the porcelain bowl vol 3 issue 3

The Porcelain Bowl Volume 3 issue 3
(It all goes down the drain eventually, anyway)
Contents
I. Quote of the Week
II. Catch 22
III. You Speak (Frank Sasso)
Editors Comments: So I told you all that I was going to write something funny the next newsletter, I hope that you think that this joke and poke filled e-letter makes you laugh and encourages you to be the man that I know that you are....

QUOTE of the WEEK:
See Star Wars III you must, going to the movies, you are? -my best Yoda

Catch 22
Joke of the Week
Three Guys & The Devil
Three guys die in a major bus accident and all go to the gates of heaven. When they arrive at the Pearly Gates, the Devil meets them instead of God. He says to the men, "I am only allowed to let one of you three into heaven. I will choose the one who can ask me a question that I cannot answer." The first guy, a philosopher, stands in puzzlement for a while and finally asks, "Who was Polydectes and what did he do?"
The Devil snaps his fingers and a whole bunch of books appear in front of the guy. After reading all the books, the Devil answers correctly and poof, the philosopher disappears to hell. The second guy, a mathematician, asks the Devil the most complicated question ever. The Devil snaps his fingers and a whole bunch of books and papers appear in front of the guy. After working out the problem, the Devil answers correctly and poof, the mathematician disappears to hell. The third guy, an idiot, asks the Devil to get him a chair and drill seven holes in the chair. So the Devil drills the holes and hands the chair to the idiot. The idiot sits on the chair and farts. He then asks the Devil, "Which hole did I fart through?"
The Devil gives the idiot a dirty look and starts to think. The Devil finally replies, "The third one."
The idiot says, "Nope! The one through my butt."

(article from Ask Men E-Zine)
Test someone's intelligence
Does the salesman extolling the glories of a new computer you've got your eye on actually know what he's talking about, or is he just repeating what he read in a brochure? Is the potential employee at a job interview truly knowledgeable about the things he claims to know, or is he just feeding you the answers and buzzwords he thinks you want to hear? Whether we like it or not, we're constantly judging the intelligence of others, estimating their level of competence by evaluating their responses to our questions.
Some people are better at detecting intelligence than others, but that doesn't mean you can't learn how. With practice, you should be able to gauge the intelligence of others with a decent degree of accuracy, though you should always be prepared for surprises. Judging a book by its cover is impossible, but judging a book by its first few chapters might just get you somewhere. Intelligence is a hard thing to measure since there are so many different forms of it and just as many ways of assessing it.
In 1983, Dr. Howard Gardner, a professor at Harvard University, introduced a new, more inclusive concept of intelligence, which he called Multiple Intelligence. His theory moved away from the traditional "can you memorize facts, do math, think logically, and write perfect sentences?" types of measurement criteria, and opted instead for a more varied approach to judging mental abilities. The initial classification system consisted of seven categories, each covering a different area of intelligence: ? Linguistic intelligence: The skill of working with languages and words. While some people can master multiple languages, others struggle to learn just one. ? Logical-mathematical intelligence: Problem solving in a logical, Vulcan-like way.

The form of intelligence most frequently associated with geek-ish book smarts.
? Musical intelligence: The ability to think in terms of notes, pitch and rhythm, whether in the playing or composition of music.
? Spatial intelligence: Solving problems visually, inside one's head. Navigation and orientation are the more obvious examples, but abilities in art, sculpture or design are also key.
? Bodily-kinesthetic intelligence: Being in full control of muscle movements, hand-eye coordination and other sporty things. The opposite of awkward, klutzy behavior.
? Interpersonal intelligence: The ability to pick up on the moods, feelings and emotions of others. Social skills.
? Intrapersonal intelligence: Being aware of ourselves, our own feelings, and our own thoughts. With a few questions, you can tell if someone is a genius or a dunce

