Can you read these right the first time?
1) The bandage was wound around the wound.
2) The farm was used to produce produce.
3) The dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse.
4) We must polish the Polish furniture.
5) He could lead if he would get the lead out.
6) The soldier decided to desert his dessert in the desert.
7) Since there is no time like the present, he thought it was time to present the present.
8) A bass was painted on the head of the bass drum.
9) When shot at, the dove dove into the bushes.
10) I did not object to the object.
11) The insurance was invalid for the invalid.
12) There was a row among the oarsmen about how to row.
13) They were too close to the door to close it.
14) The buck does funny things when the does are present.
15) A seamstress and a sewer fell down into a sewer line.
16) To help with planting, the farmer taught his sow to sow.
17) The wind was too strong to wind the sail.
18) Upon seeing the tear in the painting I shed a tear.
19) I had to subject the subject to a series of tests.
20) How can I intimate this to my most intimate friend?
Let's face it - English is a strange language.
There is no egg in eggplant, nor ham in hamburger; neither apple nor pine in pineapple.
English muffins weren't invented in England or French fries in France.
Sweetmeats are candies while sweetbreads, which aren't sweet, are meat.
We take English for granted. But if we explore its paradoxes, we find that quicksand can work slowly, boxing rings are square and a guinea pig is neither from Guinea nor is it a pig.
And why is it that writers write but fingers don't fing, grocers don't groce and hammers don't ham? If the plural of tooth is teeth, why isn't the plural of booth, beeth? One goose, 2 geese. So one moose, 2 meese? One index, 2 indices?
Doesn't it seem crazy that you can make amends but not one amend? If you have a bunch of
odds and ends and get rid of all but one of them, what do you call it? If teachers taught, why didn't preachers praught? If a vegetarian eats vegetables, what does a humanitarian eat?
Sometimes I think all the English speakers should be committed to an asylum for the verbally insane. In what language do people recite at a play and play at a recital? Ship by truck and send cargo by ship? Have noses that run and feet that smell? How can a slim chance and a fat chance be the same, while a wise man and a wise guy are opposites?
You have to marvel at the unique lunacy of a language in which your house can burn up as it burns down, in which you fill in a form by filling it out and in which, an alarm goes off by going on.
English was invented by people, not computers, and it reflects the creativity of the human race, which, of course, is not a race at all That is why, when the stars are out, they are visible, but when the lights are out, they are invisible.
PS. - Why doesn't "Buick" rhyme with "quick"?
You lovers of the English language might enjoy this. There is a two-letter word that perhaps has more meanings than any other two-letter word, and that is "UP."
It's easy to understand UP , meaning toward the sky or at the top of the list, but when we awaken in the morning, why do we wake UP?
At a meeting, why does a topic come UP? Why do we speak UP and why are the officers UP for election and why is it UP to the secretary to write UP a report?
We call UP our friends. And we use it to brighten UP a room, polish UP the silver, we warm UP the leftovers and clean UP the kitchen. We lock UP the house and some guys fix UP the old car.
At other times the little word has real special meaning. People stir UP trouble, line UP
for tickets, work UP an appetite, and think UP excuses. To be dressed is one thing, but to be dressed UP is special.
And this UP is confusing: A drain must be opened UP because it is stopped UP . We open UP a store in the morning but we close it UP at night. We seem to be pretty mixed UP about UP !
To be knowledgeable about the proper uses of UP , look the word UP in the dictionary. In a desk-sized dictionary, it takes UP almost 1/4th of the page and can add UP to about thirty definitions. If you are UP to it, you might try building UP a list of the many ways UP is used. It will take UP a lot of your time, but if you don't give UP , you may wind UP with a hundred or more.
When it threatens to rain, we say it is clouding UP . When the sun comes out we say it is clearing UP . When it rains, it wets the earth and often messes things UP . When it doesn't rain for awhile, things dry UP . One could go on and on, but I'll wrap it UP , for now my time is UP , so........... it is time to shut UP .....!
Oh . . . one more thing: What is the first thing you do in the morning & the last thing you do at night? U-P
Thursday, November 30
Wednesday, November 29
Gold Wrapping Paper
The story goes that some time ago a mother punished her five year old daughter for wasting a roll of expensive gold wrapping paper. Money was tight and she became even more upset when the child used the gold paper to decorate a box to put under the Christmas tree.
Nevertheless, the little girl brought the gift box to her mother the next morning and then said, "This is for you, Momma." The mother was embarrassed by her earlier over reaction, but her
anger flared again when she opened the box and found it was empty.
She spoke to her daughter in a harsh manner, "Don't you know, young lady, when you give someone a present there's supposed to be something inside the package?" Her daughter had tears in her eyes and said, "Oh, Momma, it's not empty! I blew kisses into it until it was full."
The mother was crushed. She fell on her knees and put her arms around her little girl, and she begged her forgiveness for her thoughtless anger.
An accident took the life of the child only a short time later, and it is told that the mother kept that gold box by her bed for all the years of her life. Whenever she was discouraged or faced difficult problems she would open the box and take out an imaginary kiss and remember the love of the child who had put it there.
In a very real sense, each of us, as human beings, have been given a Golden box filled with unconditional love and kisses from our children, family, friends and GOD. There is no more precious possession anyone could hold.
Nevertheless, the little girl brought the gift box to her mother the next morning and then said, "This is for you, Momma." The mother was embarrassed by her earlier over reaction, but her
anger flared again when she opened the box and found it was empty.
She spoke to her daughter in a harsh manner, "Don't you know, young lady, when you give someone a present there's supposed to be something inside the package?" Her daughter had tears in her eyes and said, "Oh, Momma, it's not empty! I blew kisses into it until it was full."
The mother was crushed. She fell on her knees and put her arms around her little girl, and she begged her forgiveness for her thoughtless anger.
An accident took the life of the child only a short time later, and it is told that the mother kept that gold box by her bed for all the years of her life. Whenever she was discouraged or faced difficult problems she would open the box and take out an imaginary kiss and remember the love of the child who had put it there.
In a very real sense, each of us, as human beings, have been given a Golden box filled with unconditional love and kisses from our children, family, friends and GOD. There is no more precious possession anyone could hold.
Tuesday, November 28
Love and Marriage
During one of our seminars, a woman asked a common question. She said, "How do I know if I married the right person?" I noticed that there was a large man sitting next to her so I said, "It depends. Is that your husband?" In all seriousness, she answered "How do you know?"
Let me answer this question because the chances are good that it's weighing on your mind. Here's the answer.
EVERY relationship has a cycle. In the beginning, you fell in love with your spouse. You anticipated their call, wanted their touch, and liked their idiosyncrasies. Falling in love with your spouse wasn't hard. In fact, it was acompletely natural and spontaneous experience. You didn't have to DO anything. That's why it's called "falling" in love... Because it's happening TO YOU.
People in love sometimes say, "I was swept of my feet." Think about the imagery of that expression. It implies that you were just standing there; doing nothing, and then something came along and happened TO YOU. Falling is love is easy. It's a passive and spontaneous experience.
But after a few years of marriage, the euphoria of love fades. It's the natural cycle of EVERY relationship. Slowly but surely, phone calls become a bother (if they come at all), touch is not always welcome (when it happens), and your spouse's idiosyncrasies, instead of being cute, drive you nuts. The symptoms of this stage vary with every relationship, but if you think about your marriage, you will notice a dramatic difference between the initial stage when you were in love and a much duller or even angry subsequent stage.
At this point, you and / or your spouse might start asking, "Did I marry the right person?" And as you and your spouse reflect on the euphoria of the love you once had, you may begin to desire that experience with someone else. This is when marriages breakdown. People blame their spouse for their unhappiness and look outside their marriage forfulfillment. Extramarital fulfillment comes in all shapes and sizes. Infidelity is the most obvious. But sometimes people turn to work, church, a hobby, a friendship, excessive TV, or abusive substances. But the answer to this dilemma does NOT lie outside your marriage. It lies within it.
I'm not saying that you couldn't fall in love with someone else. You could. And TEMPORARILY you'd feel better. But you'd be in the same situation afew years later. Because (listen carefully to this) : THE KEY TO SUCCEEDING IN MARRIAGE IS NOT FINDING THE RIGHT PERSON; IT'S LEARNING TO LOVE THE PERSON YOU FOUND.
SUSTAINING love is not a passive or spontaneous experience. It'll NEVER just happen to you. You can't "find" LASTING love. You have to "make" it day in and day out. That's why we have the expression "the labor of love." Because it takes time, effort, and energy. And most importantly, it takes WISDOM. You have to know WHAT TO DO to make your marriage work. Make no mistake about it. Love is NOT a mystery.
There are specific things you can do (with or without your spouse) to succeed with your marriage. Just as there are physical laws of the universe (such as gravity), thereare also laws for relationships. Just as the right diet and exercise program makes you physically stronger, certain habits in your relationship WILL makeyour marriage stronger. It's a direct cause and effect. If you know and apply the laws, the results are predictable... you can "make" love.
Love in marriage is indeed a "decision"... Not just a feeling.
Let me answer this question because the chances are good that it's weighing on your mind. Here's the answer.
EVERY relationship has a cycle. In the beginning, you fell in love with your spouse. You anticipated their call, wanted their touch, and liked their idiosyncrasies. Falling in love with your spouse wasn't hard. In fact, it was acompletely natural and spontaneous experience. You didn't have to DO anything. That's why it's called "falling" in love... Because it's happening TO YOU.
People in love sometimes say, "I was swept of my feet." Think about the imagery of that expression. It implies that you were just standing there; doing nothing, and then something came along and happened TO YOU. Falling is love is easy. It's a passive and spontaneous experience.
