Soccer used to be so riveting. In the early nineties I kept track of all the leagues and all the competitions all over the world. (Yes, all of them) I also followed a certain team from Amsterdam and a certain team from Manchester religiously. I was so bummed out if they lost, and so happy if they won. Today I couldn't care less if they lost 4-1.
The sport doesn't really interest me anymore. For one, there's too much of it on television and the newspapers. Games used to be special. For example, there were only six Champions League games per season, if you were lucky. Now there's some kind of game on every single day. And certainly not all of them good.
Another point is that I've already experienced the best and the worst games and plot lines for my favorite teams. Young, talented team defeating the tough, exotic and dominant side? Been there. Last minute victory snatched from the jaws of defeat? Done that. Losing to a clearly worse side? Old hat by now. After a while you've seen all the ways a football game can run, and nothing really surprises you.
Fortunately there's one thing I haven't experienced yet in soccer, and that's a world championship. Here's hoping Holland wins it all this summer! For that I will gladly pick up my football-watching glasses again.
Monday, January 30, 2006
Saturday, January 28, 2006
The Incredible Green-eyed Monster
Everything we do, want, strive for is pretty much based on and driven by emotions. In an ideal society, love would be our primary emotion; but in a more hostile society, we are more driven by more negative emotions: fear, hate, and jealousy.
Now jealousy is a fascinating emotion. Nations have fallen, rulers have been brought to their knees and lives have been wiped out because of the big green-eyed monster. On a much smaller scale jealousy has taken hold as well, on somebody's job, his wife, her husband, her paycheck, his car, their vacation, his wristwatch, her dress, his charisma, her body, their lives...
Jealousy is an emotion based on scarcity; scarcity of time, of money, resources, people and/or energy. Jealousy is also driven by a perceived injustice, which mostly if not always relates to oneself.
When I was young I was told not to be jealous of others. That in my opinion is a mistake. As far as I can see the greatest achievements in our days (as well as the darkest) happened because we were jealous at some point and decided to something about it. That's just the thing. Jealousy can be used for good things.
Bad things are done because jealousy is used destructively, as an excuse to be violent, giving in to something primal. Green eyes tend to make you blind for any other way out than 'HULK SMASH! HULK CRUSH!'
So, I'll make this promise. I will be jealous like a mofo for anyone who does better than I do. But I will find a way out that is constructive, and I will make you jealous of me!
Now jealousy is a fascinating emotion. Nations have fallen, rulers have been brought to their knees and lives have been wiped out because of the big green-eyed monster. On a much smaller scale jealousy has taken hold as well, on somebody's job, his wife, her husband, her paycheck, his car, their vacation, his wristwatch, her dress, his charisma, her body, their lives...
Jealousy is an emotion based on scarcity; scarcity of time, of money, resources, people and/or energy. Jealousy is also driven by a perceived injustice, which mostly if not always relates to oneself.
When I was young I was told not to be jealous of others. That in my opinion is a mistake. As far as I can see the greatest achievements in our days (as well as the darkest) happened because we were jealous at some point and decided to something about it. That's just the thing. Jealousy can be used for good things.
Bad things are done because jealousy is used destructively, as an excuse to be violent, giving in to something primal. Green eyes tend to make you blind for any other way out than 'HULK SMASH! HULK CRUSH!'
So, I'll make this promise. I will be jealous like a mofo for anyone who does better than I do. But I will find a way out that is constructive, and I will make you jealous of me!
Thursday, January 26, 2006
Consultants Q&A
Consultants like us have a special way of answering questions. It's not really taught or anything, but it seems to be innate to everyone who's been in the business for a while. It is also kinda hard to explain without powerpoint presentations and inch-thick reports, but I can provide some examples of how it works:
Q: Have you eaten those cookies?
A: Well, yesterday I went out to dinner at this quaint little place at the old harbour, where the old trade mansion used to be, and I had such a great meal, five courses mind you, that I couldn't possibly eat a bite more, even today.
and here's another one:
Q: Can you tell me how I look in this dress? (obviously this comes from a woman asking her boyfriend consultant)
A: The fabric is first-rate, designed in Milan by Sergio Commelletti, and expertly tailored to the wearer with hours of handcraft.
The common characteristics are that:
Q: Have you eaten those cookies?
