A cheerful look makes a dish a feast

Hard times means economy with the victuals, parsimony in the plate and pared down portions.

A plain meal can be a wholesome dish and saving the pennies need not mean your food won't be doing you good. In fact, the need to tighten your belt might be the best thing ever for your health. The quality of food can be high even if it costs little. A good vegetable broth is filling and full of vitamins and minerals and cheap to make. The cheaper cuts of meant can be rich in valuable proteins.

But what we are being reminded of here is that however meagre your fare if it is served by a pleasant person and eaten in good company you are the equal of a king.

If a first you don't succeed with a limerick

Regular readers of this blog will know that I have an interest in Limerick writing. Currently, I am acting as a judge in a Valentine Day verse competition run by Hallmark Cards UK. http://www.hallmark.co.uk

This is great fun as people send in their entries by Twitter. The 140 character limit makes it pretty difficult to write a traditionally structured limerick, and it is necessary to use textspeak. Here is an example

Now wanted for A lonely heart
An actress who can play the part.
A starlet with style
And wonderful smile,
But you'll do, my love, for a start!

As you must include @hallmarkcards it is an exercise in ingenuity to make it fit.

@hallmarkcards Wanted for A lonely heart Actress who cn play the part Starlet w/ style Wonderful smile But U'll do, my love, for a start

Hints and tips are available from my web site on How to twitter Limericks

It is free to have a go so join in and you might win a luxury holiday for two as a prize.

A snow year, a rich year

Or as the French say, "neige qui tombe, engraisse". This saying probably grew from observation by experienced peasants who saw a connection between years of high snow fall and subsequent good crop yields. Modern scientists tell us that the snow contains nitrogen from the air, and as we all know, this is an important fertilizer. Cold also helps to kill off harmful pests.

Proverbs often have layers of meaning, and perhaps there is a general concept here of tough times leading to better ones. Recessions have the positive effect of removing weak and badly run businesses so that the better ones prosper. At the time of writing, much of the Northern part of the world shivers under snow and frost, and also has a deep recession, but the future will be sunny and prosperous for those who come through it.

He that is full of himself is very empty

The person who thinks only of themselves and wants everyone else to know how great they are have provoked sayings like: empty vessels make the most noise.

The truly great person is too busy doing things to be singing their own praises. Another apt saying is: by their fruits shall ye know them. A person is best judged by their deeds and accomplishments rather than their boasts.

In the modern world there is a tendency to use spin and deceit to con people into valuing the valueless and voting for the witless; but as Winston Churchill said: "you can fool some of the people all of the time and all of the people some of the time but you can't fool all of the people all of the time".

New Year Limericks

Here are a couple of limericks to mark the end of 2009 and the beginning of 2010

The Old Year has come to an end
Solutions to next we have penned.
But try as we may
Most soon go astray
And it's back to the boring old trend.


A really good New Year to all
I'm hoping your troubles are small.
The year that's to be
Surprises will see,
But wherever you are have a ball!

Proverbs are often rhythmical and poetic as this adds to their aura of wisdom and makes them easier to remember.

Thrift is the Philosopher's Stone

In the Middle Ages alchemists puzzle long into the night trying to figure out how to take a lump of lead and convert it by a mixture of magic and science into a valuable piece of gold. They did not, could not, know that all their efforts were doomed to failure. However, in their quest many interesting discoveries that led on to vast fortunes for someone were uncovered.

This saying is telling us that rather than burn the midnight oil seeking a way to boost our fortunes we should consider saving on costs. A penny saved is a penny gained.

It is worth pondering that in order to gain 100 dollars it is necessary for most people to earn 100 dollars plus tax, and if you are self-employed, expenses. On the other hand if you cut your expenditure by 100 dollars you gain exactly that. Eliminate waste and gain the benefit.

Prosperity takes no counsel and fears no calamity

Put bluntly: being well off makes you big headed. If you have plenty of spending power you feel powerful and, subconsciously at least, start assuming you must be an important person whose opinions and ideas are good.

Alas, pride comes before a fall and we can become so convinced of our wisdom and invulnerability that we prefer whatever ideas comes from our own minds and will tend to ignore wise advice from cooler heads.

History is full of people who suffer hubris - an overwhelming self confidence that leads to disaster. Self belief and confidence are important but it has to be based on sound foundations. He who is too secure is not.

Poverty is the sixth sense

Many people believe that there is something that guides them beyond reason that intuitively leads them to avoid danger - an extra sense. Ideas like guardian angels and spirit guides are quoted. But could it be much simpler.

This saying seems to be suggesting that our best guide and adviser might be a deep fear of poverty. At the back of your mind this worry could lead you to be a model citizen: avoiding rash decisions, spendthrift ways, rowdy conduct, slovenly standards in personal behavior and business dealings. Respect for authority, care for the health and education of self and family will be seen as good.

It would seem that there are many virtues that we will cherish if we fear poverty. This might also suggest that a welfare state could be weakening if this bracing fear is removed.

He that hath many irons in the fire, some of them will cool

The scourge of the Internet Age is information overload.

We all have too many irons in the fire and that fire sometimes seems to be your brain. Everyone wants your attention trying to sell you a product or an idea and the more information you have the more confusing it gets.

The only answer is to find a few trusty sources and shut out the rest. The problem is how do you find the best sources. Advice from a friend? Trial and error? Follow the crowd? Like gold mining you have to go through a lot of grit to get to pay dirt.

When confronted with a pile of possibilities, sometimes the best thing is to make a priority list and work through it or just pick one and get it done. This will boost your morale and make you keener for the next challenge.

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