Extra Issue: 2016 best TV shows according to me

Not sure if this is something to be proud of, but 2016 was a year in which I followed several TV shows, most of which were amazing. I also had to drop some because of time constrains.

One thing is certain, it was really easy to select my favorite shows of 2016. GOT is an obvious choice and it has been for the last 4 years (I got late into the bandwagon). The two huge surprises were the first seasons of Stranger Things and Westworld.

Amazing Shows of 2016

Game of Thrones (HBO)

Well, if you don't know about GOT you are probably not reading this anyways
Stranger Things (Netflix)
If you haven’t watched Stranger Things on Netflix yet, you really should. I finished all the 8 episodes in less than 2 days and was completely addicted to the show by the end of it. The storytelling is perfect, there's an addictive mystery and the storylines are concise, inter-related and interesting. And above it all, the show is full of nostalgia as it takes place in 1983. Therefore there are hundreds  of 1980's pop culture references. To name a few:  Aliens (1986), Jaws (1975) and The Empire Strikes Back (1980). But mostly, the show is a mix of The Goonies (1985) with ET (1982) and Signs (2002). The directing and writing mix Stephen King and Steven Spielberg in an original and entertaining way. I can't imagine they can top it or even maintain it with season 2. But hope dies last...
Westworld (HBO)

WestWorld is a brilliant, mysterious and captivating show. 10-ish hours of some of the best things you will watch on TV these days. The cast, the acting, the scenarios and most importantly the masterfully storytelling were the ingredients to make the show of the year.

Excellent Drama
DareDevil (Netflix)

Vinyl (HBO)

Better Call Saul (AMC)

Narcos (Netflix)

Halt and Catch Fire (AMC)

Good/OK Dramas

Chicago Med (NBC)
Supergirl (CW)
Chicago PD (NBC)

Luke Cage (Netflix)

Billions (Showtime)

Disappointments

Fear the Walking Dead (AMC)

The Walking Dead (AMC)

Best Comedy

The Big Bang Theory (CBS)

Family Guy (FOX)

Modern Family (ABC)

Brooklyn Nine Nine (FOX)

South Park (CC)
Veep (HBO)

Broad City (CC)

Girls (HBO)

Shows I gave up
Criminal Minds (CBS)

SVU (NBC)

Blindspot (NBC)

New Girl (FOX)

The Blacklist (NBC)

Issue 9

The 9th and last installment of the year comes weeks after the issue #8. I do not expect this to continue as a weekly project, but I will keep posting it whenever a reach the mark of 4 to 6 interesting picks to share. While the readership is not high, I do find it interesting to group those picks on a regular basis. For one, it forces me to reflect if I am learning new things regularly. Secondly, it will serve as a repository of tips and ideas for the future and can help me in face-to-face networking opportunities. And finally, it's not a numbers game, if one tip will help one person, then it was worth it. Happy New Year!

1SE is an app that helps you record a 1 second film everyday. I took on this project last December and set myself the challenge to do it for the whole 2016. My key take-aways are very similar to the app creator  as he describes it in his TED Talk. As the year closes, I have now a 6-min video that encapsulates my whole year and it is a very cool retrospective tool. Most days were easy to find that moment that you want to record. But not every day. Having to make this filming every day forced me to reflect if I had done something special every single day. Some days were as simple as appreciating a beautiful sunset or a rainbow. Other days were not that special or great days and I had to work long hours or something but those are also worthwhile memories, not every day is great and happy.

Working with Millennials can be a challenge. This video from Simon Sinek shows why. Additionally, this is a great reflection on where our society is going and how technology is affecting human relationships.

