going tooooo fast

Abraham Lincoln once said--I cannot claim that I am free from error in all the opinions that I advance.  Soooo if honest Abe made errors in his opinions, don't expect much from me folks.

ItchieBitchie says--I often wonder why couldn't life be simpler. Why couldn't all revelation be straightforward  (i.e. not sooo twisty and curvey. Why does stuff have to be sooooo cryptic? Why all the twists and turns. SlickWillie says—If my path would be clearer, I could gooooo a lot faster and get farther and accomplish more.  MissPerfect says--Just remember SlickWillie, the direction you are going will lead you where you'll end up (i.e. you are almost there, where ever that is). This stuff is true or my name is not Hillary Clinton! The paper called her “a wounded queen.”  Ouchy ouchy! The paper say that she has a 34 point lead; today it looks like she will be the Demorates' queen (i.e. at least at this point unless her crown falls off). There is a sign between Iowa City and Cedar Rapids on I-380 that says--Hillary, queen of the privileged (i.e. is that a positive statement or a negative statement?). I also read in the paper (i.e. soooo it must be right) that there is now a Queen of Beer.  I don't think it has anything to do with Hillary but I don't know for sure.  It did say that the King of Beer isn't happy! SlimyHerb says—I lie to myself and all of a sudden I can’t distinguish when I’m lying to myself or when I’m not!  ItchieBitchie says--I tell you what folks, I don’t believe half of what SlimyHerb says and the other half isn’t true!  Such is life.

I asked a farmer friend Lyle (i.e. anybody can be a Lyle) if he could mix me up a little round up and a little 24d for me.  He did.  I put some in a couple of hand squirt bottles and labeled them.  I went to kill some violets but must of grabbed the wrong bottle.  Ouchy ouchy!  Your opinion might be—how terrible.  Not really.  It’s a good optical reminder for me to slow down and double check stuff.  Don’t go sooooo fast Xlerator!  As my mentor use to say to me—This tooo shall pass.  I was telling a friend about my crazy thing and he told me that he sprayed roundup around the trees at their lake home.  When they came back the next week there was a trail between the trees that was brown.  Either the sprayer didn’t turn off or he forgot (i.e. surely it was the sprayer). And he is a smart guy.  I think he was going toooooo fast! But really folks, aren't you glad I'm not your pharmacist!

Augustine's opinion is—Every proud man heeds himself, and he who pleases himself pleases a fool, for he himself is a fool when he pleases himself. WorldClassLarry says--Humility relieves us of the awful stress of trying to be superior all the time.  It inverts our attitude and elevates the things we tend to look down on.  But I think humility might be illegal in MN (i.e. I think Jessie Ventura made it a law when governor)!  If you live in MN you might what to check what the law reads.  I don’t want you to get caught with your pants down.  Does any of this make any sense to you or am I going toooooo fast for you rich oil folks from North Dakota!

I do sudoku most every day.  I learned the tricks and learned to train my mind some to accomplish them (i.e. the more you do the better ya get).  ANYWAY I find out that when I think I’m good and cocky is when I make mistakes.  Isn’t that interesting.  I get going toooooo fast (i.e. big headed).  Ouchy ouchy!

I tell you what folks, I can be shortsighted and selfish a.k.a. a real problem to old Xlerator erv.  I’m real good at it sometimes (i.e. my opinion).  I need to really lookout for myself sometimes. Some times I bet I could appear as a narcissist blowhard.  I could give DuaneTheWorm a good run for his money.  It happens when I get going tooooooo fast. BUT I get humbled and “bingo”, life takes a turn (i.e. much clearer). That is why silence is sooooo good for me.  It slows me down I think. 

Slooooooow down! And Job’s answer was--Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know .Bingo!  When we are humbled, things look differently now don’t they.  Being humbled  makes me slow down. At least it does me for a little while. Oh the patience of Job.

