Sunday 1 June 2008

WISDOM OF THE WORLD - WEEK 19


PERCEPTIONS

A famous American psychologist oversaw a remarkable experiment. He gave all the students in a school an IQ test just before the end of the school year. After the test he choose ten students and he told their teachers, “From their tests, we have discovered that these children are mentally gifted and are bound to be top of their class next year. Please don’t tell the class as it might be harmful to them.” The teachers promised not to say anything. In fact none of the ten was mentally gifted, they had been chosen randomly.

A year later the psychologists returned to the school and tested the children again. All of the “mentally gifted” students had increased their IQ by at least ten points, with some of them rising by thirty six points. When the teachers were asked to describe these children they used words such as ‘intelligent’, ‘lively’, ‘interested’, and ‘dynamic’. It was the how the teachers saw these children and how they interacted with them that developed their potential.

Our perceptions create our reality.

5 MINUTES WITH - KATHLEEN GRANT



Kathleen Grant from Burt is a full time carer and well-known fundraiser. As well as her charitable activities, Kathleen is the caretaker for Burt Hall. An active member of the Aileach Women’s Group, she enjoys photography, quizzes and is a keen bingo player. She also never misses a GAA match at the club in Burt


What music do you like?
I love music. I turn on the radio in every room at 8 am, except the bathroom, but I am working on that….I enjoy ballads and Irish Country and Western, pan pipes and classical music. My choice of stations is the Inishowen Community Radio and Highland until 3pm. I used to enjoy Frankie Byrne on Radio Eireann, she used to help with peoples’ problems and played Frank Sinatra songs to break up the talking.

What would you never throw away?
Nothing. A tidy house is the sign of a wasted life…I have a few things that I hold on to like the ink pen I used at school. It has a wooden shaft and a nib that you would dip into the inkwells. I campaigned for the bottle banks in Burt and try to recycle most things if I do throw them out.

What book are you reading?
North by Northwest, this is a book about the life and times of Liam McCormick. Liam was the architect of the St Aengus Church here in Burt. His work is inspirational.

Have you been to the cinema recently, what did you see and was it any good?
I am very hard to please but I did enjoy the Bucket List about two terminally ill men escaping from a cancer ward and heading off on a road trip with a wish list of to-dos before they die. The thing I remember most about being in the cinema was a woman spilling her popcorn all over the floor next to me.

What section of the newspaper do you turn to first?
The headlines, then the local notes and politics stories. If the Burt boys are playing GAA, I will check out how they are doing on the sports pages.

What do you think about voting on the Lisbon Treaty?
It is important to have your say. I couldn’t wait until my 18th birthday to vote. I think everyone should use their vote, even if they spoil them.

Most embarrassing moment of your life?
There are numerous times. Two spring to mind though. I am an identical twin and my sister Breige and I dressed alike. I was in Byrne’s clothes shop in Derry and ran into a mirror thinking it was my sister. The other time was when I thought I walked into a bookshop in Carrigart. It turned out to be someone’s front room. The owner was a keen collector of books and thankfully saw the funny side of a complete stranger in his house.

Have you a favourite TV programme?
I enjoy factual and current affairs programmes. I also enjoy quizzes and a bit of reality TV like Big Brother

How do you relax?
Going out for a meal or travelling. I relax by keeping busy

What job did you want to do when you were a child?
I fancied being a hotel receptionist. I still enjoy making people feel at home.

Where would you like to go for your holidays?
I love both Westport in County Mayo and Newcastle in County Down.

Your idea of heaven?
Just give me a hotel room and breakfast in bed.

What famous people would you invite around for dinner and why?
John Bowman from Questions and Answers and the entertainer Breezy Willow- the scone maker. She prepares her scones, sings and recites funny stories (Buncrana library have a DVD of her). Josef Locke can do a bit of after dinner singing for us to end the night.

Favourite animal?
My cat of 12 years. We have never named her and just call her Puss.

Biggest fear?
Losing family members and friends…. And the price of chips going up…

What was your favourite childhood game?
I wasn’t that physical when I was young so I tended to play board games. I enjoyed working things out (and still do) There were eight of us in the family and we often played Ludo, cards and Connect 4 into the early hours of the morning.

Biggest thrill?
When the Burt Boys won the County final hurling.

The world’s most irritating invention?
The phone, especially when I am eating my dinner.

Personal philosophy?
Live and let live.

What is your idea of a good night in?
I would rather have a good night out.

Biggest disappointment?
Not getting to Fatima, the Portuguese shrine. My friend Christine suggested we go, but with one thing and another it didn’t work out.

Which period in history would you most like to have lived through?
1916 –1922 uprising. Definitely not the famine, I couldn’t do without food.


World’s most useful invention?
If I said the tin opener people would think I couldn’t cook, so it would have to be media devices such as the radio, television and computers… and the pen.







BLOOM IMAGES FROM PHOENIX PARK DUBLIN




Other stories

Related Posts with Thumbnails