Name Game

During the summer, at the request of the host of a party, I created a Name Game, based on the first names of all the guests attending the party. 

I gave each player a sheet of paper.

They had to match the clues listed in the top half of the sheet, with the correct name from the list of names, in the lower half of the sheet.

I thought it might be fun for you to play the game.

Ready to take a break from Wordle, online chess, online bridge, your newspaper crossword, or Pinpoint on Linkedin (my latest daily addiction) to play Minoo's Name Game for a few minutes, instead?

"Yes"?

Ok, then let's go.

Can you match the clues in the list  below, with the correct name from the list of names below that:

Clues

1. A mountain in Central Italy

2. “What did you just call me? The Riveter?” asked O’donnell

3. Rhymes with penny

4. Menace

5. Is this quiche from Alsace?

6. Prophet

7. Victory and triumph no more, for Indian fugitive, and former businessman

8. This California resident sweeps through town like a tropical cyclone

9. My Heart Will Go On

10. And the …. award for excellence in broadway theater goes to

11. For….sake, this is the easiest of clues

12. I wouldn’t get into this Stephen King car, if I were you

13. This Nixon was one of the Sex and the City vixens

14. Ladd of Charlie’s Angels

15. The first …., the angels did sing

16. Masani

17. Roop Tera Mastana singer and Rafi nemesis

18. Mole on Visnu’s chest

19. Boop, comically called

Match the clues listed above with the correct name from the list below:

1. Noella

2. Betty

3. Mohammed

4. Rosie

5. Minoo

6. Cheryl

7. Vijay

8. Pete

9. Majella

10. Kishore

11. Celine

12. Denis

13. Cynthia

14. Srivats

15. Tony

16. Lorraine

17. Christine

18. Doreen

19. Jennie

A Lesson From My Life For You

You should never be afraid to try something new.
Even if it's the opposite of what you do.

A lesson from my life for you.
A lesson from my life for you.

(I went from an all words job in India, as an advertising copywriter,  to an all numbers job in America, as a sales commissions analyst). What new thing are you telling yourself you can't do, or is not for you?

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Even if you try, and can't do something today.
In the future, you may find a way.

A lesson from my life for you.
A lesson from my life for you.

(Though I tried to learn to drive in India, I was unsuccessful. Yet within 6 months of moving to America, I was driving, and within the first year of moving to America, I drove 339 miles from San Jose to Los Angeles. Never say never!). What thing have you given up on believing you can achieve? Maybe you should give it another try? What's the worst that can happen?

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A gain for someone else, is not a loss for you.
In work, play, politics, sports, in fact, in everything, you think, say, and do.

A lesson from my life for you.
A lesson from my life for you.

(Over here defeat, over there victory; over here despair, over there joy, over here fear, over there confidence, over here sickness, over there health, and so on, and so on. There are areas of life, in which, we will have to accept other people's victories, with no corresponding victories on our side. Faced with that, we have to look, not at what we don't have, but at what, we do have. We have to count our blessings. I count friendships as one of my blessings.) Can you learn to feel happy about someone else's victories? Maybe, you think you cannot, but perhaps, maybe, you can?

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Being real is the best way to go.
Sooner or later, people will prefer sincerity to show.

A lesson from my life for you.
A lesson from my life for you.

(Starting out with trying to be little Ms. Perfect, I gradually learned to love myself as I am, to be less focused on image, and more focused on improving in areas, crying out for change, like my self-centeredness, and lack of authenticity.) Are you afraid of being yourself? Are you afraid of people knowing things about you, and exposing areas of your life to other people? Perhaps, those people are just as afraid, as you are. Maybe, it would be better to live life, without that fear?

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In victory, we don't know what is lost.
In loss, we don't know what is won.

A lesson from my life for you.
A lesson from my life for you.

(Whether professional, financial, or personal, we will every last one of us, have to experience tough times. I have had my share of tough times - a depression at the height of my copywriting career success, a variety of job challenges and humiliations at different times, and embarrassing investment losses. When enough time passed, I was able to see each one of those tough times as a gift. There were also some victories in my life, which I gloated about internally, only to realize those victories came at a terrible price.  I realized my mistake. I was trying to put a price on everything, when in actual fact, some things are priceless.) What did you gain from a recent, or past loss?  What did you lose from a recent, or past victory? Yes, even victory comes with losses. Maybe, it's just that you haven't given any thought to the losses of that victory?

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New beginnings can happen at any time.
Never think it's over for you, or that you are past your prime.

A lesson from my life for you.
A lesson from my life for you.

(Everyone has their Mt. Everests. For some, it may be a fear of driving, for some, it may be a fear of flying, for some, it may be an inability to socialize. As a child, and young adult, I thought I would never get over my shyness. I was wrong. As a person whose hobby was writing,  but who never wrote a word for 14 years, I thought I would never write again. I was wrong. As a person who got rid of all her stocks after the Harshad Mehta scam, I thought I would never invest in stocks again. All these thoughts and other thoughts, turned out to be wrong. It is never too early, or too late, to begin a new chapter.) What did you start doing in recent months or years, that you did not do earlier, maybe even could not hope, or imagine yourself being able to do, earlier? This is the clue, that the years ahead, will hold joys and treasures, that are hard for you to imagine, hope for yourself, or conceive of, at present.

