so what

Disclaimer--If you think I'm writing about you as an individual, you are wrong my friend.  But if the shoe fits (i.e. good or bad) put it on.  ItchieBitchie says--Hey folks, erv, doesn't have time to talk about each of you individually.  That would take forever!  You might be important but not that important!  But if the shoe fits, put it on!  Soooooo what!  LuckieEddie says--Many parishioners say the same thing about pastors (i.e. they seem to be speaking directly to me).  They aren't but if the shoe fits, put it on.  Soooo do you think a pastor is a gift from God, someone handy to have around or a persistent pest?

So what!  Those two words can take you a long way by keeping your spirit at peace.  About 95% of the things of life fit into the "so what" category.  There is nutten that you can do about them anyway. The thing really doesn't harm you, it is just an irritating inconvenience.  So what!  ItchieBitchie says--Soooo what?  That 95% of stuff stops most folks from what they're doing and get on the couch and eat chips!  Talk about sitting on the couch and eating chips--I met a friend running the other morning.  He has run since January and has lost 20 pounds and lowered his blood pressure 10 pts.  Wow, I think he's got it going 'cause he has himself going!  Such is life. 

The Importance of running--Running can add minutes to your life. This enables you at 85 years old to spend an additional 5 months in a nursing home at $7000 per month. SusieQ says--I joined a health club last year, spent about 400 bucks. Haven't lost a pound. Apparently you have to go
there. Every time I hear the dirty word 'exercise', I wash my mouth out with chocolate. Sooooo what!

I heard Gary Koch say announcing the Players Championship over last weekend--Bubba Watson and Rickie Fowler are two very popular player as they are soooo honest, sooooo real (i.e. not incognito).  Sooooo what.  I like real folks.  CadillacJack says--Well well well, it seems like real folks are recognized everywhere and fakers are also recognized all over.  Soooo there you go. 

So what!  SusieQ won a huge fortune in a state-run lottery. Upon receiving the news, she called home to her live-in boyfriend and told him, "I have just won the lottery! Start packing!" Her boyfriend replied, "That's fantastic! Should I pack for warm or cold weather?" She answered without emotion, "I don't care - just as long as you are out of the house by the time I get home!"

Soooooo what!  A friend stopped the other day.  I asked him some questions about a common interest and about a certain person's actions that is part of this interest.  He said--This and that and then said--that's par for the course for her (i.e. meaning what he expected her to act poorly based on her past experience).  Par for the course!  Many folks are very predictable as this is how they have acted in their past.  They pretty much do the same in the future.  Soooooo we aren't toooo surprised when they act that way again.  Flipthepancake!  I know some folks (i.e. who are real success stories) who do not repeat their past or the past of their family's ugly history.  They are survivors and heroes in my eyes.  Hats off to you folks.  You know who you are and others do too.  You have broken the chain.  Way to go.  No more "that's par for the course"!

I stopped and saw MyFriendJean the other day.  She is sooooo nice to me.  She gave me some rasin/apple muffins.  She treats me a little like she does her son Doug (i.e. she spoils him rotten).  You say--sooooo what.  I say--It's soooo nice to have folks treat others soooooo nice.  She's a gem folks (i.e. a real person with a massive huge good heart--my kind of person). 

Life is not fair!  The only thing that's fair is the Buter County Fair and that's in late June.  Ya, life can sometimes seem overwhelming (i.e unfair).  SusieQ says--But some of the things we get all cooked up about are really not that important.  They are soooooowhat stuff.  Ya, we all have stuff that is serious that needs our attention.  But really, is some of that stuff really that important (e.g. a golf score).  If you can't handle your score, quit.  You don't have to play.  You can sit on the couch and eat chips!  Some of you think I know everything about nutten.  You are probably right.  Such is life.

A golf buddy showed me a scratch on the front of his golf cart the other day.  He said--I thought I had it reverse but had it in forward and ran into something--how stupid can I get.  I told him--sooooo what!  No one will ever see that little scratch and it didn't really hurt anything except your pride soooo forget about it.  Sooo what if you screwed up a little. 

Sometimes we get stumped in life.  Yes we do.  Sooooo what!  LuckyEddie says--Ya gotta make the most out of your stumps in life.  Oh ya.  Here are some ideas how to make use of the stumps in your life (i.e. in our little town of Aplington). 

90% of DuaneTheWorm's problem is jealousy and 10% legitimate!  So what if folks act goofy.  Who really cares.  Our actions affect others if we like it or not (i.e. good and bad).  We all (i.e. meaning actions) become part of our family, friends and acquaintances if we know it or not (e.g. daddy, I just said what you said).

Sooooo what!  This might be a stimulating cognitive psychological, inventive paradigm that JoeBlow has made--Ya need a balance between present and future joys.  If we spend all our time on the future, we become misers.  If we spend it all on the present, we become paupers.  JoeBlow, I have seen both and have been both at certain times of my life.  I think you are right though, you need a balance (i.e. do everything in moderation except in loving others and eating green beans). Such is life.

I was running the other morning (i.e. my body didn't seem to enjoy it much but I did run 2.5 miles in close to my normal time).  ANYWAY I was on Nash Street when a car alarm went off.  There wasn't any one by the car.  Randy was walking across the street to his mail box and I said--I'm getting out of here before the police come!  He said--I didn't see anything nor do I know anything.  We both had a good laugh.  Sooooo what!!

Sooooo what!  Joesixpack says--Sometimes it is more important to be nice than to be right  What do you think of that?  I really have a hard time understanding a guy's stance on an issue (i.e. maybe I didn't understand him or I misunderstood him--that could be).  He is a very smart guy in high positions.  If I understood him right, he said--If it doesn't affect you personally, soooooo what.  What!  Soooo if the neighbor girl down the street gets rapped, soooooo what.  It doesn't affect you personally.  If a fellow business person gets cancer, soooooo what.  It doesn't affect you personally.  Sooo an acquaintance's parent dies.  Soooooo what.  It doesn't affect you personally.  Flipthepancake--Soooo if it's his daughter gets rapped, soooo if it's his wife who has the cancer or if it's his parent who dies it might be a different thing.  That attitude is toooooo "uno" for me.  I bet most folks who have that "selfish" attitude would get real excited if someone took some of their money.  Money always gets folks excited.  MissPerfect says--Sooooo what, it's only money.  So what stuff is important to you anyway?  How about stuff like values, morals, and Biblical stuff if you are a Christian)?  I think some of that stuff is very important (i.e. my opinion).  IthcieBitchie says--Opinions vary; that's why we have horse races! 

I read in the paper (i.e. soooo it must be right) that the $87,000 is the average net worth of a baby boomer reaching age 65.  Wow!  Soooooo what!  They will have to live on about $900 a month.  Could you do that?  LuckieEddie says--These are real folks with a real problem.  They are drinking kool aid.  Now that is a another major league problem that our country will have to deal with.  We really don't like to deal with real problems as a government.  We seem to tend to sweep them under the rug.  We don't seem to face reality very well.  SusieQ says--Yabut I have a lot of money sooooo I really don't care about anyone else.  Ouchy ouchy!  Talking about being real--The other day I golfed with a guy who I know but not very well.  On the first tee I said--Good to see you sir.  He said--I'm no sir, I'm a plain ol' asshole!   Getting back to SusieQ who has plenty of money--If I were of  a different family, had a different IQ, or raised in a different environment, that poor person could be me.  Very easily!  Soooo why have you and I been blessed with all our wealth?  Are you and I blessed or cursed with all our wealth?  Very few folks can handle financial wealth.  Very few.  Icky icky!  Maybe our milk moustaches identify us as babes in our thinking when we are soooo self-righteous about being sooooo superior.  Maybe we need to put on our hydraulic brakes to stop our "mightier than Thou" attitude.  Maybe we need to be more thankful, appreciative, generous, humble than we are.  If not, we probably will crash and burn (i.e. a dead end).  Maybe we are all just "plain ol' assholes"! The "plain ol' asshole's partner was also standing on the tee box.  He said to me--Hi Mr. Mellema.  He was a student of mine maybe 40 years ago.  I told him I'm not Mr. Mellema but erv.  He asked me if I remember when he got kicked out of Vog Ag and was in my study hall.  You told me that I had too much time on my hands with 2 study halls and I should drop the other study hall and come to the typing class that you were teaching.  I did.  Where you any good?  I got up to 45 words per minute on a manual.  That was pretty good.  That typing class has become quite an assist to me as I spend about 50% of my job of 22 years on a computer.  Such is life.

