1,000 year of annoying the French

We had our annual Hong Kong bookfair over the weekend (july 24), an event I look forward to with much eagerness each year. So do 1,000,000 other HK people, judging from the armpit to armpit crowds each year. Thankfully we see as much books as we do people's armpits! Gross.

I bought enough books to bend double my husband's and my back, carrying them home. Not unlike ancient soldiers returning home from pillaging, ladened with battle spoils. One book that I never even knew about, let alone scheme to buy it, was this book called 1,000 years of annoying the French. Obviously written by an Englishman/ Stephen Clarke faithfully used up 600 over pages to minutely record the countless things that Britain has done to snub at the haughty French darlings. I am laughing all the way, because it is so entertainingly humourous. Anytime I would replace my Sejarah textbooks with this wicked book.

The other books in the sack are my usual thoroughfare of "How to....." this or that. I am not sure what really is my life long passion for How to books. Is it because subconsciously I feel like an unfinished masterpiece and therefore constantly reading up on "how to...." in an attempt to finish the unfinish myself. Or it is because my (work)life is enough of a drama/adventure/terror that all other fictions, including Harry Potter is bland in comparison, and therefore I only read "how to..." books to escape the humdrum of corporate life, and act like a messiah of change at work. Whatever is the cause, I have now a few dozen books that boast of its capability to "develop self confidence & Influence People", "Lead a new Generation (steve jobs)", Innovation Secrets (still Steve Jobs), the Richest Man in Babylon, Tuesdays with Morie, sun tzu the Art of War etc etc.

funny enough, the book I am reading most is the 1,000 year of annoying the French book. Bet this is annoying my subconscience!

Cooperation is the key to success

Story by Jean Xujing of SHU MBA

Have you been to the temples? When we enter one temple, we will see the Maitreya Buddha, who is always kind and smiling. On the north of him sited a black guy who is Veda. But according to the legend a long time ago, they were not in the same temple, but were in charge of different temple separately. 

 

Buddha is warm hearted, happy and optimistic man, so he attracted many people to come to the temple for worship and pray. He therefore earned so much incense and money for his temple. But he is not a careful man and not good at managing the money and accounts.  As a result, he still made the ends meet. 

 

However, Veda is a master of accounts management but he is too serious and never being smile. Few people likes him. So his temple was nearly always empty, without people and without incense. 

 

Kwan-yin found this problem in his investigation. So he arranged Buddha and Veda into one temple. The Buddha was charge of the public relations and he stand at the front of the temple, smiling to welcome the people praying.  The Veda was charge of financial, He isstrict and serious, and good at accounting. As a result, the incense of the temple got more and more prosperous!  

 

So co-operation is the foundation of success. The ability of single people is so limited, but if many people cooperate together, the power will be tremendous!

Chopsticks - the art of simplicity

The humble chopsticks is a very simple thing, just two longish straight sticks, held together in one hand. It can help pick food up accurately and deftly, shovel rice into mouth, stab at fishballs, flick away unwanted bits of food from the bowl, stir soup, etc. And it is easy to clean, even easier to carry around. The entire 10 course dinner (except soup!) can be eaten or slurped up with a pair of chopsticks. Contrast this with eating a full course of Western meal. How much silver lines up around and above our plate? Imagine the washing after that. Or try carrying it all in your handbag.


Chopsticks are the most visible and practical essence of practising the Art of Simplicity.