Jeepers Creepers!  Some of my buddies told me that I was toooo impatient with Red Cross giving blood the day I left (i.e. maybe they were pulling my chain and maybe not; ANYWAY I listened to their evaluation of me).  They were giving blood toooo the same day.  One said he had an appointment and had to wait half an hour and said--I just expect that from them.  Huh, Interesting.  Ok folks, if they would change to my standards, my buddies who are patient (i.e. and folks like them) would still be happy and I (i.e. and folks like me) would be happy tooo.  Now that makes sense to me.  In soooo many words (i.e. their opinion) they said I was sorta kinda just becoming a crotchety old coot and my mind is a vortex! Could be.  But I don’t have to be around situations that upset me or around folks that upset me, do I? Especially if I don't need to be around them. No I don’t.  Even if I’m impatient and my expectations are higher than some. After my conversation with my buddies, we met some friends at the Blue Bird Cafe in North Liberty.  I told our waitress, Cortney, that some buddies that morning think I might be becoming a crotchety old coot.  When we left she said I was ok and I was not a crotchety old coot. LuckieEddie says--It is soooo easy to be just average in life (i.e. **); to just be average and get by; it doesn't take much effort to be average. Such is life.

Not soooooo fast buddies! Oh by the way, those buddies are farmers.  They become "crazies"
during planting and harvesting times (i.e. my opinion).  They would never even think about showing up to give blood then.  Their time is toooo valuable they think (i.e. time is money).  I'm just pulling their chain ha ha! Maybe I'm taking time during my harvesting and planting times to give blood.  Maybe my time at home is very important and valuable. Huh, interesting.

Two folks did call me from Red Cross about my opinions about their methodology.  They were very nice and appeared to be concerned.  We had nice conversations and they asked me what I thought might help their process (i.e. just  my opinion).  I said I will probably give blood again as I think Red Cross is good and it’s also the right thing to do.  Sooooo I went to gave blood Thursday at a local blood drive.  I used their new RapidPass web site where you can answer all the questions and keep it on your mobile device to speed up the process (i.e. seee they are working on speeding it up for folks like me—it is 2015 folks--shoppers now can buy groceries on line using their smart phone from HyVee).  ANYWAY Soooo I had an appointment at 4:15. A hireling greeted me and asked if I had an appointment (i.e. they now honor appointments--wow).  They scanned my RapidPass on my phone, asked a few question and sucked my blood.  I was out of the door at 5--wow.  Hats off to Red Cross for changing their methodology.  I played pickle ball that night and mentioned it to our group playing (i.e. one was a friend who wouldn't give because of their poor process).  He said he would do it now.  Bingo.  I suggest others of you who quite 'cause of the poor methodology, to give them a try.  Giving blood is very rewarding (i.e. my opinion).  To the Red Cross I say YAHOO! 

  

I went for a morning bike ride in the rain the other day.  SusieQ asked me—erv, why in the world would you want to ride in the ran anyway!  I tell you what SusieQ, it was xlerating, exciting and fun, that’s why (i.e. it slowed me down for a bit).  Besides, some of you know that I get bored easily and I like an occasionally rainy day.  It was perfect.  It was like dancing in the rain!  LuckieEddie says—erv, I think your mind goes tooooo fast sometimes.  Remember the summer of 36 and how dry it was and when it rained the folks were dancing in the rain.  You don’t remember that nor do I as we weren’t born yet.  Some of you old timers remember it.  Of course it helped a little that they were into AuntTilley’s homemade dandelion wine  It was a great excuse to break it out!  Folks, I really enjoyed my ride in the rain.  Yes I did.but no AuntTilley's homemade dandelion wine!  Such is life.

Going to fast on the curve!  The other day when riding bike north of town, a truck was coming up from behind me on a sharp curve.  He slowed down and was very obliging to me.  Sooo I got on the shoulder soooo he could go around.  As I was going back on the hard surface, I didn’t notice that there was maybe a 3 to 4  inch rise between the hard surface and the shoulder probably because of erosion.  I almost lost control.  It was sooooo close.  I should have just got on the shoulder and stopped.  But I didn’t.  I was going tooooo fast!  A friend Jim (i.e. anybody can be a Jim) told me that he crashed his mountain bike and had like 30 stickies and messed up his shoulder.  I asked him what happened—going to fast!  

I need to get hit in the head by a 2 x 4 sooooo I learn to slow down. We were invited by our friends Jim and Karen (i.e. living the life of Riley--we are very happy for them) to go for a ride on their Party Barge on the Mighty Mississippi.  We walked down to the floating dock of the marine and approached the slip where their pontoon was in. I was going to get in and obviously was going to fast (i.e. tooooo fast and excited I guess) and smashed my head into an overhead 2 x 4.  Through the years I have skinned up my head and skinned up my chins sooooo many times by going tooooo fast.  You would think I would learn to slow down.  Not yet it seems.  Such is life on the fast merrygoround!  Let’s get going Cupcake, we’re burning daylight!