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

erv

MyFriendJean says--It's easier to be wise for others than for ourselves.

smorgasboard

Here's a mix bag of musing folks.  Be patient with me, my mouth sometimes operates independent of my brain.  MissPerfect says--A cigar is a cigar; that's just the way it is.  Hey listen folks, my gut tells me what to write but my gut isn't tooooooo bright.  It mostly knows when I'm hungry!  One more thing to think about--Intuition is normally the result of external stimuli interpreted by our own emotional condition.  Soooooo who knows what will happen when I start writing!  Such is life.

Good grief!  Actually GeorgeTheCrook is much dumber than he seems.  Soooooo you would think he would learn to shut up. Shutting up rarely leads to anything bad (i.e. that shutting up has passed the road test at International Falls last January folks)!  Sis-boom-bah!

Good grief!  I fell like it never happened.  It's not true.  It's a dream and I want to wake up.  LuckieEddie says--When the pain becomes intolerable, you'll seek help but until then you will just muddle.  Change from DoubtingThomas to TomTerrific in a matter of seconds can happen with the right help folks.  Oh ya!  But where can you get the right help?  That is something that you need to consider.  My help is in the name of the Lord! 

Good grief!  DuaneTheWorm might be insecure (i.e. has a little guy mentality)!  Folks who are insecure about themselves, rarely admire anyone else!  The other night Arlene and I went for our 2.5 mile walk around town.  We were going west on Nash and Arlene insisted we turn and go up cinder hill.  I asked why.  She said--I like to walk past Mohwinkles' (i.e. that is not a madeupname folks and I don't think they are related to Bullwinkles) house.  It makes me smile.  What!  They have it looking sooooooo nice.  It just makes me feel good.  Soooooo that is what we did.

Egad!  Joesixpack (i.e. this guy is always on the money) says--To live is the rarest thing in the world.  Most folks exist, that is about all. Sooooooo don't judge folks by how they look Joesixpack--yabut it's easier to be a good looking woman when you're 35 and even easier if you are rich and 35(i.e. for the most part). Looks can fool a guy.  For many woman to get to the look they want, it's a big rigmarole! 

We were waiting in line the other night at the Hickory House in Ames for some ribs.  A gal and her son were just ahead of us.  They were from the Minneapolis area and were looking at ISU as a possible school.  They told us to attend U of M it would cost $25,000 a year.  For him to attend ISU (i.e. out of state tuition) it would cost between $28,000 to $31,000 a year.  Ouchy ouchy.  That's seems like a lot of money to me.  Maybe not to you.  I was told a local private college (i.e. Wartburg is $40,000 so I called them--$41,145).  If they have to borrow most of it, they better get a pretty good job.  It's hard to repay it at $10 an hour folks.  I read in the paper soooo it must be right, that student debt is in the trillions (i.e. unmanageable).  SusieQ says--It's hard to get a job without a college education.  Soooooo what do you do?  Now that's a dilemma.  How about a free college degree.  Would you like that?  Here how you can do it.  I called Harvard University's Admission office.  25% of all students get free education and 75% get financial aid.  It cost between $51,000 and $53,000 a year to attend.  Wow!  I asked the admission gal if she could sign up our grand kids for the free education at Harvard.  She laughed and said--We are rather particular who we admit for free education.  There are 35,000 that apply to Harvard and we accept 2,100 students a year (i.e. 5.9%).  Soooooo I bet you better know someone or be very very smart plus some other factors. 

Good grief!  When in western MI, it appears that everyone is rich.  It really does.  Everyone has a nice new houses and new cars and life looks great.  Let's face it, there seems to be a lot of wealth all over the good o' U.S. of A.  The economic abyss doesn't appear to be a problem.  Appearance maybe might be a fraud but it sure looks like there is no problem in western MI with $$$$$$.  There are a lot of folks who have a lot of $$$$$$$.  There just has to be.  But I read in the paper (i.e. so it must be right)--Currently, one in every five children in the United States lives in poverty.  Ya money seems to be answer (i.e. the old American dream) but yet some of the simplest things make me the happiest.  We took care of our little Charlie the other day.  She was sick soooooo we helped out.  Pretty simple but very rewarding.  I go for a 3-mile run.  Simple but very rewarding.  A visit with a friend.  Simple but very rewarding.  None of this might impress the rich and the famous but does touch my heart.  An acquittance said to me the other day--erv, it seems like you have done a lot of fun stuff in your life; what's the most fun thing you have done?  No question the most fun thing I have ever done is parent our kids.  It was frustrating at times but by far the most fun of anything in my life.  Soooooo Albert Einstein says--I believe that a simple and unassuming life is good for everybody, physically and mentally....I am absolutely convinced that no wealth in the world can help humanity forward, even in the hands of the most devoted worker in this cause.  The example of great and pure individuals is the only thing that can lead us to noble thoughts and deeds.  Money only appeals to selfishness and irresistible invites abuse.  Can anyone imagine Moses, Jesus, or Gandi armed with the money-bags of Carnigie?  ~  MissPerfect says--Albert might be right but the appetite for money or love is the best sauce (i.e. great motivator). There is a lot of that sauce going around it seems.  Such is life.

Good grief!  I seem to like to sleuth (i.e. be an inquisitor).  When we got back from AZ I asked a VeryObservantGuy how folks were reacting to a certain situation.  I asked him particularly about the reaction of a certain guy.  He said--He's aways squawking about something.  I asked him about another certain guy.  He said--Nutten can make him happy.  Ouchy ouchy!  I sent a compliment to a guy about his work.  This is what I got back--i thank you p.s. not use to compliments, more like complaints, funny how you can change a few letters to make two different words that mean complete opposite in my profession, again thank you

Good grief!  I heard Coach Gentry of the Phoenix Suns say recently about one of his players.  He is the only one on our team who thinks his play is better than what it is.  Ouchy ouchy!  Ya, it's probably better to over perform than to under perform I would guess.  I know both type of folks.  Don't you?  I prefer the under promisers that over performer.  Such is life.

