oh it feels sooo good

Billy, not anyone can be a Billy like this Billy was, says--“We live in the most permissive society since pagan times. Movie marquees, the covers of magazines, the Internet, billboards, television—all scream sensual messages at us. ‘If it feels good, do it’ has become a national motto.“ Now that is Billy’s opinion; what’s your opinion about that! AverageJoe says—YaBut erv, if it feels good, do it! Guess what Billy said that!

Patti says—"Today is a great opportunity to say something positive about the people you come in contact with. Celebrate today by offering sincere compliments to people you know.” For me, it feels oh soooo good when I do that! Just a suggestion, limit what we say about ourselves and our dog and talk more about others. Saturday question—Why do most folks want to talk about themselves soooo much anyway? There must be a reason.

YakimaClem says--It feels oh soooo good to have good things happen to me; I like it!  BUT not as good when I think not soooo good things are happening to me!  Nils says—"Life is hard. That is true for all of us. Or true for 99.999…% of us. We can’t escape the fact that throughout our lifetime, we’ll face the deaths of loved ones, we’ll face uncertainty, we’ll face challenging thoughts and emotions, and in the end, we’ll face old age and death.” As Jonas says, “The question is not if life will throw some punches at us, but when.” We can’t have a life without adversity. Such a thing simply doesn’t exist. Therefore, don’t ask, how can I create a life without adversity? Ask instead, how can I best deal with the inevitable adversity life will throw at me” Sooo the best answer of each of us is to answer that question ourselves soooo take a shot at your answer to that question. And your answer is? And when we answer that correctly, it feels oh soooo good.

Soooo a faucet in one of my bathrooms sometimes leaked and sometimes not. I didn’t like that soooo I was going to fix it. I bought the part that I thought I needed and was taking the old part off but forgot to turn the water off and water shot all over the place like a geyser and it got into the electrical outlet which created a fireworks display of sparks before the circuit breaker tripped. Oh boy! Now I had to replace the faucet and the electrical outlet. I give myself a lot of opportunities! Oh ya! After I thought about it a little, I just laughed!

We were checking into a motel and the clerk was a lady of maybe 55. We were discussing a check in issue and it was found out that I was wrong. I said—Yep, I am wrong! She looked at us and then said—That is the first time I ever heard a man say that! We got the impression that she might not have had good experiences with men! Now here is something to think about—Are we ever disillusioned with our own philosophical conclusions? Now that makes a person question if we think we are right and know everything, oh yes! For me, it feels oh soo good that I don’t need to be right all the time or need to know everything!  The Spanish explorer, Juan Ponce de León, was supposedly searching for the fountain of youth when he explored Florida in 1513. An antidote to death has always been a human aspiration. Soooo as far as I understand it, we are all still going to die!

I’m amazed how little my comprehension is on some issues or how sometimes I think I know a lot but really I don’t. It feels oh soooo good when I realize this. Actually, in the big realm of things, I know very little.  Example: Dr.J says—"The title I AM speaks of God’s self-existence and eternal being. There has never been a time when God was not. He’s the same through all the ages. There will never be a time when God ceases to be God. He is Jehovah, Yahweh, I AM. With our mouths we can say those words, but they are beyond our full comprehension—as it should be for an infinite God.” Now that concept is really impossible for me to understand. I somehow believe it, but I can’t comprehend it. But it feels oh sooo good when I comprehend that I don’t understand it or can’t comprehend it. That incomprehensible understanding is what makes God soooo exciting to me! And you know what, I don’t need to comprehend it but just believe it! It really makes me feel oh soooo good!

