John Carpenter reached the last final question of the episode and the question was "Which of these U.S. Presidents appeared on the television series Laugh-In?", with the choices being A) Lyndon Johnson, B) Richard Nixon, C) Jimmy Carter, and D) Gerald Ford.
Carpenter used his Phone-A-Friend lifeline to call his father, and had the following conversation:
Host: ...John you've got thirty seconds, starts right now.
John: Uh...Hi, Dad.
Tom: Hi!
John: Um...I don't really need your help, I just wanted to let you know that I'm gonna win the million dollars...
Well, the confidence level at that point of time for this man was simply authentic and genuinely take-a-bow one. For here he was with all his controlled composure saying that he wants to call his parents just to let them know that he is going to win the first edition of "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire" in 1999
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
If At First We Dont Succeed
First time success may not happen, always. Or rather referring to the times when we say life is not a bed of roses. But being in such stance does gives, if taken, of course, us the will to carry on and see the correct side of things, as they are and not what they seem, at the first instance. It makes us what we ought to be, ideally.
A nice poem to remember and carry on despite hiccups, we may find every now and then :
Failure doesn't mean - "We are a failure,"
It means - We have not succeeded.
Failure doesn't mean - "We accomplished nothing,"
It means - We have learned something.
Failure doesn't mean - "We have been a fool,"
It means - We had a lot of faith.
Failure doesn't mean - "We don't have it,"
It means - We were willing to try.
Failure doesn't mean - "We are inferior,"
It means - We are not perfect.
Failure doesn't mean - "We've wasted our life,"
It means - We have a reason to start afresh.
Failure doesn't mean - "We should give up,"
It means - "We must try harder.
Failure doesn't mean - "We'll never make it,"
It means - It will take a little longer.
Failure doesn't mean - "God has abandoned us,"
It means - God has a better way for us.
A nice poem to remember and carry on despite hiccups, we may find every now and then :
Failure doesn't mean - "We are a failure,"
It means - We have not succeeded.
Failure doesn't mean - "We accomplished nothing,"
It means - We have learned something.
Failure doesn't mean - "We have been a fool,"
It means - We had a lot of faith.
Failure doesn't mean - "We don't have it,"
It means - We were willing to try.
Failure doesn't mean - "We are inferior,"
It means - We are not perfect.
Failure doesn't mean - "We've wasted our life,"
It means - We have a reason to start afresh.
Failure doesn't mean - "We should give up,"
It means - "We must try harder.
Failure doesn't mean - "We'll never make it,"
It means - It will take a little longer.
Failure doesn't mean - "God has abandoned us,"
It means - God has a better way for us.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Hats Off To Friendship
I wonder what this world would be if we dont have friends. What it would look like when we wont have someone to share our feelings, when we wont have someone to whom we would share our joys and sorrows alike, to whom we can trust to the core of our heart, to whom we can believe to the extent of belief, to whom we dont think twice about helping in need or so, to whom we are Us and not Me alone.
Wonder what had gone into my mind this time. Just now saw the movie Cars and was quite surprised at the sheer simplicity in which the story tells about the basic necessity of friendship in life.
Life is not always about winning the race. Its about enjoying every bit of the race, make things simple for ourselves and for others. And to make friends, live and give the moments for others and share the joyful nature of friendship
Hats off to friendship!!!!
Wonder what had gone into my mind this time. Just now saw the movie Cars and was quite surprised at the sheer simplicity in which the story tells about the basic necessity of friendship in life.
Life is not always about winning the race. Its about enjoying every bit of the race, make things simple for ourselves and for others. And to make friends, live and give the moments for others and share the joyful nature of friendship
Hats off to friendship!!!!
Monday, October 11, 2010
Whether We Think We Can, Or Think We Can't, We're Probably Right
If you think you are beaten, you are;
If you think that you dare not, you don't;
If you'd like to win, but you think you can’t,
It’s almost certain you wont.
If you think you'll lose, you've lost;
For out in the world you'll find
Success begins with a fellow’s will.
It’s all in the state of mind.
