Two people recently told me that Redoxon vitamin C is "very effective". But vitamin C is ascorbic acid... how can one brand's ascorbic acid be more effective than another's? Is there a variety of ascorbic acid? Highly unlikely...
Market perception and consumer psychology must be a pretty interesting subject.
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Saturday, August 14, 2010
"There's no rule that the piano can only be played with hands."
Lately I've been thinking about the amazing resilience of the human spirit. Whenever I contemplate any of the terrible things that might befall me, I always think, "I don't know if I could survive that." But when disasters actually strike, many people not only adapt, but even rise above their circumstances. Reader's Digest magazine is full of stories like those.
When I hear or read such stories, it always makes me wonder: if that were me, what would I have done? Would I have been able to hang on to hope? To remain cheerful, and not allow bitterness to consume me? Would I have persevered through sheer doggedness, or given up because it was so frustrating and painful? These are questions I suspect most of us pray we'll never have to confront face-to-face.
Watching this video this afternoon, I was amazed all over again. I play the piano and I can't imagine how this young man did it with his toes! But it's not just that. It's the fact that he's doing something nobody would have thought of, that people believed was impossible. In a newspaper interview, he said his first piano teacher quit, because the teacher didn't believe it was possible for anyone to play with toes. And indeed, he's limited because his toes can't stretch to play keys that are far apart, but he's developed his own style of playing to make up for that limitation.
On the show, he told the judges, "[After I lost my arms] I had two choices: to simply die a quick death, or to live a wonderful life." I like that thought, because that's a choice all of us can make for ourselves. Live a wonderful life.
When I hear or read such stories, it always makes me wonder: if that were me, what would I have done? Would I have been able to hang on to hope? To remain cheerful, and not allow bitterness to consume me? Would I have persevered through sheer doggedness, or given up because it was so frustrating and painful? These are questions I suspect most of us pray we'll never have to confront face-to-face.
Watching this video this afternoon, I was amazed all over again. I play the piano and I can't imagine how this young man did it with his toes! But it's not just that. It's the fact that he's doing something nobody would have thought of, that people believed was impossible. In a newspaper interview, he said his first piano teacher quit, because the teacher didn't believe it was possible for anyone to play with toes. And indeed, he's limited because his toes can't stretch to play keys that are far apart, but he's developed his own style of playing to make up for that limitation.
On the show, he told the judges, "[After I lost my arms] I had two choices: to simply die a quick death, or to live a wonderful life." I like that thought, because that's a choice all of us can make for ourselves. Live a wonderful life.
Friday, August 13, 2010
Fantastically felled by the 'flu (says she sarcastically)
I still don't believe the fairly common cough, sore throat, runny nose & body aches are really a form of 'flu in the strict medical sense, but either way... Clarinase is a wonder drug.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Conscious consumption
Last night I was looking at a pair of pink earrings. They were pretty. They were also RM40. Supposedly made of Swarovski crystal, but only a single bead. I thought of all the earrings I already have -- especially the pink ones -- and decided I didn't need a pair of RM40 earrings. They didn't seem worth the price... although they were pretty.
I suddenly feel very grown-up. Maybe my parents are finally starting to rub off on me.
Lately I've been thinking that it really wouldn't hurt me to get rid of some stuff I never use. There are a lot of things I could do without, if I were honest. Most things I own aren't necessities. I'm reminded of Logan Smith & Tammy Strobel's story about decluttering and living a simple life.
But while many people have blamed our modern spending habits on a desire to keep up with the Joneses, I don't believe that's always the main reason why people like to buy stuff. I never did accummulate things in order to prove anything to anyone. For me, it was the security of having things around: If I ever need it, it'll be there, was my way of thinking. Made me feel as if I was in control of my world. An illusion, but a comforting one nevertheless.
Besides, I deserve nice things, don't I? And I earn the money, right? So why shouldn't I buy nice things for myself? After all, not like anyone else is going to buy them for me... That was my reasoning. So, if I wanted it and I could afford it, why not? Why deprive myself? I deserve to be happy! Do you see the mental self-talk here? It's not called "retail therapy" for nothing!