Not so much an original and certainly not new pick, but A Clockwork Orange is a classic and cult 1971 dystopian film adapted, produced, and directed by, one of my favorite, Stanley Kubrick. As the film celebrates 45 years, I found it a good excuse to re-watch it. It is based on Anthony Burgess's 1962 novel A Clockwork Orange which was handed to Kubrick during the filming of 2001: An Space Odyssey (Easter Egg: a 2001 soundtrack LP can be seen during the film). A Clockwork Orange is a masterpiece that touches several sticky issues and it is one of the most violent films ever made but without being graphic. It is not easy to watch and it's not easy to understand either, the slang is made up and characters have strong accents. The performance of Malcolm McDowell as Alex is outstanding. What this guy went through during the filming is really impressive, I also recommend watching the "Making Of" documentaries. While watching some of those, there's no question that Kubrick was a genius but also an effective leader. He was persistent, perfectionist and would pay attention to every single detail. However, he was inclusive and could get the best out of people. The people who worked with him say that he would ask and take on ideas from anyone in the team regarding anything. That's such a powerful leadership skill that can only be executed when you have the right balance of self confidence and humility. A key take-way from my Kellogg's Managerial Leadership class. 

I finally got my hands on a vinyl copy of Let It Bleed. This is the eighth British album by the Rolling Stones and it was released in December 1969. A true rock classic regarded is one of the best albums of all times. In 1997, it was voted the 27th "Best Album Ever" by The Guardian. In 2003, Rolling Stone ranked it at number 32 on the magazine's list of the "500 Greatest Albums of All Time". While I am a Beatles guy, this is a great record for any rock fans.

Issue 8

I have recently attended a TEDx event and among 15 talks, we watched one of TED classic videos. Try something new for 30 days, you can watch it here. Later int he day another speaker argued that you need 21 consecutive days to build a habit. It got me thinking, first I realised that I have done those, but also that I should use more of it in the future. While you can do those challenges for fun or for just trying something really different, you can also do it to create "power habits" that can improve your personal or professional performance. And that's probably where I want to focus my next challenges, I have tried it at different times and some stuck with me others didn't. I tried 30 days or more without drinking any soda, or any alcoholic beverage, or no carbs. Those habits didn't stick even after going into long streaks. But power habits like mindful meditation and running, for example, have started just like that.

Guidebook is a great tool for your meetings and events. You can build and publish mobile apps for Android and iOS. I have done it myself alone since they provide an app maker, a simple way to develop your own app for events, schools, places and companies.

AMC's Halt and Catch Fire is an American period drama television series that caught my attention last week. After 2 episodes of season 3, I was hooked. Actually I skipped seasons 1 and 2 when reading the great reviews of season 3. Rotten Tomatoes gave the third season a 95% rating with an average score of 8.5 out of 10. Set in the 1980s, this series dramatizes the personal computing boom through the eyes of a visionary, an engineer and a prodigy whose innovations directly confront the corporate behemoths of the time. Season 3 takes place in the Silicon Valley after the protagonists relocated from Texas. Obviously if you work in corporate america you can spot major flaws and absurd situations/behaviors, but the personal issues, relationships and character developments are very good.

For months I was searching for Bon Jovi's  third studio album Slippery when wet in a decent vinyl copy. I finally found it. Everyone know that this album became a massive success commercially. Between 1986 and 1987, Slippery When Wet produced an amazing string of hit singles. Some of those are still popular today. Even if cheesy at times, it's a very good album, and more importantly full of memories.






WestWorld is a brilliant, mysterious and captivating show. It's still in the second half of the first season, so you can quickly catch-up. Seriously, this is one of the best TV shows of 2016.

Issue 7

A good alternative to Google Chrome is the Opera Browser. Opera, a Norwegian company has a long history of innovating Web browsers. Opera has returned to differentiating itself, with built-in ad-blocking, pop-out video, a battery saver, a turbo compression scheme, and now even a free built-in virtual private network (or VPN) that's as fast as many premium services.

Metallica has released a second single from the November 18th upcoming new album: Mouth Into Flame is a good song. More progressive and better mixed than the first single. Fortunately, it still has the same old school vibe but more melodic, even power metal-ish at points.

This interesting Kellogg Article's results suggest that we can enhance fear response to an otherwise abstract threat by identifying an aspect of the threat that is particularly scary to us. An interesting concept for those working in areas such as disease awareness or prevention.

