Racing toward the sun, away from the storms that held us back, new vistas beckon and call for exploration, people to meet, and the chance to master new knowledge and skills. This also starts the holy month of Rajab. It came with a special sliver of a moon we saw as we escaped the storms. Peace!

How I Survived March

Posted on April 3, 2014 by Susan Labadi

People who know me are keenly aware that I have a foul attitude about the month of March. In Chicago, particularly with the brutally cold and heavy snowfall winter season, the need to maintain a survival mentality will not be over for a while longer.

My mother used to say, “March, in like a lion, out like a lamb.” Well, I’d just as soon run from a lion like I were the lamb because I have known nasty snow storms even come in April at times, and local gardeners are advised to not sow seeds nor leave potted plants outside until mid-May, when night time freezes are no longer a threat. However, now that it is April, I am optimistic that I see no more snow in the forecast, and I would be content to have had my last fill of it last weekend when I took my sons and our nephew, who was visiting from Amman, up to our favorite healing place and sanctuary at Devil’s Lake in Baraboo, Wisconsin.

This past March though, instead of belly aching and waiting impatiently for the weather to clear enough to resume outdoor activities and to see the sun shine again, my strategy was to be so busy that I would not have time to think about my pasty and chapped skin, the evidence of using hot showers to remedy the chills. I also connived to use a hair dryer set to the hottest option a few times to relieve acute episodes of brrrr.

Not to think that I am a wimp, we’ve had to deal with a malfunctioning furnace, a broken water main, some seepage in the basement from a sudden thaw, and I’d swear that when I turned on the faucet in the morning, the water had to be just 34 degrees. Additionally, the first week of implementing my keep-so-busy plan rewarded me with getting a bit sick; but I must have burned out the germs and bounced back as healthy as ever. Even my doctor said she had no worries about me when I passed my annual physical.

What was I busy with all month? Numerous initiatives as an administrator of a small college, I’ve worked to resurrect it from a series of technological mishaps that derailed enrollment for roughly 5 months. This entailed drafting policies, reviewing procedures, attacking marketing and out reach across a spectrum of media and events, writing blogs and website content, and working through various channels to resolve whatever may have caused the tail spin. Populating a new website template with content entails a large amount of time, analysis, and revisions. However, when it was nearly done, we chose to cancel our developer, temporarily put the old site back online, and will create a new one that gives us more editing control and less cost in the end.

Working with this college has been like being in an airborne plane with engines stalled. We’ve reduced hours, staff, and services like we are throwing ballast overboard, and now I stepped back my own hours to only work social media and events as a skeleton staff coaxes enrollment back up while all the marketing efforts are fully kicking into gear and admissions appointments are coming back in quantity. We’ll see in one month where we are, and then determine my roles.

It has been quite some time since I’d been on a school review team with AdvancEd, and I accepted a special invitation to evaluate a charter school in Chicago’s north side. I found it to be a successful model after some initial skepticism. From my experience at an Islamic school, I’ve seen board members who come with a corporate mindset. They think they can leverage the usual extrinsic rewards as incentives or use the restriction of them as motivators. What they had not seemed to realize is that schools are not quite like corporations, they are communities whereby stakeholders’ relationships and opportunity for growth and development are the real catalysts for action and retention. This makes the best effort come from people in corporate environs as well.

Instead of finding the corporate umbrella entity to be solely interested in profit, as I’d expected, I came to appreciate the advantages that it could bring to optimally scale so that supporting personnel could be shared among schools and grants could be secured to provide more working capital for all those schools under the parent organization. The overall design worked quite well, and I was impressed by the professionalism of all. As usual, students who “own” their education performed with decent progress, and these students—chosen by non-selective lottery—valued their seats. Some students had to take public transportation, and they would leave for school 1 ½ hours earlier just to attend. It was a tiring 2 day visit, but great to see.

Directly afterward, I went to emcee an event for my friends at Crescent Foods, many of whom also work with me for the American Halal Association. It was a warm hearted celebration of the individuals and their supportive families who have made Crescent Foods one of the fastest growing Halal brands in America. I’m looking forward to seeing more progress from the excellent people who work there.