But after a few years of marriage, the euphoria of love fades. It's the natural cycle of EVERY relationship. Slowly but surely, phone calls become a bother (if they come at all), touch is not always welcome (when it happens), and your spouse's idiosyncrasies, instead of being cute, drive you nuts. The symptoms of this stage vary with every relationship, but if you think about your marriage, you will notice a dramatic difference between the initial stage when you were in love and a much duller or even angry subsequent stage.
At this point, you and / or your spouse might start asking, "Did I marry the right person?" And as you and your spouse reflect on the euphoria of the love you once had, you may begin to desire that experience with someone else. This is when marriages breakdown. People blame their spouse for their unhappiness and look outside their marriage forfulfillment. Extramarital fulfillment comes in all shapes and sizes. Infidelity is the most obvious. But sometimes people turn to work, church, a hobby, a friendship, excessive TV, or abusive substances. But the answer to this dilemma does NOT lie outside your marriage. It lies within it.
I'm not saying that you couldn't fall in love with someone else. You could. And TEMPORARILY you'd feel better. But you'd be in the same situation afew years later. Because (listen carefully to this) : THE KEY TO SUCCEEDING IN MARRIAGE IS NOT FINDING THE RIGHT PERSON; IT'S LEARNING TO LOVE THE PERSON YOU FOUND.
SUSTAINING love is not a passive or spontaneous experience. It'll NEVER just happen to you. You can't "find" LASTING love. You have to "make" it day in and day out. That's why we have the expression "the labor of love." Because it takes time, effort, and energy. And most importantly, it takes WISDOM. You have to know WHAT TO DO to make your marriage work. Make no mistake about it. Love is NOT a mystery.
There are specific things you can do (with or without your spouse) to succeed with your marriage. Just as there are physical laws of the universe (such as gravity), thereare also laws for relationships. Just as the right diet and exercise program makes you physically stronger, certain habits in your relationship WILL makeyour marriage stronger. It's a direct cause and effect. If you know and apply the laws, the results are predictable... you can "make" love.
Love in marriage is indeed a "decision"... Not just a feeling.
Interesting Trivia about Sex...
This is hilarious! It claims to be 100 % True but....... dun take it too seriously!!!
1. Sex is a beauty treatment. Scientific tests find that when women make love they produce amounts of the hormone estrogen, which makes hair shine and skin smooth
2. Gentle, relaxed lovemaking reduces your chances of suffering dermatitis, skin rashes and blemishes. The sweat produced cleanses the pores and makes your skin glow.
3. Lovemaking can burn up those calories you piled on during that romantic dinner.
4. Sex is one of the safest sports you can take up. It stretches and tones up just about every muscle in the body. It's more enjoyable than swimming 20 laps, and you don't need special sneakers!
5. Sex is an instant cure for mild depression. It releases endorphins into the bloodstream, producing a sense of euphoria and leaving you with a feeling of well-being.
6. The more sex you have, the more you will be offered. The sexually active body gives off greater quantities of chemicals called pheromones. These subtle sex perfumes drive the opposite sex crazy!
7 . Sex is the safest tranquilizer in the world. IT IS 10 TIMES MORE EFFECTIVE THAN VALIUM.
8. Kissing each day will keep the dentist away. Kissing encourages saliva to wash food from the teeth and lowers the level of the acid that causes decay, preventing plaque build-up.
9. Sex actually relieves headaches. A lovemaking session can release the tension that restricts blood vessels in the brain.
10. A lot of lovemaking can unblock a stuffy nose. Sex is a natural anti-histamine. It can help combat asthma and hay fever.
1. Sex is a beauty treatment. Scientific tests find that when women make love they produce amounts of the hormone estrogen, which makes hair shine and skin smooth
2. Gentle, relaxed lovemaking reduces your chances of suffering dermatitis, skin rashes and blemishes. The sweat produced cleanses the pores and makes your skin glow.
3. Lovemaking can burn up those calories you piled on during that romantic dinner.
4. Sex is one of the safest sports you can take up. It stretches and tones up just about every muscle in the body. It's more enjoyable than swimming 20 laps, and you don't need special sneakers!
5. Sex is an instant cure for mild depression. It releases endorphins into the bloodstream, producing a sense of euphoria and leaving you with a feeling of well-being.
6. The more sex you have, the more you will be offered. The sexually active body gives off greater quantities of chemicals called pheromones. These subtle sex perfumes drive the opposite sex crazy!
7 . Sex is the safest tranquilizer in the world. IT IS 10 TIMES MORE EFFECTIVE THAN VALIUM.
8. Kissing each day will keep the dentist away. Kissing encourages saliva to wash food from the teeth and lowers the level of the acid that causes decay, preventing plaque build-up.
9. Sex actually relieves headaches. A lovemaking session can release the tension that restricts blood vessels in the brain.
10. A lot of lovemaking can unblock a stuffy nose. Sex is a natural anti-histamine. It can help combat asthma and hay fever.
Saturday, November 25
Just for laughs # 2
A koala is sitting up a gum tree ... smoking a joint when a little lizard walks past and looks up and says, "Hey Koala ! What are you doing?"
The koala says: "Smoking a joint, come up and have some."
So the little lizard climbs up and sits next to the koala and they have a few joints. After a while the little lizard says his mouth is 'dry' and is going to get a drink from the river. But the little lizard is so stoned that he leans too far over and falls into the river.
A crocodile sees this and swims over to the little lizard and helps him to the side, then asks the little lizard:"What's the matter with you?" The little lizard explains to the crocodile that he was sitting smoking a joint with the koala in the tree, got too stoned and then fell into the river while taking a drink.
The crocodile says he has to check this out and walks into the rain forest, finds the tree where the koala is sitting finishing a joint, and he looks up and says "Hey you!" The koala looks down at him and says: "Shiiiiiiiiiiit dude ... how much water did you drink?!!"
The koala says: "Smoking a joint, come up and have some."
So the little lizard climbs up and sits next to the koala and they have a few joints. After a while the little lizard says his mouth is 'dry' and is going to get a drink from the river. But the little lizard is so stoned that he leans too far over and falls into the river.
A crocodile sees this and swims over to the little lizard and helps him to the side, then asks the little lizard:"What's the matter with you?" The little lizard explains to the crocodile that he was sitting smoking a joint with the koala in the tree, got too stoned and then fell into the river while taking a drink.
The crocodile says he has to check this out and walks into the rain forest, finds the tree where the koala is sitting finishing a joint, and he looks up and says "Hey you!" The koala looks down at him and says: "Shiiiiiiiiiiit dude ... how much water did you drink?!!"
Thursday, November 23
Just for laughs...
A nice, calm and respectable lady went into the pharmacy, right up to the pharmacist, looked straight into his eyes, and said, "I would like to buy some cyanide."
The pharmacist asked, "Why in the world do you need cyanide?"
The lady replied, "I need it to poison my husband."
The pharmacist's eyes got big and he exclaimed, "Lord have mercy! I can't give you cyanide to kill your husband! That's against the law! I'd lose my license! They'll throw both of us in jail! All kinds of bad things will happen. Absolutely not! You CANNOT have any cyanide!"
The lady reached into her purse and pulled out a picture of her husband in bed with the pharmacist's wife.
The pharmacist looked at the picture and replied, "Well now... That's different. You didn't tell me you had a prescription."
The pharmacist asked, "Why in the world do you need cyanide?"
The lady replied, "I need it to poison my husband."
The pharmacist's eyes got big and he exclaimed, "Lord have mercy! I can't give you cyanide to kill your husband! That's against the law! I'd lose my license! They'll throw both of us in jail! All kinds of bad things will happen. Absolutely not! You CANNOT have any cyanide!"
The lady reached into her purse and pulled out a picture of her husband in bed with the pharmacist's wife.
The pharmacist looked at the picture and replied, "Well now... That's different. You didn't tell me you had a prescription."
Wednesday, November 22
Men Never Listen!!!
In a Chicago hospital, a gentleman had made several attempts to get into the men's restroom, but it had always been occupied.
A nurse noticed his predicament. Sir, she said, "You may use the ladies room only if you promise not to touch any of the buttons on the wall."
He did what he needed to, and as he sat there he noticed the buttons he had promised not to touch.
Each button was identified by letters:
WW,WA, PP, and a red one labeled ATR.
Who would know if he touched them? He couldn't resist..
He pushed WW. Warm water was sprayed gently upon his bottom. What a nice feeling, he thought. Men's restrooms don't have nice things like this.
Anticipating greater pleasure, he pushed the WA button. Warm air replaced the warm water, gently drying his underside.
When this stopped, he pushed the PP button. A large powder puff caressed his bottom adding a fragile scent of spring flowers to this unbelievable pleasure.
The ladies restroom was more than a restroom, it was tender loving care.
When the powder puff completed, he couldn't wait to push the ATR button which he knew would be supreme ecstasy.
Next thing he knew, he opened his eyes and he was in a hospital bed, and a nurse was staring down at him.
"What happened?" he exclaimed. The last thing I remember was pushing the ATR button.
The nurse replied, "The button marked ATR is an Automatic Tampon Remover. Your penis is under your pillow."
Men Never Listen!!!
A nurse noticed his predicament. Sir, she said, "You may use the ladies room only if you promise not to touch any of the buttons on the wall."
He did what he needed to, and as he sat there he noticed the buttons he had promised not to touch.
Each button was identified by letters:
WW,WA, PP, and a red one labeled ATR.
Who would know if he touched them? He couldn't resist..
He pushed WW. Warm water was sprayed gently upon his bottom. What a nice feeling, he thought. Men's restrooms don't have nice things like this.
Anticipating greater pleasure, he pushed the WA button. Warm air replaced the warm water, gently drying his underside.
When this stopped, he pushed the PP button. A large powder puff caressed his bottom adding a fragile scent of spring flowers to this unbelievable pleasure.
The ladies restroom was more than a restroom, it was tender loving care.
When the powder puff completed, he couldn't wait to push the ATR button which he knew would be supreme ecstasy.
Next thing he knew, he opened his eyes and he was in a hospital bed, and a nurse was staring down at him.
