Saturday, April 30, 2016
Life Hacks
Life hacking refers to any trick, shortcut, skill, or novelty method that increases productivity and efficiency, in all walks of life.
- Wikipedia
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I came across the life hacks item below recently by chance when looking into another item.
The “I” references in the item are not to myself, it is by the author to himself/herself, whose identity I (that one is mine) do not know.
An amplified version with greater elaboration of the various points made can be found at:
I believe that the person who has that blog may in fact be the author.
There’s some good commonsense in the list (I have retained the American spellings). . .
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When you first meet people try to notice their eye color while also smiling at them. It might be because you look for a second or two longer, but all I can tell you is that people really respond to it.
Pay attention to people’s feet. If you approach two people in the middle of a conversation, and they only turn their torsos and not their feet, they don’t want you to join in the conversation. Similarly if you are in a conversation with a coworker who you think is paying attention to you and their torso is turned towards you but their feet are facing in another direction, they want the conversation to end.
Foot-in-the-door phenomenon. People are more likely to agree to do a task for you if you ask them to do something simpler first. (Gradual Commitment… makes people them think you like them)
Alternatively you ask them to do an unreasonable task, and they’ll say no, so then you ask for what you wanted, a much more reasonable task, and they’re more likely to agree that way.
If you ask someone to do you a small favor, cognitive dissonance will make them believe that because they did that favor, they therefore must like you. (Ben Franklin)
If you ask someone a question and they only partially answer just wait. If you stay silent and keep eye contact they will usually continue talking.
Chew gum when you’re approaching a situation that would make you nervous like public speaking or bungee jumping. I can’t remember where I heard it but apparently if we are ‘eating’ something in our brains trip and it reasons ‘I would not be eating if I were danger. So I’m not in danger’. Has helped calm me a few times.
Avoid the sidewalk shuffle by looking intently over the person’s shoulder, or between people’s heads in a group. Your gaze shows them where you’re going. They’ll drift toward the opposing side / create a gap to avoid you.
When you’re studying/learning something new, teach a friend how/about it. Let them ask questions. If you’re able to teach something well, you understand it.
Refer to people you’ve just met by their name. People loving being referred to by their name, and it will establish a sense of trust and friendship right away.
For interviews I recommend altering your psychological state beforehand. Tell yourself “I’ve known these people all my life. We’re old friends catching up. I can’t wait to see them”. Visualize the experience, shaking hands, making eye contact, having conversation. What things can you not to wait to tell them? Hold an open pose…stand with your legs apart, hands on your hips, and shoulders back while doing this and SMILE. This may sound cliche but you are in charge of your own psychological state and the power of suggestion is strong.
If you get yourself to be really happy and excited to see other people, they will react the same to you. It doesn’t always happen the first time, but it will definitely happen next time.
My personal favorite is when people are angry at me; if I stay calm it’ll get them even angrier, and be ashamed about it after.
If you have a warm hand when you shake somebody’s hand, you immediately become a more desirable person to get along with.
People have a certain image of themselves and will fight tooth and nail to cling to it. Use this information wisely. You can make people dislike you by attacking their self-image.
False attribution of arousal. When you take somebody out on a first date, take them somewhere exciting that will get their heart beating. e.g. roller coaster or horror film. This gets their adrenaline up. It makes them think they enjoy spending time with you rather than the activity.
The key to confidence is walking into a room, and assuming everyone already likes you.
The physical effects of stress (increased breathing rate, heart rate etc) mirror identically the physical effects of courage. So when you’re feeling stress from any situation immediately reframe it: your body is getting ready to do courage, it’s not feeling stress.
People will remember not what you said but how you made them feel.
If you make the biggest smile you can, you will automatically feel happier.
The moment your alarm wakes you up, immediately react by sitting up, pump your fists and shout “YEAH!”
Always give your kid a choice that makes them think they are in control. For instance when I want him to put his shoes on I will say “Do you want to put your Star Wars shoes on or your shark shoes on?”
People are extraordinarily aware of their sense of touch. If someone (a member of the opposite sex?) ‘accidentally’ rests their knee on yours, let’s say, they know it’s there.
Friday, April 29, 2016
Funny Friday
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Yep, Friday again and time for some fun.
Today, a bit of religious humour with emphasis on men and women of the cloth.
A word of caution: irreverent and risqué humour follows.
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A couple of novice nuns walked into the corner liquor store and one of them asked the proprietor for a fifth of gin. "Sisters, now how would it look for a respectable fellow like me to sell alcohol to nuns?" was the reply. One of the nuns leaned over the counter and whispered conspiratorially, "It's really for the Mother Superior's constipation." The store owner thought it over and decided to sell it to them since it was for medicinal purposes, but only on condition that they hide it in a paper bag and not tell anyone.
An hour later the store owner closed up and walked outside, only to immediately come across the nuns on a park bench, roaring drunk.
