foreshadowing

WorldClassLarry says—There are three motives for reading a book:  One that you enjoy it; and another is that you can boast about it and another is you are killing time! I am reading a book now that I might tell you about in the future (i.e. might).  I really like it but some of you might not (i.e. that is the way it always is, isn’t it).  ANYWAY, it makes this statement—If you are rich or poor (i.e. it used a little different terminology but this wording is easier to understand) is there any eternal difference between the two? Is that foreshadowing?

Some of you folks are great readers and have great minds.  I have always thought it would have been better if I would have had a better mind but maybe it might have been a disaster if I would have.  How will I ever know.  ANYWAY, I wonder if there are pieces of evidence in my early life that would have shown how I was going to be today.  And you!  I wonder the same thing about you.  A gal who reads 100+ books a year says--Well, authors use foreshadowing.  I think speakers do toooo. Good leaders do also, maybe. ANYWAY, they seem tooooo!

 JoeWriter says--I learned the dramatic principle called “Chekov’s gun,” attributed to the Russian writer Anton Checkov: a playwright shouldn’t place a gun on the fireplace mantle in the first act unless it’s going to be fired in the final act…We were reading John Steinbeck’s classic novel Of Mice and Men, and our professor showed us how the story’s tragic conclusion was suggested earlier in several places throughout the book. Now that is foreshadowing folks. 

OldSusieQ, who always wakes up on the right side of the bed, says--Now I think I can still change parts of my life even at my age (i.e. even though the old gray mare ain’t what she use to be).  I think we all can.  But do we want tooooo? That is a big question. This quote is often credited to Cicero in B.C. 55—"The national budget must be balanced. …People must again learn to work, instead of living on public assistance.” PrognosticatorLawrence, who lives deep in Butler County on the north bank of the Beaver River, says--What I see in my foreshadowing, IT AIN’T GOIN’ HAPPEN!

RickyRick says—"Ponder before promising. Deliberate before deciding. Muse before you choose. Reflect before you select. Consider your commitments prayerfully and carefully. Pause and pray before deciding. That will slow your life down…One of my mentors, Peter Drucker, is considered by many to be the founder of modern management. He used to say to me, ‘Don’t tell me what new thing you’re doing. Tell me what you’ve stopped doing.’” That is sorta kinda an oxymoron isn’t it; we hear all the time to do more, you can do it and he says not to do more (i.e. slow down).  What! Suck it up cupcake and let’s get going! We’re burning daylight!

My opinion is that there is an undertone with all folks might feel that is foreshadowing the future which seems to be scary and uncertain to all.  The general population as a whole is wondering how their life is all going to play out (i.e. many major moving parts of great consequences).  There seems to be a great concern.  A concern about the future of each of us individually and as humanity in general (i.e. yes, that’s big folks).  It feels sorta kinda creepy to me! CadillacJack, who lives like his hair is on fire, says--Maybe everyone knows it but they don't want to admit “it.”  Can it really be? LuckieEddie says—Sooooo erv, what is the “it?”  SmoochieSmooch will try to tell us what the worst-case scenario is and what the best-case scenario is, but she has no idea folks.  She is just winkin’ at us!  She doesn’t have a clue. She is just kissin’ up to us! JoeSixPack says—And she is good at it let me tell ya! You can bet your last dollar on that!

Why are you and I attracted to certain type of folks?  Is it because they are trustworthy, physically beautiful, think like we do, rich financially, have great charisma, have a good heart, are intelligent, are caring, are popular, are refreshing, are exciting, have position, agree with us, have same political views, have same believe about God, have the same philosophy about life, like to drink beer, enjoy the same activities?   Is this foresight or foreshadowing?  Now flip the pancake!  Wonder if they don’t have those same qualities or don’t exhibit some qualities that are very important to us, is that a foreshadowing for us to be careful about our relationship.  Is this a warning to us to be careful and watch out?  Like something isn’t right; things don’t add up; something is fishy!  When young folks are dating or friendships are made, obviously many of these things are overlooked.  Or the feeling is, oh I can fix them or they will change.  Da!  Most times those folks don’t change.  They stay good or they stay bad.  Luke 16:10 says—Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.  Da!

A number of years ago a friend invited me to play with him and a client of his for a round of golf.  His client is the owner of a very nice golf course.  I enjoyed my friend and also this business guy.  They treated me like a king.  We had a forecaddie.  I never heard of a forecaddie before.  I felt like a big shot!  A forecaddie is a person who is positioned down the fairway or near the green whose job is to track the balls’ positions that the golfers hit.  I think I should have a forecaddie for my life.  How about you?  It was a day’s experience that I will never forget. Thanksamillion again my friend.

Dr.J tells this story that I like--Ken Block, a professional rally driver, recently fitted his off-road truck with 300,000 lumens of blinding light to make sure he can see everything on the darkest night and in the darkest places (i.e. he wants to see what’s up ahead). How much is 300,000 lumens of light? The average car headlight pumps out 700 lumens on low, and 1,200 with the high beams turned on. A light in a football stadium uses 70,000 or more lumens. ItchieBitchie, who has a lot of miles on her, says—It’s probably a good idea to know what is coming up soooo we are ready for it.  Like my DeceasedFriendPaul said to me—Decisions have consequences and guess who gets to make the decisions.

A friend was telling me this fall that he has scouted during the summer and early fall one area that he hunts deer and has seen a prize buck.  He has hunted the area on several occasions this fall but has not got in a position to get a shot at him.  He was telling me that one night he was in his stand and had his gun propped up facing the direction that the deer usually come from.  Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the big buck behind him about twenty yards away.  It was just a short time and the buck caught his scent and was gone.  That is why the prize buck is alive today probably, he is very shrewd in paying attention to signs (i.e. foreshadowing).  I think many times we hear, see, and smell signs but don’t pay attention to them and get a slug to our heart!  And then we say—How dumb can I be! Ouchy ouchy!

