Common sense, movies and owning an iPod

Sometime in the past days I read an article which also involved a definition for common sense. It was "the ability to correctly perceive the reality around you". To most people in Romania today, this is a skill that needs no cultivation, given its little perceived value. Common sense is more to me than just to perceive the relationships around me correctly and acting accordingly. Or plainly politely responding to my counterparts' gestures or words. It is a state of mind that spells purity and understanding. I engage in conversations with people with openness, never setting a definite expectation. My nature is rather sponge-like, meaning that I often remember the most fine details about persons and situation. However, I try never to use negative aspects of my relationship with that person in conversing or dealing with them. It would be an extra burden to carry aroud and it would result in a flawed idea exchange, whereas this is not my intention. Instead, I prefer having them talk about subjects they like and pick on past conversations to make them feel comfortable. Similarly, I try to avoid unnatural gestures or attitudes.

The interpretation of common sense is of course subject to every personality flavour. However, it would be great if more people would start practicing it, making the surroundings - be it at the office or in a cafe, with friends, much more pleasurable.

Speaking of which, I might be the last on Earth to have seen Love Actually, a romantic Christmas comedy which can help enlighten one evening. I have enjoyed myself very much - the music was lovely and entertaining (Hugh Grant as a Prime Minister dancing to "Jump!" makes you laugh tons). Highly recommendable for a hot chocolate night with your sweetheart.

Tonight my friends and I are going to the last Mel Gibson film - Apocalypto. Given Mel Gibson's appetite for raw flesh, blood and cruelty, I think I'll be better off having a drink before.

Owning an iPod is my last subject for today. A colleague told be last week that my appetite for new technology is rather scary and that I am lost for the "normal world" (what is normal anyway?). The most fantastic feature I am experiencing are the podcasts, of which I would mention Stanford's literature lectures and most management podcasts you can find online (David Maister, The Invisible Hand etc).

Cheers!