"What happened?" he exclaimed. The last thing I remember was pushing the ATR button.
The nurse replied, "The button marked ATR is an Automatic Tampon Remover. Your penis is under your pillow."
Men Never Listen!!!
Monday, November 20
Birthdays...
A birthday is the date on which a person is born, marking the day a life outside the womb begins. It is customary in many cultures to celebrate the anniversary of one's birthday, for example by having a birthday party with family and/or friends. Gifts are often given to the person celebrating the birthday. It is also customary to treat people specially on their birthday, either generally acceding to their wishes, or subjecting them to a rite of transition.
A birthstone is a gift of a precious material that symbolizes the month of birth. There have been many different sets of birthstones used throughout history and in different cultures, but in 1912 the American national association of jewelers officially adopted the following list; it is currently the most widely used list around the world; some alternatives are added:
January - Garnet, Rose Quartz
February - Amethyst, Onyx
March - Aquamarine, Red Jasper ('bloodstone')
April - Diamond, Rock Crystal (Quartz)
May - Emerald, Chrysoprase
June - Pearl (the only non-mineral), Alexandrite or Moonstone
July - Ruby, Jade
August - Peridot, Aventurine, sardonyx or sapphire
September - Sapphire, Lapis lazuli
October - Opal, Pink Tourmaline
November - Yellow ('Golden') Topaz, Citrine or Turquoise
December - Blue Zircon, Blue Topaz, Turquoise, or Tanzanite
There is an astrological version of the birthstones using the twelve zodiac signs instead of the twelve calendar months. Listed below are the corresponding dates for the tropical sun signs and their associated birthstone.
Aries (March 21 - April 19) Diamond
Taurus (April 20 - May 20) Emerald
Gemini (May 21 - June 20) Spinel
Cancer (June 21 - July 22) Pearl
Leo (July 23 - August 23) Ruby
Virgo (August 24 - September 22) Sapphire
Libra (September 23 - October 23) Peridot
Scorpio (October 24 - November 21) Aquamarine
Sagittarius (November 22 - December 21) Topaz
Capricorn (December 22 - January 21) Garnet
Aquarius (January 20 - February 18) Amethyst and moonstone
Pisces (February 19 - March 20) Diamond
Birth Flowers
January- Carnation
February - Violet
March - Jonquil
April - Sweetpea
May - Lily of the Valley
June - Rose
July - Larkspur
August - Gladiolus
September - Aster
October - Calendula
November - Chrysanthemum
December - Narcissus
One year older today, hopefully one year wiser...
Quince is the sunrise of a woman
Underneath the canopy of love.
In her again life's gift of youthful grace
New dawns across an old, familiar face,
Chanting in the wind through which we move,
Ecstatic at the joy of being human.
A birthstone is a gift of a precious material that symbolizes the month of birth. There have been many different sets of birthstones used throughout history and in different cultures, but in 1912 the American national association of jewelers officially adopted the following list; it is currently the most widely used list around the world; some alternatives are added:
January - Garnet, Rose Quartz
February - Amethyst, Onyx
March - Aquamarine, Red Jasper ('bloodstone')
April - Diamond, Rock Crystal (Quartz)
May - Emerald, Chrysoprase
June - Pearl (the only non-mineral), Alexandrite or Moonstone
July - Ruby, Jade
August - Peridot, Aventurine, sardonyx or sapphire
September - Sapphire, Lapis lazuli
October - Opal, Pink Tourmaline
November - Yellow ('Golden') Topaz, Citrine or Turquoise
December - Blue Zircon, Blue Topaz, Turquoise, or Tanzanite
There is an astrological version of the birthstones using the twelve zodiac signs instead of the twelve calendar months. Listed below are the corresponding dates for the tropical sun signs and their associated birthstone.
Aries (March 21 - April 19) Diamond
Taurus (April 20 - May 20) Emerald
Gemini (May 21 - June 20) Spinel
Cancer (June 21 - July 22) Pearl
Leo (July 23 - August 23) Ruby
Virgo (August 24 - September 22) Sapphire
Libra (September 23 - October 23) Peridot
Scorpio (October 24 - November 21) Aquamarine
Sagittarius (November 22 - December 21) Topaz
Capricorn (December 22 - January 21) Garnet
Aquarius (January 20 - February 18) Amethyst and moonstone
Pisces (February 19 - March 20) Diamond
Birth Flowers
January- Carnation
February - Violet
March - Jonquil
April - Sweetpea
May - Lily of the Valley
June - Rose
July - Larkspur
August - Gladiolus
September - Aster
October - Calendula
November - Chrysanthemum
December - Narcissus
One year older today, hopefully one year wiser...
Quince is the sunrise of a woman
Underneath the canopy of love.
In her again life's gift of youthful grace
New dawns across an old, familiar face,
Chanting in the wind through which we move,
Ecstatic at the joy of being human.
Thursday, November 16
Life...
I walked into the grocery store not particularly interested in buying groceries. I wasn't hungry. The pain of losing my husband of 7 years was still too raw. And this grocery store held so many sweet memories. He often came with me and almost every time he'd pretend to go off and look for something special. I knew what he was up to. I'd always spot him walking down the aisle with the three yellow roses in his hands. He knew I loved yellow roses.
With a heart filled with grief, I only wanted to buy my few items and leave, but even grocery shopping was different since he had passed on. Shopping for one took time, a little more thought than it had for two. Standing by the meat, I searched for the perfect small steak and remembered how he had loved his steak.
Suddenly a woman came beside me. She was blonde, slim and lovely in a soft green pantsuit. I watched as she picked up a large package of T-bones, dropped them in her basket, hesitated, and then put them back. She turned to go and once again reached for the pack of steaks. She saw me watching her and she smiled. "My husband loves T-bones, but honestly, at these prices, I don't know."
I swallowed the emotion down my throat and met her pale blue eyes. "My husband passed away eight days ago," I told her. Glancing at the package in her hands, I fought to control the tremble in my voice. "Buy him the steaks. And cherish every moment you have together." She shook her head and I saw the emotion in her eyes as she placed the package in her basket and wheeled away. I turned and pushed my cart across the length of the store to the dairy products . There I stood, trying to decide which size milk I should buy. A quart, I finally decided and moved on to the ice cream. If nothing else, I could always fix myself an ice cream cone. I placed the ice cream in my cart and looked down the aisle toward the front.
I saw first the green suit, then recognized the pretty lady coming towards me. In her arms she carried a package. On her face was the brightest smile I had ever seen. I would swear a soft halo encircled her blonde hair as she kept walking toward me, her eyes holding mine. As she came closer, I saw what she held and tears began misting in my eyes. "These are for you," she said and placed three beautiful long stemmed yellow roses in my arms. " When you go through the line, they will know these are paid for." She leaned over and placed a gentle kiss on my cheek, then smiled again.
I wanted to tell her what she'd done, what the roses meant, but still unable to speak, I watched as she walked away as tears clouded my vision. I looked down at the beautiful roses nestled in the green tissue wrapping and found it almost unreal. How did she know? Suddenly the answer seemed so clear. I wasn't alone. Oh, you haven't forgotten me, have you? I whispered, with tears in my eyes. He was still with me, and she was his angel.
Every day, be thankful for what you have and who you are.
Even though I clutch my blanket and growl when the alarm rings. Thank you, Lord, that I can hear. There are many who are deaf.
Even though I keep my eyes closed against the morning light as long as possible. Thank you, Lord, that I can see. Many are blind.
Even though I huddle in my bed and put off rising. Thank you, Lord, that I have the strength to rise. There are many who are bedridden.
Even though the first hour of my day is hectic, when socks are lost, toast is burned, tempers are short, and my children are so loud. Thank you, Lord, for my family. There are many who are lonely.
Even though our breakfast table never looks like the picture in magazines and the menu is at times unbalanced. Thank you, Lord, for the food we have. There are many who are hungry.
Even though the routine of my job often is monotonous. Thank you, Lord, for the opportunity to work. There are many who have no job.
Even though I grumble and bemoan my fate from day to day and wish my circumstances were not so modest. Thank you, Lord, for life.
Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.
With a heart filled with grief, I only wanted to buy my few items and leave, but even grocery shopping was different since he had passed on. Shopping for one took time, a little more thought than it had for two. Standing by the meat, I searched for the perfect small steak and remembered how he had loved his steak.
Suddenly a woman came beside me. She was blonde, slim and lovely in a soft green pantsuit. I watched as she picked up a large package of T-bones, dropped them in her basket, hesitated, and then put them back. She turned to go and once again reached for the pack of steaks. She saw me watching her and she smiled. "My husband loves T-bones, but honestly, at these prices, I don't know."
I swallowed the emotion down my throat and met her pale blue eyes. "My husband passed away eight days ago," I told her. Glancing at the package in her hands, I fought to control the tremble in my voice. "Buy him the steaks. And cherish every moment you have together." She shook her head and I saw the emotion in her eyes as she placed the package in her basket and wheeled away. I turned and pushed my cart across the length of the store to the dairy products . There I stood, trying to decide which size milk I should buy. A quart, I finally decided and moved on to the ice cream. If nothing else, I could always fix myself an ice cream cone. I placed the ice cream in my cart and looked down the aisle toward the front.
I saw first the green suit, then recognized the pretty lady coming towards me. In her arms she carried a package. On her face was the brightest smile I had ever seen. I would swear a soft halo encircled her blonde hair as she kept walking toward me, her eyes holding mine. As she came closer, I saw what she held and tears began misting in my eyes. "These are for you," she said and placed three beautiful long stemmed yellow roses in my arms. " When you go through the line, they will know these are paid for." She leaned over and placed a gentle kiss on my cheek, then smiled again.
