The 12 days of Christmas
A Christmas quiz
The Answers
1. James Bond is 007
2. 2 Heads are Better than one
3. Heinz 57 Varieties
4. A Bird in the Hand is Worth 2 in the Bush
5. Water Freezes at 32 Degrees Fahrenheit
6. 7 Deadly Sins
7. 2’s Company 3’s a Crowd
8. 11 Pipers Piping
9. 1, 2 Buckle my Shoe
10. 22 Yards in a Chain
11. 6 Geese a-Laying
12. The 12 Disciples
13. 24 Hours from Tulsa
14. 7 Colours of the Rainbow
15. 27 Books in the New Testament
16. Boeing 787 Dreamliner
17. 101 Dalmatians
18. 1,000 Years in a Millennium
19. 2 Turtle Doves
20. 6 Balls to an Over in Cricket
21. Snow White and the 7 Dwarfs
22. The Famous Five by Enid Blyton
23. 4 Stars in the Flag of New Zealand
24. 9 Ladies Dancing
25. 26 Letters in the Alphabet
26. 52 Weeks in a Year
27. 12 Drummers Drumming
28. 18 Holes on a Golf Course
29. 4 Calling Dirds
30. Dance of the 7 Veils
31. The 3 Stooges
32. 60 Minutes in an Hour
33. Catch 22 by Joseph Heller
34. 10 Lords a Leaping
35. 12 Signs of the Zodiac
36. 7 Days in the Week
37. Ali Barber and the 40 Thieves
38. 52 Cards in a Pack Excluding Jokers
39. 25 Years is a Silver Anniversary
40. 3 French Hens
41. 1 Partridge in a Pear Tree
42. 15 Minutes of Fame
43. 3 Blind Mice, See How They Run
44. 5 Points for a Try and 2 for a Conversion
45. 76 Trombones Led the Big Parade
46. 90 Degrees in a Right Angle
47. 365 Days in a Year
48. 16 Ounces in a Pound
49. 7 Swans a-Swimming
50. 9 Planets in the solar System
51. 77 Sunset Strip
52. Cats have 9 Lives
53. 4 and 20 Blackbirds Baked in a Pie
54. 29 days in February in a leap year
55. 13 is Unlucky for Some
56. 3 Coins in a Fountain
57. 50 Years is a Golden Anniversary
58. 5 Golden Rings
59. 7 Brides for 7 Brothers
60. 12 Pence Equals 1 Shilling
61. 12 Days of Christmas
62. 8 Maids a Milking
63. 15 Men on a Dead Mans Chest
64. George Clooney in Oceans 11
65. 9 11 Destruction of the New York Trade Centre
66. 2012 for the London Olympics
67. 6 Stars in the Flag of Australia
68. 2 Shillings Equals 1 Florin
69. Airbus A380
70. 12 Months in the Year
71. No. 1 London, is the Home of the Duke of Wellington
72. 60 Years is a Diamond Anniversary
73. Minus 40 Centigrade equals Minus 40 Fahrenheit
74. 13 Stripes in the Flag of the USA
75. Rolls Royce RB211
76. University of the Third Age
77. The Taking of Pelham 123
78. Speed of Light 186,000 Miles Per Second
79. London Olympics 2012
80. The Magnificent 7
81. Miracle on 34th Street
82. Dial 'WHI 1212' for New Scotland Yard
83. 4 for an Ace; 3 for a King; 2 for a Queen and 1 for a Jack
84. Blake’s 7
85. 12 Angry Men
86. Buy 1 Get 1 Free
87. Aston Martin DB9
88. 40 Days And 40 Nights
89. 147 Max Break in Snooker
90. 3 Wise Men
91. 5 Marx Brothers
92. 21 Gun Salute
93. Santa had 9 Reindeer
94. Cinderella has 2 Ugly Sisters
95. 7 Wonders of the World
96. Water boils at 212 Degrees Fahrenheit
97. 21 Shillings Equals 1 Guinea
98. Halloween is on 31st October
99. Minus 273 Degrees Centigrade is Absolute Zero
100. Quantum Read at Speeds of 20,000 – 30,000 Words Per Minute
Friday, 24 December 2010
Tuesday, 14 September 2010
Holidays, Exams and Skype
The World Cup and Wimbledon are firmly behind us and many of us will still be looking forward to that well earned summer break whilst others may be reflecting on an enjoyable time away. Perhaps having enjoyed a stay overseas or somewhere here in the UK?
