Proverbs are the wisdom of the street

We have heard quite a lot in recent years about the "wisdom of crowds" where the average opinion of a group can be surprisingly accurate.

Proverbs undergo a kind of evolution - people are making remarks and observations continually, and every now and again something that someone says or writes is picked up and repeated. Due to its wisdom and/or aptnes of phrase, over time it gains the status of a proverb.

Some of the ones we use probably go back thousands of years and have transferred from one culture to another. A proverb can gain in strength by having some poetical quality of alliteration or rhyme but this rarely translates well into another language.

Never do things by halves

This is similar to "never put off till tomorrow what you can do today".

Procrastination is the habit of delaying and avoiding things you know ought to be done. Work study experts will tell you that double handling is a waste of time. Putting tools and materials away only to be brought out again to do a bit more means a lot of dead time; so it is better to finish a job if possible rather than do part of it more than once.

Task switching is another stressful time waster. People who use their PCs a lot probably find they have need of many skills, and they jump from one to the other. This requires a different part of the brain, and some time to adjust and remember.

"Chunking" is one answer where you identify a section of a task and focus entirely on that till it is completed.

Quarrel and strife make shorter life

Is there anyone who has never been involved in an argument or row? I am sure all the readers of this blog will have had their fair share no matter what their temperament or inclination to aggression might be. It is unavoidable and part of normal life to come across situations that will potentially give rise to conflict.

When we are young we react according to our natural defensive or aggressive instincts, and we are also influenced by those around us. Age and experience teaches us to avoid unpleasant situations as we do not want the hassle of stressful confrontation.

The secret is to see the problem coming and take steps to avoid it. Learning the importance of not escalating a quarrel but still looking after your own rights can be a tricky path to follow.

You can duck the issue, overwhelm your antagonist, or turn the other cheek and shame them. These are your options, but only time and experience can help develop your wisdom, and enable you to judge the correct response in a given situation.

Quarrels can arise through poor communication. If you writing is poor you might like to consider some help.

Woe be to him that reads but one book

There are two sides to every question. If you only read one book on a subject you are likely to get only that author's opinions, and therefore have a biased view.

To have a balanced understanding of a topic it is usually necessary to consider other peoples' opinions, even though you might disagree with them.

For example the present debate on global warming strongly divides opinion. Some people are totally convinced of dire danger and other, equally intelligent, regard it as scare-mongering exaggeration. Those who have only read and absorbed one side of the argument will tend to be intolerant of any other view.

Most situations in life are a compromise between extremes but you need to be familiar with both sides of the debate to form a balanced judgment.

Every medal has its reverse

A medal is given to commemorate a glorious deed, notable achievement,
or worthy conduct. It often has a front with a king or other top person's head to give it authority. The reverse side is usually plainer, and is not seen when it is worn at parades and grand occasions.

This saying suggests that the wearers of medals might not be quite as virtuous as the decoration implies. We all have our good days and bad days, and on a good day we might have been worthy of the award; but do we always live up to it?

It is very hard for an average human to be good, noble, and chivalrous all day, every day. We have to try to keep our sunny sides up, put our best foot forward and keep right on to the end of the road despite the off days when we fall from grace.

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Never grudge a penny for a pennyworth

We all like to get a bargain or even something for nothing but it is worth remembering that other people must live too.

If you were able to take advantage of difficult times to squeeze your local shop to the bone you might turn up there one day with need for an urgent purchase only to find the shopkeeper has gone out of business. Good business is business with profits to both sides. Drive too hard a bargain and you might drive a needed service to the wall.

What we are being advised here is to deal fairly with others and don't seek to capitalise on other's misfortune. To judge what exactly fair value is can be difficult; no doubt we have all been ripped off by roguish traders at some time or another but, by and large, we get what we pay for.

Never say die! Up, man, and try

This is a clear, simple urge to be positive, not let things get you down, and never give up.

We are all prone to negative thoughts and despair at times and this is probably a natural reaction to the cares of life. A time spent in unhappy contemplation of all our woes and worries is normal just so long as we bounce back.

A healthy body leads to a healthy mind and vice versa. Therefore, the well-balanced person will use this moment of down time as a springboard for an upsurge.

Thrift is the philosopher's stone

Turning base metals into gold was the dream of the impoverished alchemist for centuries before science exposed the truth.

In an economic climate of some difficulty the restless human mind seeks ways of coping. In good times people develop extravagant tastes and waste a great deal. How much food did you throw out this week?

Learning to budget and spend your income wisely can result in a tidy sum being available for you to save. Your waste has been turned into gold - now that is a philosopher's stone worth having!