The other day I did something on my laptop but didn’t even know what I did when a dropbox dropped down with a feature that I didn’t even know my computer had (i.e. purely an accident).  It was a feature that was useful to me (i.e. where have I been all this time).  I just LOL.  BUT I thought and wondered how many times I have features available to me that I can really use, and I don’t know about.  Or how many times I learn from a mistake I make that really turns out to be a good move.  And I wonder how many times I have these opportunities but don’t recognize them or am scared to try them.  I’m a wonder alright; I wonder a lot!  I wonder as I wonder. For sure!

Recently I got up early and did my usual morning routine which I really enjoy (i.e. I would guess many of you do the same).  This particular morning, I felt dull (i.e. not as sharp as I usually feel).  AverageJoe says—erv, how can you tell if you are duller than you are normally. Good question soooo maybe I wasn’t really duller than normal but just thought that (i.e. just a false perception—how do you measure dullness analytically or quantitatively). ANYWAY, you ever notice that “just a little bit” can really affect your life.  I mean, you just get a little bit of love, encouragement, good feeling, happiness, uplift etc. and it really affects our lives.  Just a little bit (i.e. it really doesn’t take much).  Sooooo some little thing will come about, and I won’t feel soooo dull!  I just don’t know what that “just a little bit” will be.  BUT it always comes; yes it does.  Mostly from you folks (i.e. you folks with good hearts; my kind of folks).

I was thinking about some of you folks while lighting my fireplace.  My wood container, the old copper boiler, made me think of some of you.  My hat really goes off to some of you.  You have told me about your accomplishment of stopping being an alcoholic and have not drank for many years.  I really applaud you; that is not an easy accomplishment (i.e. you know who you are; and some who I don’t know about).  One friend invited me to go with him to his AA meetings when guests were permitted.  I was very impressed with how real folks were and the organization.  I found out that the first thing an alcoholic has to do is admit they are one and second that there is a higher power.  I would sure like to hear from you recovering alcoholics and hear how you are doing.  ANYWAY, the boiler was purchased on a trip to FL when Arlene and I traveled with my big sister (i.e. only in age) and our brother-in-law maybe 50 years ago.  We stopped at a junk place in KY.  It was late in the afternoon. Arlene found this beat-up old boiler and thought we should buy it. The old guy said he would sell it real cheap; I would like to have enough for it to buy a six-pack as I have no money and I am thirsty; this is a dry county and it’s late and I have just enough time to drive across the county line and get it before they close; what do you think? My brother-in-law named him BenTheBeerHog and he has remained that name for all this time. We supported his addiction! Hey, the guy was thirsty!

Happenstance, na, I don’t think soooo.  The day after I wrote the above paragraph, I got a call from my friend who invited me to the AA meetings.  He said we haven’t talked for about 10 months his phone says.  I told him what I just wrote.  I asked him how old he was—79; how many years since his last drink—26; what is the success rate of folks who come to AA—about 15%; what is the biggest reason that they don’t succeed (i.e. his opinion)—Don’t accept that they have a problem and they don’t stay committed. 

TomSmart says--"We must dare to think 'unthinkable' thoughts. We must learn to explore all options and possibilities that control us in a complex and rapidly changing world." A friend at breakfast recently told me what a wise young businessman (i.e. a successful entrepreneur) said at a business meeting—The CPVID-19 pandemic is causing us to acquire habits that will last a long time into the future.  That is his opinion of course but…! I think that is foreshadowing!  And what are those new habits going to be?  Are we going to be proactive or reactive? I heard our pastor say in Adult Sunday School, I think—We need to interpret properly and make proper application. I understood him to say that we need to use all methods and resources to gather the best possible interpretation (i.e. try to interpret it correctly) and then make an applicable application (i.e. of course he was talking about scripture).  LuckieEddie says—Of course you can spend way toooo much time with the bureaucracy of interpretation and never do any application (i.e. many folks would rather talk than do; that ain’t nuttin new).  Holy smokes! Such is life.

When a kid, I really liked to watch cowboy movies and programs.  Many older folks still watch those reruns yet today.  In fact, the other day I called a very senior female friend and she asked me to call her back as she was watching a cowboy show. ANYWAY, I always liked when the cowboys would herd the wild horses into a box canyon.  I just liked that.  I feel that Americans are being herded into a box canyon and don’t even know it (i.e. suckers).  I always sorta kinda felt sorry for those wild horses to be fooled and trapped.  Those wild horses or Americans seem to have been taken advantage of (i.e. maybe) and they didn’t see the foreshadowing.  Ouchy ouchy! Once the wild horses are in the box canyon and the gate is shut, it’s over; they are toast (i.e. that is history—I have seen it on many cowboy shows soooo it must be right).  

MissPerfect, who lives a lifestyle of the rich and famous, says--There is always a pleasure in unraveling a mystery, in catching at the gossamer clue which will guide to certainty. JoeReader says—I should have paid more attention to the gossamer clues early in my life and maybe I would have figured out where I was going to end up; like where I am now!  BUT I was thinking more of sports, girls and beer at that time.  What was I thinking anyway!  Darn hormones! CrazyMarvin says--Sometimes the unthinkable turns out to be the truth!  Ouchy ouchy!

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

erv

MyFriendJean said—If you never seem to reach the goal of your dreams, blame the alarm clock.