stutter step

Disclaimer:  LuckieEddie says--erv, I think you are smarter when you don't say anything compared to when you do!  The other day a guy told my partner that his serve was illegal in rather a gruff tone of voice.  He got rather excited over nutten (i.e. my opinion).  I really don't know if you could tell even by using super slow motion if it was illegal or not!  We are just having fun.  I was really proud of my partner (i.e. it could make some folks percolate).  He didn't say a thing and gave him the ball.  That's maturity/class I think.  ANYWAY I was telling a couple of pickle ball buddies about this.  They asked if I had to be the referee!  No no, I kept my mouth shut.  Such is life.

In basketball the stutter step is "one good move"!  It's a change of pace move. I use that move in pickle ball but it's not on purpose, I'm just tired.  I'm a wimp. I was to go hiking with Evan and Linda (i.e. college friends) Tuesday but Evan (i.e. Sunland East's star shortstop) did a stutter step playing softball in the morning and pulled some muscles.  And you think being a snowbird is easy!

Don  fell on the pickle ball court this week.  Luckily he didn't get hurt it appears.  I think he took a stutter step and forgot he took it.  Don is 89.  I talked to him afterwards.  He said--I wanted to see if my blood is still red--it is!  A pickle ball buddy and I were talking as we were sitting on the bench waiting our turn to play.  I asked her about her occupation before retiring.  She was an office manager in charge of many things (i.e. great responsibility).  She also told me that she had an ovarian tumor maybe 10 years ago.  As she was recovering from surgery, she heard the doctor in the hall talk to someone and say--I removed 3 ovarian tumors today and I need to tell two of those gals that it was cancer.  She just went "white as a sheet" and "library quiet" she said; then the doctor came in and said I was the lucky one!  It was a stutter step in her life.  She really appreciates life she told me.  Later in the morning I was playing pickle ball with Jimmie.  He was a hockey goalie for 60 years (i.e. guess where he is from folks).  He is recovering from breast cancer.  He just got a call that he is cancer free.  He was a happy camper.  Huh, interesting!

Change! Big"Pinkish"Pete (i.e. pink is his favorite color) did a seminar/clinic for us pickle ballers.  He did a very good job.  He told us all that if you are going to stand back and just whack the ball and not come up to the net, you will probably win about 30% of the time.  Ya gotta come to the net and learn the dink game.  You gotta.  GeorgeTheCrook says--If you don't change by coming up to the net and learn the dink shot, why will anything change in your game!  LuckieEddie says--It sounds like a guy could apply that anything in my life.  Such is life.

It might look like a stutter step but...it's not on purpose folks!  I was talking to my best friend Secretariat a.k.a. WhiteMagic about trying to improve our pickle ball skills.  He said--erv, you better get after it fast as at your age you are not going to get any quicker or faster.  He has a point!

Some snowbirds winter in AZ, some in TX and some in FL.  How do they decide where they winter?  There are many many reasons--as many reason as correct answers.  Some like the ocean, the desert, the mountains, the cost, friends, money, family, distance, dry climate etc.  There is no correct answer (i.e. the answers are all over the place, sooo ya can't get it wrong).  It's just like there is not a correct answer why the gas tank on some cars are on the passenger's side and on some cars they are on the driver's side.  Our friend back home, who worked for the state of IA, got a special award from the Governor for her suggestion.  She suggested that on the dash of all IA government cars they put a sticker with an arrow telling the IA government drivers on which side the gas tank is thus saving time and frustration for the employees.  So there you go.  Brilliant!

My Daddy, Chester, would say to me--erv, the folks who are really fun to be around are the one who are great but don't know it!   Maybe he was just "stutter stepping" me.  Could be!  I have been fooled before let me tell ya!  ANYWAY I had the opportunity to play pickle ball with new guy who is a good player.  My observation was that he was arrogant, cocky and thought he was very important.  Maybe he wasn't but his body language and how he acted to me sorta kinda gave me this impression.  It made me wonder--If I ever became really good at something, if ever I became powerful some how, or if I ever became wealthy some how, would I become arrogant, cocky and obnoxious?  I hope I wouldn't but I don't know for sure.  Some folks do.  Usually those folks that become that way, aren't much fun to be around.  I ran this scenario past a youngsmartfriendfromIAwithaMBAdegree and he told me to not jump to a conclusion--Maybe he is just insecure and that is his way of expressing himself.  I hope I get the opportunity to meet this person and get to know him (i.e. probably won't as I think he thinks he's better than me). It seems that I'm wrong a lot about a lot of things sooooo I could be this time tooooo!  But maybe not!  Such is life.

I was getting on my bike after pickle ball and Jim (i.e.a senior snowbird) was doing the same.  I like Jim.  I said--You're a good man Jim.  He said--I don't know about that; I'm pretty much a "has been"!  You're a good man Jim!

