joseph riach - SE Members Blog post - syndication express
2024-03-28T23:12:22Z
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Ask A Silly Question
https://syndicationexpress.ning.com/profiles/blogs/ask-a-silly-question
2022-11-06T14:49:38.000Z
2022-11-06T14:49:38.000Z
Tom Riach
https://syndicationexpress.ning.com/members/TomRiach
<div><p><img style="float:left;padding-bottom:0em;padding-right:0em;padding-left:0em;" src="https://www.algarvegolfholidays.com/AGH-Images-Other/BannerWhite-130x180.jpg" alt="" width="130" height="180" /></p><p><img style="float:right;padding-bottom:0em;padding-left:0.5em;padding-right:1.5em;" src="https://www.algarvegolfholidays.com/AGH-Images-Other/BannerWhite-130x180.jpg" alt="" width="130" height="180" /></p><blockquote><p style="text-align:center;"><a href="https://form.jotform.com/222274010262340"><img style="float:right;padding:0em 0.1em 0.1em 0.5em;" src="https://www.algarvegolfholidays.com/AGH-Images-Other/YYC-FreeBook.jpg" alt="Joseph Tom Riach – Author of successful living books and mystery novels, vivid views of life and business" width="375" height="225" /></a></p><p style="text-align:center;"> </p><p style="text-align:center;"><span style="color:#008080;font-family:Andalus;font-size:large;"><em><strong>"Ask A Silly Question"</strong> is the twenty-ninth in my 2022 series of articles based on my real life experiences, professional insights, personal views and fun stories.</em></span></p><p style="text-align:center;"><span style="color:#008080;font-family:Andalus;font-size:large;"><em> My hope is that in them you find joy and inspiration.</em></span></p><p style="text-align:center;"> </p><p style="text-align:center;"> </p><p style="text-align:center;"><span style="color:#fbb117;font-family:Andalus;font-size:x-large;"><strong>ASK A SILLY QUESTION</strong></span> </p></blockquote><center><center><p class="western" align="justify"><span style="color:#000000;font-size:14pt;"><span style="font-family:Andalus, serif;"><span style="font-family:'Adobe Caslon Pro', serif;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family:Garamond, serif;font-size:14pt;"><strong><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Andalus, serif;">W</span></span></strong><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Andalus, serif;"><strong>as there a pupil in your form</strong> at school who the rest of the class laughed at for regularly asking what they perceived to be silly questions? That pupil was me.</span></span></span></p><p class="western" align="justify"><span style="font-family:Garamond, serif;font-size:14pt;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Andalus, serif;"> Then in later years at college, night school or adult education was there also that one inevitable student capable of reducing the class to hysterical laughter with what were apparently equally stupid questions? That was me too. </span></span></span></p><p class="western" align="justify"><span style="font-family:Garamond, serif;font-size:14pt;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Andalus, serif;"> And had you been a member of my profession in my early years in its ranks, or the proverbial fly on the wall, then there in the front row at conferences, seminars and training schools you'd likewise find me firing off my salvo of questions weird and bizarre, to the perplexion of the speakers and the entertainment of all. </span></span></span></p><p class="western" align="justify"><span style="font-family:Garamond, serif;font-size:14pt;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Andalus, serif;"> Being renowned for my, let's call it 'lateral thinking inquisitiveness', had its advantages. It meant that I could show at the last minute to these events because my front row seat was kept for me by those intent on ensuring a good laugh! That, and the fact that venues tend to fill from the back rows forward - why do attendees shy from being in front, near the action? - meant that I was always best placed to easily interrupt presentations and harangue speakers with my apparently crazy questions.