The Four Agreements
1. Be Impeccable With Your Word
Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love.
2. Don’t Take Anything Personally
Nothing others do is because of you. What others say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dream. When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won’t be the victim of needless suffering.
3. Don’t Make Assumptions
Find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want. Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings, sadness and drama. With just this one agreement, you can completely transform your life.
4. Always Do Your Best
Your best is going to change from moment to moment; it will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick. Under any circumstance, simply do your best, and you will avoid self-judgment, self-abuse and regret.
A book by Don Miguel Ruiz
Monday, 26 July 2004
i can't believe i'm THAT right brain! durh.
Are You Right or Left Brained?
personality tests by similarminds.com
Left brain dominant individuals are more literal, articulate, and to the point. They are good at understanding directions and anything that is explicit and logical. They can have trouble comprehending emotions and abstract concepts, they can feel lost when things are not clear, doubting anything that is not stated and proven.
Right brain dominant individuals are more visual and intuitive. They are better at summarizing multiple points, picking up on what's not said, visualizing things, and making things up. They can lack attention to detail, directness, and the ability to explain their ideas verbally, leaving them unable to communicate effectively.
Overall you appear to be Right Brain Dominant
-----------------------------------------
The ideal is to develop both your left and right brain. Many people identify their personality with being more right or left brained. "I am just not verbal" or "I just don't like art". The right and left brain are just functions to be utilized, they are not who you are. You are the manager, coach, architect, developer of your functions. No matter how developed one side of your mind is, if you have deficiencies in the other you will be functionally crippled. Right brain deficiencies inhibit your comprehension of life - who you are, where you stand, what's the point. Left brain deficiencies will inhibit your ability to express yourself verbally to others, leaving you mute to the world.
Brain Lateralization Test Results |
| Right Brain (76%) The right hemisphere is the visual, figurative, artistic, and intuitive side of the brain. Left Brain (30%) The left hemisphere is the logical, articulate, assertive, and practical side of the brain |
personality tests by similarminds.com
Left brain dominant individuals are more literal, articulate, and to the point. They are good at understanding directions and anything that is explicit and logical. They can have trouble comprehending emotions and abstract concepts, they can feel lost when things are not clear, doubting anything that is not stated and proven.
Right brain dominant individuals are more visual and intuitive. They are better at summarizing multiple points, picking up on what's not said, visualizing things, and making things up. They can lack attention to detail, directness, and the ability to explain their ideas verbally, leaving them unable to communicate effectively.
Overall you appear to be Right Brain Dominant
-----------------------------------------
The ideal is to develop both your left and right brain. Many people identify their personality with being more right or left brained. "I am just not verbal" or "I just don't like art". The right and left brain are just functions to be utilized, they are not who you are. You are the manager, coach, architect, developer of your functions. No matter how developed one side of your mind is, if you have deficiencies in the other you will be functionally crippled. Right brain deficiencies inhibit your comprehension of life - who you are, where you stand, what's the point. Left brain deficiencies will inhibit your ability to express yourself verbally to others, leaving you mute to the world.
Tuesday, 20 July 2004
or 
diseconomies of scale
in economics, there is a term called "diseconomies of scale", which describes increases to a firm's cost of production in the long term as a result of output increasing excessively, either within a firm (internal) or as an industry (external).
typically, internal diseconomies of scale are attributed to (a) the firm suffering from increasing bureaucracy (red tape) as more and more people are employed, i.e. info and feedback has difficulty reaching the top management from the workers on the bottom rung and vice versa due to the many layers through which it has to pass; as well as (b) strained relationships between workers and their management as workers feel more and more cut off and unimportant (cog-in-the-wheel?) and disgruntled.
i've just uncovered the third (and probably most common but suppressed) reason for the existence of internal diseconomies of scale within large firms..
office politics.
when a firm starts to grow larger, this awful thing called "office politics" (manifesting itself as vicious gossip, back stabbing, etc) starts to develop, almost always, unless you are really darn lucky. insecure individuals within the organisation start looking at each other with suspicion, and almost all niceness is pretentious or ulteriorly motivated.
personally, i'm someone very annoyed with the whole idea of office politics, and try my best to keep out of it, as best as i can. hence, i was really annoyed today to hear that, despite my being here at my new job only for a short while and trying my best to be friendly and helpful to everyone, i have someone going around saying i was rude to her.
further probing from the third/fourth/fifth/nth party revealed that the gossip-monger had complained i had rudely hurried her at the photocopy machine as she was using it.