Good grief!  Anna's ivy is tough.  My Mom, Anna, had an ivy.  She kept if for years.  In the fall she would cut it down and put in our dark, damp, cold basement on the farm a mile and a fourth south of Roseland, MN.  I can't remember if she watered it or not.  ANYWAY in the spring she would bring it out and it started to grow again.  This went on year after year after year.  My Mom has been died for over 40 years (i.e. I still miss her).  Her ivy is still alive.  Our family had snipes of this ivy and grow it every year (i.e. great memory of Mom).  Soooooo last fall I put ours in the basement.  We were in AZ all winter sooooo the other day I brought it up.  It had no water all winter. The soil was as hard as a rock but...look at it will ya.  That's just amazing to me.  My Mother, Anna, was such a great lady.  Sooooo hard wroking, soooo loving, sooooo kind, sooooo humble--she was soooooo nice.  She was sooooo good to me.  Toooo bad she didn't live longer (i.e. died at 56 of cancer).  I wish I could tell her that today.  Ya Mothers affect us.  I called Bev, my friend, the other day.  I asked her how she was doing?  She said something in German--soooo what does that mean--If you don't listen you feel (i.e. her doctor gave her some advice but she didn't listen and know is suffering the consequences).  She said her Mom use to tell her that.  That has to been a lot years ago.  We don't forget what those moms say and do for us.  A friend said this poem to us guys the other day--I eat my peas with honey; I've done it all my life. It makes the peas taste funny, But it keeps them on the knife.  He teaches that to his 10 grand kids.  I beat he learned that from his mom.  I bet sooooo!

Good grief!  Our Internet connection disconnected the other night.  I rebooted both the router and the modem.  It didn't seem to help.  I removed the router and went direct to the modem and the connection worked on our desk top.  Sooooo I had a problem with the wireless router.  I called Belkin (i.e. the brand of router I have) support.  It was a gift from Chet and he said it was the cheapest one sooooooo I had some doubts when I called.  I talked to Bob from the Philippians.  We did several moves and after some time we got it to work.  It just amazes me how they can help a guy. 

Good grief!  I mentioned that I started to do some sudoku.  I have enjoyed it for the most part.  I'm starting to think like a sudoku!  Ya gotta have a certain thought process I think.  It's much like learning to think like your wife, kid, IRS, friend, financial advisor, etc.  You get what I mean.  Once that happens, life is a lot easier I think.  BUT it's really hard to think like someone different than yourself.  AverageJoe says--If you think young you're young.  Yabut I got this from a friend recently--Hope this cold weather isn’t making your bursitis act up, I know in AZ you think your young but around here you’re not so young. I asked Bobbie (i.e. one of his support staff) how to spell bursitis and she said I don’t know, I don’t even know what it is she said, sadly now I don’t feel so young.  Such is life.

Talking about the young and the old.  I mowed our lawn recently.  The day before we  had a strong north wind and millions (i.e. I didn't count them but...) of maple seeds (i.e. whirlybirds) blew off our neighbor's trees unto our lawn.  It reminded me of the old saying--You plant enough seeds and maybe some might grow.  Some will fall on good ground, some in the rocks, some will start fast and then wither away--you know how it goes.  I wonder if pastors some times say--If you throw enough stuff at them, maybe something will stick.  I wonder!  It takes something special to keep the attention of the young folks and the old folks now days.  Yes it does.  The same ol' same ol' is pretty much history I think.  I like the article in the spring edition of the Classic of good o' Northwestern College (i.e. our alma mater) called The Changing Church.  I think it is well done.  If you are old and not open minded, don't read it.  You aren't going to change anyway sooooooo it's a waste of time even trying to broaden your perspective.  http://classic.nwciowa.edu/spring-2012/changing-church  This comes from a guy who wears a sweatshirt from1995 and a Wakonda Country Club cap (i.e. use to be black) from 1997!   Soooooo you can take it for what it's worth. 

LuckieEddie says--Most folks like to exchange information.  Sooooo if you want to know something, tell 'em something interesting and they will try to top it!  Good grief, it seems to work almost every time!  That information is almost as valuable as this--Twisting the tail of a cow will encourage her to move forward.  SusieQ says--Good grief erv, where do you get this informtion anyway?  Hey, this stuff works.  It works almost as good as promising folks something for nutten (i.e. free).  Folks always like something free.  Free will do it folks, they jump on free stuff.  Folks are suckers for free stuff.  Such is life.

Good grief.  What will they come up with next?  It's a pic of our cute little neighbor girl on her battery driven John Deere.  I just think it's soooooo cute.  It won't be long before she will be driving the car.  It seems to go about that fast.  We are invited to several high school graduation parties.  Bingo, they are out of the house.  It goes about that fast.  Before you know it, they are married and have kids.  It happens about that fast.  ANYWAY I asked s graduate at her party last Saturday how many college credits she has going into college (i.e. they can take college credit courses while in high school which is paid by the state of IA--free to the students).  She had 35  hours which will make her probably a sophomore.  That's about $25,000 to $30,000 folks.  All ya got to do is do it!  It's free!!!

Good grief!  Saturday question--What is the average length of time does a woman take to do her nocturnal ablutions before going to bed?  AverageJoe says--My epigram to that is 'vita brevis' which in English says "Life is short".  Don't argue or compain.  Sooooooo just accpet it guys.  She ain't going to change anyway!

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

erv

MyFriendJean says--He has a right to criticize who has a heart to help.

staging

Did you know that turtles can breathe through their butts? You know what, I think I do that sometimes! If you don't claim to know much it doesn't take much time.  When folks think they know a whole lot, now that's when it takes a lot of time let me tell ya!  I don't know much soooooo this "It's Saturday" shouldn't take much time!  I'm tooooo soon old, toooooooo late smart!  Such is life.

MissPerfect says--They will perceive what they perceive!  Staging is putting on a performance or play on stage.  Ya stage something to make it look as it is not.  It's not real maybe but a show.  GeorgeTheCrook says--Pretending doesn't always work well but sometimes it does.  In the real estate business you can hire staggers who come in and tell you how to stage your house in order to make it sell better.  These folks have experience in what buyers what to see.  They stage your house for you for a fee.  I was told of a condo that was on the market for a couple of years but would not sell.  The owner hired a stagger and within a couple of months it was sold.  Was it the stagger or just luck?  LuckieEddie says--Maybe I should hire a stagger for my life!  LuckieEddie, I think you should!!!

Joesixpack says--It's predictable, some folks work the crowd better than others.  Oh ya!  They are just plain better staggers.  Some folks can work the crowd into a frenzy.  To a point that the crowd will do anything for them.  Some guys are a lot better with woman than others toooooo (i.e great staggers).  Some are called womanizers.  And some women just love it.  These guys are just plain good staggers.  Oh ya!  Some women are good staggers tooooo.  They know how to work the crowd.  They lose weight to attract a guy--display more cleavage to attract a guy--buy better quality clothing to attract a guy--make up their face more attractively--get a high quality hair due, learn to talk what guys like a.k.a. learn the lingo to get them excited  (i.e. learn about football or say they look good etc).  Oh ya, they can stage the show alright.  They can radically transform themselves.  I hear some males and females say after a divorce--I got to make myself marketable again.  SusieQ says--(i.e. it's time to set the record straight) I got my man soooooooo what you see is what you get!  I don't have do any more staging.  What SusieQ lacks in impressing folks, she makes up with her being real (i.e. I like real folks--to a certain point anyway--I really do like Arlene looking good even if it's staging a bit--I don't mind her spending money on that staging--she did just that this past week!).  Such is life. 

No staging here folks; nutten but the real thing.  A former employee/friend use to work for an attorney before working for us.  She mentioned to me several times how much she liked this guy and why.  I read in the paper that he just passed away.  I sent her an email about him.  This is what she sent me back (i.e. printed with permission)--Your “kind of people”, Erv.  Not pretentious; had money cuz he worked very hard; however, didn’t sport it.  Very “fatherly” to us gals in the office – wouldn’t let us walk to the parking ramp alone – we had to walk as a group.  If anyone had to stay late to work on a project, we ALL stayed late until the work was done – team player.  The attorneys who are in the firm now would have gotten their book of business from Louis’ shirttails.  I was told by someone when I worked in his firm that Louis helped a lot of homeless people in Waterloo and that’s why you didn’t see them on the streets – Mr. Beecher did not brag about it however.