We hear folks say that the world is going tooooooo fast with all the technology.  It makes folks’ heads spin.  I wonder if it has always been that way and we just don’t realize it.  What do you think.  I read in the paper sooooo it must be right that 1,600,000 folks die prematurely each year in China from dirty air.  That is about 1% of their population each year.  Maybe they think 1% is a small price to pay for going forward at a very fast pace.  Could be.  Joesixpack says, that 1% is okay as long as I’m not in that 1%!  Maybe China thinks like Napoleon did.  Napoleon lost a lot of troops and was criticized about all the causalities.  He said—It’s nothing a hot night in Paris won’t correct!

Hold your horses! Will you slow down and have one for the road! There is an old Hotel/Pub in Marble Arch, London, which used to have a gallows adjacent to it. Prisoners were taken to the gallows (after a fair trial of course) to be hanged. The horse-drawn dray, carting the prisoner, was accompanied by an armed guard, who would stop the dray outside the pub and ask the prisoner if he would like ''one last drink''. If he said yes, it was referred to as "one for the road." If he declined, that prisoner was "on the wagon."

Saturday question—Do you prefer Xlerators or World Dryers?

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

erv

MyFriendJean says—Wear a smile and have friends. Wear a frown and have wrinkles.

infinite

Most of us would call this symbol—∞—a figure “8” turned sideways, but math majors know it as the symbol for infinity. Our English word “infinite” comes from the Latin infinitus, a combination of in (not) and finitus (finished). Therefore, infinity means “not finished” or never-ending.

ItchieBitchie says--Infinity isn’t easy to grasp.  Ya I agree ItchieBitchie, ya have to be smarter than this little old farm boy from a mile and a fourth south of Roseland, MN.  MissPerfect says--I know some folks who think they are pretty smart.  I bet they maybe think they can understand infinity.  I know a guy in our little community that for years knew all the answers of how to make money.  But, he never had any money! Da!  I bet he might have infinity figured out!  Oh ya!  He wears a big cowboy hat but has no cattle.  Folks have a tendency to just blow him off (i.e. no validity). "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  Such is life.

He says He’s the alpha and omega!  A great leader said He is the alpha and the omega (i.e. some of you might know him). He once said this to his folks--"I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves."   SusieQ says—That advice ain’t no chopped liver folks. Alpha and omega is ∞. Many folks think He will rein forever and forever, ∞.  Huh, interesting.

I walked to the golf course at 3 a.m. to watch the Perseids Meteor Shower Wednesday night.  I was disappointed.  I saw some but expected more.  I did hear and see some jets jets flying over. I was pretty much in complete quietness. I sat on my lawn chair and just got a sore neck soooo I went back to bed after some time.  But I did think about how far that space up there went.  I have no idea but it was very thought provoking. That silence reminded me of hiking the Grand Canyon.  It was soooo quiet for long periods of time.  Except when MyFriendSecretariat (i.e. he is easy to like) would run ahead of me and ambush me (i.e. scare the crap out of me).  LuckieEddie says—I have discovered the rule of silence is one of the most beautiful things in the world, it preserves one from the temptation of the idle world, the fresh remark, the wisecrack, the angry challenge…Its really quite remarkable what it does for one. I agree LuckieEddie but I need to be around certain folks to appreciate the silence. Does that make any sense? Soooo is silence infinite? 

PecosBill says--I do like “do overs!” But we can’t always get “do overs”.  Infinity sorta kinda stimulates our imagination of possibilities all right. But ya better get after it on this earth.  You are only going to live to a certain age here (i.e. not ∞). Soooo we get only soooo many changes and then it will come to a screeching halt.  Life will wax and wane but it will just keep going faster and faster the older you get sooooo keep your hands on the wheel until you hear the thunderclap.  Soooo enjoy and maximize every day of your life.  I agree PecosBill, I agree. Life is a gift. 