It feels oh soooo good to have the right ones!  Jim, anyone can be a Jim says—"It has often been said that we are the average of our five closest friends.  We tend to enjoy spending time most with people who are like us.  Our friends probably like the same things and may share our religious or political views…The opposite also is true. Years ago, a guitar player friend often said, ‘Dumb is contagious.’ He would say it in a joking matter, and everyone laughed, but he was serious. I try to avoid people who have little idea what they are talking about in general. If we have chosen to marry, our most important friend should be our spouse. When people choose a marriage partner, they are setting the trajectory of their life. Having the same aspirations and sharing the same values in life are far more important and enduring than external attraction.” JoeBlow says, You can say what you like but I still like the external attraction!

I think many of you folks are very good friends who support me and strengthen me, yes I do. I say thank you for being my friends. You guys hit base hits and even home runs.  I suggest if you have friends who mostly hit foul balls, you might want to rethink your friendships. They might not be the type of folks you want to be around or maybe you do! That is your decision! CadillacJack says--You can pick your friends but not your family!

You ever have a dream and wake up and it feels oh soooo good that it was a dream?  I do sometimes. Oh, it feels oh soooo good that I got out of a mess!  It doesn’t feel oh sooo good when we wonder if God wants us dead but just kept missing! Have you ever had a day like that—or maybe a year like that? What do you do when you’re facing insurmountable, overwhelming problems? It sure feels good when they go away, and everything is hunky-dory again. Oh ya! But flip the pancake, maybe we aren’t gracious and thankful enough when things seem to be going our way (e.g. like a medical procedure that extends our life).

Maybe if our lives are going in a good direction, we need to continue to put some energy into it and it will continue to go in a good direction. Flipthepancake, maybe if our lives are heading in a bad direction, we need to put some energy into it to turning it around. That is my opinion. It feels oh sooo good to me to accomplish something good (i.e. it could be a small thing or maybe a bigger thing, it doesn’t matter but it makes me feel oh sooooo good). Sometimes I need to push myself to do good things even though my body and mind would rather do nuttin!  Ouchy ouchy!

I was always taught and heard that Job was such a patient man (e.g. the patience of Job). I read what James wrote and it says—“You heard about the perseverance of Job.”  The footnote says differently than what I was taught and heard. Maybe the person who wrote the footnote is wrong or maybe what I was taught was wrong or I heard wrong. Could be maybe or I just don’t know. Or maybe I just don’t understand what the proper interpretation is. ANYWAY, does it feel oh sooo good to be patient and preserver? They, whoever they are, taught me—erv, be patient like Job and that patience is golden. Hey, I struggle with being patient all the time, but I have no choice but to preserver!

ValetElvis says—Religious acts and rituals are shadows of the reality. The reality…is found in Christ.

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

erv

MyFriendJean said—Don’t look back unless you intend to go that way.

I'm marveled

We took the fiery over to the island and seated ourselves on the upper deck. A father brought his two young children up and asked if they could sit in the two empty seats beside us. Reed was 8 and his sister maybe 9. Their father when down to the lower deck. Reed was sitting next to Jeanne and started the conversation by saying—How are you doing…! They were going with their family to stay on the island overnight and do the activities of the island. He told us that their family has done it before and they like to bring their bikes along. He was a very polite, sweet, and personal young boy. When we were going to depart, he quietly said to Jeanne—A little warning, watch out for the horse poop! Well, a little warning folks, watch out for the horse poop in this “It’s Saturday.”

I was working on a problem on my computer and the MI-Wizard asked if I rebooted it! Da! It fixed the problem instantly. He said a common computer error is called EBSAK—error between seat and keyboard! Or an id10t error is another. We were getting gas at Costco, and I asked the attendant what was the biggest problem he had with people—ignorance! Ouchy ouchy!

I am marveled with what I base my decisions on at times.  I think at times, I base my decisions on the wrong information. I wonder if at times I base my decisions on the garbage in my brain and not the good stuff. But the problem we all have is determining what is the garbage and what is the good stuff! It appears sometimes when we are soooo close to situations and have been around them for sooo long we become bias in our views which makes our decisions just plane skewed (i.e. that is my opinion). I felt I was making a decision using the wrong information recently. Jeanne and I had talks about it and she really helped me see it from 10,000 feet; she was very neutral, and I wasn’t. Ouchy ouchy! I was having a hard time accepting some folks who are just not going to change their ways that I wanted them to. I now realize they are not going to change; I must admit it and accept them, but they still frustrate me! Why don’t they just change; their lives would sooo much better!!!!!