after thinking really hard to recall an incident when i had done such an unreasonable thing, i finally realised that the only time i had stood at a photocopy machine and said the word "Hurry up" was actually the time i was talking to the photocopy machine itself (yes, i'm mad), and she happened, probably, to be using the other machine next to me. the machine i was using goes into a "standby mode" frequently and then takes forever to warm up and jams all papers that are fed to it (it's one of those with a mind of its own). as far as i know, EVERYONE yells at it (so i'm not actually that mad). while i don't blame her for the misunderstanding, i really don't see the reason why she had to go around saying something as unpleasant as that about me, or anyone else for that matter...
how annoying. and how gossipy. grr..
in economics, there is a term called "diseconomies of scale", which describes increases to a firm's cost of production in the long term as a result of output increasing excessively, either within a firm (internal) or as an industry (external).
typically, internal diseconomies of scale are attributed to (a) the firm suffering from increasing bureaucracy (red tape) as more and more people are employed, i.e. info and feedback has difficulty reaching the top management from the workers on the bottom rung and vice versa due to the many layers through which it has to pass; as well as (b) strained relationships between workers and their management as workers feel more and more cut off and unimportant (cog-in-the-wheel?) and disgruntled.
i've just uncovered the third (and probably most common but suppressed) reason for the existence of internal diseconomies of scale within large firms..
office politics.
when a firm starts to grow larger, this awful thing called "office politics" (manifesting itself as vicious gossip, back stabbing, etc) starts to develop, almost always, unless you are really darn lucky. insecure individuals within the organisation start looking at each other with suspicion, and almost all niceness is pretentious or ulteriorly motivated.
personally, i'm someone very annoyed with the whole idea of office politics, and try my best to keep out of it, as best as i can. hence, i was really annoyed today to hear that, despite my being here at my new job only for a short while and trying my best to be friendly and helpful to everyone, i have someone going around saying i was rude to her.
further probing from the third/fourth/fifth/nth party revealed that the gossip-monger had complained i had rudely hurried her at the photocopy machine as she was using it.
after thinking really hard to recall an incident when i had done such an unreasonable thing, i finally realised that the only time i had stood at a photocopy machine and said the word "Hurry up" was actually the time i was talking to the photocopy machine itself (yes, i'm mad), and she happened, probably, to be using the other machine next to me. the machine i was using goes into a "standby mode" frequently and then takes forever to warm up and jams all papers that are fed to it (it's one of those with a mind of its own). as far as i know, EVERYONE yells at it (so i'm not actually that mad). while i don't blame her for the misunderstanding, i really don't see the reason why she had to go around saying something as unpleasant as that about me, or anyone else for that matter...
how annoying. and how gossipy. grr..
Do You Have A.A.A.D.D. ? (via email from fio)
Recently, I was diagnosed with A. A. A. D. D. - Age Activated Attention Deficit Disorder.
This is how it manifests:
I decide to wash my car.
. As I start toward the garage, I notice that there is mail on the hall table.
. I decide to go through the mail before I wash the car.
. I lay my car keys down on the table, put the junk mail in the trash can under the table, and notice that the trash can is full.
. So, I decide to put the bills back on the table and take out the trash first.
. But then I think, since I'm going to be near the mailbox when I take out the trash anyway, I may as well pay the bills first.
. I take my checkbook off the table, and see that there is only one check left
. My extra checks are in my desk in the study, so I go to my desk where I find the can of Coke that I had been drinking.
. I'm going to look for my checks, but first I need to push the Coke aside so that I don't accidentally knock it over. I see that the Coke is getting warm, and I decide I should put it in the refrigerator to keep it cold.
. As I head toward the kitchen with the coke a vase of flowers on the counter catches my eye--they need to be watered.
. I set the Coke down on the counter, and I discover my reading glasses that I've been searching for all morning.
. I decide I better put them back on my desk, but first I'm going to water the flowers.
. I set the glasses back down on the counter, fill a container with water and suddenly I spot the TV remote.
. Someone left it on the kitchen table.
. I realize that tonight when we go to watch TV, I will be looking for the remote, but I won't remember that it's on the kitchen table, so I decide to put it back in the den where it belongs, but first I'll water the flowers.
. I splash some water on the flowers, but most of it spills on the floor.
. So, I set the remote back down on the table, get some towels and wipe up the spill.
. Then I head down the hall trying to remember what I was planning to do.
At the end of the day: the car isn't washed, the bills aren't paid, there is a warm can of Coke sitting on the counter, the flowers aren't watered, there is still only one check in my checkbook, I can't find the remote, I can't find my glasses, and I don't remember what I did with the car keys.
. Then when I try to figure out why nothing got done today, I'm really baffled because I know I was busy all day long, and I'm really tired.
