Barkin' up the wrong tree

The phrase is an allusion to the mistake made by dogs when they believe they have chased a prey up a tree, but the game may have escaped by leaping from one tree to another. The phrase means to mistake one's object, or to pursue the wrong course to obtain it.  In other words, "if you are barking up the wrong tree, it means that you have completely misunderstood something or are totally
wrong."

I just read that many folks have been barkin' up the wrong tree (i.e. I read it in the paper sooooo it must be right).  I read that -- Discriminating against someone for being fat is not a motivating factor for them to loose weight.  It went on to say--they will even gain more weight.  The article didn't tell how to treat them sooo they would loose weight.  Surely you can't say--You look great; you would look even better if you gained another 20 pounds; eat up!  Maybe we should just ignore them.  I have been told that ignoring a person is the worst form of reaction there is.  Soooo I don't know.  Need some advice here folks!  I guess calling a spade a spade is not good (i.e. maybe just pretend is the answer).  I don't know.  LuckieEddie says--I think the biggest motivation factor is MONEY!  Folks respond to that.  GeorgeTheCrook says--Most folks don't agree on much but they all count their money the same!  My mentor use to say--erv, the golden rule to many in the world is, gold rules!  Such is life.

I think Morris is in my picture of a couple of years ago.  He's the one with the beard!  A CNN journalist heard about a very old Jewish man who had been going to the Western Wall to pray twice a day, every day, for a long, long time. So she went to check it out.  She went to the Western Wall and there he was, walking slowly up to the holy site.  She watched him pray for about 45 minutes.  When he turned to leave, using a cane and moving very slowly, she approached him for an interview.  "Pardon me, sir, I'm Rebbecca Smith from CNN.  What's your name?  "Morris Feinberg," he replied.  "Sir, how long have you been coming to the Western Wall and praying?"  "For about 60 years."  "60 years!  That's amazing!  What do you pray for?"  "I pray for peace between the Christians, Jews and the Muslims."  "I pray for all the wars and all the hatred to stop."  "I pray for all our children to grow up safely as responsible adults and to love their fellow man."  "I pray that politicians tell us the truth and put the interests of the people ahead of their own interests."  "How do you feel after doing this for 60  years?"  "Like I'm talking to a...wall!"

Is having empathy barking up the wrong tree?  I read in a western novel by Kelton this--Higens is the richtest person in our area.  He swings a huge club.  ItchieBitchie says--Ya money can be a hugemassive club if folks want it tooooo be.  Some wealthy folks use it as a hugemassive club and others wealth folks do not.  What makes them decide to use it that way or not do you think?  Maybe they think it makes them more important.  Could be.  And maybe they are just barkin' up the wrong tree and maybe not.  Saturday question--Have any of you every used money as a huge massive club to get your way?  It's only money but...(i.e. one of many contradictions of the world).  Ouchy ouchy! LuckieEddie says--If you want to know what a man's like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiours, not his equals.

Joesixpack says--No one really cares toooo much or for toooooo long. Most folks are toooo involved in working out their own problems to take more than passing interest in others. Yabut when stuff happens to you, things sorta kinda change. Ya they do, but when circumstances force your hand, you can do things that you never thought you could. Ya, we seem to adapt; we have no choice. There is no one holding our hand, we just gotta do it. Gotta do it!

MissPerfect says--DuaneTheWorm and HeartOfStoneJake think about only one person and that is themselves and they seem to be doing quite well.   You really do think they are doing okay?  Sooooooo that just shows, take care of yourself and let someone else think about others.  I don't need tooooo.  I can get an advantage by letting others think about others; I will just take care of myself.  I tell you what MissPerfect, good folks are tender, kind, and givers.  Yes they are (i.e. my opinion). 

I can have a heart of stone sometimes toooo I think (i.e. barking up the wrong tree).  My ego really gets in the way.  I'm human I guess but always don't like it.  Selfish me!  Selfish me!  I just have a lot of crud in my thoughts at times.  I always don't have empathy for others.  I can be standoffish.  SusieQ says--erv, what you think is what you'll be!  Ouchy ouchy!

Programed!  My mentor would say to me--erv, we are all programed by our past.  A golf buddy/friend told me that his father's entrepreneurial attitude gave him and his siblings the ability to take risk and helped them financially through their life.  He said--My dad was being bossed around by a owner of a retirement park and he didn't like it.  The owner told him he would have to leave.  Dad said he was going to buy you out.  He extended himself and did just that.  It was a gold mine for him.  I have heard stories where folks were forced to make a change (i.e. something that they were not excited about at all--forcing them to get their butts of the couch and do something).  But, found out that it was something very good for them (i.e. they were barking up the wrong tree for years).  Such is life. 

“Winners never quit and quitters never win.”  - Vince Lombardi

Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. ~Albert Schweitzer~

“Success is walking from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm.”  - Winston Churchill

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”  - Mark Twain

I read in the paper sooooo it must be right--43% of all Americans don't pay Federal Income Tax!  I also read this in the paper sooooo it must be right--Poverty hurts a person's ability to make decisions. Just being broke, in and of itself, damages people's abilities to make good decisions in a way roughly equivalent to losing 13 IQ points, or constantly losing a night's sleep. Wow! Simply put, being poor taps out one's mental reserves. A guy at the library told me this the other day--only 26% of the folks believe what they read in the paper. He said he read that in the paper!!!! 