I wanted to tell her what she'd done, what the roses meant, but still unable to speak, I watched as she walked away as tears clouded my vision. I looked down at the beautiful roses nestled in the green tissue wrapping and found it almost unreal. How did she know? Suddenly the answer seemed so clear. I wasn't alone. Oh, you haven't forgotten me, have you? I whispered, with tears in my eyes. He was still with me, and she was his angel.
Every day, be thankful for what you have and who you are.
Even though I clutch my blanket and growl when the alarm rings. Thank you, Lord, that I can hear. There are many who are deaf.
Even though I keep my eyes closed against the morning light as long as possible. Thank you, Lord, that I can see. Many are blind.
Even though I huddle in my bed and put off rising. Thank you, Lord, that I have the strength to rise. There are many who are bedridden.
Even though the first hour of my day is hectic, when socks are lost, toast is burned, tempers are short, and my children are so loud. Thank you, Lord, for my family. There are many who are lonely.
Even though our breakfast table never looks like the picture in magazines and the menu is at times unbalanced. Thank you, Lord, for the food we have. There are many who are hungry.
Even though the routine of my job often is monotonous. Thank you, Lord, for the opportunity to work. There are many who have no job.
Even though I grumble and bemoan my fate from day to day and wish my circumstances were not so modest. Thank you, Lord, for life.
Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.
Wednesday, November 15
Wind Beneath My Wings
As she stood in front of her 5th grade class on the very first day of school, she told the children an untruth. Like most teachers, she looked at her students and said that she loved them all the same. However, that was impossible, because there in the front row, slumped in his seat, was a little boy named Teddy Stoddard.
Mrs. Thompson had watched Teddy the year before and noticed that he did not play well with the other children, that his clothes were messy and that he constantly needed a bath. In addition, Teddy could be unpleasant. It got to the point where Mrs. Thompson would actually take delight in marking his papers with a broad red pen, making bold X's and then putting a big "F" at the top of his papers.
At the school where Mrs. Thompson taught, she was required to review each child's past records and she put Teddy's off until last. However, when she reviewed his file, she was in for a surprise.
Teddy's first grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is a bright child with a ready laugh. He does his work neatly and has good manners... he is a joy to be around.."
His second grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is an excellent student, well liked by his classmates, but he is troubled because his mother has a terminal illness and life at home must be a struggle."
His third grade teacher wrote, "His mother's death has been hard on him. He tries to do his best, but his father doesn't show much interest, and his home life will soon affect him if some steps aren't taken."
Teddy's fourth grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is withdrawn and doesn't show much interest in school. He doesn't have many friends and he sometimes sleeps in class."
By now, Mrs. Thompson realized the problem and she was ashamed of herself. She felt even worse when her students brought her Christmas presents, wrapped in beautiful ribbons and bright paper, except for Teddy's. His present was clumsily wrapped in the heavy, brown paper that he got from a grocery bag. Mrs. Thompson took pains to open it in the middle of the other presents. Some of the children started to laugh when she found a rhinestone bracelet with some of the stones missing, and a bottle that was one-quarter full of perfume. But she stifled the children's laughter when she exclaimed how pretty the bracelet was, putting it on, and dabbing some of the perfume on her wrist.
Teddy Stoddard stayed after school that day just long enough to say, "Mrs. Thompson, today you smelled just like my Mom used to." After the children left, she cried for at least an hour. On that very day, she quit teaching reading, writing and arithmetic. Instead, she began to teach children.
Mrs. Thompson paid particular attention to Teddy. As she worked with him, his mind seemed to come alive. The more she encouraged him, the faster he responded. By the end of the year, Teddy had become one of the smartest children in the class and, despite her lie that she would love all the children the same, Teddy became one of her "teacher's pets.."
A year later, she found a note under her door, from Teddy, telling her that she was the best teacher he ever had in his whole life.
Six years went by before she got another note from Teddy. He then wrote that he had finished high school, third in his class, and she was still the best teacher he ever had in life.
Four years after that, she got another letter, saying that while things had been tough at times, he'd stayed in school, had stuck with it, and would soon graduate from college with the highest of honors. He assured Mrs. Thompson that she was still the best and favorite teacher he had ever had in his whole life.
Then four more years passed and yet another letter came. This time he explained that after he got his bachelor's degree, he decided to go a little further. The letter explained that she was still the best and favo rite teacher he ever had. But now his name was a little longer.... The letter was signed, Theodore F. Stoddard, MD.
The story does not end there. You see, there was yet another letter that spring. Teddy said he had met this girl and was going to be married. He explained that his father had died a couple of years ago and he was wondering if Mrs. Thompson might agree to sit at the wedding in the place that was usually reserved for the mother of the groom. Of course, Mrs. Thompson did. And guess what? She wore that bracelet, the one with several rhinestones missing. Moreover, she made sure she was wearing the perfume that Teddy remembered his mother wearing on their last Christmas together.They hugged each other, and Dr. Stoddard whispered in Mrs. Thompson's ear, "Thank you Mrs. Thompson for believing in me. Thank you so much for making me feel important and showing me that I could make a difference."
Mrs. Thompson, with tears in her eyes, whispered back.. She said, "Teddy, you have it all wrong. You were the one who taught me that I could make a difference. I didn't know how to teach until I met you."
Today, Teddy Stoddard is the doctor at Iowa Methodist in Des Moines heading the 'Stoddard Cancer Wing'.
Mrs. Thompson had watched Teddy the year before and noticed that he did not play well with the other children, that his clothes were messy and that he constantly needed a bath. In addition, Teddy could be unpleasant. It got to the point where Mrs. Thompson would actually take delight in marking his papers with a broad red pen, making bold X's and then putting a big "F" at the top of his papers.
At the school where Mrs. Thompson taught, she was required to review each child's past records and she put Teddy's off until last. However, when she reviewed his file, she was in for a surprise.
Teddy's first grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is a bright child with a ready laugh. He does his work neatly and has good manners... he is a joy to be around.."
His second grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is an excellent student, well liked by his classmates, but he is troubled because his mother has a terminal illness and life at home must be a struggle."
His third grade teacher wrote, "His mother's death has been hard on him. He tries to do his best, but his father doesn't show much interest, and his home life will soon affect him if some steps aren't taken."
Teddy's fourth grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is withdrawn and doesn't show much interest in school. He doesn't have many friends and he sometimes sleeps in class."
By now, Mrs. Thompson realized the problem and she was ashamed of herself. She felt even worse when her students brought her Christmas presents, wrapped in beautiful ribbons and bright paper, except for Teddy's. His present was clumsily wrapped in the heavy, brown paper that he got from a grocery bag. Mrs. Thompson took pains to open it in the middle of the other presents. Some of the children started to laugh when she found a rhinestone bracelet with some of the stones missing, and a bottle that was one-quarter full of perfume. But she stifled the children's laughter when she exclaimed how pretty the bracelet was, putting it on, and dabbing some of the perfume on her wrist.
Teddy Stoddard stayed after school that day just long enough to say, "Mrs. Thompson, today you smelled just like my Mom used to." After the children left, she cried for at least an hour. On that very day, she quit teaching reading, writing and arithmetic. Instead, she began to teach children.
Mrs. Thompson paid particular attention to Teddy. As she worked with him, his mind seemed to come alive. The more she encouraged him, the faster he responded. By the end of the year, Teddy had become one of the smartest children in the class and, despite her lie that she would love all the children the same, Teddy became one of her "teacher's pets.."
A year later, she found a note under her door, from Teddy, telling her that she was the best teacher he ever had in his whole life.
Six years went by before she got another note from Teddy. He then wrote that he had finished high school, third in his class, and she was still the best teacher he ever had in life.
Four years after that, she got another letter, saying that while things had been tough at times, he'd stayed in school, had stuck with it, and would soon graduate from college with the highest of honors. He assured Mrs. Thompson that she was still the best and favorite teacher he had ever had in his whole life.
Then four more years passed and yet another letter came. This time he explained that after he got his bachelor's degree, he decided to go a little further. The letter explained that she was still the best and favo rite teacher he ever had. But now his name was a little longer.... The letter was signed, Theodore F. Stoddard, MD.
The story does not end there. You see, there was yet another letter that spring. Teddy said he had met this girl and was going to be married. He explained that his father had died a couple of years ago and he was wondering if Mrs. Thompson might agree to sit at the wedding in the place that was usually reserved for the mother of the groom. Of course, Mrs. Thompson did. And guess what? She wore that bracelet, the one with several rhinestones missing. Moreover, she made sure she was wearing the perfume that Teddy remembered his mother wearing on their last Christmas together.They hugged each other, and Dr. Stoddard whispered in Mrs. Thompson's ear, "Thank you Mrs. Thompson for believing in me. Thank you so much for making me feel important and showing me that I could make a difference."
Mrs. Thompson, with tears in her eyes, whispered back.. She said, "Teddy, you have it all wrong. You were the one who taught me that I could make a difference. I didn't know how to teach until I met you."
Today, Teddy Stoddard is the doctor at Iowa Methodist in Des Moines heading the 'Stoddard Cancer Wing'.
Tuesday, November 14
Steamboat Test
What kind of season will you enjoy eating steamboat?
A. Winter ( To Qn 2)
B. Summer (To Qn 5)
C. No matter what season (To Qn 1)
1. Do you like to have some sauce on your food?
A. Like (To Qn 2)
B. Don't like (To Qn 5)
2. Will you add eggs in your steamboat soup?
A. Yes (To Qn 3)
B. No (To Qn 6)
3. If you find a cigaratte butt in ur steamboat food, what will you do?
A. Quarrel with the boss and request another new one. (To Qn 13)
B. Stop eating and just pay and go. (To Qn 10)
4. What is the main point ypu will consider for choosing a steamboat restaurant?
A. Famous ( To Qn 7)
B. Reasonable prices ( To Qn 8)
5. If the steamboat restaurant has a new product of steamboat, will you dare to try?
A. Yes ( To Qn 6)
B. No ( To Qn 8)
6. How many people do you like to have your steamboat meal with?
A. 2-3 soulmates ( To Qn 9)
B. A big group of friends ( To Qn 3)
7. If the steamboat restaurant is very crowded, will you wait for a seat or go to another place?
A. Wait ( To Qn 11)
B. Proceed to another one ( To Qn 12)
8. What kind of food you like to add?
A. Noodle ( To Qn 9)
B. Vermicilli "Tang hoon" ( To Qn 7)
9. Will you drink the soup first or finish all the ingredients in the bowl then drink the soup?
A. Drink the soup first ( To Qn 10)
B. Eat the ingredients first ( To Qn 12)
10. If the boss tells you that you must add some SPECIAL and ODD ingredient in the soup to make it more delicious, will you dare to add?