She reminds me of an AZ Grackle!  ChripingHilda (i.e. she's always chirping about something) always has something wrong with her (i.e. a chiropractor's dream).  ChirpingHilda could pay for 'ChiropractorJohn's condo at Breckenridge!  She has that potential alright,  GeorgeTheCrook says--Those suckers don't come along every day sooooo ya gotta "milk her for what's she worth"!  ChiropractorJohn hopes she lives for a long time (i.e. his money tree)!  Such is life.  You gotta send those "ChripingHildas" Christmas presents and birthday cards.  Oh ya!  LuckieEddie says--Make sure you tell her how pretty she is toooooo!  Come on LuckieEddie, isn't that going over board a little!  LuckieEddie says--I don't know erv, they seem to really like it!

Bud did sorta kinda a stutter step as he approached the hot tub.  Bud and Mary Lou are from SW Iowa (i.e. retired farmers).  The reason he stutter stepped was he was using one of those canes with 4 legs on the bottom.  I was already in the hot tub.  I know these folks from the last several years.  Sooooo Bud I don't remember you using a cane last year--oh, I have for some time; I just use it to keep the girls away--Bud, it must work as I don't see any babes!!!  They own many acres and Bud told me that a farm just sold by them that was just like their land for $18,000 an acre.  I said--You guys are rich, it doesn't take no rocket mathematician to figure that out--I guess we are!!!  I read in the paper, soooo it must be right, that 5.2% of all households in America are millionaires.  Mary Lou then told me that it was her birthday tomorrow--how old are going to be Mary Lou--87!!  Well, happy birthday Mary Lou.  Last year she had a kidney transplant.  I don't think I ever hot tubed with 87 year olds before!!!  It was a hoot.

Ya, we all have probably had to take stutter steps in our lives (i.e. where we had to stop before we could go again).  Here are some questions--Will I be proud of how I lived my live?  Did I live it for me (i.e. self-centered like DuaneTheWorm) or did I care about others?  What did I do with the opportunities that were presented to me?  Did I just sit on the couch and eat chips or did I do something to better someone?  I told you several times that I pray for opportunities, I pray that I can recognize them (i.e. soooo they just don't fly over my head) and I pray for the courage to act on them. I read it in the paper sooooo it must be right--A perfect time to stop a bad habit or begin a new one is when your routine is already out of whack!

You don't need a spreadsheet to know if a business, church, community etc is an "A" or a "D".  You can usually tell by spending 10 minutes around it (i.e. it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure it out).  It starts with it's culture and supported by it's leaders!  It doesn't take long to figure it out.  My mentor use to say to me--erv, we are all programed by our past.  Usually if you get a certain impression, others do toooooo.  It might take you a stutter step at the most and then "bingo" you got it figured out!  Such is life.

She did a small stutter step!  I asked snowbirdNDMarilyn if she golfs.  Sorta kinda but not very good.  The first time I went with the Mixers, the gal we were playing with was all dressed up and had the nicest equipment.  I was all nervous (i.e. intimated).  She golfs worse than I do!  SusieQ says--Appearance can be deceiving!  There were folks behind us the other day when we were golfing.  The folks had all the nice golf cloths on and the nice equipment.  We had to wait on a par 3 and they came up and visited with us.  The score keeper asked what score the others had--Herman said--put me down for a thousand; I actually had a 10 (i.e. the hole was a par 4).  She asked Nick.  Nick said put me down for a 12; that's close enough!  But they looked nice!  Such is life.

It's like trying to shake money out of an empty piggy bank. Morris Schwartz is on his deathbed, knows the end is near, and is with his nurse, his wife, his daughter and 2 sons. "So", he says to them: "Bernie, I want you to take the Beverly Hills houses." "Sybil, take the apartments over in Los Angeles Plaza." "Hymie, I want you to take the offices over in City Center." "Sarah, my dear wife, please take all the residential buildings  downtown." The nurse is just blown away by all this, and as Morris slips  away, she says, "Mrs. Schwartz, your husband must have been such a hard working man to have accumulated all this property." Sarah replies, "Property? ... The schmuck has a paper route!"


John lost his stutter step alright!  PickleBallDanWithTheSoreKnee put together a fun afternoon for us at Carriage Manor.  He's sorta kinda the activity director.  Oh ya!  He does sign up sheets for 8 beginners, 8 intermediates, and 8 advanced.  He sorta kinda puts 4 folks in each court.  We played a round robin in that pool.  The player with the most points in each of the pools played together, #2s, #3s and #4s did the same.  Then we played a round robin again in that pool.   I think most folks think they are better than they are when they self-rate themselves.  Maybe that is ok.  But like a guy who played in our pool said to me while drinking a beer--It sorta knida shows how good you are! Ya it does.  John was my partner for the 7th game.  He was dead tired.  He said to me afterwards--I couldn't move anymore (i.e. lost his stutter step); I need to loose 20 pounds.  John also said--During the last game all I could think about was that cold beer!  Huh, interesting.  

Monday one gal who plays pickle ball with us came but didn't play.  I asked her why.  She said--I decided last night that my body needed a day off.  I was tired (i.e. she needed a stutter step).  ANYWAY on my way home I rode my bike past this guy who sits in his drive ever day (i.e. I have ridden by him many many times--he just sits there).  I don't know him but he is from New York they tell me.  I never say anything but just wave.  Soooo today he's reading the paper and I say--Any good news in there?  Take a wild guess what he says!  He says--Nope, just the same old s---!