. I realize this is a serious problem, and I'll try to get some help for it, but first I'll check my e-mail.
without question, I have A.A.A.D.D.... HEEEELLLLPPPP!!!!!
Recently, I was diagnosed with A. A. A. D. D. - Age Activated Attention Deficit Disorder.
This is how it manifests:
I decide to wash my car.
. As I start toward the garage, I notice that there is mail on the hall table.
. I decide to go through the mail before I wash the car.
. I lay my car keys down on the table, put the junk mail in the trash can under the table, and notice that the trash can is full.
. So, I decide to put the bills back on the table and take out the trash first.
. But then I think, since I'm going to be near the mailbox when I take out the trash anyway, I may as well pay the bills first.
. I take my checkbook off the table, and see that there is only one check left
. My extra checks are in my desk in the study, so I go to my desk where I find the can of Coke that I had been drinking.
. I'm going to look for my checks, but first I need to push the Coke aside so that I don't accidentally knock it over. I see that the Coke is getting warm, and I decide I should put it in the refrigerator to keep it cold.
. As I head toward the kitchen with the coke a vase of flowers on the counter catches my eye--they need to be watered.
. I set the Coke down on the counter, and I discover my reading glasses that I've been searching for all morning.
. I decide I better put them back on my desk, but first I'm going to water the flowers.
. I set the glasses back down on the counter, fill a container with water and suddenly I spot the TV remote.
. Someone left it on the kitchen table.
. I realize that tonight when we go to watch TV, I will be looking for the remote, but I won't remember that it's on the kitchen table, so I decide to put it back in the den where it belongs, but first I'll water the flowers.
. I splash some water on the flowers, but most of it spills on the floor.
. So, I set the remote back down on the table, get some towels and wipe up the spill.
. Then I head down the hall trying to remember what I was planning to do.
At the end of the day: the car isn't washed, the bills aren't paid, there is a warm can of Coke sitting on the counter, the flowers aren't watered, there is still only one check in my checkbook, I can't find the remote, I can't find my glasses, and I don't remember what I did with the car keys.
. Then when I try to figure out why nothing got done today, I'm really baffled because I know I was busy all day long, and I'm really tired.
. I realize this is a serious problem, and I'll try to get some help for it, but first I'll check my e-mail.
without question, I have A.A.A.D.D.... HEEEELLLLPPPP!!!!!
Sunday, 18 July 2004
the "holistic" weekend
packed this weekend with an unexpected assortment of different experiences and managed to think through a couple of troubling "imbalances" in my life at the moment.. like the fact that i can't seem to fit in any other activities in my life, beside work... especially since my working hours are not particularly long .. and yet.... i always seem to be so tired...
i mean, can you see that i'm blogging a lot less too??
anyway, this was what happened this weekend (just for the record):
Sat: went to listen to a free talk after lunch on Internet business (which we left midway once it started turning into a boring sales pitch), then swung by the Success Shop at Peninsular Plaza and bought Be Your Own Coach (my favourite shop for motivation books that go for S$9.90 each). For what it's worth, it was nice for me to feel that i had at least time to take stock of my life at this point and think about what my dreams and goals are and assess if i'm moving forward, back or stagnating..
then relaxed over coffee and cake at Dome before popping into the Singapore Art Museum for the very interesting exhibition by 40-something French duo Pierre & Gilles - Beautiful Dragon (presented by the French Embassy and the Singapore Art Museum as a highlight of the Month of Photography) - full of glitter, imagination, fantasy, and surreal larger-than-life portraits of beautiful (and occasionally erotically poised) males and females. and of course for the series of strange concrete people by Taiwanese artist-sculptor Ju Ming (who also made the giant odd-shaped granite blocks obstructing traffic along the pavements of Orchard).
ended off the evening watching this thoroughly enjoyable play at The Play Den - Old Parliament House by Bud's Youth Theatre: 3 Fat Virgins Unassembled (written by Ovidia Yu). Commendable effort by the youth group. *Applause* :)
Sun: Dropped by twice at this random Food Fiesta thingey at the Thai Embassy in Orchard and stuffed face with yummy thai food. Didn't expect to find such tasty food, especially the young coconut drink, fish maw soup and papaya salad. yum... my mouth waters thinking of the food..
then went to Borders and bought 3 novels (for the price of 2), to Popular to buy another really thick hard cover one (which weighs at least 1 kg) and finally to Tangs to buy a new bag to bring to work (so i don't have to continue using this other one i borrowed from my mum since earlier this year which.. err.. suits people of her age better?? :P).. retail therapy never fails... ha..
