WorldClassLarry says--A quarrelsome tone usually provokes
anger and resistance. We may win the argument but lose the person. There is
truth in this ditty, “A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion
still.” But a gentle spirit can sometimes have huge massive effects on others. MyWayOrTheRoadLawrence
says—That is unless you are talking about money, religion or politics!
Albert Szent-Gyoergyi, a biochemist who won the 1937 Nobel
Prize in Physiology or Medicine or was it motorcycle racing said, “Discovery
consists of looking at the same thing as everyone else and thinking something
different." Aye
yai yai! The old expression in investing
is to do just the opposite of the crowd.
I kid that we live in a huge massive corn field; we sorta kinda do. We live in rural IA folks. Corn prices haven’t been very good, but they
did spike maybe a month ago up to $4.10.
Some farmers sold a lot, some sold a little and some sold none. How do they know when to sell? Now the price
is currently about $3.70. Now you hear
farmers say—I should have sold more, or I should have sold it all. Hindsight!
Da! Farmers are very optimistic; they think it will always go higher.
When it comes down to it, I don’t know if
MissPerfect (i.e. she’s a clinic alright) just reacts the way the
big group thinks (i.e. whichever way the wind blows). TheSmartGalDownTheStreet says—98% of the
folks are zombies, they don’t have a clue what is going on; they just go along
with the crowd (i.e. they just cover their bases). TheDutchFanatic asks—Soooooo erv, what does
that have to do with the price of milk? Nothing really, it’s just an add-on to
an already too-busy life. SlimyLena says--A person has to do what a person has to do to get
ahead in this old world; whatever it takes (i.e. like having your mom do your
work). Aye yai yai!
AverageJoe says--There are hiccups in life. I was having the evening meal with the
residents and some of their family at the memory unit last weekend. There were two residents and their spouses
sitting at one table. They told me their
short story of their spouses’ dementia (i.e. they are all pretty much the
same). One of the spouses is younger who
still works while her husband is in the memory unit. The other one’s wife is more advanced in the
disease. As I left their table I
said—Sooooooo sad. One spouse said to
me—erv, and there is nothing we can do about it; we have no choice. Aye yai yai! I realize that a lot of you, ok
maybe most of you, ok all of you have issues in your lives that are “issues
that there is nothing you can do about” (i.e. all kinds of things). This
feeling is soooooo humbling. I guess that has been that way for ever. JoeBlow says—It appears that some folks seem
to have better lives than others. Why do
you think that is? That is what I
thought. Aye yai yai!
CadillacJack says—There are folks who think they have all
the answers and have life all figured out.
I agree with you CadillacJack, but I don’t think those folks have it all
figured out; I think they are in for some big surprises. Generally, folks back away from such folks
who think they know everything. It
doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure that out. The reason is: unequivocally,
they do not know all the answers. I
think, my opinion, that God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit have a lot to do with
most everything, but I don’t understand it (i.e. their understanding I cannot
fathom). In Ecclesiastes 8:17b it
says—Even a wise man claims he knows, he cannot really comprehend. Aye yai yai!
If I forget to rinse out my oatmeal bowl in the morning, the oatmeal
dries up and it sticks hard to the bowl.
I need to soak it to make it softer.
I wonder if I need that in my life.
I need to be soaked. Could
be.
I recently had the opportunity to visit with some old
friends who I respect (i.e. I listened, and I enjoyed their opinions). They seem to see the big picture and don’t
think they know everything (i.e. my opinion but your opinion might be
different). Maybe that is one of the
reasons I enjoy being around them. I
listened to them about their opinions about some issues that I have some
interest in. I didn’t voice my opinion
but just listened. I don’t think
everyone would agree with their possible solutions to a problem—I did think
their ideas had real merit. Soooooo, I
also had the opportunity to hear a speaker the same day that had pretty much an
opposite view—but it was more like a fact and not an opinion— pretty much cut
and dried (i.e. my opinion). Soooooo
there we go. Sooooo, I guess we pretty
much pick the side we pretty much believe in. LuckieEddie says—It sounds like
politics! It seems like collaboration is an impossibility. My opinion is that I think collaboration is
possible but unlikely. SusieQ says—Most but not all will go with the
crowd. Aye yai yai!