Over the last few years I’ve been very lucky to run Quantum ReadingÔ, NLP and other related programmes across Britain, Europe and the Middle East.
When training abroad, I often stay, at my own expense, for a few days either side of the course. It’s good to be able to get to know my host, my students and the country’s culture before we start the training and then again after the course. Also it’s good to find my way around as often I go back to the same country again!
Based close to Heathrow, the M25 and with the Egham Station just a short walk, my getting to meet you, or one of your clients, is never a problem.
Exams
Over the last few months, we have been busy helping clients ensure they get the results they want, so they can relax whilst away. If you have attained he results you sought – congratulations. However, we also know that many will not have passed, or got the required grades and will be wondering what to do next.
If you, or one of your clients, are a mature student struggling with distance learning, the parent of a 6th former or an undergraduate who is not doing so well and needs an extra bit of help, we are more than happy to oblige. That is what we do. We help people to learn, to study more effectively.
After a few days with us you can unwind and enjoy the rest of your break returning to your studies with a new found confidence. And, if you must, you can practice some of the new skills as you relax!
Specifically we run Quantum ReadingÔ and Study Skills programmes. As personal tuition we agree dates and a location to suit you. Alternatively we conduct the programmes as open course where dates etc are on our website. Please contact us with your enquiry and for further details.
Skype
We have gone live on Skype. If you are also on Skype, please call, you can find me at paul.hobbs.ttc.
It would be good to see you as we discuss your training needs and how The Thinking Consultancy can help.
Hope you have a super summer break.
Kind regards.
Paul Hobbs
The Thinking Consultancy
The World Cup and Wimbledon are firmly behind us and many of us will still be looking forward to that well earned summer break whilst others may be reflecting on an enjoyable time away. Perhaps having enjoyed a stay overseas or somewhere here in the UK?
Over the last few years I’ve been very lucky to run Quantum ReadingÔ, NLP and other related programmes across Britain, Europe and the Middle East.
When training abroad, I often stay, at my own expense, for a few days either side of the course. It’s good to be able to get to know my host, my students and the country’s culture before we start the training and then again after the course. Also it’s good to find my way around as often I go back to the same country again!
Based close to Heathrow, the M25 and with the Egham Station just a short walk, my getting to meet you, or one of your clients, is never a problem.
Exams
Over the last few months, we have been busy helping clients ensure they get the results they want, so they can relax whilst away. If you have attained he results you sought – congratulations. However, we also know that many will not have passed, or got the required grades and will be wondering what to do next.
If you, or one of your clients, are a mature student struggling with distance learning, the parent of a 6th former or an undergraduate who is not doing so well and needs an extra bit of help, we are more than happy to oblige. That is what we do. We help people to learn, to study more effectively.
After a few days with us you can unwind and enjoy the rest of your break returning to your studies with a new found confidence. And, if you must, you can practice some of the new skills as you relax!
Specifically we run Quantum ReadingÔ and Study Skills programmes. As personal tuition we agree dates and a location to suit you. Alternatively we conduct the programmes as open course where dates etc are on our website. Please contact us with your enquiry and for further details.
Skype
We have gone live on Skype. If you are also on Skype, please call, you can find me at paul.hobbs.ttc.
It would be good to see you as we discuss your training needs and how The Thinking Consultancy can help.
Hope you have a super summer break.
Kind regards.
Paul Hobbs
The Thinking Consultancy
Monday, 7 June 2010
Why Speed Reading Courses Fail!
There are many courses available around the world to help you improve your reading. Most speed reading courses will show a dramatic improvement on the day, but three months down the line most students have reverted back to their original slow approach to reading. Why is this?
Limiting Beliefs
The majority of people who come on a speed reading course will have 20, 30 or 40 or more years experience using reading techniques learnt at school. These techniques will have brought ‘success’, but leave readers intrinsically tied up with a number of non-conscious limiting beliefs about how they should and should not read.