and i'm back home early to blog and will be in bed soon.. :)
till i blog again.. see u and take care! drink more water and remember to exercise!
packed this weekend with an unexpected assortment of different experiences and managed to think through a couple of troubling "imbalances" in my life at the moment.. like the fact that i can't seem to fit in any other activities in my life, beside work... especially since my working hours are not particularly long .. and yet.... i always seem to be so tired...
i mean, can you see that i'm blogging a lot less too??
anyway, this was what happened this weekend (just for the record):
Sat: went to listen to a free talk after lunch on Internet business (which we left midway once it started turning into a boring sales pitch), then swung by the Success Shop at Peninsular Plaza and bought Be Your Own Coach (my favourite shop for motivation books that go for S$9.90 each). For what it's worth, it was nice for me to feel that i had at least time to take stock of my life at this point and think about what my dreams and goals are and assess if i'm moving forward, back or stagnating..
then relaxed over coffee and cake at Dome before popping into the Singapore Art Museum for the very interesting exhibition by 40-something French duo Pierre & Gilles - Beautiful Dragon (presented by the French Embassy and the Singapore Art Museum as a highlight of the Month of Photography) - full of glitter, imagination, fantasy, and surreal larger-than-life portraits of beautiful (and occasionally erotically poised) males and females. and of course for the series of strange concrete people by Taiwanese artist-sculptor Ju Ming (who also made the giant odd-shaped granite blocks obstructing traffic along the pavements of Orchard).
ended off the evening watching this thoroughly enjoyable play at The Play Den - Old Parliament House by Bud's Youth Theatre: 3 Fat Virgins Unassembled (written by Ovidia Yu). Commendable effort by the youth group. *Applause* :)
Sun: Dropped by twice at this random Food Fiesta thingey at the Thai Embassy in Orchard and stuffed face with yummy thai food. Didn't expect to find such tasty food, especially the young coconut drink, fish maw soup and papaya salad. yum... my mouth waters thinking of the food..
then went to Borders and bought 3 novels (for the price of 2), to Popular to buy another really thick hard cover one (which weighs at least 1 kg) and finally to Tangs to buy a new bag to bring to work (so i don't have to continue using this other one i borrowed from my mum since earlier this year which.. err.. suits people of her age better?? :P).. retail therapy never fails... ha..
and i'm back home early to blog and will be in bed soon.. :)
till i blog again.. see u and take care! drink more water and remember to exercise!
Thursday, 15 July 2004
the thin line between work and personal life
been spending every waking moment thinking of how to help my students learn and enjoy what they are studying; and how to make them think more positively and more confidently about themselves and their work..
and spending every sleeping moment having nightmares of myself oversleeping and missing lessons or walking into class under-prepared..
the line between worklife and personal life has blurred...
sigh.. i've always been a workaholic, of sorts.. :p..
ha. need to get back to running soon.. *pinching my side flaps*
been spending every waking moment thinking of how to help my students learn and enjoy what they are studying; and how to make them think more positively and more confidently about themselves and their work..
and spending every sleeping moment having nightmares of myself oversleeping and missing lessons or walking into class under-prepared..
the line between worklife and personal life has blurred...
sigh.. i've always been a workaholic, of sorts.. :p..
ha. need to get back to running soon.. *pinching my side flaps*
Saturday, 10 July 2004
cool website
magicmushroomfarm.com
do not mistake it for: magicmushroom.com - where u can buy drugs online... heh heh...
magicmushroomfarm.com
do not mistake it for: magicmushroom.com - where u can buy drugs online... heh heh...
The Thinker
"What makes my Thinker think is that he thinks not only with the brain, with his knitted brow, his destended nostrils, and compressed lips, but with every muscle of his arms, back, and legs, with his clenched fist and gripping toes."
Auguste Rodin (French, 1840-1917)
The image of "The Thinker" is not that of a passive dreamer, but of a man actively engaged in creative thought. Thinking has been expressed not only through the meditative attitude of the body, but through the effort of every muscle.
"What makes my Thinker think is that he thinks not only with the brain, with his knitted brow, his destended nostrils, and compressed lips, but with every muscle of his arms, back, and legs, with his clenched fist and gripping toes."
Auguste Rodin (French, 1840-1917)
The image of "The Thinker" is not that of a passive dreamer, but of a man actively engaged in creative thought. Thinking has been expressed not only through the meditative attitude of the body, but through the effort of every muscle.
Thursday, 8 July 2004
Jump
A brunette, a redhead, and a blonde tried to escape a burning building by climbing to the roof. The firemen are on the street below, holding a blanket for them to jump into.
The firemen yell to the brunette, "Jump! Jump! It's your only chance to survive!"