March is also the month that the Muslim Women’s Alliance (MWA) hosts a luncheon to inspire, network, and celebrate women who have contributed in many ways. Philanthropy takes a variety of forms, and I am genuinely touched to see many faces of people I love and admire when we come together. This event brings teachers, community workers, entrepreneurs, and women who represent a range of professional services, as well as students and grandmothers. It acknowledges the reality of the power of giving, in whatever capacity, and the feeling of being with such “angels” is always savored.

The night of the MWA luncheon had my husband and I slated to see the musical version of “Young Frankenstein.” My father, who chose to not use his tickets, offered them to us. Typically, my husband is not a fan of musicals, unless it’s Yul Brenner in “The King and I” (I think he fanaticizes that he is the King of Siam), but the humor and pleasant melodies delivered much sought after stress relief in mid-month. The break from routine and cheap (free) tickets helped us enjoy it even more!

With our artistic and comedy cup filled, I finally made it to one of Elmhurst College’s Speaker Series sessions. How I’d wanted to see, but missed, Bill Nye earlier in the season. Zareena Grewal tickled intellectual neurons as she brilliantly interpreted for a mostly elderly Caucasian audience how several news items about Muslims were framed into perceptions that were perhaps not quite accurate, or were interpreted differently by Muslims versus the mainstream. I appreciated the historic overview and even knew some of the persons she wrote about in her book, “Islam is a Foreign Country: American Muslims and the Global Crisis of Authority. She is doing a valuable service as a liaison to help people understand more than one—often media fabricated—interpretation of events.

A few days after that, my darling daughter booked us for a massive promotional event at Nordstrom where we received a bag of samples and had our makeup professionally done prior to my niece’s bridal shower that was held at a friend’s home that afternoon. I’ve not been to very many bridal showers, but this was intimate, comfortable, and absolutely fun! I’m at the stage in life where I can be the sedate auntie, but I was snookered into a party game whereby a tissue box was sashed to my derriere, and I had to “twerk” ping pong balls out of the box before the rest of the competitors. Needless to say, I hope the video never surfaces!

The month wrapped up with my husband flying to Amman to attend a family wedding, connect with clients for our export business, and to remedy some eye and dental issues at bargain rates. It is wonderful that he can enjoy his family, for their meetings are few. I hope to be able to go the next time; but with last weekend being the only overlap between my 3 college kids and 1 high school student’s Spring Break, I took 2 sons and our nephew—a dentist from Amman—on an excursion to Devil’s Lake.

Over the years, I’ve seen the lake flooded, low, and just about normal. This place has the only 500’ bluffs and decent hiking trails east of the Mississippi River without having to go as far as the Appalachians. I’ve been there for over 33 years in all seasons except winter; but this time the 1 mile lake was frozen, and there was still slick ice on the trails. Yet, we had a blast, and those of you who know me will find the album of our adventure on Facebook hopefully within a couple more days. Our nephew brought a new toy—a GoPro—that captured the most amazing wide-angle, polarized still shots and videos. He used a telescoping pole so that all 4 of us were in the selfies. My shots were conventional, whereby I’m behind the camera, so I’m grateful that he left a copy of his work on my laptop for me to share before he left yesterday headed for Amman via Turkey.

And mentioning Turkey, in a couple weeks my daughter and I plan to attend the NAPEC Chicago conference where we hope to network with several B-school entrepreneurial students, Turkish investors, and CEOs. I’m always seeking new export opportunities and the reality of my daughter going to Turkey to teach English and do NGO work after graduation is starting to dawn on us. It’s time to start learning a little of the language, but meanwhile, we enjoy picking up some sign language from watching “Switched at Birth.” It is useful for one of her majors in Speech Language Pathology.