A: Well, yesterday I went out to dinner at this quaint little place at the old harbour, where the old trade mansion used to be, and I had such a great meal, five courses mind you, that I couldn't possibly eat a bite more, even today.
and here's another one:
Q: Can you tell me how I look in this dress? (obviously this comes from a woman asking her boyfriend consultant)
A: The fabric is first-rate, designed in Milan by Sergio Commelletti, and expertly tailored to the wearer with hours of handcraft.
The common characteristics are that:
- although you don't get a straight answer, technically there's no lying involved
- if you completely dissect every little aspect of the answer you will find the question answered; it just takes a long time and the person who asks the question usually just gives up
- the consultant always displays something of his expertise/background/network in the answer in some subtle, yet completely over-the-top way; this knowledge almost never relates to the question asked
- there's a lot of CYA (cover-your-ass) tactics involved, so the answer is mired in grey areas, neutral assessments, pros and cons, yin and yang, win-win, sources and bibliography etc.
Tuesday, January 24, 2006
SO WHAT?
Things to say SO WHAT? to:
- The temperature dropped to about 7 degrees celsius below zero, and we're trying to find out if the ice is thick enough for skating
- George Clooney is supposed to come over for the Film Festival, but then again, he may not
- Dutch cabinet minister Pechtold spoke of devious circumstances in the cabinet, and now all of his peers feel hurt and humiliated
Sunday, January 22, 2006
Out with the old, in with the new
Slowly but surely my car is breaking down. It started a couple of months ago with the v-belt singing, then the torque seemed to flail in second gear. Now in the space of two weeks I've found that my head light is cracked, my oil measurement stick is broken and my wiper is ripped. Thing is, I don't care.
I've found that the longer I drive the car, the less careful I am with it. You should've seen me way back then, I would be hesitant to take it out near grass or puddles. Now I don't even wash it anymore. How similar this is to other things as well, including mobile devices, glasses, your job, friends and family, your relationship, your life.
That's not really how we should go about things right?
I've found that the longer I drive the car, the less careful I am with it. You should've seen me way back then, I would be hesitant to take it out near grass or puddles. Now I don't even wash it anymore. How similar this is to other things as well, including mobile devices, glasses, your job, friends and family, your relationship, your life.
That's not really how we should go about things right?
Friday, January 20, 2006
An argument for prejudice
Back in the day I was a strong opponent of discrimination. I was all for equal rights for boys and girls, blacks, reds, yellows and whites, muslims, christians and hindus. I took everyone in stride and treated everyone equal. I don't do that anymore, because:
I am a firm believer of making sure the limited time you're given by your audience should be spent wisely and on positive impressions. However I also realize that everyone and everything is more than just what's on the surface. I may have not the time or energy to dig deep all the time, but I will respect the idea that there's something deeper, more valuable in everyone.
Welcome to the age of the prejudiced. Join me, the water's warm.
- for some reason people like you much more if you respect their individuality and culture
- it's boring to treat everyone the exact same way (can you imagine if everyone looked, spoke, and acted the same way all the time?)
- you cannot have favorites if you treat everyone the same
- it is a bloody tiring and time-consuming way of getting around: everyone needs to be properly addressed so you take more time to do so; and everybody has to have an equal amount of respect and so on.
I am a firm believer of making sure the limited time you're given by your audience should be spent wisely and on positive impressions. However I also realize that everyone and everything is more than just what's on the surface. I may have not the time or energy to dig deep all the time, but I will respect the idea that there's something deeper, more valuable in everyone.
Welcome to the age of the prejudiced. Join me, the water's warm.
Wednesday, January 18, 2006
A very hard thing to do
I must admit I've lost a lot of creativity with regards to gifts as the years go on, but even so... The longer you know someone, the harder it is to get them something for their birthdays, graduation, marriage, anniversary etcetera. Usually they've got everything already, or their wishes are in the range of Ferrari, house on the Bermudas, or Patek Phillipes.
So that means I spend a lot of time idling along shopping centers to find a remotely fitting gift for the occasion. I must say, that track's getting old.
So for all my friends/family, kindly leave a note what you want for the next occasion, and we'll see what we can do. You ask Santa/Sinterklaas what you want to, right?