</span></span></span></p><p class="western" align="justify"><span style="font-family:Garamond, serif;font-size:14pt;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Andalus, serif;"> But as my 'notoriety' spread, over time so did its nature. I had you see grown to become one of the most prolific producers of new business in the industry. So, whereas previously my questions had been greeted with guffaws and the rolling of eyes, now when I interrupted and rose to speak an attentive silence descended. Delegates leaned forward to better hear what was being queried. The mood had become one of - 'what rich wisdom is in the question'? </span></span></span></p><p class="western" align="justify"><span style="font-family:Garamond, serif;font-size:14pt;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Andalus, serif;"> Without being fully aware of it, my audiences had themselves become, by association, askers of silly questions! Somewhere in the collective conscious had been seeded the realisation that being bright, educated, intellectual even, wasn't bringing wealth or success. But that an enquiring mind and a desire to know, even to the point of appearing dopey to your peers, was what produced results.</span></span></span></p><p class="western" align="justify"><span style="font-family:Garamond, serif;font-size:14pt;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Andalus, serif;"> Inevitably therefore, I found in time a constant stream of inquirers seeking me out, each one primed with the same hopeless question of the inspirationally lame – “What is the secret of your success?”</span></span></span></p><p class="western" align="justify"><span style="font-family:Garamond, serif;font-size:14pt;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Andalus, serif;"> Of course I had a ready answer - “Ask a silly question!”</span></span></span><span style="font-size:14pt;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Andalus, serif;"><span style="font-family:'Adobe Caslon Pro', serif;"> </span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align:center;color:#008080;"><span style="font-size:12pt;"><strong> </strong><strong>I am Tom Riach. I live and write in the sunny south of Portugal.</strong></span></p><p style="text-align:center;color:#008080;"><span style="font-size:12pt;"><strong>* SPECIAL OFFER! - Receive a FREE E-version of my 'Yes You Can!' book! Just <em><a href="https://form.jotform.com/222274010262340">CLICK HERE</a></em>. </strong></span></p><p style="color:#008080;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:12pt;"><strong>Or go to my Amazon store for Paperback or Kindle copies of - <em>'Yes You Can!'</em> - when you Click on the image below.</strong></span></p><p align="center"><u><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B8RP5VDG/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vamf_taft_p1_i5"><img class="fr-fic fr-dii" src="http://www.algarvegolfholidays.com/AGH-Images-Other/YYC-FullCover.jpg" alt="Joseph Tom Riach, Author – Paperbacks and Ebooks for sale on Amazon" width="350" height="250" name="graphics82" align="bottom" border="1" /></a></u></p><center></center><p align="center"><span style="font-size:12pt;"><em><strong>'ASK A SILLY QUESTION' </strong></em>is an original copyright Tom Riach feature.</span><br /> <span style="font-size:12pt;"> I hope you enjoyed this presentation and found it to be of value.</span><br /> <span style="font-size:12pt;"> To learn more please visit me on my <strong><em><a href="http://www.tomriach.com/"><span style="color:#fbb117;"><strong>Author Page</strong></span></a></em></strong>.</span><br /> <span style="font-size:12pt;"> See you there! Regards, Tom.</span></p><center><a href="http://www.tomriach.com/"><img src="http://www.algarvegolfholidays.com/AGH-Images-Other/TR-Border4.jpg" alt="TR-Border4.jpg" width="300" height="54" /></a></center><center>© Copyright Joseph T.Riach 1998-present. All rights reserved.</center></center></center></div>
A Test Of Sanity
https://syndicationexpress.ning.com/profiles/blogs/a-test-of-sanity
2022-04-28T12:58:27.000Z
2022-04-28T12:58:27.000Z
Tom Riach
https://syndicationexpress.ning.com/members/TomRiach
