Keep HOPE alive

Kenneth, my Gold Coast connection (and may I remind everyone... the best boss in the world!) forwarded this lovely inspirational piece.  Thanks, KCT! 



A story about two pebbles

Below is another pass-along from Kenneth in Australia (the best boss I ever had!).  Thanks, KCT!  The e-mail that he forwarded included breath-taking photos over China.  The file contained 60 slides, unfortunately, too big to attach here.

A Story About Two Pebbles

The difference between logical thoughts and “lateral” thoughts.

There was once in a small village a farmer who owed an important sum of money due to be repaid to a very ugly old man.  

The farmer had a very pretty daughter that the old lender was sweet on, the lender proposed a deal:

He said he would annul the debt if he could marry his daughter.  Both the farmer and his daughter were horrified about this proposition.

So, the old lender suggested hazard should determine the outcome of his proposition.

He told them he would put two pebbles one black and one white in an empty money bag, and the daughter would pick, without looking … one of the two pebbles.

1) If she picks a black one, she must marry me and the debt to her father is eliminated.

2) If she picks the white pebble, she doesn’t have to marry me and the debt is also eliminated.

3) If she refuses to pick a pebble, her father will go to jail.

While speaking, the old lender leaned forward and picked up two pebbles.  As he was picking them up, the daughter with a sharp eye noticed he had picked up two black pebbles and put them in the money bag.  But, she said nothing.

The old lender asked the daughter to pick a pebble out of the bag.

This discussion was taking place on the road in front of the farmer’s house and the road was paved with pebbles.

Imagine for an instant what you would have done.

What would you have suggested the daughter to do?

If we analyze the situation, there are 3 possibilities:

1) The daughter refuses to pick out a pebble;

2) The daughter picks out both pebbles revealing the old lender cheated.

3) The daughter  picks out a black pebble and sacrifices herself by marrying the old coot and saves her father from imprisonment.

Take a moment to reflect on this situation.

This story means to illustrate a point…..

The difference between logical thought and so called “lateral” thought.

The daughter’s dilemma cannot be resolved in an equitable manner by traditional logic.

Think of the consequences of each of the three possible options.

So, what would you have done?

Here is what the young woman did:  She plunged her hand in the bag, picked a pebble and, clumsily, dropped it on the ground.

Before it could be determined whether it was black or white, it mixed with other pebbles on the ground.

"Ah! Gosh! I sure am clumsy," said the young woman.

"But no matter: if I remove the other pebble from the bag …. we will know which pebble I had picked first don’t you think?  Since the second pebble was black, the first has to have been white."

The old lender didn’t dare announce his cheating.

The young woman transformed an almost impossible situation into a very advantageous ending!

Moral of the story:  A solution exists for most problems.

It’s just that we don’t always know how to examine every angle of the situation.







Food for the spirit

I appreciate the thoughtfulness that was behind this thought-provoking piece.  It was an e-mailed gift from my Australian connection (Kenneth, the best boss in the world!).  Thanks, KCT!



Incredible math

Be ready to be impressed!  I am simply amazed at the extent human genius can arrive at something like this.  It totally boggles the mind!

I would like to take this opportunity to address the talented folks out there:  Please utilize and share your God-given abilities for the common good.  That way, we'll keep the Universe happy!

Note to whoever put this e-mail information together… THANK YOU!

 

 



Kirstie’s trophy

Credit: Bob D'Amico/ABC

Quite honestly, although it was on my Wish List, I didn’t expect 60-year old Kirstie Alley, two-time Emmy winning actress, to take home the mirrorball trophy.  My thinking was based on the “Dancing WithThe Stars” track record of younger and athletic type winners.  Kirstie executed her dance routines with effortless grace and style, even spunk and courage in doing that tumbling routine in her final free dance.  Secretly, I had hoped that she would be the first senior contender to win the mirrorball, but, let’s face it, her competition proved tough to beat.  But DWTS champ or not, Kirstie has proven that regular strenuous dance exercises weren’t just for winning trophied recognition.  It could also lead to a healthy body from the weight loss success. 

From her first DWTS dance with partner Maksim Chmerkovskiy to her last routine during the May 24^th finale, Kirstie’s dress size reportedly shrunk from 12 to 6.  This fact was demonstrated by the dance outfit she wore on the first episode which had to be adjusted by 38 inches to fit her for her finale performance.  That must have been a WOW moment for Kirstie!  That in itself was a huge accomplishment!  If nothing else, Kirstie has manifested to women everywhere (specially those who’ve tried to banish the extra pounds, but never quite succeeded) that dancing can bring weight loss results.

I’ve always been a Kirstie Alley fan because I believe that she’s an authentic human being.  She embodies the “take me as I am or leave me” kind of gal, someone who would say the most outrageous (and funny) things and won’t find the need to apologize for her candor.  In one of the DWTS footages on her personal background, she confessed to once being a drug (cocaine) user.  There was no need for such intimate sharing of her past, but she might have been so outspoken to show the world that people can fall, but they have the choice to get up. 

