– – – Hot Choc’lates! March 5, 2008
Posted by janargy in Lessons in Life.33 comments
A group of graduates, well established in their careers, were talking at a reunion and decided to go visit their old university professor, now retired. During their visit, the conversationturned to complaints about stress in their work and lives. Offering his guests hot chocolate, the professor went into the kitchen and returned with a large pot of hot chocolate and an assortment of cups-porcelain, glass, crystal, some plain looking, some expensive, some exquisite — telling them to help themselves to the hot chocolate. When they all had a cup of hot chocolate in hand, theprofessor said:“Notice that all the nice looking; expensive cups were taken, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress. The cup that you’re drinking from adds nothing to the quality of the hot chocolate. In most cases it is just more expensive and in some cases even hides what we drink. What all of you really wanted was hot chocolate, not the cup; but you consciously went for the best cups…And then you began eyeing each others cups. Now consider this: Life is the hot chocolate; your job, money and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain life. The cup you have does not define, norchange the quality of life you have. Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the hot chocolate we have. Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. And enjoy your hot chocolate!
– – – HILLARY, OBAMA or McCAIN February 7, 2008
Posted by janargy in politix.178 comments
The Supervisor, the Champion, and the Promoter: What psychological personality tests reveal about Clinton, Obama, and McCain.
By Emily Yoffe
Posted Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2008, at 6:50 AM ET
It’s time again to apply the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator to our presidential candidates. (I did not include Mike Huckabee in my evaluations, because I couldn’t bring myself to imagine a Huckabee administration.) The MBTI was developed by a mother-daughter team that wanted a practical application for the ideas of personality developed by Jung. By mixing and matching four poles of personal style—extravert and introvert being the best known—the women came up with 16 personality types. Read more about it here. For reference, I used two books co-authored by MBTI consultant Otto Kroeger, Type Talk and Type Talk at Work. And I relied on psychologist David Keirsey’s revision of the 16 personality types. Keirsey sorted these into four overarching categories: Artisans, Guardians, Idealists, and Rationals. (He describes his classifications in the book Please Understand Me II and at this Web site, www.keirsey.com.)
Such personality testing is often derided by academia, but it’s used widely by corporations, the military, and government to understand different leadership styles and the dynamics of working in groups. Finding out your personality type requires answering dozens of questions such as, “Do you find visionaries and theorists a) somewhat annoying [or] b) rather fascinating?” and “When finishing a job, do you like to a) tie up all the loose ends [or] b) move on to something else)?” Figuring the candidates wouldn’t fill out their own questionnaires, I studied their biographies and came to my own conclusions.
Hillary Clinton is a Guardian, and her specific type is an ESTJ, what Keirsey calls “the Supervisor.” Supervisors are, Keirsey says, steadfast, cautious, methodical. They are the reliable, detail-oriented people without whom organizations and society fall apart—which is something ESTJs won’t hesitate to point out. “[T]heir first instinct is to take charge and tell others what to do,” says Keirsey. They are “devoted public servants, seeing their role in government … in almost sacred terms of self-sacrifice and service to others.” This service is an obligation, not given “freely and joyously.” As columnist Richard Cohen observed about Hillary, “Whether she meant to or not, she has presented herself as a model of caution, of experience hard-earned and not enjoyed. …”
Keirsey says Guardians’ “self-esteem is greatest when they present themselves as dependable, trustworthy or accountable in shouldering their responsibilities.” In other words, an ESTJ wants everyone to know she’s “ready to be president on Day 1.” According to Please Understand Me II (all the quotes are from the books), about half of our presidents, from George Washington to George H.W. Bush, have been Guardians, with Harry Truman being an ESTJ like Hillary (she loves to quote Truman’s “The buck stops here.”).
Guardian leaders are not the big thinkers or the bold doers (although they can take bold action if they carefully conclude that’s what the circumstance requires). They have, says Keirsey, “a stabilizing and consolidating effect.” In a New Yorker profile of Hillary, George Packer wrote that her now-infamous remark that it took a president to realize Martin Luther King’s dream reflected Hillary’s belief that “the Presidency is more about pushing difficult legislation through a fractious Congress than it is about transforming society.”
ESTJs are most comfortable in the world of the specific. Keirsey says they will listen politely to “theoretical or fanciful” conversation—what an ESTJ surely thinks of as a certain other candidate’s gasbaggery—then “shift to more concrete things to talk about, more solid and sensible topics” using their ability to call up at will “an enormous fund of facts.” (Ever heard a Hillary speech?)
It is this ESTJ-ness that may explain the failure of Hillary’s health-care initiative as first lady. ESTJs like nothing better than digging deep into the specifics of a system and batting out proposals with trusted staff, then presenting the perfect fait accompli to a grateful public. As Kroeger points out, ESTJs can be stunned when the plans fail: “Having packaged the argument so neatly and precisely, how could anyone possibly disagree?” Keirsey says this blindness comes from the concrete-thinking ESTJ’s pronounced weakness at the abstract arts of strategy and diplomacy. Hillary neither foresaw the attacks by competing interests nor had the people skills to win over her opponents.
Referring to ESTJs, Kroeger says, “[O]f all the sixteen types this is the most conventionally masculine.” The New York Times‘ Maureen Dowd pointed out that actor Jack Nicholson called Hillary “the best man for the job,” and Hillary said on David Letterman, “In my White House, we’ll know who wears the pantsuits.” But Hillary also revealed the struggle of the ESTJ woman when she told Packer, “[T]he world is only beginning to recognize that women should be permitted the same range of leadership styles that we permit men.”
The Guardians’ steadfast posture also applies to their marriages. Keirsey writes that they are “extremely loyal to their mates and feel obliged to stand by them in times of trouble and help them straighten up and fly right. As a result, Guardians more easily than any other temperament can be hooked into becoming the rescuer of troubled mates.” (Bill Clinton is an ESFP, what Keirsey calls “the Performer”—”thriving on the excitement of being on-stage.” ESFPs are also “inclined to be impulsive and self-indulgent, which makes them vulnerable to seduction.”)
The ESTJ can, to her detriment, says Keirsey, see the world as inhabited by good people and bad people. Think of the “vast right-wing conspiracy” or how Hillary touts her “battle scars.” In The New Yorker, a former friend said of her, “Hillary needs enemies.”
Kroeger writes that ESTJs “do not cope well when things don’t go as planned.” They have a “short fuse when anything suggests they are losing control. The ESTJ can become loud, rigid, domineering, and can induce a great deal of stress within anyone nearby.” If Truman was “Give ‘Em Hell Harry,” then the current ESTJ seeking the highest office could end up nicknamed “Go to Hell Hillary.”
Barack Obama—no one will be surprised to learn—is an Idealist. His specific type is an ENFP, what Keirsey calls “the Champion.” ENFPs, says Keirsey, are “filled with conviction that they can easily motivate those around them.” Champions work to “kindle, to rouse, to encourage, even to inspire those close to them with their enthusiasm.” Idealists “usually have a tongue of silver” and are “gifted in seeing the possibilities” of institutions and people. Here’s Obama on leadership: “[W]e need leaders to inspire us. Some are thinking about our constraints, and others are thinking about limitless possibility.”
This ability to move people through imagery and rhetoric carries a danger for the ENFP, says Keirsey—a belief in “word magic.” “Word magic refers to the ancient idea that words have the ability to make things happen—saying makes it so.” This is the basis of the critique of Obama by his less-soaring opponents. Hillary complains that people ask her to “give us one of those great rhetorical flourishes and then, you know, get everybody all whooped up.” (As if she could.) Says John McCain, “To encourage a country with only rhetoric is not a promise of hope. It is a platitude.”
Keirsey says Idealist leaders should be called catalysts because “[t]he individual who encounters such a leader is likely to be motivated, animated, even inspired to do his or her very best work.” The New Yorker‘s Packer writes, “Obama offers himself as a catalyst by which disenchanted Americans can overcome two decades of vicious partisanship. …”
Idealists are deeply introspective. According to Keirsey, their “self-confidence rests on their authenticity,” which makes them “highly aware of themselves as objects of moral scrutiny.” Idealists, such as Thomas Paine, Mohandas Gandhi, and Martin Luther King Jr., tend to be leaders of movements, not office-holders. If Obama is elected, not only would he be the first black president, but according to Keirsey, he’d be the first Idealist president. (Kroeger speculates that Lincoln may have been an Idealist.) Idealists are rare in any executive position. In a survey Kroeger did of the personality types who make it to top management, less than 1 percent were ENFPs—while almost 30 percent were Hillary’s type, the ESTJ. But the 16 types are not evenly distributed in the population and ENFPs themselves are rare—Keirsey estimates only about 2 percent of people are ENFPs. Kroeger says the ENFP can be an effective boss. “At their best they bring a refreshing alternative style to top management and decision making.”
Keirsey says that the Idealist is the unusual leader who is “comfortable working in a climate where everyone has a vote.” In a Vanity Fair profile, Todd Purdum quotes a Harvard Law School classmate of Obama’s describing his collaborative style as editor of the Law Review. Obama was “someone who wanted the group decisions to reflect the group’s intent, not Barack’s intent.” (This classmate added, “I actually would have been happier for him to say sometimes, ‘This is how we’re doing this, and shut up!’ “) Wanting inclusiveness has been a hallmark of Obama’s career and his campaign. Purdum noted that in the Illinois Legislature, “Obama made friendships across the aisle” and used his people skills to get some difficult legislation passed. In a speech, Obama described this ability: “If you start off with an agreeable manner, you might be able to … recruit some independents into the fold, recruit even some Republicans into the fold.”
As leaders, Keirsey says, the Idealists possess a “diplomatic intelligence.” They “seek common ground,” want to “forge unity,” arrive at “universal truths,” and are “trusting.” Given these qualities, it should be no surprise that Obama says that as president, he would quickly sit down with our enemies. He told Paris Match, “I want to have direct talks with countries like Iran and Syria because I don’t believe we can stabilize the region unless not just our friends but also our enemies are involved in these discussions.”
Plans such as this have resulted in Hillary Clinton, Rudy Giuliani, and others accusing the possible next commander in chief of naiveté. Keirsey says the Idealist has to be careful not to make errors in judgment by projecting “their own attributes onto others.” Because they tend to have a positive outlook, they can be “surprised when people or events do not turn out as anticipated.”
The ENFP can have a problem with “restlessness,” says Kroeger. “As a task or responsibility drags on and its mantle becomes increasingly routine, the ENFP can become more pensive, moody, and even rigid.” Obama himself referred in a debate to his disorganization and dislike of paperwork—and his self-knowledge that “I need to have good people in place who can make sure that systems run.” But as Purdum writes, it is Obama’s “restlessness” that prompted him “to take a chance, to aim higher—when others told him to wait his turn.”
John McCain is an Artisan, and his specific type is an ESTP, what Keirsey calls the Promoter. The ESTP is, according to Keirsey, “practical, optimistic, cynical, and focused on the here and now.” If the ESTP portrait gives you a feeling of déjà vu, it’s because George W. Bush is an ESTP, too. They are a common presidential type: Both Roosevelts, JFK, and LBJ were ESTPs. “Artisans need to be potent, to be felt as a strong presence and they want to affect the course of events,” writes Keirsey. They hunger to “have a piece of the action,” “to make something happen” whether “on the battlefield” or “in the political arena.” So many politicians are Artisans because “politics allows not only for maneuvering, excitement, and risk—but for powerful social impact.”