The stutter step made him a better person.  A pickle ball buddy told me that he was a real jerk when he was younger.  Really, are you sure.  I was obnoxious and arrogant and cocky (i.e. a real mess).  Ouchy ouchy! Soooo what happened that you changed.  I met my wife and she changed me BINGO.  Hey folks, this is one nice, smart guy--sooooo you know what his wife is like.  

SusieQ says--Sometimes we inadvertently disturb someone. We say something we later realize was inappropriate. A humble word of apology can heal a relationship as quickly as it was damaged.  "Never ruin an apology with an excuse." ~ Benjamin Franklin  ~  I think apologies can make a person better.  What do you think?  WildWillie says--I have a string of apologies going.  How long is your string WildWillie.  A string of "one"!

GeorgeTheCrook says--Try not to worry about your stutter steps. Here in paradise we try not to fuss about small stuff!  GeorgeTheCrook, it just looks like I'm stutter stepping.  I'm not doing it on purpose, I just get flummoxed easily!  But I just fooled you didn't I GeorgeTheCrook.  Such is life.

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

erv

MyFriendJean says--You can take the day off but you can't put it back.

    

distractions

Disclaimer--This "It's Saturday"  might rattle you brain.  You might not want to read it.

Are you guys normal?  Well, normal folks are typical folks.  Joesixpack says--And typical folks are gullible. Gullible folks fall for all kind of sales techniques.  Like get rich schemes, improve your golf game gimmicks, weight loss miracle products, muscle building equipment, deodorants that make you sexy, cars that will get you the babes, cream that will make your skin look 20 years younger in 2 applications etc.  You guys are really easy.  I can almost tell you anything if I can make it look like it will make you something you are not. And for $59.99 I will send along product worth $50 that will make you smarter tooooo.  You're easy folks!  Easy.  "You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time." - Abraham Lincoln

Being Owly can be a massive huge distraction in life folks!  Joesixpack says--Don't be owly, it takes up tooooo much energy!  Your decision to be owly or not is between you and your brain!  Joesixpack, that sounds like attitude!  LuckieEddie says--Your thoughts create your life.

It is very hard, sometimes, to stay focused on what is important.  There can be sooooo many distractions that can affect us.  Zach Johnson said after winning the Champions Tournament--"I had such peace while playing.  I prayed in the morning that I would have peace if I was winning or I wasn't winning".  I personally am the happiest when there is no stimuli (i.e. complete silence).  It's a very rewarding time for me.  I like to be alone with my thoughts and God.

BigRedNoseSweenFromMN says--My favorite part of winter...is watching it on TV from AZ!  Sween, you need to get more exercise that just bending your elbow!  You become very owly a.k.a. out of sorts after toooo much sauce! And we know what happens to owly guys!!!

SureShotBetty says--While out hiking in Alberta Canada with my husband slimmy and owly Bill, we were surprised by a huge grizzly bear charging at us from out of nowhere.  She must have been protecting her cubs because she was extremely aggressive. If I had not had my little Beretta Jetfire with me I would not be here today! Just one shot to my husband's knee cap was all it took. The bear got him and I was able to escape by just walking away at a brisk pace. 

Confidence  My parents, Chester and Anna were just real folks (i.e. good ordinary folks with good hearts, just genuine folks--my kind of folks).  They just died to young.  You could count on them "to tell it like it is".  They had the ability (i.e. in their special way) to put confidene in me.  I really don't know for sure if they knew what they were doing (i.e. intentionally)!  But they just did it.  They didn't take a dive after the opening bell! I would guess they never knew they did that for me.  They died when I was 17 and 23.  Way to young.  I wish I could thank them.

Joesixpack says--Confidence a.k.a. swagger, some folks have it and other folks don't. It seems like ya gotta have something good happen to ya to get it.  It could be a combination of many things or just one "big play".  I have have mention before about my life of two events that really affected my life; one being a night in hs basketball practice when "I couldn't miss anymore" and another getting a part in the jr class play.  And they both just fell in my lap.  Lucky me!  Another big event for me was marring Arlene.  LuckieEddie says--95% of a person's happiness is who they marry.  I wonder soooo many times, why I am sooooo lucky!

Pastor John said Sunday (i.e. sooooo it must be right) that money can affect folks.  It can become a distraction.  He also said--There is nutten wrong with money but it can change us.  Huh, interesting.  He said it can make us arrogant and obnoxious.  Who, what, me?!  It seems like many of the countries in the world think that we of the U.S. are arrogant and obnoxious.  BUT they all seem like they want to be like us and would love to come to the good old U.S.A.  Huh, interesting.  Saturday question--Have any of you really changed 'cause you became wealthy?  CadillacJack says--It's hard not to change when you become wealthy!  Money changes many things!  Could be CadillacJack.  BUT not everyone (i.e. my opinion).

Fun In The Sun retirement community needed a little cement work done soooo they asked the snowbird contractors in the community if they would like to bid on the job.  There were 3 that decided to bid on the project.  A guy from MN bid was $800, $600 for material and $200 for him.  The guy from SD bid was $700, $600 for material and $100 for him.  The guy from NY bid $2,700.  The manager asked how come his bid was soooo high--$1,000 for me, $1,000 for you and we will hire the guy from SD to do the work!

