王永慶 火柴棒理論 Match Theory

This is an article I read from a book yesterday. It is said that the article was an excerpt from the words of a prestigious entrepreneur. The uncertainty of the root didn't diminish the value of the meaning. 

The monetary value of a match is minimal compared to the price of a house but a match can destruct a house with its flames easily.

It takes months to stack up dominoes and within minutes for them to all fall down.

To establish a successful company decades of time are devoted but it takes a wrong decision to make it go bankrupt.

To develop respectful dignity one must be trusted over time but he can lose his integrity with just one mistake.

What is this destructive match in our life?

1.  Uncontrollable emotion

2. Unreasonable decision

3. Stubborn characteristic

4. Relentless and narrow mind

一根火柴棒價值不到一毛錢，一棟房子價值數百萬元 

但是一根火柴棒卻可以摧毀一棟房子，可見微不足道的潛在破壞力。

一旦發作起來，其攻堅滅頂的力量，無物能禦 。

要疊一百萬張骨牌，需費時一個月，但倒骨牌卻只消十幾秒鐘 。

要累積成功的實業，需耗時數十載，但要倒閉，卻只需一個錯誤決策。

要修養被尊敬的人格，需經過長時間的被信任，但要人格破產卻只需要做錯一件事。

一根火柴棒，是什麼東西呢?

它就是下列四項:

1. 無法自我控制的情緒

2. 不經理智判斷的決策

3. 頑固不冥的個性 

4. 狹隘無情的心胸

檢查看看，我們隨身攜帶幾根火柴棒?

Andy Worhol's Campbell cans, alive

Campbell Soup Company is tapping Andy Warhol for another 15 minutes of fame

Wouldn’t it be nice to put a few Andy Worhol’s Campbell cans in the kitchen, cooking while seeing all those beautiful colors?

For 75 cents each, I’d love to have them in my kitchen, just for the sake of decoration. (condensed tomato soup? hello?) Personally I think it’s a great combination of art and (the container of) food, but I wonder if this marketing strategy will bring up the bad sales. However, to honest, since I’m already so excited for the upcoming sales, there might also be a few maniacs in the states, waiting to rush into the nearest Target store on Sunday. After all,  it’s never a bad idea to color up the kitchen, especially with the works by Worhol.

Photo/Mel Evans.

30 desserts challenge [DAY1] Molten Lava Cake

As the Chinese Valentine’s Day approached, I decided to make something I’d never made before. When’s a better time to make some lava cakes and show some love to the loved ones?

The recipe I referenced from is Paula Deen’s version. It’s a recipe that I kept for very long so I was pretty excited to try. Surprisingly I had (almost) every ingredient needed, even the orange liqueur!

In my version, I replaced the bittersweet and semisweet chocolates to Godiva 85% chocolate bar and sweet chocolate truffles (just to used up the excessive chocolate stock on my shelf). The total amount was the same just the proportion was slightly different from the recipe. Thus my batter was a bit bitter but acceptable.

Lesson learned:

1. Maybe stick to the chocolate proportions next time?
2. Bake the batter for 10 minutes instead of 14. The cake center was not running, no lava this time 
3. My sister thought the cake was a little bit too sweet so definitely for health matter less sugar next time

The recipe is from Paula Deen’s Molten Lava Cake

Ingredients

• 6 (1-ounce) squares bittersweet chocolate
• 2 (1-ounce) squares semisweet chocolate
• 10 tablespoons (1 1/4 stick) butter
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons orange liqueur

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Grease 6 (6-ounce) custard cups. Melt the chocolates and butter in the microwave, or in a double boiler. Add the flour and sugar to chocolate mixture. Stir in the eggs and yolks until smooth. Stir in the vanilla and orange liqueur. Divide the batter evenly among the custard cups. Place in the oven and bake for 14 minutes. The edges should be firm but the center will be runny. Run a knife around the edges to loosen and invert onto dessert plates.

Something New

So, why can’t I achieve my goals? I asked myself.

Every year, like most people, I had my new year resolutions in hands. The list is not too long, not too short either. Even more, i added those resolutions to my birthday wishes (yes, plural), hoping to reassure myself that something will be done, finished, completed and learned.

Does this action help? Not really. I was only assured that I’m inadequate. And I WANT MORE. Insatiable in short.

By achieving a dream, a big goal, it is often advised that the big dream should be broken into achievable smaller steps or sessions. Eventually with every small achievement you get closer and closer to the desired outcome. Done, a piece of cake.

Easy said than done. What if I just can’t bring myself to do the first step, even it’s easy and simple? I am just too lazy and with lots of excuses.

Well, thanks to my friend and her recommendation, this video “Try something new for 30 days” provides the easiest way to conquer the laziness and to achieve your goal. It’s a simple principle like breaking the big goal down, the speaker suggested us to do something you really want to do for 30 days in a row and a new habit will be formed. Just a small amount of time spent every day, eventually it will developed into a bigger and surprising result.

Shall we start?