Global Best Teacher
As I write this article, "Andria Zafirakou" is burgeoning from obscurity to a household name. Yes, she was named the "Global Best Teacher" by the Varkey Foundation in Dubai recently. She collected the prestigious award which accompanies US $1 million presented by the esteemed ruler of Dubai -- a great…
The Person Holding You Back
Richard was the CEO of an established company; he had the moniker of a hard taskmaster. His subordinates hated him for his discipline and high expectation of them. He always corrected his employees’ mistakes and reiterated their lackadaisical attitude toward work. The staff on the other hand, labelled him as…
Persistence – Turn your Defeats into Victories
How do you define persistence? I would say people who are persistent continue to complete the task they undertook in a determined way despite the difficulty and opposition. In a nutshell, they never give up or waver from their purpose. One of life’s tragedies is that many aspirants who were…
You May be Damaged, but Still, Have Value
The audience was excited as the renowned speaker walked towards the rostrum. They had braved the chilly winter to see him and to attend a seminar on self-worth. “Let me begin with a simple experiment,” the speaker announced as soon as he took the stage. He swiftly took out a…
The Donkey That Never Gave Up
A farmer’s donkey fell into a well. In its state of anguish, it brayed hysterically. The farmer was concerned and came running to its aid. However, he realised that it would be a futile attempt as the well was too deep and treacherous for any rescue operation. He also rationalised,…
A Little Boy’s Ingenuity
A little boy walked into a convenience store. With a look of confidence, he carried a wooden carton over to the telephone which was attached to the wall. It was beyond his reach. He excitedly climbed onto the carton. As soon as he could reach the phone, he dialled a…
Finding Happiness in a Balloon
A group of people enrolled in a self-enrichment course to find happiness in life. Does it sound odd that one has to enrol in a course to achieve happiness? However, they are not the only ones with such pursuance. All of us are searching for happiness in one way or…
Laugh Your Head Off
We all can attest to feeling rejuvenated after watching Mr Bean or some light-hearted movies. We may feel defeated by life’s struggle; however, watching a comedy, so effortlessly lifts our sagging spirits. There is some scientific truth in the much oft-used cliche, “Laughter is the best medicine”. Studies show that…
Humour With Nicknames
Using nicknames on others can be uncouth but they have a means of getting a point across — sometimes, they are socially acceptable with lots of chuckles accompanying them. Adults tend to give nicknames to their friends, not realising that their innocent children pick them up with the same fervour…
Dream Big
Children are big dreamers – they envision themselves as doctors, scientists and astronauts without feeling any inhibitions. I remember asking a colleague’s daughter what she aspired to be. Without batting an eyelid, she said: “I want to be the president when I grow up.” Wow, I was impressed by her…
Tickle Someone’s Funny Bone
There are numerous benefits of laughter; however, we tend to practice self-restraint. We can attest to laughing our heads off as children and being miserly with laughter as we advance through age. Strangely, we’ve diminished our laughter when it should be the opposite since greater happiness is found through laughter.…
Interesting Facts about J K Rowling
It is indeed rare to know of someone who has not heard of the Harry Potter series and J K Rowling. Her fame seems to have reached out to the uttermost part of the earth and all and sundry. With such adulation, one may assume stardom being thrust upon her…
Hilarious Word Play
“Always find a reason to laugh. It may not add years to your life but will surely add life to your years.” Do the cares of the world cause us to laugh less than our predecessors? Studies show that an average 4-year-old laughs about 300 times a day. The number…
Manny Pacquiao – Story of Hope, Resilience and Indomitable Spirit
When he fights, time stands still. Even the confrontation between the warring factions grinds to a halt. And the burgeoning crime rate drops to half or some reckon it’s virtually zero – just to watch him in action! Yeah, only one person can galvanise the nation – Manny Pacquiao! (affectionately…
Hilarious Quotations
Everyone loves humour. Like the cardamom which spices my hot piping tea, humour so effortlessly spices up our lives. Humour has permeated every facet of our lives. Besides great strides made in the entertainment and the commercial realm, humour has proliferated the political arena too. Astute politicians have recognised this…
Lessons Of Life… A Cup Of Coffee
It is always heartwarming to read inspirational stories which uplift us. They capture our hearts, set us thinking and create a desire within us to act positively. The Jolly Good Times brings you stories which have been told many times but they never fail to warm our hearts each time:…
Better Than Normal
In 2015, Hitesh Ramchandani spoke at the JT Foxx Family First Reunion in the USA and was voted the top speaker -- a remarkable feat considering he bagged it from accomplished speakers around the world. He had enrolled in Toastmasters to conquer his fear of public speaking. It was an…
Superbly Defined… With a Tinge of Laughter
Laughter is the best medicine. We all can recollect our childhood memories -- we tend to laugh all the time. However, as we grew older, we became serious and laughter became inhibited. It was no longer as spontaneous as it used to be. It's strange we've diminished our laughter when…
Kalam’s Act Of Kindness
Imagine an elderly woman approached you for food. She was convalescing from a surgery and looked pale. She was too ill to buy herself food and was clutching her stomach in pain and hunger. However, you had no money to splurge her a decent meal. What would you do? Kalam…
Global Best Teacher
As I write this article, "Andria Zafirakou" is burgeoning from obscurity to a household name. Yes, she was named the "Global Best Teacher" by the Varkey Foundation in Dubai recently. She collected the prestigious award which accompanies US $1 million presented by the esteemed ruler of Dubai -- a great…
The Person Holding You Back
Richard was the CEO of an established company; he had the moniker of a hard taskmaster. His subordinates hated him for his discipline and high expectation of them. He always corrected his employees’ mistakes and reiterated their lackadaisical attitude toward work. The staff on the other hand, labelled him as…
Less is More
Simplifying our life can be therapeutic–it presents a new viewpoint of life. “Simplicity” has conflicting meanings, depending on who decodes it. To some, simplicity is splendour, purity and clarity, whereas
Don’t Judge
There once lived a blind man named Jeremiah in a small town by the sea. He was well-liked and was fiercely independent. He sold souvenirs by a beachside hut which
Nostalgia — Plain old Barber Shop
The neon light with flickering signage emblazoned, “Salon for the Rugged Man”. It was captivating and I stood enthralled by the hoarding advertisement situated in the high-end shopping complex. A
Dream Big
Children are big dreamers – they envision themselves as doctors, scientists and astronauts without feeling any inhibitions. I remember asking a colleague’s daughter what she aspired to be. Without batting
Walk Down Memory Lane… An Unforgettable Test
The year was 1984. We were feeling anxious in view of the accounting test which was about to take place in my Secondary Three classroom. The teacher, Mr *Loke walked