Distractions can lessen happiness! I read in the paper, soooooo it must be right, that happiness can be some what affected by our genes.  It can also be modified by some factors (i.e. we have heard this before folks--nothing new).  Satisfying work matters more than money (i.e. earned success).  Folks after personal tragedies revert to their baseline level of happiness.  Conservative folks are happier than liberals.  Four great sources of happiness within human control are faith, family, friends and work.  Married folks are happier than singles.  Those engaged in religious practices are happier than un-churched.  Men are less happy 'cause of less education (i.e. less satisfaction from work or have no work); less likely to be married and stayed married; less likely to belong to a faith community; and less likely to have close friends.  BUT I would rather be a guy than have to fix my hair everyday, put on makeup, paint my nails, and go shopping all the time!  That is my opinion folks.

Can't get out of the mud!  Have you ever had a day when you just can't get out of the mud? Sooooo how important is a positive attitude?  A optimistic approach to life?  What do you think?  I just read in the paper sooooo it must be right that folks expectations can make a massive huge difference in how they feel after treatment for a migraine.  It's called the placebo effect.  They react to what they are told and then feel that way.  Much of the effect is created by the "dummy pill effect".  It's what they perceive.  Sooooo how important is our attitude?  But my mind did not fall for this statement also in the paper--high-yield savings account @ 0.85%!  Then it said--to feel confident in what's ahead.  That statement didn't make me feel confident folks.  It must be my attitude!!!  MissPerfect says--The only difference between a rut and a grave is the depth!

Pickle ball has been fun for me.  We laugh a lot, socialize, and have fun.  I don't think I would enjoy playing tennis here in the parks.  The tennis players seem always mad at each other, fighting over something, never happy, always worried about their rank, demanding, and think they are very important (i.e. sorta kinda bird-brained). They seem to have a lot of brew-has!  In fact, I had a tennis player tell me that when a good player comes into the park, they shun them.  They don't want them to take their position in the rankings.  I don't need to be around those type of folks (i.e. that is my opinion).  Egos can be a big distraction.  Those folks are stuck in the mud (i.e. my opinion).  I tell you what, SpeedyJanFromIN isn't stuck in the mud.  Oh no!  She's sooooo fast that she burnt off the soles of her shoes (i.e. now that is a distraction).  I think she needs to slow down a bit.  I was told that she is the most improved player.  I wonder why!!!!

The art of gentle persuasion!  Giving advice isn't always popular.  LuckyEddie says--I don't read 'em from the Book; I just show 'em the pictures.  Huh, interesting.  Or another way of putting it--Live out the Bible; don't just read it! I read it in the paper soooo  it must be right--Asking questions and listening can help you get your message heard; 95% of the conversation should be about the other person.  Huh, interesting.

I hit through the fairway on hole # 6 and JimTheEngineerFromMI pulled his tee shot on #4 soooo we talked a little.  We both play with guys in our group who are legally blind.  They both have great attitudes.  Just amazing.  Al, who I play with says most of his vision is just fuzzy but once in a while he can see his shot if the sun light is just right.  We stand by the flag, help him where to aim, and tell him where the problems are (i.e. unless he beating us, then we don't).  He's 75 and plays remarkably well (i.e. shot a 4 over par 39 this week).  He's played golf for 60 years.  To celebrate the 60 years, he just bought 2 new sets of clubs (i.e. Tour Edges; nice ones $500 a set nice--his wife didn't like it he said).  One for AZ and one for ND.  He was telling me that he doesn't drive which is real hard on him but still has a drivers license.  How can you have a drivers license when you can's see.  The folks help me when I take the vision test--they say, are you sure it's on the left?  I then say, I think it's on the right.  Bingo, he gets a license.  He did tell me that not being able to see is a distraction.  He has had 18 surgeries on his eyes.  Miracles of medicine folks.

OldconservativeretiredFrankinAZ a.k.a. a crotchety old coot from IA says to the dentist--Doc, I don't want no fancy xrays, no gas or needles, not painkillers, just yank the tooth out and get it done.  Well, I wish more of my patients were that brave.  Which tooth is it?  Show 'em your tooth Bertha!

I like those worst-to-first stories!  It seems that in most of those worst-to-first stories, folks seem to get rid of the past distractions and focus on future.  ItchieBitchie says--Most folks who live the worst-to-worst stories, lack self-belief and mental toughness. It appears that many of those worst-to-first stories, folks have "quality thoughts".  It seems like you have to put out some effort.  Ya just can't sit on the couch and eat chips!  SusieQ says-- Laziness is nothing more than the habit of resting before you are tired.

The Hohokam Indians were native to this area (i.e. Valley of the Sun).  They laid 1,000 miles of irrigation canals in the Salt River Valley, which eventually supported enough fields to feed about 40,00 people..  Interesting is that those same canal routes are used today for the bulk of the water for the Valley.  The Hohokam Indians disappeared.  They don't know what really happen to them.  Maybe they got distracted!!!  Huh, interesting.