The brunette jumps and SWISH! The firemen yank the blanket away. The brunette slams into the sidewalk like a tomato.
"C'mon! Jump! You gotta jump!" say the firemen to the redhead.
"Oh no! You're gonna pull the blanket away!" says the redhead.
"No! It's brunettes we can't stand! We're OK with redheads!"
"Ok," says the redhead and she jumps.
SWISH! The firemen yank the blanket away, and the lady is flattened on the pavement like a pancake.
Finally, the blonde steps to the edge of the roof. Again, the firemen yell, "Jump! You have to jump!"
"No way! You're just gonna pull the blanket away!" yelled the blonde.
"No! Really! You have to jump! We won't pull the blanket away!"
"Look," the blonde says, "Nothing you say is gonna convince me that you're not gonna pull the blanket away! So what I want you to do is put the blanket down, and back away from it."
A brunette, a redhead, and a blonde tried to escape a burning building by climbing to the roof. The firemen are on the street below, holding a blanket for them to jump into.
The firemen yell to the brunette, "Jump! Jump! It's your only chance to survive!"
The brunette jumps and SWISH! The firemen yank the blanket away. The brunette slams into the sidewalk like a tomato.
"C'mon! Jump! You gotta jump!" say the firemen to the redhead.
"Oh no! You're gonna pull the blanket away!" says the redhead.
"No! It's brunettes we can't stand! We're OK with redheads!"
"Ok," says the redhead and she jumps.
SWISH! The firemen yank the blanket away, and the lady is flattened on the pavement like a pancake.
Finally, the blonde steps to the edge of the roof. Again, the firemen yell, "Jump! You have to jump!"
"No way! You're just gonna pull the blanket away!" yelled the blonde.
"No! Really! You have to jump! We won't pull the blanket away!"
"Look," the blonde says, "Nothing you say is gonna convince me that you're not gonna pull the blanket away! So what I want you to do is put the blanket down, and back away from it."
Wednesday, 7 July 2004
happy days, busy days
second day of teaching and i'm already feeling rather overwhelmed.. phew.. figuring my way around this mega-maze known as the "Education System" is an achievement in itself..
busy is an understatement.. but to keep things in perspective, a friend just told me that the Chinese character for "Busy":
is actually made up of the two separate characters which mean "Heart" and "Dead".. wow.. did u realise that??
keep things in perspective! keep the fire burning!!
second day of teaching and i'm already feeling rather overwhelmed.. phew.. figuring my way around this mega-maze known as the "Education System" is an achievement in itself..
busy is an understatement.. but to keep things in perspective, a friend just told me that the Chinese character for "Busy":
is actually made up of the two separate characters which mean "Heart" and "Dead".. wow.. did u realise that??
keep things in perspective! keep the fire burning!!
Thursday, 1 July 2004
Explore. Dream. Discover.
"Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."
~ Mark Twain, 19th century US author and humorist
~ Mark Twain, 19th century US author and humorist
dark cloud hanging over me?
ha! bet you thought this blog entry was going to be a negative one... actually, i'm feeling quite ok.. cos i just read:
"Happiness does not come from doing easy work but from the afterglow of satisfaction that comes after the achievement of a difficult task that demanded our best."
yes.. life is quite challenging now.. but i'll do my best.. yea, i'll do my best.. and i'll find joy from putting my heart into my work and doing it with enthusiasm and passion..
ha! bet you thought this blog entry was going to be a negative one... actually, i'm feeling quite ok.. cos i just read:
"Happiness does not come from doing easy work but from the afterglow of satisfaction that comes after the achievement of a difficult task that demanded our best."
yes.. life is quite challenging now.. but i'll do my best.. yea, i'll do my best.. and i'll find joy from putting my heart into my work and doing it with enthusiasm and passion..
Wednesday, 30 June 2004
Why People Hate America?
Interestng article: "Why people hate America?"
here's another: The Shock and Awe of American Ignorance.. according to this third article, National Geographic tested 18-24 year olds (we're talking young adults here) from 9 countries about various topics related to geography, and America finished second to last, ahead of only Mexico. Many Americans had trouble identifying the Pacific Ocean or New York state. 83% couldn't find Afghanistan on a map. Only 25% could pick the correct population of the United States on a multiple choice test, with the most common answer given by Americans as 1-2 billion (!!)
i'm NOT anti-America. I'm anti-ignorance. and i'm anti-war too, of course.