Several college fairs and promotional events are scheduled for the college this month, and I will be missing the ISNA Education Forum for the first time in 10 years. Yet, I plan to attend the Saturday night banquet with my husband—if he survives jet lag—and we hope to see dear friends. I miss the team, but chose to respect the sense that it was time to try something different, and not volunteer so much at the expense of actually producing income. Did I listen to my own advice? Partly; I do volunteer time for the college and the American Halal Association, but at least I get paid for some of my work for the college, and a 1500 word article on the New Economy to be published in the May/June issue of Islamic Horizons. Finally, I’ve bartered services for the first Islamic Finance conference in Chicago this June, and for a unique coaching course that I am very excited to participate in.

My strategy to be super busy through March has paid off, but I still have a back log of reading to do. This I hope to work on as the kids get back to their studies, and while the biking trails and golf courses dry up from the thaw and the April showers. It’s always something, but there are wonderful days to look forward to and old friends to catch up with.
–Hope this video of our departure from Devil’s Lake kicks out winter and drives springtime toward us faster!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5LYEdDOkZw

Realities

Posted on February 1, 2014 by Susan Labadi

Saturday morning, and I’m greeted with more snow and the promise of extreme sub-zero, (i.e., Fahrenheit) bitter cold on its way. This is my life, six people—four offspring—living together, and my husband and I shovel for them! We ditch the patio table in the garage and push the chairs in a row, as you see, to fit four vehicles on the driveway so that we can reverse without having to move another car for one to exit. Crowded, but we save the collective group money by staying together while the majority of them are in college.

It’s that time of year when we pine for springtime’s fresh air, smell of thawing soil, and the twitter of birds. Along with that comes emergence of preliminary flowers, like crocus that foretell the arrival of hyacinth, tulips, and daffodils. But we are not there yet, so I placate myself with photos of gardens I have visited, coffee table picture books for gardeners from the library, and I thoroughly examine the photos in seed catalogs, from which I no longer buy. The one year I invested in some catalog seeds, I traveled overseas with my kids and found someone—you know who you are—had not watered the garden.

Since moving into this house about eighteen years ago, I’d imagined my spacious property would evolve to parallel Monet’s Garden at Giverny. Alas, it has not because little did I realize at the time, my yard has too much shade in summer to adequately support many of the flora I desire. However, I do have trees. Beautiful, towering, strong, and like my kids, leave a huge mess of leaves and broken branches that we incessantly clean off the crop of weeds we call a lawn, over one-third of an acre.

Life sometimes isn’t what you bargained for, but I suppose we have to find the good in things and work within our minds to cope and look forward to the next chapter. Maybe the trials and waiting periods we endure are meant to bring us closer to our Creator and each other. I do know that this morning, after writing the draft of this piece, we admired with amusement the many squirrels that scamper in erratic patterns throughout our wonderland of surrounding trees, as the snow lazily cascaded in billowy flakes, adding to the pile that blocks exit from the drive to the street.

Going back to work has brought another adjustment for my family, who had become blissfully accustomed to my availability and practice of the domestic arts. The location of my new place of employment puts me within fifteen minutes of visiting my father, who continues to progress in his ability to walk and balance. He is still using the walker, but again I am expecting him to upgrade to using a cane. I know he sees himself holding a golf club again, even if only to imagine himself a lion overlooking a fairway…from the 19^th hole with his buddies. I also know that he misses his winter crew that goes to the indoor range and then meets for coffee and cookies at McDonald’s.

The power of our imagination is a gift, but it has in its capacity the potential to remove us so far from reality that it can become a liability. Someone recommended the film “Her” to my husband, and we went to see it. It’s about an affable fellow who is struggling within himself about his impending divorce from a neurotic wife who has blamed him, undeservedly, for things. The story takes place in LA in the not-so-distant future when everyone is thoroughly connected to technology, and that they unwittingly separate from real human connections and result in a type of anomie (Originated by Emile Durkeim and evolved to Strain Theory most recently by Zhang Jie). This portrays a society where although a populous place, it still leaves souls very lonely. The protagonist becomes enamored by a virtual reality prompted by purchase of an artificial intelligent operating system. It is like Apple’s Siri on steroids where the “personality” of the system becomes the seemingly perfect companion, except that “she” is not real. It makes a strong statement and a warning to us.

