rhetorical

Leonard Bernstein said—“Inspiration is wonderful when it happens, but the writer must develop an approach for the rest of the time…The wait is simply too long.” Rhetorical question—Should we apply that to our lives? I was just reminded by a friend when he came home from work and said—It’s all about the money! Money is a great inspiration alright (i.e. for almost all folks; don’t kid yourself). GeorgeTheCrook says--The bottom issue in almost everything is the money! TopOfTheClassWilma was interviewing for a top-level accounting position with WeGetItDoneAccounting. She was asked, what is two and two? When she replied, how much do you want it to be, she was hired.

To finesse or not to finesse, that is the question; probably a rhetorical question, maybe! “To be or not to be: that is the question, whether ‘tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune…” begins a well-known soliloquy but the letters can be rearranged to produce: “In one of the Bard’s best-thought-of tragedies, our insistent hero, Hamlet, queries on two fronts about how life turns rotten.” Like who worked that out? That's a rhetorical question!

This is from my friend ThePreacherMan. Where he got it from is from someone else and I’m passing it on to you.  Usually, we wonder when the story is passed on that many times if the information is true.  Read it and see what you think.  Tony Dungy says --  “Our world glamorizes luxury. Many people who live in luxury communities define their worth by the best that money can buy:  houses, cars, clothes, exclusive memberships, and more. These things become the definition of success and the basis of self-esteem. And we can spend a lot of time pursuing them…But it’s never enough. The result is that we’re always running but never arriving.  But that isn’t reality, at least not as God defines it. He wants us to base our lives on Him, not on things that don’t last. We’re supposed to focus on honoring Him rather than on getting more, doing more, or achieving more. When we get to the end of our lives and look at what we have left—and what we have built into our children—we’ll find that keeping up with appearances leaves us empty, but serving the Lord is fulfilling. Values that are shaped by a desire to honor Him will always lead us to true success in His eyes.” Soooo what do you think?  Have you arrived? More rhetorical questions do you think? ItchieBitchie says—erv, you just say that because you don’t have as much stuff as I do and that makes you feel better.  An atheist friend says—erv, that thinking is for weak folks, folks who need a crutch as they can’t do it for themselves. Soooo who is right? That is a rhetorical question (i.e. at least for me).

Are you amazed with technology? erv, com’n, that’s a rhetorical question. Most Americans have and love their smart phones! They are almost magic as I can ask it many questions and it gives me the answers.  I am amazed with this technology.  But if I ask it for advice or guidance about living, it responds—I have no idea what you are talking about (i.e. it has no wisdom). For wisdom advice, I have to go to other sources. That is why I visit with many of you. Bingo!  I was thinking while jogging on the golf course last Saturday morning (i.e. it gives me a lot of time ‘cause a friend, Squirt, says--erv, you jog soooo slow that I can’t tell if you are going forward or backwards) that many folks don’t agree with my ideas, your ideas, or government’s ideas (i.e. some are really bad ideas).  Why? Soooo why should I get my wisdom from them?  It’s confusing. It sure is.  I can do no better than to decide who I will confide in and visit with and come with a conclusion as to what I’m going to believe.  It might not be the same as some others (i.e. even you) for sure.  Bingo! Like I say a lot, no two folks think exactly alike. 

I recently had a visit with a friend who I like, respect, and trust.  I asked her some questions about a mutual interest and concern.  I told her that if she feels uncomfortable in answering my questions just tell me--I would rather not answer that question.  But I did ask her two rhetorical questions when we were done—Doesn’t it seem right to tell the truth? Do you think justice is always served? Are those rhetorical questions? I read what LauraSweet said while eating my oatmeal with half a banana on it—"Human justice can only be imperfect. Our knowledge and understanding are limited; we can’t fully know a person’s true intentions or see into the human heart. Also, we are corruptible by nature because of the fall; jurors have prejudices, lawyers can misrepresent, and judges can be influenced. It’s no wonder that justice is often denied…It’s a comfort for believers to know that our righteous Judge will bring about true justice one day. Even when it seems as though wicked people are getting away with all kinds of evil, God will avenge his people.”  Now that is very hard for me to understand.  None of us are perfect (i.e. all of us are wicked at times in deed and thought) and all of us are unjust.  All of us.  Yikes! Soooo is the 51% theory correct (i.e. a rhetorical question)? That being if we are more than half good then we are a good person but if we are less than 50% good, then we are condemned?  UncleJohn (i.e. and anyone can be a John) says--No no erv, Jesus says He will forgive all sin a.k.a. wickedness no matter how bad or how much—all forgiven!

A friend’s hs friend is married to an ol’ Northwestern College acquaintance of mine from about 50 years ago. Because of that I was invited to have dinner with all of them.  What a hoot! It felt like it was just yesterday we were at college and soooo we shared much good stuff (i.e. both of us have a soft spot for good ol’ NW). All of us shared some of our life stories with each other (i.e. we all have unique interesting stories).  Isn’t that interesting how things work out sometimes.  His motto is--“Stuff happens in life. It’s not what happens in life, it’s what you do with it.” I really like this guy as well as his wife and my friend (i.e. good folks with good hearts; my kind of folks).  Rhetorical question—Do you like to be around good folks?

