the usual

You goin’ to read this? AverageJoe says—erv, your “It’s Saturdays” can be very cryptic to me.  C’on AverageJoe, they are not, you just think that!  They are very straight forward and uncomplicated; they’re just right out my brain.  Most of the stuff is just what others say; I don’t make any of it up. It’s just usual stuff that I hear on the street by you guys! They are as American as apple pie and baseball!

JoeTheGraphicDesigner, who is the best of the class, says—To design is to communicate clearly by whatever means you can control or master. I like that statement.  I need to communicate to myself with whatever means I can about what I want to control and master.  I do.  First, I need to determine what I want to control and master (i.e. some things I just can’t).  Some issues have been a little frustrating to me lately.  I have a difficult time when I see, what I think is bad, winning (i.e. it appears that what some of the stuff that is winning is bad but maybe some of that stuff isn’t winning)!  I’m just being real with you as tooooo how I feel.

Coach John Wooden said-- Things turn out best for those who make the best of the way things turn out.  And if you do, you’re going to have the best life!

Do you watch CNBC, the financial channel? In bull markets, the ratings are much higher than in a decline. Understandably, viewers like to see good financial news and prefer to turn a blind eye to financially bad news (i.e. just the opposite of NBC nightly news). The presenters also look at some numbers with unfounded optimism.  A stock that goes from 50 to 25 is down 50%, whereas if it goes from 25 to 50, it is up 100%, which is “twice as good.” It’s the usual!

For some of you it’s usual and others of you it’s unusual—I’m talking about swimming in moolah!  It has been easy for many and even easier for others with all the give-a-way programs that have been going on (i.e. rich or poor, it doesn’t make any difference, everyone gets money except for some) to swim in moolah.  Didn’t Buddy Holly sing a song that goes, it’s sooo easy, it’s soooo easy, it’s so doggone easy doggone easy, it’s soooo easy!  AverageJoe says—Unless you are like me and our family as we don’t get anything!  It ain’t soooo easy for us to swim in moolah (i.e. we must have fell in the cracks or something). 

ItchieBitchie, who makes nobodies into somebodies, says--Usually it ain’t as impressive as it looks (i.e. it’s a little deceptive a.k.a. skewed).  ImpressiveGlitz says--My new $50,000 car isn’t paid for, oh no, I put the minimum down and will be paying monthly payments for the next 84 months unless I die first or I trade up.  ImpressiveGlitz, the loan company must have more faith in you than I do (i.e. they must know something that I don’t haha). That might be correlated to this “It’s Saturday”—It might not be as impressive as it looks.  Make sure you take that into consideration.  Missperfect says—BUT remember, knowledge is more than skin deep!  No Missperfect, that is beauty!

I’m was in CO spending several days with the grandkids (i.e. Buggy is 13 and Jimmer is 9) who were on spring break.  At a unique time, I told them about Jesus; didn’t preach to them but told them about Him in a short cliff-note version.  Everyone has to make a decision if they will accept Jesus as their Savior.  Everyone! Probably the most important statement I told them was that I believe that Jesus is my Lord and Savior and who ever believes in Him will have eternal life.  Soooo have you folks told your kids and grandkids vocally that Jesus is your Lord and Savior?  Just because you go to church a few times and say you are nice folks, are your kids and grandkids just supposed to assume that you do or maybe that you do? Some of you don’t believe that Jesus is your Lord and Savior soooo you can’t tell them; I understand.  Every person, kid or adult, has to decide; it’s everyone's usual decision.  CoachB says--There is a time to pray and a time to take action; tooooo many folks just pray (i.e. it's cheap and easy and makes folks feel good).

Soooo I brought the grandkids some gifts.  One gift was each a bag of coins (i.e. pennies to quarters).  I asked them if they wanted to take a chance, and each take a bag or comingle the coins (i.e. got to teach them what commingle means) and then divide equally.  Jimmer wanted to take a bag and take his chances and Buggy wanted to divide equally.  I asked them both to argue their positions.  Ok, to settle the issue we can flip a coin or one of you will need to change your mind. Jimmer changed to his sister’s position.  But they wanted to each count their bag of coins to see how it would have turned out.  Soooo they did.  Each one had $15.75.  What? Our daughter, Heather, said—Grandpa did that to teach you a lesson. I didn’t, it just happened that way.  Buggy said—Grandpa, co’n it’s pretty unusual that it just happened that way; the odds are pretty small.