A. Yes ( To Qn 17)
B. No ( To Qn 13)
11. Will you drink a cup of cooling water after you finish this steamy hot meal?
A. Yes ( To Qn 15)
B. No ( To Qn 14)
12. When you are having your steamboat, do you put in your meat first or put in later?
A. Put it once the steamboat start ( To Qn 15)
B. Later part then put ( To Qn 11)
13. Do you like to put all types of food at one go into the steamboat or have it put in one type by one type?
A. All ( To Qn 17)
B. One type at a time ( To Qn 16)
14. What drink will you like to go with your meal?
A. Oolong Tea ( To Qn 16)
B. Plum juice ( Type A)
15. Do you like to have steamboat at home or outside?
A. Home ( To Qn 16)
B. Outside ( To Qn 14)
16. Will you mind if another customer is standing behind you, waiting for you while you are finishing your food?
A. Mind ( Type B)
B. Don't mind ( Type C)
17. You are already very full with your meal but the boss offer to let you have another steamboat meal, will you eat it?
A. Yes (Type D)
B. No ( To Qn 16)
RESULTS....
TYPE A
Shy, a bit of an introvert. You are more stubborn and like to stay alone quietly at home. To you, talking to strangers is a hard thing so you have not much friends. But you will still have some soulmates. You need to treasure people who care and love you. You are more interested in your own matters, you will try your very best to achieve your target. But you can't do everything alone, and just depend on yourself, learn to open up and accept other opinions. Try to get along with different people.
TYPE B
You are a more active person, drawing a clear line between happiness and unhappiness. You are more quick-tempered. If you encounter things you like, you will do it without second thought. But once you encounter things that you hate, you will wish to get out of it as soon as possible. As you are a person of your own views, the friends you tend to have will be of the same pattern. But once good friends, you will understand them a lot and go all the way to help then. Friends are very dependent on you. As you are too emotional, you may make a storm out of a teacup with your friends. You must learn to do things in order and not give up easily. You can try making friends with those you don't think you can get along with, don't stick with the same category. This will make you more popular and charming.
TYPE C
Gentle like a lamb. You have a high level of adaptance power, easy to get along with people. Very popular in social life but seems that no one will talk bad about you. You hate to have conflicts with people so you always try to adapt to everyone. You treat every person differently. To look at the bright side, you adapt easily. But to look at the dark side, you lack of character, although you are one big nice guy but you lack of charm. On the surface, you have a lot of friends but once you have troubles, you lack of soulmates to help you around. You must try to express yourself more and be more decisive. In this way, you can understand yourself more.
TYPE D
You are stubborn, like to go in circles and don't get to the point. Once you decide on something, no one can change your mind. You are a good leader in a group so you win a lot of trust from your friends. But as you are too persistant on your own thinking, you neglect other people's suggestions therefore you can easily make enemies. Although it is good to maintain your own character but it doesn't mean you totally ignore other people's thoughts and feelings. You will let people think you are hard to handle and you will lose friends gradually and may end up alone. You need to learn to accept other people's opinion. This will make your social circle bigger and you will understand yourself better
A. Winter ( To Qn 2)
B. Summer (To Qn 5)
C. No matter what season (To Qn 1)
1. Do you like to have some sauce on your food?
A. Like (To Qn 2)
B. Don't like (To Qn 5)
2. Will you add eggs in your steamboat soup?
A. Yes (To Qn 3)
B. No (To Qn 6)
3. If you find a cigaratte butt in ur steamboat food, what will you do?
A. Quarrel with the boss and request another new one. (To Qn 13)
B. Stop eating and just pay and go. (To Qn 10)
4. What is the main point ypu will consider for choosing a steamboat restaurant?
A. Famous ( To Qn 7)
B. Reasonable prices ( To Qn 8)
5. If the steamboat restaurant has a new product of steamboat, will you dare to try?
A. Yes ( To Qn 6)
B. No ( To Qn 8)
6. How many people do you like to have your steamboat meal with?
A. 2-3 soulmates ( To Qn 9)
B. A big group of friends ( To Qn 3)
7. If the steamboat restaurant is very crowded, will you wait for a seat or go to another place?
A. Wait ( To Qn 11)
B. Proceed to another one ( To Qn 12)
8. What kind of food you like to add?
A. Noodle ( To Qn 9)
B. Vermicilli "Tang hoon" ( To Qn 7)
9. Will you drink the soup first or finish all the ingredients in the bowl then drink the soup?
A. Drink the soup first ( To Qn 10)
B. Eat the ingredients first ( To Qn 12)
10. If the boss tells you that you must add some SPECIAL and ODD ingredient in the soup to make it more delicious, will you dare to add?
A. Yes ( To Qn 17)
B. No ( To Qn 13)
11. Will you drink a cup of cooling water after you finish this steamy hot meal?
A. Yes ( To Qn 15)
B. No ( To Qn 14)
12. When you are having your steamboat, do you put in your meat first or put in later?
A. Put it once the steamboat start ( To Qn 15)
B. Later part then put ( To Qn 11)
13. Do you like to put all types of food at one go into the steamboat or have it put in one type by one type?
A. All ( To Qn 17)
B. One type at a time ( To Qn 16)
14. What drink will you like to go with your meal?
A. Oolong Tea ( To Qn 16)
B. Plum juice ( Type A)
15. Do you like to have steamboat at home or outside?
A. Home ( To Qn 16)
B. Outside ( To Qn 14)
16. Will you mind if another customer is standing behind you, waiting for you while you are finishing your food?
A. Mind ( Type B)
B. Don't mind ( Type C)
17. You are already very full with your meal but the boss offer to let you have another steamboat meal, will you eat it?
A. Yes (Type D)
B. No ( To Qn 16)
RESULTS....
TYPE A
Shy, a bit of an introvert. You are more stubborn and like to stay alone quietly at home. To you, talking to strangers is a hard thing so you have not much friends. But you will still have some soulmates. You need to treasure people who care and love you. You are more interested in your own matters, you will try your very best to achieve your target. But you can't do everything alone, and just depend on yourself, learn to open up and accept other opinions. Try to get along with different people.
TYPE B
You are a more active person, drawing a clear line between happiness and unhappiness. You are more quick-tempered. If you encounter things you like, you will do it without second thought. But once you encounter things that you hate, you will wish to get out of it as soon as possible. As you are a person of your own views, the friends you tend to have will be of the same pattern. But once good friends, you will understand them a lot and go all the way to help then. Friends are very dependent on you. As you are too emotional, you may make a storm out of a teacup with your friends. You must learn to do things in order and not give up easily. You can try making friends with those you don't think you can get along with, don't stick with the same category. This will make you more popular and charming.
TYPE C
Gentle like a lamb. You have a high level of adaptance power, easy to get along with people. Very popular in social life but seems that no one will talk bad about you. You hate to have conflicts with people so you always try to adapt to everyone. You treat every person differently. To look at the bright side, you adapt easily. But to look at the dark side, you lack of character, although you are one big nice guy but you lack of charm. On the surface, you have a lot of friends but once you have troubles, you lack of soulmates to help you around. You must try to express yourself more and be more decisive. In this way, you can understand yourself more.
TYPE D
You are stubborn, like to go in circles and don't get to the point. Once you decide on something, no one can change your mind. You are a good leader in a group so you win a lot of trust from your friends. But as you are too persistant on your own thinking, you neglect other people's suggestions therefore you can easily make enemies. Although it is good to maintain your own character but it doesn't mean you totally ignore other people's thoughts and feelings. You will let people think you are hard to handle and you will lose friends gradually and may end up alone. You need to learn to accept other people's opinion. This will make your social circle bigger and you will understand yourself better
Friday, November 10
Eyes of Faith
One of the common slogans among men and women who are serving long sentences in federal prison is “You’ve got nothin’ comin’.”
It’s a sad, hopeless statement, robbing the inmates of what little hope they have left. “You’ve got no income; your kids are embarrassed to say they are related to you; your wife isn’t coming to see you and will probably divorce you before too long; nothing is going to change in your life. Don’t expect anything better. You’re getting what you deserve. You’ve got nothing coming.”
Sadly, many people “on the outside” are living behind self-imposed bars, in prisons of their own making, and have succumbed to the same type of thinking. This is the best you can expect. It isn’t going to get any better, so you might as well sit down, keep quiet, and endure it.
No! You can break out of that prison! The door is unlocked. All you have to do is start expecting good things in your life and start believing God for a great future. You do have good things coming!
Eyes of Faith
You must look through your “eyes of faith” and start seeing yourself as happy, healthy, and whole. That means even when your situation looks bleak, when you’re tempted to be discouraged or depressed, you must encourage yourself by praying, “God, I know that You are in control, and even though this looks impossible, I know today could be the day that things turn around. Today could be the day You restore my marriage. This could be the day You bring my child home. Today may be the day my business begins to prosper exponentially. This could be the day I see my miracle.”
Then keep believing and watching for those good things to come to fruition in your life. You must make a conscious decision, an act of your will, to maintain an attitude of expectancy and keep your mind filled with thoughts of hope.
This could be the day I see my miracle.
“What if I do all that and it doesn’t work?” you may be asking.
