Tuesday, November 23, 2010

I found a black pebble on my path one day...

...and thought about a story I had forgotten, until that day. A story of wit, decision, and a bit of quick thinking.

Figured I would share it with you; perhaps, spare you from too much of my own insight for today. Maybe another day, sugar, since I'm a little tired. More and more lately... hmm...
well, my dear wanderers.
Enjoy. ;)

Thinking "Out of the Box"

Many hundreds of years ago in a small Italian town, a merchant had the misfortune of owing a large sum of money to the money lender. The money lender, who was old and ugly, fancied the merchant's beautiful daughter so he proposed a bargain. He said he would forgo the merchant's debt if he could marry the merchant's daughter. Both the merchant and his daughter were horrified by the proposal. The cunning money lender suggested that they let providence decide the matter.

The money lender told them that he would put a black pebble and a white pebble into an empty bag. The girl would then have to pick one pebble from the bag. If she picked the black pebble, she would become the moneylender's wife and her father's debt would be forgiven. If she picked the white pebble she need not marry him and her father's debt would still be forgiven. But, if she refused to pick a pebble, her father would be thrown into jail.

They were standing on a pebble strewn path in the merchant's garden. As they talked, the moneylender bent over to pick up two pebbles. As he picked them up, the sharp-eyed girl noticed that he had picked up two black pebbles and put them into the bag. He then asked the girl to pick her pebble from the bag.

Now, imagine you were standing in the merchant's garden. What would you have done if you were the girl? If you had to advise her, what would you have told her?
Careful analysis would produce three possibilities:

1. The girl should refuse to take a pebble.

2. The girl should show that there were two black pebbles in the bag and expose the moneylender as a cheat.

3. The girl should pick a black pebble and sacrifice herself in order to save her father from his debt and imprisonment.

Take a moment to ponder over the story. The above story is used with the hope that it will make us appreciate the difference between lateral and logical thinking. The girl's dilemma cannot be solved with traditional logical thinking.

Think of the consequences if she chooses the logical answers.

What would you recommend the girl do?

The girl put her hand into the moneybag and drew out a pebble. Without looking at it, she fumbled and let it fall onto the pebble-strewn path where it immediately became lost among all the other pebbles.

"Oh, how clumsy of me," she said. "But never mind, if you look into the bag for the one that is left, you will be able to tell which pebble I picked."

Since the remaining pebble is black, it must be assumed that she had picked the white one. And since the moneylender dared not admit his dishonesty, the girl changed what seemed an impossible situation into an extremely advantageous one.

Oh, I hate doling these out... but I guess if you need one...
MORAL OF THE STORY:
Most complex problems do have a solution, sometimes we just have to think about them in a different way.

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Boys, men, and those "things" in between...

Well, ahem, hello again sugars. Damn computers will drive me insane... but Good to be back!
Inappropriate raising of arms, refusing to salute Nixon-style...

Ok, you naughty nellies, what have you been into... I mean, UP to? ;)
So, yes, I am returning to my favorite medium after a LOOOONG stretch, and I feel a little better. Less one "grudge-ling" on my shoulder, which is always a weight off.
Now, to get rid of about 200 pounds of ... oh, right. Let me get back to what I'm here for, mm, bloggers?

In my travels, I've come to a very long-awaited understanding of things which I should have been aware of long ago. After all, for a woman of my age (lordie, just thinking that made me feel older) I should have realised this much sooner, but being a person that has tried to shed the last remnants of naitivity, and being unable to do so easily, I gave to much credit where it was not due. Much to my unneeded lament, I have had to learn the truth the hard way. Has it made me tougher? Maybe,... at heart I'm still a softie, but I've learned to also protect the one organ that can't seem to protect itself. Despite all the rib cage, and whatnot.

Therefore, I have come to certain inalienable conclusions, which I will impart to you here.
After all, isn't this why you love me so? ;)

Yes, well, here it is... I don't like to categorize men, but unfortunately (for them) they tend to do things that cause women to make the same conclusions that I have made. There are times which, albeit not within their own conscience knowledge, that they also have a tendency of mixing and crossing over these categories. With that said, I have come to see the male of our diverse and complicated, yet all so inevitable, species as falling within these three simple categories:

There are Boys.
There are Men.
Then, there are...haha... yeah, you guessed it.

Why is it so simple?
I cannot fault boys for being boys... we have all seen it firsthand. Youth provides two things without thought: the ability to be active, and the ability to be boundlessly idiotic. Just plain stupid. So why should I be angry at a boy being a boy? When a boy is no longer a young man. Because then, you really don't have an excuse to be stupid... you're just being mean, spiteful, ignorant, or refuse to accept your own faults. Let's get one thing straight. When a man insists that he's just a boy at heart, please don't confuse this for wanting to be young... unless it pertains to sports or a car. Because it usually means, "Um, it's not my fault that I've done what I've done, especially if I hurt you; that responsibility will fall to someone else because I can't be bothered to be a man." The fact is, we all grow up, and if you refuse to accept responsibility for your own life, then it doesn't matter if you want to blame everyone else. They have all moved on...

Men, real men, can be absolute dears. Wonderful. Fantastic. Yummy.... um,... smart. Funny. Interesting. Realistic. Focused. Complicated, yet amazingly, all at the same time, talented in appearing completely uncomplicated.
WOW.
Just not enough words to describe how great a real man is...

Hmm, ... well... some men might have a problem with my post, but hell, if you are men, then this post really is not for you... it's for you other lot that seem to skim by the surface of life, infecting and needlessly pestering women with your incessant need to create turmoil, conflict, and strife. Yes, you "other", if you could have been bothered to read this far... I'm looking right at you.

Don't make me come over there... and no, it won't be fun. Or good.
I have a heavy hand, and I know how to use it.
Pointed stare I'm keeping an eye on you lot.

But I'm sure that if you are a man, and you made it this far, thank you. I congratulate you (needlessly, cause you know you're just that damn awesome).

Friday, November 5, 2010

I will post...

... as soon as my connection is steady. Yes, my lovely bloggers... I'm alive!
Love you folks, be back soon...