Interestng article: "Why people hate America?"
here's another: The Shock and Awe of American Ignorance.. according to this third article, National Geographic tested 18-24 year olds (we're talking young adults here) from 9 countries about various topics related to geography, and America finished second to last, ahead of only Mexico. Many Americans had trouble identifying the Pacific Ocean or New York state. 83% couldn't find Afghanistan on a map. Only 25% could pick the correct population of the United States on a multiple choice test, with the most common answer given by Americans as 1-2 billion (!!)
i'm NOT anti-America. I'm anti-ignorance. and i'm anti-war too, of course.
Tuesday, 29 June 2004
Friday, 25 June 2004
The Three Languages by the Brothers Grimm
as the new school term draws near, i ask myself: "What is real education?"
An aged count once lived in Switzerland, who had an only son, but he was stupid, and could learn nothing. Then said the father, "Hark thee, my son, I can get nothing into thy head, let me try as I will. Thou must go from hence, I will give thee into the care of a celebrated master, who shall see what he can do with thee." The youth was sent into a strange town, and remained a whole year with the master. At the end of this time, he came home again, and his father asked, "Now, my son, what hast thou learnt?" "Father, I have learnt what the dogs say when they bark." "Lord have mercy on us!" cried the father; "is that all thou hast learnt? I will send thee into another town, to another master." The youth was taken thither, and stayed a year with this master likewise. When he came back the father again asked, "My son, what hast thou learnt?" He answered, "Father, I have learnt what the birds say." Then the father fell into a rage and said, "Oh, thou lost man, thou hast spent the precious time and learnt nothing; art thou not ashamed to appear before mine eyes? I will send thee to a third master, but if thou learnest nothing this time also, I will no longer be thy father." The youth remained a whole year with the third master also, and when he came home again, and his father inquired, "My son, what hast thou learnt?" he answered, "Dear father, I have this year learnt what the frogs croak." Then the father fell into the most furious anger, sprang up, called his people thither, and said, "This man is no longer my son, I drive him forth, and command you to take him out into the forest, and kill him." They took him forth, but when they should have killed him, they could not do it for pity, and let him go, and they cut the eyes and the tongue out of a deer that they might carry them to the old man as a token.
The youth wandered on, and after some time came to a fortress where he begged for a night's lodging. "Yes," said the lord of the castle, "if thou wilt pass the night down there in the old tower, go thither; but I warn thee, it is at the peril of thy life, for it is full of wild dogs, which bark and howl without stopping, and at certain hours a man has to be given to them, whom they at once devour." The whole district was in sorrow and dismay because of them, and yet no one could do anything to stop this. The youth, however, was without fear, and said, "Just let me go down to the barking dogs, and give me something that I can throw to them; they will do nothing to harm me." As he himself would have it so, they gave him some food for the wild animals, and led him down to the tower. When he went inside, the dogs did not bark at him, but wagged their tails quite amicably around him, ate what he set before them, and did not hurt one hair of his head. Next morning, to the astonishment of everyone, he came out again safe and unharmed, and said to the lord of the castle, "The dogs have revealed to me, in their own language, why they dwell there, and bring evil on the land. They are bewitched, and are obliged to watch over a great treasure which is below in the tower, and they can have no rest until it is taken away, and I have likewise learnt, from their discourse, how that is to be done." Then all who heard this rejoiced, and the lord of the castle said he would adopt him as a son if he accomplished it successfully. He went down again, and as he knew what he had to do, he did it thoroughly, and brought a chest full of gold out with him. The howling of the wild dogs was henceforth heard no more; they had disappeared, and the country was freed from the trouble.
After some time he took it into his head that he would travel to Rome. On the way he passed by a marsh, in which a number of frogs were sitting croaking. He listened to them, and when he became aware of what they were saying, he grew very thoughtful and sad. At last he arrived in Rome, where the Pope had just died, and there was great difficulty as to whom they should appoint as his successor. They at length agreed that the person should be chosen as pope who should be distinguished by some divine and miraculous token. And just as that was decided on, the young count entered into the church, and suddenly two snow-white doves flew on his shoulders and remained sitting there. The ecclesiastics recognized therein the token from above, and asked him on the spot if he would be pope. He was undecided, and knew not if he were worthy of this, but the doves counselled him to do it, and at length he said yes. Then was he anointed and consecrated, and thus was fulfilled what he had heard from the frogs on his way, which had so affected him, that he was to be his Holiness the Pope. Then he had to sing a mass, and did not know one word of it, but the two doves sat continually on his shoulders, and said it all in his ear.
From Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, Household Tales, trans. Margaret Hunt (London: George Bell, 1884), 1:136-138.
as the new school term draws near, i ask myself: "What is real education?"