What if you do that, and it does work? Whom are we kidding here? What do you have to lose by keeping your hopes alive?
I can guarantee you that your difficult situation will never improve as long as you stay in a negative frame of mind. But if you’ll develop an attitude of faith and expect events to change positively, then at the right time, that situation will turn around. Admittedly, sometimes good things don’t happen as quickly as we would like, but instead of slouching into negative expectations, we must keep our minds set on God.
Your attitude should be, “God I know that You are at work in my life. Although the miracle I’ve been watching for didn’t happen today, I know I’m one day closer to it! I’m one day closer to my answered prayer, and I’m not going to get upset. I’ll not allow myself to become discouraged. I know that Your timing is perfect, so I’m going to stay in an attitude of faith and keep trusting You to do what is best.”
In his late forties, Brian felt as though everything in his world was falling apart and coming down on his shoulders. His business went bankrupt. He lost his family through divorce. His health was deteriorating. At one time, he had been an extremely successful man. But now, for many years he had been merely existing, living with no joy, no peace, no zest.
One day, a friend who cared enough to level with Brian told him, “I love ya, buddy, but you need to quit focusing on all the negative; stop looking at everything you’ve lost and start looking at all you have left.” Brian’s friend challenged him, “Start believing that things are going to change for the better, not because you deserve it, but simply because God loves you that much!”
The friend’s words resonated with Brian’s spirit and slowly but surely, he began to take the advice to heart. He established fresh patterns in his life. He decided that every morning before he got out of bed, he was going to write down tell things for which he could be thankful. All day long, he constantly thought about that list. He continued this habit day after day, week after week, month after month.
What was Brian doing?
He was re-programming his mind. He was breaking those old negative habits, and he was developing an attitude of faith. Within a matter of months, his situation began to turn around. First, he got his joy back. Then his health and vitality returned. He soon got his job back and, eventually, many (If his relationships were restored. Most important, he got his life back!
Because he moved his expectations higher, he was able to escape that old negative mentality. He stopped focusing on what he didn’t have, on what he had lost, on his past mistakes and failures. Instead, he started dwelling on the goodness of God. He filled his mind with thoughts of hope, faith, and victory. He developed a fresh vision, expecting things to change for the better. Sure enough, that’s when his life turned around.
Many people sabotage their expectations by negative comments. You know the type:
“Well, nothing good ever happens to me.
“I don’t think I’ll ever get married. I haven’t even had a date in ten years!”
“I might as well file bankruptcy; I’m so swamped with debt and bills, I can’t see any other alternative.”
“I don’t see how I could ever be happy again. I’ve just been through too much pain in life.”
Avoid such statements at all costs because your actions will follow your expectations. Low expectations will trap you in mediocrity. You must think positive thoughts of victory, thoughts of abundance, thoughts of favor, thoughts of hope; good, pure, excellent thoughts.
The career of the Old Testament prophet Elijah offers some fascinating insights. Elijah experienced numerous miracles, and his understudy, Elisha, witnessed many of them. As Elijah neared the end of his life, he asked Elisha what he would like to have from his mentor.
“I want a double portion of your spirit,” Elisha replied boldly “I want to be twice as powerful, twice as strong, twice as blessed. I want to see twice as many miracles.”
Interestingly. Elijah didn’t rebuke his underling. He simply responded, “Elisha, you’ve asked a very difficult thing. Nevertheless, if you can see me when I’m taken from you, it shall be done unto you. But if not, it shall not be so.” Certainly, in a literal sense, Elijah was telling Elisha, “If God allows you to see it, you can count on your request being granted”; but we can’t help but wonder if Elijah was also saving, “If you can see it, then you can be it. If you can visualize it in your heart and mind, seeing it through the screen of God’s Word with your ‘spiritual eyes,’ it can become a reality in your life.”
God is extremely interested in what you see through your “spiritual eyes.” Seven times in the Scripture, He asks, “What do you see?” God is saying something similar to us today. If you have a vision of victory for your life, you can rise to a new level. But as long as you have your head down, with your gaze on the ground instead of on your possibilities, you run the risk of moving in the wrong direction and missing out on the great things God wants to do in and through you. It’s a spiritual principle as well as a psychological fact: We move toward what we see in our minds. If you can’t see it, it is not likely to come to pass in your life.
What about you? When you look into your future, what do you see? Do you see yourself getting stronger, healthier, happier, your life filled with God’s blessings, favor, and victory? If you can see it, it can come to pass.
Bill and Cindy, some friends of mine, moved to a new city several years back. At the time, Bill worked two jobs to make ends meet while Cindy stayed at home with their young children. It was a difficult time in their lives, and they barely eked out enough money to pay the rent and buy food. Feeling like failures, they were tempted to give up and move back home. It would have been easy for them to allow attitudes of defeat to weigh them down, but they didn’t do that. Instead, during that tough time they did something extremely unusual.
Many nights after Bill came home from work, rather than sitting around in their little apartment feeling sorry for themselves, they dressed up, got in the car, and drove down to one of the big fancy hotels in the city They didn’t have enough money to pay for parking at the hotel, so they parked far down the street and walked back to the hotel. They’d go inside the gorgeous facility and just sit in that elegant hotel lobby and dream. Bill later told me, I wanted to expose myself to an atmosphere of success. I wanted to be in a place where I could keep my hopes up. I wanted to get into an environment where I could dream of victories.”
What were they doing? They were expanding their vision, focusing on what they could be. They were looking beyond where they were to where they wanted to be, and in doing so, they let faith rise in their hearts. Cindy said, “Many times, we’d sit there in the lobby literally for hours at a time, talking and dreaming, and when we’d leave, our faith and vision were renewed.”
Perhaps you, too, need to change your environment. Quit sitting around feeling sorry for yourself. Quit worrying about how nothing is ever going to get better in your life. Instead, go find somewhere you can dream. It may be in a church; it may be along the banks of a stream or at a park. Find someplace where you can dare to dream big dreams; a place where your faith will be elevated. Get out of that negative environment and get into an atmosphere of victory, where people build you up rather than tear you down. Find a place where people will encourage you and challenge you to be the best you can be. Find a place where people inspire you to reach for new heights. Friend, you have to envision good things happening to you before they ever will.
It’s a sad, hopeless statement, robbing the inmates of what little hope they have left. “You’ve got no income; your kids are embarrassed to say they are related to you; your wife isn’t coming to see you and will probably divorce you before too long; nothing is going to change in your life. Don’t expect anything better. You’re getting what you deserve. You’ve got nothing coming.”
Sadly, many people “on the outside” are living behind self-imposed bars, in prisons of their own making, and have succumbed to the same type of thinking. This is the best you can expect. It isn’t going to get any better, so you might as well sit down, keep quiet, and endure it.
No! You can break out of that prison! The door is unlocked. All you have to do is start expecting good things in your life and start believing God for a great future. You do have good things coming!
Eyes of Faith
You must look through your “eyes of faith” and start seeing yourself as happy, healthy, and whole. That means even when your situation looks bleak, when you’re tempted to be discouraged or depressed, you must encourage yourself by praying, “God, I know that You are in control, and even though this looks impossible, I know today could be the day that things turn around. Today could be the day You restore my marriage. This could be the day You bring my child home. Today may be the day my business begins to prosper exponentially. This could be the day I see my miracle.”
Then keep believing and watching for those good things to come to fruition in your life. You must make a conscious decision, an act of your will, to maintain an attitude of expectancy and keep your mind filled with thoughts of hope.
This could be the day I see my miracle.
“What if I do all that and it doesn’t work?” you may be asking.
What if you do that, and it does work? Whom are we kidding here? What do you have to lose by keeping your hopes alive?
I can guarantee you that your difficult situation will never improve as long as you stay in a negative frame of mind. But if you’ll develop an attitude of faith and expect events to change positively, then at the right time, that situation will turn around. Admittedly, sometimes good things don’t happen as quickly as we would like, but instead of slouching into negative expectations, we must keep our minds set on God.
Your attitude should be, “God I know that You are at work in my life. Although the miracle I’ve been watching for didn’t happen today, I know I’m one day closer to it! I’m one day closer to my answered prayer, and I’m not going to get upset. I’ll not allow myself to become discouraged. I know that Your timing is perfect, so I’m going to stay in an attitude of faith and keep trusting You to do what is best.”
In his late forties, Brian felt as though everything in his world was falling apart and coming down on his shoulders. His business went bankrupt. He lost his family through divorce. His health was deteriorating. At one time, he had been an extremely successful man. But now, for many years he had been merely existing, living with no joy, no peace, no zest.
One day, a friend who cared enough to level with Brian told him, “I love ya, buddy, but you need to quit focusing on all the negative; stop looking at everything you’ve lost and start looking at all you have left.” Brian’s friend challenged him, “Start believing that things are going to change for the better, not because you deserve it, but simply because God loves you that much!”
The friend’s words resonated with Brian’s spirit and slowly but surely, he began to take the advice to heart. He established fresh patterns in his life. He decided that every morning before he got out of bed, he was going to write down tell things for which he could be thankful. All day long, he constantly thought about that list. He continued this habit day after day, week after week, month after month.
What was Brian doing?
He was re-programming his mind. He was breaking those old negative habits, and he was developing an attitude of faith. Within a matter of months, his situation began to turn around. First, he got his joy back. Then his health and vitality returned. He soon got his job back and, eventually, many (If his relationships were restored. Most important, he got his life back!
Because he moved his expectations higher, he was able to escape that old negative mentality. He stopped focusing on what he didn’t have, on what he had lost, on his past mistakes and failures. Instead, he started dwelling on the goodness of God. He filled his mind with thoughts of hope, faith, and victory. He developed a fresh vision, expecting things to change for the better. Sure enough, that’s when his life turned around.
Many people sabotage their expectations by negative comments. You know the type:
“Well, nothing good ever happens to me.
“I don’t think I’ll ever get married. I haven’t even had a date in ten years!”