John and Jane Doe (i.e. anybody can be a John and Jane Doe) say--The mind is a ∞ psyche battered organ.   We can conjure up some doozy of some night mares folks (i.e. the worst ones).  And sometimes our brains get hurt or diseased which really causes strange things.  At that recent seminar I attended about dementia, the expert said that they really don’t have the mind all figured out (i.e. toooo many wires and toooo many unknowns).  The expert said that a person with dementia is like a donut (i.e. a donut isn’t a donut if there is no hole).  We consecrate on the hole but should concentrate on what is left.  The hole can not be reclaimed or restored and will get bigger and bigger (i.e. like creeping charlie, it will eventually take over and…)!  The hole is infinite! Hey folks, the expert said--The only thing that might prevent or slow down dementia is exercise.  Not once a week exercise but daily exercise (i.e. more than getting our butts off the couch and walking to the pantry to get the chips).  And you were hoping it was a pill didn't you.  It said in the paper (i.e.sooooo it must be right) that if you buy a "onion battered and fried" at the IA State fair, you will just consumed 1, 950 calories (i.e. and that's without the dipping sauce).  It said it takes a 150 pound person 13 hours 39 minutes to walk it off.  Holy molly!  

Scientist find closest thing yet to Earth-sun system, a close cousin to Earth. The planet, Kepler-452b, is about 1,400 light-years from Earth in the constellation Cygnus. There is a possibility there might be life on it. But they really don’t have a clue as how fast the universe is. ItchieBitchie asks--Sooooo how far does space go?  It might be infinite.  Maybe.  Who knows.  And we think we know sooooo much.  I know some folks who think they know a whole lot (e.g. gossipy Sally is one).  SusieQ says—And here I thought Thunder Bay, Canada was the end of the universe!  It just goes to show that I wasn’t as smart as I thought I was. Science continues to reveal little pieces about the infinite nature of God and the world He created (i.e. I think big on the revealing little pieces).

It ain’t infinite but it’s a long time ago.  200,000 years some think there has been folks on this earth (i.e. give or take a month or two).  Now that is a lot of folks.  A lot of folks have been born and have died for a long time.  Births and deaths ain’t nutten new I guess.  CreepyBuffaloDave says—That makes me feel pretty small (i.e. humbling).  Saturday question—Do you think life on earth will be infinite?  JakeSmart says--DuaneTheWorm acts like he is the only person that has ever lived on this earth.  SirDan says-- Some folks on this earth are easy to root for and others, well not soooo

much. Why is that do you think?  Do they have some sort of charisma or thinking or attitude or what do you think. CadillacJack says--Maybe some appear to act rather smug which turns us off. Maybe not everyone roots for the same type of person.  Now that could be.  CadillacJack says--Spot on!  We rode the Lady of the Lake on Clear Lake to celebrate our 47^th.  They said Clear Lake was carved out by the Wisconsin Glacier (i.e. about 20,000 to 25,000 years ago—give and take a few months).  The glacier was a mile high.  Now that is hard for me to fathom.  I read somewhere—His understanding I cannot fathom.  Huh, interesting.

Dust to dust!  At internment services I hear ministers says—From dust you came from and dust  you will return (i.e. maybe that line has been used for about 200,000 years).  Soooo I guess there will always be dust.  In our house anyway; I can’t believe how dusty it sometimes gets in a few days.  How can that be.  Where does it come from anyway.  I read in the paper, soooo it must be right, that much dust comes from our dead skin (i.e. maybe we are just dust).  It has always amazed me that when we are gone for the winter and walk into our house, there is very little dust.  Soooo maybe Arlene and I shed more than I think.  This dust thing might be an infinite process!  Soooo if the body goes to dust, where does the soul go?  Does it go to Xinfinite?  Ya put an X in front of infinite and it makes it “hip and edgy” but it’s still infinite.  God only knows what’s infinite for our souls (i.e. my opinion).  Such is life or such is death or something like that. Soooo what will it take to get to the “Big Boy/Girl table?” 

I bet good and evil has always been ∞.   What do you think?  There has been wars and wars and probably will continue to be wars and wars.  According to the story of Noah and the ark, God whipped the earth clean of all the evil folks but some how and for some reason evil came back just like creeping charlie does. GeorgeTheCrook says—I hate it when evil wins, just hate it.  GeorgeTheCrook, evil wins sometimes, don’t kid yourself in thinking it doesn’t.  But maybe evil wins a battle but doesn't win the war.  You think sooooo! 

Money has been and always will be a great motiator—for ever—never ending, ∞. At Sutter’s Mill in Coloma, California, the California Gold Rush began in 1848. By 1849, 300,000 “Forty-Niners” were streaming across the country to strike it rich in California. Some even sailed from the East Coast, going around the tip of South America to reach California—a five- to eight-month journey. Fifty years later, the frenzy was repeated as 100,000 prospectors left everything to join the Klondike Gold Rush in Canada. Oh ya for the search of becoming rich.  History tells us that the folks who made a lot of the money were the suppliers, the saloon owners and the prostitutes.  Does history repeat for ever and for ever?  Wheeeeeeeeee! Let's get going, we're burning day light!