<div><p><img style="float:left;padding-bottom:0em;padding-right:0.5em;padding-left:1.5em;" src="https://www.algarvegolfholidays.com/AGH-Images-Other/BannerWhite-130x180.jpg" alt="" width="130" height="180" /></p><p><img style="float:right;padding-bottom:0em;padding-left:0.5em;padding-right:1.5em;" src="https://www.algarvegolfholidays.com/AGH-Images-Other/BannerWhite-130x180.jpg" alt="" width="130" height="180" /></p><blockquote><p style="text-align:center;"><a href="https://www.tomriach.com"> <img style="float:right;padding:0em 0.1em 0.1em 0.5em;" src="https://www.algarvegolfholidays.com/AGH-Images-Other/TR-Border4.jpg" alt="Joseph Tom Riach – Author of successful living books and mystery novels, vivid views of life and business" width="375" height="85" /></a><span style="color:#008080;font-family:Andalus;font-size:large;"><em><strong>”A Test Of Sanity"</strong> is the 17th in my 2022 series of articles based on my real life experiences, professional insights, personal views and fun stories. My hope is that in them you find joy and inspiration.</em></span></p></blockquote><center><span style="color:#fbb117;font-family:Andalus;font-size:x-large;"><strong>A TEST OF SANITY</strong></span> <br /><center><span style="color:#008080;font-family:Andalus;">by Joseph Tom Riach</span><p style="text-align:left;"><span style="font-size:20px;font-family:Andalus;"> <strong>My lack</strong> of employment was getting me down. In fact it was driving me mad. Each day out of work had become a test of sanity for me. But every cloud has a silver lining. There's always tomorrow ... </span></p><p style="text-align:left;"><span style="font-size:20px;font-family:Andalus;"> Smartly dressed, hair combed, tie straight and in good time, I arrived for the job interview. The receptionist politely informed me that the first part of the appraisal process would comprise of a spatial ability psychometric test. I failed immediately by being totally clueless as to what the heck she was talking about!</span></p><p style="text-align:left;"><span style="font-size:20px;font-family:Andalus;"> I was soon enlightened. She showed me into a tiny room in which there was only a small table and chair. On the table was a board with nine different shaped holes. Beside the board there were nine different shaped blocks. There was also a pack of twenty cigarettes, a box of matches and an ash-tray. </span></p><p style="text-align:left;"><span style="font-size:20px;font-family:Andalus;"> The examiner arrived and told me that I had thirty minutes in which to place the nine different shaped blocks into the appropriate holes on the board. He blurted, “Your time starts now!” and dashed from the room. I sat down, picked up each of the blocks in turn and placed them into their matching holes on the board. Task completed. I sat back to wait out the remaining twenty-nine minutes and forty-five seconds.</span></p><p style="text-align:left;"><span style="font-size:20px;font-family:Andalus;"> With nothing else to do, and although a non-smoker, I opened the pack of cigarettes, just out of curiosity. I withdrew one cigarette and again, just to pass the time, lit it up. It seemed like as good a time as any to try out smoking. I coughed and spluttered my way through the weed and stubbed out the butt in the ash-tray.</span></p><p style="text-align:left;"><span style="font-size:20px;font-family:Andalus;"> Then I took all the shapes out of their holes … then put them back in again. Time was dragging so I lit up a second cigarette, smoked it, then stubbed it out in the ash-tray beside the remains of the first one. Then I repeated the pegs in/pegs out process and had another fag. I went through the routine over and over until I had taken the pegs in and out of their holes several dozen times and smoked all but one of the cigarettes. A thick fog filled the room. </span></p><p style="text-align:left;"><span style="font-size:20px;font-family:Andalus;"> Eventually I drew on the last cigarette, took all of the pegs out of their holes and had just replaced the first of them into its space when the door of the room burst open.</span></p><p style="text-align:left;"><span style="font-size:20px;font-family:Andalus;"> “Stop!” commanded the examiner. He looked at the board with just one peg in its hole, then to the ash-tray with its glut of discarded butts. He waved a hand at the choking smog, looked with pity at my grey face, open tie and decidedly disheviled appearance. With a wry smile he gloated, “Yes, it's a hell of a test!”</span></p><p style="text-align:left;"><span style="font-size:20px;font-family:Andalus;"> Some time later he returned to the canteen where I was recovering over a much needed cup of tea. “Good news,” he announced, “One peg out of nine is 11.11%. The pass mark for the psychometric test is 10%. Congratulations.”