As I do have many residents in my household, I see the ubiquitous technology keeps us entertained, connected to people outside our home, and can easily inhibit us from conversing, sharing, and connecting with each other. It seems like the only bonding we do is when we watch a video or show together, or if we completely leave the home—spend money—and do something outside. Normally, the walk or bike ride would suffice, but in this season the options have a higher price tag. The least would be going to a restaurant or to chat over a cup of coffee. A family vacation would be ideal, but just not feasible now; and it won’t be when spring break rolls around, the kids buzz out to hang with friends, and we stay home to clean and pickup sticks in the yard. Then we may expectantly look for crocus along the edge of the driveway and whack a tennis ball with a real person on the other side of the court.

…Meanwhile, we’ll invite them to bond with us as we cheer the Broncos!

Nips & Glugs

Posted on January 5, 2014 by Susan Labadi

Nips & Glugs
Long time since my last post; and this update is just a sampling of “this n’ that”, which is why it’s titled Nips n’ Glugs. For the first nip, winter stunts outdoor recreation, and it reminds me of the story of Persephone. This mythological character was one of my favorites as a child, and although I may better resemble her mother Demeter, strongly identified as Mother Nature, the blithe image of Persephone is who I fantasize to be. If you are unfamiliar with the tale, Persephone was youthful, feminine, and beautiful. One day though, she happened to eat six seeds from a pomegranate and was abducted by Hades, the god of the Underworld, who captured her and made her his wife. Because of this, Persephone stays with him for a time each year, and Demeter in her grief covers the land with a blanket of white until her daughter’s spirited return when Demeter celebrates her arrival with the graces of spring. But while it is not spring yet, I try to endure the long stretch from December until nearly April when I can once again revel in the outdoors without suffering from the elements that restrict my favorite sports.

Today, I am exhilarated to have done a little cross country skiing—alone in a local park—before being pummeled by the next blast of super cold. Expecting a high temperature for the day of -12 on Monday, I was pleased when finally my youngest son acquiesced to shop for a winter coat…on sale. God bless my kids, for doing all they can to keep costs low in some areas like textbooks and shopping clearance sales.

Skiing brought a burst of energy unexpected. The folks at the post office were chatting and informed me that this is the most snow we’ve had in 20 years, and it is reminiscent of the snows of my childhood, though that was more than 2x twenty years. Upon my return from trail blazing and working up a sweat, I tidied up the breakfast dishes— left behind leftovers for my sleepy gang—did some laundry, and made pickled turnips with beets that dye the concoction a lovely magenta color. One can’t underestimate the value of their probiotics. Soon I aspire to make a homemade giardiniera with cauliflower, celery, garlic, jalapeno pepper, and carrots, an exquisite condiment to many dishes. For you see, while believing in hibernating as much as possible in winter, I also succumb to my instinct to eat well.

As I trade apples, salads and spinach-protein shakes for heavier fare and dessert (eating caramel gourmet popcorn from my sister now) in this season, I have coined the term “winter body.” Provided I stay within about 5 pounds, I’m going to enjoy the holiday trimmings and indulge. Strong faith in the “set point” and years of knowing that I just have to contend with “winter skin,” allay stress. For the first time I am treating dry limbs with grape seed oil after the shower. My only hesitation is that I recently thought about what happens to all grapes…eventually. Well, can’t win either way!

Some days just make one feel strong, and this is mine. After skiing, I went with my daughter to the gym. The glute buster program on the stepper machine was a breeze, and I lifted like Wonder Woman. Examining callouses on the joints adjacent to my palms, I feel younger and optimistic.

Getting my driver’s license renewed recently brought a certain excitement, like getting it for the first time. Along with the fee, I had to take a vision test to be recertified. Mind you that I’ve had slight myopia for about 30 years, and I did tell the middle-aged lady behind the counter that some days my vision is better and some days a bit worse. That particular day was not my best, buy somehow even though I stated that the last letter in the second set was “a C, or maybe it’s a D.” And for the last letter of the third set, “Ugh…I think it’s an O, but it could be a C.” She said brightly, “You passed! You don’t need your glasses to drive!” I thought she was insane, but I was grateful for deleting the restriction I’ve held like a bit of shame on my license for so long. Now, I keep my glasses with me and usually wear them; but on a clear vision day, I drive around my town with no problem without their glare. Hopefully, I can resume wearing my circa 1980’s Vuarnet sunglasses this summer…while playing golf. Now that’s a happy thought.