Maybe it's a pacifier!  From their feathered couches, American viewers made “Duck Dynasty” — about a Louisiana clan and its duck-hunting-gear business — the most watched show on television the week of its August premiere, securing the AandE network hit as the most successful cable reality series ever.  Pacifiers seem to work for babies soooooo...!  I was observing our grand kids watching cartoons.  They seem to be mesmerized by them.  Maybe the same thing applies to Duck Dynasty watchers.  Could be but I don't know.  I only watched a part of one show.  I'm not much of a tv watcher other than some sports.  Obviously I'm in the minority.  Such is life.

It appears that grandparents are a pacifier for a short time and then the newness wears off (i.e. new toys have the same effect--adult toys tooooo).  That is what we think we found out--We all have a tendency to revert to our real self after some time (i.e. newness wears off).  Grandparents are much like fish, after 3 days we start to stink tooooo!  Such is life.

But the fundamental truth of philosopher George Santayana's adage is that "those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."  JoeBlow says--That isn't always true!  The greatest fear for many folks is the fear of past failure.  Entrepreneurs don't have that fear.  Fear of failure can be a great motivator.  Oh ya!  The pacifier is sitting on the couch, eatin' chips and doin' nutten.  Joesixpack says--I remember the hurt of failure and I didn't like it; I don't want to experience that again.  Sooooo I suggest Joesixpack, you just sit on the couch, eat chips and watch Duck Dynasty.  That should work. 

I read this in the Denver Post--Just as a great university doesn't need a great football team, a top football team doesn't preclude a school from being outstanding academically.  But, so long as CU plays in a 50,000 seat stadium, let's keep it real:  Winning football is not as important in Boulder as it is in Austin, Texas, or Gainesville, Fla.  CadillacJack says--Sports and watching sports can be pacifiers.  And we love 'em!  CrazyMarvin says--Yabut we might be barkin' up the wrong tree if that's all our life is about.  Could be!

Pinnacle!  Have you ever been at a pinnacle in your life and the watershed of  your life dictated which way you went?  Something or someone tips you off your tippin' point and the rest is history (i.e. you suffer or reap the consequences).  Now you are in great shape or you are now barking up the wrong tree.  Have you ever hiked Pinnacle Peak in Scottsdale?  I believe that all of us are on our pinnacle at some point and must decide if God is God or just a phony.  Now the decision will have a lot of results (i.e. my opinion).  I heard a guy tell this story in a talk recently:  I have always told our children to always tell me the truth, I can handle it.  I will always tell you the truth, you can handle it.  If you don't tell me the truth and I don't tell you the truth, then we can't have much of a relationship.  My opinion of a pinnacle a.k.a tipping point example is Jordon Spieth's chip in on #18 at the John Deere Classic.  If his shot would not have hit the pin and gone in, it would have gone in the water and he would not have won, not have gone to the British Open, not have been a member of the PGA, not played in the FedEx Championship, not been on the President's Cup team etc.  Huh, interesting.  One lucky shot!  A friend who is not a nobody but a somebody (i.e. 'cause he got on the satellite golf talk radio show) agreed.  Soooo I must be right!  Such is life.

The watershed of our lives are strange sometimes.  Arlene and
Heather went shoppin' at Park Meadows Shopping Mull in Lone Tree when we were in CO.  Arlene bought a shirt and Heather bought a shirt (i.e. didn't shop together).  They bought the same shirt.  Arlene bought a second top.  Heather bought the same top before!  What!!!!  

I find it very interesting in observing the growth of our grandchildren and our children and their spouses.  Their beliefs, actions, temperaments, character, physiques, and thinking are constantly" changing.  Sometimes" the process changes" are enjoyable to watch and other times they are frustrating to watch.  I bet Chester and Anna had the same feelings with me.  I'm sure they did.  Sunday, Pastor Bruce at the Rock of the Southwest, said--Sometimes your children can frustrate you when they are young and they can frustrate you even when they are grown adults.  I think that I will not get to see them fully grown (i.e. I will die before that will happen--aging is against me--I need at least 30 more years--that would make me 97--not likely--but maybe).  I wonder what Chester and Anna would think of me if they would have lived longer (i.e. they died when I was 17 and 23).  My suggestion--Enjoy your spouse, your children, your grand children and enjoy your parents (i.e. maximise the opportunity).  I wish I would have said somethings to my parents before they died but didn't (i.e. wasn't mature enough).  I hope I can say this when I leave this earth about my being a husband, parent and a grand dad--I did all that I could do, I did my best.  Soooooo now is the time to do my best (i.e. not tomorrow but today). Suck it up cupcake, lets get going.  We're burning daylight!

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”  - Steve Jobs

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

erv

MyFriendJean says--Live a life of prayer, giving glory to God, and continually listening to His guidance.