Tears can be a distraction for some folks!  PamTheFox (i.e. that is not FoxyPam) says--Tears are hard to interpret because any feelings of strong emotion can produce them. There are tears of anger, tears of fear, tears of pain, tears of grief, tears of relief, and tears of joy.  Tears are a distraction to many folks.  Many folks stay away from folks who are crying (i.e. I don't want to get involved).  ItchieBitchie says--a great gift is to let someone cry on your shoulder.  Let them get their emotions out.  Even better, cry with them.  I had just this opportunity to do this with Bruce this week.  I was watching a football game one evening and thought about Bruce (i.e. haven't had any communication with him for maybe 6 months) who lost his wife to cancer about a year ago.  I text him and told him I was thinking of him and asked how he was doing.  He shared his emotions with me.  

Keep it simple stupid!  I read this while eating my oatmeal with half a banana on it--Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. It's in red sooooo it must be extra important.  The footnote says--Like a little child, with total dependence, full trust, frank openness and complete sincerity.  Huh, interesting.  Saturday question--Do you think we make things tooooo complicated sometimes and they become a distraction?  

Problems are just opportunities!  That is what my best friend says a lot.  He's an entrepreneur (i.e. 100% entrepreneur)!  Jim Mathis says--One of the main reasons I have always been an entrepreneur because I enjoy solving problems. When you have your own business, life is a continual series of problems to be solved. Perhaps some people fail as entrepreneurs because rather than finding motivation and challenge in solving problems, they choose to regard them as annoying disturbances (i.e. distractions) and obstacles blocking the realization of their dreams.  Huh, interesting.

Now you have heard everything I have to say.  What % do  you believe? 

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

erv

MyFriendJean says--We wander for distraction, but we travel for fulfillment. 

intentional living

I would like to think that most of my life is "intentional living".  Some of it ain't folks (i.e. ...happens)!  I live my life 'cause I want to live it this way.  It's a choice for the most part.  "Intentional living" might sound weird to you.  I don't claim to know it all; in fact, the older I get, it seems the less I know.  Joesixpack says--Everyone has a bother-in-law or a sister-in-law who is a "knowitall".  You would just like to wrap them in bubble-wrap and send them to Siberia some times!

Am I congealing?  Am I stagnating?  I read this in the paper sooooo it must be right.  There are 2 kinds of folks.  1.  There are those who have congealed into their final selves.  2.  There are the fluid; they keep moving forward and making new trysts with life and the motion of it keeps them young (i.e. the folks who are really alive).  I think you can apply this to businesses, churches, civic organizations etc as well.  Saturday question--Is being a #1 or a #2 intentional living?  I read this in the Book while eating my oatmeal with a half a banana on it (i.e. in the footnote)--If a person's mind is closed and Scripture is rejected, no evidence--not even a resurrection-will change him.  Ouchy ouchy!

Ding ding ding!  Some times we have to have a "wake up call" that redirects our life (i.e. the alarm goes off and wakes us up).  Even then we can hit the snooze button, turn it off ignoring the alarm or get up and get going.  Like an OldGolfBuddyMel says--Ya got to have a good altitude!  I picked up a pizza at Poppa Murphy's.  I was third in line.  The young gal greeted everyone with a smile and a cheerful word.  I asked her if she was always happy.  She said--I try.  Is that intentional living?  I think sooooo folks!  Such is life.

98yearoldEd says--If I don't start doing some stuff that I always wanted to do soon, I might end up being a sad member of the "never will club".  Sooooo98yearoldEd, throw those chips away and get your butt off the couch!  You get to make the decisions and decisions have consequences!  Such is life.

I'm starting to learn that I do not have to hurry to get there.  The reason--I'm already there.  I'm playing for keeps!  It's time to listen to the right folks and the right noises!  There are some " lethargic gluttonous rats" out there.  That is what I'm learning by being on "the sunshine cruise"!  Hey, when you are a senior, you play for keeps folks.  This ain't no practice round!

SusieQ says--You can believe with all your heart folks but that won't chance reality.  Sooooo maybe we need to adjust our attitude and adapt (i.e. sorta kinda like the Canadian goose--those suckers are all over the place)!  And they leave their...all over the place toooo!

The following sorta kinda sums up my thinkin' about happiness folks!  So were do you start on a path to happiness in business and life in general?  Here are 10 commandments, inspired by "The Happiness Project" by Gretchen Rubin (Harper Collins, 2009), that might improve your outlook if you strive to follow them daily:  1. Take it easy.  2. Be yourself.  3. Handle your responsibilities.  4. Exercise understanding.  5. Face your fears.  6. Leave your worries behind.  7. Live honestly.  8. Behave positively.  9. Open your heart and mind.  10. Share your time, attention and talents with others.   This might really help all of us to better our "intentional living"!

I missed a 5 foot putt for par and said--darn it!  Mel (i.e. a 85 year old guy of our group) said--We don't want any damn swearing on his damn course; damn it!  LuckieEddie says--People say that religion is a crutch.  But there are times in all our lives where our circumstances cripple us and in those times, I'd much rather have God to lean on than any number of less savory alternatives.  