I read while eating my oatmeal with half a banana on it--Emotional intelligence can be defined as our ability to interpret emotions in a constructive way. When someone has high emotional intelligence, it means they’re competent in evaluating the entire range of human emotions: sadness, happiness, anger, love, anxiety, excitement, gratitude, etc. It all comes down to identifying how we and others are feeling and knowing how to proceed in accordance with our estimation. Examples of high emotional intelligence include being able to let go of mistakes when nothing more can be done, showing love when a friend needs someone to support them, and embracing change when it’s time for a new chapter in your life. Emotional intelligence is something we might be able to control and change and make our lives much better. “Everything can be taken from a person but one thing: the last of a humans freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way,”  ~ Victor Frankl  Mary Lou Retton says—"Optimism is a happiness magnet. If you stay positive, good things and good people will be drawn to you.”  SusieQ says—erv, you have no idea how crazy my hormones run; they are as crazy as a wild donkey!

I marvel at how kind some folks are and I marvel how hateful some folks can be. I marvel at how humble some folks are and I marvel how arrogant some folks can be. I marvel how some folks have such strong faith in God and I marvel at how some folks who have such little faith in God. I just marvel, I guess.  My mouth is open most of the time, but I catch a lot of flies! It appears that different folks have a different flair or is it a different flare or maybe both. Saturday question—How would you describe your flair and your flare?

I marvel what we can do, even me! I have many options (i.e. we all do folks). Aren’t we something else! RickyRick says--God wouldn’t give you a list of things to do and not give you the time and ability to do them. We’re either trying to do too much or we’re wasting time. There’s really no other option. Either way, we need to learn to enjoy the moment. The Bible says, ‘All of us should . . . enjoy what we have worked for. It is God’s gift’ (Ecclesiastes 3:13 GNT). Too many of us fall victim to a terrible trap. I call it ‘when and then’ thinking. We believe ‘when’ we achieve a particular goal, we’ll be happy.” I personally try to enjoy each moment of my life. I try to make it a fun game!

CoachB says—Life is more like a video than a photo, a video keeps changing and a photo is static. We are dynamic folks who have the ability to adjust (i.e. we must be flexible and adaptable). We have the ability and the choice (i.e. even though it’s hard sometimes). Now life is more like a video as it changes constantly even from minute to minute. If we what to stay on top of life, we dramatically need to change with the circumstances of life that are around us. But we never change the principles that take us through any of the changes in life. Oh no! When our principles are solid, 99% of our decisions are already made.”  Think through that folks! I am marveled at how some folks can adjust and how some can’t. Such is life.

Here is something else that I marvel at, it’s when unethical folks and even folks who use unscrupulous actions succeed and those who are honest don’t. I marvel at that. It shouldn’t be but it seems to be that way sometimes. BusinessManHarold says—"We all would like to think that following the Bible’s high standards of doing business always result in world success, but that is not reality. It can be especially frustrating when unethical, unscrupulous people seem to thrive while we are struggling to do right. This conundrum is as old as history. In the Bible, a psalmist named Asaph was also having trouble reconciling why evil people around him were doing so well while he was floundering in life. He wrote, ‘When I tried to understand all this, it troubled me deeply till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny’ (Psalm 73:16).” Now that is Asaph's opinion and each of us have our own and maybe some folks have no opinion.

