Five Things You Don’t Know About Me : The Art of Emotionally Intelligent Tagging
February 5th, 2007 by Galba Bright 
Dr. Ellen Weber models what it takes to create a great brain based community. She also
1) knows how to ask great two-footed questions and,
2) I think, even more importantly, teaches others, including myself, how to do the same.
The same Dr. Ellen Weber has now put me in fix. I promised that this blog was not going to be a sly way to write my autobiography.
However, now that the multiple intelligence mastermind has tagged me I have a dilemma.
How am I going to acknowledge that honour, whilst keeping to my “it’s not about me, it’s about you” promise?
Well, life has taught me never to say never, so let’s see how this goes.
I am propelled by curiosity. I spent most of my life in the UK. When I was 5 years old, my parents sent me to a small school in a house with around 30 pupils. The headmistress, Mrs. Benson greatly admired the former Conservative Party Prime Minister, Edward Heath. We used to get sixpence after school when we answered mental arithmetic puzzles successfully. We also got money when we used unusual words and were able to explain their meaning. I started to learn French at age of seven. For secondary school my parents sent me outside of the borough where we were living because they were concerned that I wouldn’t get a good quality education if I went to a school in my neighbourhood. I often tease my Mum that my parents’ decisions about my schooling triggered my sense of destiny. From an early age, I always knew that I would never spend my adult life in the community that I grew up in. I also learnt to be very comfortable in my own company. I have lived in Jamaica since 1996.
I am left handed, so is my Dad. My Mum and my sister are ambidextrous
I have a passion for African art and craft. 2 friends and myself started a part-time business selling these wares in the UK. I developed a concept called African Tupperware, where I would deck out friends’ houses with my art and craft products. They would invite their friends. Hosts had the choice of opting either to be paid in cash as a percentage of sales, or they could choose a picture or artefact of their choice as payment. I also used to have a stall selling African art and craft at Covent Garden market at the weekends. One of my favourite artists is William Kwamena-Poh, a Ghanaian who now resides in Savannah. His work adorns my ofice. William has a rare combination of artistic flair and business acumen. As I write this, the first piece of African art that I bought, a print by Varnette Honeywood called Kuumba (a Swahili word meaning “creativity” has pride of place in my office).
I have an infuriating habit of changing my mind about certain things once new evidence comes to light. I am also quite comfortable admitting when I don’t know certain things. I enjoy hearing other peoples’ opinions without feeling the urge to voice my own. For me, these bizarre behaviours are part of trying to be a critical thinker. They don’t worry me too much, but they drive some people crazy.
I believe in lifelong learning because of how I’ve seen my mother live. I recall here studying “A” level maths when I was a child, at that time she was also working and nurturing her children. I’ve seen her make fundamental changes in her career and vocation based on her faith and willingness to learn, including taking a solo journey to Nigeria when she was in her 70s to trace her family’s roots. With an inspiration like her I’ve got to keep on learning.
Well there we go, Galba Bright is now well and truly tagged. Ed Brenegar, Robyn McMaster and Ellen Weber would have featured in my picks if they hadn’t been tagged before. So my choices are Adrian Savage , Francis Wade, Krishna De, Ririan Projectand Ronda Muir. I hope you enjoy their insights.
Ellen, thanks so much. Once I finish writing my autobiography 
I’ll be be asking you all some questions.
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