Paul's Corner

I have never subscribed to the idea of giving anything less or more than 1oo% I have always wondered how it is that some people can give more than 1oo%. My way of thinking is that if you give everything you have given one hundred percent and there is nothing more. Therefore if you have room to give that extra 10 or 20 percent then I think that in the first instance you were only giving 80 - 90%.

A friend of mine sent me the following - I do not know how wrote it as it is one of those things doing the rounds on the internet. It sets some of my wonderings in order:

Strictly mathematical

From a strictly mathematical viewpoint it goes like this:
What Makes 100%? What does it mean to give MORE than 100%? Ever wonder about those people who say they are giving more than 100%? We have all been to those meetings where someone wants you to give over 100%. How about achieving 103%? What makes up 100% in life?
Here's a little mathematical formula that might help you answer these questions:
If: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z is represented as: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26.
Then:
H-A-R-D-W-O-R-K
8+1+18+4+23+15+18+11= 98%
and
K-N-O-W-L-E-D-G-E 11+14+15+23+12+5+4+7+5 = 96%
But,
A-T-T-I-T-U-D-E
1+20+20+9+20+21+4+5 = 100%
And,
B-U-L-L-S-H-I-T
2+21+12+12+19+8+9+20 = 103%
AND, look how far ass kissing will take you.
A-S-S-K-I-S-S-I-N-G 1+19+19+11+9+19+19+9+14+7 = 118%

So, one can conclude with mathematical certainty that While Hard work and Knowledge will get you close, and Attitude will get you there, it's the BullshiT and Ass kissing that will put you over the top.

Ive had a big week!

Life makes you continuely get up, stand up and be accountable.

I keep fightng the battles - Tim You are with me on this right?! - just keep fighting the battles. My battles arent that big apart from the fact they are about living and surviving. Whose arent??

I have had too much red wine to make any sense but all I know is this: Life moves on,you either embrace it or you dont.

My daughter has now emarked on her journey of having her first boyfriend. She said to me the other day that no matter what I would always be the most imortant boy in her life. She meant it and i will forgive her when she takes it back when she gets married. She is such a wonderful girl and now she has a boyfriend - I am good with that - but damn you know you bring them up so they are good to go and then they do!

life is a series of letting go
come to terms with that
and living and dying
becomes a whole lot easier

know what I mean?

cross you on the path, hey?

the scent of woman
long before I see
I smell.
perfume is the scent
of promises
wafting towards and
finding me.
it lingers
causing my nose to flare
my eyes to wander
my mouth to water
and muscle to tense.
my senses hightened
I search
first with nose
then with eyes
and finally with instinct.
the perfume reminds me
of promises met past
of promises yet to come
so now I hunt.
lust need and conquest
drive me
to stroke
your hair
your neck
your breast
my desire to
join
to become one.
this your scent
finds in me
settles upon me
and rules me
for without a woman
I am nothing
but an incomplete man

The only supposed rule I have asked for to be followed here is that people not be offended by some ones point of view. Share, express, discuss, honour, laugh, cry, debate, communitcate but DO NOT TAKE OFFENCE!!!

I can not remember anyone writing a post to this site with the express intention of offending someone. I can remember on too many occassions people taking offence at something - but what a waste of time and a good opportunity! If I take offence at something someone writes or says to me the first question is to myself - why am I reacting in that manner, which of my buttons did that idea or phrase push, why am I CHOOSING to react in that manner. How I react or act in any given situation is my choice - no one can make me react in that manner it is my choice even when I do not know it, even when I (choose to) blame some one else.

When something on this site pushes my button I have written on occassion "thank you for pushing my buttons this is how I felt.... I will think on this further"

Right now I am angry. I dont want peolpe to get offended, I dont want people to argue or clash, I dont want people to be negative or aggressive or bitchy. I never have in my life and not on this site but maybe my head is still in the sand and the fact is people are all those things and more and I am just ignorant and stupidly niave for thinking it could be different here.

So make a choice people right here and right now.

I do not believe an argument has to dip into the realms of negativity nor do I believe we need to dip into the realms of personal offence - if you do, dont bother posting here.

Not too happy about the tone of some of the posts. Some newbies have come on boards and hijacked the thread. Some oldbies are none too pleased with the change. People seem to be getting ruffled and indignant, talk of flaming, talk of what happens on other boards, talk of shame, mention of offence, people coming, people going. It has been an interesting couple of hundred posts.

Heres what I think - this has always been a place where we listen to each other. It is also a place where we talk, comment, be honest, laugh, share and cry. Listening to each other is important and caring is important. Spelling is not so important!

Michael and Richard I am very happy to have you as part of this community but (sorry about the but...) but in your enthusiasm I fear you have run over a few of the oldbies. You have both used the word "assume" a very dangerous word and concept. To assume often means to not listen or to comment on that which you dont know. One of the things I am working on constantly is to not assume, in fact I am trying to purge it from my vocabulary. Richard you have made assumptions regarding my action and thoughts and then laid them at the feet of oldbies who have been here for two years. A newbie telling an oldbie how it is - it rubbed me a bit. Granted you dont know who some of the longer attending posters are. That is where the non jumping to assumption and listening part comes in. Michael I am sorry to say it but Mil is our appointed Gran Ma and as such she is our appointed authority figure because she is the oldest. Like a good Grand Ma occasionally she sticks her nose in where perhaps she shouldnt but it is done with love and concern and we forgive her because she is the oldest - because she is Grand Ma Mil. Being a new member you werent aware of this. If you need anything or somebody's e-mail Grand Ma Mil has it and gives very generously too.

Newbies upset the apple cart could have been a good title to this post. I did find your post to her unecessarily aggressive but understand it hit one of your buttons regarding the past.

Grand Ma Mil I am going to give you a slap on the wrist too. I havent left the post, never have, I just wasnt coming due to the stuff of my life for the moment. I am sure you were speaking on behalf of some posters but not all. Your comment regarding the way it was in the beginning: I have read all the posts and the first two hundred or so is as per the norm: we talked about the blog at hand. But after that I think that topic was covered and people moved on. The fact I hadnt posted a new blog meant that people meandered which for the most part is good. I am a bit miffed that I wasnt reading when all the recipe stuff was on as you guys know I love a good recipe.

Respect is a good word and a convoluted concept at times. Ultimately it is earnt through time. Grand Ma Mil calls me "our Paul" which after posting here for a year and a half or so I feel that I know her well enough to be comfortable with her and that title. Newbies need to give us (oldbies) time to get to know you and visa versa before we start casting assumptions and spiteful words around the room.

Through knowledge comes understanding.

As for the poster with no name I am sure you are aware that this is not what this site is about.

I have said my bit. I thought Inn, in her last post or so said it well enough as did Sherrlyn. So now we may forget about the oldbies and the newbies and us and them type feelings and be a community. open, honest, tolerant and quick with a smile.