An aged count once lived in Switzerland, who had an only son, but he was stupid, and could learn nothing. Then said the father, "Hark thee, my son, I can get nothing into thy head, let me try as I will. Thou must go from hence, I will give thee into the care of a celebrated master, who shall see what he can do with thee." The youth was sent into a strange town, and remained a whole year with the master. At the end of this time, he came home again, and his father asked, "Now, my son, what hast thou learnt?" "Father, I have learnt what the dogs say when they bark." "Lord have mercy on us!" cried the father; "is that all thou hast learnt? I will send thee into another town, to another master." The youth was taken thither, and stayed a year with this master likewise. When he came back the father again asked, "My son, what hast thou learnt?" He answered, "Father, I have learnt what the birds say." Then the father fell into a rage and said, "Oh, thou lost man, thou hast spent the precious time and learnt nothing; art thou not ashamed to appear before mine eyes? I will send thee to a third master, but if thou learnest nothing this time also, I will no longer be thy father." The youth remained a whole year with the third master also, and when he came home again, and his father inquired, "My son, what hast thou learnt?" he answered, "Dear father, I have this year learnt what the frogs croak." Then the father fell into the most furious anger, sprang up, called his people thither, and said, "This man is no longer my son, I drive him forth, and command you to take him out into the forest, and kill him." They took him forth, but when they should have killed him, they could not do it for pity, and let him go, and they cut the eyes and the tongue out of a deer that they might carry them to the old man as a token.
The youth wandered on, and after some time came to a fortress where he begged for a night's lodging. "Yes," said the lord of the castle, "if thou wilt pass the night down there in the old tower, go thither; but I warn thee, it is at the peril of thy life, for it is full of wild dogs, which bark and howl without stopping, and at certain hours a man has to be given to them, whom they at once devour." The whole district was in sorrow and dismay because of them, and yet no one could do anything to stop this. The youth, however, was without fear, and said, "Just let me go down to the barking dogs, and give me something that I can throw to them; they will do nothing to harm me." As he himself would have it so, they gave him some food for the wild animals, and led him down to the tower. When he went inside, the dogs did not bark at him, but wagged their tails quite amicably around him, ate what he set before them, and did not hurt one hair of his head. Next morning, to the astonishment of everyone, he came out again safe and unharmed, and said to the lord of the castle, "The dogs have revealed to me, in their own language, why they dwell there, and bring evil on the land. They are bewitched, and are obliged to watch over a great treasure which is below in the tower, and they can have no rest until it is taken away, and I have likewise learnt, from their discourse, how that is to be done." Then all who heard this rejoiced, and the lord of the castle said he would adopt him as a son if he accomplished it successfully. He went down again, and as he knew what he had to do, he did it thoroughly, and brought a chest full of gold out with him. The howling of the wild dogs was henceforth heard no more; they had disappeared, and the country was freed from the trouble.
After some time he took it into his head that he would travel to Rome. On the way he passed by a marsh, in which a number of frogs were sitting croaking. He listened to them, and when he became aware of what they were saying, he grew very thoughtful and sad. At last he arrived in Rome, where the Pope had just died, and there was great difficulty as to whom they should appoint as his successor. They at length agreed that the person should be chosen as pope who should be distinguished by some divine and miraculous token. And just as that was decided on, the young count entered into the church, and suddenly two snow-white doves flew on his shoulders and remained sitting there. The ecclesiastics recognized therein the token from above, and asked him on the spot if he would be pope. He was undecided, and knew not if he were worthy of this, but the doves counselled him to do it, and at length he said yes. Then was he anointed and consecrated, and thus was fulfilled what he had heard from the frogs on his way, which had so affected him, that he was to be his Holiness the Pope. Then he had to sing a mass, and did not know one word of it, but the two doves sat continually on his shoulders, and said it all in his ear.
From Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, Household Tales, trans. Margaret Hunt (London: George Bell, 1884), 1:136-138.
A Story to Remind
I've read this before but it's so good to be reminded:
Once upon a time there was a boy with a very difficult character. His father gives him a bag full of nails and tells him to drive one nail in the garden fence every time he loses his patience and/or has an argument with someone.
The first day the boy drives 37 nails in the garden fence.
In the following weeks, the boy learns to control himself and the number of nails driven in the fence gets lower every day: the boy discovers that it is easier to learn to control himself than to hammer nails in the fence.
At last, the day comes when the boy does not drive any nail in the garden fence. Then he goes to his father and tells him that today he did not
Need to hammer any nail.
His father then tells the boy to take out one nail from the fence for every day he succeeds in controlling his temper and not loosing his patience. Many days pass and finally the boy can tell his father that he took out all nails from the fence.