So that means I spend a lot of time idling along shopping centers to find a remotely fitting gift for the occasion. I must say, that track's getting old.
So for all my friends/family, kindly leave a note what you want for the next occasion, and we'll see what we can do. You ask Santa/Sinterklaas what you want to, right?
Monday, January 16, 2006
Be There, Or Don't Be There
"If you don't get to the ball in time, you didn't start running on time."
Johan Cruijff, our self-taught Dutch soccer professor, may have had some cryptic but thoughtful expressions, but it all comes back to one thing: If you need to be somewhere, you need to be there. And if you don't want to be somewhere bad, don't be there!
In professional sports the great players seperate themselves from the average by making good decisions about where they are, when to start running, where they need to be and when. And even great individual players can make their game so incredibly hard on themselves by not being where they need to be, or being somewhere they shouldn't be.
This concept extends beyond sports as well: Successful people get to places where they do most good for themselves, and stay away from where they do harm or are weak. If you really want to be safe in traffic, make sure you don't put yourself in difficult situations, such as tailgating. If you're in project management, you can make things easier on yourself and the other project members, by how well the project fits the project environment and doing the things you should do. All the while you'd be avoiding the things you shouldn't do.
And the finest of finest know where to be, so that they reach every opportunity in due time, without having to stretch themselves to/over the limit all the time. Indeed the best people make their craft look so easy and unspectacular.
Johan Cruijff, our self-taught Dutch soccer professor, may have had some cryptic but thoughtful expressions, but it all comes back to one thing: If you need to be somewhere, you need to be there. And if you don't want to be somewhere bad, don't be there!
In professional sports the great players seperate themselves from the average by making good decisions about where they are, when to start running, where they need to be and when. And even great individual players can make their game so incredibly hard on themselves by not being where they need to be, or being somewhere they shouldn't be.
This concept extends beyond sports as well: Successful people get to places where they do most good for themselves, and stay away from where they do harm or are weak. If you really want to be safe in traffic, make sure you don't put yourself in difficult situations, such as tailgating. If you're in project management, you can make things easier on yourself and the other project members, by how well the project fits the project environment and doing the things you should do. All the while you'd be avoiding the things you shouldn't do.
And the finest of finest know where to be, so that they reach every opportunity in due time, without having to stretch themselves to/over the limit all the time. Indeed the best people make their craft look so easy and unspectacular.
Saturday, January 14, 2006
Can I stop being superstitious now?
I am one of those people who:
- have lucky boxers
- always pick a favorite number
- never walk under ladders
- turn around in case black cats cross their path
- and tend to be more cautious on Friday the 13th
Thursday, January 12, 2006
Good and Lame Magic Tricks
What are lame magic tricks?
What are good magic tricks?
Pulling yourself up a circus tent with just a pair of ribbons... while holding two suitcases in your hands and carrying a small girl on your back, and singing an aria from the top of your lungs.
(or something like that, this show is so overwhelming, I may have confused some tricks a little...)
- card guessing (not too impressive)
- levitation (old hat)
- split body (creepy and yet childish)
What are good magic tricks?
Pulling yourself up a circus tent with just a pair of ribbons... while holding two suitcases in your hands and carrying a small girl on your back, and singing an aria from the top of your lungs.
(or something like that, this show is so overwhelming, I may have confused some tricks a little...)
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
Sunday, January 08, 2006
Price of Fame
The Lakeside Darts tournament - the Wimbledon of Darts - started this past weekend, and to promote the event the Algemeen Dagblad interviews the Dutch number one darts player Raymond van Barneveld.
Mostly it's about him being frustrated when people recognize him on the street and bothering him when he's doing something else. And that is understandable, Van Barneveld doesn't even get the chance to explain himself, or finish what he was doing, and gets labelled as arrogant, aloof.
Ah, there's an expression, the price of freedom is eternal vigilance; I submit that it could also be: the price of fame is eternal vigilance. While Barney's reaction to all this is perfectly understandable and even human, it may very well be that it's no more than logical that he is perceived as arrogant. I mean, people suddenly faced with famous personalities, are just wired like that. They panic, don't know how to react, and attack all at the same time.
