Let me get this straight

Hey, How are you how are you!  Driving from AZ to CO through New Mexico I was reminded of all the Indian Reservations (i.e. which means casinos). Sooooooooo Hey, How are you how are you!  Last Saturday it was 78 degrees in Morrison, CO and then on Sunday it was 36 and snowing.  Huh, interesting.

Getting straight to the point--Some of you might think this is talking trash and others of you are foolish enough to believe this stuff.  Take your pick folks.  Many of you might have seen this road before and think it's like doing the boogie woogie in the strangest kind of way.  If I offend you in any way, I don't mean to but if the shoe fits...!  Soooooooooooo here we go!

ItchieBitchie says--Halt! Who goes there?  Democrat or Republican a.k.a friend or foe?  And the CadillacJack responds--None of your business, you FAT, UNGLY, STUPIT JERKI!!!  MissPerfect says--Let me get this straight--You guys really don't seem to like each other very well.  Is that correct (i.e. right to the point)?

Let me get this straight.  I read it in the AZ Republic that  people who get little exercise have a higher risk of having a heart attack immediately after sexual or physical activity...Engaging in regular physical activity is a requirement for maintaining a long, safe, healthy sex life...It's even more prevalent in middle aged and older people.  Now that's getting straight to the point!  Hey, I'm just telling you what the paper says.  Gotta go, I'm going out and exercise.  Holy Guadalupe!  LuckieEddie says--If you are tired and wired you got a interesting situation (i.e. that's most of Americans it appears).  Sooooooo suck it up cupcake and lets get going.  Such is life. 

Let me get this straight!  WildWillie says--You might not exactly be in love with this.  The Fountain of the Sun (i.e. the over 55 gated community we stayed at in Mesa) has 2,400 housing units (i.e. approximately 1,000 condos and 1,400 house of which maybe 400 are manufactured--no park models) with a winter population of approximately 4,000.  Some folks have told me that approximately half of the folks are on their second or more marriage.  That sorta kinda surprises me.  I was talking to one of my smart, nice cousins and asked  her how many cousins we have on our mothers' side (i.e. Dykema).  She thought 32 with only 2 or 3 divorces and 2 or three deaths (i.e. ages maybe from 55 to 80).  Hey, that's quite a bit better than the national average.  Why, I don't have a clue but it's interesting (i.e. maybe 'cause of our mothers).  Dave sent me this--Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things. - Robert Brault

Joesixpack says--I'll pay a little bit, but not much for your advice.  Get straight to the point then.  Let me get this straight--20% and 20% is that right?  I have seen much in my 16 years in ministry and even longer in life before formal ministry. I can tell you these seven things:  1. Money can make you comfortable, but it will not comfort you for long. 2. Health is your greatest material asset, if you are healthy, you are rich. 3. You must be content within yourself first, your completeness will not come from another person. 4. Only about 20% of people are happy in marriage. 5. Only about 20% of people are happy single. 6. Single or marriage does NOT make the difference in whether you are happy or not. 7. There is one relationship that takes precedence and matters more than any other. Your relationship with God. Pastor Nathaniel  Joesixpack response--I hear ya!

Let me get it straight 70 year olds, 80 year olds, and 90 year olds go to the pool in all different shapes?  Yes that's right.  Everyone accepts each other as they are.  Yes, that is right. I saw our neighbor who was maybe 90+ sitting at the end of your walk in her bathing suit getting some sun one of the days it was about 90.  She had to use her walker to get there but she was enjoying her day.  If she would do that back in her Midwest home town, they would really laugh at her but not in SunFunValley folks.  Folks ride bikes, golf, play pickle ball, tennis, and do many more activities but won't get caught doing it back home 'cause folks might laugh at them (i.e. might, they will)----but not in SunFunValley.  In fact I know a a gal that her favorite TV program is Desperate Housewives--You would never in a million years think that she would like that program but she does and no one in FunSunValley really cares.  Such is life.