Learning goes on forever (i.e. infinite) but school starts for many about now.  Here is a limerick by Susan Trail that is fun.

What more could you want from the summer
When only the heat is a bummer?
No school for the kids
Their brains on the skids
When they go back in August, they're dumber.

MyFriendJean 88 years young

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

erv

MyFriendJean says--Failure is just another way to learn to do something right.

Data Data Data

President Eisenhower was asked by his press secretary, Jim Hagerty, how he was going to answer, if asked by the media, about a delicate issue in the Formosa Strait.  He smiled and said--Don't worry, Jim, if that question comes up, I'll  just confuse them. What many Americans feel toward politicians can be summed up by an old saying comparing us to mushrooms; They feed us bull and keep us in the dark!  Such is life.

We are just bombarded with data in the digital world we live in (i.e. it is sooooo easy to accumulate and hard to analyse).  But what do we do with it makes a huge massive difference. 

Here are some examples of what folks do with data

• Start the fireplace with the data (i.e. just ignore it)
• Over analyse it and let it make us sick (i.e. get over consumed)
• Analyse it and learn from it and change our direction (e.g. improve our life or business)
• Face reality (e.g. look at what the scale says)
• Use it as an opportunity to do better (i.e. be open minded and look to a better future)

Actual Real Numbers never lie!  Warren Buffet seems to be very good at analyzing numbers.  Actually many accountants end up running companies.  Why, because money runs companies and accountants can analyze numbers. Yabut here is some free data that I read in the paper, soooo it must be right.  A trick of distraction:  A farrier said that when a horse gets fidgety put a piece of duck tape on it's nose; it gets their mind off the shoeing a little bit (i.e. a trick of distraction).  I suggest you try it on your dog or horse before trying in on your kids or spouse!  Yabut a "duck tape distraction" might distract ya from the facts for a little time but numbers don't lie folks.  Such is life.

Business won’t share data but churches usually do (i.e. if they practice what they preach) but some are competitive tooooo and won’t share.  It happens.  If you live in western MI where there is a a church on every corner like in WI where there is a bar on every corner, there seems to be competition for church goers (i.e. there are just soooo many of them and numbers seem to be down).  Ya gotta be pretty good or some other church will get your folks.  My mentor said to me once when we were having an issue with a pastor—You can’t get a pastor bad enough for me to leave. 

The paper says, soooo it must be right, that ‘Big data’ analysts in demand.  Business want someone who can turn data into profit.  Not everyone can I guess.  Now universities have majors in just that.  Huh, interesting.  It seems that everyone is collecting tons and tons of date and they don’t know what to do with.  They want to turn it into money.  Big datasets don’t like to give up their secrets really easily (i.e. competition—it’s all about the money) so most business need to do their own search and discovery.  Getting at those secrets might create more sales, happier customers and a better bottom line.  Huh, interesting.

The data is in and...I met my friend Sandy at Casey's getting gas.  How are you doing Sandy--great, I was to my doctor and the data shows I'm cancer free.  Hallelujah, praise the Lord. She was a happy camper folks.  She went through series of radiation and chemo. She continued to work but was very tired.  Her employer let her go home and sleep for a couple of hours and then come back. That I thought was pretty nice. She now gets to grow some new hair.  

ItchieBitchie says--I could interpret that data just as well as an educated person with a title and I would do it free.  Yes you probably could ItchieBitchie but they won't listen to you.  They won't listen to a local person or part of the organization.  You need to be at least 50 miles away and charge a lot of money for folks to accept the interpretation of the data.  And they will listen to them. That's just the way it is.  Crazy!

But! Projections by expert experts based on data don't always hold up to be true. Many projects don't perform as projected.  There has been many of them.  If a guy would investigate, I think we would find out that many don't. If the data isn't correct, if the data changes, if the data is slanted, if the expert wants a certain result, if the expert is emotional in their evaluation, well then the result might not work out.  It happens folks.  There is some room for error. There are some variables. Things can change fast. Things happen that can't be foreseen.  It's not a slam dunk as we have seen many many times.  