Lately, hounding thoughts about my children becoming too spoiled and used to me being home have prompted me to look at local college employment ads; and while there were a few prospects, I usually found something disagreeable that made me hesitant to apply. With three children in college, the strain has been significant as we—and they—sacrifice in order to help them succeed. Often I have recited to myself and in my prayers from the Qur’an, “With every difficulty comes relief.” (94:5)

Even though I am constantly busy either with family, self-care, or professional activities, I really have not had a stable income for over 4 years. Furthermore, there are always goals I keep to self-improve. My last blog was about speed reading, and I leveled around 475 words per minute at 90% comprehension at final testing. A few of the books I intended to read have been completed; but then I found a new one to add and realized that another book was part of a trilogy, so I chose to start Palace Walk by Naguib Mahfouz.

Also, along the area of self-improvement, I became aware that it had been a few years since I attended a local conference featuring education professionals who are adept at technology. The ICE Conference has always provided me with new tools to make teaching more interesting and interactive. Staying on top of trends in Education, even in international settings, interests me. That is why I was invited to reconnect to an education institution this week.

Now for the “Glug”: Beginning Monday, I will commence a new project—while still developing my own company and volunteering with the American Halal Association—as director of admissions and administration for Northwest Suburban College. A critical accreditation visit comes in two weeks which could qualify this young institution for FAFSA. It offers 7 allied health curriculums and 3 in basic sciences. One of its unique features is that successful completion of its pre-med program guarantees acceptance to Avalon University Medical School in Curacao. As with any new job I have a lot to learn, but the school’s list of needs matches well to my qualifications. Although initially it will be only on a part-time basis until enrollment grows, it is perfect and flexible to allow my personal businesses to continue as well. The only caveat though is that now my kids have to at least do the dishes!

Not a bad New Year’s resolution!

Read With Speed for Achievement

Posted on November 18, 2013 by Susan Labadi

Read With Speed for Achievement

Bothered by insatiable desire to read with speed my books of latest action films, popular novelists, a number of e-books, and the lopsided pile of magazines stacked next to my bed, sometimes I just wish I could absorb and enjoy them sooner. Even the daily quantity of emails gets a bit overwhelming and consumes more time than can be justified. Yet, being an info junkie, I do not unsubscribe because reading gives me the edge in my businesses. A solution to this quandary was presented by Illumine Training, a UK based company that has made its claim “better brains for better business®” through various courses that run the gamut from writing, speaking, managing, and creative thinking training. Now they have tackled the bane of students who want to improve their study skills with their Advanced Study Skills for Students-Halve your study time AND learn more too! e-course.

For years, I’d attended seminars that tried to upsell me on additional self improvement programs, including speed reading, but they were costly and I hesitated to take the chance at making a wasteful decision. I just knew that compared to most people, I already read at a fairly speedy rate, and I thought, “How could those speed readers genuinely enjoy a book?” When I want to snuggle in my pajamas and robe to read, I didn’t match my fantasy to the site of myself speed reading. Therefore, many potentially enjoyable readings went unread for so very long.

Illumine Training has combined their speed reading and mind mapping programs into a hybrid study skills course designed for students. It is very reasonably priced and can be done in 1 ½ hours, perfect for students and others like me who are overly committed and have a bustling life.

Introducing the online course was Clive Lewis, author of The Extraordinary Reader. Objectives were presented, such as, “Double or treble your reading speed,” “Dramatically improve the effectiveness of your study,” and I felt a magnetic draw to the final claim, “Stop wasting your time.” Distractions and time suckers are my nemesis. I calculated that this was worth investigating.

Pleasantly, Clive Lewis presents a logical case for students to understand the research base for the program. Initially, prior to commencing, my reading speed was 364 words per minute, and according to the course material, that placed me around the upper 20% of readers. Comprehension was clocked at 80% on a trial reading that I deliberately raced through.