Here's a suggestion when meeting slightly more famous people than yourselves. Picture as if its the most beautiful/handsome person you've met (funnily enough, that often happens to be the case anyway). Naturally you want to show off yourself as attractive as well, and the most attractive you can be is when you're cool. That way you keep your respect and admiration; they get to keep their dignity, and the impression they deal with people of equal fervour (even if they are not).
Now even Barney can move around town wondering where all his fans went.
Mostly it's about him being frustrated when people recognize him on the street and bothering him when he's doing something else. And that is understandable, Van Barneveld doesn't even get the chance to explain himself, or finish what he was doing, and gets labelled as arrogant, aloof.
Ah, there's an expression, the price of freedom is eternal vigilance; I submit that it could also be: the price of fame is eternal vigilance. While Barney's reaction to all this is perfectly understandable and even human, it may very well be that it's no more than logical that he is perceived as arrogant. I mean, people suddenly faced with famous personalities, are just wired like that. They panic, don't know how to react, and attack all at the same time.
Here's a suggestion when meeting slightly more famous people than yourselves. Picture as if its the most beautiful/handsome person you've met (funnily enough, that often happens to be the case anyway). Naturally you want to show off yourself as attractive as well, and the most attractive you can be is when you're cool. That way you keep your respect and admiration; they get to keep their dignity, and the impression they deal with people of equal fervour (even if they are not).
Now even Barney can move around town wondering where all his fans went.
Friday, January 06, 2006
The Colour of Money
I don't really have a firm grasp on the concept of money. I mean, I've had the economic studies classes, I'm aware of theories about markets, industries, supply-and-demand, inflation and all that, and I think I've got a vague inkling of the stock exchange. Still despite all that, I'm unsure how it all works. I'm pretty sure it shouldn't actually.
Money makes the world go round, people often say, and for a large part of my day that is very true. No cash, means no food, no parking, no electricity, no plumbing, no gas, no petrol and so forth. Even if I would stay an entire day at home, I would still spend some 30 euros, just for staying awake.
The major question I've got is the value of money, or more accurately: the reward for something where effort is put in. I'm fully aware that contacting someone with my mobile phone costs money, lest I have to actually travel all the way to that person to say that I thoroughly enjoyed their company. But why is it 0.05 cents per minute? I didn't tell anyone to make diesel prices 1 euro per liter? I sure as hell didn't tell Banana Republic to make me a pair of jeans for 150 EUR. Or that a 50 Cent CD (the rapper, you dolt) is worth 19.99. Or that Ronaldinho gets an x amount of moolah just to appear on a potato chip commercial. And finally nobody told me an hour of my time was worth between 50 and 100 EUR. And yet here we are.
Theory says that the market decides what is sold and what isn't. What prices are conforming to the market, and which don't. What salaries are fair and which are not. And yet: I am part of the market and still I have slim or no control over what a fair price is, other than taking it or leaving it. On a massive scale, that might be choice. On an individual scale it's nothing.
It is supposed to be really simple: things I want or need (good food, nice clothes, housing, SonyEricsson P990, NFL on TV, air) I will gladly pay money for. Things that I don't fancy, but are legally, or physically or socially necessary (diesel fuel for my car, permits, artworks, animals, watches) I don't value as highly, so don't expect me to fork out 2.000 EUR for a Tag Heuer titanium watch or something.
For a lot of things what is placed on the price tag doesn't reflect its worth. And that's why I don't get how money works: A dollar is still a dollar (or roughly 1.25 euros) and you have to fulfil a whole and varied bunch of wants and needs, which every individual values differently. And if people can't get along, suddenly the dollar is inflated, and supposedly you can buy more stuff. Except that my old adage still rings true:
"no matter how much more space you make, it will fill up"
everyone wants a piece of the more-dollar. And they will get it, at the cost of the people who don't care much or are not fast enough to react. Money is just a means to spread the wealth over a larger amount of people, and unfortunately it's a means with just as much strengths as it has weaknesses. It this the best the human race can come up with after several thousand years of bartering?
Nope. Don't get it at all. Unfortunately my ideas don't have much of an audience on a tropical deserted island (apart from Flipper, the cast of Lost and the Madagascar monkeys), so I'm kind of stuck here.