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Embrace those who think differently from you do.
So you can broaden your thinking, and expand your views.

A lesson from my life for you.
A lesson from my life for you.

(I read, listen to, and watch all kinds of content. Left leaning content and right leaning content, content on one side of an argument, and content on the other side of the same argument. It helps me see both sides of an idea or thought. And it helps me understand what matters to different kinds of people, not just the people who are in my bubble, in my echo chamber, and who support my thinking, and share my ideas or sentiments. Having an open mind has been the path to change for me in some areas.) What have you done to embrace all kinds of people, and different thinking in your life? Do you think if more of us did that, it might make the world a better place? Maybe? What do you think?

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Keep a ear open for all kinds of advice.
Listen to people from different backgrounds, and different walks of life.

A lesson from my life for you.
A lesson from my life for you.

(I have become more open minded with every passing year. And I try to find common ground with people I meet. I have found that great advice can come from everyone and anyone, you meet, and common ground can be found with anyone too). What is some advice that someone gave you recently that helped you, or was insightful? What common ground do you have with someone who is different from you? Are you glad they are in your life? What is the best way to keep them in your life?

What are some examples of working without expertise?

At the starting point of anything new in life, we will have no expertise.

Ambition, maybe, but no expertise.

Book knowledge, maybe, but no expertise.

Training, maybe, but no expertise.

Some exposure, maybe, but no expertise.

Desire to earn money, maybe, but no expertise.

Desire to succeed, maybe, but no expertise.

Belief in ourself, maybe, but no expertise.

Desperation, maybe, but no expertise.

Interest, maybe, but no expertise.

A dream, maybe, but no expertise.

A vision, maybe, but no expertise.

Ideas, maybe, but no expertise.

Plans, maybe, but no expertise.

Expertise is developed over time.

According to Malcolm Gladwell’s book The Outliers, becoming an expert requires 10,000 hours of practice.

However, your results will vary, depending not just on the quantity of effort you put in, in terms of time, but the quality of your efforts, the opportunities and the resources available to you, the support you have, and personality advantages such as determination, energy, stick-to-itiveness, single-minded focus, resilience, and being able to keep working at something, until you succeed at it.

Luck is a factor too.  Being at the right place, at the right time, with the right ideas and answers, will open a door that might not have opened, if not for you, being at the right place, at the right time, with the right ideas and answers for that time.

Meanwhile, if you put in your best, when you are working without expertise, you will (sooner or later) get to the point of working with expertise.

You will know when you have got to that point, by how sure you feel about what you are doing, the confidence other people have in you, the praise and compliments you receive, the demand, support, and encouragement you are able to generate and rally, and if it’s a money earning activity, how much money people are prepared to pay for your expertise, and to help you succeed.

What elements are necessary for fostering an effective thought partnership?

The following are the best conditions for an effective thought partnership:

• One-on-one communication

• Give and take in communication

• Communication without negativity, or an unspoken agenda

• Communication about a wide variety of subjects (so much gold is discovered, purely accidentally)

• Communication over an extended period of time, ideally 2 hours or more, rather than brief communication (the longer the duration of the communication, the better); road trips and long walks are great for communication

• Enjoyment of each other’s company, engagement, and interaction, whether in person, on the phone, or on social media (in person, would, clearly, have the most impact)

• Likemindedness

• Trust in the other person's morals, acumen, judgement, and ability to take things seriously

• Unhesitant courage to share your own thoughts, feelings, and ideas

• Belief in the the other person's ability to help you clarify your thinking, or to contribute to your thinking

• Trust (which usually emerges over time, and which strengthens, the longer your relationship)

One-on-one in-person communication, for 1) at least a one-hour duration, 2) with a person you trust, 3) who is someone you believe can help you clarify your thinking, or contribute to your thinking, and 4) whose company, or interaction with, you enjoy, is best for a satisfying and productive thought partnership.

If such a person exists in your life, or will make themselves available to you, schedule to meet them, for at least an hour, whenever you feel you need their help, to clarify, or confirm your thinking, or if you think they can contribute to your thinking.

If one-on-one meetings are not possible, talk to them on the phone.

It is far less effective to use social media to lobby one-way ideas you feel strongly about, if you want to develop a satisfying and productive thought partnership.

You will ruin any possibilities of meaningful interaction, if you go that route.

I repeat...one-on-one in-person communication, for 1) at least a one-hour duration, 2) with a person you trust, 3) who is someone you believe can help you clarify your thinking, or contribute to your thinking, and 4) whose company, or interaction with, you enjoy, is best for a satisfying and productive thought partnership.