No bees, no honey; no work, no money

Bees are proverbial for their industry: they toil ceaselessly throughout the summer. As the poet Keats put it in "Ode to Autumn":

"...to set budding more,
And still more, later flowers for the bees,
Until they think warm days will never cease;
For Summer has o'erbrimm'd their clammy cells."

A vision of plenty from honest toil.

We read and are impressed, but for the individual who is keen and eager to work but cannot find a job, it is like a bee that can't find flowers.

Sometimes there are no easy answers but, unlike bees, humans have unlimited powers to adapt and change. Self-employment might be the answer. Increasing education and skills can lead to new opportunities, and occasionally the frustrated, unemployed person will come up with a completely new, original idea - and make a fortune.

Necessity is the mother of invention.

Need makes the old wife trot

In this day and age of political correctness the author of the above might have ended up feeling the heat. One can't help believing it was originally said with a snigger.

However, if we stop to think, it really contains a great deal of pathos.

Imagine your dear old mum, arthritic and failing, responding to an emergency. Most of us know her love of family and willingness to sacrifice herself would give her the strength to cope. The power of a loving mother is stronger than a nuclear blast.

No matter age or condition a mother never stops worrying about and caring for her children, and she will move Heaven and Hell to attend to them in a crisis.

It makes a mere man feel quite humble and undeserving.

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Poor folks are glad of porridge

Porridge is a tasty, cheap nutritious meal but many people turn their noses up at it, preferring fancy packaged cereals. If you are having a problem with a tight budget it is well worth considering.

The moral here is the importance of recognising your realities and adjusting to them. Cut your coat according to your cloth is the same idea of living within your means and making the best of things.

Learning to budget, buying second-hand, using thrift shops and adjusting expectations to what is feasible will help you to cope with a downturn. It is not possible for everyone to be a super hero and cope with difficulties in a positive and constructive manner - snatching victory from the jaws of defeat to the sound of trumpets, etc., etc.. Ordinary folks sometimes have to hunker down and wait for the storm to pass.

Survival means you live to continue the struggle another day.

These videos will make you laugh, and that is a good way of coping with stress.


How to write a Limerick Edward Lear improved Part 1

How to write Limericks Edward Lear improved Part 2

Short pleasure, long lament

Think of things that give you a quick-fix pleasure. They usually seem harmless and fun. But ask your grandmother, who has been around long enough to know the facts, and she will soon fill you in on the consequences of a moment's indiscreet pleasure.

Unwanted pregnancies, embarrassing diseases, obesity, hacking cough, gambling, financial ruin; it is so easy to be sucked into a lifestyle that will eventually cause you major harm.

There are many worthwhile pleasures in life and if carefully partaken of they will enhance and beautify your existence. The trick is to look ahead and foresee the consequences of your actions and try to avoid unnecessary follies. You cannot put old heads on young shoulders so some burning of fingers as you gain experience is probably unavoidable; but forewarned is forearmed.

Anything worthwhile usually takes time and effort.


Some harmless amusement:
How to write a Limerick Edward Lear improved Part 1

How to write Limericks Edward Lear improved Part 2

Small fish are better than none

If we go fishing we want to return with a catch we can show off to our nearest and dearest. You are only human if you get a buzz from demonstrating your success; though wise people keep in mind: pride comes before a fall.

Some people still do, and most of our ancestors did, go fishing but nowadays we have jobs - or if we are unlucky in a recession we don't have a job. So we are being advised here to make the best of a situation.

If the great job that you had or sought is no longer available you have to make do with a lesser opportunity. As they say, even the wisest get bitten but only the foolish get bitter.



Relax with a little humor
How to write a Limerick Edward Lear improved Part 1

How to write Limericks Edward Lear improved Part 2

Many lick before they bite

This is a warning to be wary of flatterers and the type of con man who butters you up to create a false sense of camaraderie.

Excessively charming people might just have been brought up that way but more likely you will pay for all that free smarm sooner or later.

Insincere flattery might make you feel good but when you start hearing the things you would like to hear about yourself, be on guard: you might be about to lower your defences and take it on the chin.

Some amusing videos:
How to write a Limerick Edward Lear improved Part 1

How to write Limericks Edward Lear improved Part 2

Trot mother, trot father, how can the foal amble?

Children follow the example set by parents. People whose kids behave badly often ask: where did we go wrong?

It is natural for the young to kick over the traces as they are inexperienced and full of youthful energy; however, if parents preach virtue but do not practise it their offspring quickly cotton on and try to get away with bad behaviour.

Children need a lead to follow; it is inevitable they will make some mistakes but if they have a good set of values in the first place they will know they have fallen short of the ideal. To err is human, to forgive is divine.