Upon immediate completion of the program and utilizing the tactics prescribed, my reading speed rose to 516 words per minute—putting me in the upper 4% of readers, but comprehension dropped to 60%. Not to be dissuaded, Lewis presented graphs explaining this to be a normal phenomenon initially. What happens is that while one is focused on reading rapidly, it is normal for the brain to not absorb content as effectively because one is thinking about reading faster. However, when the habits inherent to speed reading become commonplace, through regular skill development and practice, comprehension will rise. Also, since focus is trained to be laser-like when reading, comprehension and recall are likely to exceed performance levels prior to taking the course.

Another intriguing strategy presented in the Illumine course that facilitates recall and expedites the ability to devour a book in less time, is mind mapping. I admit that I have dabbled a bit in doing some of these in the past, and as an educator have used graphic organizers. As I was trained to be linear in my formative years, it was stretching my comfort zone and I judge myself to be a bit clumsy in mapping 2D, 360° content from informational text. Yet, knowing that the brain seeks to organize, it made sense to follow Lewis’ prescription to preview and map a 200 page book within 20 minutes. I did it! And I found that I understood and was able to document the key nuggets found in an education themed book, ironically titled, “Checking for Understanding.”

Illumine offers the student insight to how we tend to read, that alpha brain waves are best for relaxed study and that baroque music elicits them, how our eyes tend to skip and back track, and that surprisingly if we can discipline ourselves to simply focus forward and not re-read what we just read, we likely comprehend just as well as if we hadn’t backskipped. All that is required though to be successful in speed reading is to understand what Lewis presents and then implement it in a mere 5 minutes, twice a day, for about 21 days.

Embedding effective reading habits is the key to success in acquiring superior speed and comprehension.

This is where most people fall short. For like any professional development, it is only as good as its faithful implementation. Yet, as the sun sets earlier, and my robe and slippers look inviting and comfortable, I’m ready to tie the habit to my morning and evening coffee routine. The best way to succeed in maintaining a new commitment is to hook it on to an existing one. As part of this course, I have been given access for one month to replay, and I have one more practice reading that I can use to clock my speed and comprehension rates.

This might be the year I finally get to the bottom of my magazine pile and read several of those young adult books I once bought for my kids and somehow didn’t get to enjoy for myself. If I am lucky, winter might not seem as long and cold this time, and I might teach another critical life enhancing skill to my brood.

Always finding something new to explore, all this has whet my curiosity about how video games develop cognition and can be used therapeutically. Lumos Labs has amazing work and a massive research database from their Lumosity site. Akili Interactive Labs’ co-founder Adam Gazzaley has worked with subjects 60-85 years of age to improve plasticity, even to the point where their performance in multitasking exceeded 20-year-olds who were thought to be more proficient.

I thought I’d start video games in my 70’s, but maybe I should begin as soon as I catch up on my reading?

The Year that Golf Wasn’t…

Posted on October 25, 2013 by Susan Labadi

The Year that Golf Wasn’t…

Crimson and gold, with yet a sun drenched array of green in varying hues, I relish these days and try to capture the images. For as the temperatures begin to make my hands chap, the reality of winter approaches.

Before the inevitable gloom and shivers, I commit to go outside more or venture at least to the gym in order for me to strengthen, lengthen, and tone because this is the year that golf wasn’t…played, except for once, and only nine holes at that.

Sadly, the lot of us, my father, husband, and I simply could not afford the time between houseguests and my dad’s injury. In my father’s case, he could not physically recuperate quickly enough to meet his goal, which was to golf again in October following a necrotic foot infection that is only now on the verge of completely mending. The result of this, from a simple tumble in mid-May, physically deconditioned us all.

It is curious how we are connected; and although the collective lapse in golf and its benefit to our fitness was missed, I’m sure that it gives a bit of comfort to Dad that he didn’t miss the season alone. We three now need to belly up to the barbells and stick to a workout schedule. Dad started outpatient physical therapy two days ago, and to see his eyes light up, like a kid anxious for a carnival ride, was a joy. When my husband and I worked with various weights and gym equipment yesterday, it stirred up some soreness, but that brought some joy—in a quirky way—for us too.