What is real is real and what is fake is fake no matter what you say.  Joesixpack says--There are really some quirky birds out there--oh ya!  Some of those quirky birds have some issues but they mask them (i.e. stage them).  They use doohickeys and doodads.  They seem to work sometimes and for a short period of time anyway but not for the long haul.  And then...reality shows it's ugly head.  That's when those quirky birds loose their feathers (i.e. get exposed to the bare bones).  Ouchy ouchy!

Here is a recipe for better living (i.e. staging yourself).  It's much like the recipe for making Holy Water--boil the hell out of it!  I read recently that you can stage yourself to make your life better.  Here are 5 simple ways:  minimize TV watching, exercise, read challenging books, get adequate sleep, and take time to reflect.  I would guess if folk would do that, they would be a lot better off.  What do you think?  ItchieBitchie says--Yabut I like to do what I want.  I like to sit on the couch and eat chips.  I don't understand why I weigh soooooo much though!  It must be in my genes (i.e. or in your jeans)!  ItchieBitchie, your a lot like this--Adam blamed Eve.  Eve blamed the snake and the snake didn't have a leg to stand on!  And you know what ItchieBitchie, it's like this analogy--Meanness doesn't happen overnight!  And ItchieBitchie, there are some questions that can't be answered by google. 

LuckieEddie says--Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.  That is staging ourselves when we can keep our mouth shut just at the right time.  Really, most folks really don't care what you say or what you think anyway.  The good folks are the real folks who really care; they are  interested in what you think and say.  One more thing LuckieEddie says--Don't judge folks by their relatives. That's staging them.  They can't help who their relatives are if they are bad or good.  Their relatives might burp in public but maybe they don't.  Flipthepancake--Just 'cause their relatives are good doesn't necessarily make them good.  Don't stage them okay.  Test them before jumping to a conclusion (e.g. Arlene and our kids are a lot nicer than I am).  Such is life.

I'm not always very patient.  I want to get things done--now!  I'm a fixer (i.e. men typically are--particularly business guys).  Some things I cannot fix--that is hard on me.  Can any of you relate to that?  But some patient folks drive me crazy as they never get anything done (i.e. don't do anything and think it will just fix itself).  I also know folks who act fast but don't make very good decisions which results in even more trouble.  It seems like some folks seem to make good decisions more than others (i.e. look at their past performance).  Some seem to always make bad decisions.  Why is that anyway?  MissPerfect says--Sooooooo act fast but make good decisions and you won't have any problems.  Henri J.M. Nouwen says--Patience is not waiting passively until someone else does something. Patience asks us to live the moment to the fullest, to be completely present to the moment, to taste the here and now, to be where we are. When we are impatient, we try to get away from where we are. We behave as if the real thing will happen tomorrow, later, and somewhere else.

This was not staging folks but just a lot of 1sts!  It was the real deal (i.e. pictures courtesy of  Cyndi--you can click on them to make them larger). We had the opportunity/pleasure to attend church at 1st Reformed of Pella last Sunday.  The choir of 1st Reformed of Granville, MI (i.e. 52 of current and past members) sang there.  You ask--Why would the 1st Reformed of Granville choir bus 8.5 hours to sing at a church service at 1st Reformed of Pella, IA (i.e. I bet it was a 1st).  Well, the 1st Reformed of Granville choir's director of 22 years has moved to Pella and will be the new music director at 1st Reformed of Pella.  Obviously the choir members of 1st Reformed of Granville must really like Barb or why would 1st Reformed of Granville bus 8.5 hours to 1st Reformed of Pella to sing several songs at their church service.  Sooooo, you ask, why would Arlene and I travel 2 hours to hear the 1st Reformed choir of Granville sing at the 1st Reformed in Pella?  Well, we have two bother-in-laws who sing in the 1st Reformed of Granville's choir.  The 1st Reformed of Granville's choir sang several songs and then then sang several songs with the choir from 1st Reformed of Pella (i.e. another 1st I guess).  They concluded the service by singing the Hallelujah Chorus. I (i.e. a business major) thought they were good--Arlene (i.e. a music major) said they were excellent!  After the service Jerry Nikkel invited us for cappuccino in the fellowship hall.  What a nice guy.  I found out that Jerry and I were both former basketball coaches.  But he won 3 state boys basketball titles at Pella Christian and took the Bobcats of of Marshelltown to the big dance 4 times.  I never got a team to the sate!.  I said--you must be a good coach--no, good talent--ya right!; you must be in the hall of fame--I am; but all that winning isn't near as important as what happened this morning; that was real winning: we know what the real winning is all about (i.e. he sang in the choir of 1st Reformed of Pella).  He said this with glassy eyes (i.e. no staging here folks).  I like this guy!  A real guy, my kind of guy!  As they were leaving I noticed this bumper sicker on the back window the pickup next to our car--Eat beef!  The west wasn't won by eating salads!  That sorta kinda made me laugh.  That was the 1st time I saw that saying.  It was a morning of 1sts!  Such is life.

Saturday question--Is your life real or just staged?  SmileyJim says--It's not what you gather, but what you scatter that tells what kind of life you have lived. Enjoy the scenery, we are just passing through.

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

erv

MyFriendJean says--One thing you can't recycle is wasted time.

Cut it out!

Disclaimer  ~  I'm here and I'm writing--Some of you might think I'm talking "crazy big" and some of you think I'm talking "crazy small"!  Soooooo you have to decide for yourself if it's good stuff or if you just want to delete it.  Just remember, you get what you pay for!  Such is life.

I really would like to get in your head.  Your thinking just intrigues me.  Yes it does.  AvergeJoe says--I'm addicted to brake fluid but I can stop any time.  WildWilly says--I stayed up all night to see where the sun went. Than it dawned on me.  Ya, folks are complex all right.  Such is life.

Many think that there is mayhem in my life 'cause of what I believe.  They may say my life is runnin' amok, is a mess, is kahotic, is total confusion, is wacko.  Others might think I'm going the right direction (i.e. I have life a little figured out).  Soooooo why the big difference in opinions?  Maybe it's the way we are programed by our past (i.e. parents, spouses, teachers, mentors, folks at the coffee shop, government officials, past world leaders, bridge club gals, Bible, our beer drinking buddies, the guys at the club, Republicans/Democrats, experiences of life, religious leaders, etc).  I do know that there are some real opinionated folks, very opinionated!  It's their way or the highway!  Think about this--If your university professor thinks a certain way and you want a good grade, you have to tell him what he wants to hear.  The same way if you want to get along with parents, police, school officials, laws, IRS, etc.  They might be wrong but you have to abide by their demands.  Recently a friend and I decided not to talk about a believe of a certain religious denomination (i.e. not faith) 'cause we don't agree.  Why argue about it.  He won't change and I probably won't (i.e. at least right now).  Sooooooo cut it out erv!  I'm not mad at him or think less of him 'cause we don't agree.  He can believe his way and I will believe what I believe.  That's ok.  That's why we have many many different denominations in the Christian faith (i.e. we can't agree on traditions or certain approved acceptances of different denominations).  I think that's ok. MissPerfect says--That's why it is the best policy to not talk about religion, politics or money. Folks many times have strong opinions and they might be differetnt than yours!  Many folks think they are right and won't listen to an other's point of view.  Sooooo suck it up cupcake and accept that.  My opinion--folks who won't listen to other folks' point of view are little folks (i.e. this has been road tested at International Falls last January).  Such is life.


