Arts & Humanities - 23 August 2006

Jerry was the kind of guy you love to hate. He was always in a good mood and always had something positive to say. When someone would ask him how he was doing, he would reply, "If I were any better, I would be twins!"

He was a unique manager because he had several waiters who had followed him around from restaurant to restaurant. The reason the waiters followed Jerry was because of his attitude. He was a natural motivator. If an employee was having a bad day, Jerry was there telling the employee how to look on the positive side of the situation.

Seeing this style really made me curious, so one day I went up to Jerry and asked him, "I don't get it! You can't be a positive person all of the time. How do you do it?"

Jerry replied, "Each morning I wake up and say to myself, 'Jerry, you have two choices today. You can choose to be in a good mood or you can choose to be in a bad mood.' I choose to be in a good mood. Each time something bad happens, I can choose to be a victim or I can choose to learn from it. I choose to learn from it. Every time someone comes to me complaining, I can choose to accept their complaining or I can point out the positive side of life. I choose the positive side of life."

"Yeah, right, it's not that easy," I protested.

"Yes, it is," Jerry said. "Life is all about choices. When you cut way all the junk, every situation is a choice. You choose how you react to situations. You choose how people will affect your mood. You choose to be in a good mood or bad mood. The bottom line: It's your choice how you live life."

I reflected on what Jerry said. Soon thereafter, I left the restaurant industry to start my own business. We lost touch, but I often thought about him when I made a choice about life instead of reacting to it.

Several years later, I heard that Jerry did something you are never supposed to do in a restaurant business: he left the back door open one morning and was held up at gunpoint by three armed robbers. While trying to open the safe, his hand, shaking from nervousness, slipped off the combination. The robbers panicked and shot him. Luckily, Jerry was found relatively quickly and rushed to the local trauma center.

After 18 hours of surgery and weeks of intensive care, Jerry was released from the hospital with fragments of the bullets still in his body.

I saw Jerry about six months after the accident. When I asked him how he was, he replied, "If I were any better, I'd be twins. Wanna see my scars?"

I declined to see his wounds, but did ask him what had gone through his mind as the robbery took place. "The first thing that went through my mind was that I should have locked the back door," Jerry replied. "Then, as I lay on the floor, I remembered that I had two choices: I could choose to live, or I could choose to die. I chose to live."

"Weren't you scared? Did you lose consciousness?" I asked.

Jerry continued, "The paramedics were great. They kept telling me I was going to be fine. But when they wheeled me into the emergency room and I saw the expressions on the faces of the doctors and nurses, I got really scared. In their eyes, I read, 'He's a dead man.'

"I knew I needed to take action."

"What did you do?" I asked.

"Well, there was a big, burly nurse shouting questions at me," said Jerry. "She asked if I was allergic to anything. 'Yes,' I replied. The doctors and nurses stopped working as they waited for my reply. I took a deep breathe and yelled, 'Bullets!' Over their laughter, I told them. 'I am choosing to live. Operate on me as if I am alive, not dead."

Jerry lived thanks to the skill of his doctors, but also because of his amazing attitude. I learned from him that every day we have the choice to live fully. Attitude, after all, is everything


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2006-08-23 16:57:27 · 2 answers · asked by ♥ The One You Love To Hate♥ 7 in Other - Arts & Humanities

I teach economics at UNLV three times per week. Last Monday, at the beginning of class, I cheerfully asked my students how their weekend had been. One young man said that his weekend had not been so good. He had his wisdom teeth removed. The young man then proceeded to ask me why I always seemed to be so cheerful.

His question reminded me of something I'd read somewhere before: "Every morning when you get up, you have a choice about how you want to approach life that day," I said. "I choose to be cheerful."

"Let me give you an example," I continued, addressing all sixty students in the class. "In addition to teaching here at UNLV, I also teach out at the community college in Henderson, 17 miles down the freeway from where I live. One day a few weeks ago I drove those 17 miles to Henderson. I exited the freeway and turned onto College Drive. I only had to drive
another quarter mile down the road to the college. But just then my car died. I tried to start it again, but the engine wouldn't turn over. So I
put my flashers on, grabbed my books, and marched down the road to the college.

