Reflections on Bill Gates

Love him or hate him, he sure hits the nail on the head with this! Bill Gates recently gave a speech at a High School about 11 things they did not and will not learn in school. He talks about how feel-good politically correct teachings created a generation of kids with no concept of reality and how this concept set them up for failure in the real world.


Rule #1: Life is not fair - get used to it!

Rule #2: The world won't care about your self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself.

Rule #3: You will NOT make $60,000 a year right out of high school. You won't be a vice-president with a car phone until you earn both.

Rule #4: If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss.

Rule #5: Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your Grandparents had a different word for burger flipping: they called it opportunity.

Rule #6: If you mess up, it's not your parents' fault, so don't whine about your mistakes, learn from them.

Rule #7: Before you were born, your parents weren't as boring as they are now. They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes, and listening to you talk about how cool you thought you were. So before you save the rain forest from the parasites of your parent's generation, try delousing the closet in your own room.

Rule #8: Your school may have done away with winners and losers, but life HAS NOT. In some schools, they have abolished failing grades and they'll give you as MANY TIMES as you want to get the the right answer. This doesn't bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.

Rule #9: Life is not divided into semesters. You don't get summers off and very few employers are interested in helping you FIND YOURSELF. Do that on your own time.

Rule #10: Television is NOT real life. In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.

Rule #11: Be nice to nerds. Chances are you will end up working for one.


BILL ROCKS!!

Reflections on Shirley Valentin

Few times in one's life does a book, play, story etc., leave such as lasting impression as

Shirley Valentine left on me so many years ago.

For those not familiar with this play by Willie Russell, (more about him later), it follows a middle-aged housewife from her monotonous and often unappreciated day in Liverpool, through her life-changing trip to Greece.

Many say this play is for women only. I must admit that it does say out loud what I'm sure so many women feel when the children have grown and gone. They feel they are no longer needed and that is THEIR TURN to fly....but it is also very fitting for men as well. (Shirley, herself mentions this.)

It is indeed a comedy that is full of thought-provoking anecdotes and words of wisdom.

Her profound conclusion is that "we don't do what we want to do....we do what we have to do, and pretend it is what we want to do".

When I first became acquainted with this play....I could NOT believe that a man wrote it....NO WAY!!! On researching more about it...I found out that Willie Russell was actually a hairdresser in Liverpool....and wrote this play about the feelings/complaints of his women customers....AHHHHH!!! In any case....if you are not familiar with it...it is certainly worth seeing, whether it be the play, or the wonderful movie that was made of this unforgettable woman.

Last night I was blessed to see it in Toronto, accompanied by my oldest daughter, Julia...so it was especially memorable. She actually challenged me to legally change my name to Linda Valentine. Hmmmmmm

Reflections about Modern Technology

Once in awhile, something sticks in my head....a quote, a saying,....in this instance...a commercial.
Picture this......a father comes home...walking through the house, while still on his Blackberry.
He passes by his wife, who is chatting on her cell phone.......then passes his daughter who is connected to her iPod....then his son who is busy using his laptop.
A photograph has been knocked from the fridge door....so he stoops to pick it up.
The picture is of the whole family on a fishing trip.....all smiles.
I am sure this scenario is very realistic with most families in this day of modern technology....

The caption reads......."Never confuse the devices that connect us with the moments that keep us together".

I will let you ponder the implications of this warning. I fear future generations will lose the ability to REALLY connect. (in my humble opinion)
Yes , I agree that modern technology is wonderful and has given us opportunities we might not otherwise had....but it has also taken something....and continues to do so.

BTW.....I have no idea what the commercial was for.....I'll pay more attention the next time!

Memories Light the Corners of Our Minds

I have always thought that once you look backward more than forwards, it indicated that you had "given up". At least....in the health care field, we often notice that when someone starts looking through an address book for names of old friends to make contact with, it is a sure sign that the patient has given up on life and is ready to move on.
However, I have also heard that "no one owns the past, and it is a grave error not to inhabit memories" (Patrica Hampl)
On occasion, a memory can almost slap you in the face when you least expect it. I find it fascinating that one can also revisit the very emotion that you felt at the time of the memory.
All in all, the brain is a very strange organ.....one which we have only scratched the surface in understanding. We take a scary path when we allow ourselves to go down the road of memories. It may be a pleasant path.....or a not so pleasant path. We never really know when we start out.
Perhaps this rant occurred because I watched The Notebook tonight, which deals basically with Alzheimer's disease and how the memories, or lack of, can influence life.
I keep being reminded of the adage, Do not weep that it ended, but smile that it happened.

The Miracle of Life

Before you were conceived , I wanted you.

Before you were born, I loved you.

Before you were here an hour, I would have died

for you.

Such is the miracle of life.

(Maureen Hawkins)

This picture shows all three of my miracles:

Jennifer, Sarah and Julia

Thank you girls....You are the Wind Beneath My Wings

MOM

Reflections of Life

This week...an old classmate of mine sent a Youtube video to all the class members. It was a reading by Kelly Corrigan, whom I must admit I had never heard of before.
I cannot tell you how this little clip affected me, as it did apparently many of my classmates. We all are at that age where we are more aware that life is no longer a ball of string winding endlessly into the future, but is finite. We now have experienced several members of the class passing, which bring it even closer to home.
I would advise you take a look for it on Youtube, under Kelly Corrigan and Transcending. (posting links on here doesnt seem to work very well).
It is certainly worth a look.
She also sent a picture....of five little girls standing by the seashore, holding hands. Just like these little girls...who alone, would be swept away by the waves...but together, can withstand the tide....as friends, we provide strength and support for our family and friends in times of need.
My wish for you and yours is that 2009 holds Peace, Health and Happiness.