Two older, successful businessmen met at a resort. One who had recently retired was describing his life, “I get up late in the morning, have a light breakfast and then I lie down on my veranda for a few hours and relax.
In the afternoon I go inside for lunch, have a great salad, fruits and cold fish, then I spend the rest of the afternoon boating or playing golf or tennis…
When it starts to get dark I have a great dinner with the finest wines. I smoke a Cuban cigar. Then I go lie on my veranda again.”
The other gentleman acknowledges that this is a life to be envied. Later he reported the conversation to his wife. She asked, “What’s his wife’s name?”
Her husband said, “I’m not sure, but I think it’s Veranda.”
A new report shows that being overweight is not as harmful as is commonly believed, and actually confers some surprising health benefits.
Being five to ten pounds overweight could protect people from ailments ranging from tuberculosis to Alzheimer’s disease, research indicates.
Those carrying 15 to 25 extra pounds are better able to recover from adverse conditions such as emphysema, pneumonia, and various injuries and infections, states the report.
Thirty to 40 pounds of flab could help fend off breast, kidney, pancreatic, prostate, and colon cancer. And an extra 50 pounds on the scale may improve eyesight, reverse baldness, cure the common cold, and reduce global warming.
In general, the report concludes, overweight people are happier, more successful in business, smarter, and friendlier.
“This just goes to show that conventional wisdom is wrong,” said a spokeswoman for the study group. “Not to mention the hundreds of studies that came before!”
The study was funded by a research grant from McDonald’s, Burger King, Jack in the Box, Taco Bell, Domino’s Pizza, Starbucks, Haagen Dazs, Sara Lee, and Krispy Kreme.
There was once a young man who, in his youth, professed his desire to become not just a writer, but a great writer.
“That will take a lot of work,” people warned him. He didn’t relent in his quest.
“That’s not easy, son,” his dad said gently. But the young man was determined: he wanted to be great.
What did he mean by “great,” someone finally asked. How would he measure his success?
“I want to write stuff that the whole world will read, stuff that people will react to on a truly emotional level, stuff that will make them scream, cry, howl in pain and anger!” he said, “because that would be the mark of a great writer!”
Well, a wise career counsellor helped him get his wish!
That young man now works for Microsoft — writing error messages.