Rosy, red was bored. She was smart but had a habit of watching too much television. When it is turned off, that was when she really felt bored. Her toy basket was full of stuff that she didn't use anymore. Boring stuff. She had plenty of unread books on her shelf, but she was too bored to pick any of them. It wasn't rainy last night she could walk outside - But she was too bored. So, she sat on the couch and started complaining. Mother was cooking in the kitchen. "MOM, I am bored." "Why don't you play with your sister". "She is doing her homework, and there is nothing for me to do." She was still complaining when she opened the fridge for 20th time of the day. There was nothing new in the fridge, just like in her life. Last time she was not bored was when she went a safari into the woods Looking for Elephants! How strange, there are no safaris and elephants at home. Not in the fridge anyway! Safari Elephants "What am I supposed to do? I finished all MY homework. And father doesn't bring us a pet, even if I said that 1000 times. Maybe a pet is Just what I need not to be bored." "Boring is actually Good Rosy. Do you know what I do when I am bored?" "What do you do when YOU'RE bored mommy?" "I sit on a chair with a pen and paper, stay being bored for a while" "Ok, then what happens" "You know Rosy, being boring is actually good. It is like having an empty canvass. You can start doing anything, when you are bored, you just need to give time it to figure out what to do" "I don't understand" "JUST SIT ON A CHAIR WITH A PEN AND PAPER. You will understand what I am saying" And off went Rosy red. She sat in her doll house with a pen and her diary. And she wasn't seen complaining more on that day, she was very busy and silent. She was seen searching for a Map of the World on her bookshelf, nobody knew why. She didn't tell anyone anyway. Looked like she knew how to stay Bored ! Forever. This is a part of her diary, the boring stuff that she wrote. Boring.. Boring.. Boring.. Boring.. La la la la la... La la la la la.. Boring.. Boring.. Boring.. Boring.. La la la la la.. La la la la la.. I wonder what Lily White is doing? Where is my Big coloring book? I used to love painting boats in it. And what is that noise coming from outside. I really want to go and check it out But I am still bored. Maybe a little less now. La la la la la.. Maybe I should write a story. That was fun last time I did it. Maybe I will write another story like Izzy and Nizzi I wonder Izzy ever came back home. What was that thing father said yesterday? hmmmmm He said Greenland is not so green. I wonder where Greenland Is Maybe I should check on the map book

Mind is a stupid machine. Trust me, earlier I thought mind is a brilliant machine. That can identify everything, even engage in abstract thinking like mathematics, and quantum physics, until I saw some scientists teach a group of pigeons how to diagnose breast cancer, in the accuracy of a qualified pathologist. Mind seems to be a stupid machine with a pigeon brain. The average random access memory capacity to remember something is about seven seconds. But I agree it is remarkable in some ways, as human brain is capable of making connections with those seven second memory locations than any other animal. As long as there are enough things previously memorized this process of pegging new information to older ones will happen throughout anyone's life. new information -> pegged to old information What is seen, read, and heard, is what is pegged. At the front end of this stupid machine, we have sensory doors to acquire new information. These seven-second-long bits of information is compared against the old information, if it makes sense, it will be pegged immediately, if not discarded immediately. In this regard we can say mind is efficient. Creating enough base knowledge is difficult (we call this schema). Especially when it is abstract. This is why children take ages to understand some information, which takes few hours for an adult to master. So, if you want to remember something, a piece of information, you have to make it relevant by thinking about its importance. This little step of trying to make connection is the actual learning. Mind Mapping: https://unsplash.com/@charlesdeluvio What is processed is what is pegged and mapped in the brain What is thinking? Thinking is nothing but processing previously pegged items in your brain. When nothing new comes into the front end of the stupid machine, it takes one item from the previous basket of items and jiggle around it with few more items. Once it makes connection it registers this back in memory locations. You can enhance this process by putting things on paper and drawing connections manually, as mind is not a big canvass to do it all by itself, a little bit of visualization would help. This process is called mind mapping. Exactly mimic what happens inside our brains. Fundamentally mind mapping is not about information, it is about connections and their relative importance. These are higher order thinking abilities everyone should have if they wish to get good output after thinking. (blooms taxonomy) Process of pegging -> making connections / mapping. What is processed is what manifested as identity and behavior change Something remarkable happens at the end of this process. Once you have gained enough information and juggled with it enough times the process of retrieval becomes very easy. After some time when new information is met at the front end of the machine, the mind will easily make connections, and it becomes a positive feedback loop. Whenever there is a similar problem which needs similar answer, mind will pick up clues, and your problem-solving ability will efficient and faster. These happen automatically, but you have the ability to choose what information goes in (by making sure to engage in new and relevant subjects) and also by improving the process of thinking by helping mind to map. Slowly the information will start to change your behavior and make your life, measurably better each year, making your new year resolutions a reality. mapped relevant information -> gets retrieved at correct times -> changes behavior