If you think you are outclassed, you are;
You've got to think high to rise;
You've got to be sure of yourself before
you can ever win a prize.
Life's battles don’t always go
to the stronger or faster man;
but sooner or later the man who wins
is the man who thinks he can.
Simply awesome, strightforward, revelling and awesome poem
If you think that you dare not, you don't;
If you'd like to win, but you think you can’t,
It’s almost certain you wont.
If you think you'll lose, you've lost;
For out in the world you'll find
Success begins with a fellow’s will.
It’s all in the state of mind.
If you think you are outclassed, you are;
You've got to think high to rise;
You've got to be sure of yourself before
you can ever win a prize.
Life's battles don’t always go
to the stronger or faster man;
but sooner or later the man who wins
is the man who thinks he can.
Simply awesome, strightforward, revelling and awesome poem
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Attitude Does Matter Sometimes
Its somewhat quite different to feel the same always. Sometimes you feel quite ecstatic, sometimes we feel quite less energetic. Why so ? God knows.
But what I do know is that we can let the ecstatic attitude be our USP for as long as we wish it to be. Pray to God that you are always given the power to do the right thing, to behave in the right way, to make things right everytime, when given a chance and most importantly, when not given a chance.
If you really want to maintain ego or have attitude on something, keep the attitude or ego of being correct, no matter what happens or what the situation delves you, suddenly, into.
Pray, if you are feeling weak. Pray, if you are not able to be strong enough to adjust being right. Pray, to listen to your inner voice, wherein we, as God, recides. For He will and Can never be wrong.
Listen to your inner voice always, no matter what the mind and the body says. Therein Attitude matters
But what I do know is that we can let the ecstatic attitude be our USP for as long as we wish it to be. Pray to God that you are always given the power to do the right thing, to behave in the right way, to make things right everytime, when given a chance and most importantly, when not given a chance.
If you really want to maintain ego or have attitude on something, keep the attitude or ego of being correct, no matter what happens or what the situation delves you, suddenly, into.
Pray, if you are feeling weak. Pray, if you are not able to be strong enough to adjust being right. Pray, to listen to your inner voice, wherein we, as God, recides. For He will and Can never be wrong.
Listen to your inner voice always, no matter what the mind and the body says. Therein Attitude matters
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Stay With What You Believe
A Classroom had Aerodynamics as the topic of study. Teacher told the students that each of them have to choose a partner and all individuals have to make a paper plane. The team whose combined individual planes fly the most distance than the other teams, would win the contest.
Tom and Jeff became the partners. Jeff was considered by teachers and the students a low-grader, as his marks were usually poor. But Jeff would always think winning.
All the teams came one by one to present their inheritance of paper airplane skills. Tom and Jeff's were the last team to present their gadgets. Tom had prepared a simple paper plane , with lots of curves but he was not sure that his team could win, as Jeff was still holding a blank sheet of paper.
All the teams fared too good. Each one was surpassing the other in the distance relation. Last team was that of Tom and Jeff. Tom sent his plane off and it travelled a comfortable distance. All eyes were set on Jeff.
Jeff slowly took his masterpiece from behind. It was still in a non-deformed state. He rolled the paper into a ball and threw it into the air, surpassing all the other team records. Everyone, including teachers were dumbstruck
Tom and Jeff became the partners. Jeff was considered by teachers and the students a low-grader, as his marks were usually poor. But Jeff would always think winning.
All the teams came one by one to present their inheritance of paper airplane skills. Tom and Jeff's were the last team to present their gadgets. Tom had prepared a simple paper plane , with lots of curves but he was not sure that his team could win, as Jeff was still holding a blank sheet of paper.
All the teams fared too good. Each one was surpassing the other in the distance relation. Last team was that of Tom and Jeff. Tom sent his plane off and it travelled a comfortable distance. All eyes were set on Jeff.
Jeff slowly took his masterpiece from behind. It was still in a non-deformed state. He rolled the paper into a ball and threw it into the air, surpassing all the other team records. Everyone, including teachers were dumbstruck
Sunday, September 5, 2010
How Perception To Things Matters A Lot
One day a father and his rich family took their young son on a trip to the country with the firm purpose to show him how poor people can be. They spent a day and a night in the farm of a very poor family. When they got back from their trip the father asked his son, "How was the trip?"
