halo effect

George Bernard Shaw said--"If you are going to tell the truth, you better make them laugh; otherwise they'll kill you."  Soooo here we go; lets see if you laugh or if the fur flies!

Jim'screamofthe...joke! A customer asked, "In what aisle can I find the Polish sausage?" The clerk asks, "Are you Polish?"  The guy clearly offended, says, "Yes I am.  But let me ask you something.  If I had asked for Italian sausage, would you ask me if I was Italian?  Or if I had asked for German Bratwurst, would you ask me if I was German?  Or if I asked for a kosher hot dog would you ask me if I was Jewish? Or if I had asked for a Taco, would you ask if I was Mexican? Or if I asked for some Irish whiskey, would you ask if I was Irish? The clerk says, "No, I probably wouldn't". The guy says, "Well then, because I asked for Polish sausage, why did you ask me if I'm Polish?" The clerk replied, "Because you're in Ace Hardware."

Halo effect!  We usually ate Sunday breakfasts when in AZ at T.C. Eggington's.  I quizzed our waitress Haley a little the last time we were there.  Thom, the owner, personally hires and trains all employees.  The waitresses are all college girls and are from typical homes.  They all dress alike and all are rather small in stature. No visible tattoos.  They

are friendly, gracious, happy and just fun to be around.  He caters to upper-middle class clientele.  He does a very good job.  Halley is a focused, personable, and a sweetheart folks.  She will do well in life.  That is the halo effect that Thom has created and his business has really done well (i.e. the silver bullet).  He has committed to it. My opinion.

When coming back from AZ we stayed over night in Albuquerque.  I was riding down in the elevator in the morning with a gal maybe 30.  She was a tall, slim, attractive gal wearing a gray suit.  She was professionally, humble, confident, charming, personable and obviously talented (i.e. great combination maybe--her halo to me anyway).  She asked if I was on vacation or business. Found out that she was a Navajo and was an attorney for the Navajo Nation.  She works on oil and mineral , water and marijuana issues!  Interesting ha,--yes, very much soooo.  She really impressed me 'cause she was soooooo nice and soooooo real.  I liked her halo she gave.    

"Not every man can carry a full cup. Sudden elevation frequently leads to pride and a fall. The most exacting test of all to survive is prosperity" [Oswald Chambers].  I know some great folks who survive prosperity very well.  Maybe they have to work at it.  Some have very full cups.  They are great folks.  You know who you are.  Many many folks that get full cups, forget the little folks of the world (e.g. DuaneTheWorm).  My Daddy, Chester, would  say--erv, Everyone has problems, it's just that some handle them differently.  My Mom, Anna, would say--erv, You can tell who the good folks are by how they treat folks less than them. I must admit, my cup runnth over! Such is life.

Maybe you have seen the movie! Ben Rand is the fictional billionaire character in Peter Seller's final movie, "Being There." "Being There," is the remarkable story of Chance the gardener. Chance could neither read nor write and had no money, yet he ended up as a presidential nominee. Ben Rand was extremely wealthy and became Chance's friend through a seemingly random accident as Ben was dying (i.e. good movie to watch folks).  ANYWAY Although this is just a movie, these are...from Billionaire Ben Rand's quotes read at his funeral:  I have no use for those on welfare, no patience whatsoever, but if I am to be honest with myself, I must admit that they have no use for me either.  ~  Security. Tranquility. A Well Deserved Rest. All the aims I have pursued will soon be realized. Life...is a state of mind.  DuaneTheWorm wouldn't understand this at all.  His life is all about him.  He is one big bullshitter!  There is no other way of putting it folks.  It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that out.

I question! I sometimes get up early, go for a run, sit and drink my coffee while doing my devotions while eating my oatmeal with a half a banana on it.  I think and ponder a lot of stuff.  A lot!  I question myself sometimes.  I question what's going on in the world. I question some of you guys some times.  I question a lot.  I question my big ego, my situation, my attitude, my drive, my abilities, my finite life on this earth, my usefulness, my selfishness, and God know what all else!  Sometimes I wonder if folks appreciate what I do for them (i.e. even though it's not always very much).  This thought is my problem (i.e. an earthly problem) but I have it at times.  erververv! Such is life.