Prescription drug prices is always a difficult topic. Alex Gorsky, chairman and CEO of Johnson & Johnson, speaks to WSJ’s Laura Landro about the challenge of balancing perception against profit when it comes to drug prices.

For those Europeans looking for an American-like comic book stores, the best one I have visited so far is the CIA Comics Import Amsterdam. Focused on Marvel and DC books and not so much on merchandising. Address: Zeedijk 31-A, 1012 AP Amsterdam, Netherlands

Issue 6

From Dilbert to Genesis and Lemmy...here is the 6th edition with 4 picks.



Book I finished: White Line Fever: Lemmy - The Autobiography by Lemmy Kilmister. There's no question that Lemmy is a rock/heavy metal legend. That status was achieved way before his unfortunate death in 2015. The book offers a sometimes hilarious, often outrageous, highly entertaining ride with the frontman of (what was) the loudest rock band in history. The language is very informal, it feels like you are chatting with him while having a drink. I read the book in one weekend as I couldn't put it down. A truly epic finale, and tribute, to Lemmy.










I absolutely love Dilbert. I mean, anyone who has ever worked in big corporations cannot avoid relating to this comic exploration of topics such as the inefficiency of meetings, the uselessness of management, and the absurdity of office politics. In this article the creator Scott Adams presents His 10 Favorite Strips and they are obviously hilarious. Look at this one!

I've been listening to a vinyl that is almost as old as I am. I found a vintage copy of A Trick of the Tail which is the seventh studio album from Genesis. It was released in February 1976 and was the first album to feature drummer Phil Collins as lead vocalist following the departure of Peter Gabriel. The album still shows the progressive side of the band that marked the first 6 albums, but it's a transitional album into a pop sound that the band would reach in the 80's.

I've been trying some diverse news source and I found the Daily Skimm to be a good one, specially if you live in the US. The Daily Skimm is the email newsletter that gives you everything you need to know to start your day (US timezones) . They break down what's going on in the world (but heavily US focused) with fresh editorial content.

Issue 5

Technology disruption, leadership and progressive rock...my picks of the week are out.

I was feeling that I was behind on the autonomous vehicles discussion. So I was happy to find this McKinsey Podcast that discusses what seems to be inevitable: autonomous vehicles. But what does that mean for car manufacturers, consumers, and safety? I believe it will take quite some years to get fully there. It was also interesting to hear very similar issues that are happening in the healthcare industry as well. Will be a Ford car powered by Google? or a Google car powered by Ford?

Now switching to healthcare but also talking about how new technologies can disrupt an incumbent. I've been doing a lot of research on Digital Health and this TED Talk gives a pretty basic but interesting overview from a doctor's perspective.

Book I am reading: Resonant Leadership by Richard E. Boyatzis and Annie McKee is an interesting book. But probably better to read their previous book with Daniel Goleman "Primal Leadership" first. The thesis is about how leaders--individuals manage their own and others' emotions in ways that drive success. It provides a guide to overcoming the vicious cycle of stress, sacrifice, and dissonance that afflicts many leaders. The book reveals that the path to resonance is through mindfulness, hope, and compassion and shows how intentionally employing these qualities creates effective and enduring leadership.

Single I've been listening to: “Let The Light Flood In” (Official Video below). My friend Michael gave me the tip to check those guys out and he was right. While clearly influrnced by Pink Floyd and Rush with some pop touches from the likes of U2 and MUSE; Dream The Electric Sleep excels at composing music that is novel, exploring new territories while somehow also evoking familiarity. Check it out.

Issue 4

The main topic this week are some of the tools I'm trying in order to improve/maintain my health. Additionally some educational and entertainment picks. Hope you enjoy!