I think that with her recent DWTS adventure, Kirstie has successfully put out the message that being overweight shouldn’t keep anyone from shining.   Although I’m a member of the world’s petite population (thank You, God!), for me that’s a most beautiful encouragement to give to all the big women of the universe. 

Kirstie Alley, thank you! 

Jungle living payback for Sole Survivor Rob

credit:  http://photobucket.com/images/rob+mariano/

Two Sundays ago, Boston Rob became $1.1 million richer.  I had wanted to document my thoughts on the Survivor:  Redemption Island finale, but someone named Harold Camping got in the way.  Simply stated, Camping’s May 21^st  end-of-the-world brouhaha completely blindsided me and got me all distracted. 

I was definitely glad that the show's final episode aired before the apocalypse got people’s panicked attention.  Had the finale been scheduled to air on May 22^nd, the Sunday after the good people were supposed to have been raptured into heaven, Survivor fanatics would have fretted for days from the likelihood that they might never know how far Boston Rob would go in the game, or even if he would get the jury votes and the money.

Although the snuffing of Rob’s flame was the goal to achieve among the members of the Zapatera tribe (Rob’s Ometepe tribe competition), in the end this ten-year Survivor veteran won all, but one, jury votes.  Three previous seasons of the Survivor game have obviously equipped him with the ways of mastering the art of outwitting the competition.

Jeff Probst’s assessment  that Rob Mariano, who competed in the past  three Survivors (Marquesas in 2002, All-Stars in 2004 and Heroes vs. Villains in 2010) “played as close to a perfect game as anyone’s played” in all 22 seasons of the series was right on target.  Clearly, as the episodes unfolded, it was Rob’s game to win.  For me it was like watching the jungle version of the Mafia Godfather calling the shots, and his subservient subjects obeying him like loyal puppies.  Rob even suggested the name for the merged tribes (Murlonio) which he told the members meant "from the sea, united."  The truth:  It was the name of his wife's stuffed animal and the name meant nothing.  His Ometepe alliances were loyal to him, even those he strategically blindsided at the tribal councils.  At the final Tribal Council where the last three survivors pleaded their cases, Phillip and Natalie both gave Rob credit for how far they went in the game.  It almost sounded like both were conceding defeat to the Robfather!  Or quite possibly, the better half of Survivor:  All-Stars winner (Amber Brkich Mariano) had charmed his Top Two competitors and they couldn’t help but already crown him at that point.

Boston Rob may not have outplayed his competition in most of the Immunity challenges, but he won the final one when it counted most.  Even before the merge, he found an Immunity Idol and didn’t have a reason to play it until the tribal council where for the second time, Andrea was voted out after getting back in the game when she outplayed the male outcasts in Redemption Island.  Rob, the Murlonio Godfather, really didn’t have to play the Idol, but decided to give it up (no matter how much he wanted to take it home as a souvenir), heeding his wise grandmother's advice, “better safe than sorry.”

For a job well done in outwitting everyone, Rob deserves the $1 million Sole Survivor take-home pay.  Add to that Sprint’s $100,000 Player of the Season award.  Really, in the Mariano household when it rains, it pours!  There’s no denying the fact that in Survivor:  Redemption Island, Rob lied and cheated, but that’s how this game has been typically played.  No one can argue that he also played a shrewd social and strategic mind game, A poker mask was his asset and Rob wore it until the end. He knew that, just like his All-Stars peer Russell Hantz, he had a huge target on his back from the get-go.  At the outset, he had to dodge invisible bullets to avoid the Redemption Island solo mio retreat and stay in strong (though malnourished) competitive mode.

After playing four seasons of Survivor and spending a total of 117 days in the jungle in different parts of the world, winning the $1 million reward calculates to a take-home pay of $8,547 per diem (or $356.13 per hour).  Not a bad chunk of change for many long, hard and hungry days in the jungle! 

credit:  http://www.buddytv.com

Mad about feng shui

I recall the precise moment I got hooked on the Chinese art of placement, popularly known as feng shui.  It was pre-2000 and I was home watching the late news.  A TV segment feature on how people could improve their lives by simply picking the right colors and re-arranging their furniture tickled my curiosity.  Back then, I was gainfully employed and my life was going well, but I figured that it didn’t hurt to pay attention.  Practicing the prosperity techniques in feng shui could turn out to be a positive enhancement in my life.

The news feature included a brief orientation on feng shui. It was too brief... and left me salivating!  But it was enough to light a bulb in my head... an inspiration that got me on a mission to quench my thirst for this new-found knowledge.  I promptly found myself reading books on the subject by different Masters of the field, even buying a compass to determine my lucky direction.  Unfortunately, the information I gathered in the beginning all went past my head.  The data that discussed geomancy and other alien stuff were too ancient for my taste and too irrelevant to have any use in my life!

Then I discovered Lillian Too, a long-time (over 30 years) feng shui practitioner based in Malaysia and an expert on the subject.  She is reportedly the best-selling author on feng shui and has published over 80 books that have been translated into 30 languages.  I found her ideas to be more in tune with my modern day needs.  The Flying Star concept is still too alien for me to grasp, but overall, her tips have been very useful in my life.