Left Brain Training
Most speed reading courses, including books and self improvement packs, bring about improvements by logical inputs and the repetition of new techniques. Both these address your ‘left-brain’ but ignore the ‘right brain’ which holds your cognitive belief system.
How We Read
With traditional, or phonetic reading, you see words and convert what you see to a sound. That sound gives you the meaning of what you are reading. However it limits your reading speed to how fast you hear the words and this has an upper limit of about 400 words per minute. (WPM)
By cutting out the ‘sound’ element you can now read as fast as you see the words giving you the potential to read at a few thousand wpm!
Reading Material
Some material should be read slowly. For example poetry and some of the classics benefit from slow reading, allowing you to enjoy and appreciate the beauty of the words as used by the author.
But this reading style does not apply to all the material you have to read. For business, or a course of study you may be undertaking, you need to get through it, pull out what is important, learn and action it as quickly as possible.
This is where ‘visual’ reading comes into its own.
Variable Reading Speeds
On our Accelerated Reading programme we change the approach to reading and engage your whole brain. We give you a range of reading speeds.
We use neuro-linguistic programming to soften some of the limiting beliefs
We improve your reading skills and match them with the reading material that you need to understand.
You will experience and leave the course with the potential to read at 1000+ WPM.
The skill remains for life.
Understanding
With traditional reading, readers understand about 55% of what they have read. On the last exercise of our Accelerated Reading course participants regularly record a comprehension exceeding 75%.
Post Course
To maintain the skills learnt during the day you will be given our Post Course Self Study Pack containing 2 CDs, 2 books and an instruction booklet. Using the pack will help you maintain the skills acquired.
Conclusions
Training needs to work on both the left and right hemispheres of the brain.
Limiting beliefs need to be addressed
Students need post course reinforcement exercises
How to join an Accelerated Reading Programme
We run our Accelerated Reading courses as one-to-one/personal tuition, as an in-company programme or as public courses open to all. For more information on our family of reading programmes please contact me direct.
There are many courses available around the world to help you improve your reading. Most speed reading courses will show a dramatic improvement on the day, but three months down the line most students have reverted back to their original slow approach to reading. Why is this?
Limiting Beliefs
The majority of people who come on a speed reading course will have 20, 30 or 40 or more years experience using reading techniques learnt at school. These techniques will have brought ‘success’, but leave readers intrinsically tied up with a number of non-conscious limiting beliefs about how they should and should not read.
Left Brain Training
Most speed reading courses, including books and self improvement packs, bring about improvements by logical inputs and the repetition of new techniques. Both these address your ‘left-brain’ but ignore the ‘right brain’ which holds your cognitive belief system.
How We Read
With traditional, or phonetic reading, you see words and convert what you see to a sound. That sound gives you the meaning of what you are reading. However it limits your reading speed to how fast you hear the words and this has an upper limit of about 400 words per minute. (WPM)
By cutting out the ‘sound’ element you can now read as fast as you see the words giving you the potential to read at a few thousand wpm!
Reading Material
Some material should be read slowly. For example poetry and some of the classics benefit from slow reading, allowing you to enjoy and appreciate the beauty of the words as used by the author.
But this reading style does not apply to all the material you have to read. For business, or a course of study you may be undertaking, you need to get through it, pull out what is important, learn and action it as quickly as possible.
This is where ‘visual’ reading comes into its own.
Variable Reading Speeds
On our Accelerated Reading programme we change the approach to reading and engage your whole brain. We give you a range of reading speeds.
We use neuro-linguistic programming to soften some of the limiting beliefs
We improve your reading skills and match them with the reading material that you need to understand.
You will experience and leave the course with the potential to read at 1000+ WPM.
The skill remains for life.
Understanding
With traditional reading, readers understand about 55% of what they have read. On the last exercise of our Accelerated Reading course participants regularly record a comprehension exceeding 75%.
Post Course
To maintain the skills learnt during the day you will be given our Post Course Self Study Pack containing 2 CDs, 2 books and an instruction booklet. Using the pack will help you maintain the skills acquired.