“I might as well file bankruptcy; I’m so swamped with debt and bills, I can’t see any other alternative.”
“I don’t see how I could ever be happy again. I’ve just been through too much pain in life.”
Avoid such statements at all costs because your actions will follow your expectations. Low expectations will trap you in mediocrity. You must think positive thoughts of victory, thoughts of abundance, thoughts of favor, thoughts of hope; good, pure, excellent thoughts.
The career of the Old Testament prophet Elijah offers some fascinating insights. Elijah experienced numerous miracles, and his understudy, Elisha, witnessed many of them. As Elijah neared the end of his life, he asked Elisha what he would like to have from his mentor.
“I want a double portion of your spirit,” Elisha replied boldly “I want to be twice as powerful, twice as strong, twice as blessed. I want to see twice as many miracles.”
Interestingly. Elijah didn’t rebuke his underling. He simply responded, “Elisha, you’ve asked a very difficult thing. Nevertheless, if you can see me when I’m taken from you, it shall be done unto you. But if not, it shall not be so.” Certainly, in a literal sense, Elijah was telling Elisha, “If God allows you to see it, you can count on your request being granted”; but we can’t help but wonder if Elijah was also saving, “If you can see it, then you can be it. If you can visualize it in your heart and mind, seeing it through the screen of God’s Word with your ‘spiritual eyes,’ it can become a reality in your life.”
God is extremely interested in what you see through your “spiritual eyes.” Seven times in the Scripture, He asks, “What do you see?” God is saying something similar to us today. If you have a vision of victory for your life, you can rise to a new level. But as long as you have your head down, with your gaze on the ground instead of on your possibilities, you run the risk of moving in the wrong direction and missing out on the great things God wants to do in and through you. It’s a spiritual principle as well as a psychological fact: We move toward what we see in our minds. If you can’t see it, it is not likely to come to pass in your life.
What about you? When you look into your future, what do you see? Do you see yourself getting stronger, healthier, happier, your life filled with God’s blessings, favor, and victory? If you can see it, it can come to pass.
Bill and Cindy, some friends of mine, moved to a new city several years back. At the time, Bill worked two jobs to make ends meet while Cindy stayed at home with their young children. It was a difficult time in their lives, and they barely eked out enough money to pay the rent and buy food. Feeling like failures, they were tempted to give up and move back home. It would have been easy for them to allow attitudes of defeat to weigh them down, but they didn’t do that. Instead, during that tough time they did something extremely unusual.
Many nights after Bill came home from work, rather than sitting around in their little apartment feeling sorry for themselves, they dressed up, got in the car, and drove down to one of the big fancy hotels in the city They didn’t have enough money to pay for parking at the hotel, so they parked far down the street and walked back to the hotel. They’d go inside the gorgeous facility and just sit in that elegant hotel lobby and dream. Bill later told me, I wanted to expose myself to an atmosphere of success. I wanted to be in a place where I could keep my hopes up. I wanted to get into an environment where I could dream of victories.”
What were they doing? They were expanding their vision, focusing on what they could be. They were looking beyond where they were to where they wanted to be, and in doing so, they let faith rise in their hearts. Cindy said, “Many times, we’d sit there in the lobby literally for hours at a time, talking and dreaming, and when we’d leave, our faith and vision were renewed.”
Perhaps you, too, need to change your environment. Quit sitting around feeling sorry for yourself. Quit worrying about how nothing is ever going to get better in your life. Instead, go find somewhere you can dream. It may be in a church; it may be along the banks of a stream or at a park. Find someplace where you can dare to dream big dreams; a place where your faith will be elevated. Get out of that negative environment and get into an atmosphere of victory, where people build you up rather than tear you down. Find a place where people will encourage you and challenge you to be the best you can be. Find a place where people inspire you to reach for new heights. Friend, you have to envision good things happening to you before they ever will.
Thursday, November 9
Coporate Management Styles...
TRADITION CORPORATION
You have two cows.
You sell one and buy a bull.
Your herd multiplies and the economy grows.
You sell them and retire on the income.
AN AMERICAN CORPORATION
You have two cows.
You sell one and force the other to produce the milk of four cows.
You are surprised when the cow drops dead.
A FRENCH CORPORATION
You have two cows.
You go on strike because you want three cows.
A JAPANESE CORPORATION
You have two cows.
You re-design them so they are one-tenth the size of an ordinary cow and produce twenty times the milk.
You then create clever cow cartoon images called 'Cowkimon' and market them World-Wide.
A GERMAN CORPORATION
You have two cows.
You re-engineer them so they live for 100 years, eat once a month, and milk themselves.
A BRITISH CORPORATION
You have two cows.
Both are mad.
AN ITALIAN CORPORATION
You have two cows. But ... you don't know where they are.
You break for lunch.
A SWISS CORPORATION
You have 5,000 cows ;
none of which belong to you.
You charge others for storing them.
A CHINESE CORPORATION
You have two cows.
You have 300 people milking them.
You claim full employment and high bovine productivity.
You have the newsman who reported on the numbers arrested.
AN INDIAN CORPORATION
You have two cows.
You worship them.
A MALAYSIAN CORPORATION
You have two cows.
You signed a 40-year contract to supply milk at RM0.06 per litre.
Then, midway through, you raised the price to RM0.60 or you cut the supply.
When the buyer agrees to the new price, you change your mind again and now want RM1.20. The buyer decided you can keep the milk and they go look for milk that comes from recycled cows or the cow's urine instead.
Your two cows retire together with the Prime Minister.
A SINGAPOREAN CORPORATION
You have two cows.
One cow-beh and one cow-bu.
You have two cows.
You sell one and buy a bull.
Your herd multiplies and the economy grows.
You sell them and retire on the income.
AN AMERICAN CORPORATION
You have two cows.
You sell one and force the other to produce the milk of four cows.
You are surprised when the cow drops dead.
A FRENCH CORPORATION
You have two cows.
You go on strike because you want three cows.
A JAPANESE CORPORATION
You have two cows.
You re-design them so they are one-tenth the size of an ordinary cow and produce twenty times the milk.
You then create clever cow cartoon images called 'Cowkimon' and market them World-Wide.
A GERMAN CORPORATION
You have two cows.
You re-engineer them so they live for 100 years, eat once a month, and milk themselves.
A BRITISH CORPORATION
You have two cows.
Both are mad.
AN ITALIAN CORPORATION
You have two cows. But ... you don't know where they are.
You break for lunch.
A SWISS CORPORATION
You have 5,000 cows ;
none of which belong to you.
You charge others for storing them.
A CHINESE CORPORATION
You have two cows.
You have 300 people milking them.
You claim full employment and high bovine productivity.
You have the newsman who reported on the numbers arrested.
AN INDIAN CORPORATION
You have two cows.
You worship them.
A MALAYSIAN CORPORATION
You have two cows.
You signed a 40-year contract to supply milk at RM0.06 per litre.
Then, midway through, you raised the price to RM0.60 or you cut the supply.
When the buyer agrees to the new price, you change your mind again and now want RM1.20. The buyer decided you can keep the milk and they go look for milk that comes from recycled cows or the cow's urine instead.
Your two cows retire together with the Prime Minister.
A SINGAPOREAN CORPORATION
You have two cows.
One cow-beh and one cow-bu.
Wednesday, November 8
Ways To Scare A Telemarketer
Tired of complete strangers calling you up and trying to sell you stuff or get you to sign up for some dunno what MLM deal? Never mind! Here are some WAYS TO SCARE A TELEMARKETER!
1. Ask him to talk v-e-r-y slooooowly, because you want to write downEVERY WORD he says.
2. After he finishes saying all his marketing crap, tell him he must marry you first, before you sign on. When he acts all surprised, say, "What, you expect me to give my credit card details to a complete stranger, meh?"
3. When he introduces himself (e.g. "Sammy"), immediately say, "Wahpiang eh! Sammy! Long time no see, man! How are you! Are you still living in that old place?" This should stun Sammy for a while, as he scrambles to remember where he might know you from.
4. If he says he's, e.g. Tan Ah Seng from ABC Pte Ltd, ask him to spell his name. Then ask him to spell the company name. Then ask him where it's located. Continue asking him personal questions or questions about the company for as long as you feel like it.
5. Insist the caller is actually your friend Benny, playing a joke. "Eh, Benny, dun lai dat leh! Stop playing the fool! Seriously lah, Benny, how's your mother, ah? Is she out of the hospital yet?" Etc, etc.
6. After he finishes his pitch, say in a very creepy voice, "Thank you for calling me. I don't have many friends? do you want to be my friend?"
7. If he asks, "How are you?" Tell him! "Wah lau, siong, man! Got so many problems. My fish all died, lah, then my mother and father had this big argument until neighbours call police all, and then lagi worse, dunno why, but my crotch whole day was very itchy, so I went to the clinic and then?" Continue till he hangs up.
8. Tell him you're busy at the moment, and ask him for his HOME number so you can call him back. He'll try to give his office number, but insist on his HOME NUMBER. When he says he can't give his HOME NUMBER, ask him, "You dun wan some funny stranger calling you up at home and disturbing you, is it?" He will agree and say, "Then now you know how I feel!" And then say goodbye and hang up.
1. Ask him to talk v-e-r-y slooooowly, because you want to write downEVERY WORD he says.
2. After he finishes saying all his marketing crap, tell him he must marry you first, before you sign on. When he acts all surprised, say, "What, you expect me to give my credit card details to a complete stranger, meh?"
3. When he introduces himself (e.g. "Sammy"), immediately say, "Wahpiang eh! Sammy! Long time no see, man! How are you! Are you still living in that old place?" This should stun Sammy for a while, as he scrambles to remember where he might know you from.
4. If he says he's, e.g. Tan Ah Seng from ABC Pte Ltd, ask him to spell his name. Then ask him to spell the company name. Then ask him where it's located. Continue asking him personal questions or questions about the company for as long as you feel like it.