For instance in “168 Ways to Declutter Your Life,” she hit the nail on the head.  Her advice is to keep the staircase free of any junk as this area in the home moves "the energy from one level of the home to the next," therefore "should not be stacked with clutter."  She advises that stairways should be clutter-free "so that the flow of chi into the living quarters of the home is smooth" which "greatly facilitates the replenishment of chi throughout the house."  The carpeted steps of my staircase has turned out to be the most convenient holding station for little things that I could easily grab at a moment’s notice.  For me that was a way of getting “organized.”  But I have to admit that looking at that space or simply walking by it had given me a sense of unease, even a little headache.  After I decluttered it, I felt instant relief and appreciation.  It seemed that my little world suddenly gained brand new light!

In the mid-1990's when I was house-hunting, my broker took me to a showing where every step of the homeowner's staircase displayed a pair of shoes.  The footwear wasn't a decorative touch, but an indication that the woman of the house didn't have the space to store her shoes.  She might have thought that the shoe display was a refreshing interior decor idea, but it was a feng shui no-no. 

Feng shui, after all, is the practice of positioning objects based on yin and yang patterns and the flow of chi that have positive and negative effects.  Even non-feng shui practitioners will be able to tell when an object or furniture arrangement doesn't feel right because their energy could drop at the sheer sight of it.  For instance, when you walk through the front door and you see clutter or items in disarray in that area, wouldn't you get a negative vibe?

Thanks to Lillian, three-legged money toads have become auspicious additions in my home.  Following Lillian’s advice to not have more than nine money frogs positioned in the house, I have all kinds of pretty frogs, in various shades and sizes, with coins in their mouths, sitting above-ground level on strategic places in the space behind the front door.  There’s a few looking at an angle towards the door (the symbolism of money opportunities) and more positioned going inside (symbolism of keeping the wealth).  I didn’t forget to put a few toads right where it really matters:  the Wealth corner!  It is the space diagonal from the main door of the home.

People who don’t practice feng shui might find the idea of money frogs inhabiting their comfort zone really bizarre, even creepy, but based on my personal experience, my toad housemates (as well as the elephant...dragon... phoenix...fish... horse... tortoise...bat creature symbols sharing my space... but that's a feng shui topic for another day) have brought me unexpected luck and opportunities.  Although I believe in the money-magnet power of money frogs, I’m not in the habit of shoving the practice down my friends’ or acquaintances’ throats.  Unless people ask me about it, I don’t force my belief on them.  You see, feng shui is almost like a religion.   People need to have faith in it and believe that it will work wonders in their lives before any magic can happen. 

One woman I know recently wondered aloud how her family finances could be improved.  Her husband's business hasn't been doing well, therefore becoming a source of financial frustration.  She had read about feng shui, but wasn’t exactly doing the positive enhancements needed to cure the problem.  That was the cue I needed.  I immediately went to work collecting some money magnet symbols that might help her situation.  But I emphasized to her the unwritten law of the practice:  “You must BELIEVE.”  Add to that my personal feng shui mantra:  "A good heart is a must."  My assumption is that the reason that this practice hasn't worked for some folks is due to the lack of human goodness that merits any reward. 

In addition to the prosperity-attracting symbols, I found a major feng shui taboo that might have been at the root of the woman's money woes:  Their basement toilet facing the staircase (symbolism:  finances being flushed down the drain).  We got that taken care of, and hopefully, with the feng shui symbols I have added to her home decor, the family finances will soon see an improvement.  All I can do now is to wish her abundant feng shui luck and blessings!

The trouble with cosmetic enhancements

The following anecdote came to my mailbox just when I was dying for a laugh.  I hope that it brings joy to whatever kind of day you’re having.  Thank you, Judy!

UNLUCKY

A 54 year old woman had a heart attack and was taken to the hospital.

While on the operating table she had a near death experience. Seeing God she asked, "Is my time up?"

God said, "No, you have another 43 years, 2 months and 8 days to live."

Upon recovery, the woman decided to stay in the hospital and have a face-lift, liposuction, breast implants and a tummy tuck.

She even had someone come in and change her hair color and brighten her teeth!  Since she had so much more time to live, she figured she might as well make the most of it.
 
After her last operation, she was released from the hospital. While crossing the street on her way home, she was killed by an ambulance.

Arriving in front of God, she demanded, "I thought you said I had another 43 years? Why didn't you pull me from out of the path of the ambulance?"

(You'll love this...)

God replied: "Shit! I didn't recognize you."

Adorable Kids

We were all in that lovable stage once upon a time.  The innocent faces and candid poses.  The irrepressible utterances coming from mouths of babes.  Infantile actions that know no boundaries.  Just look at these pictures and long for your own once-upon-a-times.

The snapshots came to my cyber mailbox ages ago.  Unfortunately, I’m unable to give credit where it’s due.  My thanks and apologies to the e-mail contact responsible for these amusing pictures.