Let me get this straight--I quizzed my buddy about his Toyota Van and this is his reply--Our van now has 297,000 miles since our college son just drove it with college buddies to Gulf Shores AL and BACK! (no breakdowns) it is a model year 2000. I also own a Avalon (1999) 140,000 miles. I bought both new. Since then also bought and sold an Acura, when I sold it, the miles were 135,000 miles.  Current vehicle (i.e. a real nice one--erv's opinion) bought 3 years ago this month, 115,000 miles.  Moral of the story,  I should buy stock in oil companies or they should at least give me a dividend.  But since that will not happen.  I find comfort from the lady putting gas in her car with a smile.  You ask why the smile, she does not care about the price of gas because she only buys $10 at a time.

I'm ready if you're willing!  I read in the paper so it must be right that if you want to have good relationships, you must have nearness and directness--get to the point.  Many conversations are very neutral (i.e. small talk) but are not very direct or near.  I asked our son some questions over dinner the other night (i.e. we had dinner with them in Waukee on the way back from CO).  He's quit a private guy (i.e. I think his pretty little wife would have answered my questions but not him).  He kidded me--Make a list dad and summit the questions.  Maybe I'll answer them and maybe not!!!!!  I was being to the point trying to have nearness and directness but...no results--not yet anyway!  What fun we had.  Sooooooooooo BudBoy, how much did you pay for that pants and shirt anyway?  They looked very expensive!

SusieQ says--Just 'cause a person is there, doesn't mean they are present!  Let me get this straight!  You don't much care for this gal.  I was riding with a couple in their neighborhood recently when a new Cadillac Escalade pulls in front of us--the J-Factor said, there is useless Julia--you're pretty tough on her aren't you?  His wife, the H-Factor said--she's really is useless.  She thinks she's better than everyone in the neighborhood; (i.e. has no humble pie);  she has forgot where she came from; she is an artificially enhanced stripper who married this rich guy (i.e. his trophy wife) and now she really thinks she's something; they had 3 children and then divorced; she lives affluently off the alimony and just struts herself around.  Sooooooo get to the point J-Factor and H-Factor , you don't much care for her, right?

https://picasaweb.google.com/100992634446593487520/ErinSSkiingVideo#  Passon for the mountain...today and tomorrow!  Had the opportunity to ski with our little grand daughter Erin (i.e. age 3) at Copper Mountain last Saturday.  As we were loading onto Timberline lift, there was a hand written message on the marker board.  It read--Did you know that 1 out of 5 people in the world (i.e. 1.1 billion) live on less than a $1 a day?  Then we went down to Jack's Slopeside Grill at the base of Copper Mt. and had lunch at a cost of $46 (i.e. it was my turn to pay toooooo yet).  Let me get this straight...many things affect my thinking (i.e. they soak my bones)!  But you know what folks, skiers are not heavy folks, no they aren't; I saw a lot skinny butts.  MissPerfect says--Everyone deserves a snow day!  It was my kind of snow day; it was in the 50s and a blue bird day (i.e. during the week some spots up 'er in 'em mountains got 55 inches of snow).  I got this advice from the mountain--Reach for new heights.  Rise above it all.  There is beauty as far as the eye can see.  Be uplifting. Patience Patience Patience.  Get to the point--Enjoy the view! 

Let me get this straight.  I got it figured out.  Oh yes!  I got it figured out how to get Erin to do what I want--and it's called ice cream.  We took her to the DQ the night before we left--it's a great motivator.  When she got done with her ice cream she was picking her boogers and eating them--and right after ice cream.  I asked Erin if she would share one with me soooooo she picked one and put it in my mouth!  Sooooo I was carrying her to the Honda CRV and I said to her--I have a secret to tell you Erin.  She put her ear to my mouth and I said--I love you Erin.  She said, I have a secret to tell you grandpa.  She put mouth to my ear--I like ice cream grandpa!  Such is life.

Joesixpack says--There is a thin line that separates me from being patient and impatient!  I continually work on patience.  Some times I'm much more patient than others.  No question.  Many times I just put stuff out of mind so I don't have to deal with them--out of site out of mind.  I saw this ad on a ski bus at Copper Mt.--Forever rugged but still well groomed.  It was an ad for Jeep.  Does that describe you?  I think my best bet is to just keep trying to be more patient but really folks, don't count on me to be extremely patient.  LuckieEddie says--Hey erv, just bite it!  SusieQ says--It's easy to say you are someones friend, but it's much more believable if you do something to show it too.  SlimTheJim says--That's sorta kinda scratching the gears isn't it!