Humor sweetens life. Limericks to make you laugh.
How to write a Limerick Edward Lear improved Part 1

How to write Limericks Edward Lear improved Part 2

He who trusts all things to chance makes a lottery of his life

A happy-go-lucky fellow who worries not what the future may hold, wandering free as a gypsy, and no doubt whistling a merry tune sounds like he is living the ideal life style.

Compare this with the typical modern life of constant care and worrying - will the bills be paid on time? is my job secure? does the boss dislike me? does my bum look big in this? is my spouse attracted to someone else?

The chancer's luck usually runs out eventually. The bankruptcy courts are full of the kind of person who has overweening optimism and always believes that something will turn up.

The ordinary, prudent person who is nagged by worries and doubts will usually take sufficient care to avoid the worst of life's foreseeable calamities. Forewarned is forearmed.


YouTube videos to cheer you up:
How to write a Limerick Edward Lear improved Part 1

How to write Limericks Edward Lear improved Part 2

Destiny leads the willing but drags the unwilling

'There's a divinity that shapes our ends, Rough-hew them how we will' wrote Shakespeare in Hamlet.

There are major trends in our lives that surge on like mighty rivers. We can go with the flow or try to paddle across or up stream. When energy flags the current pulls us back down the river.

The thinking behind this idea seems to be that much of the course of our lives is fixed, probably as a result of our DNA plus when and where we were born. "It is written in the stars" is a common expression reflecting a belief in destiny. A knowledge of the cycles of the Heavenly bodies can enable predictions of when and where they will appear. Likewise, many of the coming events in our lives "cast their shadows" before them and can be anticipated.

Wise people can learn to read the signs, and forecast the likely outcomes and adjust their behaviour accordingly. But if you try to deny your nature and circumstances, fate is likely to outwit you.

If, until recently, you thought that it was your destiny to be rich, and now find yourself one of the "credit-crunch poor" perhaps you have been dragged into your true destiny and need to carefully rethink your life strategy and goals.


Watch these videos on YouTube if you need cheering up.

How to write a Limerick Edward Lear improved Part 1

How to write Limericks Edward Lear improved Part 2

Despair doubles our force

It could be as simple as running for a bus - that sinking feeling of missing it, and the consequences thereof, gives a boost to effort.

If we did not feel the misery of loss we would not exert ourselves in difficult situations. It is the intense dislike of losing that propels many successful persons to achievement, rather than the pleasure of winning. Unpleasant feelings are there to act as a spur, to make us try our utmost.

Psychologists talk abut the pleasure/pain principle, and folklore knows the relevance of the carrot and the stick. People will not apply themselves fully out of a simple intellectual recognition of the correctness of some act - they need the stimulus of feeling.

A good antidote to despair is laughter, try these:
How to write a Limerick Edward Lear improved Part 1

How to write Limericks Edward Lear improved Part 2

Diet cures more than the lancet

Better no illness than a cure for illness. We all admire and respect the clever scientist who dedicates a lifetime to finding a cure for a dreadful disease. We do not begrudge the pharmaceutical company its just profits for funding and distributing the resulting medication. But what if the condition was easily preventable?

Being ill is not the natural state of affairs for most people. Wise minds have for centuries been pointing out that good diet and a healthy life style will enable you to lead a long, happy and healthy existence.

There is no need to be faddy or extreme as you can still greatly enjoy food, even a little of what's bad for you, if you put in some effort to use your common-sense and build a wiser pattern into your diet. There is no shortage of good advice - you probably know the basics already - just have the determination to apply it.

It is a tough world out there, and getting tougher, so make sure you are fit and ready to cope with it.


Laughter is the best medicine. Try these funny videos:

How to write a Limerick Edward Lear improved Part 1

How to write Limericks Edward Lear improved Part 2

Prosperity knoweth not the worth of patience

If you have plenty of ready money you get into the habit of wanting instant gratification.

Why slave over a hot stove when you can order up a pizza? Why put up with the hassle of repairing your shoes when you can buy a new pair? Marriage going through a sticky patch? Hang the cost - get a divorce and start again.

To previous generations these easy options were not available - most people had to shift for themselves or go without. Patience is something you develop when you have to postpone satisfaction until you can afford it. There was a time when you had to save up for things - credit was a rarity.

Have now, pay later is a good idea if it is something really needed and you can afford the payments. Using credit for stuff you can well do without is daft - period.



If you can't be rich at least you can have a laugh with these videos:

How to write a Limerick Edward Lear improved Part 1

How to write Limericks Edward Lear improved Part 2