Of course, advertising and marketing also exist to make customers want things they don't need. My eyes still light up when I see a "Sale!" sign, and it often makes me itch to buy something I otherwise would never have considered buying -- just because the product is temporarily available at a much lower price than usual. I don't know why I react this way. Maybe because it's a "good deal" and I just want to grab it before it's gone. I think the feeling of always wanting more, or better, is closely related as well: caused by the fear of losing out. Sometimes it's not that we're trying to impress anyone, but we're more focused on acquiring what we can so that we don't get cheated of... whatever it is. Never mind whether it's good or desirable or useful, as long as we don't miss out!
In the end, though, I still think a large part of it is a lifestyle choice. Living in the city, I can see how an Astro subscription (satellite tv) has become so common among middle-class working professionals that nobody really questions whether they really need one in their homes. I don't have anything against it; I'm just saying this is a lifestyle choice that people are making, often without even pausing to think about it.
I suddenly feel very grown-up. Maybe my parents are finally starting to rub off on me.
Lately I've been thinking that it really wouldn't hurt me to get rid of some stuff I never use. There are a lot of things I could do without, if I were honest. Most things I own aren't necessities. I'm reminded of Logan Smith & Tammy Strobel's story about decluttering and living a simple life.
But while many people have blamed our modern spending habits on a desire to keep up with the Joneses, I don't believe that's always the main reason why people like to buy stuff. I never did accummulate things in order to prove anything to anyone. For me, it was the security of having things around: If I ever need it, it'll be there, was my way of thinking. Made me feel as if I was in control of my world. An illusion, but a comforting one nevertheless.
Besides, I deserve nice things, don't I? And I earn the money, right? So why shouldn't I buy nice things for myself? After all, not like anyone else is going to buy them for me... That was my reasoning. So, if I wanted it and I could afford it, why not? Why deprive myself? I deserve to be happy! Do you see the mental self-talk here? It's not called "retail therapy" for nothing!
Of course, advertising and marketing also exist to make customers want things they don't need. My eyes still light up when I see a "Sale!" sign, and it often makes me itch to buy something I otherwise would never have considered buying -- just because the product is temporarily available at a much lower price than usual. I don't know why I react this way. Maybe because it's a "good deal" and I just want to grab it before it's gone. I think the feeling of always wanting more, or better, is closely related as well: caused by the fear of losing out. Sometimes it's not that we're trying to impress anyone, but we're more focused on acquiring what we can so that we don't get cheated of... whatever it is. Never mind whether it's good or desirable or useful, as long as we don't miss out!
In the end, though, I still think a large part of it is a lifestyle choice. Living in the city, I can see how an Astro subscription (satellite tv) has become so common among middle-class working professionals that nobody really questions whether they really need one in their homes. I don't have anything against it; I'm just saying this is a lifestyle choice that people are making, often without even pausing to think about it.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Bookishness
Random thoughts from browsing in a bookstore:
- I'm sad that Erle Standley Gardner's books have been out of print for years. It's not fair that Agatha Christie's continue to be so well-known & popular, when his were just as good as hers.
- P.S. I Love You was based on an unusual idea that had the potential to make a really great story, but Cecilia Ahern's writing style ruined it... too flippant and shallow, I think. Not enough emotion in the writing. A pity. Not going to ever read anything by her again.
- In contrast, The Time Traveler's Wife was brilliant... Audrey Niffenegger has a new book out, saw it at BookXcess. Maybe I'll get it. Only RM19.90, after all. Pretty cheap for a book these days.
- Why do publishers seem to think I want to have a huge picture of the author on the back cover? This is a horrible trend. What happened to the sypnosis? I couldn't care less what the author looks like! I want to know what the book's about!
- Back when I was a teen, I read a P.G. Wodehouse book (one of the Jeeves ones -- can't for the life of me recall the title) and remember it as being very funny... strangely enough have never read another Wodehouse book since. Why is that?