Factors to Consider
One of the most fundamental rules of assessing intelligence is to never assume that education equals brainpower. If you haven't already noticed, not everyone with a degree from an Ivy League university is bright, and not all people who lack a high school education are dumb. As the concept of multiple intelligences shows us, we don't all learn in the same way, and we're not all equally interested in the same forms of knowledge.
As a general rule, the brightest members of our society are also the most aware of just how little they know. Never trust anyone who thinks he has all the answers, paints everything in black and white, or believes that any argument can be reduced to good versus evil. Intelligence is about understanding that many problems have multiple solutions, even if you prefer one to the others. Contrary to what you might think, admitting that you don't know something is almost always a greater sign of intelligence than trying to pretend that you do. If you don't know the capital of Belgium, don't pretend to. If you get it wrong and the person that you're talking to calls you on it, you'll look (and feel) like an ass. There is no reliable, perfect way to test intelligence, and there never will be. That said, there are plenty of clues that you can follow to a logical conclusion -- as long as you ask the right questions.
Keep these handy pointers in mind when sizing up your subject's mental abilities: Ask general questions, not specific ones Anyone with enough time can memorize facts, figures and the like. Understanding larger, more abstract concepts is very different and more complex. Look for considered, rational answers Does it sound like they're repeating what they read in a newspaper, or have they actually thought things through on their own? Be wary of big words that seem out of place or are used incorrectly. Some people feel the need to puff themselves up by using words that sound impressive.
If their choice of words sounds awkward or forced, take note. Look out for buzzwords Words like "proactive," for example, should give you an indication that the person is talking in clichés that are devoid of any real substance. Listen for clichéd phrases Heavy use of clichés is a bad sign, but getting the clichés wrong is even worse. Make sure that you allow for cultural differences, as these idiomatic expressions are often hard for non-native speakers to learn.

YOU SPEAK- Frank Sasso
My experience with Special Olympics has changed the way I view service. I began as an assistant coach while working in New York; a friend in the office coached skiing. After I got over my initial disbelief that "disabled people" could navigate downhill at a high-rate of speed, I asked about swimming, something I had done my entire life. This was the beginning of a journey that has changed my attitudes and given me further inspiration. We practiced at Skidmore College, in Saratoga Springs, NY.
The palpable juxtaposition of well-off college students slaving over treadmills and weights compared with my Special Olympics athletes, mostly there to have a little social / fun time, filled the air enough to overpower the chlorine scent. As I was changing from a business suit into a bathing suit at my first practice, a 17 year-old swimmer named Nick introduced himself. I ended up working with Nick that night and spending most of our practice time with him thereafter.

Nick, although not one of the better swimmers, had the most amazing attitude of any of our athletes. He was always ready to try what I asked and often called me 'Paulie,' referring to Rocky Balboa's coach. Night after night, I watched Nick try things that the week before I didn't think he would ever be able to do: jump off the diving board, swim with his head in the water, or call me 'Frank', rather than Paulie or Frank Perrone, another one of his favorite nicknames for me.
Nick's weekly surprises made me understand that he was never quite who I thought he was, and always more dynamic than I gave him credit for. The experience of Special Olympics coaching continues to open new doors to a world that I'll never fully comprehend. Just when you think an athlete is in his or her own world, he or she will make an unexpected observation about you or your life. "Don't worry about work, now it's time to play." Being "disabled" is truly a label that our society places on people who mentally or physically fall outside of our "acceptable norms." It may be subtle or overt, but it's safe to assume that there is always more than meets the eye.
More importantly, coaching has showed me something I never understood during all my own years of competitive swimming: what it means to be a true athlete. When one walks around at a Special Olympics swim meet, it's rare to see any sign of pretense, class division or hyper-competitiveness that permeate many of our country's high school competitions. People are there to have fun, socialize and swim as hard as they can. As the athlete's oath states: "let me win, but if I cannot win, let me be brave in my attempt." You will not see more pure athleticism anywhere.
Frank :-)

thanks WB Frank, you always are an inspiration!!