Joesixpack says—My life is just a labyrinth. Everyone is trying to program me to where I
should go. I mean everyone! First it was my genetics, then it was my
parents, then education, then the government, then the church, then my
employer, then all the advertisements.
Who should I believe? Good
question Joesixpack. BUT for sure,
decisions have consequences. And guess
who gets to make the decisions!! Bingo.
Then one day, you end up being “you” based on all those decisions. The other day I went into our local
restaurant and there were two old timers sitting at a table across from each
other. I have known these guys for 50 years.
They seem to be such a contrast.
One seems like he is kind and gracious and the other one seems like he is
bitter and unhappy. Why, do you
think? Somehow, they were programed that
way I think (i.e. my opinion).
GeorgeTheCrook says--Legalism will suck
your life dry of happiness. Soooo what does that mean? Dr.J (i.e. not the basketball player Dr.J)
says—"Mercy is thought of as the withholding of punishment that is
deserved, while grace is the giving of a blessing or benefit that is not
deserved. Hebrews 4:16 uses them both: We come before God in prayer to “obtain
mercy” (to be spared from deserved judgment) and “find grace to help in time of
need” (receive undeserved help). They are the two sides of the same theological
coin.” To me that is sooooo positive and uplifting (i.e. I like positive and
uplifting stuff—how about you?). But
here is the challenge for me--I also have frequent opportunities to be both
merciful and gracious toward others. Does ervie take every opportunity to be
like God: merciful and gracious? Yikes, maybe I want mercy and grace but don’t
want to give it (i.e. I want it all). Aye
yai yai! I can be a real dinghead at times! I don’t always expose myself but
just hide in the muck. Telling ervie the truth about ervie is tough! Can any of
you relate to that or am I the only one?
Such is life.
Boring
boring boring! I have a tendency to get bored easily doing the same stuff time
after time after time. I enjoy a new
slant to something even if it’s the same thing.
I have talked toooo many of you about book reading. You tell me that if you read maybe a few
pages to 100 pages and if you don’t like the book, you put it down. I read what John Grisham (i.e. a well know
author) said when asked about his book reading.
He said—If I read some pages and if I don’t care for it, I put it down;
why spend my time reading something I don’t enjoy when there is sooooo much
good stuff to read. Aye yai yai! Now that mentality can be applied to many
situations in our lives. If folks don’t
enjoy it, they are not going to continue; they will move on (i.e. put it down
or press the delete button). Great
leaders have this vision (i.e. the vision to move on, they quit kicking a dead
horse, they seem to know when it’s time to throw in the towel, they seem to
know when we’re throwing money down a black hole, they seem to know when it’s
over, they seem to know when it’s history).
Oh ya! Look around folks, it’s not rocket science. You might think
something is great, but if others don’t, well, they’ll just put it down and move
on. Boring boring boring! It’s realty folks if you like it or not. Such is life.
Saturday question—If folks don’t read books, never have had
an interest (i.e. some of you), how in the world do you get them to enjoy
reading books? Think through that
folks.
Aye yai yai! I read this in the
paper soooooo it must be right—Don’t compare yourself with other people;
compare yourself with who you were yesterday.
That philosophy isn’t anything new; it’s been around forever. BUT it did make me think. There sure are a lot of folks, groups etc.
that want me to compare myself with them and in most cases want me to be like
them. The old saying, “There are no two humans the same” is probably true. Saturday question—Do you ever get tired of
others always trying to make you to be like them. I have to admit that I’m critical of others;
yes I am. I think they should be more
like me. haha What are those folks thinking?
Are they not thinking right? Soooooo
I decided I’m not going to compare myself to others and not going to compare
others to me. Ya, right! Aye yai yai! No
kidding, I’m working on it and getting better; it takes tooooo much energy and thinking
to always compete. I’m just going to be ervie and they can be JohnandJaneDow
(i.e. and everyone is happy!)! Such is life.
Well,
all of us (i.e. all-inclusive like, farmer, executive and the teacher) are
pretty much screwed up in some way or form or even completely. AverageJoe says--Don’t think you are not; I
know you are! haha If you think that you
are not messed up at all and have it all figured out, well then, you might have
a huge massive messed up ego (i.e. and the crowd shouts overrated, overrated,
overrated).
Have a FUN day my friends unless you have other plans. (-:
erv
MyFriendJean says—In trying to get people in your corner,
don’t make them feel cornered.
No comments:
Post a Comment