Two Choices Thomas is the kind of guy you love to hate. He's always in a good mood, and always has something positive to say.
Whenever someone asked him how he was, He'd answer: "If I'd be any better I'd be twins!"
I was curious about this, and one day I went up to Thomas and asked: "How do you do it?"
Thomas answered: "Every morning I wake up I tell myself: you have two choices today. You can choose to be in a good mood or in a bad mood. I choose to be in a good mood. Every time something bad happens I can choose to be a victim or learn from it. Every time someone complains to me I can choose to accept their complaint or I can choose to focus on the positive sides to life. I choose the positive sides of life."
"Sure - but it's not all that simple" I protested.
"It is" said Thomas, "Life is about choices. When you cut away the crap, every situation is a choice. You choose how to react on the situations. You choose how people affect your mood. It is you who choose if you want to be in a good mood or a bad mood. In the end it is your choice how you live your life."
I thought about what Thomas had told me. Shortly after I left the firm to start a new business. We lost touch, but I often thought of him whenever I took a choice concerning my life instead of just reacting to it.
Many years later I heard that Thomas was involved in a serious accident with a fall of over 20meters from a radio sender. After 18 hours of surgery and weeks in the recovery room Thomas was released from hospital with support along his spine.
I met him about 6 weeks after the accident. When I asked him how he felt he answered: "If I'd be any better I'd be twins! do you want to see my scars?"
I turned down the offer of seeing the scars, but asked him what he thought during the accident.
The first thing I thought was the welfare of my daughter" Thomas answered. "So while I lay on the ground I remembered I had two choices. I could choose to live or I could choose to die. I chose to live."
"Weren't you scared? Did you lose consciousness?" I asked.
"The ambulance people were amazing. They kept saying everything will be fine. but when they rolled me into intensive care and I saw the looks of the doctors and nurses there I got terrified. Their eyes had written "He's a dead man" in them. I knew then I had to do something." Thomas said.
"What did you do?" I asked.
"Well - there was this big brutish kind of nurse yelling questions at me. and she asked me if I was allergic to something. I answered "yes". The doctors and nurses stopped while waiting for my answer. I took a deep breath and said: "Gravity"
Through their laughter I told them: "I choose to live. Operate on me as if I am living, not dying"
Thomas survived because of the doctor's competence, but also because of his amazing attitude. From him I learned that every day we can choose to live fully. Attitude is, after all, EVERYTHING.
1. Bank keeps interest rates in reserve The Reserve Bank has taken a `wait and see' attitude to the Australian economy again this month, when it decided on Tuesday to leave the official Cash rate unchanged at 3.0 per cent. In a statement announcing the Bank's decision, Governor Glenn Stevens said that while the global economy is stabilising due to "considerable economic policy stimulus in train in most countries", much of the effect of these changes is yet to be observed, although Australia is starting to show definite strength. The Reserve Bank has taken a `wait and see' attitude to the Australian economy again this month, when it decided on Tuesday to leave the official Cash rate unchanged at 3.0 per cent. In a statement announcing the Bank's decision, Governor Glenn Stevens said that while the global economy is stabilising due to "considerable economic policy stimulus in train in most countries", much of the effect of these changes is yet to be observed, although Australia is starting to show definite strength. "A pick-up in housing credit demand suggests stronger dwelling activity is likely later in the year", Governor Stevens said. He added that since monetary policy has been eased significantly, market and mortgage rates are at very low levels by historical standards, but this will be monitored closely in case there is need for further reduction. "Nonetheless, the prospect of inflation declining over the medium term suggests that scope remains for some further easing of monetary policy, if needed", he said. 2. Rosy future in building approvals  The building industry took heart this week from another solid increase in approvals for both new dwellings and renovations.
Figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics show that the total number of dwelling units approved, seasonally adjusted, rose by 5.1 per cent to 11,402 in April, to be 16.1 per cent lower than the same month in the previous year. The building industry took heart this week from another solid increase in approvals for both new dwellings and renovations. Figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics show that the total number of dwelling units approved, seasonally adjusted, rose by 5.1 per cent to 11,402 in April, to be 16.1 per cent lower than the same month in the previous year. The seasonally adjusted estimates for the value of new residential building and alterations and additions approved rose 1.7 per cent and 9.2 per cent respectively. In seasonally adjusted terms the estimate for the number of private sector other dwellings approved fell 1.4%. Private sector house approvals rose by 7.2 per cent to 8,014 to be down 8.5 per cent on the same month last year. The more volatile private sector `other dwellings' (apartments and townhouses), fell by 1.4 per cent to 2,987 dwellings following increases in the two previous months in April. Peter Jones, Chief Economist, Master Builders Australia remarked that the continued increase in dwelling approvals is further evidence that stimulus measures are working to spark a housing recovery. "Later this year the recovery in dwelling approvals will translate into increased commencements and ultimately lead to an improvement in residential building activity next year", Jones said. "With momentum in the housing sector so vital to Australia's economic prospects, signs of a pick up in approvals -- particularly in NSW -- are a cause for optimism." "Given the level of underbuilding, a recovery is well and truly overdue, with only 130,000 dwelling starts expected in 2008/09 -- a 17 per cent decline on the previous year." 3. First Green Star Residential rating awarded A residential apartment development in Western Australia has been awarded Australia's first ever Green Star residential rating from the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA). "The Summer" has been awarded a 4 Star Green Star - Multi Unit Residential PILOT certified rating, following its participation as a national pilot project. A residential apartment development in Western Australia has been awarded Australia's first ever Green Star residential rating from the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA). "The Summer" has been awarded a 4 Star Green Star - Multi Unit Residential PILOT certified rating, following its participation as a national pilot project. According to the Chief Executive of the GBCA, Romilly Madew, residential buildings in Australia are responsible for 13 per cent of the nation's greenhouse gas emissions. "While Australia's level of greenhouse gas emissions per home is one of the largest in the world, buildings also offer one of the cheapest and easiest opportunities for greenhouse gas abatement", Ms Madew said. "We are delighted to recognise and reward this landmark residential development for its sustainable design features." The GBCA's Green Star Executive Director, Robin Mellon, said that The Summer demonstrates that residential developments can go 'above and beyond' minimum requirements and reach best practice outcomes by focusing on good passive design principles such as orientation, shading and natural ventilation. "It's also great to see best practice in sustainability go hand-in-hand with good design aesthetics - a clear signal to the industry that 'green' and 'good architecture' are compatible," Mr Mellon added. The Green Star environmental rating system for buildings evaluates the green attributes of building projects based on nine criteria, including energy and water efficiency, indoor environment quality and resource conservation. The Green Star - Multi Unit Residential PILOT rating tool was created to enable building owners and developers to minimise the environmental impacts of their developments, capitalise on the environmental benefits of their initiatives, and receive recognition for more
environmentally sustainable design. The accreditation process included a rigorous assessment of the proposed apartment design, which was developed with an objective to reduce environmental impact and increase occupancy comfort levels. The Summer was developed by boutique company Match in partnership with investment giant, Hawaiian. The property was designed by renowned architect Professor Geoffrey Warn of Donaldson Warn Architects, with environmental design assistance from building services consultants Lincolne Scott. Located on South Beach Esplanade in South Fremantle, The Summer will incorporate an extensive range of environmental design techniques to effectively re-use around 80 per cent of the site waste, provide over 90 per cent of apartments with dual aspect to allow natural ventilation, introduce moveable screens on balconies to provide solar shading. The property will include energy efficient appliances, rainwater storage and significantly reduce operating costs by implementing energy conservation principles, rather than those of a conventional base building. 4. Solar energy offer  Homeowners who want to install solar panels but cannot afford to do so right now could be interested in a scheme being offered this month by mortgage broker Mortgage Choice in partnership with Diamond Energy.
The offer, available only until 25 June 2009, enables Australian homeowners who meet the eligibility criteria to have top-of-the-range solar panels (photovoltaic cells) installed at no cost to them. Homeowners who want to install solar panels but cannot afford to do so right now could be interested in a scheme being offered this month by mortgage broker Mortgage Choice in partnership with Diamond Energy. The offer, available only until 25 June 2009, enables Australian homeowners who meet the eligibility criteria to have top-of-the-range solar panels (photovoltaic cells) installed at no cost to them. The solar cells packages have a retail value of up to $10,000 and can add significant capital value to the home going forward. To take advantage of the offer, homeowners new or old must contact their local Mortgage Choice office. They do not need to have a loan through Mortgage Choice or commit to anything other than the solar energy offer. To be eligible, they must own their own roof and have a combined household income less than $100,000 p.a. for the 07/08 financial year. Those with solar panels already fitted to their home's roof are not eligible. Mortgage Choice senior corporate affairs manager, Kristy Sheppard says there is no catch. "Diamond Energy makes $8,000 back from each installation and approximately $1,000 from program participants signing over their renewable energy certificates, thanks to the Federal Government's `Solar Homes and Communities Plan' cash rebate for grid connect solar power", she says. We do suggest, however, that before signing up for this scheme, you research and review it in order to ensure you fully understand the implications therein. 5. Take it in your stride What's a name worth? Apparently, $6 million in damages - that's the amount two US realtors are suing the producer of a television show for, after he allegedly used their names and likenesses to portray sexually deviant characters. The LA Times reports that Scott and Melinda Tamkin read about an episode of "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" that featured dirty-dealing, S&M-loving real estate agents named Scott and Melinda Tamkin. Following up with some quick detective work of their own they found the producer and co-writer had history with them - a house sale that had fallen apart four years prior. It seems revenge is a dish best not served at all. 6. Slipper solution for drip retribution  Unless you can reach a towel while you're still in the shower, chances are you're going to end up with water on the floor. A few drops here and there isn't much between friends, but puddles can spell trouble in the form of slips, spills and soaked socks.
Bathmats have their place, but who really wants to touch one with their hands to mop up the water that falls outside its jurisdiction? The Mat Walk bathmat has your feet covered, literally, with slippers integrated into the mat, allowing you to walk it around the bathroom mopping up the floor. | |
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