5. Insist the caller is actually your friend Benny, playing a joke. "Eh, Benny, dun lai dat leh! Stop playing the fool! Seriously lah, Benny, how's your mother, ah? Is she out of the hospital yet?" Etc, etc.
6. After he finishes his pitch, say in a very creepy voice, "Thank you for calling me. I don't have many friends? do you want to be my friend?"
7. If he asks, "How are you?" Tell him! "Wah lau, siong, man! Got so many problems. My fish all died, lah, then my mother and father had this big argument until neighbours call police all, and then lagi worse, dunno why, but my crotch whole day was very itchy, so I went to the clinic and then?" Continue till he hangs up.
8. Tell him you're busy at the moment, and ask him for his HOME number so you can call him back. He'll try to give his office number, but insist on his HOME NUMBER. When he says he can't give his HOME NUMBER, ask him, "You dun wan some funny stranger calling you up at home and disturbing you, is it?" He will agree and say, "Then now you know how I feel!" And then say goodbye and hang up.
Sunday, November 5
Wednesday, November 1
Fond memories for those who born in the 70s and 80s...
1) You grew up watching He-man, MASK, Transformers, Silver Hawk andMickey Mouse. Not to forget, Ninja turtles, MyLittle Pony and Smurfs too.
2) You grew up brushing your teeth with a mug in Primary school during recess time. You will squat by a drain with all your classmates beside you, and brush your teeth with a coloured toothbrush. The teachers said you must brush each side 10 times too.
3) You know what SBC stands for.
4) You pay 40 cents for Chocolate or Strawberry MILK every week in class.
5) You watch a very popular Malay dubbed Japanese drama on RTM1 about schoolgirls who possess powerful skills in volleyball called Meoro Attack.
6) You find your friends with pagers and handphone cool in Secondary school.
7) SBS buses used to be non-airconditioned. The bus seats are made of wood and the cushion is red. The big red bell gives a loud BEEP! when pressed.
8) There are colourful tickets forTIBS buses. The conductor will check for tickets by using a machine which punches a hole in the ticket.
9) Envelopes given to us to donate to Sharity Elephant every Children's Day.
10) You've probably read Young Generation magazine. You know who'sVinny the little vampire and Acai the constable.
11) You were there when they first introduced MRT here. You went for the first ride with your parents and you would kneel on the seat to see the scenery.
12) Movie tickets used to cost only $3.50.
13) Gals are fascinated by Strawberry ShortCake and Barbie Dolls.
14) You learn to laugh like The Count in Sesame Street.
15) You longed to buy tibits called Kaka (20 cents per pack), andDing Dang (50 cents per box), that had a toy in it and it changes every week not forgetting the 15 cents animal crackers and the ring pop, where the lollipop is the diamond on the ring.
16) You watched TV2 (also known as Channel 10) cartoons because Channel 5 never had enough cartoons for you.
17) Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, The Three Investigators, Famous Five and Secret Seven are probably the thickest story books you ever thought you have read. Even Sweet Valley High and Malory Towers.
18) KFC used to be a high class restaurant thatserve food in plates and let you use metal forks and knives.
19) The most vulgar thing you said was asshole and idiot and THE MOST EXTREME WAS 'super white'...you just couldn't bring yourself to say the hokkien relative.
20) Catching was the IN thing and twist as the magic word.
21) Your English workbooks was made of some damn poor quality paper that was smooth and yellow.
22) CDIS were your best friend.
23) The only computer lessons in school involved funny pixellised characters in 16 colours walking about trying to teach you maths.
24) Waterbottles were slinged around your neckand a must everywhere you go.
25) Boys loved to play soccer with small plastic balls in the basketball court.
26) Teng-teng, five stones, chapteh, hentam bola and zero point were all the rage with the girls and boys too...
27) Science was fun with the balsam and the angsana being the most important plants of our lives, guppies and swordtail being the most important fish.
28) Who can forget Ahmad, Bala, Sumei and John, eternalized in our minds from the textbooks. Even Mr Wally & Mr Yakki. What abt Miss Lala??? And Zaki and Tini in Malay Textbooks
29) We carry out experiments of our own to get yourself badges for being a Young Zoologist or Botanist etc.
30) Every Children's day and National day, you either get pins or pens with 'Happy Children's Day 1993' or files with 'Happy National Day 1994'.
31) In Primary six, you had to play buddy for the younger kids like big sister and brother.
32) We wear BM 2000, BATA, or Pallas shoes.
33) Your form teacher taught you Maths, Science and English.
34) The worksheets were made of brown rough paper of poor quality.
35) You went to school in slippers and a raincoat when it rained, and you find a dry spot in the school to sit down, dry your feet and wear your dry and warm socks and shoes.
36) School dismissal time was normally around 1 pm.
37) There would be spelling tests and mental sums to do almost everyday.
38) Your friends considered you lucky and rich if your parents gave you $3 or more for pocket money everyday.
39) You see Wee Kim Wee's face in the school hall.
40) You freak out when the teacher tells you to line up according to height and hold hands with the corresponding boy or girl
41) Boys like to catch fighting spiders.
42) Collecting and battling erasers was a pastime for boys.
43) Autograph books were loaded with "Best Wishes", "Forget Me Not", and small poems like "Bird fly high, hard to catch. Friend like you, hard to forget".
44) Class monitors and prefects loved to say "You talk somemore, I write your name ah!"
45) There were at least 40 people in one class.
46) Large, colourful school bags were carried.
47) You brought every single book to school, even though there was one thing called the timetable.
For those who are born in those days... remember the good old days?
For those who arent.... know what u missed out?
2) You grew up brushing your teeth with a mug in Primary school during recess time. You will squat by a drain with all your classmates beside you, and brush your teeth with a coloured toothbrush. The teachers said you must brush each side 10 times too.
3) You know what SBC stands for.
4) You pay 40 cents for Chocolate or Strawberry MILK every week in class.
5) You watch a very popular Malay dubbed Japanese drama on RTM1 about schoolgirls who possess powerful skills in volleyball called Meoro Attack.
6) You find your friends with pagers and handphone cool in Secondary school.
7) SBS buses used to be non-airconditioned. The bus seats are made of wood and the cushion is red. The big red bell gives a loud BEEP! when pressed.
8) There are colourful tickets forTIBS buses. The conductor will check for tickets by using a machine which punches a hole in the ticket.
9) Envelopes given to us to donate to Sharity Elephant every Children's Day.
10) You've probably read Young Generation magazine. You know who'sVinny the little vampire and Acai the constable.
11) You were there when they first introduced MRT here. You went for the first ride with your parents and you would kneel on the seat to see the scenery.
12) Movie tickets used to cost only $3.50.
13) Gals are fascinated by Strawberry ShortCake and Barbie Dolls.
14) You learn to laugh like The Count in Sesame Street.
15) You longed to buy tibits called Kaka (20 cents per pack), andDing Dang (50 cents per box), that had a toy in it and it changes every week not forgetting the 15 cents animal crackers and the ring pop, where the lollipop is the diamond on the ring.
16) You watched TV2 (also known as Channel 10) cartoons because Channel 5 never had enough cartoons for you.
17) Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, The Three Investigators, Famous Five and Secret Seven are probably the thickest story books you ever thought you have read. Even Sweet Valley High and Malory Towers.
18) KFC used to be a high class restaurant thatserve food in plates and let you use metal forks and knives.
19) The most vulgar thing you said was asshole and idiot and THE MOST EXTREME WAS 'super white'...you just couldn't bring yourself to say the hokkien relative.
20) Catching was the IN thing and twist as the magic word.
21) Your English workbooks was made of some damn poor quality paper that was smooth and yellow.
22) CDIS were your best friend.
23) The only computer lessons in school involved funny pixellised characters in 16 colours walking about trying to teach you maths.
24) Waterbottles were slinged around your neckand a must everywhere you go.
25) Boys loved to play soccer with small plastic balls in the basketball court.
26) Teng-teng, five stones, chapteh, hentam bola and zero point were all the rage with the girls and boys too...
27) Science was fun with the balsam and the angsana being the most important plants of our lives, guppies and swordtail being the most important fish.
28) Who can forget Ahmad, Bala, Sumei and John, eternalized in our minds from the textbooks. Even Mr Wally & Mr Yakki. What abt Miss Lala??? And Zaki and Tini in Malay Textbooks
29) We carry out experiments of our own to get yourself badges for being a Young Zoologist or Botanist etc.
30) Every Children's day and National day, you either get pins or pens with 'Happy Children's Day 1993' or files with 'Happy National Day 1994'.
31) In Primary six, you had to play buddy for the younger kids like big sister and brother.
32) We wear BM 2000, BATA, or Pallas shoes.
33) Your form teacher taught you Maths, Science and English.
34) The worksheets were made of brown rough paper of poor quality.
35) You went to school in slippers and a raincoat when it rained, and you find a dry spot in the school to sit down, dry your feet and wear your dry and warm socks and shoes.
36) School dismissal time was normally around 1 pm.
37) There would be spelling tests and mental sums to do almost everyday.
38) Your friends considered you lucky and rich if your parents gave you $3 or more for pocket money everyday.
39) You see Wee Kim Wee's face in the school hall.
40) You freak out when the teacher tells you to line up according to height and hold hands with the corresponding boy or girl
41) Boys like to catch fighting spiders.
42) Collecting and battling erasers was a pastime for boys.
43) Autograph books were loaded with "Best Wishes", "Forget Me Not", and small poems like "Bird fly high, hard to catch. Friend like you, hard to forget".
44) Class monitors and prefects loved to say "You talk somemore, I write your name ah!"
45) There were at least 40 people in one class.
46) Large, colourful school bags were carried.
47) You brought every single book to school, even though there was one thing called the timetable.
For those who are born in those days... remember the good old days?
For those who arent.... know what u missed out?
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