I usually ask myself at the end of the day—What was the highlights of my day. Usually, it wasn’t the usual but something that I didn’t expect; sometimes something challenging which brought excitement into my life.  BUT sometimes the usual was the highlight.  Emotions and excitement and the usual take a lot of energy each day. For sure. But I get bored easily as do many of you. A friend told me recently that he gets bored easily; I wish sometimes I could be like some folks who just sit in front of the TV all day and have a great day.  I had an acquaintance years ago who was a real putzer.  He could putz around all day basically doing nothing.  He drove me crazy, but he really enjoyed his life. He didn’t ever seem to be in a hurry and always seemed happy. 

A jr high and hs friend at good ol' Danube, TheSchrupp (63), sent me a reminder called Between 65 and Death; it’s not the usual (i.e. I will summarize it for you).  It’s time to spend the money you saved up; Stop worrying about the financial situation of your children and grandchildren; Keep a healthy life without great physical effort; Always buy the best, most beautiful items for your significant other; Don’t stress over the little things; Regardless of age, always keep love alive; Be proud, both inside and out; Always stay up-to-date; Respect the younger generation and their opinions; Don’t abandon your hobbies; Be a conversationalist; Pain and discomfort go hand in hand with getting older. Try not to dwell on them but accept them as a part of the cycle of life we’re all going through. Try to minimize them in your mind; If you have a strong belief, savor it; Laugh A Lot; Take no notice of what others say about you and even less notice of what they might be thinking.

I called a super senior friend/widow from church (i.e. we have been friends for years) during a snowstorm day.  I asked her how she was, and she asked me how I was.  We both can get a little bored at times. I asked her if she is going to get a new Easter dress (i.e. something exciting)—no, I am not.  I have many dresses hanging in my closets that I haven’t worn for years; I’ll just wear one of them; no one will know the difference; very few ladies buy new dresses anymore.  For most women, the old usual is not the new usual anymore!

AveraeJoe asks--Do you think we tend to overstate and understate, to glorify the good and ignore the bad in ourselves? My thinking at times isn’t egregious nor archaic; it’s just puzzling to me at times.  I don’t feel very important at times (i.e. like I’m not accomplishing anything).  I don’t feel like a major player but just a minor player.  BUT maybe I’m a vital player.  Big on the maybe.  Maybe that’s a usual feeling we all have at times. What do you think? That is what I thought.  Or is that just a feeling or a thought?  It appears that some folks think they are a major player all the time and in every situation. Booo to them! It also appears that some folks don’t want to be a major player ever; they are much more comfortable in a minor player setting.  Ok then, you convinced me, it’s ok for me to be not soooo important and be a minor player.  You (i.e. who are fearlessly authentic) are soooooo convincing!  Yes, you are.  I’m convinced for sure!

Here is a conglomeration of titbits I heard recently about our attitudes.  I read this while eating my oatmeal with half a banana on it—When cares of your heart are many; “One feature of my Apple Watch is a sensor that can somehow tell when my heart is beating in ways that reveal stress. It taps my wrist and displays this line: ‘A minute of deep breathing can relieve stress.’ It offers to guide me through a breathing exercise to slow down my mind. Anxiety, worry, and stress can be toxic cousins that consume us.” A friend at breakfast (i.e. more than just a good ol’ buddy) told me this—“My doctor told me to take a 20 minute stroll each day, not a walk or a run but a stroll; that is what I need.”  A preacher’s sermon Sunday—Live each moment; they all won’t be great; life is like waves that roll up and down; recognize them and learn that they will change (e.g. don’t live vacation like you can’t wait for it to end sooo you can get to your next project and don’t live vacation like you don’t want it to ever end; don’t live in the past or the future but the moment). Della, who is a secret little weapon, says—To have a perfect life with no stress or anxiety would be like pulling rabbits out a hat all the time.  Such is life. We ate pizza at Marino's one night and they had this sign on the wall about attitude. I sent it to a friend who he and I really like attitude attitudes.  He sent me this back--So true, I also like the one that says your attitude determines your altitude. 