gal pal post vol 3 edition 4

Gal Pal PostVolume 3 Edition 4
Attitude series
Quips and Quotes:
“Life will bring you pain all by itself. Your responsibility is to create joy.” -Milton Erickson, MD
Inner Diva Thoughts
Upon taking one of my final psychology courses to complete my Masters’ Program, on Moral Development this quarter, I have been thinking about life situations in a different way. I know the way I deal and adjust to the adversity that arises in life is to center myself on my spiritual faith and not on what scholarship suggests. Supposedly, having exhausted many things before dealing with my spirit further suggests that I am soooo morally developed. : ) What I have come to realize through life’s processes is that the more I learn, the more I realize I don't know.
However, there are still the issues of establishing a common dialogue with all of you about how to react to the highs and lows of life. Establishing an understood commonality so that we can all agree upon and utilize. Something that works. I have sat on this for over a month and finally have found the literature that I have wanted to share with all of you. The material that I am reading now is all about the “attitude of gratitude.” This is the beginning of a three part series in hopes to still the parts of our souls that need to hear how to just make us better human beings. This edition is called the “gifts of gratitude.”
Consciously cultivating thankfulness is a journey of the soul, one that begins when we look around us and see the positive effects that gratitude creates. We do this by noticing those around us to whom gratefulness comes easily and realize how much more we enjoy being around these people. You see because gratitude is the Mother of Joy. Gratitude makes us young. As we get older we tend to become more selfish and have a dry look on life. Being thankful allows us to tap into wonder. Gratitude makes us feel good. This happens because being thankful widens our frame of vision. Gratitude promotes health; feelings of gratitude release positive endorphins throughout the body creating health. Gratitude eradicates worry; you cannot be unhappy and grateful at the same time. Gratitude draws people to us; when we notice that the glass is half-full, we get out of our self-absorption. Gratitude is the antidote to bitterness and resentment; when we fail to be thankful for the little things in life, we get hung up on the bitterness and that prevents us from developing emotionally and spiritually.
Gratitude cures perfectionism; perfectionism is based on our own sense of lacking for somehow we have all decided that we are not good enough in the human and imperfect state that we are in. Because perfectionism is born from a sense of inadequacy, an attitude of gratitude combats that with counter-cultural weapons to allow us to experience the abundance of life more fully. Feeling complete is an achievable status but being perfect is not. Gratitude opens our hearts; openheartedness takes courage, it requires us to put trust in other people so that we put aside our masks. People are afraid to feel thankful because they are afraid of the genuine bond that occurs between human beings. True gratitude helps us to learn to risk over and over again. Gratitude spawns kindness and generosity; thankfulness humbles us to give even when the whole world walks out on people.
Now that we have talked about the gifts, look to coming weeks to finish off the series. I am adding some spins to the summer editions as well. I hope that all is well with you ladies and that you are able to share these bits of wisdom to other people to encourage them. I know as I read the works and contemplations of other people, I am overwhelmed by their depth and wisdom.

Gal Pal Email 31st EditionMoving On Part II
A new attitude
1. Quips and Quotes
2. Jive Turkey Talk (aka Ebonics Lesson)
3. On the Flip Side
4. Mama's Korner (and other family antics)
5. She Speaks
6. BookStorian By Gal Pal Emily Rapoport
7. Announcements/ShoutOuts

Quips and Quotes:"To love is to seek the well being of another."

Jive Turkey Talk:
Crunk:adj,verb,noun,adverb; past,future, and present infinitive and participles.
Crunk is a phenomenon which occurs when an individual becomes (happy, excited, angry, passionate, etc...) beyond one's ability to control his or her self. Crunk is known to be highly contagious, as well as addictive, and extended periods of crunk (aka crunkery, crunkitude, crunkness, crunkilation, etc...) may lead to death, either of the individual who is at the time crunk, or those surrounding said crunk individual.It is used in the south loosely when describing to have a good time (crazy+drunk)
This word is made famous by Lil Jon, now people just use it about having a good time in genera

lOn the Flip Side:
When I was prior to double digits in age, I eagerly anticipated Christmas and saw it as a time to get presents. I was excited because outside my birfday, it was the only other time that I received gifts in a year. My eldest sister was the most giving santa claus. By the time I was ten she was 30 and she gave as if I were her own child. The tree always seemed bear until Kathy came home and magically the tree would be full of special treats, some for me. However, something that I was not learning at the heart of the Christmas spirit was a spirit of thankfulness and gratefulness. One holiday season, my sister was sad, after gift giving she commented on how ungrateful I was and although I was really confused by her comments by the time I got to high school her comments of my attitude still stung.

Eventually I came to understand what she meant by own attitude when I began performing acts of service for people because I just felt compelled to do so. When you are trying to help someone or you are giving something to one of your loved ones and they do not respond with the a grateful attitude, you feel like you are being taken advantage of, even if the giving on your part is unsolicited. It took many times of getting my heart broken by others for me to remember what my sister said. Then I finally felt the way that she did. There is a myth from a favorite movie of mine that says, "Love means never having to say your sorry," which is not what I think that lead in this movie was meaning with the words that she said, but how when you love someone, there are things that you may choose to look over even if it hurts.