- Some books are better off being left in the past where they belong. When reread, they don't live up to the long-remembered magic.
- So many names I recognise on the spines, but have never read...
- And all those books I bought because I thought they'd look good on my bookshelves, and were worthy of reading -- still unread, too! *sigh*
- Freakonomics was one of the most fascinating non-fiction books I've read in recent years... I want Super Freakonomics but I think I'll wait to get it.
- Thinking of Freakonomics reminds me of Adeline Yen Mah -- I don't read that many non-fiction books. But Adeline Yen Mah's books are sooooo sad. (Autobiographical)
- There ought to be more books with cool titles like Whoever Makes the Most Mistakes Wins. Stop trying to sound clever and interesting already. Just ends up sounding pretentious. "The Secret"?
- Dear Undercover Economist looks very interesting but RM43.95 for humour? It's just a collection of letters and clever-snarky answers! Oooh... website... *checks*... oooh the letters & replies are online at the author's website! Yay!
- Okay, reconnoitering done. Nothing I really want here, phew. Omg! I'm walking out of a bookshop without having bought anything!
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Sorceror's Apprentice
A bit surreal hearing a character say a line in a foreign language during an English movie... and understanding exactly what he said.
Balthazar: Tau fa ho leng.
Old Chinese lady: Oh, you speak Mandarin!
Me: *leaning over to friend & whispering* That's not Mandarin, that's Cantonese!
Balthazar: *whacks the old lady into a wall* That was Cantonese, Horvath.
*grins* I'm by no means a pro at either of the languages but I know in Mandarin it would've been "Ni de tou fa hen mei" ;)
Balthazar: Tau fa ho leng.
Old Chinese lady: Oh, you speak Mandarin!
Me: *leaning over to friend & whispering* That's not Mandarin, that's Cantonese!
Balthazar: *whacks the old lady into a wall* That was Cantonese, Horvath.
*grins* I'm by no means a pro at either of the languages but I know in Mandarin it would've been "Ni de tou fa hen mei" ;)
Monday, August 9, 2010
Catch-22
Alex: Extreme people are exceedingly attractive. They're invariably more articulate, more cerebral, more intense... and then come the downsides.
Me: Are we talking about xXx now? hehehe
Alex: LOL I'm talking about ALL of us!
Me: HAHAHAHA
Alex: I know I am too, and so are you!
Me: I'm extreme? *gasps*
Alex: You are, in your own way.
Me: Hehe, yeah, in some ways. I prefer to call it "unconventional" :p
Alex: Euphemism. It's not a bad thing; we just need to learn how to live with it. For example, I know I won't be able to strike up meaningful conversations with "normal" people, so I don't beat myself up if I can't get into a deep chat with one.
Me: Hehehe, good example!
* * * * * *
Actually I substitute "extreme" for "weird": I've always felt an affinity with unusual people because they're loads more interesting than "normal" people. They go against the flow, don't want to fit in with the crowd, have unorthodox methods and original ideas... the problem is that what makes them so interesting also makes them, well, eccentric, for lack of a better word, and therefore often very difficult to relate to or connect with.
Me: Are we talking about xXx now? hehehe
Alex: LOL I'm talking about ALL of us!
Me: HAHAHAHA
Alex: I know I am too, and so are you!
Me: I'm extreme? *gasps*
Alex: You are, in your own way.
Me: Hehe, yeah, in some ways. I prefer to call it "unconventional" :p
Alex: Euphemism. It's not a bad thing; we just need to learn how to live with it. For example, I know I won't be able to strike up meaningful conversations with "normal" people, so I don't beat myself up if I can't get into a deep chat with one.
Me: Hehehe, good example!
Actually I substitute "extreme" for "weird": I've always felt an affinity with unusual people because they're loads more interesting than "normal" people. They go against the flow, don't want to fit in with the crowd, have unorthodox methods and original ideas... the problem is that what makes them so interesting also makes them, well, eccentric, for lack of a better word, and therefore often very difficult to relate to or connect with.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)