In a Newsweek profile of McCain, Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine said, “He’s a real player in the Senate. He has tremendous impact.” As McCain said to Esquire, “I get attacked everyday because I’m working with Ted Kennedy. How can I work with Kennedy? Because I want to get something done.”
“Artisans also make everyone else look like amateurs when it comes to improvising survival tactics,” writes Keirsey. Their wily ability to make do in dire circumstances makes them “successful scroungers as prisoners of war.” Newsweek describes how “McCain survived in prison camp by sheer cussedness.”
Artisans “are not threatened by the possibility of failure in themselves or others, so they are likely to take risks and encourage others to do the same.” That is how a man whose election prospects were dim only a few months ago can say to the Washington Post of the campaign, “Actually, it’s been very invigorating, it really has been.”
Promoters have strong people skills, but it is not the warm sense of connection one gets from an Idealist like Obama. “Promoters are so engaging … that they might seem to possess an unusual amount of empathy, when in fact this is not the case,” writes Keirsey. “Rather, they are uncanny at reading people’s faces and observing their body language.” Or as the Wall Street Journal recently wrote, “When Mr. McCain took the stage in Sun City, the applause was polite. When he finished, he got a standing ovation. … [H]is ability to sense and ride the emotional flow of an audience is astonishing.”
Grand theories are not for the ESTP. “No high-flown speculation for the Artisan, no deep meaning or introspection. [They] focus on what actually happens in the real world, on what works, on what pays off, and not on whose toes get stepped on.” This is how you get labeled a “maverick” and “Sen. Hothead.” This is why the Wall Street Journal writes, “Mr. McCain’s great political strength has also been his main weakness, which is that his political convictions are more personal than ideological.”
Keirsey says Artisans “are the world’s great risk-takers. They delight in putting themselves in jeopardy, taking chances, facing hazards.” (Does this sound familiar? See: Iraq.) When times call for careful planning, or consistent, long-term management, you don’t call on the ESTP. Keirsey writes that they “may be careless about details” or “they can be unprepared at times when preparation is called for, and can spring the unexpected on colleagues.” “They are like firemen who, having nothing to do set fires so that they can put them out.”
– – – WORK for my dearest and beloved students… February 7, 2008
Posted by janargy in Uncategorized.26 comments
BPAG 4-1 (Seminar in Public Administration)
- Divide the Class in four (4) groups. Each group must create a plan for holding a youth leadership camp. Venue must have an open ground for activities and must either be located in Rizal, Laguna, Cavite or Bulacan (one venue for each group). There are more or less 200 participants. Create a budget that will not require each to shell out more than 1,500.00 PHP for a three day two night leadership camp. Camp will be held on March 15-17, 2008. Try to be creative, resourceful and please don’t bind me in your plans, try to create options. The plan should be available on Thursday, February 14, 2008.
- Comment on at least ten (ten) articles/post on this blog, no later than Valentines Day of 2008.
BPS 4-2 (Foreign Policy of Major Powers)
- Compare the foreign policy programs of Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and John McCain. Try to make a conclusion on who has the best foreign policy, a policy which has the best interest for humankind and not just for USA. No more than 1,500 words. To be posted on the article on this blog titled HILLARY, OBAMA or McCAIN. No later than Thursday, February 14, 2008.
- Comment on at least ten (ten) articles/post on this blog, except for the ten you have made remarks on, no later than Valentines Day of 2008.
BPAG 3-1, BPS 3-2, BPAG 3-3 (Political Dynamics)
- If you were the strategist for Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama (choose only one), what advice would you give him/her to finally clinch the Democrat Party nomination and the election in November. No more than 1,500 words. To be posted in the comment section of this blog titled HILLARY, OBAMA or McCAIN no later than February 14, 2008.
- Comment on at least ten (ten) articles/post on this blog, except for the ten you have made remarks on, no later than Valentines Day of 2008.
ABPH 1-1 /MN 2-2D (Politics and Government with Philippine Constitution)
- If you were allowed to vote in the 2008 American Presidential elections, would you vote for Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama or John McCain. Keep explanations short and simple. To be posted on the article on this blog titled HILLARY, OBAMA or McCAIN. No later than Thursday, February 14, 2008
- Comment on at least ten (ten) articles/post on this blog, except for the ten you have made remarks on, no later than Valentines Day of 2008.
Goodluck and hope to see you all soon! I’m now in India, enjoying the sunny weather, the spicy foods, beautiful view and friendly Indians.
– – – What my friend Gette wrote about me… January 29, 2008
Posted by janargy in Friends Blog.126 comments
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Jan, O Jan Panu Kung Wala Ka? |
Jan 2, ’08 1:40 AM for everyone |
Dahil hindi ordinaryong tao si Jan sa buhay ko, ipinasya kong sa kauna-unahang pagkakataon ay pahirapan ang sarili ko at sumulat sa wikang Filipino, at ang paksa syempre ay walang iba kundi si Jan-Argy Y. Tolentino. Kung isusulat ko kasi ito sa Ingles ay baka wala nang dating kay Jan dahil lahat na nang naibigay kong sulat sa kanya ay nasusulat sa Ingles. Isa pa, ito ay pagpapatunay kung gaano ko siya kamahal dahil napakahirap para sa akin ang magsulat sa Tagalog.
Taong 1993, Hunyo ko nakilala si Jan. Sa apat na sulok ng mainit na silid-aralan sa PUP, sa gitna nang maiingay at makukulit na estudyante madali kong napansin si Jan. Matalino kaya! Actually, oops, sa totoo lang pala, bonus lang yun. Palakaibigan at napakabait na tao ni Jan.
Ano kaya ang buhay ko kung hindi ko nakilala o naging kaibigan si Jan?
Syempre hindi mabubuo yung grupo na tinatawag naming Power Rangers. Ito yung barkada namin nung college pa kami. Ito rin ang pamagat ng isa sa mga kauna-unahan at paborito kong “obra” – “The Power Rangers”. Sabi ko dun, si Jan, na binansagan naming Red 1, siya ang “utak” ng grupo. Taong 1999 ko sinulat yun at gusto kong balikan, may parte dun na sinulat ko “If Red 1 will be extra careful in handling his relationships, he will bag the “most eligble bachelor” title. May pagka Nostra Damus pala ako. Magtatapos na ang taong 2007 , o di ba, siya nga ang Most Eligible Bachelor!
Kung hindi ko nakilala si Jan, hindi siguro ako naging KALIPI. Mas malamang nakikibaka ako sa lungsod o kaya nama’y nagtatago sa kanayunan.
Kung hindi ko naging kaibigan si Jan, wala sigurong mag-aabot sa akin ng 300 pesos dahil sa nalaman na buntis na ako, at wala na kong dapat sabihin pa. Matalino talaga si Jan, alam nyang wala akong pambili ng Clusivol-OB!
Kung wala si Jan, lalo sigurong napakadilim ng pinagdaanan ko dati. Pero dahil andun si Jan ng panahong iyon, sapat na para maramdaman kong mabuting tao pa rin ako dahil hindi niya ako iniwanan.
Sa unang pagkakataon, gusto kong malaman ni Jan na siya ang nagturo sa akin ng humility o kababaang-loob. Kung bakit, dapat alam na iyon ng lahat ng mga nakakakilala sa kanya.
Kung wala si Jan sa buhay ko, hindi ko siguro masyadong maiintindihan ang kahulugan ng isang “free spirit.”
Marami pa, marami pang hindi ko nalaman, hindi ko naintindihan, hindi ko naramdaman, marami pang pwedeng idagdag, kung hindi ko naging kaibigan si Jan.
Pero sabi nga, mapaglaro ang buhay. Swerte ko dahil naging matalik ko siyang kaibigan, at kung totoo ngang mapaglaro ang buhay, si Jan ang naging pinaka-“game” kong kalaro.
Maligayang-maligayang kaarawan sa iyo! Hindi ko alam kung ano ka sa buhay ng iba. Siguro, higit pa sa mga halimbawang sinulat ko rito. At dahil doon, natutuwa ako, dahil madami pala kaming pinagpala!!
(Grabe, ang hirap nito)
written on 30 December 2007, Jan’s birthday
(Thank you so much Gette!!! All for a friend! mwah!)
– – – What your Boss DONT want you to be January 21, 2008
Posted by janargy in lessons in work.85 comments
You’re relatively new to the workforce and you’re eager to make a positive impression on your boss. That’s a great attitude to have, but it isn’t enough.
The truth is that when you enter the professional world, you bring some personal habits that may or may not please the boss. And it’s likely that you lack the proper perspective to know the difference.The office environment functions according to well-established and preordained routines. It relies on patterns, systems, cycles, and procedures for it to run efficiently. Such an atmosphere engenders various habits in everyone — a fact that’s as easy to forget as it is imperative to remember. As you meander about the office, trying to get a footing, it would be wise to remember that good habits generally require an effort to develop, whereas bad habits germinate in their absence.
Before it all becomes too familiar to you, learn the kinds of habits bosses hate so you can avoid developing them in the first place.
You don’t show initiative
No boss wants the burden of having to chronically tell you what to do. It’s time-consuming, exhausting and he’ll lose confidence in your abilities. It’s a manner that is lazy and it’s one of those habits bosses hate. Don’t wait to be told what to do, particularly during downtime. Your boss would rather see that you’ve taken the initiative to alphabetize a filing cabinet than surf the web when things are slow.When you give the impression that you’re unmotivated, you send a clear message of disinterest to your boss. Your boss probably has a lot invested in his job, so one of the last things he wants to see or hear from you is a lack of regard toward, or affection for, your job.
You show too much initiative
On the other hand, you should also be concerned with showing too much initiative. It doesn’t matter if it stems from excessive ambition, motivation, energy, or even a basic desire to please, it’s one of many habits bosses hate. Be careful not to overdo tasks and assignments; it’s generally unnecessary. Instead of giving the impression that you’re hard-working and creative, it has the potential for seeming inefficient: Why bother adding colors and graphs to a research assignment when that time would have been better spent getting on with other work?
An additional danger of showing too much initiative is in showing disrespect toward the office hierarchy. When you go above and beyond the call of duty, there’s a chance that you’ll step on some toes.
You make excuses
This is one of the most annoying habits bosses hate. If you give him an excuse, it means that you overlooked some responsibility and are now offering a defense on your own behalf for that oversight. “I didn’t get the research done because I had a flat tire and by the time I got home it was really late.”
Whether or not that statement is true, what your boss hears is: “It’s not my fault; a flat tire absolved me of responsibility.” Your boss will be less focused on what you actually said and more on what you imply.
Ultimately, you should know the difference between an excuse and an explanation. By definition, the former seeks exemption from blame, while the latter seeks clarity from confusion. The unnecessary details that typically subsidize an excuse only create more confusion; they do not address the fundamental point, which is your mistake. And when you address your mistake — by acknowledging it and by taking steps to correct it — it’s the only thing your boss cares about and it’s the only thing you should expect him to care about.Finally, resist the urge to embellish on an excuse or to flat out fabricate one. It may seem like the solution for getting you out of a jam, but you will have created another issue for which to be accountable.
