I received a rather strange Facebook message from someone I just met on Facebook. I got really freaked out at first, and then flattered afterwards.

His email was actually a response to one I had sent him earlier. You see, whenever someone becomes a FUEL Facebook fan, I usually drop them a note to thank them. And if their FB profile image doesn’t look too stalker-like, I might tell them about myself and this journey I’m on.

This was the message I got back from Roby Ribaud:
Hi Jeremy, thanks for your message!!! This night i have a dream( not M.L King) but i see you in my dream!!!! One of my friend come in my house for a meeting and you was with him!!!!!!!!:-)) i never see you in this last day in Fb!!!! Ok it happened but this morning a find your message….right now some info on me. I have 2 babies and a wife , i was a big atlete in 400 mt one of best in europe , i was in the Olimpic Games of Los Angeles 1984 after i run to the top level for 15 years. Now i work strong ,i have 3 company and is a very hard moment you know about the crisis but this is our war!!!!! My hobby is read and when I saw your profile i was interest for your book and i wrote on my wall in Office your philosophy about dream and dreamer….i will buy your book now and i try to di this in internet also i want talk with my friend : he work in book company and i talk about you and your book.. That’ s it !!! I hope i can do some of good for our friendship!!! Thanks and god bless you! Roberto Ribaud

So alone I often feel. That I am but one against the world. The only one mounting the charge. And then a light flickers to life on the other side of the planet. And I am reminded that indeed I have sleeper cells all over the world, some more discreet than others, each fighting to help me keep this dream alive. Blip, blip… blip blip.

Since watching Elizabeth Gilbert on TedX, I’ve had this secret wish to one day be invited to speak as well.

There is this guy I’ve been following for some time now through cyberspace, a chap by the name of Avram Gonzales. I think what drew me to him was how aligned his approach to life is to mine… although, he is way more radical, and has found more success living out his dreams. Me… I’m still clawing my way. Anyhow, Avram beat me to TedX… but I’m hot on his tracks… ok, ok, not that hot, may be luke warm on his tracks… oh alright, the trail has gone cold, but I promise you I’ll find my way.

Here’s a link to his video on his upcoming talk:
http://www.avramgonzales.com/tedx-crestmoor-park-2011/

Since my home intrusion a few weeks back, I’ve had a list running through my head… of the everyday household  items I could have used as weapons against the intruder.

Caught off guard, I did not have the clarity of thought to make full use my home court advantage. So I figured it would be useful to create this checklist for the future. Hopefully by sharing this, you yourself would be better prepared should you run into the same situation.

Your home arsenal:

1. The obvious. Kitchen knives. The bigger the better. A cleaver is good if you only have one attacker. Because of its weight, the attacker would not be able to parry your attack. If there is more than one person, you may opt for something lighter that is easier for slashing. You see, with a cleaver, chances are, your weapon would get jammed in the first guy’s forearm bone, clavicle, or skull… leaving you vulnerable to the second attacker. But with a regular pointed-tip kitchen knife, you have speed, you have a better range of motion, and you can slash and stab.
2. If you are in the bathroom, your options are sometimes limited, unless you intend to slap him with a wet towel or if you have the ninja precision to stick him in the eye with your toothbrush. Razors are tough because they are small, and you’d probably only knick the guy. One thing you could use is the heavy porcelain cover of your toilet bowl. In extreme situations, you could also punch the mirror and use a shard of glass.
3. Hairdryer + powder (or other caustic powdery material, like drain cleaner). Once you blind the guy, smash the hairdryer open and brand him with the heated filaments.
4. If you are locked in the bathroom and he is breaking the door down, you may want to soak the bathroom floor, start your hairdryer, and climb onto the sink counter. The minute he walks into the puddle of water, smash your hairdryer on the floor. I don’t know if this works in real life, or if I’ve been watching too many Hollywood movies.
5. Insect spray. I’ve not had insect spray in my eyes before, but I can’t imagine it to be nice. Spray paint, spray mount, lacquer and other aerosol products work well too. If you use spray mount, you’d be like Spider Man.
6. Insect spray + a cigarette lighter. Follow with salt, vinegar or lemon juice after the guy is incapacitated from the burn pains.
7. Wooden furniture like a chair. It might be hard to wield a chair, so you may opt to smash it on the floor and use the chair leg for your defence. The best would be to use the piece with a nail or screw at the end.
8. Tool box items. Screwdrivers and wood files aren’t the best. I’d use a hammer or a chisel.
9. WD-40. There are a number of ways you can use this, but before you do, remove that flimsy, red precision tube.  Firstly, if the intruder has not seen you, you can spray some over the floor of your escape route before you engage the guy, and make a note of where not to step if the guy is in pursuit. Stairs are the best. If the guy has seen you and is approaching, you can spray the floor between you and him so that it limits his access to you. He may leap over the patch to reach you, but he will be off balance when he lands, and that gives you more options. Smothering the guy with WD-40 works well. If you can cover him from head to toe with WD-40, he would be immobilised, and flop on the floor like an eel in a bucket. The best place to engage the guy with WD-40 is at a non-carpeted area of your house. Kitchen oil and baby oil works too.
10. An iron. If you have the luxury of time, heat it up first. If your iron comes with a heavy three-pin plug, you can brandish that as a weapon too… to distract him right before you plant the iron on his face.
11. Energy saving lightbulbs. When broken, these are extremely toxic. If you already have an escape route, smash the bulbs in the room he is in, and run for your life. The cops can later watch the hospitals for patients admitted for mercury poisoning.

I’m sure I could have grown this list much longer, but I think this is good for starters. If you have suggestions of your own, feel free to list them down here.