</span></p><p style="text-align:left;"><span style="font-size:20px;font-family:Andalus;"> “Fabulous,” I lied, as relieved as I was baffled. “So I have the job. When do I start?”</span></p><p style="text-align:left;"><span style="font-size:20px;font-family:Andalus;"> “Oh, you haven't got the job. No way. The position is only open to non-smokers!”</span></p><p style="text-align:left;"><span style="font-size:20px;font-family:Andalus;"> I stifled a scream into the sleeve of my jacket … then raced for the nearest pub.</span></p><p style="text-align:left;"><span style="font-size:20px;font-family:Andalus;"> Consoling myself over a large whisky, and then another, I reasoned that being unemployed was maybe not so bad after all. Failing a test of sanity at least left me free to indulge my madness in my own time. What's that I said about every (smoke) cloud and silver linings? </span></p><center><p style="text-align:center;color:#008080;"><strong> </strong><strong>I am Tom Riach. I live and write in the sunny south of Portugal. </strong></p><p style="color:#008080;"><strong>Claim your special copy of my best-selling novel – 'Too Early For A Glass Of Wine?' - by clicking on the image below.</strong></p><p align="center"><u><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/169896692X/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Too+Early+For+A+Glass+Of+Wine%3F&qid=1573555768&s=books&sr=1-1"><img class="fr-fic fr-dii" src="http://www.algarvegolfholidays.com/AGH-Images-Other/2E4AGOW-Mockx2.jpg" alt="Joseph Tom Riach, Author – Paperbacks and Ebooks for sale on Amazon" width="350" height="250" name="graphics82" align="bottom" border="1" /></a></u></p></center><p align="center"><em><strong>A TEST OF SANITY </strong></em>is an original copyright Tom Riach feature.<br /> I hope you enjoyed this short article and found it to be of value.<br /> To learn more please visit me on my <strong><em><a href="http://www.tomriach.com/"><span style="color:#fbb117;"><strong>Author Page</strong></span></a></em></strong>.<br /> See you there! Regards, Tom.</p><center><a href="https://www.tomriach.com"><img src="http://www.algarvegolfholidays.com/AGH-Images-Other/TR-Border4.jpg" alt="TR-Border4.jpg" width="300" height="54" /></a></center><center>© Copyright Joseph T.Riach 1998-present. All rights reserved.</center></center></center></div>
When Was Your Best Day?
https://syndicationexpress.ning.com/profiles/blogs/when-was-your-best-day
2020-06-04T11:58:42.000Z
2020-06-04T11:58:42.000Z
Tom Riach
https://syndicationexpress.ning.com/members/TomRiach
<div><p><img style="float:left;padding-bottom:0em;padding-right:.5em;padding-left:1.5em;" src="https://www.algarvegolfholidays.com/AGH-Images-Other/BannerWhite-130x180.jpg" alt="" width="130" height="180" /></p><p><img style="float:right;padding-bottom:0em;padding-left:.5em;padding-right:1.5em;" src="https://www.algarvegolfholidays.com/AGH-Images-Other/BannerWhite-130x180.jpg" alt="" width="130" height="180" /></p><p><a title="" href="https://www.syndicationexpress.ning.com.com"> <img style="float:right;padding:0em .1em .1em .5em;" src="https://www.algarvegolfholidays.com/AGH-Images-Other/TVV.jpg" alt="Joseph Tom Riach – Author of successful living books and mystery novels, vivid views of life and business" width="290" height="160" /></a></p><center><span style="color:#fbb117;font-family:Andalus;font-size:x-large;"><strong>WHEN WAS YOUR BEST DAY?</strong></span> <br /><center><span style="color:#008080;font-family:Andalus;">by Joseph Tom Riach</span><p style="text-align:left;"><br /> <span style="font-family:Andalus;font-size:large;"><strong><strong><em><a href="http://www.ibosocial.com/wakeup2wealth/pressrelease.aspx"><span style="color:#fbb117;"><strong>Vivid Views</strong></span></a></em></strong></strong></span> <span style="color:#008080;font-family:Andalus;font-size:large;"><em> is my series of articles, blog posts and press releases show-casing my work as an author and reflecting my many years in business and self-employment. They are a blend of my real life experiences, professional insights, personal views and fun stories.<br /> My hope is that in them you find enlightenment and inspiration. 'When Was Your Best Day?' is the 18th in the series.