I got discombobulated! We were coming away from having desert at these new friends’ home in their housing development that I wasn’t familiar with, it was dark and I got confused in my directions and my navigator helped me get out of my maze.  I got back to familiar territory but came out from a different direction than I ever did before.  It looked familiar but it wasn’t.  It felt crazy; sorta kinda embarrassing!  Have you ever felt that way in your life?--A rhetorical question! Once I got my bearings, all was good.  I laughed internally at myself.  But then I do that a lot! I guess that is why there is a navigation system built into my vehicle! haha  W.C. Fields wrote—“Few things in life are more embarrassing than the necessity of having to inform an old friend that you have just got engaged to his fiancé!”

Rhetorical question—Do you always understand others’ communication?  Soooo when helping with the grandkids before and after school for a couple of days (i.e. Jessica was with her father and Chet leaves early and comes home late), Chet left a note for me and them each day what I and they had to do.  Friday, he wrote that after school they could have a snack, do piano and then free time.  Sooooo they did the snack and their piano and then disappeared as I made dinner.  Chet came home about 6:15 and asked where the kids were—either in the basement or in their rooms—he found them and Charlie was on her iPod and he was upset with her; she I guess was not to do that—her defense was it said free time!  Ol’ substitute-parent erv didn’t know what the house rules were of course; how was I supposed to know; it said free time and free time means to me you can do what you want (i.e. I think Charlie took advantage of me but I really didn't care--haha).   WildWillie says—You can never make instructions plain enough; folks can’t read your mind; at least I can’t!

This new friend a.k.a. JoeRocket who I talked about earlier, eats fast, talks fast and seems to do everything 100 mph.  I kidded him about it.  He said—I early on was considered “the different one”; they said my car motor and my internal motor never cooled off! I would guess this guy gets a lot done in a day.  Sooooo when helping taking care of the Waukee grandkids, while they were eating breakfast before school, they read at the same time (i.e. multi-tasked).  Now that is being unique and different just like my new friend; they might get a lot done in a day or just read all day! haha They might grow up and be regular JoeRockets!

This last week I had a blast making a decision.  Much of the basis of my decision was how some friends informed me (i.e. they did much of the leg-work and shared their experiences).  These friends are from Alaska/AZ, Indiana, and Wyoming.  Yes, that is right.  Crazy!  They are smart, experienced, have CS (i.e. common sense), are knowledgeable, are seasoned, and pretty much think like I do (i.e. we all know each other—good folks with good hearts; my kind of folks).  Our relationships came about through the conduit of pickleball. Crazy.  Well, the decision, I did make (i.e. signed the dotted line haha).  What a hoot we had together. Sooooo much fun. If the decision ends up bad, it’s pretty much their fault! haha But it’s only money (i.e. my money though)! Such is life.

I got a letter, yes a letter in the mail, from an old friend (i.e. old friend in two ways)! I always enjoy getting a letter from this ol’ friend.  Sooooo he sent me some fun stuff and also some really good stuff to think about. His children asked him to write down—If you could thank anyone, who would you thank and why? He sent me his list he gave his kids.  What interested me was many of the folks were of his past (i.e. many years ago like when he was a kid that trailed up wards).  They might seem minor things but played major parts of his development.  Huh, interesting.  He no longer can thank those folks in person nor can we.  But we all can thank folks who have played a part in our lives who we are still living.  How about thanking them in person or with some type of communication?  That’s not a rhetorical question folks! JoeAnonymous said—There are no traffic jams when you go the extra mile!

Rhetorical question—Will things get better if you don’t change?  CoachB says—I cannot say whether things will get better if we change, but what I can say is this, they will not get better if we don’t. My new friend reinforced my thinking by example and by his word; yes, he did. And then again in church the next morning, I was once again reminded about this quality.  You want to hear about it (i.e. a rhetorical question)?  If you want to have a relationship with a person (i.e. anyone and everyone) get to know their name; first and foremost; and call them by their name.  I was also reminded by a phone conversation the same day with a friend who told me—To get to know someone, you have to say “hello.”  My mentor used to quote Will Rogers to me a lot. One of his quotes he told me many times is this—Good judgment comes from experience and a lot of that comes from bad judgement.  But the key, my mentor would say to me is this--erv, if we don’t learn from our bad judgement and change, nuttin is going to change. Da!

Have you learned anything from spilled milk?  I hope all of us have.  Like what my Mom, Anna, use to say to me—erv, put your milk up higher on the table, it’s to close to the edge; you are going to spill it! Hope all of us learn from our past experiences, some that were good and some maybe not soooo good. Some spilled milk of our past might have prevented us from a tragic experience in our current or future life (e.g. tell the truth, don’t hang around with certain type of folks, don’t over spend, don’t be cocky, etc.) Yes, and sometimes the spilled milk is said in different ways! Da!

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

erv

MyFriendJean said—To stay young, associate with youth…to grow old, try to keep up with them.

PS

A spring tip--I was walking home from church Sunday and NeighborTed was raking his lawn.  The conversation went like this--Don't over do it Ted--If I don't get at it I'll never get it done!--You are soooo darn smart Ted--I know it!