Customer feedback--Feedback data can show weak spots in organizations such as weak employees, week departments, weak management etc that folks don't want to know about or deal with (i.e. it is challenging).  That is maybe particularly true with non profit organizations and government and schools and churches. Maybe they don’t like that form of data (i.e. just let the old dog sleep). BigMeAdministrator says--The critics are simply ignorant and don't know all the facts!  Da!  Data might make us transparent and we don’t want to be transparent.  But transparency does guard against waste and fraud and ineffectiveness.

Makes me woozy! GooseyLucy says--I wonder if a lot of the little stuff that I think I know a.k.a data in my head is distorted or wrong.  Could be GosseyLucy.  Data shows that we might not want to tackle our own weaknesses!  Ouchy ouchy! Just maybe that's why you are soooo goosey, Lucy!

Arlene and I were having breakfast at a restaurant the other day.  Arlene pointed out to me that my coffee cup had lipstick on it.  I mentioned it to our waiter (i.e. maybe 22).  He asked if I wanted a different cup--no no I will just wipe it off; the germs might actually help me by exposing myself to different germs that will make my immune system stronger.  He said--My mom let me get exposed to different sick kids for the same reason; I now never get sick.  Soooo there you go folks. Such is life.

Digest these apples!  I read this (i.e. data) while eating my oatmeal with a half banana on it--About 31.5 percent of the earth’s population is categorized as “Christian” based on culture or family tradition, church attendance, or self-identification. But there is no way to know exactly how many of those people believe Jesus Christ is God in the flesh who came to earth with the authority to remove man’s sins. Many people in the world today believe Jesus was a good man, a wise teacher sent from God—but not that He was God. Huh, interesting.  And the pendulum swings!!!!

Geezo-peezo! My kid sister recommended the book To Build Character by David Brooks.  I enjoyed it and recommend you give it a read.  Remember folks, we all don't have the same taste in books.  Soooo if you don't like it, just bring it back to the library. It won't cost you anything.  Now that is a deal! 

Crazy endorsement for the book came from a onesmartguywithagoodheart!  erv, Woke up at my regular 3 am to take meds, when I heard that noise on the cellphone which announces "incoming"! Since I was already half awake, kept going and opened the email acct to see it must be Saturday already 'cause there's It's Sat! Get my glasses on, trying to be quiet and not wake up (his wife), and I start reading....Suddenly,  I'm wide awake! I discovered that I know who "LuckyEddie" is! Yeah! While LuckyEddie changes identity quite often, I knew who he was today.....aka David Brooks, described by some as a cultural Jew who is a journalist for the NYTimes. Is he a liberal or conservative? Depends who you ask. You, my friend, are an Adam II guy. Congratulations! (i.e. that is his opinion folks--remember that by his own admission he was only half awake and on drugs). The Road to Character, a great one to travel. I'd recommend it to anyone, especially those cerebrally impoverished Adam I's,who are mostly interested in keeping their resumes polished. :)

Data isn't any good it you can't read it!  I usually go through the ads of the grocery stores and try to save a few bucks.  I make a list with the prices and then Arlene and I go shopping.  I was standing in the aisle of Hy-Vee looking at my list.  An employee (i.e. a simile in every aisle) noticed I looked confused and asked if I needed help--ya, can you read what this one thing is on my list that is for $1.87; I can't read it. He takes my list and looks at it and says--I can't read it either; let me get the ad; maybe we can figure it out what's on sale for $1.87.  Bingo!  Jiff peanut butter for $1.87.  We both had a good laugh.  Such is life.

The moral of the story!  A man is getting into the shower just as his wife is finishing up her shower, when the doorbell rings.  The wife quickly wraps herself in a towel and runs downstairs.  When she opens the door, there stands Bob, the next-door neighbor.  Before she says a word, Bob says, 'I'll give you $800 to drop that towel.'  After thinking for a moment, the woman drops her towel and stands naked in front of Bob, after a few seconds, Bob hands her $800 and leaves.  The woman wraps back up in the towel and goes back upstairs.  When she gets to the bathroom, her husband asks, 'Who was that?'  'It was Bob the next door neighbor,' she replies.  'Great,' the husband says, 'did he say anything about the $800 he owes me?' Moral of the story:  If you share critical data pertaining to credit and risk with your shareholders in time, you may be in a position to prevent avoidable exposure.

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

erv

MyFriendJean says--Setbacks pave the way for comebacks.

retooling

"I am the master of my fate / I am the captain of my soul." 

from William Ernest Henley's poem "Invictus"

I'm not an allegory interpreter expert but I think that means that we have some decisions of how our lives will be.  Maybe I'm wrong, I'm just a little old farm boy from a mile and a fourth south of Roseland, MN.  Viktor Franl in his book Man's Search for Meaning (i.e. I think it's a great read) says--The type of person he would wind up being depended upon what sort of inner decision he would make in response to his circumstances.  

