No!!!

Disclaimer--You might think this "It's Saturday" is just blowing smoke up your bloomers.  And it might be soooooo.  Soooo, don't take any of this tooooo serious.  I'm not trying to make anything happen; just letting it happen.

Everyone has different opinions (i.e. you don't say erv). That is why we have horse races. Soooo you think we will have a triple crown winner?  Some of you are saying--NO way is that possible.  Two down one to go for I'll Have Another. I think Secretariat was maybe the most popular horse to do it back in 1973. Talk about Secretariat, I have a friend who I call Secretariat as he is that fast and tough and that popular. I have another friend who is also a runner. He runs about 10 to 12 miles a week. Each time he runs, he stops half way and also at the end and does 65 push ups all at one time. Now that's a tough guy at the age of 63 let me tell ya!  I bet you wonder about the guys I hang around with.  Ya, they are animals!!!!  I feel like a wimpy ol', slow plow horse compared to them.  I maybe need to hang out at the "all you can eat buffet line" to find some slower guys to compete with!

Our little 2 year old grand daughter Charlie favorite word recently is NO!  That's nutten new for most any old 2 year olds I think.  Her father says--They all do it!  Joesixpack says--"No" works in fantasy  but reality doesn't fit fantasy!!!  Henri Nouwen says this--On thing I am sure.  Complaining is self-perpetuating and counterproductive.  Whenever I express my complaints in the hope of evoking pity and receiving the satisfaction I so much desire, the result is always the opposite of what I tried to get  A complainer is hard to live with, and very few people know how to respond to the complaints made by a self-rejecting person.  The tragedy is that, often, the complaint, once expressed, leads to that which is most feared:  further rejection.  GerogeTheCrook says--Nobody likes me, everybody hates me, Think I'll go eat worms. Big fat juicy ones, Eensie weensy squeensy ones, See how they wiggle and squirm. Chomp off their heads and squeeze out the juice And throw their tails away. Nobody knows how I survive On worms three times a day.

Soooo you wonder where those little kids learn about NO! 

ItchieBitchie says--Hasn't our consumer society encouraged us to indulge in childish self-gratification?  Who has truly challenged us to liberate ourselves from immature dependencies and to accept the burden of responsible adults?  How do you do? The journey from infancy to maturity, chronologically or spiritually can be quite a journey. Some struggle more with it than others. One thing that really helps (i.e. my opinion) is to learn to say NO NO to certain things which usually are temporary satisfactions. AverageJoe says--Some of you ol' bulls might need a therapist. You have been stuck on the same notch for a long time. A crow bar might be needed to move ya! Such is life.

No, I won't do it!  No I won't!  I will not change.  I don't care if it's life threatening.  I will not change.  That's final!  ItchieBitchie says--Old habits die hard.  It's easy to fall back into our old ways.  Oh ya!  Life style changes are really hard to change (i.e. we have been programmed sooooo much by our past).  Most folks can't change a life style.  They would rather die.  And do!  Such is life. 

Sooooo Joesixpack you say you don't like what is happening to ya.  Here is a suggestion.  We often focus on trying to change an event or circumstance, when we really need to change the habits that caused it. Often bad things that happen to us have happened before.  If we change the pattern, we keep it from happening again.  Work on your habits if you want to change what's happening.  Soooo Joesixpack, do you say NO or YES to that statement.  Are you YES I will implement that changing of my habits or are you NO to implementing a change in your habits.  Decisions have consequences and you are in charge of your decisions.  Such is life.

GeorgeTheCrook says--Learn to do it the right way the first time.  It will save a lot of time in the long run.  His wife would rather just wing it, she always has.  For those of you who are married, for those of you who have a close friend or for those of you who have children, do you always do it the same way as they do?  Arlene and I don't do everything the same.  We don't always think alike, don't always see things the same, and always don't react the same--no no!  Sometimes it's frustrating for both of us.  Oh ya!  I really think a big part of not being the same is that we were programed differently--both genetically and environmentally.  It can't be any different (e.g. if you were raised in a crazy Democrat family or a crazy Republican family).  And sometimes we just become crazy on our own.  Such is life.