Now this is just marvelous to me; how about you) I read this:  The human body represents a myriad of miracles. It consists of 206 bones, 639 muscles, four million pain sensors in the skin, 750 million air sacs in the lungs, 16 billion nerve cells, 30 trillion cells in all. The body is designed for living. Not only the body but the total person, inclusive of mind, spirit, and soul, is designed for life. We have minds to think. We are given emotions so we can feel and love and appreciate beauty. Totally astonishing to me. I just marvel at that.

I marvel at myself sometimes as how judgmental I am of others. I shouldn’t be but I catch myself being that way. Ouchy ouchy. I want to speak gentle to others and about others. I think maybe if I was in their shoes, I might act even worse than the way they act soooo who am I to judge but I do sometimes. I’m thinking of a particular situation with some folks who I am really going to try to speak gentler toooo. I learned from a crazy resource (i.e. a sports announcer) a tip for my life and that is to be kinder to myself. I can be unkind to myself sometimes. I’m just a little ol’ farm boy from a mile and quarter south of Roseland, MN who maybe has too high of expectations and demands of himself. Saturday question—Are you ever unkind to yourself? You have really done some amazingly good stuff in your life. I suggest you should marvel about yourself. BUT don’t get the big head like Pete’s head! Yikes, he seems to have a big head let me tell ya!

I marvel at all the opportunities you and I are given every day. Jeanne and I talk about this a lot; we have soooo many opportunities; we are just amazed. I hope we take advantage of them wisely. Motivational expert Zig Ziglar said, “Make today worth remembering.” Sometimes maybe we just waste our days. SusieQ says—How do we judge that anyway? Good question SusieQ, good question! The MI-Wizard says this--”It’s soooo simple, yet it makes such a difference. Pretend that every single person you meet has a sign around his or her neck that says, ‘Make me feel important.’”

RickyRick wrote this that I read while eating my oatmeal with half a banana on it—"You can go 40 days without food and around three days without water. You can go an estimated eight minutes without air. But you can’t go a single second without hope. It’s an essential part of life. When hope is gone, life is over. Because hope is in such short supply in our society today, people fall for all kinds of scams. They trust in false hopes like astrology, big bank accounts, quack cures, or a steady career. Inevitably, those false hopes disappoint. In fact, nothing disappoints worse than false hope. So where do you turn to find real hope?" Real Hope is pretty marvelous, I think! There is no medicine like hope, no incentive soooo great, no tonic sooo powerful as the exception of something better tomorrow.

I am marveled that I can’t forget some things (i.e. just can’t get them out of my mind when I should), like let it go erv and then some things I can’t remember when I should remember them (i.e. I just forget them when I should remember them). Soooo what things do you think I should forget, let go?  And what things shouldn’t I forget, not let go? When at our 4^th of July Mellema party, our ages were from 3s to 80s; what a fun time to see all of us interact. My kid sister a.k.a. the cruise director and one of her daughters put together teams and then we did team games together. What a hoot. Not all ages could do the activities of the games the same (i.e. the youngins and the oldins needed help or just couldn’t do them. What a hoot to see all the ages just having a good time together. I would guess all of them will remember the fun time differently. What do you think? BUT hopefully, all of us will remember it! hahaha I heard one of the Mellema clan say during the team competition—This is not elementary school!  I think they were meaning not everyone is going to be a winner! I heard one of the youngins of the Mellema clan say during the time the cruise director was giving directions—What does the winning team get for winning? Now isn’t that interesting. It was obvious that some were more competitive that others. Oh yes! The cruise director told me—I give directions but none of them listen to me anyway; they just make up their own rules! What a hoot!

VelvetElvis says—The Bible points us to Jesus who in some mysterious way is behind it all.

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

erv

MyFriendJean said—We cannot direct the wind but we can adjust the sails.

curate your life

This “It’s Saturday” is not clickbait."  Clickbait creates controversy which much of the public seems to like which sells news which sells advertising which makes money Soooo it’s really all about the money; don’t kid yourself. KnowItAllWilma says--Clickbait is more of a manipulation platform which is used all the time and all over the place.  Of course this is just KnowItAllWilma's opinion suckers! P.T. Barnum said—"There is a sucker born every minute!"

