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Can Being Fooled Be Fun?

In honor of April Fool’s Day, here are three stories that show how we all get fooled now and then, from www.museumofhoaxes.com/hoax/aprilfool/index:

On April 1, 1957, the British Broadcasting Company (BBC) carried a story about the spaghetti crop in Switzerland. The program announcer reported on how the crop was larger than usual, due to a mild winter and the absence of the spaghetti weevil. Film footage of the spaghetti harvest was shown, with families picking strands of spaghetti off of trees and placing them into baskets. At the end, the workers were seen gathering around a table to enjoy their fresh-picked homegrown spaghetti. The BBC got hundreds of phone calls from people wanting to know more about spaghetti trees and how they might grow one. Operators advised them to “place a sprig of spaghetti in a can of tomato sauce and hope for the best.”

On April 1, 1996, readers of newspapers including the New York Times saw a full-page ad announcing that Taco Bell had purchased the Liberty Bell, which would henceforth be known as the Taco Liberty Bell. “While some may find this controversial,” the advertisement said, “we hope our move will prompt other corporations to take similar action to do their part to reduce the country’s debt.” The National Historic Park was flooded with angry phone calls, but even White House spokesperson Mike McCurry played along, saying that the government also planned to sell the Lincoln Memorial to a different corporation, which would rename it the Ford Lincoln-Mercury Memorial.

On April 1, 1998, Burger King placed a full-page ad in USA Today announcing a new product: Left-Handed Whoppers. These burgers, specially designed for left-handed people, were supposed to be the same as regular Whoppers, but with “all condiments rotated 180 degrees, thereby redistributing the weight of the sandwich so that the bulk of the condiments will skew to the left, thereby reducing the amount of lettuce and other toppings from spilling out the right side of the burger.” Thousands of customers requested the new product, while others asked if a “right-handed” version was available.

When done in the right spirit, being fooled can be fun!

Do you have a fun April Fool’s Day story? Please add a post, email me at mark@homezone.ca or call me at 519-654-6683.

What's Luck Got To Do With It?

You’ve heard the expressions, “Come on, lucky seven!” or “Don’t press your luck.” Frank Sinatra sang a song, “Luck Be A Lady Tonight.” There are even lucky symbols such as a coin (if you find it heads-up on the ground), a four-leaf clover, or a rabbit’s foot. But what is luck? Is it something you can see, or is it more of a feeling? Is it good or is it bad?

According to dictionary.com, luck is “The chance happening of fortunate or adverse events; good fortune, prosperity or success; one’s personal fate or lot.”

There’s no doubt that luck has many different interpretations. It could suggest the perfect scapegoat: No matter what goes wrong in life, you can always blame it on bad luck. Conversely, if someone else succeeds, you may believe it must have involved their good luck, and completely ignore the hard work and dedication that might have contributed to that person’s success.

Luck may involve superstitions. It can be your nightly bedtime schedule or your typical morning routine. You might hold onto these quirky habits because of the belief that changing any little detail might bring bad luck. Therefore, these self-created superstitions become actual parts of everyday life.

But if there really is such a thing as luck, why does it seem certain people are luckier or unluckier than others? There just isn’t a clear-cut explanation. The simplest reason I can think of is this: Luck occurs when opportunity rings the doorbell and you happen to be there to answer.

This month, instead of waiting for opportunities to simply land on your doorstep, go outside and search. Opportunities are everywhere – you just have to look for them.

What do you consider to be lucky? I’d love to hear about it. Please Add a post, e-mail me at mark@homezone.ca or call me at 519-654-6683.

What's Your Perfect Valentine?

Valentine’s Day is February 14, and here’s a great story to celebrate it:

There was once a young man who had the perfect girlfriend. They were similar in almost every way but, in one aspect of their lives, they were complete opposites: He was a hockey fanatic – his girlfriend wasn’t.

They’d been dating for a while and had exchanged Valentine’s Day presents on two occasions, but he’d yet to give her that one perfect gift. He’d misfired on two in a row and it looked like he would fall flat again since the holiday was rapidly approaching, and he still hadn’t decided on a gift.

A week before Valentine’s Day, his favorite hockey team traded for a player whose last name matched her first name. The young man thought, “That would make the perfect gift. A hockey jersey with her name on the back; then we’d have matching jerseys. She’ll absolutely love it.” He immediately ordered the jersey, had it packaged in a team-colored box, and rush delivered. He was certain that he’d finally gotten her that perfect gift.

When his girlfriend opened the box, however, a bewildered look appeared on her face as she held up the jersey. “Turn it around,” he said excitedly. Sure enough, it had her name on the back. She just smiled, said, “Thanks honey,” and put the hockey jersey away in her closet.

The young man eventually figured out that she wasn’t quite as thrilled as he was about the hockey jersey, but she lovingly reassured him that his gift meant everything to her. The young woman knew the “perfect” Valentine’s Day gifts aren’t necessarily the dozen red roses, the expensive dinners or the diamond jewelry. They’re the gifts that come from the heart.

As for the couple now: They’re married – and the jersey still hasn’t left their closet.

Have a happy Valentine’s Day, whether you receive the perfect gift or not!

Do you have any memorable Valentine’s Day stories? Please add a post, e-mail me at mark@homezone.ca or call me at 519-654-6683.

Thank You!

Here’s a quick note to let you know how much I appreciate the people you refer to me.

In the last year, excellent clients like you were responsible for referring 85% of my business. When you refer people you care about to me, I can spend more of my time focusing on their needs while also working with clients like you. Now, that’s what I call a win-win situation!

My goal is to build strong, lifelong relationships, one person at a time. Your heartfelt endorsement to others is the lifeblood of my business.

Who’s the next person you know who wants to work with a consultant who’s focused on their needs? Be sure to give me a call to discuss how we can let them know about my services.