The thing is, because we love, we should admit our offenses and how they may hurt the people that we love and who love us the most. The lesson that I learned the hard way, was that being thankful, or expressing a disposition of gratefulness and appreciation is something that we should all do a little bit more of. In fact I don't think that we can do wrong by ensuring that not just when people give of material things but when also they give their time, words, services, and even hugs...making sure that once and a while they FEEL in the way they need it the most, that we appreciate them. Learning how to be thankful and appreciating others is one of the most important lessons we acquire. Now everyday I make a mental checklist of those who I should thank, and even though I still make mistakes, I want to ensure that at some point, people who are close to me, feel appreciated and loved for how they add to my life, in any way that they do that. Mama's Korner:This year I will be doing something different, in order to honor all moms, I will be taking submissions of mama or grandma stories for this portion of the newsletter. Please submit/respond to this email with your story (stories).My Grandma and I had a discussion about friends. She has been at the point for a while where many of her life long friends have been or have started to pass away. She reminded me of the importance of celebrating your gal pals. SO remember to rock on and show your friends mass love. Life is too short to sweat the small stuff. She Speaks (Remember you can submit your own words here):
Develop your positive attitude!
Here are some ways to help you develop a more positive attitude and better manage the stressors in your life:
Listen to internal dialogue. Divide one or more sheets of paper into two columns and, for a few days, jot down in the left column all the negative thoughts that come into your head. Rewrite each thought in a positive way in the second column. Practice doing this in your mind until it becomes a habit. (For example, "I'll never get this finished by the end of the day!" could become, "I will probably get most of this finished by the end of the day.")

Learn to communicate. Not saying the things we feel can lead to a sense of frustration, hurt, anger or anxiety . If you find communicating difficult, or are afraid of arguments or bruised feelings, take a course in communicating effectively.
Get back to basics. Reconnect with old friends, take the dog for a walk, visit an art gallery or listen to your favourite music. Enjoy a long, relaxing bath, read a great book, tell your child a story, or ask an older relative to tell you one! It is the simplest things in life that give us the most pleasure...

Help someone out. The simple act of helping others helps us to feel good. Pick up groceries for an aging neighbour, volunteer at your local hospital or read a book to someone with failing eyesight. If you are unsure of how to help out in your community, call your nearest volunteer centre. Find your spirituality. Research has shown that those who have developed their spirituality through associating with other spiritual individuals or having their own personal and unique beliefs, live longer, more satisfying lives.
The secret is practicing those beliefs, either through organized spiritual associations, or simple meditation in a quiet place. Allow yourself to be loved. The ability to love and be loved is the most basic human trait. We, as a society, have become disconnected from this most basic need - fear-centred emotions (depression, loneliness, guilt and anger) are the symptoms. Finding ways to reconnect with others is extremely helpful in developing a positive attitude. The following link is very enlightening.
The Web of Love - Reconnecting with Source www.WebofLove.org

Allow yourself to laugh and find humour in the simplest of things. Laughter is a powerful mood elevator. If you are feeling down, read some jokes, watch a funny movie or just act "silly" once in awhile. At times, it is a good thing to let yourself see the world through a child's eyes. Click here for examples of silly things that help diffuse stress. Participate in new physical and mental activities to improve confidence levels and coping mechanisms. It could be as easy as learning the meanings of new words to build confidence. Follow the principles of holistic health (better nutrition and exercise help improve mood and attitude) Remember that the mainstream media focuses on information that leads to fear, negative thoughts and emotion. Find other more positive things to do with your precious moments such as reading a great positive book, a walk in nature or volunteering with people and animals.

It is all about letting go of the "emotional baggage" that holds us back from true enlightenment! All that you require is already within you, so do not give your power away by blindly following others. Rather, trust in the goodness that already resides within your heart. Your vision will become clear only when you look into your heart.Who looks outside, dreams.Who looks inside, awakens.
Carl Jung

Shout Outs:I just hope that everyone had a great summer and prepare for the new season in weather and in life...
oh and GO BUCKS...ha ha

Congrats on births, pregnancies, marriages, and engagements