Conclusions
Training needs to work on both the left and right hemispheres of the brain.
Limiting beliefs need to be addressed
Students need post course reinforcement exercises
How to join an Accelerated Reading Programme
We run our Accelerated Reading courses as one-to-one/personal tuition, as an in-company programme or as public courses open to all. For more information on our family of reading programmes please contact me direct.
Regards
Paul Hobbs
Paul Hobbs
TheThinking Consultancy
Wednesday, 24 February 2010
COMING OUT OF RECESSION
Since our Newsletter in January, we would like to share some remarkable success stories with you.
One of last month’s booking for personal tuition produced results that amazed even me!
Procedural Manuals
A client brought with her two procedural manuals that, although not massive tomes, were very heavy going in content.
She had tried to read them on numerous occasions but had been defeated in the process but was required to read them!
On the course, the client got through them in well under an hour, task completed!
Tenders
The third piece of reading material the client brought with her was a tender submitted by an international telecommunications company.
The tender was packed into a lever arch folder and was about 4”/10cm thick. The size of the reading material was a surprise!
On the morning of the third day of the course the client scrutinised the tender and completed her analysis of it in less than 30 minutes!
Ninety minutes of proactive course work saved, what would have taken nearly a week in the work place plus she can use the skills again and again in her day-to-day work.
Accelerated Reading for Local Authority
The Thinking Consultancy ran another Accelerated Reading course for a local authority in Kent . The fifth local authority in Kent to benefit from our Accelerated Reading programme.
On average the improvement, as measured on the three reading exercises, showed that all course attendees had at least doubled their reading speeds. Most showed a three fold improvement and some quadrupled their performance.
Plus all improved their comprehension of what they had read!
The Thinking Consultancy goes to Turkey
The Quantum Reading course in Turkey has been confirmed and dates set for the middle of March. We are hoping for some warmer weather!
This course is full! However, Basak Tav will be running future programmes in either Ankara or Istanbul .
If you are interested, and would enjoy two fascinating cities, please let me know and I will pass on your details to Basak.
And travelling further afield
Interest from South Africa is progressing and we have recently had enquiries for a repeat booking in Bahrain !
In addition to the courses in progress we have also had interest from solicitors practice to join a Quantum Reading course. This will be of great benefit to their business.
2009/2010 Training Budget
Why not pay now train later? If you have not exhausted your training budget why not use what is left to pay for courses that we can run for you later in the year?
Please contact me for information at http://www.thethinkingconsultancy.com
One of last month’s booking for personal tuition produced results that amazed even me!
Procedural Manuals
A client brought with her two procedural manuals that, although not massive tomes, were very heavy going in content.
She had tried to read them on numerous occasions but had been defeated in the process but was required to read them!
On the course, the client got through them in well under an hour, task completed!
Tenders
The third piece of reading material the client brought with her was a tender submitted by an international telecommunications company.
The tender was packed into a lever arch folder and was about 4”/10cm thick. The size of the reading material was a surprise!
On the morning of the third day of the course the client scrutinised the tender and completed her analysis of it in less than 30 minutes!
Ninety minutes of proactive course work saved, what would have taken nearly a week in the work place plus she can use the skills again and again in her day-to-day work.
Accelerated Reading for Local Authority
The Thinking Consultancy ran another Accelerated Reading course for a local authority in Kent . The fifth local authority in Kent to benefit from our Accelerated Reading programme.
On average the improvement, as measured on the three reading exercises, showed that all course attendees had at least doubled their reading speeds. Most showed a three fold improvement and some quadrupled their performance.
Plus all improved their comprehension of what they had read!
The Thinking Consultancy goes to Turkey
The Quantum Reading course in Turkey has been confirmed and dates set for the middle of March. We are hoping for some warmer weather!
This course is full! However, Basak Tav will be running future programmes in either Ankara or Istanbul .
If you are interested, and would enjoy two fascinating cities, please let me know and I will pass on your details to Basak.
And travelling further afield
Interest from South Africa is progressing and we have recently had enquiries for a repeat booking in Bahrain !
In addition to the courses in progress we have also had interest from solicitors practice to join a Quantum Reading course. This will be of great benefit to their business.