You complain
Moaning, b*tching and whining are all reasonable synonyms for complaining. And no one, especially your boss, has any interest in hearing them; it’s just one of those habits bosses hate.Just because your boss has worked there a while and earns more money, doesn’t mean that he’s any happier about some aspects of the job, such as staying late. He has a life too, and he knows which office situations are unpleasant without getting a reminder from you. It is in your best interest to avoid such phrases as: “God this sucks” or “I was supposed to meet someone an hour ago.”Before you open your mouth, know the difference between a complaint and a critique. Complaints are personal and anyone can complain. Critiques require an effort because they tend to be constructive, meaning they aim to correct something. If the comment about to leave your mouth does not feature a proposed solution, if it’s so banal it could not even support a solution (“It’s only three o’clock? This is the longest day ever!”), save it for happy hour, your girlfriend or your blog.
You ask too many questions
Naturally, it’s not a bad thing to ask questions, especially when you’re trying to clarify tasks before taking them on. In fact, asking questions should be encouraged. Asking too many questions, especially too many stupid questions, is among the habits bosses hate and can quickly become aggravating. To begin, they are a fundamental waste of the boss’ time and an emblem of inefficiency. They also reflect very poorly on you, your intelligence and on the perceptions others will develop about you. A manager will think twice before assigning you an important job, remembering how the last time you practically needed someone to hold your hand all the way through.
The bottom line is that bosses value employees who are resourceful enough to figure some things out on their own.
Without exception, there’s a motif running through these habits bosses hate: These habits tend to devour space and time in the life of your boss that aren’t yours to occupy. By squandering his time you have delayed him elsewhere — and he’ll likely remember the reason why.You’ll find that some people, even longtime veterans of the workforce, continue to exhibit the kinds of habits bosses hate. Don’t be surprised if those are the same people who also complain about the company’s glass ceilings, how they fail to encourage their employees and how rarely they give raises.
– – – What your Boss wants you to be January 21, 2008
Posted by janargy in lessons in work.60 comments
You show accountability
Your boss has more to do than ensure that your work gets done accurately and on time; he has his own work to do and he has a boss who holds him accountable to that work as well as the work you do. When you deliver on, or before, deadlines and produce results, you contribute to the smooth, efficient workings of the office without drawing negative attention to yourself.Accountability also means that you take responsibility for your failures as much as you would for your successes. To that end, this touches on one of the habits bosses hate — making excuses. A boss understands that some situations are beyond anyone’s control, but the difference is made in how you react to those situations. Accountable people don’t offer excuses — period. Rather, they do what needs to be done — and that’s why accountability is one of the habits bosses love.
You’re prepared
A maxim attributed to Roman dramatist Seneca the Younger suggests that luck or success is the outcome of preparation meeting opportunity. This sentiment can be found among an assortment of other quotes and proverbial sayings, giving it the credence of centuries.What does it mean, and how is it applicable? Any time that you’re scheduled to participate in a meeting, whether it’s as big as a conference or as small as a one-on-one with your boss, you should enter the situation armed to the teeth with as much pertinent information as you can find. By “pertinent” we mean relevant to that particular meeting, to your position in the company and to the industry as a whole. Habits bosses love come in many shapes and forms, but when he doesn’t have to hold your hand and explain new concepts or strategies to you, because you stay abreast of your position and industry, he’ll make you his star employee.Bosses appreciate employees who are prepared for a variety of reasons: it shows dedication, self-motivation and confidence — three factors that happen to play a huge role in getting you promoted.
You work smart
There are only so many hours in the workday, and your boss shouldn’t expect anything more out of you than to make the most of those hours. Efficiency is one of the many, and most important, habits bosses love. You would benefit greatly if you learn to maximize your time. You can learn this skill with a course in time management, where you will learn to comprehend the working difference between efficiency and effectiveness. Part of that difference is in taking the time to do those things well that require time, as opposed to simply ”getting them done.”
Working late does not necessarily give your boss the impression that you’re working hard. In fact, the more common perception is that you’re working with some degree of inefficiency. If you need extra time to get work done, you’ll make a better impression if you come to work early.
You stay current
Staying current — in news, technologies and skill sets — is always beneficial, but it is all the more urgent in today’s fast-paced business climate. Sign up for e-mail alerts and newsletters pertinent to your industry and keep an eye out for classes you can take to keep your skill set current. While a few professions require annual competency exams, the majority do not, and anyone can quickly become out-dated due to rapidly progressing technologies.Staying current is one of the habits bosses love because it shows him that you’re motivated, intelligent, interested, and self-confident. If you can suggest new and emerging ideas to apply to your current profession, you help keep your employer on the cutting edge, you make your boss look like a genius for hiring you, and you come out looking phenomenal in the process.
You make them look good
This is something of a catch-all category, one that can be achieved on some level by adopting all of the previously listed habits bosses love and striving to eliminate the hated ones. But it doesn’t end there. In trying to make the boss look good, there is a huge potential to be perceived as a kiss-ass — a perception that won’t help you at any stage in the course of your career. In short, no one likes a suck-up, and no one has liked them since first meeting the teacher’s pet in grammar school. Bosses are not bound to find this behavior appealing because of the way it reflects on them, and for this same reason, they’re not likely to reward it.Therefore, learn to resist the urge to trumpet your successes. Rather, take satisfaction in the knowledge that these successes are scoring you points with the higher-ups, and that you’ll be rewarded accordingly.
There’s no denying that these features on workplace habits advocate a degree of conformity within the workplace. But it is far less about blind, mechanical conformity and more about learning to successfully adapt to the situation around you — a trait that, once developed, has applications that go well beyond the workplace.
– – – After Break-ups… January 7, 2008
Posted by janargy in Love.189 comments
What do I do after a break-up…
I travel abroad…
I meet with friends that I havent seen for a long time…
Videoke!…
walk! walk! walk!…
think of nasty things about my ex (hehehe, pure thoughts no action)…
eat…
drink (water, beer, alcohol, et. al)…
threesome (whatever that is)…
FYI, I heard that January is the break up month, maybe *!@holes wants their gifts first before breaking up. So what’s your breakup behavior? What do you do to get over a nasty breakup?
How to Survive Break-ups by the Relationship Journalist January 7, 2008
Posted by janargy in Love.102 comments
- a shoulder to cry on
- a voice of reason
- damage control (in case you get the urge to contact your ex)
- the bright side
Tips for assembling the perfect Boo-Hoo Crew
- Include only those friends who are loving and supportive.
- Exclude any so-called friends who might say things like “I told you so,” brag about their own relationship, or ask if they can call your ex (in fact, dump these “friends” immediately!).
- Do not include any mutual friends who might report back to your ex on your progress (and/or dish about your setbacks).
The Boo-Hoo Crew code of honor
Breaking Someone’s Heart by the Relationship Journalist January 7, 2008
Posted by janargy in Love.106 comments
Don’t: Call, email, text or visit your ex in a moment of weakness
Even though you brought on the breakup, there may still be times when you miss your ex. A song might come on the radio that reminds you of them. Something funny will happen and you’ll want to share it. Or maybe you’re just having a bad day and want to reach out and reconnect.
Do: Ask friends for help
Your Boo-Hoo Crew should always know (and be able to remind you) why your ex wasn’t good for you then, and why they’re definitely not worth pining over now.
Don’t: Second-guess your decision
Do: See your breakup for what it really is
By walking away from that wrong relationship, you’re headed towards a life that’s more honest and authentic for you. What better way to eventually attract your perfect partner than by living and loving your own life?
Don’t: Badmouth your ex
Do: Become a breakup rock star
– – – solution to global warming… December 29, 2007
Posted by janargy in Lessons in Life.144 comments
One pound of anything, when it is completely converted into energy, in keeping with Einstein’s mathematical equation E=mc2,will produce 11,400 million kilowatt-hours of energy. Great solution to our energy problem (and global warming as well) from a great man…
– – – St. Francis December 29, 2007
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St Francis, who founded the Franciscan religious order in 1209, had no theological training. He was a layman, born rich. But when he gave away his possessions and embarked on a career of charity and good deeds, his father disowned him. Bad daddy!!!
– – – Generous Ernest December 29, 2007
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Ernest Hemingway gave to the Shrine of the Virgin in Eastern Cuba, where he lived, Nobel Prize money he had won for the novel The Old Man and the Sea. “You don’t,” he said, “ever have a thing until you give it away.”
– – – Abe December 29, 2007
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He
– lost his job in 1832
– was defeated for the US legislature in 1832
– failed in business in 1833
– sufered a nervous breakdown in 1836
– was defeated for speaker of the Illinois state legislature in 1838
– was defeated for nomination for US Congress in 1843
– lost renomination to US Congress in 1848
– was rejected for land office in 1849
– was defeated for the US Senate in 1854
– was defeated for nomination for US Vice President in 1856
– was defeated for the US Senate in 1858
– became the 16th US President in 1861, who is also known as Honest Abe,
… and became one of the greatest man who ever walked this planet!
– – – Friends… December 28, 2007
Posted by janargy in Lessons in Life.173 comments
GREAT THINGS ABOUT FrIeNdS…
… they will give you a loan at a much better rate than the bank.
… shares your drink without fear of germs.
… they are better at cheering you up than parents do.
… just hearing their voice makes you feel better.
… someone with whom you can trust your online passwords.
… without them you’d never dare to attend school reunions.
… waits with you until your bus comes.
… and lastly, friendship is less likely to break up than a romantic relationships would do.
Im so glad I have friends…
– – – What matters according to Vito December 28, 2007
Posted by janargy in Lessons in Life.126 comments
In life, what matters are:
-not what we bought but what we built;
-not what we got but what we shared;
-not our success but our significance;
-not what we learned but we taught;
-not our competence but our character;
-not how long we will be remembered but by whom and for what;
Live a life…
that matters…
that cares…
that loves…
– – – Twelve Days of Christmas December 26, 2007
Posted by janargy in Lessons in Life.82 comments
There is one Christmas Carol that has always baffled me!
What in the world do leaping lords, French hens, swimming swans, and especially the partridge that won’t come out of the pear tree have to do with Christmas?
From 1558 until 1829, Roman Catholics in England were not permitted to practice their faith openly. Someone during that era wrote this carol as a catechism song for young Catholics.
It has two levels of meaning:
The surface meaning plus a hidden meaning known only to members of their church. Each element in the carol has a code word for a religious reality which the children could remember.
The partridge in a pear tree was Jesus Christ.
Two turtle doves were the Old and New Testaments.
Three French hens stood for faith, hope and love.
The four calling birds were the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
The five golden rings recalled the Torah or Law, the first five books of the Old Testament.
The six geese a-laying stood for the six days of creation.
Seven swans a-swimming represented the sevenfold gifts of the Holy Spirit-Prophesy, Serving, Teaching, Exhortation, contribution, Leadership, and Mercy.
The eight maids a-milking were the eight beatitudes.
Nine ladies dancing were the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit-Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness,
Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self Control.
The ten lords a-leaping were the Ten Commandments.
The eleven pipers piping stood for the eleven faithful disciples.
The twelve drummers drumming symbolized the twelve points of belief in the Apostles’ Creed.