Very good, Dad!"
"Did you see how poor people can be?" the father asked.
"Yeah!"
"And what did you learn?"
The son answered, "I saw that we have a dog at home, and they have four. We have a pool that reaches to the middle of the garden, they have a creek that has no end. We have imported lamps in the garden, they have the stars. Our patio reaches to the front yard, they have a whole horizon."
When the little boy was finishing, his father was speechless.
His son added, "Thanks, Dad, for showing me how poor we are!"
Isn't it true that it all depends on the way you look at things? If you have love, friends, family, health, good humor and a positive attitude toward life, you've got everything!
You can't buy any of these things. You can have all the material possessions you can imagine, provisions for the future, etc., but if you are poor of spirit, you have nothing!
Very good, Dad!"
"Did you see how poor people can be?" the father asked.
"Yeah!"
"And what did you learn?"
The son answered, "I saw that we have a dog at home, and they have four. We have a pool that reaches to the middle of the garden, they have a creek that has no end. We have imported lamps in the garden, they have the stars. Our patio reaches to the front yard, they have a whole horizon."
When the little boy was finishing, his father was speechless.
His son added, "Thanks, Dad, for showing me how poor we are!"
Isn't it true that it all depends on the way you look at things? If you have love, friends, family, health, good humor and a positive attitude toward life, you've got everything!
You can't buy any of these things. You can have all the material possessions you can imagine, provisions for the future, etc., but if you are poor of spirit, you have nothing!
Monday, August 30, 2010
Making Sandcastles In Life
Hot sun. Salty air. Rhythmic waves.
A little boy is on his knees scooping and packing the sand with plastic shovels into a bright blue bucket. Then he upends the bucket on the surface and lifts it. And, to the delight of the little architect, a castle tower is created.
All afternoon he will work. Spooning out the moat. Packing the walls. Bottle tops will be sentries. Popsicle sticks will be bridges. A sandcastle will be built.
Big city. Busy streets. Rumbling traffic.
A man is in his office. At his desk he shuffles papers into stacks and delegates assignments. He cradles the phone on his shoulder and punches the keyboard with his fingers. Numbers are juggled and contracts are signed and much to the delight of the man, a profit is made.
All his life he will work. Formulating the plans. Forecasting the future. Annuities will be sentries. Capital gains will be bridges. An empire will be built.
Two builders of two castles. They have much in common. They shape granules into grandeurs. They see nothing and make something. They are diligent and determined. And for both the tide will rise and the end will come.
Yet that is where the similarities cease. For the boy sees the end while the man ignores it. Watch the boy as the dusk approaches.
As the waves near, the wise child jumps to his feet and begins to clap. There is no sorrow. No fear. No regret. He knew this would happen. He is not surprised. And when the great breaker crashes into his castle and his masterpiece is sucked into the sea, he smiles. He smiles, picks up his tools, takes his father's hand, and goes home.
The grownup, however, is not so wise. As the wave of years collapses on his castle he is terrified. He hovers over the sandy monument to protect it. He blocks the waves from the walls he has made. Salt-water soaked and shivering he snarls at the incoming tide.
"It's my castle," he defies.
The ocean need not respond. Both know to whom the sand belongs...
I don't know much about sandcastles. But children do. Watch them and learn. Go ahead and build, but build with a child's heart. When the sun sets and the tides take away your sand castles- applaud the sheer natureness. Salute the process of life and go home.
A little boy is on his knees scooping and packing the sand with plastic shovels into a bright blue bucket. Then he upends the bucket on the surface and lifts it. And, to the delight of the little architect, a castle tower is created.
All afternoon he will work. Spooning out the moat. Packing the walls. Bottle tops will be sentries. Popsicle sticks will be bridges. A sandcastle will be built.
Big city. Busy streets. Rumbling traffic.