"Sisters," he said angrily, "you know I only sold you that gin because it was to ease Mother superior's constipation."
"It ish," slurred one the nuns. When she sees us, she's gonna be shittin' bricks."
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One fine day in Ireland, a guy is out golfing and gets up to the 16th hole. He tees up and cranks one. Unfortunately, it goes into the woods on the side of the fairway. He goes looking for his ball and comes across this little guy with this huge lump on his head and the golf ball lying right beside him. "Goodness," says the golfer, and proceeds to revive the poor little guy. Upon awakening, the little guy says, "Well, you caught me fair and square; I am a leprechaun. I will grant you three wishes." The man says, "I can't take anything from you, I'm just glad I didn't hurt you too badly," and walks away.
Watching the golfer depart , the leprechaun thinks, "Well, he was a nice enough guy and he did catch me so I have to do something for him. I'll give him the three things that I would want -- unlimited money, a great golf game and a great sex life."
A year passes and the same golfer is out golfing on the same course at the 16th hole. He gets up and hits one into the same woods, goes looking for his ball and comes across the same leprechaun. He asks the leprechaun how he is and the leprechaun replies: "I'm fine, and might I ask how your golf game is?"
The golfer says "It's great! I hit under par every time." The leprechaun says, "I did that for you. And how is your money holding out?" The golfer says, "Well, now that you mention it, every time I put my hand in my pocket, I pull out a hundred pound note." The leprechaun smiles and says, "I did that for you too.
And how is your sex life?" The golfer looks at him shyly and says, "It’s great, once or twice a month."
The leprechaun is floored and stammers, "Once or twice a month? How is that geat?"
The golfer, a little embarrassed, looks at him and says, "Well, it's not too bad for a Catholic priest in a small parish."
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On their way to a Justice of the Peace to get married this couple has a fatal car accident. The couple is sitting outside heaven's gate waiting on St. Peter to do an intake. In conversation while waiting they wonder if they could possibly get married in Heaven. St. Peter finally shows up and they ask him. St. Peter says, "I don't know, this is the first time anyone ever asked. Let me go find out," and he leaves. The couple sits for a couple of months and in conversation they begin to wonder if they really should get married in Heaven, what with the eternal aspect of it all. "What if it doesn't work out?, " they wonder, "Are we stuck together forever?" St. Peter returns after yet another month, looking somewhat bedraggled. "Yes," he informs the couple, "you can get married in Heaven." "Great," says the couple, "but what if things don't work out? Could we also get a divorce in Heaven?" St. Peter, red-faced, slams his clipboard onto the ground. "What's wrong?" exclaims the frightened couple. "Jeez!" St. Peter exclaims, "It took me three months to find a priest up here! Do you have any idea how long it's going to take for me to find a lawyer!?"
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Sitting on the train with a young curate, the bishop was doing The Times crossword. 'Three across,' he said out loud, 'exclusively female, four letters, ends in U-N-T.'
'Aunt,' suggested the curate.
'Shit,' said the bishop, 'have you got an eraser?'
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Jesus came upon a small crowd who had surrounded a young woman they believed to be an adulteress. They were preparing to stone her to death.
To calm the situation, Jesus said: "Whoever is without sin among you, let them cast the first stone."
Suddenly, an old lady at the back of the crowd picked up a huge rock and lobbed it at the young woman, scoring a direct hit on her head. The unfortunate young lady collapsed dead on the spot.
Jesus looked over towards the old lady and said: "Mother, sometimes you really piss me off."
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A man was trapped on a deserted island that was sinking into the sea. As the water lapped around his feet, a motor boat suddenly approached the island.
"Come on, man, get in!" said the boatman.
"No," said the guy on the island, "I have faith in Jesus. He will save me!"
The boat went off and the water continued to rise. When it was up to the guy's chest, another boat appeared.
"Get in the boat, or you're going to drown!" said the boatman. Again, the guy said, "No, I have faith in Jesus. He will save me!"
The boat went off and the water continued to rise. When it was up to the guy's chin, a third boat appeared.
"Get in, this is your last chance!"
"No, Jesus will save me!"
So the boat went off, the water continued to rise and the guy drowned. He went up to h\heaven and was greeted by Jesus.
"Hey, Jesus," he said, "I trusted in you all my life and you let me drown! I don't believe it!"
"YOU don't believe it?" Jesus said, "I sent three fucking boats to save you!!"
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A nun is driving the convent's car through some very lonely countryside. The car stops and she notices there is no petrol left. So she walks to the nearest filling station. But of course, being a nun, she is a little unworldly, and so she forgot to take along the canister for the petrol. The nice guy at the filling station has no canister either. He thinks for a while, then he hands her a chamber-pot full of petrol. The nun walks back to her car and starts pouring the petrol into the tank.
A bypassing car stops, and the driver looks out and says "Sister, how I would like to have as much faith as you do!"