"As soon as I got there I called AAA and arranged for a tow truck to meet me at my car after class. The secretary in the Provost's office asked me what has happened. 'This is my lucky day,' I replied, smiling.

"'Your car breaks down and today is your lucky day?' She was puzzled. 'What do you mean?'

"'I live 17 miles from here.' I replied. 'My car could have broken down anywhere along the freeway. It didn't. Instead, it broke down in the perfect place: off the freeway, within walking distance of here. I'm still able to teach my class, and I've been able to arrange for the tow truck to meet me after class. If my car was meant to break down today, it couldn't have been arranged in a more convenient fashion.'

The secretary's eyes opened wide, and then she smiled. I smiled back and headed for class." So ended my story.

I scanned the sixty faces in my economics class at UNLV. Despite the early hour, no one seemed to be asleep. Somehow, my story had touched them. Or maybe it wasn't the story at all. In fact, it had all started with a student's observation that I was cheerful.

Deepak Chopra has quoted an Indian wise man as saying, "WHO you are speaks louder to me than anything you can say." I suppose it must be so.

by Lee Ryan Miller



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2006-08-23 16:50:44 · 1 answers · asked by ♥ The One You Love To Hate♥ 7 in Other - Arts & Humanities

I LOVED that book,( a certain slant of light by laura whitcomb) and are there any books that i would enjoy as much as i enjoyed this one!????Like give me some books that are similiar to the genre of a certain slant of light,teen/fiction/romance stuff.Like if i liked it.,....what other books would I like??

2006-08-23 16:49:53 · 2 answers · asked by Anonymous in Books & Authors

I always hear: "You can't play God" or "they tried to play God - you can't do that". Why not?

2006-08-23 16:49:14 · 7 answers · asked by Ejsenstejn 2 in Philosophy

2006-08-23 16:47:48 · 16 answers · asked by somber_pieces 6 in Books & Authors

I have been looking for a place that teaches any type of latin dance(((Samba,Cha cha, Rumba, Tango, Salsa, Mambo, Merengue))) in Detroit. I would really love to take up latin dance.

2006-08-23 16:44:15 · 2 answers · asked by ashash48208 2 in Dancing

I have heard that you learn very little about the war of 1812, and wondered why? It was a battle in that war that your national athem was written about, that seems pretty important.
Is it because you lost the war?

2006-08-23 16:42:06 · 10 answers · asked by goodcanadiangirl 2 in History

2006-08-23 16:41:14 · 12 answers · asked by Jennifer C 2 in Books & Authors

We are currently having a decoration contest in our workplace. The theme is different states of USA. Our team is currently assigned for the state of New Jersey. Any suggestions?

2006-08-23 16:33:06 · 8 answers · asked by ramon_529 1 in Other - Visual Arts

2006-08-23 16:31:29 · 19 answers · asked by **ahdastar** 2 in Genealogy

". . . that the Divine is no more female than male, that it is without gender, beyond gender, that while it may have its male and female aspects, those are merely two facets of the infinitely faceted infinitude it presents to the world, and that any impulse to ascribe gender to the Divine is a foolish display of chauvinism that vainly attempts to place limits on that which is limitless."

I've often wondered about the arguments between God and Goddess. What do you think?

2006-08-23 16:26:52 · 11 answers · asked by serasotto 3 in Philosophy

2006-08-23 16:20:39 · 21 answers · asked by Charly 2 in Other - Arts & Humanities

I want to know who lead these Reich (doesn't that mean Rome?) and when they exhisted.

2006-08-23 16:19:36 · 11 answers · asked by danasuebaby 1 in History

2006-08-23 16:19:20 · 5 answers · asked by Chaoboy 2 in Philosophy

Everyone knows he escaped and went to Argentina when the Argentinian government issued 30000 open visas to Nazi officers and soldiers and lived out the rest of his days there, dying in 1968.