James said to me at Christmas--Some hills aren't worth dying on!  I think if we can decipher what hills are worth dying on and which ones aren't, we might be much happier folks.  What do you think?  Would that be wisdom do you think?

ItchieBitchie's suggestion for happiness!  Make a conscientious objection to gossip!  MissPerfect a.k.a. a real wildfire, says--Yabut I like to gossip!  Well MissPerfect, buck up, rub some dirt on it, pull your socks up, shake it off.  Your life will be much better if you can adapt and and adjust.  MissPerfect, you have a lot of curb appeal but...when we step inside and you ain't sooooo pretty; ouchy ouchy!  And folks remember, life ain't fair.  The only thing that fair is the Butler County Fair and that is in late June of each year.  Such is life.

Boy, oh, boy!  If I had my druthers I would change some things in the world.  Yes I would but I can't sooooo I need to adapt, buck up, rub some dirt on it, pull my socks up, shake it off  CadillacJack says--Life can be tough, but I'm tougher!  Yabut some days I don't like Mother Nature.  She seems to be the ultimate mean girl sometimes.  She is just unfair it seems.  We sorta kinda feel like we stiff-armed Mother Nature by snowbirding in AZ!  She will probably get even!  Such is life.

Talk about changing things.  JoeTheHike is back here in The Valley of the Sun from MN for a while.  He was telling me that his golf game really improved this summer.  Soooo what did you do that it improved sooooo much?  I moved up to the lady's tees!  Now that is intentional living folks.  JoeTheHike, there are no more tees to move up toooo.  You are there.  Boy, oh, boy!

I enjoy reading Louis L'Amour books.  He is a very popular writer of fiction-historical fiction (i.e. westerns) of the W-SW.  He is very good writer (i.e. that's more than my opinion).  Maybe you have read some of his books.  ANYWAY I like them.  This is what Tel Seckett said in the book Treasure Mountain--(i.e. a woman was seducing him--not sexually seducing him but seducing him to get information).  There is nothing you could offer me that I'd swap for one afternoon ride through the hills, and I mean it.  Once a man has lived with mountains you can't offer him a home with a prairie dog.  Now that is intentional living.  You do what you want (i.e. satisfies your soul).  I like to hike/run up in 'em mountains (i.e. some of you think I'm crazy).  I really enjoy it.  This picture is one of the trails that I run a lot.  Those trails are trusted friends.  It soothes me during hard times, celebrates my victories, gives me a quiet place to think, inspires me and keeps me healthy.  It seem to change my perspective of the surrounding world.  LuckieEddie says--erv, tequila will do the same.  Yabut I just get such a good feeling by hiking/running  up there.  LuckieEddie says--Maybe the feeling is just from last night's sauerkraut!  GerogeTheCrook says--I like long hikes, especially when they are taken by folks who annoy me.  FatsoRay brother of SlimJim says--The only reason I would take up running up in 'em mountains is sooooo I could hear heavy breathing again! For me, running/hiking up 'er in 'em mountains sorta kinda makes me a better version of who I am (i.e. at least that is what I think)!

I think they work at it!  I have met some very nice folks playing pickle ball.  They are humble, gracious, kind, and just swell folks to be around.  They impress me.  I would guess 98% of the folks I come in contact with are very nice.  Some I'm just more compatible with 'cause of different reasons.  Here is a story of one of the 2%:  I went to the hot tub after a great day of pickle ball and up in 'em mountains.  There were was another couple there (i.e. maybe a gal and her boyfriend).  They were about 60. She was a real grump (i.e. Sergeant type--knowitall type).  They left but took my blue towel and left me with a green one.  I left the green towel there with a note.  A week went by and I was again in the hot tub and "my...don'tstink" was there again.  I asked her if by accident they took the wrong towel.  Ya we did.  I didn't know if you wanted your blue one back?  Da!  I think she was a "bad ass"!  Not a nice lady the way it seemed!  Maybe she had a cocklebur in the crotch of her swim suit that I didn't know about.  Could be.  A fellow pickle baller who I have been an acquaintance of for three years really seems to be different this year.  He's a lot friendlier, humble, kinder, funnier, more gracious and more enjoyable to be around.  I wonder what happened over the summer.  There is a noticeable difference in him.  Huh, interesting.  

NiceGuyChapin from MI took his blond girlfriend to her first football game (i.e. The Rose Bowl on New Years Day) to watch MI State play. They had great seats right behind MI State's bench.  After the game, he asked her how she liked it.  "Oh, I really liked it," she replied, "especially the tight pants and all the big muscles, but I just couldn't understand why they were killing each other over 25 cents."  Dumbfounded, Chapin asked, "What do you mean?"  "Well, they flipped a coin, one team got it and then for the rest of the game, all they kept screaming was 'Get the quarterback! Get the quarterback!' I'm like...Helloooooo? It's only 25 cents!"    

You guys up north have no butts and us snowbirds in the south have no heads!

Arlene and I went to the 11:55 (i.e. that's a.m. folks) movie showing of Last Veges.  I never went to a morning movie before (i.e. intentional living).  We laughed our heads off!

