10 Reasons Not to Buy

1. Don't buy it because there are 200 points left on your Bonus-Link card (or whatever card) you just gotta have the free gift that comes when you hit that level
2. Don't buy it because your friends have bought it and you can't bear being the only one not having it
3. Don't buy it because you're already "there" and, sure you've got quite a few of those items back home already, but what the heck since the latest ones look so good
4. Don't buy it because you think it should be a good investment, for if it's investing that's on your mind, you should either go to your broker or real estate agent
5. Don't buy it because you want to impress people (or tick them off - you can buy it for others and by all means do)
6. Don't buy it because Justin Bieber or Pierce Brosnan say they like it
7. Don't buy it because you've got money to spend
8. Don't buy it because the sales executive is drop-dead hot
9. Don't buy it because you're running out of time and you feel you can't leave without purchasing something
10. Finally, don't buy it because you'll feel empty without it (which is a variation of #5, only worse because then you'll be feeding, and thus enlarging, the void within).

None is Beautiful

Books without the letter 'e' (one actually exists).

Airline reservations and check-ins' with no tickets.

Classes without classrooms (or even the sight of a classmate or lecturer)

Exams without paper.

Restaurants with no menus'.

Exercise without equipment.

Beauty without make-up.

Service without servitude.

Love without pretense.

Sublime, no? (Feel free to add to the above)

The Non-Use of Customer Information

I've been waiting for more than 12 years. It still hasn't arrived.

Citibank knows more about my VISA spending than I do. One of the things they surely would've noticed (after a decade of producing my monthly report) is that each month I spend at least $300 on books (sometimes more).

And I've still been waiting.

For a free exclusive Citi-Borders bookclub membership (hmm, Citi-Borders - does have a ring to it, no?)

For an {X-amount} Konikuniya voucher

For a chance to make some money reviewing books for XYZ Publisher or newspaper

For a discount card to purchase even more books at a lower rate.

For announcements on upcoming book sales.

Or maybe a free book!

What are they waiting for? For me to switch to a local version of the Amazon.com Visa? Or to switch cards entirely? (Don't tempt me)

Raised Hands and Being Wrong

I gave some assignments on the screen, towards the end of which I went through the answer-options (A, B, C, D) requesting the students to raise the hands when the option they selected was mentioned. So when 'A' was read, a certain number of students raised their hands, when B was read another number and so on.

What's interesting is the reaction of students when they realise that the answer they've selected have also been selected by many others in class as compared to those whose hands are one of very few raised or, even worse, the only one in the air.

That feeling we get when our 'raised hand' is one among many - it's a good feeling, but also a dangerous one if we come to rely on it. It's great to know your perspective is shared by the crowd but if having a popular viewpoint is a pre-condition to doing anything cool or brave or fresh then it's no wonder that very few go out on a limb for something radical. If we wait till our POV is the majority one, we'll never take that first step towards shaping a new 'box', that new point of reference for our communities to both think within and out of.

Hence, I told the students to raise their hands REGARDLESS of how many in the class have the same answers. And raise it high. No need to be ashamed of being wrong; be ashamed of needing to be right all the time.

Do We Still Need Corporate E-Cards?

Nobody lingers on it for long, unless it's someone who you're either in love with or who can potentially make you truck loads of money. I'm talking about festive e-cards.

Many send it; many more receive. Many spend less than the time it would take to hit the 'Delete' button to view it. That's because sending e-cards is like telling others about your kids - the one who enjoys it the most if your good self.

So, unless your client will feel thoroughly offended if you send nothing, perhaps a simple idea is to STOP sending corporate e-cards. Other options:

• send a real card - in this area, physical trumps virtual
• send a real card with gifts - but of course...
• send a virtual card with e-gifts - like an e-discount or some incentive to 'spread the word'
• send an e-gift (ok, with a short festive greeting)

Learning as Provocation

I made a remark during a mamak chat session recently. I said, "Christianity is Socialism."

Although it was in (half?)-jest, the responses were an expected mixture of shock, get-outta-heres', duh-ism and the like.

A senior member of the group then said I have a tendency to speak in unqualified terms and recommended that proper explanations must follow.

And of course I agree this is necessary - if one was teaching individuals who were incapable of exploration, self-learning, evaluation and networking with other learners. In a word, if we're dealing with small children.

The obsession with providing answers is a bane of learning. Unless you're teaching prep or junior school, it really should be the last of your priorities. When you give people full-blown answers, people stop thinking. But when you provoke them, a new journey can begin.

So, yeah, I'd join the Socialists because they best reflect Christian values. Go figure.

Bloom's again

This isn't merely a taxonomy. It's also a teaching/learning device with a simple principle: To master the lower rungs, work on the higher ones. That's it.

To get better at recalling some issue, try explaining it or, better yet, applying it. If you can apply it (i.e. work on the 3rd level), then remembering it (i.e. the 1st level) becomes a piece of cake. And so on and so forth.