CadillacJack says--And don't believe everything folks say or write for heaven's sakes!  But flip the pancake, believe only the good, correct stuff that folks write or say.  SusieQ says--Soooo how do I know?

Boy did I get some good advice from a friend recently which I applied to my life which has made my life much better. I’m curating my life which will affect maybe even you; you are wondering aren’t you. Well, he told me to quite spending soooo much time on nickel and dime stuff which is really about such small unimportant stuff but spend more time on important stuff which is friendships, relationships and my future. What is a couple hundred dollars which takes spending hours and days working on and which is really a waste of time. Just give your stuff away erv and move on; it's not worth it. It  takes toooo much effort, time and thinking. Lighten up your life erv. Enjoy life. You are spending way toooo much time on unimportant stuff (i.e. the clock is a tickin’). That was good advice for me which I took to heart and am trying to apply. You bettcha I am! My plumber gave me about the same advice the other day. He asked me about that he heard I was moving to WA —ya, I am—I’m soooo happy for you erv; enjoy life while you’re young! And take your motorcycle along!

I read recently in a health insurance mailing that one way to improve our health is by considering “curating our content consumption.”  Soooo what is our content consumption anyway. Now that could be many things and stuff, but it was referring to curating our use of social media which it appears that excessive use can cause signs of stress, depression and anxiety. Ouchy ouchy! It suggested getting rid of such stuff and only use accounts that provide value or bring joy and unfollow everything that illicit negative feelings. My opinion is to be careful how much news we watch or in my case, I don’t watch any news as I think it has a negative effect on my life. Maybe all of us would be better off going for a walk or bike ride instead of sitting on the couch, eating chips, and getting depressed by watching the news. WalkingMatilda says--Who likes to be around depressed, radical folks anyway!

Recently I took a sabbath, meaning that I tried not to think or do anything negative and basically just took it easy and did things that I enjoyed for a day (i.e. pleased myself with no pressure in any way; at least I tried). Why not I said! I tried not to think about certain stuff that would get me going (e.g. stir me up). We all have such thoughts I would guess. I tried to stay away from most folks; I didn’t want outside stimuli which many times can be negative. Actually, I needed this break. It felt good. I was curating my life; taking charge, overseeing my life in a way I want it to be. Trying not to let others and other stuff mess with me (e.g. like cleaning out my system to prepare for a colonoscopy). It feels oh soooo good to me!

I think that there are some things that we can’t curate much out of our lives and much we can. I think that our parents had a pool of genes which we are made from  (i.e. we have no choice as to how those genes were somehow picked but they make us who we are). BUT flip the pancake, much of us is also formed by our environment of the past and the current that maybe we have some control over; I think we do. You are smart folks soooo I don’t have to give you examples; you all know what I’m talking about! That is the easy part; the hard part is doing the curating where we can! Da! I wonder if we do a very good job facing reality sometimes!  I wonder! We might be very skewed and blinded, maybe (e.g. we experienced a person who is just like their dad and it ain't pretty folks and they don't even know it)!

Soooo I was coming back from my morning walk and noticed that an acquaintance was trying to get out of his pickup and was having a very difficult time. Sooooo I went over there and asked him if I could help him.  He is about 60 maybe and has one knee that locks up and has a bad hip which both need to be replaced (i.e. I don’t know if it’s a gene problem or a past environment problem). He told me that his mobility problem is soooo bad that he peed in his paints recently as he couldn’t get out of the pickup. I told him it looks like it’s time to get a new hip and a new knee! Da! We got him out, but it was not easy. He said to me—erv, I remember what you said to the class when you were teaching 50 years ago that I never forgot. You said you and Arlene decided to build a house and it was going to cost you $35,000 and you wondered if you were ever going to get it paid for in your lifetime!  I don’t remember anything you taught me, but I remember that! Well, I’m selling the house now! It’s paid for!!! hahaha

