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.