Money makes the world go round, people often say, and for a large part of my day that is very true. No cash, means no food, no parking, no electricity, no plumbing, no gas, no petrol and so forth. Even if I would stay an entire day at home, I would still spend some 30 euros, just for staying awake.
The major question I've got is the value of money, or more accurately: the reward for something where effort is put in. I'm fully aware that contacting someone with my mobile phone costs money, lest I have to actually travel all the way to that person to say that I thoroughly enjoyed their company. But why is it 0.05 cents per minute? I didn't tell anyone to make diesel prices 1 euro per liter? I sure as hell didn't tell Banana Republic to make me a pair of jeans for 150 EUR. Or that a 50 Cent CD (the rapper, you dolt) is worth 19.99. Or that Ronaldinho gets an x amount of moolah just to appear on a potato chip commercial. And finally nobody told me an hour of my time was worth between 50 and 100 EUR. And yet here we are.
Theory says that the market decides what is sold and what isn't. What prices are conforming to the market, and which don't. What salaries are fair and which are not. And yet: I am part of the market and still I have slim or no control over what a fair price is, other than taking it or leaving it. On a massive scale, that might be choice. On an individual scale it's nothing.
It is supposed to be really simple: things I want or need (good food, nice clothes, housing, SonyEricsson P990, NFL on TV, air) I will gladly pay money for. Things that I don't fancy, but are legally, or physically or socially necessary (diesel fuel for my car, permits, artworks, animals, watches) I don't value as highly, so don't expect me to fork out 2.000 EUR for a Tag Heuer titanium watch or something.
For a lot of things what is placed on the price tag doesn't reflect its worth. And that's why I don't get how money works: A dollar is still a dollar (or roughly 1.25 euros) and you have to fulfil a whole and varied bunch of wants and needs, which every individual values differently. And if people can't get along, suddenly the dollar is inflated, and supposedly you can buy more stuff. Except that my old adage still rings true:
"no matter how much more space you make, it will fill up"
everyone wants a piece of the more-dollar. And they will get it, at the cost of the people who don't care much or are not fast enough to react. Money is just a means to spread the wealth over a larger amount of people, and unfortunately it's a means with just as much strengths as it has weaknesses. It this the best the human race can come up with after several thousand years of bartering?
Nope. Don't get it at all. Unfortunately my ideas don't have much of an audience on a tropical deserted island (apart from Flipper, the cast of Lost and the Madagascar monkeys), so I'm kind of stuck here.
Wednesday, January 04, 2006
Friends will be Friends will be Labelled
Simmer on this for a while.
Every person you know plays a certain role in your life. Some play even more than one, although not necessarily at the same time. In addition, the roles they play change and evolve. Some people switch roles with each other. In order to make sense of it all, you get to label them.
Finally you play a completely different role for everyone else as well. Imagine every role was a different person physically. How many billion billion billion people would there be in the world? Talk about overcrowding...
So actually it's very efficient to play different roles, and to treat people like they are more than what we just see or hear.
Every person you know plays a certain role in your life. Some play even more than one, although not necessarily at the same time. In addition, the roles they play change and evolve. Some people switch roles with each other. In order to make sense of it all, you get to label them.
- Fathers
- Mothers
- Siblings
- Bosses
- Wives
- Husbands
- Physicians
- Drinking buddies
- Hairdressers
- Flight attendants
- Bank robbers
- etc...
Finally you play a completely different role for everyone else as well. Imagine every role was a different person physically. How many billion billion billion people would there be in the world? Talk about overcrowding...
So actually it's very efficient to play different roles, and to treat people like they are more than what we just see or hear.
Monday, January 02, 2006
Best Wishes for the Coming Year
After the smoke from all the fireworks settled (and granted there was a lot of it), it's time for something new and improved.
All the best for 2006!
All the best for 2006!
Tuesday, December 27, 2005
2005's Most Memorable
Sometime ago I started a collection, which mentions everything that made a cool or otherwise memorable impression on me, and deserve to be recognized as such. Each year new things get added to the list. These are the things that get added from 2005:
- buying my first house (any first time goes on the list, so does this)
- Lucie Silvas - Breathe In (very nice album; bit of a throwback to Delta Goodrem, but it's been awhile since such a sound hit the airwaves, so huzzah)
- Paul Stoddard, Minardi Team Boss, goes off on a tirade during the Formula One U.S. Grand Prix in Indianapolis (I've never heard anyone in pro sports go off like that on live TV; absolutely hilarious)
- Hitch (Will Smith and Kevin James all the way. The dance sequence is priceless!)