So there is your history for today. This knowledge was shared with me and I found it interesting and enlightening and now I know how that strange song became a Christmas Carol…so pass it on if you wish. Merry Christmas to all!!!
– – – Free Haircut December 26, 2007
Posted by janargy in Lessons in Life.127 comments
There was this good old barber in a city in the United States . One day a florist went to him for a haircut. After the cut, he wanted to pay the barber but the barber replied, “I don’t accept money from you. I’m doing community service.” The florist was happy and left the barbershop.
The next morning when the barber opened his shop, there was a “thank you” card and a dozen roses waiting at his door.
The following day, a policeman went for a haircut and he also wanted to pay the barber after the cut. But the barber replied, “I don’t accept money from you. I’m doing community service.” The cop was happy and left the barbershop.
The next morning when the barber opened his shop, there is a “thank you” card and a dozen freshly baked donuts waiting at his door.
On the third day, a Filipino software engineer went for a haircut. He also wanted to pay the barber. But the barber also replied,” I’m sorry. I don’t accept money from you. I’m doing community service.” The Filipino software engineer was happy and left.
The following morning when the barber opened his shop, he had a big surprise! Guess what he found!
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>Come on, think like a Filipino….
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>O, sirit ka na ba?
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>There were a dozen FILIPINOS waiting for free haircuts !
– – – Lolo’s Pamana November 23, 2007
Posted by janargy in Lessons in Life.139 comments
One day, Daye was cleaning out her late grandfather’s belongings when she came across a bright red envelope. Written on the front were the words, “To my granddaugther.” Recognizing her grandfather’s handwriting, she opened the envelope. A letter inside read:
Dear Daye,
Years ago you came to me for help. You said, “Lolo Pitong, how is it that you’ve accomplished so much in your life? You’re still full of energy, and I’m already tired of struggling. How can I get that same enthusiasm that you’ve got?”
I didn’t know what to say to you then. But knowing my days are numbered, I figure that I owe you an answer.
So here is what I believe. I think a lot of it has to do with how a person looks at things. I call it ‘keeping your eyes wide open.’ First, realize that life is filled with surprises, but many are good ones. If you don’t keep watching for them, you’ll miss half the excitement.
Expect to be thrilled once in a while, and you will be. When you meet up with challenges, welcome them. They’ll leave you wiser, stronger, and more capable than you were the day before.
When you make a mistake, be grateful for the things it taught you. Resolve to use that lesson to help you reach your goals.
And follow the rules. Even the little ones. When you follow the rules, life works. If you think you ever really get by with breaking the rules, you’re only fooling yourself. It’s also important to decide exactly what you want.
Then keep your mind focused on it, and be prepared to receive it. But be ready to end up in some new places too. As you grow with the years, you’ll be given bigger shoes to fill. So be ready for endings as well as challenging beginnings.
Sometimes we have to be brave enough to move from the familiar to the unfamiliar. Life isn’t just reaching peaks. Part of it is moving from one peak to the next. If you rest too long in between, you might be tempted to quit.
Leave the past in the past. Climb the next mountain and enjoy the view. Dump things that weigh you down emotionally and spiritually.
When an old resentment, belief, or attitude becomes heavy, lighten your load. Shed those hurtful attitudes that slow you down and drain your energy.
Remember that your choices will create your successes and your failures. So consider all the pathways ahead, and decide which ones to follow. Then believe in yourself, get up, and get going.
And be sure to take breaks once in a while. They’ll give you a renewed commitment to your dreams and a cheerful, healthy perception of the things that matter the most to you.
Most important of all, never give up on yourself. The person that ends up a winner is the one who resolves to win. Give life everything you’ve got, and life will give its best back to you.
Love always,
Lolo Pitong
– – – it’s Thanksgiving… November 23, 2007
Posted by janargy in Lessons in Life, Uncategorized.114 comments
All the grandkids were visiting for Thanksgiving. Before dinner, Grandma made a lengthy speech about being thankful for her extra-special blessings, her four grandchildren.Two seconds after she stopped speaking, all hell broke loose and the kids were yelling and grabbing for the home-made rolls.Grandma sat there, eyes closed with a tight squint on her face.
When asked what was the matter, she replied, “I’m just praying for a little patience to handle all these blessings.”
– – – A teacher’s child November 23, 2007
Posted by janargy in Lessons in Life.73 comments
“There is a difference between education and experience. Education is what you get from reading the small print. Experience is what you get from not reading it!
But isn’t it true that great learning comes from both education and experience? Let me tell you a parable:A young school teacher had a dream that an angel appeared to him and said, “You will be given a child who will grow up to become a world leader. How will you prepare her so that she will realize her intelligence, grow in confidence, develop both her assertiveness and sensitivity, be open-minded, yet strong in character? In short, what kind of education will you provide that she can become one of the world’s truly GREAT leaders?”
The young teacher awoke in a cold sweat. It had never occurred to him before—any ONE of his present or future students could be the person described in his dream. Was he preparing them to rise to ANY POSITION to which they may aspire? He thought, ‘How might my teaching change if I KNEW that one of my students were this person?’ He gradually began to formulate a plan in his mind.
This student would need experience as well as instruction. She would need to know how to solve problems of various kinds. She would need to grow in character as well as knowledge. She would need self-assurance as well as the ability to listen well and work with others. She would need to understand and appreciate the past, yet feel optimistic about the future. She would need to know the value of lifelong learning in order to keep a curious and active mind. She would need to grow in understanding of others and become a student of the spirit. She would need to set high standards for herself and learn self discipline, yet she would also need love and encouragement, that she might be filled with love and goodness.
His teaching changed. Every young person who walked through his classroom became, for him, a future world leader. He saw each one, not as they were, but as they could be. He expected the best from his students, yet tempered it with compassion. He taught each one as if the future of the world depended on his instruction.After many years, a woman he knew rose to a position of world prominence. He realized that she must surely have been the girl described in his dream. Only she was not one of his students, but rather his daughter. For of all the various teachers in her life, her father was the best.
I’ve heard it said that “Children are living messages we send to a time and place we will never see.” But this isn’t simply a parable about an unnamed school teacher. It is a parable about you and me — whether or not we are parents or even teachers. And the story, OUR story, actually begins like this:“You will be given a child who will grow up to become….” You finish the sentence. If not a world leader, then a superb father? An excellent teacher? A gifted healer? An innovative problem solver? An inspiring artist? A generous philanthropist?
Where and how you will encounter this child is a mystery. But believe that one child’s future may depend upon influence only you can provide, and something remarkable will happen. For no young person will ever be ordinary to you again. And you will never be the same.
– – – stephen covey’s seven habits of highly effective people® November 16, 2007
Posted by janargy in Lessons in Life.89 comments
habit 1 – be proactive®
This is the ability to control one’s environment, rather than have it control you, as is so often the case. Self determination, choice, and the power to decide response to stimulus, conditions and circumstances
habit 2 – begin with the end in mind®
Covey calls this the habit of personal leadership – leading oneself that is, towards what you consider your aims. By developing the habit of concentrating on relevant activities you will build a platform to avoid distractions and become more productive and successful.
habit 3 – put first things first®
Covey calls this the habit of personal management. This is about organising and implementing activities in line with the aims established in habit 2. Covey says that habit 2 is the first, or mental creation; habit 3 is the second, or physical creation.
habit 4 – think win-win®
Covey calls this the habit of interpersonal leadership, necessary because achievements are largely dependent on co-operative efforts with others. He says that win-win is based on the assumption that there is plenty for everyone, and that success follows a co-operative approach more naturally than the confrontation of win-or-lose.
habit 5 – seek first to understand and then to be understood®
One of the great maxims of the modern age. This is Covey’s habit of communication, and it’s extremely powerful. Covey helps to explain this in his simple analogy ‘diagnose before you prescribe’. Simple and effective, and essential for developing and maintaining positive relationships in all aspects of life.
habit 6 – synergize®
Covey says this is the habit of creative co-operation – the principle that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, which implicitly lays down the challenge to see the good and potential in the other person’s contribution.
habit 7 – sharpen the saw®
This is the habit of self renewal, says Covey, and it necessarily surrounds all the other habits, enabling and encouraging them to happen and grow. Covey interprets the self into four parts: the spiritual, mental, physical and the social/emotional, which all need feeding and developing.
– – – Leadership Behaviour for the nEw Managers November 16, 2007
Posted by janargy in Lessons in Life.59 comments
Leadership skills are based on leadership behaviour. Skills alone do not make leaders – style and behaviour do. If you are interested in leadership training and development – start with leadership behaviour. Leadership is mostly about behaviour, especially towards others. People who strive for these things generally come to be regarded and respected as a leader by their people:
- Integrity – the most important requirement; without it everything else is for nothing.
- Being very grown-up – never getting emotional with people – no shouting or ranting, even if you feel very upset or angry.
- Leading by example – always be seen to be working harder and more determinedly than anyone else.
- Help alongside your people when they need it.
- Fairness – treat everyone equally and on merit.
- Be firm and clear in dealing with bad or unethical behaviour.
- Listen to and really understand people, and show them that you understand (this doesn’t mean you have to agree with everyone – understanding is different to agreeing).
- Always take the responsibility and blame for your people’s mistakes.
- Always give your people the credit for your successes.
- Never self-promote.
- Back up and support your people.
- Be decisive, but be seen to be making fair and balanced decisions.
- Ask for people’s views, but remain neutral and objective.
- Be honest but sensitive in the way that gives bad news or criticism.
- Always do what you say you will do – keep your promises.
- Work hard to become expert at what you do technically, and at understanding your people’s technical abilities and challenges.
- Encourage your people to grow, learn and take on as much as they want to, at a pace they can handle.
- Always accentuate the positive (say ‘do it like this’, not ‘don’t do it like that’).
- Smile and encourage others to be happy and enjoy themselves.
- Relax, and give your people and yourself time to get to know and respect each other.
- Take notes and keep good records.
- Plan and prioritise.
- Manage your time well and help others to do so too.
- Involve your people in your thinking and especially in managing change.
- Read good books, and take advice from good people, to help develop your own understanding of yourself, and particularly of other people’s weaknesses (some of the best books on leadership are not about business at all – they are about people who triumph over adversity).
- Achieve the company tasks and objectives, but never at the cost of your integrity or the trust of your people.
– – – Welchian Advise November 16, 2007
Posted by janargy in Lessons in Life.49 comments
Jack Welch, respected business leader and writer is quoted as proposing these fundamental leadership principles:
- There is only one way – the straight way. It sets the tone of the organisation.
- Be open to the best of what everyone, everywhere, has to offer. transfer learning across your organisation.
- Get the right people in the right jobs – it is more important than developing a strategy.
- An informal atmosphere is a competitive advantage.
- Make sure everybody counts and everybody knows they count.
- Legitimate self-confidence is a winner – the true test of self-confidence is the courage to be open.
- Business has to be fun – celebrations energise and organisation.
- Never underestimate the other guy.
- Understand where real value is added and put your best people there.
- Know when to meddle and when to let go – this is pure instinct.
– – – Q&@ November 16, 2007
Posted by janargy in Lessons in Life.132 comments
Question 1: If you knew a woman who was pregnant, who had eight children already, three who were deaf, two who were blind, one mentally retarded, and she had syphilis, would you recommend that she have an abortion?
