A teacher teaching Maths to seven-year-old Arnav asked him, “If I give you one apple and one apple and one apple, how many apples will you have?” Within a few seconds Arnav replied confidently, “Four!”
The dismayed teacher was expecting an effortless correct answer (three). She was disappointed. “Maybe the child did not listen properly,” she thought. She repeated, “Arnav, listen carefully. If I give you one apple and one apple and one apple, how many apples will you have?”
Arnav had seen the disappointment on his teacher’s face. He calculated again on his fingers. But within him he was also searching for the answer that will make the teacher happy. His search for the answer was not for the correct one, but the one that will make his teacher happy. This time hesitatingly he replied, “Four?
The disappointment stayed on the teacher’s face. She remembered that Arnav liked strawberries. She thought maybe he doesn’t like apples and that is making him loose focus. This time with an exaggerated excitement and twinkling in her eyes she asked, “If I give you one strawberry and one strawberry and one strawberry, then how many you will have?”
Seeing the teacher happy, young Arnav calculated on his fingers again. There was no pressure on him, but a little on the teacher. She wanted her new approach to succeed. With a hesitating smile young Arnav enquired, “Three?”
The teacher now had a victorious smile. Her approach had succeeded. She wanted to congratulate herself. But one last thing remained. Once again she asked him, “Now if I give you one apple and one apple and one more apple how many will you have?”
Promptly Arnav answered, “Four!”
The teacher was aghast. “How Arnav, how?” she demanded in a little stern and irritated voice.
In a voice that was low and hesitating young Arnav replied, “Because I already have one apple in my bag.”
“When someone gives you an answer that is different from what you expect don’t think they are wrong. There maybe an angle that you have not understood at all. You will have to listen and understand, but never listen with a predetermined notion.”
April 26th, 2008
Posted by
Coldie |
Thoughts |
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I don’t think a broken heart can really kill you, but in Japan it can at least get you some time off work.
Management at a marketing company in Tokyo is offering employees paid time-off after a bad break-up with a partner. The older the employees are, the more “heartache leave” they can get. Staff aged 24 or younger can take one day off per year, while those between 25 and 29 can take two days off, and those older than 30 can take three days off.
The CEO says that not everyone needs to take maternity leave for example, but lots of people have their heart broken. And, when they do, this gives them a chance to get better, just like when they get sick.
This same company also gives staff paid time off twice a year as “sales shopping leave” so they can go hunt for bargains during peak sales seasons. They say they know that the workers will sneak out anyway to do it - either calling in sick or taking long lunches - so they may as well give them the excused time-off to do it. Well, isn’t that nice?
I wasn’t surprised when I found out that all the employees at this company are women. I don’t mean to be sexist, but I don’t know many men who would call in sick to work because they broke up with their girlfriend.
But then I don’t know many women who would do it either. If you’re serious about your job, you don’t let heartbreak or store bargains keep you from doing your work.
February 12th, 2008
Posted by
Coldie |
Life, Thoughts, Work |
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When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar and the two cups of coffee.
A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, he wordlessly picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls.
He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was. The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full.
They agreed that it was. The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full.
The students responded with a unanimous “yes”.
The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar effectively filling the empty space between the sand.
The students laughed. “Now,” said the professor as the laughter subsided, “I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life.”
“The golf balls are the important things - God, your family, your children, your health, your friends and your favourite passions - and if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.”
“The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house and your car. The sand is everything else - the small stuff. If you put the sand into the jar first,” He continued, “there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life.”
“If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff you will never have room for the things that are important to you. Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your spouse out to dinner. Play another 18. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal. Take care of the golf balls first - the things that really matter.”
“Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.”
One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented.
The professor smiled. “I’m glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there’s always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend.”
December 18th, 2007
Posted by
Coldie |
Life, Thoughts |
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The Singapore Dream goes something like this – get a good-paying job (never mind you don’t exactly love it), earn enough cash to get a credit card or cards, a car, a condo near prestigious schools, and a country club membership. Or at least, that’s how the dream used to go.
Singapore is where it is today partly because of these material aspirations, but as our society matures, the 5 C’s are beginning to lose their shine.
Studies consistently show that most people desire more money; they believe that it’s the one thing that can immediately improve the quality of their lives. But as we become more affluent, more and more of us are wondering if we were chasing the wrong ideals. We’re asking “If we are so rich, why aren’t we happy?” The equation that wealth = happiness is looking increasingly wobbly.
We’re discovering that the more money and possessions we have, the more we want. It’s never enough. Psychologists have even quantified our tendency to want more. On average, we want 25% more than what we have. When we reach that goal, we up our scale by another 25%. Most of us do it unconsciously. It’s an instinctive behaviour gone out of control, much like the appetite for food that has no self-imposed limits.
Eventually, we realize that the pursuit of material gains only results in emptiness. We can always get more money, more things, but we can never obtain more time with our loved ones, more passion, more meaning, more youth. These are the things we’ll end up caring about, and in some cases, regretting, when we get older. As someone once said, “We spend our youth trying to get more money, and later spend our money trying to get more youth.”
The 5 C’s are an outdated ideal. More important for our happiness are the non-material things, such as satisfying relationships, work where one feels valued and recognized, good health, happy family life, feeling loved, and enjoyment of music, nature, poetry, sports, or literature. Unfortunately, many of us spend all our time in trying to make more money, which doesn’t leave any time for pursuing the things that can really make us happy.
How can you modify the 5 C’s to build a more rewarding life? How about Compassion, Caring, Charity, Creativity, Communication?
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November 13th, 2007
Posted by
Coldie |
Life, Thoughts |
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Test for Dementia
Below are four (4) questions and a bonus question. You have to answer them instantly. You can’t take your time, answer all of them immediately. OK?
Let’s find out just how clever you really are . . .
Ready? GO!!!
First Question:
You are participating in a race. You overtake the second person. What position are you in?
Answer: If you answered that you are first, then you are absolutely wrong! If you overtake the second person and you take his place, you are second!
Try not to screw up next time. Now answer the second question, but don’t take as much time as you took for the first question, OK?
Second Question:
If you overtake the last person, then you are . . . ?
Answer: If you answered that you are second to last, then you are wrong again. Tell me, how can you overtake the LAST Person?
You’re not very good at this, are you?
Third Question:
Very tricky arithmetic! Note: This must be done in your HEAD only. Do NOT use paper and pencil or a calculator. Try it.
Take 1000 and add 40 to it. Now add another 1000. Now add 30. Add another 1000. Now add 20. Now add another 1000. Now add 10. What is the total?
Did you get 5000?
The correct answer is actually 4100.
If you don’t believe it, check it with a calculator! Today is definitely not your day, is it? Maybe you’ll get the last question right . . . Maybe . . .
Fourth Question:
Mary’s father has five daughters: 1. Nana, 2. Nene, 3. Nini,4. Nono. What is the name of the fifth daughter?
Did you Answer Nunu?
NO! Of course it isn’t. Her name is Mary. Read the question again!
Okay, now the bonus round:
A mute person goes into a shop and wants to buy a toothbrush. By imitating the action of brushing his teeth he successfully expresses himself to the shopkeeper and the purchase is done.
Next, a blind man comes into the shop who wants to buy a pair of sunglasses; how does HE indicate what he wants?
Answer: He just has to open his mouth and ask . . . It’s really very simple . . . Like you!
November 2nd, 2007
Posted by
Coldie |
Miscellaneous, Psychology, Thoughts |
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