Cut it out!  Quite talkin' smack talk DuaneTheWorm.  Smack talk leads to road rage, road rage to a fight, a fight to loosing your dirivers license, loosing your driver's license to loosing your job, loosing your job to having no money, having no money to divorce, divorce to living with your kids, living with your kids to being alone, being alone to death when no one really cares sooooooo cutitoout--quite the smack talk!

SuseQ says--I just didn't catch on to my husband right away and didn't tell him to cut it out!  Do you think the wife changes to the way a husband thinks more than a husband to what a wife thinks?  It seems like in many casses the husband and the wife end up being two peas in a pod.  Look around.  They must influence each other.  One must brainwash the other or something or maybe indoctrinate each other.  Oh that brainwashing.  Hitler sure brainwashed the German folks (i.e. they believed him).  My Mom, Anna, would tell me--erv, don't believe everything everyone tells ya.  The politicians tell the folks what they want to hear and many believe them (i.e. gottacha).  I hear a lot of promises now again and did 4 years ago also.  It's hogwash folks.  My financial advisor says...!  My neighbor says...!  My professor says...!  My expert says...!  They might look good and maybe smell good and maybe sound good but...!  LuckieEddie says--Yabut when you get up close, they smell like onions and are cosmetically altered (i.e. a sow that is washed goes back to her wallowing in the mud--I read that while eating my oatmeal with half a banana on it)! Some even have rocks in their shoes and in their heads!  I think we should pass legislation to put bells on these cats like we put bells on cats sooooooo we know where those cats are.  But first we will spend a few millions to see if it will work!!!!  How in the world will we ever decide which cats should have the bells on (i.e. who is going to decide--what measuring stick are we going to use)?  Who are you going to believe anyway?

A SmartYoungMan told me--Many folks use confirmation bias information.  Folks obtain statistics and information to support their believe on their bias.  I call it preferred bias.  They can't evaluate information very objectively as they are soooooo bias.  Their information just supports their bias (i.e. and the merry go round  goes on and on, faster and faster).  Saturday question--Are you a confirmation bias person?  A SmartYoungWoman told me--Gathering confirmation bias information makes a person feel comfortable that they are right.  We are all opinionated folks if we think soooooo or not! Right, moderates, left and then the extremists on both ends! It appears the extremists are the most forceful and most difficult to deal with (i.e. my opinion) as they force their opinions on others with extreme force.  ItchieBitchie says--Soooooooo erv, cut it out trying to force your beliefs on me!

I'm not a true fan.  No I'm not.  I'm tooooo objective.  I'm not a phantom fan (i.e. irrationality that over rides objectivity).  A good friend told me recently--erv, you are sooooo optimistic about everything but not in being a sports fan.  He's right.  I need to cut out being objective in order to be a true fan.  To be a great sports fan, you have to be ridiculously crazy a.k.a. irrational and not objective (i.e. live in the make believe).  I applaud good plays by both teams.  I'm realistic about my teams.  My friend is the same guy who I emailed the other night and told him I just turned on the Knicks/Celtics game.  His Knicks were ahead by about 20 at the half.  He responed--I've seen this movie before meaning that the Knicks have been ahead before against Boston and lost with probably Pierce winning the game with a last second jump shot (i.e. he's being realistic).  Soooooo there you go. 

Cognitive dissonance is the feeling of discomfort we feel when we hold two conflicting beliefs simultaneously. The fundamental principle is that we find it hard to hold two contradictory beliefs at the same time so we unconsciously adjust or alter one in order to make the other fit.  In other words, when there is a discrepancy between beliefs and behaviors, something has to change in order to reduce or eliminate the dissonance.  Soooo cut it out.  Either you are one or the other but not both.  Cadillac Jack says--you are either dead or not dead but not both!  SusieQ says--I like it both ways sooooo...!  That is a little scary when you really think about it. The mind is capable of automatically altering its perceptions in order to reduce the possibility of dissonance, seemingly without the awareness of the individual. So, that leads us to the question of what constitutes “reality” if it is simply “constructed” in our own mind in order to fit the situation? When we think we “know” something, you have to wonder if it is a truly accurate representation of reality or an “adjustment” in order to reduce the chance of feeling discomfort or dissonance.  Such is life.

Cut it out!  Your thinking might make you miss the boat (i.e. the boat has left and you are still here).  You have been passed by, looked over.  The world has kept right on going while you were feeling sorry for yourself and complaining and are very narrow minded. Joesixpack says--Reality sometimes isn't the most pleasant but we need to deal with it.  We might eat, go to the movies, read, or sleep but they are really only diversions from reality (i.e. reality keeps just coming back).  When we get pushed into a corner, our old self seems to pop up it's ugly head (e.g. a dog returns to it's vomit).  We really need to work on not letting our old self take over.  I sometimes have things happen to me or see something and I think it's a change.  But, it's only a hope (i.e. a mirage) and not reality.  Such is life if I like it or not!  It's sorta kinda like politics; I think someone is going to change the playing field but then reality shows up and nothing changes.  It's reality folks.  Nutten changes until it gets sooooooo bad and there seems that there is no solution then something has to change (i.e. folks get feed up with it and act).  It has to get really bad before anything changes.  Think about that. JoeTheBucksnort asks--Why do I have to get sooooo low a.k.a humbled before I will think about changing?  I can't answer that question JoeTheBucksnort but do know that when we think we are God, we don't need God! DuaneTheWorm thinks he's God Almighty.  Ouchy ouchy!

When we were kids we might say--cut it out or I'll punch you in the noise (i.e. girls would say I will tell the teacher)!  Not all kids or adults would do that.  Some are just bullied around by the powerful.  Many of the powerful (i.e. like the Pharisees) think  they know everything and won't listen to anyone else.  They are high and mighty.  That is why it's hard to be a leader I think.  A good leader can somehow get folks to listen and hold a group together even when members of the group have different opinions and intemperate facts differently.  CadillacJack says--Or they are just good at brain washing the folks!  Ouchy ouchy!

Here is a possible opinion I have.  I wonder if the greatest folks in the world were/are more open minded than the closed minded folks.  I have thought about some of these folks and it appears to me that many of them meditate, pray, ask for advice, ask for other's opinions, don't just jump to conclusions and often wonder if they are right.  Abraham Lincoln is a hero of mine and I think he was this way.  My mentor seemed to be this way tooooo.

MissPerfect says--Most sales and bad decisions occur 'cause of emotions.  Cut it out GerogeTheCrook.  Cut out your crapping thinkin'.  Ya need to sort it out what's good and what's bad.  Don' let your emotions take over as your emotions usually lead you to disaster.  Look at the facts.  Emotions are sorta kinda just cover ups (i.e. you either have your hand in the cookie jar or you don't--like dead is dead).  When your nerves are jingling, you usually can't perform very well. 

I was reading the Bible while eating my oatmeal with a half a banana on it.  This is what I read written by PeterTheRock:  But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teacher among you.  JoeBlow says--I have attended liberal churches, conservative churches and some in the middle.  Sooooooo who is right?  I don't know JoeBlow but it says there are two major commandments soooooo maybe we need to cut out the arguing about how many angels can fit on a head of a nettle or what color the bath room needs to be painted.  I repeat, maybe!!!!

Joesixpack says--BUT some devotional writers and some pastors are easier to listen toooooo than others.  And sometimes we get sooooooo use to listening to stuff that we are immune from any other ideas or even the truth.  It's like the bushes in front of some houses.  Those bushes are over grown and old and need to be replaced or pruned but you have looked at them for soooooo long that you don't see it.  It's much like those warts that we all have.  Folks don't see them as we cover them up.  We get sooooooo use to 'em.  But they are there.  Soooooo cut it out pretending you don't have 'em.  We know you have 'em 'cause we all have 'em!  Such is life

CadillacJack says--Folks are very good at taking anything and shaping it into the symbol that their condition requires!  Individuals react differently to the same stimulus.  Maybe due to how they have been programed by their past experiences.  What do you think folks? 