I had the most crazy opportunity Thursday before we left AZ. I stopped after running up 'er in 'em mountains at McDonald's for a burrito and a senior coffee.  A homeless gal came in and I asked her if I could buy her breakfast.  She agreed but we had to eat outside 'cause she had a dog.  We had a conversation and I quizzed her hard.  She lives in a camp she calls it back in the field.  I asked her if she would like help to recommit to normal life.  She said she wanted toooo.  I said I could help her if she wanted.  She is 26, has a alcoholic gambling father and her mother is dead (i.e. so she said). I gave her some money to get some clothes at a thrift store, (i.e. maybe will buy booze or drugs with) and made plans to pick her up the next day for a shower.  Very interesting gal that I met by "happenstance", na, I don't think so.  Monday I made an appointment with a staff at Broadway Christian who works with these folks.  He thinks he can help her.  He has given me a lot of advice--one is to never be alone with her.  She has a BA and no criminal record, does not do drugs or alcohol and of course has a dog (i.e. she says).  I saw her camp where she lives--a tarp stretched between trees with a mattress under it.  Crazy huh!  She had lived there since February.  The church guy told me that they always don't tell the truth and many do not want to change.  Be very lyre of everything. And many are metal ill. But.....I'm still got her clean clothes and a shower and breakfast, maybe (i.e. we will see).  Even if I get used, soooooo be it.  I'm no virgin of being used by such folks. Is she a scofflaw? Crazy huh!!!! So Friday afternoon I get my friends Jim and Jan to go with me to rendezvous with her for a shower. She doesn't show up! So Jim and I go back into the field to where her camp is. Jan was not interested as she was fearful. We get to her camp and she is there but sleeping. We wake her up. She claims that the lady who was going to take care of her dog could not do it. I told her I had a bag of goodies in the car if she would like to come along and get it. So she came along and I introduced her to Jan. Jan has a medical background and thought that she looked like she was using drugs. I have no idea. But nothing would surprise me. I was reminded of what the expert at church told me – don't believe what they say (i.e. half of what they say is is not true and you other half is a lie!). I honestly believe that most of what she told me is the truth but that maybe she didn't tell me the whole story, maybe! I will never know! So Saturday morning I get my friends Evan and Lindie to go with me to

rendezvous with Sarah once again. I have purchased some toiletries and have it lined up so we can get her a shower and then take her out for breakfast after she puts her clean new clothes on. She doesn't show up! No surprise! So we wait a while and then the three of us go back into the field where her camp is underneath the trees. She is not there. So we have breakfast at McDonald's and then check out other places where she might be hanging out. Cannot find her. We go back to our rendezvous spot but she is not there. So we make one more attempt to walk back into the field to where her camp is to see if she is there. She is not there. Obviously she does not want help. No surprise! So when I get back home, I decide I'm going to form a search party and try to find her Monday morning. I was little perturbed about this. There is a program that can retool her life. I know folks who would really help her financially and support her  She doesn't want to change. She has missed a great opportunity.  What is wrong with her. Is she mentally ill? I was eating my lunch and reading the paper when I read that a pastor in Phoenix was killed helping a homeless person (i.e. mentally ill???). Sooo what will happen to Sarah do you think (i.e. it's tooo early to make a prediction)? What do we do with the mentally ill homeless folks? No one seems to have an answer. Ouchy ouchy!  Soooo folks, what kind of halo effect do you get from homeless folks?  

Amazing.   A friend said--erv, we can't be responsible for what people do with an opportunity...but must give them a chance..I wonder how people get to that point.  Another friend said--Thanks for the update.............and for your good intentions and efforts. Yabut folks I didn't accomplish anything.  Sarah's life is not any different because of me.  This is suppose to end differently.  What in the world! This gives me a toothache!  I did accomplish something--I got to spend more time with friends trying to do good.  These folks have good hearts.  Joesixpack says-Like the saying goes--You can lead a horse to water but you can't make them drink. A friend told me that sometimes the fear of death is a life changer.  I really wonder if Sarah will change, do well and get back on her feet or die or get killed.  But I believe in miracles.  Sarah did say to me that God will get her through this tough time in her life (i.e. I don't know if that was an manipulative verbiage or is she was sincere).  Some folks for some reason do make changes, drastic changes.  Phyllis (i.e. anybody can be a Phyllis) says--All we can do is plant seeds....results could take years....It’s all in Gods hands...Such is life.