Yes. Lily White had a fight for the 100th time of the day. She was seen crying in the corner sobbing. It seems this time it was too much for her. "Why are you crying Lily?" Father asked. Lily: "Rosy doesn't let me take the pillow" "Why do you want the pillow?" Lily: "I wanted to make a house. A pillow house with chairs and bedsheets. I wanted three pillows but Rosy is taking my Pillows to make one of her own." "Why don't you look for another pillow? Or something else? A cushion perhaps?" Lily: "That doesn't work. I need that pillow? It was my idea first, and I found the pillow first. And now she want's THAT pillow, and I cannot make mine. She always does That!. Lily Complained." "Why don't you work as a team?" Lily: "What is a team?" "A team Lily is when two people start building something together. When they work together they can make something bigger, better and stronger, more people will join. Usually it is a far more wonderful than trying to make something alone." Lily: "Oh. I have an Idea! I can make a bigger house If we both got together. She has better chairs than mine. But she wouldn't share with me." Father: "Oh, that's an easy fix. You can just ask her politely. And you might have to explain her a little bit as her small brain cannot understand how teams are working." Lily white forgot she was crying. And after the talk with her father she has been seen building a house almost the size of the living room, with Rosy Red. They had a wonderful time living inside their pretty little house they built as a team. And in her diary she put a note that night. A house Lily White diary : Teams. Today, I learned that if I want to build something bigger and better, I need to make a team. It is wonderful to be in a team. I build a bigger house. I wonder what else is built by teams? Maybe those bridges and buildings across the town are bult by teams. How nice if I could be in a team one day? Building bigger and better things. Oh, maybe I am already in a team. Me and Rosy Red. Tomorrow I will ask mother and father to join my team. A team of Four, so we can do wonderful things together.

A talent is a natural phenomenon Imagine a seed, A chestnut or a walnut. Once the seed is planted in a fertile ground, with enough water and sunlight, it will create a sapling. Which will eventually become a tree. There is no miracle in it. Nobody goes woooow.. look at that chestnut tree. I wonder how it came to exist? Nobody talks like that as there is no mystery to it. It is just a natural process with a sequence of steps involved, unraveled by the part of science called botany. But when we see an Olympic medalist, everyone will go Woooow. Look at that talent. How fast they run, or swim or throw a hammer? And we speak like they were born champions when they were kids. Which is far from the truth. It is really unfortunate we do not have a science called "Talent deciphering" to learn about the process of building a talent, so everyone can have one. Chestnut: https://unsplash.com/@georgeiermann A nut is not a tree; a Tree is not a nut. A child is not an adult; an adult is not a child. A child is exploring, learning, broadly experiencing everything in life. It seems it is exploring stage of life, compared to exploit stage of an adult. A child's life is random, chaotic, full of emotions and novel experiences. Adult on the other hand is more likely having developed patterns of behaviors. Limited exploring, but a lot of exploiting in whatever talents he/her had built over the childhood years. So, a nut is not a tree, a tree is not a nut. But sometimes, it is better for a tree to adapt a behavior of a nut if it feels like there is limited growth. Now with all the recourses, a tree has some novel advantages than a nut, in succeeding during a phase of exploring. Raw talent is not a true talent; a true talent is not a raw talent. If you are just starting with some skill you need to develop. A talent you need to explore. It is good to treat it as a starting talent. At this stage your main objective is to play around. There is no need to confine yourself to one task. You can try different versions. You can change your playground, as often, try new shoes, and fire your coach every month until you find a one who knows what they are doing. If something feels wrong, acknowledge this and move on. Do 10,20 30 different exercises and see which one fits you. There is no need to commit yourself until you resonate with your talent and conditions that you seek. However, experimentation should continue until such. If you find it all dull, maybe that skill you're trying to develop maybe not suited for you. Maybe you're just a walnut trying to become a chestnut. Once you find a true passion, capitalize on that until it becomes a true talent. Talent is A belief, a system, with iterative improvement These ideas may seem, abstract at first. As, it's just the broad picture of what happens in a career development. Individual actions that you have to follow may vary depending on the talent and your environment. However, what is more important is to note that this path is totally different from whoever had succeeded before you. As there are unlimited paths one can take, you cannot just blindly follow a role model and be successful. But there are few traits to those who do, regardless, and these are universal. Explore and Exploit is one such. Furthermore, the following. A belief - talented individual strongly believe they have ability to improve their talent, and it is in their willpower to do so. Later this belief will spill over to others. A system - They have built a system around them filled with actions, which handle failures, willpower and worry. Iterative improvement - In each iteration of their cycle of action they marginally improve on previous day, so there is a feeling of continuity and growth have the potential to compound over time.