ItchieBitchie says--Cut it out erv!  This stuff is pretty deep. It makes my brain hurt and my toes burn!  I understand ItchieBitchie, I won't insult your intelligence by explaining it, which is another way of saying I don't understand it either.  I don't want to dig a hole soooooo deep that I can't get out soooooooo...! But really, what's goes on in your head anyway?!  I really wonder!!

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

erv

MyFriendJean says--The only fool bigger than the person who knows it all is the person who argues with him.

the future

Yep, we got Engineer James and RN Lindsey married.  I don't know exactly what their future will be but it looks good.  I know they are NOT ne'er-do-goods!  Oh no!  I asked their parents to describe them.  James' parents describe James as self-reliant and hard working.  Lindsey's parents described Lindsey as tender and persistent.  The dude driving the car is my brother-in-law (i.e. Lindsey's papa).  Ya that's his car.  I think he refurbished it all himself.  He likes cars let me tell ya.  He's a regular car nut--but a good, nice nut!

My sisters were like little Annas (i.e. our Mom) to me.  They treated me soooooo gooood.  Spoiled me rotten.  I felt like I was 10 years old and Anna was taking care of me again.  I'm starting to see these Anna qualities in all of their girls and in our daughter and daughter-in-law.  Yes I am.  The future looks good.  Lindsey has two nice sisters and both are pregnant sooooooooo there is the future folks.  Rachael, one of her pregnant sisters, told me that their other sister, Sarah, is the most like their mom.  Much more than Lindsey or her. 

I gave some ranger boots to one of my niece's three boys to share (i.e. William, Abrahm, and Nickalos Erivn).  Well the boots fit Ab.  He really liked them I think.  He wore them to the wedding.  All of our great nephews sure seem to be great guys.  The future looks good folks.  Ab and Will rode with us to the reception.  We stopped at a conveience store and I bought them any treat that they wanted.  I told them " the sky is the limit"!  Now you know why they are all smiles (i.e. sugar).  Such is life.

The little guy is Nickolas Ervin.  He's a good little guy but really wasn't much impressed with the wedding.  The guy with the Micky Mouse tie is Chapin.  He's a straight A student and seems to take after his dad as he is very good with the computer.  His future looks good.  The other pic is of the ring bearers (i.e. our great nephews).  BigCousinWill is teaching Ben and Sam stuff.  As cute as they are, their future looks gooooood too!  Remember the story I wrote about maybe 6 or 7 or 8 years ago about when I went for a bike ride from Grandville to Byron Center with my niece Sarah and had breakfast?  We talked about her life and she said she would really like to meet some guy.  I told her I would pray that some guy would come into her life.  She met this guy and his name is Guy!  That's right.  These boys are their children.  Such is life.

The reception was in Holland, MI.  And that means Dutch folks.  It was in a civic building that was once a school.  It was neat.  ANYWAY when the dance was almost over, I went out and to the bathroom.  There was sorta kinda a sitting area soooooo I sat down and was trying to figure out the writing on the wall.  It said--So teach us to number our days that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.  ANYWAY  As I was reading it a guy from the wedding dance came by.  I asked him if he believed that.  He read it and said--I can agree with that but I can't agree with all of the Bible--Really, what can't you believe of the Bible.  It's not logical and some of it makes no sense; you can't take it literally--really--I don't want to talk about it--I'm interested; I won't argue with you.  I just want to hear what you have to say--ok then, let's go outside; I'm hot from dancing.  We step outside and he really vented about how his uncle is gay and his grandfather doesn't love him (i.e. what kind of Christian love is that).  Gluttony is one of the 7 deadly sins and no one complains about that but they complain about gays.  Sooooo what do you think--he said to me--I said I wasn't going to voice my opinion.  Ok, how can God let innocent kids get killed and drug dealers and users live?  He started to really get excited now (i.e. used the f word quite a bit).  He said--I have little kids and can't understand how God would let terrible stuff  happen to them and let crazy guys go on--I know the Bible as I went through all my education in Christian schools sooooo don't think I don't know the Bible.  Sooooo what do you think.  I told you I was not going to argue with you but just listen.  But, I want to tell you this.  A week or soooo ago I was in Littleton, CO and went to buy a mindless novel at the GoodWill Store.  There was another book beside it that caught my attention.  It was the Ideas and Opinions of Albert Einstein.  I paraphrased what I'm going to write from the book.  "The most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious...A knowledge of the existence of something we cannot penetrate, our perceptions of the profoundest reason and the most radiant beauty, which only in their most primitive forms are accessible to our minds--it is this knowledge and this emotion that constitute true religiosity; in this esense, and his alone, I am a deeply religious man.  I cannot conceive of a God who rewards and punishes his creatures, or has a will of the kind that we experience in ourselves...I am satisfied with the mystery of the eternity of life and with the awareness and a glimpse of the marvelous structure of the existing world, together with the devotes striving to comprehend a portion, be it ever so tiny, of the Reason that manifest itself in nature."  When I got done, he said, I can agree with that (i.e. I was telling him in erv's way about faith).  What the future holds for him?  I don't have a clue.  Such is life.

On Friday afternoon I had the opportunity to play golf with my other bother-in- law Jack and one of his son-in-laws, my nephew-in-law.  I like all my nephew-in-laws.  They are great guys (i.e. the future looks good folks).  The one I golfed with is in the pic.  He was the Mister of the Mister and Mistress of the wedding.  I called  him the flower boy.  ANYWAY  he makes a living by being a teck boy.  I asked him about the battery in my lap top which will only hold a charge for about 15 minutes--how old is it he asked--maybe 3 to 4 years old--You need a new computer; putting a battery in that old computer is like putting lipstick on a pig!  Soooo there you go!  Dallas doesn't seem to understand that I'm retired and on a fixed income!  After he and my niece Lauren first got married, they were traveling to NW Iowa from MI.  They stopped at my office on that hot summer day.  It was about a 100 degrees.  He had the windows open in the car as he wouldn't run the AC in order to save money.  I gave him $5 soooooo he run the AC!  Such is life.

Friday night we had the opportunity to go with my sister and brother-in-law to see their grand son Hugh perform with his middle school jazz band at Hastings, MI.  They have a jazz festival started by a band guy in the school some years ago.  Many bands come in and play (i.e. 56 this year).  Hugh's band played 4 songs (i.e. Arlene said they were very good) and then a music professor from Hope College worked with them to encourage them and went over a few things to make them better.  The kids really seemed to enjoy it.  I asked Hugh if he is going to continue jazz band next year as a freshman--no, I'm going to marching band.  Why not continue--two reasons:  one my friends are going to marching band and second, I don't want to do a solo!  It's toooooo stressful.  Hugh did a solo the next morning in competition and got a 1.  I told him he could do it.  His future looks good!  Soooooooo,  a Hastings merchant told me that the weekend of the jazz festival is their best business weekend of the year.  Maybe it's all about the money! 

I asked Grandma Kuipers to say something about the future of James and Lindsey.  This is the wisdom she gave me to pass on the the newly weds:  These are my thoughts for Lindsey and James...ENJOY LIFE  Enjoy life. Savor each precious moment  For it is God's gift to you. Enjoy those that surround you For they have been put in your life For a purpose.  Whether it be someone entering for but a moment Or those who daily make an entrance into the life that is you, Be aware of their presence. Have joy. Be at peace. Share that which God has given you to share.  Listen ~ And then shall you receive that lasting and fulfilling blessing Which comes not from the demands that things make on our lives But from giving that commodity we call time To people ~ God's crowning creation. 