Cursera is an educational technology company that offers massive open online courses (MOOCs). Coursera works with universities and other organizations to make some of their courses available online, offering courses in subjects, such as: physics, engineering, humanities, medicine, biology, social sciences, mathematics, business, computer science, digital marketing, data science, and other subjects. Ivy League schools and other top universities offer MOOCs here. I have taken about 3 courses there and it was a valuable experience.

UP is the app I use to track my steps and sleep. I got it for free, so it's a simple tracker but for me it does the job. I have much more clarity of how long I need to sleep per day and if I'm achieving my goal. It's impressive how much we overestimate how many calories we burn. You really need to get moving!

MyFitnessPal is a good app that works well to help you keep an eye on your diet. I haven't paid for the premium service, but even the free version is useful. The main feature to me is to calculate how many calories I consume in one day. I can search for the food I eat or scan the bar code. My key take-away is that it's unbelievable how much we underestimate how many calories we consume in one day. Add that to the already mention fact that we overestimate how many calories we burn and I'm not surprised anymore that it's difficult to loose weight.

I'm currently experimenting the 5:2 Diet. The 5:2 diet, or fast diet, is a diet which stipulates calorie restriction for two non-consecutive days a week and unconstrained eating the other five days. As far as I could find, there's actually no scientific proof that it  works. With that said, I am happy with the experience so far. The 2 fasting days are tough, but you start to get use to it and the next day I feel great and light. Now, the key is to maintain health and balanced eating on the other 5 days.

Last week I watched  Narcos season 2. It's a very good show and in some ways different than the first season. Season 1 covered a long period of Pablo Escobar's life, but season 2 is only a couple of years. Therefore, there's more character development and more complicated plots that also include other stakeholders.  Wagner Moura's performance as Escobar is just amazing, certainly the highlight of the two seasons. I know it's not a documentary, but using real images during the show is misleading. The only negative point, the story is filtered by american lens and that's certainly biased in their favor.

Issue 3

Keeping it up, here's week # 3 picks!

A website I was trying: Print Friendly. It's very basic but very useful tool for when you find an article and needs to print it. Many news websites are extremely print unfriendly and this tool will solve that!

I've read this interesting paper that collects evidence on how music can help us being productive. Intuitively, that's a strategy I've been using since high school. Almost always I had background music while studying, especially exact sciences. You can read it here.

Buenos Aires Grill Restaurant in Barcelona is by far my best Argentinean dining experience outside Argentina. The stakes were amazing and cooked as requested (sounds simple but very difficult in Europe). Also the wine selection, provoleta, dulce de leche...the whole package was perfect. Staff is friendly and professional (most, if not all, are Argentinian themselves ). It's not cheap, but in a city with overpriced tapas, this is a whole new level and worth it.

If you haven’t watched Stranger Things on Netflix yet, you really should.
I finished all the 8 episodes in less than 2 days and was completely addicted to the show by the end of it. The storytelling is perfect, there's an addictive mystery and the storylines are concise, inter-related and interesting. And above it all, the show is full of nostalgia as it takes place in 1983. Therefore there are hundreds  of 1980's pop culture references. To name a few:  Aliens (1986), Jaws (1975) and The Empire Strikes Back (1980). But mostly, the show is a mix of The Goonies (1985) with ET (1982) and Signs (2002). The directing and writing mix Stephen King and Steven Spielberg in an original and entertaining way. I can't imagine they can top it or even maintain it with season 2. But hope dies last...

New single I am listening is the mandatory new Metallica song:  Hardwired. The first track from their long-awaited 10th studio album, "Hardwired … to Self-Destruct", due in November. I don't care for anything they have put out in the last 25 years and I don't think I will be head over hills for this album. But, Metallica's recent attempts to bring new music have been so below average that this new song sounds quite OK (albeit badly mixed).

Issue 1

Based on the experience of a fellow alumnus, Philippe Laval, I started my latest experimentation as well. I really like his posts and learned a lot from them, so I decided to do the same.

As he says and I agree, valuable things should be shared. I will begin sharing every-ish week my selection of 5 items that I found particularly interesting that week, hopefully keeping the schedule and providing useful info.