Michel de Montaigne Philosophy. This famous philosopher from renaissance period from France is the one who popularized applying philosophy to live an ordinary life during his era (of course apart from Thales of Meletus). What use of philosophy is if it is not used to make lives better? Not just highly successful ones, but quite ordinary ones. If philosophers who entangle in intellectual disputes about origins of human existence just quarrel with their wives the moment they step into their homes, what is the point of the philosophy they preach? So, de Montaigne approached philosophy in a different framework, closer to yours and mine, the ordinary folk. He often asked himself, "What do I know?" to approach an intellectual humility to repeatedly reshape his own philosophy. This indeed tackled the problem of dunning Kruger effect, where you automatically assume intellectual superiority, when in reality only you know a little. So, he kept the skepticism alive by constantly trying to know himself. Learn from other cultures, and more importantly, trying to live the ordinary life he already has, than creating superior means and ends to it. A king sitting on Bum: https://unsplash.com/@ansiep “What do I know?” — Intellectual humility. Know yourself — Your own experience is worth investigating. Skepticism — Human reasoning has limitations. Tolerance — Other cultures and people may have perspectives different from yours. Live the life you actually have — Philosophy should help us live, not merely theorize. Even the kings sit on their bums. Even the kings when they want to sit, on their thrones have to use their bums for support. This just closes the gap between an ordinary life and a royal life. We all are born with human weakness, bums, and there is no way out from our limitations. We possess bodies prone to pain and sickness, we have constant hunger, and thirst. Our mental status fluctuates daily with no apparent reason, and we cannot function like machines, needs a rest now and again. If you'd be honest these ordinary human days are hardest to tackle. Consider an ordinary Tuesday, where you have to go to work and come home tired. Compare this with a day on a vacation, action packed with lot of movement and adrenalin. Spending the ordinary day skillfully and happily would be hard, as we need to figure out our own philosophy to do that. How come one go onto doing that? It doesn't really matter you are a king a farmer or a CEO. 1440 minutes - awareness is the key. A day has 1440 minutes. Most of them are very ordinary. If we just consider one minute, that will pass too quickly. But how many of yesterday minutes you were aware? one? two? five? If you were not aware, where have you been living all day yesterday. It doesn't matter what task you are doing, if you'd like to live a fulfilled ordinary life, you will have to be aware of where your awareness goes. What it felt like walking down the road, to the bus stop. What did you notice during the bus ride? How busy was it at work? When exactly did you feel hungry? Did you feel the taste of your lunch? It is better if you could just stop and take a note of your thoughts. Do not underestimate the power of living an ordinary life, as that is a gift by nature to every one of us. Maybe today is a good day to finally enjoy the life you have, more than the life you speculate of having.

