Talk yourself right into it

She talked herself right into it! Helen Lescheid writes--A friend of mine, recovering from a deep depression, said his turnaround came when he realized, “I have a choice. I can continue to blame my upbringing, past traumatic experiences, and life’s injustices for the emotional mess I’m in, or I can focus on today and begin to take small steps of recovery.” Like him, I got myself out of a pit of self-pity and despair by focusing on the fact that if Jesus Christ lives in me, I’m a new creation. I can leave the old behind and claim my new position in Christ. But it was a choice I had to make many times a day. ItchieBitchiek says—I think they talked themselves right into it!

She talked me right into it! Yes she did. I was getting some information from city hall when Deb says—take a couple of light bulbs with you (i.e. new energy efficient ones). I said, na, I don’t think so. She said—they are free (i.e. she talked me right into it). She also said that in the near future we won’t be able to buy the old inefficient style if I like it or not (i.e. they talk me right into it by forcing me). Huh, interesting.

They talk you right into it (i.e. an old wise tale a.k.a. myth). You have been told this for years by your mom and grandma but it just ain’t true. You’ll get sick if you don’t dress warmly enough in cold weather. Fuwee! The only way you can get a cold is from a virus. And you know what’s the best way to prevent a cold? It’s by washing your hands with warm water, soap and friction (i.e. that’s no myth folks). Such is life.

I’m not hungry but it sure looks good says the demon in my head. I really don’t need it as I’m watching my weight but maybe this one time the daemon in my head says. Hey, no one is watching and no one will know now will they. But I want to loose weight and if I eat all the time I won’t loose weight. And the beat goes on! Okay, just this one time I will eat the chocolate, just this one time! She talked herself right into it. A friend who I was around recently lost 30 pounds and his wife says you have lost enough. You don’t need to loose any more weight. So how did you do it? He counted every calorie he ate—limited it to sooooooo many calories each day and did mild exercise. He lost 30 pounds—it’s really doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure that out. There are all kinds of calorie counters on line. But the biggest thing a guy has to do is “talkhimselfintodoingit” or it just ain’t going to work. As my Daddy, Chester, always told me—The best discipline is self discipline. Very few folks have the that kind of discipline. I’m proud of my friend. So if my friend can talk himself into doing that, I guess you and I can talk ourselves into doing whatever we need to do. What do you think?

SusieQ was just going to look at the new outfits, wasn’t going to buy but those little voices in her head had conflicting ideas. Man, is this a cute outfit—I said I was not going to buy—it’s only a couple hundred dollars—I really don’t need it—it fits sooooooo goood—I really don’t have a place to wear it—it is different—what will my husband think—he will never know—it will make me feel soooooo good—I really don’t need it—I deserve it—I all ready have several outfits in the closet—it would impress my friends—no, I said I was not going to buy something; that’s it! Then SusieQ’s friend, BigBuyerSally, happens to come buy and says—that looks darling on you (i.e. it’s sooooo much you). SusieQ says—That does it, I’ll take it! Such is life. SusieQ should have listened to Winston Churchill about the voices in her head that talked her right into it--"This is the lesson: never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never---in nothing, great or small, large or petty---never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense. Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy." ~ Winston Churchill

LuckieEddie says--Some of the difficult trials in life may have been the result of the choices another person made, and some may have been the result of our own choices. As hard as we might try, we cannot control all of the circumstances in our lives. We do, however, have the opportunity to control our responses and our attitudes. We get to choose how we shape our moments or whether we all allow the circumstances to shape us in negative or positive ways. Wellsuckamucka!

I read it in the paper so it mustberight! I saw something that said The Great Pretender by Millinia Black was rated a 5star book so I got if from the library. As you know, I don’t like fakers a.k.a. pretenders so I thought it might be a good read for me. It is a novel about a guy who has two families and pretends to both families like everything is normal. Of course everything falls apart just like real life (i.e. pretenders are usually always found out). What I find most interesting in this novel and many times in real life is that folks “talkthemselvesrightinto” believing what they want to believe (i.e. even when the evidence, feelings, events and reality shows that it's a fake). They know better but they “talkthemselvesrightinto” believing non-reality stuff (i.e. they don’t like to give up the cash cow). I enjoyed the book; easy read. I want to warn you, there is a lot of sex in it so if that bothers you, don’t read it. Joesixpack says--The greatest faker a.k.a. pretender of all time is the devil and don't you forget that!  Ouchy ouchy!