I learned from a friend this week!  It was a great opportunity (i.e. just fell in my lap--he called me).  One thing I learned is that friendships deteriorate if not cultivated.  He was the best of friends with another during high school (i.e. very close).  Then they sorta kinda separated it seems.  One of the biggest reasons was his friend did not return messages which gave him the feeling that he didn't want to be his friend anymore (i.e. became a one sided relationship).  Maybe that was in intentional or maybe that is his personality.  In any case it sorta kinda killed the relationship.  He asked me what I thought about that.  I suggested that he give him another opportunity by letting him get out of the corner of the "death of the relationship".  I used this true life story of mine as a kid--I was maybe 10 years old.  It was late fall and my dog Blackie and I were chasing this muskrat.  We got it cornered in the corner of the silo room and the barn.  I had this stick and was poking at it and Blackie was barking and jumping at it (i.e. just waiting for me to tell him to sic 'em).  We had him dead in the water but was just teasing it.  My Daddy, Chester, came out of the barn and saw what was happening. He said--Son, sometimes you have to let a person have a graceful way of exiting when you have the power over someone.  I pulled Blackie back and we let the muskrat escape for another day to live.  I have a saying on the wall above my desk back home which was said by a smart person.  It says--"Greatness is when you have the power to really hurt someone but decide not toooo"!  Now that is intentional living folks.  

Intentional living!  To paraphrase my Mom, Anna, --  Do what is right even when it's inconvenient!  Is it right to admit when we are wrong?  I think sooooo!  We gotta be real, don't we?  I know it ticks me off when folks always think they are right and won't admit when they are wrong.  If we can't admit we are ever wrong (i.e. we are missing something folks), it's like adding 2 + 2 and think it's 8, there is something wrong with us.  Usually when we can't add right, bad stuff seems to usually happen.  ItchieBitchie says--My sister-in-law, MissPerfect, is right, by golly!  At least she thinks she is.  Such is life.

Joesixpack says--If you don't have a sister-in-law or a brother-in-law who is a "knowitall", well then the "knowitall" might be you!  Ouchy ouchy!  

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

erv

MyFriendJean says--If the goal is set properly, its already half achieved.

I hope you read JearBear's story last week.  As you read, Claire and JearBear's plan is to climb Kilimanjaro Mt. with the LiveStrong Foundation.  He sent me this video of Chris Warner who will be their guide.  The video is about leadership.  I think very excellent.  The ending is really dramatic and full of wisdom.  I suggest you watch it.  It's about 30 minutes long.  
http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=chris+warner+mountain+guide&qs=n&form=QBVR&pq=chris+warner+mountain+guide&sc=8-12&sp=-1&sk=#view=detail&mid=0676915BB5D7B5FB85150676915BB5D7B5FB8515

fade into obscurity

Soooooo how did you get through Christmas and New Years?  Sounds like a trick question.

Christmas and New Years  are gone.  Christmas and New years have faded into obscurity.  A great built up but then the blah afterwards.  It's time to get to work you guys.  I need that SS check sooooo I can afford to play pickle ball, golf, go hiking and eat out here in AZ. It ain't cheap!  Sooooo get after it.  I have high expectations of you guys!!! 

At a meeting of the Socratic Club in Oxford, England, in 1945, the Christian apologist C. S. Lewis said, "I believe that the Sun has risen not only because I see it but because by it I see everything else." In his biography of C. S. Lewis, Alister McGrath explains what Lewis meant: "We can look at the sun itself; or we can look instead at what it illuminates -- thus enlarging our intellectual, moral, and aesthetic vision. We see the true, the good, and the beautiful more clearly by being given a lens that brings them into focus."  This picture I took at our retirement community.  AZ sunsets are beautiful.

Fade into obscurity!  Old age will do that toooooooooo folks alright.  The last church service I went to before leaving IA, I visited with a friend after the service.  He's 90 years old and can't hear worth a darn.  He does pretty good but does use a cane.  In fact when he talked to me he had the cane point on my foot the whole time!  It made me laugh.  ANYWAY Blake asked him about one of his sons as they are the same age.  He said--The kids are all sooooo busy.  They use to come and visit us on Friday night and leave Sunday night.  Then they would come Saturday afternoon and leave Sunday afternoon.  Now they come Saturday morning and leave Saturday afternoon!  And during that time, they spend most of the time on their phones!  Such is life.

After Christmas, a teacher asked her young pupils how they spent their holiday away from school. One child wrote the following:  We always used to spend the holidays with Grandma and Grandpa. They used to live in a big brick house but Grandpa got retarded and they moved to Arizona. Now they live in a tin box and have rocks painted green to look like grass. They ride around on their bicycles and war name tags because they don't know who they are anymore.  They go to a building called a wreck center, but they must have got it fixed because it is all okay now. They do exercises there, but they don't do them very well.