Defaults. What you do automatically are basically your default. What do you do when you wake up early in the morning? Just curse yourself for getting late? Then that is your default. How about the first app you start when you get your hands on your phone? YouTube? then that is your default. How about the first thing you say when you meet your loved ones in your kitchen in the morning? That is your default too. Defaults are powerful when properly planned and placed, but they can be devastating, like corrosion on a knife, when unplanned and more disastrously let others decide your own defaults. Are they habits? Of course you can call them habits. But I would consider them at the end of a spectrum. The difference between them is subtle. One is heavily dependent on willpower and repetition, while defaults are by design, and control of the environment, fixed, not needed repetition. Habits <----> defaults. By definition defaults are things which happen when you do not deliberately choose. But repeated enough they can end up habits. And habits on the other hand if repeated enough would need less and less of willpower and can become default. If you already know what you're going to have on Monday night dinner, that is a default. But if you try to eat healthy food but do not yet know what it is, you can make it a habit. Defaults create less pressure when you are paralyzed by choice. Remember analysis paralysis? Defaults is the solution. Healthy bowl of Nuts. :https://unsplash.com/@abhishek_hajare Defaults do not need repetition. Not even thought. It is set by design in the system, already chosen for you. How I used defaults. When I was living alone briefly for a period of time, I developed my own defaults. I would go to a same shop on fixed dates and have same meals. It creates less friction and gives room for more important creative space for the mind, away from the clutter. How boring it is to go to a supermarket and compare the prices, of items from an aisle to aisle, getting paralyzed every day. Defaults and rituals will easily prevent the cognitive exhaustion. Defaults can not only be used for meal plans, but they can also be used anywhere anytime when there are things you routinely do. At the end of this article, I will give you a list of defaults you can use in common situations you face in everyday life. At least few of them will make sense to you. Beware of your default responses to emotions. More powerful is default responses of us to our emotions. What do you do when you are feeling, anger? Sadness? Loneliness? Success? As these are recurring themes of any life what we do triggered by these emotions matter a lot, when it comes to feeling good in life. As such, two people can differ markedly in their defaults when responding to anger. One can escalate their own anger, with filthy words, while other can just take a walk and reflect on him/herself making it an opportunity for improvement. But the basic feeling of anger remains same in these two individuals. The importance is you can plan your default behavior while you are calm sitting in your chair thinking. So, let's look through a list of items you can make defaults. Situation Common default Alternative conscious choice 🌅 Waking up Reach for the phone Phone on table when going to sleep Sit quietly for 2 minutes ☕ Morning Make the same drink Drink water first 📱 Notification Check immediately silent notifications for 6 hours per day. 🍽️ Hunger Eat whatever is easiest Eat an apple/ fruit per day 🚗 Driving Take the usual route Take a bus, same time 💬 Someone criticizes you Defend yourself Sing your favorite song 😡 Anger React immediately Sing your second favorite song 😴 Tiredness Scroll social media Wash your face, and read a book 💰 Receiving money Spend it normally automate investment 🛒 Shopping Buy what catches your attention Make a default grocery list. 🧹 Messy room Ignore it Keep one thing square. One trash away. 💻 Starting work Check email/social media Start the most important task 🧠 Difficult problem Avoid it Spend 5 minutes attempting it 📺 Free time Open YouTube/Netflix Write down your thoughts 🗣️ Conversation Talk about yourself Ask the other person a question 🚶 Walking Look at your phone Look at the sky and make a mental comment 🌙 Before sleep Keep scrolling Put the phone away 2 hours before. ❓ Uncertainty Assume an answer put it in a commonplace book ⚠️ Making a mistake Hide/explain it Buy yourself a treat. 🏆 Success Move immediately to the next goal Pause and appreciate it

Why you should be prepared to be a fool. Be a fool every day. Success is not about straight path. Everybody has a theory to how to be successful, yet only a handful of them from a thousand would ever reach enough success to fulfil their dreams. What is the difference between these people and ordinary? You may think talent, luck or intrinsic generousness. But it is not just about luck. It's the ability to experiment, the willingness to take foolish risks and come out of it and try again. If success is about straight paths, this wouldn't matter, but being cautious and neurotic would be beneficial. But success never is a straight line. It dips, and rebounds, and dips again and rebound again. Every day you will get both good news about your actions, and bad news about some other actions. It is your talent to see both of them as opportunities and turn them into your favor that matters. It is a foolish belief that you can come out of alive from the shit that you're in. So become a fool everyday by testing your every hypothesis about success. A fool : https://unsplash.com/@julio_klinger Be a fool more than others Imagine you want to become a poet an artist or a mathematician. What you do? I am sure there is a plan, in back of your mind, which you never put to test. It has been just a plan. Now its time to work. Get a pen and paper and start writing down the steps. And test your plan by doing it. Now, its guaranteed it is going to fail. How do I know that? It's because I know you haven't tried before. You do not know the bitter taste of the failure. Before you taste anything closer to a success, you need to taste the failure. Otherwise, what are you