Do Good A Little At A Time

Aphorism #255 Do Good a little at a time, but often.

One should never give beyond the possibility of return. Who gives much does not give but sells. Nor drain gratitude to the dregs, for when the recipient sees all return is impossible he breaks off correspondence. With many persons it is not necessary to do more than overburden them with favours to lose them altogether: they cannot repay you, and so they retire, preferring rather to be enemies than perpetual debtors. The idol never wishes to see before him the sculptor who shaped him, nor does the benefited wish to see his benefactor always before his eyes. There is a great subtlety in giving what costs little yet is much desired, so that it is esteemed the more.
-Balthasar Gracian

Rejection Bites

I just found out that one of the contests I submitted for rejected me. Again. This is the tenth one I think since I started submitting seriously last year. They're all short stories. I haven't finished my novels yet. It's a bit depressing. But then I have to think about a writer like Stephen King. He had so many rejections - maybe more than 50, nailing them all to the wall - before Carrie was published. The man created his own household name, for crissakes!
So I have to keep writing and submitting. Maybe I should master the writing bit first...

The Art of Worldly Wisdom # 245

Aphorism # 245:

Original and out-of-the-way views are signs of superior ability. We do not think much of a man who never contradicts us that is no sign he loves us, but rather that he loves himself. Do not be deceived by flattery,and thereby have to pay for it: rather condemn it. Besides you may take credit for being censured by some, especially if they are those of whom the good speak ill. On the contrary, it should disturb us if our affairs please every one, for that is a sign that they are of little worth. Perfection is for the few.

-Balthasar Gracian

Tamarind Soda

Whoever heard of Tamarind soda? It's one of the best things I've tasted! I was browsing through the Korean store in my neighborhood and I noticed some bottles on the floor. It was a bunch of sodas made from Mexico. Then I noticed the brown-colored liquid in several called TAMARINDO by a brand called Jarritos. I bought a bottle to try. It tastes just like tamarind. If you've never had tamarind it's a sweet and sour fruit that generally grows in Southeast Asia, Mexico and probably any other place with a tropical climate. In Thailand and the Philippines, it is used as a soup base to make those sweet and sour concoctions like the Filipino sinigang or the Thai Tom Yum Gum. I've had tamarind by itself in all its sweet and sour glory; in soups, candies, pastes...but never as soda. Wow.