A man is in his office. At his desk he shuffles papers into stacks and delegates assignments. He cradles the phone on his shoulder and punches the keyboard with his fingers. Numbers are juggled and contracts are signed and much to the delight of the man, a profit is made.
All his life he will work. Formulating the plans. Forecasting the future. Annuities will be sentries. Capital gains will be bridges. An empire will be built.
Two builders of two castles. They have much in common. They shape granules into grandeurs. They see nothing and make something. They are diligent and determined. And for both the tide will rise and the end will come.
Yet that is where the similarities cease. For the boy sees the end while the man ignores it. Watch the boy as the dusk approaches.
As the waves near, the wise child jumps to his feet and begins to clap. There is no sorrow. No fear. No regret. He knew this would happen. He is not surprised. And when the great breaker crashes into his castle and his masterpiece is sucked into the sea, he smiles. He smiles, picks up his tools, takes his father's hand, and goes home.
The grownup, however, is not so wise. As the wave of years collapses on his castle he is terrified. He hovers over the sandy monument to protect it. He blocks the waves from the walls he has made. Salt-water soaked and shivering he snarls at the incoming tide.
"It's my castle," he defies.
The ocean need not respond. Both know to whom the sand belongs...
I don't know much about sandcastles. But children do. Watch them and learn. Go ahead and build, but build with a child's heart. When the sun sets and the tides take away your sand castles- applaud the sheer natureness. Salute the process of life and go home.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Jerry - The Ever Positive Guy
Jerry was the kind of guy who was always in a good mood and always had something positive to say. When some one would ask him how is he doing, he would reply, “If I were any better, I would be twins!”.
He was a unique manager because he had several waiters who had followed him around from restaurant to restaurant. The reason the waiters followed Jerry was because of his attitude. He was a natural motivator.
If an employee was having a bad day, Jerry was telling the employee how to look on the positive side of the situation. Seeing this style really made me curious, so one day I went upto Jerry and asked him, “ I don’t get it! You can’t be a positive person all of the time. How do you do it?”
Jerry replied, “Each morning I wake up and say to myself, ‘Jerry, you have two choices today. You can choose to be in a good mood or you can choose to be in a bad mood.’ I choose to be in a good mood. Each time something bad happens, I can choose to be a victim or I can choose to learn from it. I choose to learn from it.
Every time some one comes to me complaining, I can choose to accept their complaint or I can point out the positive side of life. I choose the positive side of life.” “yeah, right, its not that easy,” I protested.
“Yes, it is” Jerry said. Life is all about choices. When you cut away all the junk, every situation is a choice. You choose how you react to situations. You choose how people will affect your mood. You choose to be in a good mood or bad mood.
He was a unique manager because he had several waiters who had followed him around from restaurant to restaurant. The reason the waiters followed Jerry was because of his attitude. He was a natural motivator.
If an employee was having a bad day, Jerry was telling the employee how to look on the positive side of the situation. Seeing this style really made me curious, so one day I went upto Jerry and asked him, “ I don’t get it! You can’t be a positive person all of the time. How do you do it?”
Jerry replied, “Each morning I wake up and say to myself, ‘Jerry, you have two choices today. You can choose to be in a good mood or you can choose to be in a bad mood.’ I choose to be in a good mood. Each time something bad happens, I can choose to be a victim or I can choose to learn from it. I choose to learn from it.
Every time some one comes to me complaining, I can choose to accept their complaint or I can point out the positive side of life. I choose the positive side of life.” “yeah, right, its not that easy,” I protested.
“Yes, it is” Jerry said. Life is all about choices. When you cut away all the junk, every situation is a choice. You choose how you react to situations. You choose how people will affect your mood. You choose to be in a good mood or bad mood.
Sunday, August 15, 2010
If By Rudyard Kipling
Check this poem out by Rudyard Kipling...quite an inspirational one and good one to have a look at when in doubt or dilemma...almost a breathtaking one for me...read for letting loose the right rhythm of maintaining the state of bliss and balance...
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:
If you can dream - and not make dreams your master,
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it all on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son!
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:
If you can dream - and not make dreams your master,
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it all on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son!
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