MissPerfect says--Let your nos be nos and your yeses be yeses--don't be a mugrumper! Don't always be politically correct.  A mugrumper sits on the fence with his mug on on side and rump on the other.  What ever is the most popular thinking is where he is.  He's a joke!  But some folks appear to fall for the mugrumber's tactics all the time. Come on folks, figure those tricksters out; don't be soooo gullible!

No no no, you can't do that.  I have told you a million times NO!  But they go ahead and do it anyway.  Ouchy ouchy! I guess folks need to learn for themselves what no means.  My Daddy, Chester, would say to me--Experience is a mean teacher.  It's a lot easier to learn from others' mistakes. 

I have a friend who has NO interest in politics what sooooooo ever.  This guy is smart, educated, great thinker and just a nice buy.  But he has absolutely no interest in politics.  Sooooo what do you think of that.  It reminds me of what FastFredde says--If a man is poor, he is stupid; if he is rich, he's a crook; if he goes to church he's a hypocrite; if he stays away, he's a sinner.  If  he's in politics, he's a grafter; if he takes no interest in politics, he's unworthy citizen; if he dies young, there was a great future ahead of him; if he lives to a ripe old age, he's a burden to society.  The only man who is never criticized is he who has never been born.

MissPerfect says--I bet there are a lot of gals wish they would have said no!  Soooooo what does that mean MissPerfect?  It means different things to different gals.  Sooooooo...!  SugarShorts says--Every time I start thinking too much about how I look, I just find a Happy Hour and by the time I leave, I look just fine (e.g. a temporary satisfaction).

JoeBlow says--No no!  I don't do it for attention, I do it for the money.  We outgrow our high chairs and cribs, but many of us never outgrow the desire for attention. This desire can shape the decisions we make: what clothes we wear, how we spend money, and how we act in public. Our desire for attention can be dangerous. It can disorient or even ruin our lives. Many celebrities admit that fame is as powerful as any drug.  If we have had opportunities in our churches, we need to constantly pray that we do these opportunities for the right motive.  Doing stuff in church should never be done for attention (i.e. a performance to gain applause).  It should be done to honor and glorify God (i.e. that's my opinion).  Yabut DuaneTheWorm does it for attention and it seems to work quite well for him!  Such is life.

April through today we have had a lot of wind--strong wind. I only remember a few days when it hasn't been windy.  I don't like wind.  NO NO!  I especially don't like wind when playing golf.  I especially don't like wind playing my home course as it's pretty open and the wind seems even stronger.  My head really got shrunk up pretty good this last week (i.e. my hat fell off my head--yes it did).  On a relatively windless day, I shot a par round on our 9 hole course.  Then in league (i.e. winds blowing about 35 miles a hour with hard and fast greens) I shot 49.  I tell you what, the next league night that the winds are up, I will not be able to make it--NO NO..  I will have a funeral to go to that night! 

MissPerfect says--I want to become as I was before the storm. The problem is MissPerfect, we can never become as we were before the storm.  No no, no way! Each experience, good or bad, changes us (i.e. programed by our past). Okay, we all have had our lives rocked by different situations and events.  We are rocked soooo hard sometimes that we have to go to the Rock a.k.a Jesus for comfort.  Sometimes it takes such a storm for us to figure somethings out a little.  What do you think?  LuckieEddie says--Life isn't waiting for the storm to pass.  It's about learning how to dance in the rain.  Sooooo suck it up cupcake and start dancing!

NO NO, YES YES!  Our son-in-law, James, said to our little 4 year old granddaughter, Erin, "You are growing up too fast; you need to quite growing."  Erin replied, "I'm going to grow up daddy, you need to get over it."

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

erv

MyFriendJean says--Frustration is trying to find your glasses without your glasses!

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.