I get off track sometimes.  My mental furniture needs, once again, to be re-arranged. I seem to get my priorities messed up and am not on track to what I should be thinking and doing (i.e. maybe my mind gets misinformed).  I get going toooo fast on stuff that is un-important.  It happens.  I need to re-evaluate, re-juvenate, re-tool, re-think, and re-figure it out (i.e. age and traumatic events may help me get on track). I seemed to have reverted back to my natural default setting. Outchy Outchy!

Head case! Why I get off track and need to retool, in general, is ‘cause the world gets in my head.  You guys are part of the world along with many others.  I get thinking I’m someone else other than me.  I sometimes want to be like you (i.e. impossible).  I’m erv and that’s just the way it is.  Comparing, greed, desire, etc are not good for me.  I get off track.  But those qualities are great for capitalism (i.e. that makes folks feel inferior sooooo they want to buy something to make them feel equal to or better than their neighbors (i.e. keep up with the Jones).  The world does not want us to be happy with ourselves.  It always wants us to have more and better and go faster. 

Leveled me!  I have had several great learning experiences (i.e. dinosaur huge) lately that have modified my life once again (i.e. humbled me and re-prioritized my life).  Actually they have relaxed me. Relieved me of gunk! Toned me down!  Re-positioned my thinking!  Re-leveled my mind!  Does that make any sense to you guys.  We have a clock (i.e. had it for years in our house) that needs to be relatively level to tic-toc.  My recent experiences have leveled my off and made me a  better tic-tocer!  Oh ya.  I think so anyway!

When retooling, get a second Opinion—GeorgeTheCrook says--Ever since I was a child, I've always had a fear of someone under my bed at night. So I went to a shrink and told him: “I've got problems. Every time I go to bed I think there's somebody under it. I'm scared. I think I'm going crazy.” “Just put yourself in my hands for one year, said the shrink. Come talk to me three times a week and we should be able to get rid of those fears.” “How much do you charge?” “Eighty dollars per visit,” replied the doctor. “I'll sleep on it,” I said. Six months later the doctor met me on the street. “Why didn't you come to see me about those fears you were having?” He asked. “Well, eighty bucks a visit, three times a week for a year, is $12,480.00.  A bartender cured me for $10.00.  I was so happy to have saved all that money that I went and bought me a new pickup truck.” “Is that so?” With a bit of an attitude he said, “and how, may I ask, did a bartender cure you?” “He told me to cut the legs off the bed. Ain't nobody under there now.” It's always better to get a second opinion.

We are all entrepreneurs to some degree.  Yes we are.  I read this while eating my oatmeal with half a banana on it--He who works his land will have abundant food, but the one who chases fantasies will have his fill of poverty. Webster's defines of entrepreneur: "one who organizes, operates, and assumes the risk in a business venture." Entrepreneurs can smell an opportunity a mile away. I think it’s always challenging to try to decide what is right and what is not.  Emotions, greed, over confidence, poor common sense, ego etc can get me out of whack sometimes.  Soooo how does a person get on with the right thinking do you think?  Obviously some do it better than others.  Just look around folks. Why do you think that is folks? Maybe it’s just luck.  You think soooo?  OldGolferLuther says—I need a good filter to filter the stuff out.  Saturday question—What is a good filter?

Soooo what are my priorities?  What are yours?  Have you ever sat down and wrote out your priorities?  Do we ever change our priorities as we age or as life unfolds or when we get more wisdom?  I was walking one day and ran into a friend and her grandson.  She told me that her husband and her are setting some goals (i.e. they have never really done this before). We had a very enjoyable and meaningful visit (i.e. she inspired me).  Goals and priorities seem to be related I think.  What do you think? 

Entrepreneurs and bureaucrats don’t make good bed partners. Bureaucrats don’t do outcomes they do process. The purpose of a bureaucracy is to conceive, produce and execute process.  And bureaucrats don’t want the process ever to stop or they don’t have a job.  And the show goes on!  Sooo they really have to work hard at it. And they are good at it folks. It cost a lot of money and really doesn’t accomplish much.  It makes some folks just feel good. They don’t want a problem solved or they won’t have a job.  They got to keep it going.  It makes them feel important tooooo.  Sooooo in a world run by bureaucratic organizations are fanatically busy and incredibly expensive, but nothing ever seems to get done.  That is why entrepreneurs and bureaucrats don’t make good bed partners. 