2009/2010 Training Budget
Why not pay now train later? If you have not exhausted your training budget why not use what is left to pay for courses that we can run for you later in the year?
Please contact me for information at http://www.thethinkingconsultancy.com
Tuesday, 19 January 2010
Recession What recession?
Even in the depth of a recession many enlightened individuals and organisations are investing in their own, or their staffs, development.
We have had more new business over the last few weeks than any previous New Year. To date, and we are only in mid January, we have received the following bookings and enquiries:
A booking to join our Quantum Reading course later this month
Another two Accelerated Reading courses booked with different local authorities in Kent
Our 6th booking for an Accelerated Reading course for a local police authority
And taking advantage of the currency situation:-
From Ankara, Turkey, a booking for a Quantum Reading course to run in March. This booking hosted by NLP specialists.
From Canada, an inquiry to run a Quantum Reading course hosted by a training consultancy based in Toronto
An inquiry to run a Quantum Reading course with a training consultancy in India
An inquiry to run a Quantum Reading course for a hospital in Kuwait
And, last but not least,
An inquiry to run a Quantum Reading course for a university in South Africa
If this is a recession let it roll
Can we run a course for you? We can provide personal, one-to-one development programmes exclusively for you.
We can also run courses for your consultancy, your clients or for your company.
Please contact Paul Hobbs direct (44) 01784 440404 for information on making a booking or visit our website http://www.thethinkingconsultancy.com/
with this amount of interest we must be getting something right!
Sunday, 10 January 2010
NLP Interviews
A good colleague, Dianne Lowther of Brilliant Minds, has recorded a series of interviews she conducted with eminent trainers from the NLP fraternity. They are from both the UK and America.
These interviews are to be broadcast as a ‘Telesummit’ next week and are free of charge.
In all there are 10 interviews each lasting for about an hour.
The schedule is (all times are GMT)
Monday 11 January
1pm Sue Knight
8pm John Overdurf
Tuesday 12 January
1pm Michael Carroll
8pm Shelle Rose Charvet
Wednesday 13 January
1pm Jeremy Lazarus7
pm Gene Early
Thursday 14 January
1pm Karen Moxom
8pm Christina Hall
Friday 15 January
10am Barney Wee
1pm Mystery Guest TBA
If you are interested go to www.NLPTelesummit2010.co.uk and reserve your place now. Or visit Dianne’s website www.brilliantminds.co.uk Alternatively call her on 01926 435609
A good colleague, Dianne Lowther of Brilliant Minds, has recorded a series of interviews she conducted with eminent trainers from the NLP fraternity. They are from both the UK and America.
These interviews are to be broadcast as a ‘Telesummit’ next week and are free of charge.
In all there are 10 interviews each lasting for about an hour.
The schedule is (all times are GMT)
Monday 11 January
1pm Sue Knight
8pm John Overdurf
Tuesday 12 January
1pm Michael Carroll
8pm Shelle Rose Charvet
Wednesday 13 January
1pm Jeremy Lazarus7
pm Gene Early
Thursday 14 January
1pm Karen Moxom
8pm Christina Hall
Friday 15 January
10am Barney Wee
1pm Mystery Guest TBA
If you are interested go to www.NLPTelesummit2010.co.uk and reserve your place now. Or visit Dianne’s website www.brilliantminds.co.uk Alternatively call her on 01926 435609
Tuesday, 5 January 2010
PROGRAMME OF COURSES 2010
Quantum Reading 3 days
19th – 21st January
25th – 27th May
Course fee £795.00
Essential Quantum Reading 2 days
27th & 28th January
11th & 12th March
Course fee £655.00
Accelerated/Speed Reading 1 day
18th February
12th May
Course fee £395.00
Compact Accelerated Reading ½ day
11th February
18th May
Course fee £175.00
Study Skills 3 days
23rd – 25th February
7th – 9th April
Course fee £795.00
Advanced Study Skills 5 days
6th – 10th September
Course fee £1,850.00
Memory Skills 1 day
16th February
Course fee £395.00
All the above programmes can be run on an in-company basis or as personal tuition.
Courses for later in the year will be published late Spring.