Remember your honest answer and go to question 2.
Question 2: It is time to elect the world leader, and yours is the deciding vote. Here are the facts about the three leading candidates:
Candidate A: He associates with crooked politicians, and consults with astrologers. He’s had two mistresses. He also chain smokes and drinks up to ten Martinis a day.
Candidate B: He was ejected from office twice, sleeps until noon, used opium in college and drinks a large amounts of whiskey every evening.
Candidate C: He is a decorated war hero. He’s a vegetarian, doesn’t smoke, drinks an occasional beer and hasn’t had any extra-marital affairs.
Leave your email, i’ll send you the answer once you gave your comments…
– – – SuPeR DeCiSiVe November 16, 2007
Posted by janargy in Lessons in Life.84 comments
There was once a training manager who attended a decision making course. He had performed extremely well on the course and, in turn, he was very impressed by the content and training methods.On his return to the training centre, he called his senior trainer into the office to tell him how impressive this course had been. He finished by saying, ‘You know, you really should go on this course.’
‘That’s a good idea,’ replied the senior trainer, ‘when am I going?’
‘I don’t know — I haven’t decided yet!’ came the decisive reply.
– – – A Love Story To Remember November 14, 2007
Posted by janargy in Love.169 comments
A certain rich businessman had a beautiful daughter, who fell in love with a guy who was a cleaner, When the girl’s father came to know about their love, he did not like it at all, and so began to protest about it. Now it happened that the two lovers decided to leave their homes for a happy future.
The girl’s father started searching for the two lovers but could not find them. At last, he accepted their love and asked them to come back home in a local newspaper. Her father said “If you both come back I will allow you to marry the guy you love, I accept that you loved each other truly.”So in this way, their love won and they returned home.
The couple went to town to shop for the wedding dress. He was dressed in white shirt that day. While he was crossing the road to the other side to get some drinks for his wife, a car came and hit him and h e died on the spot.
The girl lost her senses. It was only after sometimes that she recovered from her shock. The funeral and cremation was the very next day because he had died horribly.
Two nights later, the girl’s mother had a dream in which she saw an old lady. The old lady asked her mother to wash the blood stains of the guy from her daughter’s dress as soon as possible. But her other ignored the dream.
The next night her father had the same dream, he also ignored it.
Then when the girl had the same dream the next night, she woke up in fear and told her mother about the dream. Her mother asked her to wash the clothes which have blood stains immediately.She washed the stains but some remained.
Next night she again had the same dream she again washed the stains but some still remained . Next night she again had the same dream and this time the old lady gave her a last warning to wash the blood stain, or else something terrible will happen.
This time the girl tried her best to wash the stains, and the clothes nearly tore, but some stains still remained. She was very tired. In the late evening the same day while she was alone at home, someone knocked the door. When she opened the door she saw the same old lady of her dream standing at her door. She got very scared and fainted.
The old lady woke her up… and gave her a blue object, which shocked the girl. She asked “What is this…?” The old lady replied…
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” Gumamit ka ng TIDE. P5.00 na lang, mas pinalaki pa! “.
– – -The Devil and the Politician November 14, 2007
Posted by janargy in Lessons in Life.129 comments
While walking down the street one day a Philippine senator is tragically hit by a truck and dies. His soul arrives in heaven and is met by St. Peter at the entrance.
“Welcome to heaven,” says St. Peter. “Before you settle in, it seems there is a problem. We seldom see a high official around these parts, you see, so we’re not sure what to do with you.”
“No problem, just let me in,” says the senator.
“Well, I’d like to, but I have orders from the higher ups. What we’ll do is have you spend one day in hell and one in heaven. Then you can choose where to spend eternity.”
“Really, I’ve made up my mind. I want to be in heaven,” says the senator.
And with that, St. Peter escorts him to the elevator and he goes down, down, down to hell. The doors open and he finds himself in the middle of a green golf course. In the distance is a clubhouse and standing in front of it are all his friends and other politicians who had worked with him.
Everyone is very happy and in evening dress. They run to greet him, shake his hand, and reminisce about the good times they had while getting rich at the expense of the people. They play a friendly game of golf and then dine on lobster, caviar and champagne.
Also present is the devil, who really is a very friendly guy who is having a good time dancing and telling jokes.
They are all having such a good time that before the senator realizes it, it is time to go. Everyone gives him a hearty farewell and waves while the elevator rises. The elevator goes up, up, up and the door reopens in heaven where St. Peter is waiting for him, “Now it’s time to visit heaven.”
So, 24 hours pass with the senator joining a group of contented souls moving from cloud to cloud, playing the harp and singing. They have a good time and before he realizes it, the 24 hours have gone by and St. Peter returns.
“Well, then, you’ve spent a day in hell and another in heaven. Now choose your eternity.”
The senator reflects for a minute, then he answers: “Well, I would never have said it before, I mean heaven has been delightful, but I think I would be better off in hell.”
So St. Peter escorts him to the elevator and he goes down, down, down to hell.
Now the doors of the elevator open and he’s in the middle of a barren land covered with waste and garbage. He sees all his friends, dressed in rags, picking up the trash and putting it in black bags as more trash falls from above.
The devil comes over to him and puts his arm around his shoulders.
“I don’t understand,” stammers the senator. “Yesterday I was here and there was a golf course and clubhouse, and we ate lobster and caviar, drank champagne, and danced and had a great time. Now there’s just a wasteland full of garbage and my friends look miserable. What happened?”
The devil smiles at him and says, “Yesterday we were campaigning…Today, you voted.”
– – – Bride and Groom August 10, 2007
Posted by janargy in Love.160 comments
Attending a wedding for the first time, a little girl whispered to her mother, “Why is the bride dressed in white?”“Because white is the color of happiness, and today is the happiest day of her life.”
The child thought about this for a moment, then said, “So why is the groom wearing black?”
– – -The Truth about Cats and Dogs August 10, 2007
Posted by janargy in Lessons in Life.68 comments
Adam said, ‘Lord, when I was in the garden, you walked with me every day. Now I do not see you any more. I am lonesome here and it is difficult for me to remember how much you love me.’And God said ‘No problem. I will create a companion for you that will be with you forever and who will be a reflection of my love for you so that you will love me even when you cannot see me. Regardless of how selfish or childish or unlovable you may be, this new companion will accept you as you are and will love you as I do, in spite of yourself.’
And God created a new animal to be a companion for Adam. And it was a good animal. And God was pleased. And the new animal was pleased to be with Adam and it wagged its tail.
And Adam said, ‘Lord, I have already named all the animals in the Kingdom and I cannot think of a name for this new animal.’
And God said, ‘No problem. Because I have created this new animal to be a reflection of my love for you his name will be a reflection of my own name, and you will call him Dog.’
And Dog lived with Adam and was a companion to him and loved him. And Adam was comforted. And God was pleased. And Dog was content and wagged his tail.
After a while, it came to pass that Adam’s guardian angel came to the Lord and said, ‘Lord, Adam has become filled with pride. He struts and preens like a peacock and he believes he is worthy of adoration. Dog has indeed taught him that he is loved, but perhaps too well.’
And the Lord said, ‘No problem. I will create for him a companion who will be with him forever and who will see him as he is. The companion will remind him of his limitations, so he will know that he is not always worthy of adoration.’
And God created Cat to be a companion to Adam. And Cat would not obey Adam. And when Adam gazed into Cat’s eyes, he was reminded that he was not the Supreme Being. And Adam learned humility.
And God was pleased. And Adam was greatly improved. And Dog was happy.
And Cat didn’t care one way or the other.
– – – You know you are a teacher if… September 9, 2006
Posted by janargy in Lessons in Life.63 comments
You know you are a teacher if…
§ You think people should get a government permit before being allowed to reproduce.
§ You wonder how some parents managed to reproduce.
§ You believe no one should be permitted to reproduce without having first taught in a Primary setting for at east 10 years.
§ You find humor in other people’s stupidity.
§ You want to slap the next person who says “Must be nice to work 9:00 to 3:30 and have all those holidays”
§ You believe that unspeakable evils will befall you if anyone says “Boy, the kids sure are mellow today!”
§ When out in public you feel the urge to snap your fingers at children you don’t know and correct their behavior.
§ You have ever had your profession slammed by some one who would NEVER DREAM of doing your job!
§ You know you are in for a major project when a parent comes to you and says “I have a great idea to discuss, I think it would be such fun!”
§ You are looking for grammatical errors and spelling mistakes in this (you are aren’t you?)
§ You want to choke a person when he or she says “Oh,you must have such fun every day. This must be like playtime for you”
§ Meeting a child’s parents instantly answers the question “Why is this child like this?”
§ Ball pens and pencils are as important as your mobile phones.
§ You always look for inspirational and funny stories in the bookstore to share in your class.
§ You like movies like Dead Poet’s Society, Coach Carter, Dangerous Mind and Emperor’s Club
– – – Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow! August 9, 2006
Posted by janargy in Lessons in Life.51 comments
Today is the tomorrow I worried about yesterday
And today was such a lovely day,
that I wondered why I worried about today yesterday
So today I am not going to worry about tomorrow
There may not be a tomorrow anyway
So today I am going to live as if there is no tomorrow
And I am going to forget about yesterday.
Today is the tomorrow I planned for yesterday
And nearly all my plans for today did not plan out the way I thought they would yesterday
So today I am forgetting about tomorrow and I will plan for today
But not too strenuously
Today I will stop to smell a rose
I will tell a loved one how much I love her
I will stop planning for tomorrow and plan to make today the best day of my life.
Today is the tomorrow I was afraid of yesterday
And today was nothing to be afraid of
So today I will banish fear of the unknown
I will embrace the unknown as a learning experience full of exciting opportunities
Today, unlike yesterday I will not fear tomorrow.
Today is the tomorrow I dreamed about yesterday
And some of the dreams I dreamt about yesterday came true today
So today I am going to continue dreaming about tomorrow
And perhaps more of the dreams I dream today will come true tomorrow.
Today is the tomorrow I set goals for yesterday
And I reached some of those goals today
So today I am going to set slightly higher goals for today and tomorrow
And if tomorrow turns out to be like today
I will certainly reach all of my goals one day!
– – – HOPE August 9, 2006
Posted by janargy in Lessons in Life.52 comments
If you can look at the sunset and smile,
then you still have hope.
If you can find beauty in the colors of a small flower,
then you still have hope.
If you can find pleasure in the movement of a butterfly,
then you still have hope.
If the smile of a child can still warm your heart,
then you still have hope.
If you can see the good in other people,
then you still have hope.
If the rain breaking on a roof top can still lull you to sleep,
then you still have hope.
If the sight of a rainbow still makes you stop and stare in wonder,
then you still have hope.
If the soft fur of a favored pet still feels pleasant under your fingertips,
then you still have hope.
If you meet new people with a trace of excitement and optimism,
then you still have hope.
If you give people the benefit of a doubt,
then you still have hope.
If you still offer your hand in friendship to others that have touched your life,
then you still have hope.
If receiving an unexpected card
or letter still brings a pleasant surprise,
then you still have hope.
If the suffering of others still fills your with pain and frustration,
then you still have hope.
If you refuse to let a friendship die,
or accept that it must end,
then you still have hope.