Oh the future!  What will it be?  When we were in CO, Heather used our car (i.e. sooooo we could use hers with the infant seats in it while we took care of the grand kids).  When I used our car the next day, she had the radio tuned to her station and this song was playing.  Sooooo I called the radio station and got the song's name.    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40zNC-6aISk  We all affect the future of others.  Yes we do.  Saturday question--How are you affecting the future of others?

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

erv

MyFriendJean says--The man told his wife that a husband is like a fine wine--he gets better with age.  So she locked him in the cellar!

There are only two ways to live your life. One, as if nothing is a miracle. Two, as if everything is.
~Albert Einstein~

I seem to mange better

I seem to mange better when I have friends and folks around me who love me.  The church we attend in Aplington will embark on a new adventure (i.e. very exciting and it's a massive huge opportunity--my opinion).  For this endeavor to really be successful we need to be of one accord.  Will that happen.  I don't know.  We will see.  Author Lou Lotz writes--In the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki there were high hopes for the Mexican track team. Mexico’s long distance runners were believed to be among the best in the world. But they didn’t win a single medal.   What happened? One journalist took it upon himself to find out. After extensive research, he concluded that the reason the Mexicans had done so poorly was that they were lonely. These men had lived, trained, and raced in their home communities. But in Helsinki, they were far from the cheering and encouragement of family and friends. One member of the Mexican team said simply: “I run better when my friends are there.”  I run better when my friends are there too. So do you, I suspect. All of us, in our Christian lives, need the support and encouragement of the communion of the saints. We run the Christian race better when our friends are there. The church, at its best, is a place where friends and loved ones cheer and encourage us in our race; where fellow believers supply assistance, encouragement, and love to those who need it; where strugglers find strength, where sinners find forgiveness, where the bereaved find hope. To be in a Christian community where believers are “of one heart and soul”—what a blessing that is.

We are in MI to attend our niece's wedding tonight.  It's oh soooooo much fun to be around family (i.e. I seem to manage better being around family and friends).  It's the last marriage of our children and my siblings' children.  Soooooo we will just have to wait until the next generation starts marring to party again.  We stopped in IL to see Arlene's brother Craig and his wife Julia on our way.  It's always fun to see them (i.e. they are real folks with good hearts--my kind of folks).  We went to a few garage sales and then stopped for a hot dog.  Craig says kidding to Julia--I do as I please when I please often as I please to do it.  Julia replied kidding--In other words that's telling me, his wife, don't tell me what to do!  Craig and Julia raise cut flowers and have about 8 farmers markets in the Chicago area.  The morning we were out and about, it was cool as it froze over the night.  Some folks had covered their plants.  We saw one person cover their flowers with plastic.  Here's a tip folks--Plastic draws frost they told us.  Use anything but plastic.  Huh, interesting.  We enjoy being around family. We will be eating funeral sandwiches and wedding cake all in the same week!  That is what retired folks do to stay within their budget. 


Talk about eating.  Mabel seemed to run better (i.e. she should).  On Easter we were in Waukee with Chet, Jessica and our little Charlie.  We went to the 7:15 service.  Before we left, Jessica sorta kinda hid 12 plastic eggs with treats in them around the family room soooooo when we got back Charlotte could pick them up.  When we got back from church, 11 of them were laying in the middle of the family room, opened and all the treats were eaten.  Mabel, their dog, had a great Easter (i.e. especially enjoyed the Easter egg hunt--can't wait until next year).  The 12th egg was in shelving soooo she just couldn't get it.  I bet she tried.  Mabel is breed to have a good noise and a good hunter.  She performed!  Such is life.

Talk about eating.  The 55+ community where I play pickle ball in the good ol' SW has a meeting/social time each Thursday at 8 a.m..  They serve free donuts and coffee (i.e. the last Thursday I was there I was told they had 32 dozen donuts and ran out).  Retirees like free donuts and coffee let me tell ya (i.e. just like Mabel and Erin and Charlie like those donuts)!  ANYWAY a fellow pickle ball player told me that JoeTheManagement thinks he really thinks he's cool but he's not.  He thinks he's God and God's gift to women.  He has a "small guy mentality" soooooo he has to try to make up for it.  He turns me off.  So what do others think of him.  Everyone thinks the same.  Does he know that he's that way?  Between his ears, I don't think he has a clue; the first time I heard him I turned my body and then she stuck her finger in her mouth.  MissPerfect says--How you evaluate someone makes a big difference how you listen to that person and how you look at them (i.e. how you mange around them); no question!  GerogeTheCrook says--Most folks like to be around humble folks and humble folks are usually givers (i.e. I seem to mange better around humble folks, oh yes).  Think about that folks. 

Joesixpack says--It is easy to go down. It is harder to go up. It is easy to lose ability. It is harder to develop it. Easier to gain weitght  and harder to loose it.  I seem to mange better when I continue to learn.  I had the opportunity to hear a lecture on forest fires before we left the good ol' SW (i.e. JoeTheHike and I went).  It was really informative.  Oversight--the reason why we have massive huge forest fires is that we don't let nature take care of the burning (i.e. man tries to control mother nature--no fires).  The forest should have about 25 trees per acre and there might be 250 trees per acre.  But the ranger said--We try to control but mother nature will have her way.  This summer in AZ will be the driest for many years (i.e. big potential for forest fires he said).  Here is something that is interesting to me:  The Navajos were nomadic and traveled into CA, Mexico, UT and all of AZ.  When they left a spot, they set a fire to the prairie and forest.  Why?  Soooooo when they returned in 4 to 10 years all the grass and forest would be tender and good eating for their livestock.  Huh, interesting.  God tried that once with the flood toooooo I think!  Whipped it clean and started over.  It worked for a while I guess but...!

SusieQ says--I seem to mange better when I accept modernization but keep the bottom line the same--treat folks the way you would want to be treated!  That will put your jersey in the rafters SusieQ!  Oh ya!

LuckieEddie says--The question is not how I do on a good day but how I do on a bad day!  I seem to mange better better when I'm not fearful (i.e. many folks are motivated by fear, the fear of failure).  Jason Gismni of the Rockies says--As a young player, you  always kind of play with that fear of failure.  That's what motivates you.  You don't want to fail.  You keep pushing yourself and pushing yourself.  Eventually, it breaks a lot of guys in this game.  Saturday questions--Are you fearful of failure?  We live in a very competitive society and culture now don't we.  And you know what?  We all can't be #1 so we will all fail.  Soooooooo, it's how I do when I'm not #1 that matters a lot.  As the advertisement says--I feel good in my own skin (i.e. at least most of the time). 

I seem to mange better now that I have this new cell phone that is BlueTooth compatible with the system in our car.  I had to upgrade my cell phone to get this done.  Our kids thought my old phone was from the dark ages.  This new one, they say, is a move up but still not top end.  Yabut it only cost me a penny!  I hope using BlueTooth will make my driving saver while talking on the phone..  It has tooooooo; no hands and all commands are on the steering column.  Besides, now Arlene and I can talk at the same time and listen to the conversation sooooooo I don't  have tell her what was said.  Such is life with modern technology. 

