Monday, October 08, 2007
Words to live your life by
I was in no mood for working: the clouds of doom and gloom which have been hanging heavily over us have not only not been thrust aside (as per the unsubstantiated claims of faxes of dubious provenance) but have intensified.
Rather than occasional flashes of lightning or spots of rain, the harbingers of the coming storm are the occasional anvil or surprised-looking Bengal Tiger falling from on high.
It was in this frame of mind that I gathered up the textbook and chose lesson #1: life goals.
I went into class and doled out the mayhem to a group of variably-competent students with some choice selections from my favourite quotes:
1. "It is not enough that I succeed. Everyone else must fail"
I thought for a bit that this might have been coined by Napoleon, but it later turned out to be Attila the Hun.
2. "It is better to be feared than loved."
Machiavelli, taken somewhat out of context, but an admirable sentiment nonetheless.
3. "Are you happy? Sometime (sic) it's better just to let go."
This last is taken from the cover of my 100 yen notebook. And people wonder why the Japanese are so prone to suicide when they have this kind of material knocking around for less than the price of a Snickers.
The students seemed to enjoy my tomfoolerous lesson. At least, if they didn't, they were smart enough not to let on. The clouds are growling and something large and stripey just hit my umbrella.
Rather than occasional flashes of lightning or spots of rain, the harbingers of the coming storm are the occasional anvil or surprised-looking Bengal Tiger falling from on high.
It was in this frame of mind that I gathered up the textbook and chose lesson #1: life goals.
I went into class and doled out the mayhem to a group of variably-competent students with some choice selections from my favourite quotes:
1. "It is not enough that I succeed. Everyone else must fail"
I thought for a bit that this might have been coined by Napoleon, but it later turned out to be Attila the Hun.
2. "It is better to be feared than loved."
Machiavelli, taken somewhat out of context, but an admirable sentiment nonetheless.
3. "Are you happy? Sometime (sic) it's better just to let go."
This last is taken from the cover of my 100 yen notebook. And people wonder why the Japanese are so prone to suicide when they have this kind of material knocking around for less than the price of a Snickers.
The students seemed to enjoy my tomfoolerous lesson. At least, if they didn't, they were smart enough not to let on. The clouds are growling and something large and stripey just hit my umbrella.
