Quality Life

The 10 minutes Energy drink!

Stefanos Karagos | April 15, 2008

First there was the Caffeine's replacement brainwave.
Now, after your votes here, I created a brand new brainwave for Energy and Motivation.

BEFORE you download and use this brainwave you HAVE to:

1. Read the introduction to brainwaves and brain entrainment here
2. Understand and accept the following WARNINGs!
   The following people should NOT use brain entrainment:
   > People subject to any forms of seizures or epilepsy
   > People using pacemakers
   > People suffering from cardiac arrhythmia or other heart disorders
   > People taking stimulants, psychoactive drugs, or tranquilizers
3. Read the following tips to enjoy this brainwave listening:
   a. It is important to listen to it, using stereo headphones
   b. Don't activate music-looping on your media player or your MP3 player.
   c. Adjust the volume to a comfortable level
   d. To use this session, find a quiet place. Make sure you are in a comfortable position.
   e. After starting the session, close your eyes and listen to the sound.
   Optionally, you can keep your eyes open and use this as a "background" while doing your activities.
   f. If you are using this session for motivational purposes, it could be beneficial to visualize your goals while the session is playing.
4. Don't keep it on too long, however, since too much energy can be a bad thing.

So, after all these info, you can download from here the 10 minutes duration brainwave file that I called "The Brain's Energy Drink" because of its feature to keep you in an energizing state giving you a strong energetic boost.
[the file is in WAV format because the MP3 compression kills some sound frequencies]
Use this session when you really need a boost of energy.

Are you ready now to feel the energy in your ...ears?

Which brainwave?

Stefanos Karagos | January 17, 2008

Students, boost your performance!

Stefanos Karagos | September 16, 2007

Before months -after the huge success of my first brainwave- I had promised to create another one, and now the time just came!

The first sound [Brainwave] file that can improve your Studding performance is here!
[a WAV file into a compressed RAR file [175.3Mb], about 25' long]
THANX SENDSPACE.COM FOR THE FILE HOSTING

To use this session, simply find a quiet place to study and listen to this.
This brainwave file is ideal to use while performing complex studding tasks [for example studding for exams...]
It helps focus the mind while reducing anxiety and frustration.
Because this session presents separate stimulation to each brain hemisphere, headphones are required. It is important to make sure that you are use your headphones correctly: with the right side on your right ear, and left side on your left ear.
You may want to set your sound player to LOOP as well till you will finish your study session.
Also it is very important that you adjust the volume settings until you are 100% comfortable with the sound before starting.

Brainwave Entrainment's usefulness is not limited to relaxation and enhancing academic performance. It can also be used for reducing headaches, insomnia, stress and even enhancing athletic performance.

For more info about Brainwaves Entrainment please take a look on my previous post here.

Are you ready to boost your studding performance starting from your ...ears?


WARNING!
The following people should not use brain entrainment:
> People subject to any forms of seizures or epilepsy
> People using pacemakers
> People suffering from cardiac arrhythmia or other heart disorders
> People taking stimulants, psychoactive drugs, or tranquilizers

Our mind's best friend!

Stefanos Karagos | May 17, 2007

My beloved everyday-tool goes 7!
I'm talking about the application that gave to my life [personal & professional] the amazing "flavor" of creativity and differantiation. I'm talking about MindManager.
If you are unfamiliar with the Mind Maps term take a look here.
If you have created a MindMap even for one time, I'm sure that you know MindManager.

I had the opportunity to test the latest beta and I have to admit that I'm so excited and I can't wait for the final version! [May 30]



The new version goes mindmapping another step forward:

Ribbon UI
MindManager Pro 7 uses the new Microsoft Ribbon UI to create a streamlined, uncluttered workspace!

Integrate MM7 within Microsoft Applications
Link to topics from external applications. (i.e. Launch maps from Word docs.)