There is a swimming pool too, but they all jump up and down in it with hats. At their gate, there is a doll house with a little old man sitting in it. He watches all day so nobody can escape. Sometime they sneak out and go cruising in their golf carts. Nobody there cooks, they just eat out. And, they eat the same thing every night---early birds.  Some of the people can't get out past the man in the doll house. The ones who do get out, bring food back to the wrecked center for put luck.
My Grandma says that Grandpa worked all his life to earn his retardment and says I should work hard so I can be retarded someday too. When I earn my retardment, I want to be the man in the doll house. Then I will let people out so they can visit their grandchildren.

Suggestion!  Look up...not down!  So we can say with the psalmist: "My voice You shall hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning I will direct it to You, and I will look up." Whatever is happening in your life today, look up. When we turn our eyes heavenward and celebrate what we see, our hearts will overflow with joy.  CadillacJack says--Don't waste your time on feeling sorry for yourself.  Sometimes you're ahead, sometimes you're behind.  The race is long, and in the end, it's only with yourself.  Such is life.

It only last soooo long!  We rent a condo in the Fountain of the Sun retirement community.  Our phase is all condos.  Our street is all condos.  Every year there are for sale signs on our street (i.e. about the same percentage each year it seems).  Ya, folks get sick or die and folks just fade into obscurity.  Such is life.

I read in the paper soooo it must be right that as of 1/1/14 there are 317,297,938 folks in the Unicted States.  I wonder how many of those 317,297,938 know me or even care about me.  I wonder.  It doesn't make me feel very important let me tell ya.  My mentor would say to me--erv, folks are born and folks die every day; it's been that way for a long time!  Such is life.

SusieQ says--Enjoy your life no matter where you are or what your situation is; if you are a senior, you are probably playing the back nine and in the middle of the round somewhere.  ItchieBitchie says--And don't expect anyone else to support you.  Maybe you have a trust fund or a retirement fund.  Maybe you have a wealthy spouse.  But you never know when either 'em might run out!  Ouchy ouchy!

We can't always control the length of our life but we can impact the quality!  No doctor can predict when life will begin or when it will end.  Therefore the only choice we have about our lives it what we choose to do between our first breath and our last.  Once we recognize that we're never going to be really good at anything...especially golf, life is more enjoyable.  We live in a highlight-reel world but if we can realize that we won't make the highlight-reel, life seems to work better.  Such is life.

Have you ever been a star?  A role player?  A bench player? Or never made the team?  When you get to be a senior adult, very few if any folks care what you were.  They just don't remember you. Many folks are younger than you and don't really care much about you.  Most of your peers really don't know or don't care.  BUT at the time it sure seemed sooooo important now didn't it.  It's sorta kinda like SeniorProfessorAlfred who lives down the street who says----I'm sorta kinda worried; Doc gave me three pills that I have to take the rest of my life---and it says no refills.  Joesixpack says--Whatever you do, don't congratulate yourself toooooo much or berate yourself either.  Your choices are half chance.  Soooo are everybody else's.  No matter who you are, we will fade into obscurity.  Such is life. 

Much of life is mental conditioning I think.  What do you think? A old geyser was bothering the waiter at the Superstition Saloon and Restaurant at Tortilla Flat.  First, he asked that the air conditioning be turned up because he was toooo hot, then he asked it tooooo be turned down cause he was tooooo cold, and sooo on for about half an hour.  Surprisingly, the waiter was very patient, he walked back and forth and never once got angry.  Soooo finally, a second customer asked him why he didn't throw the the old geyser out.  "Oh, I really don't care or mind," said the waiter with a smile.  "We don't even have air conditioning."

Sadness!  Some of you might have had folks missing at your Christmas dinner table.  Some have moved far away, some are divorced, some are no longer welcome, some don't want to come, some have serious illnesses, some are present only by absence and some have been replaced by obituaries.  All of those reasons cause emotions (i.e. mixed emotions).  Folks after time sorta kinda fade into obscurity.  Life does go on folks!  

Toast!  I was getting a few groceries at Frey's the other day.  My credit card is worn and over used (i.e. like my body at times).  It doesn't always work when it's swiped.  I have to use a plastic bag to make it work.  It still didn't work.  I said to CheckoutPeggy, you try it, you know all the tricks.  She said--Ya gotta do it fast with the plastic bag; I don't know why but you gotta.  Bingo, she got it.  CheckoutPeggy said--It takes a lot of years to learn all the tricks and then when you seem to learn most of them, you're toast!  Such is life.

SeniorSnowbirdFromND says--Eventually we all become old clunkers!  OurNeighborSonny came over the other morning and sat with me in the sun.  I asked him if he gets up early--no, I sleep late; I go to bed early and sleep late!  Listen Sonny, when you're 80, you can do whatever you want guy.  OurOneEyeHouseCheckerLila from back home has this sign in her utility room.  She is a real person with a good heart and a positive attitude.  My kind of person.  

Happy New Year to ya!  Happiness can be thought, taught and caught--but not bought.  Such is life.

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

erv

MyFriendJean says--I hope you rise above the little things!

This is a story of a personal friend as well as a family friend.  He wrote this for a running web page.  Some real good stuff folks by a good person (i.e. a real person a.k.a. genuine with a good heart--my kind of person). Very inspirational.  https://www.facebook.com/rodsracers/posts/714139451943074