PoorOl’Joe, who can act clumsy at times, says--It’s easier to just do the usual.  A friend suggested I read Hillbilly Elegy by J. D. Vance (i.e. a very popular book).  Sooooo I did.  He said it was an insight for him why many of his tenants live like the way they do (i.e. the psychology of being poor and staying poor).  I enjoyed reading about why we are and why others might be as they are; it fascinated me.  ANYWAY, it’s hard to get out of a certain mentality the book illustrated by the author’s life (i.e. a non-fiction book).  Change is soooo difficult.  Many try but still keep one foot in the ol’ way momma use to do it and they revert back (i.e. can’t make the complete change).  Two things that really help, Mr. Vance said (i.e. although neither one is a slam dunk)—meritocratic (e.g. having intelligence) and the other is having a support/training group (e.g. Marines). BUT probably the #1 issue, my opinion, is if folks want to change and if they work hard WORK HARD! A friend told me—Somehow and for some reason, a person needs a drive to change, a strong drive! I-WantedTooJoe said—My road to success was paved with good intentions but I never got around to them.  Now I’m just like I always said I didn’t want to be and said I wouldn’t be! Ouchy ouchy! 

Jimmer said—I’m totally confused Grandpa! Soooo what are you confused about Jimmer? Silence, Grandpa, I just got it all figured out. Buggy zoo statements—I don’t think it’s necessary to wear masks when outside here at the zoo, but mom probably wouldn’t agree; she likes to complain a lot; I just laughed; Buggy said—Well, she does!  Sooo we were looking at a huge massive male contour that had his wings spread out.  She said—He has an ugly head, but he thinks by spreading his wings he will impress the ladies.

MissPerfect says—It is soooo hard to do an accurate evaluation of ourselves.  Then the next biggest issue we have is to decide—decide what are we going to do about it. We seem to sometimes have a hard time accepting the profound truth (e.g. maybe we are hauling a lot old baggage around all the time. Just maybe)! I just read recently it ain’t hard to lose weight—eat one meal a day of vegetables and fruit and walk 5 miles a day.  Easy as pie; the formula is easy, but the application is the hard part.  My Daddy, Chester, would say to me—erv, the best discipline is self-discipline!

What do I want?  Really what do you want?  Really? Are you serious?  Do you really want that?  Have you and I thought about that?  Is what we want really a good decision? Why do you and I want that anyway?  Who put that in our head?  How if I get what I want will it affect my life?  Am I really thinking good?  Do I make this usual decision based on my emotions?  ItchieBitchie says—I have no idea about a lot of stuff; it’s just part of “the job of life” I guess!

Buggy is a great reader. I asked her to tell me about the books she has been reading.  She has been reading dystopian books.  I had no idea what they were.  They are books of the future that usually are dark she said.  BUT, she said, many show very good qualities of people. They are very popular with teenagers; they are very exciting.  I would not enjoy this type of book I don’t think (i.e. but I haven’t read any).  Why do teenagers like this type of book? What is the phycology here? Really, explain that to me please.

I went for a walk in Jefferson County Open area (i.e. on a hard path as the dirt paths are closed as the melt of the snow is causing them to be muddy).  There was an informational sign that read—Adapt to Survive, or Parish.  It was referring to wild live and the prairie as they had to adapt to survive, or parish.  Interesting.  Maybe young folks think we are in a bad situation and if we don’t adapt, we will parish.  Maybe they don’t think the future looks soooo much a utopia!  They need to adapt to survive, or parish, unless you are swimming in moolah.  TomSmart says—I don’t know about that!

Jimmer didn’t like to read but through some ideas (i.e. some ideas from some of you guys), he is becoming a much better reader.  One of those ideas was finding books that he liked to read.  His favorite is a serious called Dog Man which are graphic (i.e. soooo I just bought him a new one on line and here it is). I asked him what he liked about them—Funny!

JoeFromTheOtherSideOfTheTracks says--This “It’s Saturday” was twice as good (i.e. 200% better) than what my mother-in-law thought it was going to be (i.e. she has a high energy response to do nuttin)! BUT she is one negative person let me tell ya (i.e. it’s her usual for sure).  Why is she that way? I don’t think I’ll ever know!  Maybe her momma was that way! Such is life.

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

erv

MyFriendJean said—Conscience is the small voice you listen to after you tell it what to say.

PS

We get a lot of new experiences when we don’t get what we want or expect! I like new experiences; I don’t get bored that way!  Some can get me pretty excited though! Especially when I don’t get what I want like when I think it will be the usual and then I get drygulched! Yikes! Have you ever been drygulched?  Bam, gottcha! I didn’t see that c’on!