If you look forward to a time or place of quiet and reflection,
then you still have hope.
If you still buy the ornaments,
put up the Christmas tree or cook the supper,
then you still have hope.
If you can look to the past and smile,
then you still have hope.
If, when faced with the bad,
when told everything is futile,
you can still look up and end the conversation with the phrase…”yeah…BUT.,”
then you still have hope.
Hope is such a marvelous thing.
It bends, it twists, it sometimes hides,
but rarely does it break.
It sustains us when nothing else can.
It gives us reason to continue and courage to move ahead,
when we tell ourselves we’d rather give in.
Hope puts a smile on our face
when the heart cannot manage.
Hope puts our feet on the path
when our eyes cannot see it.
Hope moves us to act
when our souls are confused of the direction.
Hope is a wonderful thing,
something to be cherished and nurtured,
and something that will refresh us in return.
And it can be found in each of us,
and it can bring light into the darkest of places.
NEVER LOSE HOPE!
– – – Failure August 9, 2006
Posted by janargy in Lessons in Life.87 comments
Are you trying to tell me something?
For…
Failure does not mean I’m a failure;
It does mean I have not yet succeeded.
Failure does not mean I have accomplished nothing;
It does mean I have learned something.
Failure does not mean I have been a fool;
It does mean I had enough faith to experiment.
Failure does not mean I have disgraced;
It does mean I have dared to try.
Failure does not mean I don’t have it;
It does mean I have something to do in a different way.
Failure does not mean I am inferior;
It does mean I am not perfect.
Failure does not mean I have wasted my life;
It does mean that I have an excuse to start over.
Failure does not mean that I should give up;
It does mean that I should try harder.
Failure does not mean that I will never make it;
It does mean that I need more practice.
Failure does not mean that you have abandoned me
– – – The Cleaning lady August 9, 2006
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During my second month in PUP, our professor gave us a pop quiz. I was a conscientious student and had breezed through the questions, until I read the last one: “What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school?” Surely, this was some kind of joke.
I had seen the cleaning woman several times. She was tall, dark-haired and in her 50s, but how would I know her name? I handed in my paper, leaving the last question blank.
Just before class ended, one student asked if the last question would count toward our quiz grade. “Absolutely,” said the professor. “In your careers, you will meet many people. All are significant. They deserve your attention and care, even if all you do is smile and say ‘hello’.” “I’ve never forgotten that lesson. I also learned her name was Ate Doray.
– – – Wisdom Tooth August 9, 2006
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Cherish things while you still have them,
before they’re gone,
and you realize how precious they really are.
Life can only be understood backwards,
but it must be lived forwards.
Everything in life is temporary.
So if things are going good,
enjoy it because it won’t last forever.
And if things are going bad,
don’t worry because it won’t last forever either.
Destiny is not a matter of chance,
it is a matter of choice;
it is not a thing to be waited for,
it is a thing to be achieved.
A journey of a thousand miles
begins with a single step.
Never cross a bridge
without knowing how to swim the tides.
If you could not add years to your life
Add life to your years.
– – – Pain August 8, 2006
Posted by janargy in Lessons in Life.55 comments
The greatest pain in life is not to die, but to be ignored.
— To lose the person you love so much to another who doesn’t care at all.
— To have someone you care about so much throw a party… and not tell you about it.
— When your favorite person on earth neglects to invite you to his graduation.
— To have people think that you don’t care.
The greatest pain in life, is not to die, but to be forgotten.
— To be left in the dust after another’s great achievement.
— To never get a call from a friend, just saying “hi”.
— When you show someone your innermost thoughts and they laugh in your face.
— For friends to always be too busy to console you when you need someone to lift your spirits.
— When it seems like the only person who cares about you, is you.
— Life is full of pain, but does it ever get better?
Will people ever care about each other, and make time for those who are in need?
Each of us has a part to play in this great show we call life.
Each of us has a duty to mankind to tell our friends we love them.
If you do not care about your friends you will not be punished.
You will simply be ignored…
forgotten…
as you have done to others.
– – – Time after Time August 8, 2006
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To realize the value of one year: Ask a student who has failed a final exam.
To realize the value of one month: Ask a mother who has given birth to a premature baby.
To realize the value of one week: Ask an editor of a weekly newspaper.
To realize the value of one hour: Ask the lovers who are waiting to meet.
To realize the value of one minute: Ask the person who has missed the train, bus or plane.
To realize the value of one second: Ask a person who has survived an accident.
To realize the value of one millisecond: Ask the person who has won a silver medal in the Olympics.
Time waits for no one.
Treasure every moment you have. You will treasure it even more when you can share it with someone special.
– – – Men’s Guide to Female English August 8, 2006
Posted by janargy in Lessons in Life.64 comments
— Do you love me? = I’m going to ask for something expensive
— We need to talk = I need to complain
— Sure… go ahead = I don’t want you to
— I’m not yelling! = Yes I am yelling because I think this is important
— We need = I want
— It’s your decision = The correct decision should be obvious by now
— Do what you want = You’ll pay for this later
— I’m not upset = Of course I’m upset, you moron!
— You’re … so manly = You need a shave and you sweat a lot
— You’re certainly attentive tonight = Is sex all you ever think about?
— I’m not emotional! And I’m not overreacting! = I’ve got my period
— Be romantic, turn out the lights = I have flabby thighs
— I want new curtains = and carpeting, and furniture, and wallpaper…..
— I need wedding shoes = the other 40 pairs are the wrong shade of white
— Hang the picture there = NO, I mean hang it there!
— I heard a noise = I noticed you were almost asleep
— How much do you love me? = I did something today you’re really not going to like
— I’ll be ready in a minute = Kick off your shoes and find a good game on TV
— Is my bum fat? = Tell me I’m beautiful
— You have to learn to communicate = Just agree with me
— Are you listening to me!? = [Too late, you’re dead.]
— Yes = No
— No = No
— Maybe = No
— I’m sorry = You’ll be sorry
— This kitchen is so inconvenient = I want a new house
— Do you like this recipe? = It’s easy to fix, so you’d better get used to it
— Was that the baby? = Why don’t you get out of bed and walk him until he goes to sleep.
— All we’re going to buy is a soap dish = It goes without saying that we’re stopping at the cosmetics department, the shoe department, I need to look at a few new purses, and those pink sheets would look great in the bedroom and did you bring your checkbook?
– – – "Teacher…Teacher" August 8, 2006
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Years ago a professor gave a group of graduate students this assignment: Go to the slums. Take 200 boys, between the ages of 12 and 16, and investigate their background and environment. Then predict their chances for the future.
The students, after consulting social statistics, talking to the boys, and compiling much data, concluded that 90 percent of the boys would spend some time in jail.
Twenty-five years later another group of graduate students was given the job of testing the prediction. They went back to the same area. Some of the boys – by then men – were still there, a few had died, some had moved away, but they got in touch with 180 of the original 200. They found that only four! (4) of the group had ever been sent to jail.
Why was it that these men, who had lived in a breeding place of crime, had such a surprisingly good record? The researchers were continually told: “Well, there was a teacher…”
They pressed further, and found that in 75 percent of the cases it was the same teacher. The researchers went to this teacher, now living in a home for retired teachers. How had she exerted this remarkable influence over that group of children? Could she give them any reason why these boys should have remembered her?
“No,” she said, “no I really couldn’t.” And then, thinking back over the years, she said musingly, more to herself than to her questioners: “Well, I loved those boys….”
A teacher makes a difference…
– – – Conquering Mount Everest August 8, 2006
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Sir Edmund Hillary was the first man to climb Mount Everest. I was fortunate to conquer it but only on a mountain flight (cost: 100USD, grrr!) when we were in Nepal two years ago. On May 29, 1953 Sir Hillary scaled the highest mountain then known to man-29,000 feet straight up. He was knighted for his efforts.
He even made American Express card commercials because of it! However, until we read his book, High Adventure, we don’t understand that Hillary had to grow into this success.
You see, in 1952 he attempted to climb Mount Everest, but failed. A few weeks later a group in England asked him to address its members.
Hillary walked on stage to a thunderous applause. The audience was recognizing an attempt at greatness, but Edmund Hillary saw himself as a failure. He moved away from the microphone and walked to the edge of the platform.
He made a fist and pointed at a picture of the mountain. He said in a loud voice, “Mount Everest, you beat me the first time, but I’ll beat you the next time because you’ve grown all you are going to grow… but I’m still growing!”
– – – Winston on Never Giving Up August 8, 2006
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Sir Winston Churchill took three years getting through eighth grade because he had trouble learning English. It seems ironic that years later Oxford University asked him to address its commencement exercises.
He arrived with his usual props. A cigar, a cane and a top hat accompanied Churchill wherever he went. As Churchill approached the podium, the crowd rose in appreciative applause. With unmatched dignity, he settled the crowd and stood confident before his admirers. Removing the cigar and carefully placing the top hat on the podium, Churchill gazed at his waiting audience. Authority rang in Churchill’s voice as he shouted, “Never give up!”
Several seconds passed before he rose to his toes and repeated: “Never give up!” His words thundered in their ears. There was a deafening silence as Churchill reached for his hat and cigar, steadied himself with his cane and left the platform. His commencement address was finished.
So much for a man of eloquence
– – – Failure August 8, 2006
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You’ve failed many times, although you may not remember. You fell down the first time you tried to walk. You almost drowned the first time you tried to swim, didn’t you? Did you hit the ball the first time you swung a bat? Heavy hitters, the ones who hit the most home runs, also strike out a lot.
R.H. Macy failed seven times before his store in New York caught on.
English novelist John Creasey got 753 rejection slips before he published 564 books.
Babe Ruth struck out 1,330 times, but he also hit 714 home runs.
Don’t worry about failure. Worry about the chances you miss when you don’t even try.
– – – The Greatest August 8, 2006
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The great sin — Gossip.
The great crippler — Fear.
The greatest mistake — Giving up.
The most satisfying experience — Doing your duty first.
The best action — Keep the mind clear and judgement good.
The greatest blessing — Good health.
The biggest fool – The man who lies to himself.
The great gamble — Substituting hope for facts.
The most certain thing in life — Change.
The greatest joy — Being needed.
The cleverest man — The one who does what he thinks is right.
The most potent force — Positive thinking.
The greatest opportunity — The next one.
The greatest thought — Love.
The greatest victory — Victory over self.
The best play — Successful work.
The greatest handicap — Egotism.
The most expensive indulgence — Hate.
The most dangerous man — The liar
The most ridiculous trait — False pride.
The greatest loss — Loss of self confidence.
The greatest need — Common sense.
– – – Surviving the Business of Living August 8, 2006
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Real is the person who does not define happiness as an absence of problems. Surviving this business of living is a difficult ordeal at times. How can we retain a healthy sense of humor and experience a sense of balance in our lives? How can we realistically and yet with a sense of wonder live fully and not just survive? How can we maybe even celebrate this business of living? To answer some of these questions we will focus on seven points.
Life Isn’t Fair
No matter how good we get at this business of living, none of us gets out of it alive. Frustrating, isn’t it! Life doesn’t always deal us a good hand and doing our best doesn’t always pay off with a positive.