LuckieEddie says--When I'm helping to improve the lives of folks, it touches everybody!  When do friends, acquaintances, family and just plain folks need me the most?  Is it when they fell they have the world by the tail or when they are in the dumps?  I operate better when folks operate with me (i.e. sorta kinda encourage me).  It always feels good to be around folks who lift your spirits (i.e. they are sorta kinda the cat's meow a.k.a. the knights in shining armor) and not the the ones who drag ya down.  You agree?  Soooooo are you a drager or alifteruper?  Believe me, you affect everyone else.  Oh ya!  ItchieBitchie says--You can give in to the failure messages and be a bitter deadbeat
of excuses.  Or you can choose to be happy and positive and excited about life.

He has affected me and influenced me.  Oh ya!  I will miss my mentor/professor/special friend Ivan My Man, yes I will.  He was 86.  He passed away last Saturday.  He told me that he prayed for guidance from the Holy spirit each day for the decisions he made.  I asked him if he received guidance.  Absolutely.  He was a good man.  He taught me a lot about sooooooo much stuff (i.e. financially, emotionally, and spiritually).  I wish everyone could have a friend/mentor like I have had.  I seem to mange better 'cause of his wisdom.  I will miss him.  He was a very successful man in soooooo many ways (i.e. my opinion).  He said many times to me--People get a lot better after they are dead.  Ivan My Man, you just plain were that good even if you didn't know it.  My Daddy, Chester, would say--erv, get around folks who are good and don't know it (i.e. humble folks).  They are the good ones.  The ones who think they are great but aren't, are not much fun to be around. 

WildWilly actually is tooooo big for his britches--tooo high on his horse.  He's a pain in the butt to be around.  I seem to mange a lot better around humble folks.  Oh ya!  DuaneTheWorm has waaaaaay tooooo much of a big head for me to enjoy his company.  Oh ya!  I have been humbled soooooooo many times that I can't count them.  I seem to manage better when I'm humble.  Oh ya!  MissPerfect says--You can be very confident yet still be very humble.  I can't remember exactly what I said but our son thought I said it in a grumpy fashion.  He said I sounded like a curmudgeon!  Ouchy ouchy! That's humbling!   I manage better when I have a positive attitude.  How about you.  Reading the Book helps me to be more positive.  Oh ya!  I was reading Bible Stories to Erin (i.e. age 4) when we were in CO from her The Beginners Bible--Timeless Children's Stories.  ANYWAY  her favorite (i.e. I had to read about 5 times) was, as she calls it, the boo-boo owie story (i.e. the good Samaritian story).  She just really likes that one. 

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

erv

MyFriendJean says--Don't pick  a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he'll  just kill  you.

Oh that water!

ItchieBitchie says--Live life unfiltered (i.e. pick you kicks).  We had dinner out with our family Tuesday night in CO and our waitress (i.e. the gal who brought us our water was very nice and very pretty) had a necklace on that I asked her about.  It said--Live the life you love.  She said it says on the other side--Love the life you live.  Soooooo I asked her what that met--Live my life with contentment.  She also had a necklace on with a cross.  Such is life.

A gal a couple of tables over would snort when she laughed.  I haven't heard that for a long time, a snorter!  I think she was the wife of Bucksnort!  I bet if I would throw some water on her (i.e. like folks use to do to dogs when they were connected) she would quite her snortlaugh but she would probably really snort but a different form of snorting.  Sooooo folks can snort in different ways but this gal's snort was the intake of air.  Exiting of air is called, well you know.  It's sorta kinda a snort!  A buddy in AZ told me that he came upon a lady in a room sorta kinda unsuspectingly.  The lady said--Sorry, I just laid some stink bombs! 

In AZ the water tastes terrible (i.e. has many chemicals in it).  Most folks filter the water or buy it.  It even smells.  When I washed the car, it would leave a scum on the car. Water is a big deal in the dessert (i.e. not much of it).  I also understand that water is a concern in many parts of the country and world.  Ya gotta have water to crow a crop which is food!  No water, no money! GeorgeTheCrook thinks that water will be the next thing we will have war over.  Water is that important folks. 

When in Palm Springs area, Jan and Gene took us to Indian Canyons up'erin'em mountains.  It was just beautiful.  We did some hiking and had a picnic.  What fun.  ANYWAY in the canyons there were small streams of water and along those streams there were huge massive California Fan Palm trees.  I asked a ranger about them and she said they were thousands of years old.  They were breathtaking contrasts to the stark, rocky gorges and barren dessert land beyond.  They looked like oasis in the dessert and they were.  The native Indians lived here for years.  LuckieEddie says--Where there is water, stuff grows (i.e. think about that statement folks).  There is an old SW saying that goes like this--Folks fight for gold but kill for water. 

MissPerfect is like a fresh drink of water.  She is soooooo resilient (i.e. A resilient person is a term psychologists give folks who seem to overcome multiple personal and family hardships--folks who don't have privileged backgrounds).  Joesixpack says--Some folks seem to be very resilient and others not quite sooooo much.  Why is that folks?  Maybe it's the water they drink.  You think sooooo?  Or the folks they are around.  I operate much better when I'm around special babes in my life.  Those babes affect me.  Yes they do.  OMG I LUV MY BABES!

Two Sundays ago in Mesa I might have been one of the youngest of maybe 400 folks at the church service.  This last Sunday at the Rock in Littleton, CO I might have been one of the oldest of maybe 250 folks at the church service.  Huh, interesting.  Pastor Bruce is encouraging everyone to speak to others who don't go to church to come (i.e. get your tail back in church this Easter).  He said on an average Sunday, about 18% of Americans go to church.  The picture is of their brochure to give to folks inviting them to come to church.  I tell you what folks, the Living Water is the best!  The Book says U R 2 keep His commandments and honor and glorify Him for ever (i.e. and come to church to eat donuts).  That's the conclusion of the matter. 

Sunday afternoon we went upin'em'er mountains and did a little family hiking (i.e. ya gotta get those grand kids started early).  We stopped at the Bucksnort Saloon in the canyon.  In the parking lot adjoining some private property (i.e. maybe where Bucksnort and wife live) going over a little bubbling brook of water, was this sign.  It wasn't spelled perfectly but everyone understood what it meant.  It reminded my of some of my writing.  Most of you get my points most of the time even though I don't always spell everything perfectly (i.e. you get it?).  Such is life.  

This is some water that will make you run (i.e. more than run to the bathroom). A successful diet is mind over platter. Hall of Fame pitcher Satchel Paige once said--Age is a question of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter. In the dessert hydration is a very important thing (i.e. ya gotta drink water). LuckieEddie says--Ya gotta hydrate your body and your mind to maximize your life. Heather and James have a little saying in their "useless room" (i.e. a room named by JearBear) that says--And in the end, it's NOT the years in your life that count. It's the LIFE in your years. ~ Abraham Lincoln ~ Cadillac Jack says--Life is much more enjoyable if a guy gets involved in something you believe in. Oh ya! SusieQ says--Some of you think life is a contest; it ain't; it just looks that way at times.  There is a smarter betterway to live your life than as a contest!  JoeTheBucksnort says--All the different folks make the beauty in the world.  Oh ya!

This is some funny stuff (i.e. at least to me). It was in the last Arizona Republic before we left. They asked the question: Is AZ ready for daylight saving time? Here are some of the responses (i.e. countess reasons): No! We'd have to teach our legislators how to reset their watches -- That's an utterly insane idea! -- I'm already too HOT to handle! -- In this economy it's about all we can save! -- Does this affect Happy Hour? -- Won't happen. Arizona doesn't want any more enlightenment.

Oh ya, the sites of the mid-west!  Well it's always good to be home.  We have some errands to do and some cleaning to do of course.  We are just like "any old drink of water" (i.e. not any different than anyone else).  Such is life.


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

erv

MyFriendJean says--One of the best things a man can have up his sleeve is a funny bone.