It takes a Philadelphia lawyer to know what a paraprosdokian is. A Chicago area lawyer, who I know, says that a paraprosdokian is a figure of speech in which the latter part of a sentence or phrase is surprising or unexpected in a way that causes the reader or listener to reframe or reinterpret the first part. It is frequently used for humorous or dramatic effect. Like--Do not argue with an idiot. He will drag you down to his level and beat you with experience. I want to die peacefully in my sleep, like my grandfather. Not screaming and yelling like the passengers in his car. The last thing I want to do is hurt you. But it's still on the list. Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak. Evening news is where they begin with 'Good evening,' and then proceed to tell you why it isn't. I didn't say it was your fault, I said I was blaming you. Behind every successful man is his woman. Behind the fall of a successful man is usually another woman. A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory. Hospitality: making your guests feel like they're at home, even if you wish they were. Some cause happiness wherever they go. Others whenever they go.

This week I had the opportunity to golf and ride with a seasoned gentleman, Frank, who is full of wisdom (i.e. been a missionary/pastor of 40some years). I learned a lot from him. He sent me a short email about the day and ended it with this-- When you are DOWN to nothing....God is UP to something! Faith sees the invisible, believes the incredible and receives the impossible! Now talk yourself into that folks and life will be a lot better.

The next day I had the opportunity to observe a class taught by a friend who is a professor at the University of Northern Iowa. He teaches 3 sections of Humanity 1 (i.e. earliest history of ancient history—there are also Humanity 2 and Humanity 3). This guy is innovative, intelligent, unique (i.e. in a good way), and excited about teaching (i.e. his students told me this). He is an encouragement to me as was Frank. He’s Robert, age 78.

So then I stopped at the Cedar Falls DQ for a Dilly Bar from Betty (i.e. a long time friend who I met only through buying Dilly Bars--an unique gal in a good way). I walk in and she says hi erv, hi Betty, she walks over to the cooler and gets a Dilly Bar out, I put my money on the counter, so when you closing Betty—maybe the week before Thanksgiving—going to work again next year—ya I plan to. Betty has worked at the DQ for 28 years and is 77 years old. She’s a real encouragement to me for a lot of reasons (i.e. I know a little about the speed bumps in her life). ANYWAY Betty says—this Dilly Bar is on me erv, put your money away! I went to do my volunteer work at the hospital (i.e. I was charged up). I hope I was an encouragement to the folks I talked to. I know I sure was still charged up riding my bike afterwards.

Sooooooo the next day I was walking down town to the library when I saw my friend Les getting his mail—After some farm talk and weather talk, we finally talked about something with some meat to it. Somehow we got talking about how he goes down to the nursing home (i.e. for years) and talks to the folks in the home. He told me that many of those folks are soooooo lonely and just really appreciate him just talking to him. Les is an encouragement to me. Les is 82 and unique in a good way..

Sooooooo the next day I had an appointment in the metro so I thought I would stop at McDonald’s and have a senior cup of coffee and read the U.S.A. Today (i.e. I like to do that). A guy, who is sitting in a booth across from me was reading the Des Moines Register. He gets up and asks me if I would like to read the Register as well. He had a Iowa Hawkeye sweatshirt on—so you a Hawk fan—yes I am (i.e. he lifts up his sweatshirt and has a Iowa tee shirt on and a Iowa belt buckle)—you go to some of the games—I use to; I went to school there for a couple of years—really—ya I played basketball for those two years—really—ya in fact we won the Big Ten Championship in 1944-1945—wow, I’m impressed (i.e. he mossied over to my booth by the window) and we talked some more—tell me something about you—well I had very good parents and good siblings that I’m soooooo thankful for that to this day; why the hell am I telling you this damn stuff; I don’t even know you—well sit don’t and let’s get to know each other—His name was Ed and he was 85 and was (i.e.5'21" as Ed says) or 6'9" when he played for the Hawks (i.e. a little shorter today he says) but had to come home after two years as he had no money to continue. Ed is very self-confident, intelligent, and opinionated (i.e. is a strong union man and does not like George W. Bush). He told me he’s unique (i.e. I think in a good way). He told me money talks and big money screams! So there you go, he agrees with me (i.e. has to be a good guy). He gave me his personal card and on the bottom it says—THIMK and SNILE! He was an encourager to me just like the other folks. Such is life.