A friend told me this story about genes or environment that explains more of what I’m trying to say maybe. A plumber was at his place and admired how he could refurbish toys.  He told him that he found an old road grader in the dump and was wondering if he would fix it up for him. He said his father would smash his toys when he was a boy. We wondered if his father had a genic problem or an environment problem; in either case it was not good. What kind of father would do that anyway. Something was not good! ANYWAY, my friend redid it for him and when he picked it up, the plumber was soooo excited to have a toy that he always wanted but his dad wouldn’t let him have. Wow!

This friend also told me this story. He went to the Butler County Fair that’s in June each year (i.e. the only thing that is fair in this world)! He watched the 4-H swine show. He told me that the show hogs are squatty, short, and fatty looking, nothing that resembles pigs that are raised for meat in IA. How come I asked. It’s what wins the purple ribbon, he said. When they are butchered, they don’t always yield out very well but they win awards in the 4-H shows. Well, that’s crazy. When I was in The Roseland Rosebuds 4-H Club we had to keep track of all our records to learn how to make money. Well, not anymore, now whoever has parents who will buy the best show pigs for their kids win and they are very expensive I was told; it’s a losing money proposition from day one. I don’t get it at all! What are we teaching our kids anyway? Suck it up erv!  Such is life!

Have Nothing Further to Say 1907-2007  AverageJoe asked KnowItAllMarvin at the coffee shop—If you are soooo smart why ain’t you rich! Do you know folks who wear big cowboy hats but own no cattle?  Or a person who thinks they know everything about everything but their life doesn’t show like they know much of anything. Their epithet and epitaph might be—Here lies KnowItAllLena who thought she knew everything but who just found out now that she didn’t know much of anything! How much of this type of person can a person handle anyway? I was cleaning out my files and found some real interesting writings of my mentor.  He was just the opposite of the person that I just described and the type of folks I curate from my life.  I asked my mentor what he would like his epitaph to be—Perceived by his friends to be a good man. Here are some other notes I found—We were having breakfast and he talked about salvation (i.e. he was not a noisy person about his faith publicly or much to me either but was as solid as a rock). He said he just couldn’t understand why folks can’t accept the grace of God and be saved; it’s soooo easy and soooo important. He told me how he prays for guidance from the Holy Spirit each day for the decisions he makes.  I asked him if he receives guidance. Absolutely erv, absolutely! I really liked this guy. He taught me a lot let me tell ya! For the records, I think his friends perceived him to be a good man.

ValvetElvis says—I assume you have had moments when you were caught up in something so much bigger than yourself that you couldn’t even put in words. Ordinary moments in ordinary settings that all of a sudden become infused with something else With meaning. Significance Hope!

Talk about curating your life. An acquaintance said to me that he was soooo happy for me in finding a lady to be with; I’m really happy for you erv.  I told him that it has really made my life exciting and positive again; I was rather living in a funk for several years. He said—Not everyone is that fortunate erv.. We met a guy on vacation who was married for 53 years and just got divorced and said that he hasn’t been this happy for years. The guy said, I wish I would have divorced her 50 years ago!

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

erv

MyFriendJean said—If you always keep your face to the sunshine, you’ll never see the shadow.

validate

Disclaimer: All stuff in this “It’s Saturday” are opinions and are not validated soooo be careful what you believe. Personally, I’m just another bozo on the bus and the other folks are bozos on the same bus. If you want to validate anything, I suggest you go to social media and find someone who agrees with your opinions. NaiveBetty says--And what is said on social media is fact, because they say it is soooo it has to be soooo! And if you believe that you have a problem (i.e. which is my opinion)!