Suffering
Growth is seldom easy and pain is an integral part of our human condition. Everybody hurts. It’s just that some of us are better actors in hiding the pain we feel. Seldom if ever … are all of our ducks in a row.
Loneliness and Alikeness
Dr. Albert Schweitzer said, “We are all so much together, but we are all dying of loneliness.” We have all known moments of apartness and empty loneliness. Embracing that reality is essential if we are to cope effectively.
Personal Responsibility
We each have a choice to be either a death-peddler or a life-giver. We are responsible for the choices we make. We can become most of what we wish to be if we are willing to change and pay the price.
Self Worth
A poster reads, “God don’t make junk.” People are special and each is, “Beautiful in his/her own way.” We are more than our accomplishments!
People Need People
Life is not meant to be lived in isolation. All of life occurs within relationships. We need to know we are needed and so do those we need.
Mystery
Life is not just one big problem to be solved. Rather, it is a mystery to be experienced, all the more meaningful and beautiful when it is shared and celebrated with other persons who are committed to “growing deep, not just tall!”
– – – Why Worry?! August 8, 2006
Posted by janargy in Lessons in Life.15 comments
If we were to keep a record of all the things we worried about during a given period of time, we would discover–in reviewing them–that the great majority of our anticipated problems or troubles never come to pass. This means that most of the time we devote to worrying, even the constructive kind that prompts us to try to come up with a solution to what is troubling us, is wasted. Thus, we not only caused ourself unnecessary mental anguish, but also took up valuable minutes and hours that could have been spent elsewhere.
To avoid this, it is often necessary to subject potential sources of worry to the coldly objective and analytical light of reason. Once, sortly before a major concert before a standing-room- only audience, a member of Arturo Toscanini’s orchestra approached the great Italian conductor with an expression of sheer terror on his face. “Maestro,” the musician fretted, “my instrument is not working properly. I cannot reach the note of E-flat. Whatever will I do? We are to begin in a few moments.”
Toscanini looked at the man with utter amazement. Then he smiled kindly and placed an arm around his shoulders. “My friend,” the maestro replied, “Do not worry about it. The note E-flat does not appear anywhere in the music that you will be playing this evening.”
The next time we find ourselves in the middle of worrying about some matter, we might be wise to stop and ask ourselves what the odds are of the problem really coming to pass. We may be able to go on to something more constructive.
– – – Instructions ni Kuya August 8, 2006
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1. Every so often you push your luck.
2. Never underestimate the power of a kind word or deed.
3. Never give up on anybody — miracles happen every day.
4. Become the most positive and enthusiastic person you know.
5. Learn to listen.
6. Think big thoughts, but relish small pleasures.
7. Don’t expect others to listen to your advice or ignore your example.
8. Opportunity sometimes knocks very softly.
9. Leave everything a little better than you found it.
10. Don’t forget: a person’s emotional need is to feel appreciated.
11. Never waste an opportunity to tell someone you love them.
12. Treat everyone you meet like you want to be treated.
13. Make new friends but cherish the old ones.
14. Don’t use time or words carelessly, neither can be retrieved.
15. Judge your success by the degree that you’re enjoying peace, health, and love.
16. Smile a lot: it costs nothing and is beyond price.
– – – Take Time August 8, 2006
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Take time to laugh
It is the music of the soul.
Take time to think
It is the source of power.
Take time to play
It is the source of perpetual youth.
Take time to read
It is the fountain of wisdom.
Take time to pray
It is the greatest power on earth.
Take time to love and be loved
It is a God-given privilege.
Take time to be friendly
It is the road to happiness
Take time to give
It is too short a day to be selfish
Take time to work
It is the price of success.
Take time to dream
it hitches your soul to the stars.
– – – Flying Geese August 8, 2006
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Fact 1: As each goose flaps its wings it creates an “uplift” for the birds that follow. By flying in a “V” formation, the whole flock adds 71% greater flying range than if each bird flew alone.
Lesson 1: People who share a common direction and sense of community can get where they are going quicker and easier because they are traveling on the thrust of one another.
Fact 2: When a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of flying alone. It quickly moves back into formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird in front of it.
Lesson 2: If we have as much common sense as a goose, we stay in formation with those headed where we want to go. We are willing to accept their help and give our help to others.
Fact 3: When the lead goose tires, it rotates back into the formation and another goose flies to the point position.
Lesson 3: It pays to take turns doing the hard tasks and sharing leadership. As with geese, people are interdependent on each others’ skills, capabilities, and unique arrangements of gifts, talents, or resources.
Fact 4: Geese flying in formation honk to encourage those up front to keep up their speed.
Lesson 4: We need to make sure our honking is encouraging. In groups where there is encouragement, the production is much greater. The power of encouragement (to stand by one’s heart or core values and encourage the heart and core of others) is the quality of honking we seek.
Fact 5: When a goose gets sick, wounded, or shot down, two geese drop out of formation and follow it down to help protect it. They stay with it until it dies or is able to fly again. Then, they launch out with another formation or catch up with the flock.
Lesson 5: If we have as much sense as geese, we will stand by each other in difficult times as well as when we are strong.
– – – Today August 8, 2006
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I woke up early today, excited over all I get to do before the clock strikes midnight. I have responsibilities to fulfill today. I am important.
My job is to choose what kind of day I am going to have.
Today I can complain because the weather is rainy or I can be thankful that the grass is getting watered for free.
Today I can feel sad that I don’t have more money or I can be glad that my finances encourage me to plan my purchases wisely and guide me away from waste.
Today I can grumble about my health or I can rejoice that I am alive.
Today I can lament over all that my parents didn’t give me when I was growing up or I can feel grateful that they allowed me to be born.
Today I can cry because roses have thorns or I can celebrate that thorns have roses.
Today I can mourn my lack of friends or I can excitedly embark upon a quest to discover new relationships.
Today I can whine because I have to go to work or I can shout for joy because I have a job to do.
Today I can complain because I have to go to school or eagerly open my mind and fill it with rich new tidbits of knowledge.
Today I can murmur dejectedly because I have to do housework or I can feel honored because the Lord has provided shelter for my mind, body and soul.
Today stretches ahead of me, waiting to be shaped. And here I am, the sculptor who gets to do the shaping.
What today will be like is up to me. I get to choose what kind of day I will have!
– – – The One August 8, 2006
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One song can spark a moment,
One flower can wake the dream.
One tree can start a forest,
One bird can herald spring.
One smile begins a friendship,
One handclasp lifts a soul.
One star can guide a ship at sea,
One word can frame the goal.
One vote can change a nation,
One sunbeam lights a room.
One candle wipes out darkness,
One laugh will conquer gloom.
One step must start each journey,
One word must start each prayer.
One hope will raise our spirits,
One touch can show you care.
One voice can speak with wisdom.
One heart can know what’s true.
One life can make the difference,
you see it’s up to You!
Don’t ever forget how very important You are!
– – – To Be or not to be August 8, 2006
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Be understanding to your enemies.
Be loyal to your friends.
Be strong enough to face the world each day.
Be weak enough to know you cannot do everything alone.
Be generous to those who need your help.
Be frugal with what you need yourself.
Be wise enough to know that you do not know everything.
Be foolish enough to believe in miracles.
Be willing to share your joys.
Be willing to share the sorrows of others.
Be a leader when you see a path others have missed.
Be a follower when you are shrouded by the mists of uncertainty.
Be the first to congratulate an opponent who succeeds.
Be the last to criticize a colleague who fails.
Be sure where your next step will fall, so that you will not tumble.
Be sure of your final destination, in case you are going the wrong way.
Be loving to those who love you.
Be loving to those who do not love you, and they may change.
Above all, be yourself.
– – – Quote, Unquote August 7, 2006
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Over the years many people have offered their models of the “Good Life”, and some have left quotes that nicely summarizes important truths. The following are some of my personal favorites.
1. Know Thyself – Socrates. From ancient Greece comes this reminder that introspection, keeping a journal, paying attention to the heart of things, comes first. Before we can know the world around us, and make wise choices, we must first come to grips with who we are and what we value.
2. To Thine Own Self Be True – Shakespeare. In life there is no substitute for integrity. My grandmother was fond of saying, “We either stand for something, or we’ll fall for anything.” Integrity is about going beyond the truth to full and complete honesty, openness and fairness.
3. And the Greatest of These is Love – St Paul. He also observed that “without love I am just a clanging symbol or a noisy gong.” Without love, caring relationships, and compassion, life is indeed a dry and shallow thing.
4. Imagination Rules the World – Albert Einstein. The good life is at least partly based on dreams that are worthy of us, dreams that elevate and challenge and inspire our best. Bobby Kennedy noted, “Others look at the world and ask, ‘Why?’ I dream of a world that never was and ask, ‘Why not?'” Martin Luther King’s defiant cry, “I have a dream!” will live long after most of us are gone and forgotten.
5. Too much of a good thing is just right – Mae West. The good life is about living large, about expressing the joy and love of life. It’s about song, exuberance, and about taking chances, and “going for it”.
6. Opportunities multiply as they are seized – SunTzu. Success depends on the courage to act, and courage in turn requires a level of faith that every opportunity acted upon will lead to more and better ways to serve, learn, grow and prosper.
7. Do, or do not. There is no “try”. – Yoda (The Empire Strikes Back). Life requires action, boldness and decisiveness. Mae West also observed, “He who hesitates is a damned fool.”
8. Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to take away – Antoine de St. Exupery. Henry Thoreau recommended, “Simplify, simplify, simplify. Let your concerns be as 2 or 3, not more.” Friends, work, the media and this thing called the Internet, along with our own “wish lists” try to seduce us to complexity, busy-ness and anxiety. Keep it simple!
9. The artist is nothing without gift, but gift is nothing without work – Emile Zola. Only focused, intelligent, diligent effort turns potential into reality. Without creative effort, talent and “gift” seem to atrophy and die. Truly a case of “use it or lose it”.
10. There are two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle. – Albert Einstein. I highly recommend practicing the attitude of gratitude. What else is there?
11. Patience is a Virtue. What elese can be said, grace comes to those who waits. Everything is planned. You need not hurry, everything will fall into places, you just have to be patient.
12. Carpe Diem. Seize the Day. Need I say more, when an opportunity comes, just grab it. For all you know, it may never pass your way again. You will forever ask the question “what if…”, if you miss it and may regret it.
– – – Word Power August 7, 2006
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Did is a word of achievement,
Won’t is a word of retreat,
Might is a word of bereavement,
Can’t is a word of defeat,
Ought is a word of duty,
Try is a word each hour,
Will is a word of beauty,
Can is a word of power.
– – – The Wooden Bowl August 7, 2006
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A frail old man went to live with his son, daughter-in-law, and four-year old grandson. The old man’s hands trembled, his eyesight was blurred, and his step faltered. The family ate together at the table. But the elderly grandfather’s shaky hands and failing sight made eating difficult. Peas rolled off his spoon onto the floor. When he grasped the glass, milk spilled on the tablecloth.
The son and daughter-in-law became irritated with the mess. “We must do something about father,” said the son. “I’ve had enough of his spilled milk, noisy eating, and food on the floor.” So the husband and wife set a small table in the corner. There, Grandfather ate alone while the rest of the family enjoyed dinner. Since Grandfather had broken a dish or two, his food was served in a wooden bowl! When the family glanced in Grandfather’s direction, sometime he had a tear in his eye as he sat alone. Still, the only words the couple had for him were sharp admonitions when he dropped a fork or spilled food.
