Saturday, April 22, 2006

sunny days


It should be warmer soon. I am yearning for more solar power. Although anyone who knows me realises that I require a portable air-condition; I sweat buckets. Throw me to Alaska and I probably will still be roaming around in shorts.

I have been doing some thinking and I can't help but to come to a tentative conclusion that human beings are servant of facts. Tentative because there are a handful who are aware that facts are mutable; in other words facts are not fixed. We are so used to the believe that facts are certain because certainty gives rise to security and this security gives us what we want, safety. There is a strong tendency for us to cling on to these facts, the child of science. No doubt that scientists come up with principles based on observations. To prove that their observation is correct they need to go into in-depth experiments; performing a series of tests and research. If they can prove their obeservations to be right, then their principles are accepted as theories that are workable, until a new discovery is made to improve or disprove its veracity.

If you stop and ponder for a while, we are all little scientists of our own rights. Since birth we are imbue with rock-solid principles, some sort of a system. Somehow we are conditioned to believe that this system will bring us what we need if we play by the books and do not derail. Therefore anything that fits into our system are acceptable and what don't are flushed out, ignored and discriminated. And of course some unfortunate souls are of the opinion that they are open-minded and that they accept "more" things and ideas that fall within the ambit of an authentic system.

The paradox - well, a system sets limits to being open-minded.

The irony - great things of our age are invented by those who derail and dare to think differently, until they are caught in a system of facts.

Tuesday, April 18, 2006

x-culture

Wendy, you're divinely inspired when it comes to Culture!

Get up and go? You've got it. You enjoy new experiences and new people because you are inspired by how others view the world. You're not only curious, you allow for the possibility that there are many ways to approach life. And what better way to find the right path for yourself than by discovering what other cultures admire as art, how they communicate with each other, and what they enjoy as delicacies. After all, it's the journey that's important to you, not necessarily the destination.

Since you're open-minded, you probably enjoy moving from one crowd to another, with equal enthusiasm for all kinds of people. And your natural ability to create a friendly environment for everyone will serve you well wherever your journeys take you. Bon voyage!

Note: I have to agree on the accuracy of this test result.

cookies


Imagine you are at KL International Airport, Malaysia.

While you're waiting for your flight, you notice a shop selling shortbread cookies. You buy a box, put them in your traveling bag and then you patiently search for an available seat so you can sit down and enjoy your cookies. Finally you find a seat next to a gentleman. You reach down into your traveling bag and pull out your box of shortbread cookies.

As you do so, you notice that the gentleman starts watching you intensely. He stares as you opening the box and his eyes follow your hand as you pick up the cookie and bring it to your mouth. Just then he reaches over and takes one of your cookies from the box, and eats it! You're more than a little surprised at this. Actually, you're at a loss for words. Not only does he take one cookie, but he alternates with you. For every one cookie you take, he takes one.

Now, what's your immediate impression of this guy? Crazy? Greedy? He's got some nerve? Can you imagine the words you might use to describe this man to your associates back at the office? Meanwhile, you both continue eating the cookies until there's just one left. To your surprise, the man reaches over and takes it. But then he does something unexpected. He breaks it in half, and gives half to you. After he's finished with his half he gets up, and without a word, he leaves. You think to yourself, "Did this really happen?" You're left sitting there dumbfounded and still hungry.

So you go back to the shop and buy another box of cookies. You then return to your seat and begin opening your new box of cookies when you glance down into your traveling bag. Sitting there in your bag is your original box of cookies -- still unopened.

Only then do you realize that when you reached down earlier, you had reached into the other man's bag, and grabbed his box of cookies by mistake. Now what do you think of the man? Generous? Tolerant? You've just experienced a profound paradigm shift. You'reseeing things from a new point of view.

Is it time to change your point of view?

Now, think of this story as it relates to your life. Seeing things from a new point of view can be veryenlightening. Think outside the box. Don'tsettle for the status quo.

Be open to suggestions. Things may not be what they seem.

Have a great day.

To the genius who wrote this article, THANKS.