Central Topic
The Parent Topics are hidden and the new central topic becomes the (Central Topic) and the hierarchy starts from what was formerly the Subtopic.

Topic Styles
Allows creation of named topic styles and using these styles across current map regardless of the level at which topics are located.

Split topic
Create new topic based on text sub-selected in topic editor

Highlight Multiple Topics
Shift + Mouse click selects multiple topics for quick multi-formating

Saved Queries
Allows saving queries in Power Filter/Select/Bookmark dialogs and re-using these queries later.

Saved Views
Saves current view (filtered topics, collapsed topics, zoom factors) and allows reusing these views later.

Multiple Markers within Topics
Option to add more than one marker giving you flexible marking

Add Multiple Attachment to Map
Use multi select in file browse dialog to add multiple attachments to a topic

Advanced Sorting
Implemented sort options for icon marker groups and color marker groups. Allow reverse sorting of text marker groups. Available via markers group context menu, but not available for priority and task complete groups.

The improvements are not stopping here, moving the new MM version to a new very promising level.

It's time for all of you to come to MindMaps amazing world ;-)

Relax, using a sound just for 15'!

Stefanos Karagos | January 30, 2007

I did it again! :-)
Here it is an other one brainwaves sound file [mirror here] which can give you this time, a 15 minutes relaxation break.
It's useful when you are working or study very hard and you don’t have time for a long enough break.

This time the file is in WAV format and not in MP3 because compression kills some frequencies. [the RAR file which includes the WAV, is 136.54 MB]

Using Details:
To use this sound, find a quiet place, free of distraction. Make sure you are comfortable, in a chair or even lying down.

After starting the sound file, close your eyes and try to relax. During the session you should remain as calm and relaxed as possible. Fidgeting constantly could act to bring you out of the target brainwave pattern.

Stereo Headphones are required for this session.
It is important that you adjust volume until you are 100% comfortable with the session before starting.

Important:
Please take a look here to learn more about Brainwave Entrainment

Stay tuned because the next brainwave will be for students.
I will try to create a sound file to help for better concentration, focus and improving memory

WARNING!
The following people should not use brain entrainment:
> People subject to any forms of seizures or epilepsy
> People using pacemakers
> People suffering from cardiac arrhythmia or other heart disorders
> People taking stimulants, psychoactive drugs, or tranquilizers

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Stefanos Karagos | December 25, 2006

Wishing YOU from my heart:

Merry Christmas!

...to you and to your family!

Season shopping therapy!

Stefanos Karagos | December 21, 2006

I feel it, you feel it!
It's time for shopping! Bellow are following some of my favorite gifts for this period
Just hold your mouse and click where a "check out" is.
;-)


Moleskine is the legendary notebook, used by artists and thinkers for the past two centuries, from Van Gogh to Picasso, from Ernest Hemingway to Bruce Chatwin.
A family of notebooks for different functions, Moleskines have become a symbol of contemporary nomadism. Professionals and creative types alike enjoy the high standard of quality and durability of the Moleskine Notebooks.
Do you own a Moleskine?

The eStarling frame is a standalone Wi-Fi LCD photo frame that connects to a wireless network and automatically displays photos e-mailed to it in a slideshow format.
Additionally you can specify an RSS photo feed from Flickr based on your own tagged keywords. You can even shoot photos on your mobile phone then e-mail them directly to your eStarling frame for display.

Protection Necklace.
This unique handcrafted jewelry has been cleansed using ancient techniques and energized to amplify the power and healing properties of the stones.
Wear this Energy Muse piece when you desire extra protection from negative energy.
For optimum protection results, wear your jewelry for 10 days straight.
(It's okay to take it off at night).