going to compare it with? If everyone becomes successful in their first attempt, there will be no failures, and there will be nothing called success. Let's give it a number. Are you willing to create another hypothesis, another action plan, once your first one fails? Are you willing to do it thousand times over? These are mandatory iterations. Before you hit something sparkling, you will have to dig through a lot of mud. There is no time for regrets. It is just a mechanical job without emotional attachment to outcome. So, are you willing to be a fool more than others? What is the worse could happen if you try? Now think about what could happen after you have been fooled yourself with false paths to success after 1000 iterations of your action plan. What could happen? You will be bankrupt and labelled as a failure. But your soul would not be broken at the end of 80 years of failure. You will be proud that you have tried and failed. At least you would know there is no luck in your bank account. You will have a load of experience and 1 more hypothesis that you can put to test, which doesn't need any resources. A life which you have spent experimentation. And you would have arrived at many truths that an ordinary man who has never had 1000 iterations of failures. And you will be dead at age 81 after your 1001 failed attempt at life. Now here is a truth I know. Everyone will be dead before 10 decades. Even the ones who have 0 failures and even ones who had been successful. So, life is not about success or failure when it concludes. Then, there is no problem failing 1000 times as nothing will be lost or gained. I am prepared to be fooled. This is 700th post on this blog. Another failed attempt at success. Do you think this will ever stop? You know the answer, and you know why it won't by now. Because there would be nothing better, I would be doing other than trying one more time. It's an enormous pleasure to be fooled again by life.

Life of a firefighter - 9/11 firefighters Life of a firefighter is not an easy one. When I used to go to school, I happened to walk by the fire department. Almost every day the fire trucks were parked, neatly, washed and polished just like the day before. I wondered a fire is ever going to break up, or is this the least busy job in the world? How many times a fire breaks up so, these trucks need movement. What were they doing? eating cheese sandwiches watching movies with buddies? These were all legitimate questions I had in mind, until I got to know how dangerous and risky their job is. They are one of the first people to respond when there is an emergency of sort. They carry out rescue missions in admis of chaos of a catastrophe when human lives are at risk. Consider this, would you go into a collapsing building which continuously burning above you to rescue some unknown people? Well, if that is called bravery, it is number 1 on the list of duties of a firefighter. There is a reason why they are called "Fighters". Firefighter : https://unsplash.com/@randyfath Being brave is only one lesson they teach us about life. It is only with gratitude that I can talk about their actions of valor. During the 9/11 incident when everyone was running away from the burning twin towers, they were the first to enter it. From the total of 2977 died during tower collapse, 343 members were from NY fire department. As 1000 members were deployed that day, the fatality rate was 33%. If we put it into context, that is about the same fatality rate of deadliest mountain climbing, Annapoorna in Himalayan range 8thousander. But less spoken is the number of lives saved that day. Staggering number of 25000 lives were saved, assisted by firefighters and police. So, yes firefighters are real heroes, as they put their own lives at risk to save others. Breakdown protocols. So, how do they work under chaotic, limited resource catastrophic events. How do they function when everyone else is panicking? What lessons do they teach us about breakdown protocols? During the days of relative calm, they do practice their respond protocols. They keep their equipment checked; they do practice drills in simulated environments and follow the command structure. Over time vigorously check loopholes of their protocols. And when actual fire happens, the responses are mostly automatic, at least for the initial part of it. Room for adapting the rescue mission according to the rapidly changing circumstances is inherent part of their protocols, as they have to balance, rescue missions and fighting fires, during an actual fire. I am sure I will not be a firefighter. So, maybe you. If you're, congratulations on your bravery. However, if you want to learn about making a breakdown protocol for any mission, these are the examples you might read about. Because in life failure is guaranteed, a breakdown protocol is warranted in any scenario. Sometimes it is too late when it happens, to take action. Sometimes actions need to be planned ahead of time, maybe decades before you fall sick, breakout a fire at your property or even in a financial loss. Prevention of loss and coming back routine should be a part of any system you are making. Have you ever thought about it? Have you ever thought about what would be your response when you fall sick, when you are no longer able to walk on your own and confined to the bed? Even if you live a perfectly healthy life this would eventually happen. Have you ever thought what your response would be when your part of the town gets the next seasonal flood? Did you think twice before buying a permanent land on this flood prone area? Have you thought about your morning routine, when you are too tired to wake up early tomorrow? Have you thought what you would do after a long night partying and getting boozed with friends? Have you thought about when your nice relationship ends in divorce and you have to battle for the custody of children? Is there a way to avoid that? Is there a backup plan? If you haven't it is time to do that in this relatively peaceful decade of your life. As the seas are always exceptionally calm before a disaster, always. Ask a firefighter If you distrust me.