The father brings his son in front of the fence and tells him:
My son, you behaved well, but look how many holes you left in the fence
It will never be the same.
When you have an argument with someone and tell him bad words,
You leave him with wounds like these ones.
You can stab a man and then take the knife out,
But you will always leave a wound.
It does not matter how many times you say sorry, the wound will stay.
A wound caused by words hurts just as bad as a physical wound.
Friends are rare jewels, they make you smile and support you.
They are ready to listen to you whenever you need it,
They are behind you and they open their heart to you.
Show to your friends how much you love them.
A few lines to think about...
Give people more than they expect
When you say ”i love you", mean it...
When you say ”i am sorry", look into the eyes of that person
Do not ever make fun of other people’s dreams,
Love deeply and with passion.
You may get hurt, but it is the only way to live your life to the full.
Do not offend and judge other people according to how their relatives behave.
Speak slowly,
But think quickly.
If someone asks you a question that you do not want to answer,
Smile and ask him: ’why do you want to know?'
Remember that the greatest love and the greatest success involve the greater risks.
When you lose, do not miss the lesson,
Remember the three "Rs":
- Respect yourself
- Respect others
- Responsibility for all your actions.
Do not let a small misunderstanding ruin a great friendship;
When you realise you made a mistake, correct it immediately.
Smile when you answer the phone, who calls will be able to hear it in your voice.
I've read this before but it's so good to be reminded:
Once upon a time there was a boy with a very difficult character. His father gives him a bag full of nails and tells him to drive one nail in the garden fence every time he loses his patience and/or has an argument with someone.
The first day the boy drives 37 nails in the garden fence.
In the following weeks, the boy learns to control himself and the number of nails driven in the fence gets lower every day: the boy discovers that it is easier to learn to control himself than to hammer nails in the fence.
At last, the day comes when the boy does not drive any nail in the garden fence. Then he goes to his father and tells him that today he did not
Need to hammer any nail.
His father then tells the boy to take out one nail from the fence for every day he succeeds in controlling his temper and not loosing his patience. Many days pass and finally the boy can tell his father that he took out all nails from the fence.
The father brings his son in front of the fence and tells him:
My son, you behaved well, but look how many holes you left in the fence
It will never be the same.
When you have an argument with someone and tell him bad words,
You leave him with wounds like these ones.
You can stab a man and then take the knife out,
But you will always leave a wound.
It does not matter how many times you say sorry, the wound will stay.
A wound caused by words hurts just as bad as a physical wound.
Friends are rare jewels, they make you smile and support you.
They are ready to listen to you whenever you need it,
They are behind you and they open their heart to you.
Show to your friends how much you love them.
A few lines to think about...
Give people more than they expect
When you say ”i love you", mean it...
When you say ”i am sorry", look into the eyes of that person
Do not ever make fun of other people’s dreams,
Love deeply and with passion.
You may get hurt, but it is the only way to live your life to the full.
Do not offend and judge other people according to how their relatives behave.
Speak slowly,
But think quickly.
If someone asks you a question that you do not want to answer,
Smile and ask him: ’why do you want to know?'
Remember that the greatest love and the greatest success involve the greater risks.
When you lose, do not miss the lesson,
Remember the three "Rs":
- Respect yourself
- Respect others
- Responsibility for all your actions.
Do not let a small misunderstanding ruin a great friendship;
When you realise you made a mistake, correct it immediately.
Smile when you answer the phone, who calls will be able to hear it in your voice.
Wednesday, 23 June 2004
Nothing left to photograph
it comforts me greatly to know that i'm not the only one who had the rather awful experience of being treated like a terrorist suspect, just because i was taking pictures of lovely things that interest me (and which were not military or security installations or whatever).
(read the comments box of my blog entry on Sembawang Black & white houses to know what i am talking about)
soon, we may not even be able to take pictures on the streets, just in case the guy walking behind you is an American.
durh!
this was taken in Labrador Park. A bunch of fishermen were fishing.. i guess i'm lucky no one stopped me cos maybe in the vicinity of a 10km radius was a US warship or something??
hmph!
it comforts me greatly to know that i'm not the only one who had the rather awful experience of being treated like a terrorist suspect, just because i was taking pictures of lovely things that interest me (and which were not military or security installations or whatever).
(read the comments box of my blog entry on Sembawang Black & white houses to know what i am talking about)
soon, we may not even be able to take pictures on the streets, just in case the guy walking behind you is an American.
durh!
this was taken in Labrador Park. A bunch of fishermen were fishing.. i guess i'm lucky no one stopped me cos maybe in the vicinity of a 10km radius was a US warship or something??
hmph!
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