2006-08-23 16:19:00 · 15 answers · asked by royal_fryer 3 in History

It refers to people who are in need or people who help?

Can you give me explanation about this?

2006-08-23 16:18:36 · 18 answers · asked by Fique 4 in Philosophy

history is filled with people who's brilliant ideas have been desregarded because they are either "crazy", "drug addicts", or "mentally ill". first of all, is there much of a difference between a nut and a genius? and secondly, can't a crazy drug addict have a good idea that's worth listening to once in a while?

also, who is your favorite "nut-case" and what did they contribute to the human race?

2006-08-23 16:15:18 · 14 answers · asked by list 3 in Philosophy

Fight Club was a great movie and i know Palahniuk is a great writer.Which novle of his do you think is the best?

2006-08-23 16:14:25 · 5 answers · asked by bibsio 2 in Books & Authors

When there is emotional pain, why does it hurt...physically...I mean really...Why does it make you want to rip your flesh from your bones...Why does it make you want to scream in pain...and writh around on the floor...-sighs- Answer me that....All you smart people out there...answer me that...-sighs-

2006-08-23 16:13:09 · 14 answers · asked by ~Sinfully~Exquisite~Stalking~ 4 in Philosophy

Did anybody ever read the book "House of Leaves" by Mark Z. Danielewski? It seems like an interesting book but idk if i will like it..any suggestions?

2006-08-23 16:12:35 · 2 answers · asked by bibsio 2 in Books & Authors

Mine is "If you are walking on thin ice, you may as well dance"

2006-08-23 16:11:33 · 8 answers · asked by Patrick Bateman 3 in Philosophy

Read! i have alwasys thought that where gods play toys. But we're here so who made got and why and who made them why was god made. god couldn't have just been there it has to be a reson, and dont tell me about the bible i know all that.

2006-08-23 16:08:41 · 20 answers · asked by George p 2 in Philosophy

2006-08-23 16:04:21 · 6 answers · asked by evangelionDude 3 in Books & Authors

How do we really know what's ethical and what's not?
Is there some thing as a "universal moral compass", or are really moral values a completely relative thing?

Try to step back for a second from the ethics you gained by tradition or religious following... how do you know that they are correct?
In what standard should we base ourselves to define our personal ethics? Who, or what, defines and constitutes right and wrong?

I have my own answer to this question, but I want to see what other people think about this.

2006-08-23 16:01:02 · 16 answers · asked by Eclipse 3 in Philosophy

i want the answer in essay form

2006-08-23 15:57:57 · 6 answers · asked by chandiprasad7 1 in History

By touched...I mean someone out there in this vast world...Loves you, needs you...desires you....cares for you..Floods your entire soul with pleasure...Someone who is touched...touches others you see....
So.....are you touched? And if so....by whom?....How do they touch you?....
Thank you

2006-08-23 15:56:12 · 14 answers · asked by ~Sinfully~Exquisite~Stalking~ 4 in Philosophy

Don't u girls out there REALIZE that there a PREDETORS????
Who are u trying to impress ? Yourself??....This isn't Playboy !!
Since it's the guys u want to turn on.....go take nudie pics at
Hustler. I could do that in Yahoo,...So can all these other girls, U
should ask ur-self WHY we don't.???!! We respect ourselves.

2006-08-23 15:54:37 · 14 answers · asked by CraZyCaT 5 in Other - Arts & Humanities

I'm just curious as to what you thought of it, nothing more.

2006-08-23 15:54:12 · 6 answers · asked by Loved By Someone Above 4 in Books & Authors

Don't u girls out there REALIZE that there a PREDETORS????
Who are u trying to impress ? Yourself??....This isn't Playboy !!
Since it's the guys u want to turn on.....go take nudie pics at
Hustler. I could do that in Yahoo,...So can all these other girls, U
should ask ur-self WHY we don't.???!! We respect ourselves.

2006-08-23 15:53:09 · 6 answers · asked by CraZyCaT 5 in Other - Arts & Humanities

2006-08-23 15:51:07 · 6 answers · asked by T.J. 2 in Philosophy