I tell you what folks, these are real folks (i.e. not pretenders or fakers).  They are the real deal.  Folks with hugh massive good hearts--my kind of folks. No question (i.e. that's my opinion). 

I'm going to try to get into your head (i.e. talk you right into it). Arlene and I went to the movie, Secretariat the other night. I had two motivating factors. 1st—I like true stories about underdogs winning. I think the reason is that I consider myself and my sisters survivors (i.e. underdogs—not born with a golden spoon in our mouth—not even a sliver spoon in our mouths) and for some reason we have survived to some degree. I don’t know the reason for sure but have an idea (i.e. for me it just fell in my lap). 2nd is that I have a friend who I call Secretariat (i.e. he is one tough guy who can do anything faster than anyone—like superman). He’s a winner and has the same internal fire that Secretariat had. It’s really a good name for him. I recommend you see the movie—no swearing, sex, or violence. And we know who wins—Secretariat wins the Triple Crown just like he did in real life. I read this in the paper so it must be right—“…we should take our families to see it. Nothing guarantees more films of this kind than to see it among the top grossing movies in Variety magazine.” It’s all about the money folks, if folks don’t want to watch this type of movie but would rather watch sex, violence, and swearing, then they will produce what the folks will spend their money on. Da! Such is life.

MissPerfect says—Do you have those little voices that talk to you; those that are in your head? Arlene and I went and saw the Broadway traveling stage show, Legally Blond, at the Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center. It was good. It’s a blond who is trying to tell herself that being blond is not sooooooo bad. It was cute and funny. ANYWAY one part that intrigued me was the 3 to 6 girls who sang and pretended to be her “little voice in her head” giving her encouragement. Oh that encouragement! Encouragement can turn around something that you were about to give up on. It can come from the strangest folks, the strangest places, and in the strangest forms. Oh yes! It can be spoken, written, acted out, displayed, demonstrated, read about, seen at the movie theater, read in the Bible or by “little voices in our heads”! What do you say about that? Sooooooooooo throw those chips away, get your butt off the couch and encourage someone. You just won’t make others feel better but make yourself feel better. I was given a shirt by a friend recently.  He gives these shirts to folks who have influenced his life (i.e. what an idea). I was honored he gave me one. He encouraged me! Maybe I encouraged him in his past (i.e. hopefully).

Folks have all kinds of little people talking to them (i.e. some in their heads and some at the bar). Oh yes! A person can talk himself into almost anything. TheOldViking says--Just an observation…I have noticed when I come to this site..there are neon lights in the windows…the interior lighting is a little dim and a juke box is blaring in the corner,,,a few old men are hunched over a pool table with youngsters hanging round watching every move and an ear for every word… in the booths they huddle nursing a bottle of liquid bread lamenting their future while at the bar the loud ones announce to all they have all the answers. But when closing time comes the only thing to remain are dirty bottles a few stragglers stumbling out the door and the smell of spilled beer and a Budweiser clock telling them their late getting home… nothing was accomplished it was just another night at the bar… a place to flush out your kidneys and empty your minds…

Have a FUN day my friends unless you have other plans. (-:

erv

KR’s thought of the day--Much wisdom comes from wise words, little from wisecracks and less from wise guys.  MyFriendJean says--Speak kind words and you will hear kind echoes. One of the rescued Chile miners said this--I was with God and with the devil.  And I reached out for God.