- Gran Turismo 4 (any video game that can single-handedly completely refresh my car knowledge deserves mention here)
- the London bombings (you try not to let it bother you, but if you're going there and there's some kind of terror threat present, you are going to be a bit more nervous)
- working abroad / going abroad for the job (that's another one of my career goals checked off, even if it's only for short stints)
- Batman Begins (most surprising, because I didn't think a movie with Christian Bale would be any good. But he worked out far better than Clooney and Kilmer and even Keaton could muster.)
- Eddie Guerrero's death. (my thoughts about this already discussed here)
- Leil Lowndes - How to Talk (as far as literature is concerned, it has been a very slow year yet again. However there was a book I got a lot out of, and it's this one. Some people won't need it, but I found it helpful, so there.)
- Special Sports (very chic sporty place; quite expensive, but considering it's got all the amenities in one place, I can live with that)
- Danica Patrick (any girl who can drive race cars instantly gets my attention; any girl who looks like that, gets my undivided attention; any girl who does both... well... you do the math.)
- Oracle (the all conquering database corporation is now Peoplesoft/Siebel as well; second only in sheer step-all-over-everyone to...)
- Google (Google Earth, Blogger, Gmail, Google Talk, Froogle, Google Analytics, Google Base, Picasa, Google Desktop, Google Maps...)
- my new catchphrase: crappa della tutti crappis
Plenty of good stuff this year all in all. But next year there's a lot to look forward to: big events, major happenings, good memories...
See you next year!
- buying my first house (any first time goes on the list, so does this)
- Lucie Silvas - Breathe In (very nice album; bit of a throwback to Delta Goodrem, but it's been awhile since such a sound hit the airwaves, so huzzah)
- Paul Stoddard, Minardi Team Boss, goes off on a tirade during the Formula One U.S. Grand Prix in Indianapolis (I've never heard anyone in pro sports go off like that on live TV; absolutely hilarious)
- Hitch (Will Smith and Kevin James all the way. The dance sequence is priceless!)
- Gran Turismo 4 (any video game that can single-handedly completely refresh my car knowledge deserves mention here)
- the London bombings (you try not to let it bother you, but if you're going there and there's some kind of terror threat present, you are going to be a bit more nervous)
- working abroad / going abroad for the job (that's another one of my career goals checked off, even if it's only for short stints)
- Batman Begins (most surprising, because I didn't think a movie with Christian Bale would be any good. But he worked out far better than Clooney and Kilmer and even Keaton could muster.)
- Eddie Guerrero's death. (my thoughts about this already discussed here)
- Leil Lowndes - How to Talk (as far as literature is concerned, it has been a very slow year yet again. However there was a book I got a lot out of, and it's this one. Some people won't need it, but I found it helpful, so there.)
- Special Sports (very chic sporty place; quite expensive, but considering it's got all the amenities in one place, I can live with that)
- Danica Patrick (any girl who can drive race cars instantly gets my attention; any girl who looks like that, gets my undivided attention; any girl who does both... well... you do the math.)
- Oracle (the all conquering database corporation is now Peoplesoft/Siebel as well; second only in sheer step-all-over-everyone to...)
- Google (Google Earth, Blogger, Gmail, Google Talk, Froogle, Google Analytics, Google Base, Picasa, Google Desktop, Google Maps...)
- my new catchphrase: crappa della tutti crappis
Plenty of good stuff this year all in all. But next year there's a lot to look forward to: big events, major happenings, good memories...
See you next year!
Monday, December 26, 2005
Capricorns Take Control In New Year, News at Eleven
The end of the year is a good moment to open up the yearly forecasts for (western) horoscopes. Let me take one of those 'scopes that talk about 2006 for my star sign...
Here's what one says about Capricorn (Cappy) for three subjects: love life, career and health:
Love life: Cappy is taking the home situation for granted, and is too focused on work. Communication will see Cappy through. Come November/December trust is regained.