Corn Corner:
A group of people are touring the White House in Washington D.C. As the tour ends, they are waiting in line to sign the visitors register. A group of nuns are in line to sign the book, followed by a Jewish family with their young son Sheldon.
As they near the visitors registry, young Sheldon loses patience and runs ahead to sign the book. However, his mother stops him and admonishes him, saying, "Wait till the nun signs Shelly!"
Thursday, April 28, 2016
Quote for the Day
Paulo Coelho (1947 -
) is a Brazilian lyricist and novelist. He is the recipient of numerous
international awards, amongst them the Crystal Award by the World Economic
Forum. The Alchemist, his
most famous novel, has been translated into 80 languages. He has
sold over 200 million copies worldwide and is the all-time bestselling
Portuguese language author.
The Little Things
The Little Things
Author Unknown
I had a very special teacher in high school many years ago whose husband unexpectedly died suddenly of a heart attack. About a week after his death, she shared some of her insight with a classroom of students. As the late afternoon sunlight came streaming in through the classroom windows and the class was nearly over, she moved a few things aside on the edge of her desk and sat down there.
With a gentle look of reflection on her face, she paused and said, "Before class is over, I would like to share with all of you a thought that is unrelated to class, but which I feel is very important. Each of us is put here on earth to learn, share, love, appreciate and give of ourselves... and none of us knows when this fantastic experience will end. It can be taken away at any moment. Perhaps this is God's way of telling us that we must make the most out of every single day."
Her eyes beginning to water, she went on, "So I would like you all to make me a promise... from now on, on your way to school, or on your way home, find something beautiful to notice. It doesn't have to be something you see - it could be a scent - perhaps of freshly baked bread wafting out of someone's house, or it could be the sound of the breeze slightly rustling the leaves in the trees, or the way the morning light catches one autumn leaf as it falls gently to the ground. Please, look for these things, and cherish them.
For, although it may sound trite to some, these things are the "stuff" of life. The little things we are put here on earth to enjoy. The things we often take for granted. We must make it important to notice them, for at any time ... it can all be taken away."
The class was completely quiet. We all picked up our books and filed out of the room silently. That afternoon, I noticed more things on my way home from school than I had that whole semester. Every once in a while, I think of that teacher and remember what an impression she made on all of us, and I try to appreciate all of those things that sometimes we all overlook.
Take notice of something special you see on your lunch hour today. Go barefoot. Or walk on the beach at sunset. Stop off on the way home tonight to get a double dip ice cream cone. For as we get older, it is not the things we did that we often regret, but the things we didn't do.
Wednesday, April 27, 2016
Street Art
I am fascinated by good street art, not the mindless tagging of walls but the imaginative use of space, new ways of looking at things and the incorporation of everyday objects in ways not previously contemplated.
That is also why I was captivated by the performances of someone who calls himself The Boy With Tape on His Face. I hadn’t heard of him before and happened to came across him by way of a random Youtube send. A funny man. There are a number of videos of TBWTOHF available on Youtube but clicking on the following link will give a good idea of what he does and how he incorporates objects, watch to the end:
End of digression, here is some more street art . . .
Apparently this colourful ceiling of strips in Sydney’s Bridge Lane
The sign translates to 'Don’t ignore me.'
Tuesday, April 26, 2016
QE2 in WW2
A few days ago I mentioned that Queen Elizabeth 11 had driven a truck in WW11.
With Anzac Day having just passed and with Her Maj having recently turned 90, it is worth having a quick look at an interesting aspect of the life of an amazing woman.
- When war broke out in 1939, Elizabeth’s father, George VI, was the reigning monarch. He had come to the throne in 1937 and reigned until his death of lung cancer in 1952.
- Elizabeth, born on 21 April 1926, was aged 13 when the war started. Her sister, Margaret, was aged 9.
- Suggestions that the children leave the capital, as with many of the children who were evacuated from London, were vetoed by Elizabeth’s mother - "The children won't go without me. I won't leave without the King. And the King will never leave.”
- After turning 18, Elizabeth wanted a role in the war effort. This was refused by her father, who felt that the next in line to the throne should not be engaged in such pursuits. Elizabeth persisted and finally wore him down. In February 1945, just before her 19th birthday, she joined the Women's Auxiliary Territorial Service as an honorary second subaltern. She trained as a driver and mechanic and was promoted to honorary junior commander five months later.
- At the end of the war in Europe, on Victory in Europe Day, Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret mingled anonymously with the celebratory crowds in the streets of London. Elizabeth later said in a rare interview, "We asked my parents if we could go out and see for ourselves. I remember we were terrified of being recognised ... I remember lines of unknown people linking arms and walking down Whitehall, all of us just swept along on a tide of happiness and relief.
- The Queen remains the only female member of the Royal Family to have entered the armed forces and is the only living head of state who served in World War II.
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