Lily white was playing badminton in the garden with her sister Rosy Red. After a while they got tired and then were bored and were seen lying down on the grass, under a tree. Obviously, they were looking at the sky. "Sky is pretty nice today". Lily said to her sister. "Look, that cloud is just like a giraffe!" her sister exclaimed! "Oh, we should play the cloud game". Lily said. It was one of their favorite games. Just looking at clouds and making imaginary figures. It was exciting as; nobody knew what would come up next in the sky. Clouds In the sky So, for next half an hour, they were seen giggling under the tree looking at clouds. Wasn't it a wonderful game? By the time their mom called them for the afternoon tea, they did not feel tired at all. And Lily was seen thinking, while she was having her bread. "What is it, Lily? What are you thinking about?" Mother asked. "Oh, mom, I was wondering how the clouds are made?" "That's easy, when the sun heats everything during the day, water gets boiled and become tiny droplets and rise in the sky. And when they cool, they make clouds" Her mother explained. "So, if I touch a cloud, I will feel water?" "I guess it is correct, but you wouldn't be able to touch a cloud, when up close it would just look like mist" "Oooow.. I see, the mist, a cloud is like a mist in the sky" Lily white was happy with the answer, only for a while. Her mind was always wondering like a puppy let lose in a park. She couldn't stop being curious. So, she asked. "Is everything made out of something?" "What are you thinking now Lily?" "I don't know, I was wondering, if clouds are made out of water droplets, and if water is made out of atoms, what makes atoms? And what makes what makes atoms? Is there an end to it?" "Oh, poor lily, you are actually correct, everything is made out of something, and there is no end to it. I am sure you will learn a lot in science class." "Guess I should be a scientist then" Her mother was seen smiling to herself, when they both left for their study. And she heard Rosy Red asking, "Who is a scientist?" And before bed, Lily made an entry in her diary, which read like this. "Today we played the cloud game, and I was wondering what clouds are made of. Apparently, they are made of water, like mist. And everything is made out of something else. I wonder there is a thing, which is made out of nothing? maybe I will ask a scientist when I meet one"

I was a moss, dwelled on a bark of an old oak. Which stood against the despicable weather of four seasons year around in countryside Living in isolation on a remote corner of a corner's garden. Unmoved, untouched, unspoiled except grazed by Slippery snails at night. I liked the morning dew which I collected at dawn. Before it disappeared when sunbeams across me shone. And I was in love with a black hole. Would you believe it? They called me the crazy moss, the ferns my friends Boy, they laughed at my timid fragile voice And gay smile that I tried to hide. Once in a while when the Sky cleared of clouds. I would stare into the hollow darkness of the night. I would see the black hole in the corner of the universe. Oh. so pretty it was her smile. Her dark countenance allured me with vigor. Her sweet voice which did not escape her own gravity ruminated in my mind. As I wished to drift with earth Fall into her at once and for all Like a moth, falling into a candlelight. Call it madness, call it love It's better than being a moss on a tree unloved. Or falling for the stars, I despise their blue light. I never will speak about it in public My outlawed love of life Moss I would be Moss I would die. But a moss I was in love with a black hole though it's futile. --end of poem -- The Moss

Into the Woods Izzy and Nizzi Once upon a time, there was a mother with two twins. Their names were Izzy and Nizzi. One sunny day Izzy and Nizzi asked their mother if they go to the woods to collect honey for pancakes. Mother said, "Of course girls but be careful!" So, Izzy and Nizzy set off. They met many cheerful animals on their way. Rabbits Squirrels and a fox with three cubs! A rare sight it was. Deep in the jungle it was a little dark. And they walked in silence looking for beehives. “Remember that last Saturday we watched a scary movie where one twin disappears without the other twin noticing?” “I’m scared if it happens to us,” said Izzy. She turned around but Nizzi wasn’t there. “Nizzi? Oh no! Oh no!” What am I going to tell mom! Where is Nizzi! Do you know what happened to her?