It’s always hard to start up again after a hiatus from a workout routine, but quickly the endorphins kick in—similar to what happens when springtime turns us into weekend athletes—and we want to run and bike at midnight…until we see the thermometer reminding us that it is freezing.

Then we once again scheme on how to relocate our family to the sunny side of California. It’s nearly two years since we first aspired to it; and as we wait for our eldest kids to wrap up their undergrad degrees, we dream of year-round outdoor play and superb fitness.

Skinny jeans need strong legs, and it’s time to hit the trail so we’ll be ready for golf, hopefully next year.

American Merit and Pride

Posted on October 3, 2013 by Susan Labadi

American Merit and Pride

Patriotism is not a subject that I have written much about, and it may surprise you that I do, as I fume over the faults of democracy in light of the government shutdown. Congress people are essentially government workers; why do they still get paid? I’m irked that they have feathered their own beds with elitist privilege while the masses and other government workers get nil. Yet, we, the voting public, are responsible for electing them, and we should be wise to demand a correction. What ever happened to the checks and balances system? We are out of balance, and it has become a farce thanks to permitting special interests to gain a foothold in politics. Where is the accountability?

Confucius had some insight and proposed a government administration designed on merit, as did Thomas Jefferson. Should we not reward people who uphold values of service, honesty, industry, loyalty, and integrity? These ideals are alive and well in the American public and in several corporations and non-profit entities.

As my brother-in-law, a retired international pilot just left after a month-plus long visit, he was so impressed by several experiences during his stay. These were contrasted, sadly, with the treatment he received from his own former foreign airline. It had been his dream for several years to own a particular model of a propane-fueled Weber grill. He had not visited us since his retirement as flight captain seventeen years prior. In his glory days, everyone practically genuflected to him, but now this is no more. For in many lands the concept of “wasta,” or clout, is the grease that makes things happen. No wasta? No chance, buddy!

To his frustration, since he is a retired pilot, some minion with a desk job first informed him that in order to receive his benefit of extra cargo allowance, he had to send a FAX with the company identification number of the flight captain assigned to his returning flight. An email would not be acceptable; and after tracking down the pilot, I made a trip to Office Depot and paid $3.00 for a FAX.

Then we were told that the pilot had to physically come to the cargo terminal, and we had to also physically be there within a half hour—during rush hour—in order to authorize the shipment of the grill. My husband and his brother raced through traffic just so the guy could then lie to their faces and make a new stipulation. They would have to ship the grill to New York from Chicago first in order for the airline to transport it. In the end, being such a fiasco, we decided to pack it ourselves with a shipping container as part of our export business.

Contrast this to the following experiences reported by my brother-in-law which make me feel grateful and proud to be American.

When purchasing an expensive sweater at Macy’s, the cashier volunteered a coupon that saved him 50 percent.
A sale price became available from a previous purchase at Carson’s, and he was given the refund and new sale price.
He purchased numerous items for relatives at Target; JC Penney; Bed, Bath & Beyond; Walmart; and Banana Republic, and had no difficulty in returns and exchanges to please the needs of many people he shopped for during his visit.
The Apple Store found that a broken iPhone he brought from a nephew—who purchased it from here when he was visiting last year—was twelve days over warranty. Apple honored it still and replaced the phone.

He ran numerous errands with me to all the major Chicagoland malls, post office, bank, grocery stores, and even to my husband’s doctor. We visited landmarks, museums, gardens, and restaurants, while juggling my kids’ needs and wound care for my father. Everyone was kind and very hospitable, a credit to our nation and those who serve.

At a time when we can be justifiably critical of some things in America, we also acknowledge that many of the American people are admirable.

Now, that my impromptu bed, breakfast, and tour service is wrapped up, I am eager to resume a large number of projects. I’m reminded, as my task list is long, of Lao-tzu, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” God willing, I will produce works of merit that preserve values and promote excellence in Education here and abroad.

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