I would consider SweetMaggie emotional, in fact very emotional!  She can touch my heart.  Arlene watches Lee and Honda  in the morning sometimes.  I was walking by and they were talking about – Do children take on the emotions of their parents?  Are parents modeling their emotions for their children.  What do you think?  My Mom, Anna, use to  say--erv, you can preach all you want but an example is still the best teacher.  Ouchy ouchy!  Saturday question—Are your emotions much like your parents’ emotions?  I especially like folks who are posed!  I think it is just neat to see that and then some.  They seem to control their emotions (i.e. tame their emotions—keep them in control—don’t get overly excited about good things or bad things).  My mentor would say to me—erv, things are never as good as they look and never as bad as they look! 

Crowing makes a guy think and then some; maybe retool.  It appears that it’s just a judgement call.  A friend was interviewing for jobs with different companies.  He told me that it’s hard to know how much to talk about his abilities and success and how much to be humble.  He said it appears that different companies have different personalities than others.  Some are more direct (i.e. aggressive and some aren’t).  It might depend if the company is domestic or international (i.e. different personalities).  It might be if they are from the East Coast or the Midwest.  Could be and maybe not!  Maybe the interviewer’s personality might be a factor.  But companies use multiple interviewers.  Maybe different companies are looking for different things and then some.  Maybe and maybe not. He told me that one of his interviews he thought went poorly and the company said it went real well.  Huh, interesting!  LuckieEddie says--There is a balance between our "résumé virtues"--achieving wealth, fame, and status--and our "eulogy virtues," those that exist at the core of our being:: kindness, bravery, honesty, or faithfulness, focusing on what kind of relationships we have formed.  DuaneTheWorm says--What are you talking about LuckieEddie, it's all about being a showdog and how it affects me.  Personally I think DuaneTheWorm is as nutty as a fruit cake to the nth degree! 

 

There is no person that I really hate.  Really that is true.  I did have one person for years that I really disliked.  But l have gotten over it.  I don’t care to be around that person but I don’t hate that person (i.e. we just are not compatible and that person now makes me laugh when I see them--sorry, but I laugh at that person).  I have retooled! They say forgiveness is very good for your mental health.  SusieQ says--A good way to retool is to forgive everyone.  But that is hard for many folks to do. CadillacJack says--Hatred is a futile thing which only injures the person who harbors it. Researchers have found that there is only one species of animal that doesn’t seem to ever forgive—domestic cats. Soooo we can all do it unless we are cats!  You would think every cat would know some things need to be buried!!!

Servant attitude!  The highest honor in the church is not government but service. ~ John (i.e. anyone can be a John) Calvin ~ ItchieBitchie says--Yabut John, to give service ya got to be a servant.  There is no glory in it, it gets no attention.  LuckieEddie, maybe you might want to think about retooling.  Maybe you have your priorities messed up.  But I don’t know. 

Our family had the opportunity to get together last Friday.  My sisters and their husbands drove from MI to be with us as well (i.e. that was special).  It was a hoot!  I wanted to do a memento for the grand kids.  I needed a family picture for it.  Not every member of the family was as excited about my project as I was.  They probably all had their reasons (e.g. thought my idea was a little crazy for them, had a different motive, had different enthusiasm, etc).  I think we were all in the same book and I think all in the same chapter but maybe not all on the same page.  ANYWAY one of my brother-in-laws drove me over to Walgreen's sooooo I could get the picture printed for my project.  He said—erv, not everyone has the same excitement as you do.  That is ok, you just got to do it for your personal excitement.  And then forget about it (i.e. retool).  He’s a wise guy; meaning a smart guy full of wisdom!!!! WorldClassLarry says--Don't forget what you have learned from the experience; let it be with you forever.  My Daddy, Chester, would say--erv, experience is a mean teacher;  it's a lot easier to learn from other's mistakes! 

The conclusion of the matter!  My mentor's favorite scripture was Psalm 15--Paraphrasing it, it says--Act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly and do what it right and speak the truth. My opinion--That is not "political theater" folks. Boy howdy, that kicks butt!

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

erv

MyFriendJean says—Don’t drive as if you own the road; drive as if you own the car.

PS Invictus, means "unconquerable" or "undefeated" in Latin.