The picks may cover any of my areas of interest, my challenge will be to expand from my music blog into the other areas of interest such as readings, films,videos, apps. And those will be short and not as in depth as my marketing blog posts.

So without further due, here is this week's Top 5:

Book I just read
Power Cues: The Subtle Science of Leading Groups, Persuading Others, and Maximizing Your Personal Impact
I know, the title of this book is pretentious but I have read so many books on leadership and this one is actually one of my favorites. There's some theory behind and, as usually, a lot of fillers and repetition, but when you distill it (more on that with the next pick), the author provides a clear, useful framework of seven “power cues”.

Article I recommend
How to Read a Book a Week is a very useful and short HBR article. As the author states and I agree, reading is time-consuming, and I am a slow reader. But reading books is obviously beneficial and I actually love it.  After reading this article I perfected my technique of how not to read these nonfiction  business books word-for-word. Additionally, I also mark the pages with the most useful points and then create my own personal summary.

An App I'm trying
Relax with Calm, a simple mindfulness meditation app featured in the New York Times and LifeHacker. I have tried other similar apps and websites, but up to now, Calm is my favorite. I have only used the free content, but I'm inclined to subscribe. Some of those apps can be quite expensive, so you need to shop around. There are several reasons I started to explore this topic a few months ago. I can say for now I am sleeping better and feeling less stressed. So if you are looking for a way to get started, Calm may help.

Facebookpage I like
Runner's World Facebook page is the best free resource for runners that I know. Insightful articles, tools, stories and tips on a daily basis. It works well for beginners and experienced runners. 


New Album I'm listening to
My challenge here will be to keep music picks outside the heavier stuff. So here is a try: The Swedish rock band Blues Pills. They released their 2nd album on August 5th following a successful self-titled debut album. I'm digging it. Singer Elin Larsson is a superb mix of  Aretha Franklin, and Janis Joplin. This is a retro rock band inspired by the 60's and 70's rock with a big influence of Soul music, think "rockier Adele".

Issue 2

Greetings! Here are my second installment with this week's 5 picks. Hope you enjoy them!

Paper I'm reading 
This white paper from Havas Lynx, a leading global healthcare communications group, is an interesting take on the impact of the millennial healthcare professional on the healthcare industry. The intros are quite broad, but when it gets down to it, the focus is on how this new generation will impact the pharmaceutical industry, specially from a marketing perspective.
The info and white paper can be found here.

Book I have finished
De Vijand by Pieter Aspe, a Belgian writer of a series of detective stories starring inspector Pieter Van In. The title would translate to "The Enemy" but I haven't found the English version. It was my first Dutch book and it's a good start. A page-turner with simple enough dialogues. I strongly suggest this author for intermediary Dutch students. Interestingly, this book, published in 2010 , is about terrorists attacks by extreme Muslims in France and Belgium! Looks like it shouldn't have been such a surprised when attacks actually happened in 2015 and 2016.

App I've been using
WhiteNoise App features ambient sounds of the environment to help you relax during the day or sleep great at night. You can mix and download sounds and it has a timer. It's perfect to help you fall sleep or eliminate other noises while studying/working. I constantly use it with the timer to help me falling asleep.

TV Show I'm watching
Community has 6 seasons that ran from 2009 to 2015. I'm currently watching season 4 and I love it. The show follows a group of diverse students at a community college in the fictional town of Greendale. It makes heavy use of meta-humor and pop culture references, often parodying film and television clichés. S02E14 "Advanced Dungeons & Dragons" is rated 9.5 on IMDb and it was the first episode I watched - Excellent! The show features Ken Jeong (the Chinese from Hangover) and Chevy Chase.

Second hand vinyl I just bought
Foxtrot is the fourth studio album from Genesis, released in October 1972. It is one of the most important progressive rock album of all times. I was happy to find a copy in such a good shape. Highly recommended if you like progressive music and haven't checked this masterpiece that influenced so many bands.