From: edwind@lims01.lerc.nasa.gov (T. NGUYEN)
Subject: Chris' 50 ideas (Re: 50 ideas for living better)
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41    
Organization: NASA Lewis Research Center
Date:  5 Jan 1993 16:08 EST  

In article <"4-Jan-9313:26:14PST".*.Christina_N._Tran.LAX1B@Xerox.com>, you write...
>Dear friends,
> 
>I found this list interesting.  Guess it would be better if i can follow it,
>huh? ;-)  Anyway, like to share the list with you.  Happy New Year!
> 
>/tn

Chris,

Thank you for the long list of ideas for living better.  But, I have to 
admit that I was exhausted after I finished reading through the list.  
These ideas do ring a bell.... Are they taken the book, entitled "Positive
Mental Attitude"?  I forgot the book's author.

T.N.


P.S. These ideas do sound very good when you first hear or read them, but 
     they have many flaws.  Here they are...

> 
>---------
> 
>Fifty Ideas for living better
> 
>1. Dare to try a different routine at least once daily.
	
	A routine is no longer a routine if you try a new one everyday!

>2. Work harder on yourself than you do on your job.

	What is the purpose of working harder on yourself?  To improve 
        yourself, right?   But, how can you improve yourself if you do not 
        work harder on your job?

>3. To have a friend, be a friend.

	This I agree, but it should be read better if you re-write the 
        phrase, as follows: 

		If you want a friend, be a friend.

>4. Write down your life goals.	
>5. Write down your plan to achieve your goals.
>6. Periodically review your personal gameplan.  Adjust.

	Ideas # 4., 5., and 6., are good, but I may add: one should evaluate
	oneself before setting his/her goals.  The more practical you are 
	about your goals, the better chances or the easier you achieve 
   	them.  Have you ever talked to a college freshmen class about their 
        major fields of study or what they want to be?  I bet 80% of these
	students are pre-med students.  After the second or third year, 
        most if not all of these students will drop out of pre-med and will
	major in such areas as psychology, biology, and one or two will be 
	in CS or engineering.

>7. Join a local club.

	How about an all-males golf club?  Well, I do not think I am rich 
	enough or white enough to be in such a club!

>8. Take some time out for yourself.

	With 2 wives and 12 kids to feed, you may just forget about taking
	time out for yourself!  

>9. Smell the roses.

	I am allergic to roses.

>10. Visit the ocean.

	I live about 2000 miles away from the ocean.

>11. Start a new hobby.

	Every new hobby becomes an old one as soon as I starts it.

>12. Fall in love with your camera.  Memories are priceless.

	It cost me a fortune to erase the memories of my ex-wife!

>13. Don't be superstitious.

	I don't.

>14. Read a book a week.

	I read a new book every week, but only to finish the first page!  
        Honestly!!!

>15. Every day, tell someone you love them.

	I told once to a girl, but I got a punch in the face.  Oh, it hurt!

>16. Play with people who do it better than you.

	I tried this with a volleyball team, but they did not want me 
	because they said that I were not good enough!

>17. Listen to the other guy.  Maybe he's right.

	He is always right, he think.

>18. Lose 10 lbs.

	If I lose 10 lbs, then there is nothing left in my body.

>19. Never add salt.

	Steak does not taste so good without salt!  Try it next time and 
	you will know what I mean.

>20. Walk a mile a day.

	Why walk if you can drive?

>21. Visit the country.

	I hate the mosquitoes in the country.

>22. Visit the city.

	I hate being mugged in the city.

>23. Visit the museum.

	I do not like old things.  Imagine your dirty and not-so-good-smell
	tennis shoes being placed in a museum 100 years from now.

>24. Take a kid to the circus.

	Oh, yes I do.  But, my only problem after coming home from the 
        circus, my kids want to climb on top of my head and jump down on 
	the floor.  One of my kids broke his leg - no kidding!

>25. Draw a picture. Show someone.

	I drew a picture of my mother-in-law and showed it to her.  I 
	have not heard from her since!!!

>26. Save a little each week for a rainy day.

	Yes, I saved a lot of $ but my ex-wife took them all when 
	when she left - just before the rain came.

>27. Watch a sunset.

	The sun does not come down from where I live.

>28. Study the issues and vote.

	Yes, I voted this year for the first time.  I have been naturalized 
	as U.S. citizen for about 12 years, I had never voted until Ross 
	Perot said, "I do this...for young people of America."  I am 30 
	years of age, so I voted for him.  One funny thing happened to me 
	while I was waiting in line to vote.  The white, middle-age guy
	in front of me turned around and asked me, "Are you Chinese?"  In
	a normal circumstance, I would say, "I am Vietnamese."  But, 
	standing in line to vote I instead answered him, "No!  I am an 
	American."  He looked puzzled and said, "You must be kidding."
	"No!  I am not kidding," I replied resoundingly.  I asked him, "What 
        do you think I am here for?"  He did not answer me and turned away.
	
	Do you think that I study and understand the issues?

>29. Be a penpal.

	Would you want to be mine?

>30. Adopt a senior citizen.

	Last time I adopted two, and they ended up having me as their son.

>31. Support a local charity.

	I got phone calls every week from different charity organizations,
	ranging from Vietnam Veterans to Desert Storm.  During the Desert 
	Storm, one local Veteran organization tried to sell me the U.S. flag -
	the flag was a hot selling item at the time.  I said, "No!"  And, 
	he began to accuse me of "not being patriotic!"  I hang up.

>32. Understand your company's goals.
>33. Add value to your job.
>34. Do more than you get paid for.

	Doing Nos. 32., 33., and 34. will certainly make you a valuable 
	worker, but they do not necessarily help you get ahead.

>35. Be cheerful.

	Try this when your mother-in-law stops by for a visit.

>36. Stop complaining.

	Do not complain to no one but your mother - because no one cares
	to understand you, including your wife.
	
>37. Learn a second language.

	After I started to learn a second language, I began to forget my 
	first.

>38. Call a friend you haven't seen in years.

	Yes, I did and she said, "I thought you have been dead for years."

>39. Skip stones at the lake.
>40 Go fly a kite.

	No comments on nos. 39 and 40.

>41. Pick up after yourself.

	No comment on this one either.

>42. Say something nice to your spouse today.

	Last time, I said something nice to my ex-wife and she turned 
	around and asked, "what's wrong with you today?"  You get it?

>43. Be grateful for your blessings.

	Always!

>44. Believe in something bigger than yourself.

	I was told that I was smarter than I thought, and I believed it until
	I met my ex-wife.

>45. Be kind, especially to children and pets.

	Having 12 kids to raise, no one knows this better than I -  Love 
	and kindness are what children need.

>46. Tell the truth.

	Last time, I told the truth to my ex-wife, she left me!
	So, be careful to whom you tell the truth.

>47. Face up to the facts.

	All my life, I deal with facts.

>48. Take a nap.

	Being a scientist and a father of 12, a nap is all I get.

>49. Give to those in need.

	Yes, give until it hurt.

>50. Celebrate.  It's worth the time and effort.

	Yes, indeed, one should enjoy the fruit of his/her labor.
> 
>/Chris
> 
>Ext: x33381
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