The Japanese Cashier… A Story for All of us

The following is a translation of a short story originally taken from a 2008 book by Haruhiro Kinoshita and posted on a blog called One Minute Impressions. The story struck a chord with tens of thousands of people across Japan as it spread through social networks. I do not own this article but it is extremely shareworthy. Please get the book if you are interested in it!

There Was This Cashier

She moved from the countryside to go to a university in Tokyo. She joined many extra-curricular activities but always got turned off quickly . One after another, she jumped from club to club looking for something better.

How Did I Go From A Biology Major to an Actress? Lisa Kudrow from Friends

Thanks Kaye for sharing this really inspiring speech from Lisa Kudrow. This speech was taken from the Vassar College Website. I think this deserves sharing, happy reading!:

Thank you, President Hill, for inviting me to speak, and thank you to the Class of 2010 for not protesting…seriously.

John Grisham The Plumber

Do you know John Grisham? He’s the author who stole many hours of our lives as we immersed ourselves into the worlds he created with his pen. We know of his writings, but do we know how they came about? I chanced upon this article while I was preparing for a program. If your life has taken many interesting ups and downs, you may find this article soothing. Every wrong turn may turn out to be the right one.

Originally published in the New York Times on the 5th of September 2010, written by John Grisham:

The Yip and The Yap

This story was originally by Dr Seuss but I just can’t find the title or the original book. I only remember the crux of the story. It was written for kids but it applies to us adults even more. This story is truly about communication and this is my adapted version:

The Calligrapher

Every one wants quick results. Yet sometimes when we don’t get the results we want, we grow disheartened and lose heart. Most of us simply pack our bags and look elsewhere. Yet is there another way? Maybe this story will help. Inspired by the book Mastery by George Leonard.

The Desire For What’s New, Shiny and Better Than Yours!

Recently the topic of Materialism, Happiness and who’s got a more expensive bag surfaced again, be it with friends or comments from friends. Louis Vuitton opened its first floating shop in Singapore too. I guess the bad economy didn’t dampen the spirit of More. So a story crept into my mind after lunch.

The New Yorker and The African Tribesman

My lecturer, Dr Ko Soo Meng, shared this story with us last night. He told this story to a man who believes that every one in the world sees only the negative side of him. His client is someone who has exceptionally bad interpersonal relations with almost every one around him. People just seem to always treat him badly. So Dr Ko told him the story:

When People Don’t Change

I met a friend over the week who wanted to “rescue” his maiden from her lifestyle of “bad habits” and in the process, not only did he get hurt, but the relationship between the two of them turned sour. His experience as well as my own inspired this story.

The Gravity of Inertia and Feeling Lost

Feeling Lost? It’s a pretty common feeling to have in between various phases in life. Some times this intermittent periods lasts only hours; sometimes days; sometimes even years. Its that need to move yet not knowing how to move. Look back into your life, you’ve probably come across this feeling a few times, most of the time when you’re in a dilemma.

To Pea or not to Pea

Be a part of the pod

A client came and talked about her identity crisis. She mentioned how much society and her family have pressured her into being who she is today. In so doing, she sacrificed much of her dreams and aspirations for she feared going against these expectations. This story was written for her.