Career: Cappy is ambitious and drives for a function in leadership. The ability to inspire people is a skill that is trained (and taught!) in the first quarter of the year. An opportunity arises in November/December, so make sure to look out for it.
Health: Cappy needs a break, so he needs to plan in moments of total relaxation. Don't eat fatty foods too much.
Of course anybody can read a horoscope how they want to read it, but for me it does show me a possible direction, with enough hooks to take advantage of the good and the positive.
And no, I am not going to do horoscopes for all the star signs. If you're a Cappy as well, you're in luck. The others, well... tough. Go look up your own sign on something like Yahoo Astrology.
Here's what one says about Capricorn (Cappy) for three subjects: love life, career and health:
Love life: Cappy is taking the home situation for granted, and is too focused on work. Communication will see Cappy through. Come November/December trust is regained.
Career: Cappy is ambitious and drives for a function in leadership. The ability to inspire people is a skill that is trained (and taught!) in the first quarter of the year. An opportunity arises in November/December, so make sure to look out for it.
Health: Cappy needs a break, so he needs to plan in moments of total relaxation. Don't eat fatty foods too much.
Of course anybody can read a horoscope how they want to read it, but for me it does show me a possible direction, with enough hooks to take advantage of the good and the positive.
And no, I am not going to do horoscopes for all the star signs. If you're a Cappy as well, you're in luck. The others, well... tough. Go look up your own sign on something like Yahoo Astrology.
Tuesday, December 20, 2005
Monday, December 19, 2005
Today's Top Tip: Fail Spectacularly
Everyone wants to be better, faster, farther along than the others. Being successful is everything, winning is the only thing, and all that...
And of course, not everyone gets there. If we all did, then we wouldn't be the best at all would we?
Just to put all lovable losers at ease, sometimes failing (and failing spectacularly at that) gets you further in life. Failure breeds sympathy, it builds character and allows others to see examples of how things should or should not be handled. That's a good thing.
Of course, you cannot be a failure and a whiner. That's just weak. And you shouldn't be mediocre, that's just... well... mediocre.
For some reason success doesn't just breed respect and admiration. It also generates envy, jealousy, downright hatred even. Failure however may not be as bad as you think it is. Sometimes it pays to fall flat on your face.
And of course, not everyone gets there. If we all did, then we wouldn't be the best at all would we?
Just to put all lovable losers at ease, sometimes failing (and failing spectacularly at that) gets you further in life. Failure breeds sympathy, it builds character and allows others to see examples of how things should or should not be handled. That's a good thing.
Of course, you cannot be a failure and a whiner. That's just weak. And you shouldn't be mediocre, that's just... well... mediocre.
For some reason success doesn't just breed respect and admiration. It also generates envy, jealousy, downright hatred even. Failure however may not be as bad as you think it is. Sometimes it pays to fall flat on your face.
Thursday, December 15, 2005
Top Gear Ultimate Starter Car test
Picture you need a standard lease car to offer to your employees. Cars that need to be presentable and attractive, yet functional and reasonable enough to afford. Eventually your choices eventually run down to this:
- Fiat Punto
- Opel Corsa
- Peugeot 206
- Renault Clio
- Skoda Fabia
- VW Polo
So which do you pick? Now that's where the Ultimate Starter Car test comes in. Here's some quick impressions:
The new Fiat Punto is a nice car actually. It has a strange appeal to it, if you are so inclined and are willing to see past the marque. The ride is strictly middle-of-the-pack, but you are sure to get some heads turned driving it. The left armrest is a tad too high for my liking though, so it's no good for long drives.
By far the Renault Clio is the best looking of the bunch. Unfortunately it is also the bitchiest to drive. It takes a while to take the Clio in the direction you want it to go. It's not unlike some dates I've had in the past. The steering could be a lot stiffer.
The Skoda Fabia still looks like a souped-up shopping cart. The Fabia handles okay, and is quite light
Because I am a long-time 206 driver, driving the new Peugeot 206 is more like meeting an old friend. You know exactly which buttons to push and how far it takes you. I actually found the ride to be extremely boring, because nothing has changed from the old 206, apart from the steering which seems to be heavier.
The grip and the handling's quite alright, the acceleration is still mediocre, and I take it the mileage in the HDi is still excellent.