The new Pimp "Jive Turkey" watch utilizes several refractive mirrors and a coated convex camera style lens to create the illusion of LED's reaching off into the distance.
The effect is pretty amazing and combined with the trademark Pimp animated display, it's a real psychedelic effect.
(No drugs required :-D )

Exotic Stone Dinosaur Bone Ring!
From the Exotic Stone Collection of great jewelers designer David Yurman.
Ring in sterling silver with polished, fossilized red dinosaur bone.
Cable insets and engraved logo on side.
Exotic ring in an exotic price :-)

The DIY clock from Karlsson allows you to create the clock you’ve always wanted. The stylish battery operated metal centre and hands can be hung on the wall, the adhesive backed numbers can then be arranged in any fashion you like, the wall then becomes the clock face.
The kit is supplied with a template so if you don't want to defy convention, you can arrange the numbers in a perfect circle around the hands.

The Blue Man Group Percussion Tubes have eight motion sensitive tubes, that respond individually when a hand or the Blue Man Percussion Sticks are waved over the top, with percussion sounds. The tempo and volume can also be controlled via these motion sensors. The unit has five percussion instruments to choose from; Blue man Tubes, Blue Man Drums, Blue Steel Drums, Xylophone and Marimba.
These can be alternated between at any point during a song.
MP3 Mode enables the user to jam along with his/her favourite band/artist by simply connecting an iPod or any MP3 player with the docking station at the base of the tubes. But if that doesn't excite you, the Percussion Tubes also has ten pre-programmed songs including two original Blue Man Group tracks, that you can play along to. The user can be recording everything played on the Tubes throughout their jamming session through the recording mode, and then play it back over and over!

Here it is, the latest heir to the Robosapien line invented by NASA scientist, Mark Tilden. RS Media is a vast improvement in programmability, dynamic modification, and flexibility over even the recently released Robosapien V2!
RS Media is equipped with a head mounted camera, a color LCD screen in his chest, a full speaker system embedded into his armor (Speakers in his hands and a woofer in his back), internal memory, and external memory card. RS Media is capable of playing MP3's and MPEG 4's, taking and displaying photo's and videos, recording and playing audio clips and comes with 3 challenging java games.

Happy shopping to everyone!

The Perfect Gin 'n Tonic recipe!

Stefanos Karagos | December 13, 2006

I think it's time, to leave back for a while the technology buzz...
Well, in warm places, icy cocktails are one of the best pleasures you can have.
I know to mix very good only 4 cocktails, and one of these is Gin 'n Tonic and I'll share with all of you today, my old "secret" recipe :-)

You need:
1. Some Collin/Highball glasses or just tall glasses for water
2. some lemons [well washed]
3. ice-cubes [a lot :-)]
4. Gin [I prefer Bombay Sapphire but if you want strong taste you can try Tangueray]
4. Some Tonic cans [I prefer Tuborg]

and now the recipe [with its secrets...]
1. Cut a lemon slice and squeeze it into the glass, to get out all its oil and juice and after this put it at the bottom of the glass
2. Full with ice cubes till the edges of the glass [i repeat: till the edges!]
3. Squeeze a half lemon above of the ice cubes. Wait for 30 secs.
4. Fill the 1/3 of the glass with Gin [how much strong do you want your cocktail?]
5. Fill the rest of glass with Tonic
6. Gently stir the mixture with the knife you have cut the lemon

Thats it!
Now you know, how to make the PERFECT Gin 'n Tonic!
Cheers! ...and please drink carefully...

Free Christmas MP3s

Stefanos Karagos | December 11, 2006

It's the third year that the sound designer Gary Garritan has released a free collection of Christmas songs recorded by musicians who use his software instruments.
The Garritan Community Christmas Album, is a unique musical project.
A community of musicians from all over the world met on the Garritan community forum and agreed to submit their own recordings of holiday music, to be freely distributed.
This album is part of a holiday musical tradition like no other.
It’s a Christmas present to all of us from the users of the Garritan Libraries music software.
Composers and songwriters, both professional and amateur, have submitted
recordings of their original arrangements and compositions, and the eighteen best entries are included here.
You’ll find both new arrangements of timeless classics as well as some completely original pieces in a variety of styles.

