Fresh Fish

The Japanese have always loved fresh fish. But the waters close to Japan have not held many fish for decades. So to feed the Japanese population, fishing boats got bigger and went farther than ever.
The farther the fishermen went, the longer it took to bring in the fish. If the return trip took more than a few days, the fish would not arrive fresh.
[Don Del Castillo] The Japanese did not like the taste.

To solve this problem, fishing companies installed freezers on their boats. They would catch the fish and freeze them at sea. Freezers allowed the boats to go farther and stay longer. However, the Japanese could taste the difference between fresh and frozen and they did not like frozen fish. The frozen fish brought a lower price.

So fishing companies installed fish tanks. They would catch the fish and stuff them in the tanks, fin to fin. After a little thrashing around, the fish stopped moving. They were tired and dull, but alive.
Unfortunately, the Japanese could still taste the difference. Because the fish did not move for days, they lost their fresh-fish taste. The Japanese preferred the lively taste of fresh fish, not sluggish fish. So how did Japanese fishing companies solve this problem? How do they get fresh-tasting fish to Japan?
If you were a consultant for the fish industry, what would you recommend?

As soon as you reach your goals, such as finding a wonderful mate, starting a successful company, paying off your debts or whatever, you might lose your passion. You don't need to work so hard so you relax. You experience the same problem as lottery winners who waste their money, wealthy heirs who never grow up and bored homemakers who get addicted to prescription drugs.

Like the Japanese fish problem, the best solution is simple. It was observed by L. Ron Hubbard in the early 1950's. "Man thrives, oddly enough, only in the presence of a challenging environment". The more intelligent, persistent and competent you are, the more you enjoy a good problem. If your challenges are the correct size, and if you are steadily conquering those challenges, you are happy. You think of your challenges and get energized. You are excited to try new solutions. You have fun. You are alive!

To keep the fish tasting fresh, the Japanese fishing companies still put the fish in the tanks. But now they add a small shark to each tank. The shark eats a few fish, but most of the fish arrive in a very lively state. The fish are challenged.

Therefore, instead of avoiding challenges, jump into them. Beat 'em up. Enjoy the game. If your challenges are too large or too numerous, do not give up. Instead, reorganize. Find more determination, more knowledge and more help.
If you have met your goals, set some bigger goals.
Once you meet your personal or family needs, move onto goals for your group, the society, even mankind. Don't create success and lie in it. You have resources, skills and abilities to make a difference." So, put a shark in your tank and see how far you can really go!

"When reality stinks, write fiction."

~ author unknown

Doves

Doves are a prevalent symbol of Christians in the Bible. At Matthew 10:16, Jesus told his followers to be cautious (wise) as serpents, yet gentle (harmless) as doves. What is so special about doves? Why were they used rather than some other bird?
A number of years ago, my family had a lot of bird pens and raised chickens, pigeons, roosters, doves and assorted other creatures.
Most birds, even those not meat eating, are predators even against their own kind. That is, they will kill the eggs and destroy the nests of other birds in order to make themselves and their offspring superior. Many humans and nations are like this also destroying others to keep themselves from being destroyed or even to keep themselves from merely losing some monetary objectives.
But doves are not like that. Rather than destroy the nests of other doves, all in the pen will take turns sitting on the nests... even the single males. Pigeons and chickens will not do this.
Doves mate for life in male/female pairs and others will not interfere in these relationships trying to steal a dove's mate. Other birds are likely mated all to one dominant male (like chickens). (A few bird species such as eagles, parakeets, pigeons will mate for life, but are still aggressive, fighting type birds).
Doves care for each other; cuddle together for warmth; help care for eggs/nests/infants; and will only reject a member once the illness or injury is unrecoverable. Then they will isolate the member from the rest. Most bird species will peck an injured one to death at the first sign of illness or injury. They will also peck to death the babies of other birds including their own kinds.
Doves, therefore, naturally mimic much of the conduct expected of Christians as shown in the following Bible verses:
1 Thessalonians 5:14; Hebrews 11:34; Romans 15:1; Hebrews 4:15; 1 Corinthians 13:4; Hebrews 10;23-25; Romans 1:12; Hebrews 13:4; 2 Timothy 2:24; 2 Corinthians 10:3
Even though we live in the world, a world full of Satan's birds who would pick us and our seeds to death, we do not wage war as the world does as Paul stated above.
Let us act like doves and not other birds. Matthew 13:3, 4, 18, 19. Do not allow the birds to pluck away that which you have received in learning Bible truth. Your fellow doves are always around to help if you are willing to make use of them.

5 Signs of Depression

By Dr. Oz

Have you experienced any of these symptoms for an extended period of time—not for a day or two, but more like two weeks? If so, Dr. Oz says you may want to consider seeking professional help.

Lack of Energy
Are you more sluggish than normal?

Weight Gain or Loss
"Have you been eating more or less than you're supposed to?" Dr. Oz asks.

Trouble Sleeping
Do you have trouble falling asleep? Or trouble getting out of bed?

Lack of Concentration
Do you have trouble keeping your mind focused?

Apathy
"Have you lost the love, the zest, for the hobbies you have in your life?" Dr. Oz asks.

http://www.oprah.com/article/health/
20090305-tows-oz-depression-signs

She likes a rigged game.

quotes from One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

McMurphy: (referring to nurse Ratched)
"She likes a rigged game."

McMurphy: (in group session)
"I’d like to know why none of the guys never told me that you, Miss Rached, and the doctors could keep me here until you’re good and ready to turn me loose. That’s what I’d like to know.
You let me go on hasseling Nurse Rached here, knowing how much I had to lose, and you never told me nothing."

Robert Benchley Quotes

A boy can learn a lot from a dog: obedience, loyalty, and the importance of turning around three times before lying down.

A great many people have come up to me and asked how I manage to get so much work done and still keep looking so dissipated.

Drawing on my fine command of the English language, I said nothing.

I have tried to know absolutely nothing about a great many things, and I have succeeded fairly well.

In America there are two classes of travel - first class, and with children.

It took me fifteen years to discover I had no talent for writing, but I couldn't give it up because by that time I was too famous.

~ Robert Benchley

Flights of angels sing thee to thy rest

Horatio, at the death of Hamlet:

"Now cracks a noble heart.
Good night, sweet prince,
And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest!"

~ Horatio
Hamlet, Act V scene ii
William Shakespeare

A Life Well Spent

“A life employed in the pursuit of useful knowledge, in honorable actions and the practice of virtue…will reap the happiest fruits … because a conscience bearing witness that our life was well spent, together with the remembrance of past good actions, yields an unspeakable comfort to the soul.”

~ Cicero

The manner of giving

"The manner of giving is worth more than the gift."
~ Pierre Corneille