What in the world! Sooooo this bothered me soooo that Sunday Arlene and I went to tie the bag of toiletries on the gate near the path where Sarah's camp is.  I see her sitting under the tree by McDonald's.  I said we missed you yesterday.  She said she got a job with a landscape company--how did you do that--I got to know a guy by Dollar Tree; I worked yesterday and less than a hour today--how does that make you feel--very very good--how much did he pay you--$25 yesterday and $10 today--what did you do with the money--gave it to the apartment manager as I want to get an apartment in the future--who took care of your dog--my friend; she is sooo nice to me--is this guy ok--I think sooo; he took me home to his family of wife and 4 kids and let me take a shower and he hugged all his kids first--he said I can work all week--sooo who is your friend--the gal in the apartment is an angel to me, really an angel--we hear you have a boy friend--no no, I'm a lesbian (i.e. at least there won't be any homeless street babies) and I don't have a friend; tooo much of a hassle--tell us about your poem that is tattooed on your arm--go to poetry.com under Eager Allen Poe 2004 Best Poems and Poets I'm the first one; Drenched in Faith I think she said by Sarah Lomberg I think she said. Sold to Readers Digest and got enough money to buy her dad a house.  She was 14.--soooo what do you need right now--I would really like a pair of  shoes; the thrift store didn't have any in my size--what size 8.5 - 9 men's; any type of shoes are fine as mime are sooo thin that I feel every stone when I walk--I will get some tomorrow; what else--a carpenter's pouch for work and a utility knife--you got it.  Just then 3 teenage girls walk by and wave.  You know those girls--ya, they bring me food and water to my camp but like my dog better than me I think.  Soooo you want any help from the church--not know; I want to do it my myself if I can and only want to use them if I absolutely have toooo.  Wish you the best Sarah--have a good trip home and God bless you.  Sarah, you are going to make it.  You can and will.  She said--I know I can do it--I have a good friend who wasn't born with a gold spoon in his mouth and he succeed and has done very well.  He is a hero to me.  Sooo you can do the same.  You can--I will.

Hey big shots! Lindie says to me--Sarah could be us.  She could be our kid.  Ya, that is humbling.  I read in the paper soooo it must be right--We are really just one step away from those who are less fortunate; 1/3 of all Americans have no savings (i.e. that's 72M folks). I asked my hero why he made it and others don't.  He doesn't know.  I don't either.  But he made it.  He is much more of a success than some kid who was born with rich parents.  Sooooo cream puffs, don't give Sarah a "load of hell".  Maybe she can't help it.  Maybe she wasn't part of a family like yours who gave her many opportunities or inherited a truck load of $$$$.  Or maybe she doesn't have the same God given talents as you. But, I'm still mad that she passed up a golden opportunity.  I, with the help of others, could have changed her life. I just don't understand why she wouldn't jump at the chance.  Really Sarah! But everyone looks at a situation different I guess.  But...!

I shared this story with a very good and smart friend.  He emailed me back--Many times I've seen when you try to do something altruistic the recipient of the altruism isn't going to give you the satisfaction you are looking for (e.g., a thank you, etc.). But altruistic behavior isn't dependent on the outcome, it's the act that matters. Right?

I learned a lot from this experience.  Success with turning homeless folks around is not easy and the success rate is not very high.  Then you have the issue of mental illness and them being programed by the past (i.e. both genetically and environmentally).  I over heard some case workers talking about the excitement of one of their clients.  She had a criminal record (i.e. made some bad decisions) that they got expunged and got her going in the right direction (i.e. also her husband and children).  I heard them say that she got a job.  I also heard them say that she needs to lose some weight.  But I also heard them say--How well she keeps running is up to her!  Bingo.  Up to her like it's up to you and me how we keep runnin'!  LuckieEddie says--Decisions have consequences!  Guess who gets to make the decisions!  Bingo!

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

erv

MyFriendJean says--If we did the things we are capable of, we would astound ourselves.