The four-year-old watched it all in silence.One evening before supper, the father noticed his son playing with wood scraps on the floor. He asked the child sweetly, “What are you making?”Just as sweetly, the boy responded, “Oh, I am making a little bowl for you and Mama to eat your food in when I grow up.” The four-year-old smiled and went back to work.
On a positive note, I’ve learned that, no matter what happens, how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow.
I’ve learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights.
I’ve learned that, regardless of your relationship with your parents, you’ll miss them when they’re gone from your life.
I’ve learned that making a “living” is not the same thing as making a “life.” I’ve learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance.
I’ve learned that you shouldn’t go through life with a catcher’s mitt on both hands. You need to be able to throw something back. I’ve learned that if you pursue happiness, it will elude you. But, if you focus on your family, your friends, the needs of others, your work and doing the very best you can, happiness will find you.
I’ve learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision.
I’ve learned that even when I have pains, I don’t have to be one. I’ve learned that every day, you should reach out and touch someone. People love that human touch — holding hands, a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back.
I’ve learned that I still have a lot to learn.!
– – – Ice Cream Tip August 7, 2006
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In the days when an ice cream sundae cost much less, a 10-year-old boy entered a hotel coffee shop and sat at a table. A waitress put a glass of water in front of him. “How much is an ice cream sundae?” he asked.
“Fifty cents,” replied the waitress.
The little boy pulled his hand out of his pocket and studied the coins in it. “Well, how much is a plain dish of ice cream?” he inquired. By now, more people were waiting for a table and the waitress was growing impatient.
“Thirty-five cents,” she brusquely replied.
The little boy again counted his coins. “I’ll have the plain ice cream,” he said.
The waitress brought the ice cream, put the bill on the table and walked away. The boy finished the ice cream, paid the cashier and left.
When the waitress came back, she began to cry as she wiped down the table. There, placed neatly beside the empty dish, were two ten and five cents.
You see, he couldn’t have the sundae, because he had to have enough left to leave her a tip.
– – – Mrs. Nat King Cole August 7, 2006
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One night, at 11:30 PM, an older African American woman was standing on the side of an Alabama highway trying to endure a lashing rainstorm. Her car had broken down and she desperately needed a ride. Soaking wet, she decided to flag down the next car.
A young white man stopped to help her, generally unheard of in those conflict-filled 1960s. The man took her to safety, helped her get assistance and put her into a taxicab. She seemed to be in a big hurry, but wrote down his address and thanked him.
Seven days went by and a knock came on the man’s door. To his surprise, a giant console color TV was delivered to his home. A special note was attached. It read:
“Thank you so much for assisting me on the highway the other night. The rain drenched not only my clothes, but also my spirits. Then you came along. Because of you, I was able to make it to my dying husband’s bedside just before he passed away. God bless you for helping me and unselfishly serving others. Sincerely, Mrs. Nat King Cole. “
– – – Four RULES August 7, 2006
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<!–Apparently the best way to get more out of life is to put more into it.
<!–The more you lean on someone else, the less are your chances for success.
<!–People forget how fast you did a job–but they remember how well you did it.
<!–A man who knows he doesn’t know it all knows a lot.
– – – Lessons from BILL August 7, 2006
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BILL GATES recently gave a speech at a High School about 11 things they did not and will not learn in school. He talks about how feel-good, politically correct teachings created a generation of kids with no concept of reality and how this concept set them up for failure in the real world. His life rules for those just entering the work world:
Rule 1: Life is not fair — get used to it!
Rule 2: The world won’t care about your self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself.
Rule 3: You will NOT make $60,000 a year right out of high school. You won’t be a vice-president with a car phone until you earn both.
Rule 4: If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss.
Rule 5: Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your Grandparents had a different word for burger flipping — they called it opportunity.
Rule 6: If you mess up, it’s not your parents’ fault, so don’t
whine about your mistakes, learn from them.
Rule 7: Before you were born, your parents weren’t as boring as they are now. They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes and listening to you talk about how cool you thought you were. So before you save the rain forest from the parasites of your parent’s generation, try delousing the closet in your own room.
Rule 8: Your school may have done away with winners and losers, but life HAS NOT. In some schools they have abolished failing grades and they’ll give you as MANY TIMES as you want to get the right answer. This doesn’t bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.
Rule 9: Life is not divided into semesters. You don’t get summers off and very few employers are interested in helping you FIND YOURSELF. Do that on your own time.
Rule 10: Television is NOT real life. In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.
Rule 11: Be nice to nerds. Chances are you’ll end up working for one.
– – – Winning is not Everything August 7, 2006
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Some people understand life better
And they call some of these people “retarded”…
At the Seattle Special Olympics, nine contestants, all physically or
mentally disabled, assembled at the starting line for the 100-yard dash.
At the gun, they all started out, not exactly in a dash, but with a relish
to run the race to the finish and win.
All, that is, except one little boy who stumbled on the asphalt, tumbled
over a couple of times, and began to cry. The other eight heard the boy cry.
They slowed down and looked back. Then they all turned around and went
back every one of them. One girl with Down’s Syndrome bent down and kissed
him and said,”This will make it better.”
Then all nine linked arms and walked together to the finish line.
Everyone in the stadium stood, the cheering went on for several minutes.
People who were there are still telling the story… Why? Because deep
down we know this one thing: What matters in this life is more than winning
for ourselves.
What matters in this life is helping others win, even if it means
slowing down and changing our course.
– – – Positive ATTITUDE August 7, 2006
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Many years ago, a large American shoe manufacturer sent two sales reps out to different parts of the Australian outback to see if they could drum up some business among the aborigines.
Some time later, the company received telegrams from both agents.
The first one said, “No business here…natives don’t wear shoes.”
The second one said, “Great opportunity here…natives don’t wear shoes!”
– – – Purpose in Everything August 7, 2006
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There was once a King who had a wise advisor. The advisor followed the King everywhere, and his favorite advice was, “Everything happens for the good”. One day the King went hunting and had a little accident. He shot an arrow at his own foot and was injured. He asked the advisor what he thought about the accident, to which the advisor replied, “Everything happens for the good”. This time the King was really upset and ordered for his advisor to be put in prison. The King asked his advisor, “Now, what do you think?” The advisor again replied, “Everything happens for the good”. So the advisor remained in prison.
The King later went on a hunting trip, this time without the advisor. The King was then captured by some cannibals. He was taken to the cannibals’ camp where he was to be the evening meal for the cannibals. Before putting him into the cooking pot he was thoroughly inspected. The cannibals saw the wound on the King’s foot and decided to throw him back into the jungle. According to the cannibals’ tradition, they would not eat anything that was imperfect. As a result the King was spared. The King suddenly realized what his advisor said was true. The advisor also escaped death because had he not been in prison, he would have followed the King on the hunting trip, and would have ended up in the cooking pot.
Success Principles
It is true that everything in life happens for a purpose, and always for our own good. If you think about it, all our past experiences actually happened to bring us to where we are today, and it is always for the good. All the past experiences makes us a better person. So, whatever challenges that we may face today, consider it happening to bring us to the next level.
– – – To Succeed August 7, 2006
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“To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and to endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because I have lived. This to me is to have succeeded.”
– – – Emperor’s Club August 7, 2006
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One of my favorite movies of all time is the Emperor’s Club starring Kevin Kline as Prof. Hundert of St. Benedicts School for Boys. A story about a dedicated teacher who have hoped that he could make a dent by imbibing his virtues and principles to his students. A clash of personality started when a new boy enrolled at the school, Sedgewick Bell, son of a senior senator in Massachussets. They started as ‘enemies’ eventually turning into friends but their friendship was ruined by an event that the Professor Hundert hoped would be the path towards Sedgewicks reformation. If you’re a fan of movies with good punchlines and quotable quotes then this is for you.
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“Great ambition and conquest without contribution is without significance. What will your contribution be? How will history remember you?”
“Aristophanes once wrote, roughly translated; “Youth ages, immaturity is outgrown, ignorance can be educated, and drunkenness sobered, but STUPID lasts forever.”
“A great teacher has little external history to record. His life goes over into other lives. These men are pillars in the intimate structure of our schools. They are more essential than its stones or beams, and they will continue to be a kindling force and a revealing power in our live”
“The worth of a life is not determined by a single failure or a solitary success.”
“However much we stumble, it is a teacher’s burden always to hope, that with learning, a boys’ character might be changed. And, so, the destiny of a man.”
“History will tell us that you may not swim in the same river twice. Because an opportunity lost is lost forever. however, the water I find myself swimming in is very familiar to so many years ago.The waters in which we found ourselves swimming, were precisely as lovely as those we had earlier only imagined. But if time had made concessions for love, it made none for death.”
“Socrates: It is not Living that is important, but Living rightly.”
“The End Depends upon the Beginning.”
“To live a life without virtue and principle is not to live a life at all”
A man’s character is his fate…for most of us, our stories can be written long before we die.
– – – Deepest Valley, Highest Mountain August 7, 2006
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The greatness comes not when things always go good for you. But the greatness comes when you’re really tested, when you take some knocks, some disappointments when sadness comes. Greatness comes to those who patiently and steadfastly fought for what they really believe in.Those whose integrity can never be questioned for they maintain a set of principle and virtues that serves as beacon of light for others.
Because only if you’ve been in the deepest valley can you ever know how magnificent it is to be on the highest mountain.
– – – Lessons from TROY August 7, 2006
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Last night, we watched “the Break up” starring Vince Vaughn and Jennifer Aniston. A film about two people finding each other, deciding to live together and finally knowing how it likes to struggle trying to work out a relationship. Obviously the two loved each other but petty quarrels got in the way and those small peebles started to fill up the file, they decided to end the relationship but continue staying in the condominium that they bought together. Obviously, both wanted to patch things up but pride got in the way. The End was not a happy one but, I think, was the right thing to do, for both of them and for the viewers, in case they’re in the same situation. Just watch the movie, I won’t divulge the ending, coz I don’t wanna deprive these hollywood stars of their hard earned money.
I recently ended a relationship. It lasted four months. I mean almost four months, counting the few days of several break-ups. I was hoping that these are just phases of a relationship and I struggled, fought hard, finding every ways to look for the solution to our problems. But to continue with it did not help us. I hope I could reveal all but cannot…so i’ll just leave you some lessons I found in the friendster account of my new found friend, Troy Cabrera, I wish people who’d read these will eventually learn how to grow in a relationship. Ahhh, Love…
1. When something happens to you, good or bad, consider what it means. There’s a purpose to life’s events, to teach you how to laugh more or not to cry too hard.
You can’t make someone love you. all you can do is be someone who can be loved, the rest is up to the person to realize your worth.
2. The five simple rules to be happy:
i. Free your heart from hatred.
ii. Free your mind from worries.
iii. Live simply.
iv. Give more.
v. Expect Less
3. It’s better to lose your pride to the one you love, that to lose your love because of pride. We spend too much time looking for the right person to love or finding fault with those we already love, when instead we should be perfecting the LOVE WE GIVE!
4. Be PATIENT, God isn’t finished with me yet!
Emperor's Club 