I was expecting the Opel Corsa to be very barren, but actually it comes full featured, which may end up to be the best value features-wise for money. A nice dashboard console in the center gives you access to all the important info in the car. Pity the speedometer looks very poor. The handling is average.
The best ride I've experienced of the six is with the Volkswagen Polo. It is the only car of the six that actually goes fast if you tell it to. Nice finish to the interior and exterior, and it doesn't seem to be as top-heavy as the old Polo, which was in real danger of tipping over in corners.
Just to be stereotypical the German cars (Corsa, Fabia, Polo) are very loudmouthed. It makes you wonder if carkits inside the car will do any good at all. And all that noise doesn't seem to make good on the speed, power or acceleration of the cars. Only the Polo kind of backs its roar up with some kind of power.
For some reason only VW and Peugeot know that people can be left- or righthanded. Try to close the boot with your left hand on the Punto, Clio or Fabia. Or with your right on the Corsa. Can't be done. Of course you could just close the lid from the top, but 1) often I can't reach that high and 2) if you haven't washed your car in a while, you wind up with mud on your hands.
The glove compartment on the Fabia is so small, it ONLY fits a pair of gloves. There's no space of any kind for maps, directions and that kind of stuff. That might be okay if you've got a GPS system, but if you've got a GPS system anyway you might as well get a bigger car.
So what's the Top Gear verdict?
Take the Peugeot. Boring as hell, and slow to boot, but affordable, durable and you get good mileage on it. If money is no option, the Polo is the best drive though. It's fast, feels powerful and significant.
Damn taxes.
- Fiat Punto
- Opel Corsa
- Peugeot 206
- Renault Clio
- Skoda Fabia
- VW Polo
So which do you pick? Now that's where the Ultimate Starter Car test comes in. Here's some quick impressions:
The new Fiat Punto is a nice car actually. It has a strange appeal to it, if you are so inclined and are willing to see past the marque. The ride is strictly middle-of-the-pack, but you are sure to get some heads turned driving it. The left armrest is a tad too high for my liking though, so it's no good for long drives.
By far the Renault Clio is the best looking of the bunch. Unfortunately it is also the bitchiest to drive. It takes a while to take the Clio in the direction you want it to go. It's not unlike some dates I've had in the past. The steering could be a lot stiffer.
The Skoda Fabia still looks like a souped-up shopping cart. The Fabia handles okay, and is quite light
Because I am a long-time 206 driver, driving the new Peugeot 206 is more like meeting an old friend. You know exactly which buttons to push and how far it takes you. I actually found the ride to be extremely boring, because nothing has changed from the old 206, apart from the steering which seems to be heavier.
The grip and the handling's quite alright, the acceleration is still mediocre, and I take it the mileage in the HDi is still excellent.
I was expecting the Opel Corsa to be very barren, but actually it comes full featured, which may end up to be the best value features-wise for money. A nice dashboard console in the center gives you access to all the important info in the car. Pity the speedometer looks very poor. The handling is average.
The best ride I've experienced of the six is with the Volkswagen Polo. It is the only car of the six that actually goes fast if you tell it to. Nice finish to the interior and exterior, and it doesn't seem to be as top-heavy as the old Polo, which was in real danger of tipping over in corners.
Just to be stereotypical the German cars (Corsa, Fabia, Polo) are very loudmouthed. It makes you wonder if carkits inside the car will do any good at all. And all that noise doesn't seem to make good on the speed, power or acceleration of the cars. Only the Polo kind of backs its roar up with some kind of power.
For some reason only VW and Peugeot know that people can be left- or righthanded. Try to close the boot with your left hand on the Punto, Clio or Fabia. Or with your right on the Corsa. Can't be done. Of course you could just close the lid from the top, but 1) often I can't reach that high and 2) if you haven't washed your car in a while, you wind up with mud on your hands.
The glove compartment on the Fabia is so small, it ONLY fits a pair of gloves. There's no space of any kind for maps, directions and that kind of stuff. That might be okay if you've got a GPS system, but if you've got a GPS system anyway you might as well get a bigger car.
So what's the Top Gear verdict?
Take the Peugeot. Boring as hell, and slow to boot, but affordable, durable and you get good mileage on it. If money is no option, the Polo is the best drive though. It's fast, feels powerful and significant.
Damn taxes.
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