Lily white was late for the school. Yes, she did wake up early in the morning, yes, she did brush without falling asleep and she did prepare her bag before going to bed last night. Yet somethings happened and she was just late again, so she stepped out of the home following her father with her pretty little umbrella as there was a drizzle this morning. "Lily You are wearing your shoes on wrong side" Her father exclaimed! and then only she looked at her feet. And he was spot on! she had been wearing her shoes on wrong foot. "Oh, how come I am so stupid! this is going to make me late" She was uttering while trying to exchange her shoes in a hurry. Hmm... what did you say while you were tying shoes? Her father asked when she stepped in the car. He seemed having a serious thought and Lilly was puzzled. So, she took a moment and realized he was asking about her stupid thing. Wrong shoes "Oh father, I said I am so stupid, to wear the shoes on the wrong foot. And this is not the first time." Hmm. her father exclaimed. I agree what you did was stupid, but I cannot agree you are stupid. Nobody is stupid. "What do you mean nobody is stupid?" Were you stupid when you woke up early this morning? No, I wasn't. I was lazy not stupid. Were you stupid when you brushed your teeth? No father, I was only sleepy when I was brushing. Were you stupid when you prepared your books and bags last night? And got ready for bed? NO FATHER! I wasn't stupid. I was smart doing that! There you go. Problem solved Lily. I don't want you to say you are stupid when you do something stupid next time. Well, what I can say? Instead? "You can say, oh... what a stupid thing I did, I put my shoes on wrong side again! I know I am smart but sometimes I do silly things." It made Lily white smile. What a nice way to treat myself. I don't have to feel I am stupid each and every time I do a silly thing. Hmm... what silly things Have I done lately? She wanted to write all the silly things she and Rosy Red did all this year! So, this was a list found in her diary. Silly Things done by Lily White Today I tried to catch a bird. I ran after it as fast as I could, but the bird was much faster than me. I hid under my blanket because I thought nobody could see me. Then Mum asked, “Where are you?” and I started laughing. I put my shoes on the wrong feet. I walked around like that for a long time before I noticed. I asked Dad where the moon goes during the day. He explained it to me, but I still think the moon might be hiding somewhere. I tried to dig a hole all the way to the other side of the Earth. I stopped when my hands got tired. I talked to my teddy bear for nearly an hour. He didn't say anything, but I think he was listening. I put a bucket on my head and pretended I was a space explorer. I ran away from a wave at the beach because I thought it was going to catch me. Then I ran back and did it again. I ate something Mum told me not to eat just because I wanted to know what would happen. Nothing happened. It just tasted horrible. I made a tower with all my blocks. It took me ages. Then I knocked it down in about three seconds. I gave my teddy bear a new name: Sir Fluffy Thunder. I wore a towel around my neck and became Super Girl. I tried to fly from the sofa. Luckily, Super Girl landed safely. I asked Mum a question and then asked “Why?” about her answer. I kept asking why until she told me I was asking too many questions. I played “the floor is lava” and jumped from the sofa to the chair. I almost forgot that the floor was not actually lava. I made a magic potion from water, leaves, grass and some mud. It looked disgusting but I thought it was amazing. I tried to stay awake all night. I told myself I wasn't tired. Then I fell asleep before I even finished talking. I drew a picture of our house. It looked nothing like our house, but I told Mum it was a very special kind of house. I put some random things into a box because I thought I might need them one day. I don't know what I will need them for. I built a fort from bedsheets and pillows. I told everyone they needed a special password to come inside. I laughed for five minutes because my brother said the word “underpants.” I told Mum I would go to bed for only five minutes. Somehow, it became morning. I walked backwards around the house because I thought it was fun. I bumped into a chair. I tried to talk to the cat by meowing. The cat looked at me like I was crazy. I put my toy in the refrigerator because I thought it might enjoy being cold. Mum found it and wasn't very impressed. I stood behind a curtain and thought I was invisible. Everyone could see my feet. I made myself a superhero name. Today I was Captain Sparkle. I made a very serious plan to avoid eating my vegetables. Unfortunately, Mum discovered the plan. I tried to teach my teddy bear how to dance. He wasn't very good at it. I put a blanket over my head and walked around pretending I was a ghost. My brother screamed, and then I laughed so much I fell over. I asked Dad a very important question: “If fish live in water, do they ever get thirsty?”