A friend at church told us this story about her parents. My parents lived in a comfortable house and accumulated all the necessary stuff plus more during their lives; they had a good life. Then as they aged Dad called me and said that it was time for them to go to assisted living. Soooo they had to down size and got rid of much of their stuff. After being in assisted living for some time my Mom had to go to a care facility soooo Dad also went along which made them down size more again. Then one day I was visiting them and Dad who was now in in his mid 90s, told me to take a pair of shoes along as he had no need to have two pairs. He died two days later. 

ValvetElvis says--"Obviously we think our interpretations are the most correct; otherwise we'd change them. Or as one of my favorite writers, Anne Larnott, put it, "Everybody thinks their opinion is the right one; if they didn't, they'd get a new one

MeatloafFred says--Oh it’s soooo good to have good friends especially during tough times. Good friends laugh with you and cry with you. They are sad with you and happy with you. They just don’t change (i.e. these good friends are probably not social media friends), I validated a friendship by working with a person over a period of time; I found how for sure that she was the real deal; in fact she was even better than I thought and I had her on a high pedestal before (i.e. the cream of the cream). It was such a great feeling! I said to my 16-year-old granddaughter—You sure seem happy—Grandpa, I am, I’m much happier than I was a couple years ago—how come—I changed some friends and am around friends who have the same values and morals that I have; it made a big difference. Bingo!  SusieQ says—For many folks it seems like it’s real difficult to be committed to substance rather than the superficial a.k.a. skin-deep stuff a.k.a. peer group pressure a.k.a. fluff! MissPerfect’s actions validates something, but I don’t know what her something is!

I called an acquaintance to get his experienced opinion on something (i.e. he has knowledge in this area but did admit that he has been removed from the reality of the current culture for some time—out of sync). I listened to him and took mental notes.  BUT I didn’t completely follow his advice as I thought he wasn’t current with his information. I just added different research and used common sense to make my decision which seemed to work.  I used Marketplace some and discovered that the culture we live in has change (e.g. no one is hardly interested in pianos, desks, grandfather clocks, grandma’s dishes, dining room sets, rocking chairs, some types of antiques, etc.). Ya can’t hardly give some of that stuff away anymore. And the new thing is on-line auctions where folks can sit in their recliner and buy stuff. A friend validated this to me by saying—My generation no longer eats off grandma’s dishes, we eat out of card board boxes meaning pizza from Casey’s). Oh, the world is changing folks! Right in front of our eyes!

I have discovered once again that different types of personalities don’t mix very well. They just don’t it seems (e.g. example highly motivated folks don’t enjoy being around low motivated folks and vice versa. Takers don’t enjoy being around givers and vice versa. Slackers don’t enjoy being around workers and vice versa. Conservative folks don’t enjoy being around liberal folks and vice versa. Folks who have low self-discipline don’t enjoy being around folks that have high self-discipline or vice versa. Folks with high confidence don’t enjoy being around folks who have low confidence and vice versa) It appears that many folks make no bones about it (i.e. other folks who are not like them can intimate them). I recently experienced this firsthand; a difference made a person very uncomfortable soooooo they just left (i.e. they were almost rude). My opinion was validated by their action. No question! But maybe I misinterpreted their action in that it was more of an action of independence, could be maybe I don’t know. BUT flip the pancake, I just read this:  Social psychologist Eric Hoffer once said, “Rudeness is the weak man’s imitation of strength; it takes no intelligence at all to be rude.” MrUnknown says--Be strong, but not rude; be kind, but not weak; be bold, but not bully; be humble, but not timid; be proud, but not arrogant. Mr.Unknown, that is like waking the tight rope ain't it!

A missionary talked in our church recently. He spoke about being in silence and listening to God. Just be quiet and listen in complete silence. I like to do this. I guess maybe because I don’t know much sooo I just listen maybe. It works for me. I really enjoy it. He also talked about folks who are going forward with a new life and are just soooo happy (i.e. just soooo refreshing and exciting). We can live the past over and over but if we go forward with a new life, wow! now that is exciting. A completely new adventure (e.g. removing the same old stuff around us and doing great new stuff). Personally, I think that validates life. I think it sure beats just coasting on out! But that is my opinion, and your opinion might be different! Such is life.