We went to the Rock with James, Heather, and Erin Sunday.  Erin sat with us during the pre-service music.  Some of the folks raise their hands.  Guess what, Erin did too!  Yes kids copy what they see (i.e. now that can be scary).  There was a mother who invited many folks over for Easter dinner.  The mother asked her little girl to pray before the meal.  The little girl said--mommy what do I say--just say the same thing that I say.  Sooooooo her little girl prayed--God, why did I invite all these people!  Pastor's question--Do we recognize God's miracles in our life or do we choose to ignore them or fail to remember them?  On the way home Erin said--hocus-pocus abracadabra!  Ya, that's how some folks think they will change their life but it won't work.  Money, power, more stuff won't do it.  ItchieBitchie says--If you want to change your life, you need to accept Jesus as your Saviour.  Does this make any sense to you? That's getting right to the point.  If you can't understand that, I hope someday you can and will. 

Let's get to the point!  Folks at the Fountain of the Sun seem to entertain a lot (i.e. have each other over to eat).  A couple of couples were having dinner together.  After dinner the gals went into the kitchen to clean the dishes and the guys sat and talked.  Bill says to Jake--we just played a nice golf course today--what's the name of it--oh, I can't remember; what's the name of the flower we give to our wives--you mean carnation--no--zinnias--no--the one with thorns--oh, you mean rose--ya, that's the one;  he hollers to the kitchen; Rose what was that nice golf course we played today?!  Such is life.

Arlene and I had breakfast with Paul and Jan at the Fountain of the Sun Country Club the Saturday before we left.  Paul is an ex-helicopter pilot for the Air Force.  He said he lost much of his hearing from the loud noise piloting those helicopters.  He was telling me that he was once giving his wife a ride and ran out of gas.  He said you can land a helicopter without a running engine (i.e. I didn't know that).  ANYWAY I was asking Paul--how in the world can a helicopter pilot run out of gas anyway!  He said--human error! I was talking quite loud as Paul can't hear very well.  As we were leaving, a guy at the next table said he over heard about Paul running out of gas and said he was a combat pilot and ran out of gas taxing after landing.  We visited a little and asked if Paul and I could come and visit.  Sooooo we set up a time the last day we were both in AZ.  His name was Bob Nelson, age 89.  He flew 31 combat missions as commander of a B-17 with a crew of 9 at the age of 22.  He then flew 100+ flights in a C-54 transport during the Koren and Viet Nam wars.  I asked him if he was really scared--no, I was confident we would make it but was still realistic. My first combat bombing mission I thought there was not way we could fly through all that flack.  One time we had 200 to 300 bullet holes and landed with 2 engines.  The name of his plane was Devil May Care.  I asked him what was something funny that he experience--Once I hauled a load of head lettuce; I haven't had lettuce for a long time and ate it like an apple.  I told Paul and Bob that I was proud of them (i.e. that is getting right to the point folks). I had breakfast when we got back with my mentor (i.e. WWII veteran age 85 who enlisted at the age of 17). He said that there are 1,000 WWII Veterans dieing each week).  In fact my friend Les died this week (i.e. he's in the pic helping us clean up at the church last summer).  He was 89 and a WWII vet.  I will miss him (i.e. he was a good man with a huge massive good heart--my kind of person). 

TipfromRick--Go out and make this day count. Will there be another season? I will refrain from getting real sentimental and just say make your moments count. A commentator was saying how a team needed to make every trip down the court matter. Wherever our journey takes us in THIS season make it count. embracing the moment--Rick

Hoodoos Amigos--we're back to Iowa folks.  And remember folks, a hen never cackles until she lays the egg!  We are going to start our Buddys Group once again now that I'm back.  We are going to use Tim L Holman's little book Leadership Rules of Engagement  25 laws to help develop the leader within you.  I ordered the books through him and he signed his email like this--Tim Holman  "Great Things Come From Great Attitudes"  Now that's getting right to the point folks. http://www.holmantraining.com/Leadership-Training.htm  I actually got this book as a gift from a friend who wrote in the cover--Erv, I hope this helps you on your "journey". JME

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

erv

MyFriendJean says--Nothing in life is to be feared; It is only to be understood.
TipfromKipspecializingingolfrelatedmentaldisordreswith50yearsofpractice says--feel wt. goin to lft side; rush off inside rt foot and rotate hands over lft