</em></span></p><p align="justify"> <span style="font-size:20px;font-family:Andalus;"> <span style="font-size:14pt;">Amongst the many possible answers people may give to the, “When was your best day in life?” question, all of the following would probably rank highly - </span></span></p><p align="justify"><span style="font-size:14pt;"> <span style="font-family:Andalus;"> * Births, engagements, marriages. </span></span></p><p align="justify"><span style="font-size:14pt;"> <span style="font-family:Andalus;"> * First day at school, college, graduation. </span></span></p><p align="justify"><span style="font-size:14pt;"> <span style="font-family:Andalus;"> * Winning prizes, awards, competitions. </span></span></p><p align="justify"><span style="font-size:14pt;"> <span style="font-family:Andalus;"> * First day at work, promotion, new job, retirement. </span></span></p><p align="justify"><span style="font-size:14pt;"> <span style="font-family:Andalus;"> * Outstanding vacations, good times with family and friends. </span></span></p><p align="justify"><span style="font-size:14pt;"> <span style="font-family:Andalus;"> - and a host of others too numerous to list here. </span></span></p><p align="justify"><span style="font-size:14pt;"> <span style="font-family:Andalus;"> Yet, in spite of the fact that I have experienced and enjoyed most of the above and more, none of them would be my answer to, “When was your best day?” </span></span></p><p align="justify"><span style="font-size:14pt;"> <span style="font-family:Andalus;"> No, my answer would be - “Today!” </span></span></p><p align="justify"><span style="font-size:14pt;"> <span style="font-family:Andalus;"> Why? Because all and any of such events as those mentioned are in the past. Memorable they may be but memories are all they are. They were real, I know that, I was there. But now, only the memory is in the here and now. Just like plans or ideas I may have regarding future events, they exist only in my mind. I've enjoyed many best days and, hopefully, will celebrate many more; but for now only today can be my best day. </span></span></p><p align="justify"><span style="font-size:14pt;"> <span style="font-family:Andalus;"> I awaken each day and say out aloud, “Today is the best day of my life!”, then set about making it just that. It's not about trying to better a previous day or create better experiences in it, that's not realistic. Anyway it's pointless. I only try to do my best and better my best self. My 'cheerful, grateful and helpful to others' mode kicks in straight away. It has been in automatic 'on' position for many years now. Engaging it is the surest way to being my best self. I believe it exudes my calm self-confidence and enthusiasm for life. So that's the mood which prevails. </span></span></p><p align="justify"><span style="font-size:14pt;"> <span style="font-family:Andalus;"> When I behave so in all that I think, say and do then I know that, when the time comes to lay my head on the pillow at night, I will have been true to myself. My deep inner spirit will rejoice in the kindness and happiness I have endeavoured to spread in and around me. And, if asked, “When was your best day?” I'll be able to easily respond, “Today!” </span></span></p><center><p style="text-align:center;color:#008080;"><strong> </strong><strong>I am Tom Riach. I live and write in the sunny south of Portugal. </strong></p><p style="color:#008080;"><strong>My latest novel is 'Too Early For A Glass Of Wine?' Claim your copy by clicking on the image below.</strong></p><p align="center"><u><a title="" href="https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B01MTQYSH3"><img class="fr-fic fr-dii" src="http://www.algarvegolfholidays.com/AGH-Images-Other/2E4AGOW-FullCover.jpg" alt="Joseph Tom Riach, Author – Paperbacks and Ebooks for sale on Amazon" width="350" height="250" name="graphics82" align="bottom" border="1" /></a></u></p></center><p align="center"><em><strong>WHEN WAS YOUR BEST DAY? </strong></em>is an original copyright Tom Riach feature.<br /> I hope you enjoyed this <em>Vivid View</em> and found it to be of value.<br /> To learn more please visit me on my <strong><em><a href="http://www.tomriach.com/"><span style="color:#fbb117;"><strong>Author Page</strong></span></a></em></strong>.<br /> See you there! Regards, Tom.</p><center><img src="http://www.algarvegolfholidays.com/AGH-Images-Other/TR-Border4.jpg" alt="TR-Border4.jpg" width="300" height="54" /></center><center>© Copyright Joseph T.Riach 1998-present. All rights reserved.</center></center></center><span style="font-family:georgia, palatino;"></span></div>