When I move to Yakima, WA I think I might buy some new clothes. I haven’t bought any new clothes for years. I need a change or do I really! I need to go forward. Do you folks have an idea of what type of clothes I should buy? Hardly anyone knows me soooo I can start a new image maybe. Maybe the Great Northwest Look, whatever that is!  I have no idea! I do know that it appears to me that the folks are more active in nature and enjoy the great outdoors more than Iowans. Again, that is my opinion. But I cannot validate that in any way. BUT when our 16-year old granddaughter was her vising me, she went down town A'town and shopped at the little consignment store. She showed me the cute little Levi shorts and a cute little top that she bought for $15. Hey, 16 year-old girls wear the same type of cloths all over the place!

Erenia, not everyone can be a Erenia, validates it because she wrote it—"Mental and emotional health increasingly are reasons for great concern for every aspect of life.  The causes are complex. Sometimes, however, solutions can be surprisingly simple. In his studies on emotion and social interaction, Dr. Dacher Keltner, a professor of psychology at the University of California-Berkeley, highlights the value of using a stress reliever many of us would not consider: Nature. Keltner’s research reveals the direct effects of immersion in nature on people’s cardiovascular and cerebral systems. This experience, he says, not only has a profound impact on our bodies but also influences how we think about ourselves and understand the purpose of our lives.” I do think that nature affects my body, mind and soul; I think it does in a very positive way! That is my opinion though! But if it works for me, sooo does it really matter much what you think!  hahaha

All we have to do is ask! AverageJoe says--Oh, they will never do that sooo why ask? You don’t know AverageJoe until you ask; you might be surprised but you will never know until you ask. You can ask in a nice way; you don’t have to do it in a sour way or unpleasant way but in a cheerful way; just ask. If they say no, well then, you have validated your thought. You haven’t lost anything but now you know for sure. How many times have we said to ourselves—I wish I would have asked; I didn’t think they would and they will but I didn’t ask!

In the movie National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation do you remember the scene when Clark finally gets the lights to work and the dialogue between Art, Clark’s father-in-law, and him that went like this:  Art says--The little lights... they aren't twinkling Clark. Then Clark says--I know Art, thanks for noticing! I had the opportunity to be invited for dinner at some good friend’s’ place recently (i.e. I always enjoy having a meal and conversing with them). ANYWAY, we got talking about stereotyping certain groups of people (i.e. maybe we are right and maybe we are wrong). One group of folks that was brought up were folks with a similar type of hobby. It seems that these folks never pay their bills very well, sooo it seems anyway. My host said he worked with a gal that became part of a group of folks who had that similar interest and said this about the folks associated with this hobby—they are all liars and thieves! Soooo I had breakfast with a friend the other morning and asked him what he thought about this. He said he has always had the same thought about the folks with this hobby. Sooooo, if he validated it, it must be right (i.e. this person is smart let me tell ya)!  But flip the pancake, I think of another group of folks that I trust a lot to always pay their bills and who I think are not thieves and liars.  Maybe my thinking is just not true but only a stereotype that I have. Could be maybe I don’t think soooo!

We are in Pure MI a.k.a. The Middle of Everywhere! We had a big Mellema Fourth of July party at my kid sister and brother-in-law’s place with my other sister (i.e. my big sister only in age) and brother-in-law and most of their children, their spouses and families (i.e. a huge massive group it was). Jeanne got to meet them all and vice versa. It was a hoot! All of us are just who we are! In this case, all very good folks, my opinion! We have been blessed with a very good family and we very thankful!

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

erv

MyFriendJean said—In the game of life heredity deals the hand, and society makes the rules, but we can still play our own cards.