Scrolling down the page you can find also the 2004 & 2005 albums, plus their covers.

Feel the Christmas spirit...

Download a ...coffee replacement, really!

Stefanos Karagos | December 5, 2006

Which brainwave?

After months and after the huge success of my Coffee Replacement [more than 80.000 downloads], it is time to create the next brainwave. And this post is an invitation to everyone to participate in this poll, giving me your preferences for the brainwave you want to see here!
Thank you in advance!

LATEST UPDATE:

New mirror added just for the WAV file, here.
Stay tuned!

First, let's make an introduction, so everybody knows the same information:

Our brain is made up of billions of brain cells called neurons, which use electricity to communicate with each other.
The combination of millions of neurons sending signals at once produces an enormous amount of electrical activity in the brain, which can be detected using sensitive medical equipment (such as an EEG), measuring electricity levels over areas of the scalp.
The combination of electrical activity of the brain is commonly called a BrainWave pattern, because of its cyclic, "wave-like" nature.

With the discovery of brainwaves came the discovery that electrical activity in the brain will change depending on what the person is doing.
For instance, the brainwaves of a sleeping person are vastly different than the brainwaves of someone wide awake.
Over the years, more sensitive equipment has brought us closer to figuring out exactly what brainwaves represent and with that, what they mean about a person's health and state of mind.

Brainwave Entrainment refers to the brain's electrical response to rhythmic sensory stimulation, such as pulses of sound or light.

When the brain is given a stimulus, through the ears, eyes or other senses, it emits an electrical charge in response, called a Cortical Evoked Response. These electrical responses travel throughout the brain to become what you "see and hear". This activity can be measured using sensitive electrodes attached to the scalp.

When the brain is presented with a rhythmic stimulus, such as a drum beat for example, the rhythm is reproduced in the brain in the form of these electrical impulses. If the rhythm becomes fast and consistent enough, it can start to resemble the natural internal rhythms of the brain, called brainwaves. When this happens, the brain responds by synchronizing its own electric cycles to the same rhythm.
This is commonly called the Frequency Following Response (or FFR):

FFR can be useful because brainwaves are very much related to mental state.
For example, a 4 Hz brainwave is associated with sleep, so a 4 Hz sound pattern would help reproduce the sleep state in your brain.
The same concept can be applied to nearly all mental states, including concentration, creativity and many others.
It can even act as a gateway to exotic or extraordinary experiences, such as deep meditation or "lucid dreaming" type states.

Brainwave Entrainment's usefulness is not limited to relaxation and enhancing academic performance. It can also be used for reducing headaches, insomnia, stress and even enhancing athletic performance.

You got it now?
It's easy enough even that we have to do with some scientific terminology :-)

I use brainwaves from time to time especially these heavy-busy days and I have to admit that the effects on myself is more than obvious.

I created and I'm posting here a 20 minutes duration brainwave file [in MP3 format] that I called "Coffee Replacement" because of its feature to keep you in an energizing state giving you a "caffeine" energetic boost.

Use this session when you wake up in the morning or when you need a boost of energy.

You do not have to close your eyes for this session, in fact it may be beneficial not too.

I listen this brainwave every morning I can't wake-up as fresh as i want :-)

Some tips to enjoy this brainwave listening:
1. Is important to listen this, using stereo headphones
2. Don't activate music-looping on your media player or your MP3 player.
3. Adjust the volume to a comfortable level

Are you ready to feel the caffeine in your ...ears?

More info

- About Brainwaves
- Brainwave Entrainment
- A Brief History
- NeuroProgrammer
- Brainwaves Generator

WARNING!
The following people should not use brain entrainment:
> People subject to any forms of seizures or epilepsy
> People using pacemakers
> People suffering from cardiac arrhythmia or other heart disorders
> People taking stimulants, psychoactive drugs, or tranquilizers