stranger things have happened

Most of what I say in this “It’s Saturday” you might want to put in the over-head bin!

There are conductors and there are maestros and some that can’t read a note.  That’s just the way it is folks. My parents, Chester and Anna thought I should take accordion lessons when a kid.  They took me to my first lesson. After the lesson the teacher said to my Mom, Anna--I think you would be wasting your money in me trying to teach erv music.  Yes! I got out of that I said!  Crazy. Then what do I do, I marry a music major.  Crazy!

I went for a bike ride on Butler County Rolling Prairie Trail.  It was

a beautiful fall day. I rode along and came up upon another biker.  He was an old coot (i.e. a couple of years older than me).  He was riding a rusty, old, two tone bike that rattled, squeaked, clunked and clanged (i.e. he couldn’t give it away).  I never heard a bike that loud.  He rode about 2 mph and I rode with him for maybe 2 miles.  We had such a grand time talking about a little of everything.  I finally said to him—That is the loudest bike I ever heard—the old sucker keeps going soooo I keep riding it; I had to change tires a few times (i.e. used) and had to change the back wheel as it locked up (i.e. used)—you ride every day—ya, 10 miles; I only live about 2 minutes off the trail; today I rode this morning and had nothing to do sooooo I’m riding another 10 miles this afternoon. He was funny.  POINT Fred didn’t have the best bike or biking garb, He wore an old, tattered Vikings cap, and some leather, high top work shoes.  But what he was doing is he was actually doing it!  I like the nice clothes and equipment; there is a lot of nice stuff out there and it’s nice BUT ya got to do it; that’s the bottom line folks.  Soooo throw those chips away, get your butt of the couch and do it! Before I rode on up ahead, I said to Fred who was wearing an old, faded Pioneer Seed Corn jacket—Fred, oil that bike will ya!  He just laughed!  What a hoot!

AverageJoe looks in his clear ball and says—You guys have the mental makeup to be good ones; you guys are good above the neck.  That is what I mainly see but I also see Feisty and fearless Polly who lives her life—I live for me!  Saturday question—How do you manage what has been given to you? ItchieBitchie says—Soooo if you have everything going your way, don’t be soooo cocky; some day you might not have everything going your way (i.e. get knocked off the gravy train); always be humble and appreciative, and kind to others.  DuaneTheWorm (i.e. who is always running ahead of the thrasher--an egotistical braggart) says—I like to just think about myself and glorify myself. LuckieEddie says—DuaneTheWorm is heading to a cu-de-sac. SusieQ says--Today you feel good and tomorrow you don’t. The decision you make today, you wouldn’t make tomorrow. Soooo folks think what you want to do now. 

Perhaps a self-aggrandizing fool! I watched a lot of the Ryder Cup (i.e. a golf tournament for you non golfers).  Rory Mcllroy, my opinion, acted not very poised (i.e. my opinion; he was a little gunky)—some might say he’s showing confidence but I think he showed cockiness/arrogance).  Some might think he was just being a showman to get attention (i.e. if he was, he got it).  It appears that TV likes this action as they show it a lot.  I must be in the minority.  Money and power can change folks; it usually does.  Have you ever done that?  I have been a self-aggrandizing fool already and I didn’t even have money or power! ItchieBitchie says—Sometimes “atalkofsilence” is the best message.  Maybe, just maybe, two folks can do the same action and I accept it by one and not by another.  Maybe one person seems to do it with a different motive (i.e. perceived my me) than another or it’s just my opinion.  Now that could be. Like I said—You might want to put this in the over-head bin. After Rory got behind in his match and after he got beat and at the post-round interviews, he was much more humble (i.e. my opinion--I think he realized that he acted not as would have liked—I have done that already (i.e. have you).  Again, some of you don’t agree with me.  If soooo, just put it in the over-head bin!

Remember when before the football season started, I told you about all the hype the Iowa Hawkeyes got in the Des Moines Register?  They were really going to be great!  Were rated 10^th in the nation.  Now after losing a couple of games against some non-rated teams, they are now longer rated.  They don’t look good at all.  I would guess their heads are a lot easier to get through the door.  It hurts sooooo much to be humbled. WorldClassLarry says—It’s a lot better to under promise and over produce than to over promise and under produce.  My Daddy, Chester, said to me—erv, if you are good, you don’t have to tell anyone; they will know.  Huh, interesting. This reminds me once again to believe nothing of what I read and half of what I see!  Ouchy ouchy!

MissPerfect says—I think Crooked Hilary, as Donnie calls her and Faker Donnie, as Hillary calls him are just trying to sneak in under the fence (i.e. it appears that those toooo can’t be humbled). Do folks really believe the mess of lies and historical platitudes, or do they just believe we believe them? LuckyEddie says—I think most of what they say is a drivel A friend emailed me this--Last week I saw a caption that said we should quit telling our kids that they are capable of anything even being president, because look at the mess we are in now because these two both believed it. Ha ha!

It’s October folks; It’s when the baseball season really starts. It’s time for the Cubs to use their secret recipe to win the world series. The secret recipe is “the big inning.”  Even the Bible talks about the secret recipe—it says—in the big inning! ItchieBitchie says--The Cubs need to focus on the task in hand if they want to be world champs. Go Cubbies! So far soooo goood (i.e. 1-0 in the pennant race 'cause of the big inning last night). We will see if Arthur F. Schaafsma, Arlene’s father who was a die heart Cub fan, rolls over in his grave or not! 

I read this while eating my oatmeal with a half a banana on it--For many people in the world, real meanng in life is the next vacation, career success, or stepping up the income ladder. It is a life based on pleasurable experiences. Many a human being has toiled their whole life to gain a pleasurable lifestyle only to find a life that is empty and meaningless. You only have to watch television for one evening to discover that advertisers want us to believe this is the goal of life. The work-to-play theme is consistent with most advertising messages. CrazyMarvin says-- For all of us, the mortality rate is 100 percent. Bubba Watson, a vice-captain of the American Ryder Cup team, who was not chosen as a player, was asked why he did this in his post-round interview—I’m a God fearing person and just want to help others and be a giver. 

I was driving on University Ave in Cedar Falls the other day.  University is under construction and is an inconvenience for many.  I was stopped at a light and there was a car of ahead of me.  The light turned green but that car ahead of me could not got as she would just end up in the intersection as there was no place to go for her.  The car behind of me honked.  Soooo we sat there through the light and then it turned red.  Soooo the light turned green and the same scenario happened.  This time the gal behind me in an old Cadillac honked again, rolled down the window and gave me or the world the finger.  Crazy.  I was happy when she turned at the intersection.  I was scared she was going to ram me! She seemed strange!

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

erv

MyFriendJean says—Life is like a mirror, we get the best results when we smile at it.

P.S. A high school classmate from good old Danube, MN (i.e. the Danube Hawks) sent me a response about why some folks succeed. The bases of what he said is, it’s by God’s grace--An attitude of humility is essential to availing ourselves of God's grace.  A friend told me this story about himself.  He was standing on a street corner in New York city waiting for the light to change to cross the street.  It was about 10:30 at night and the streets were crowded with folks.  Out of nowhere a guy came up to him, shock his hand, and asked him—why are you successful.  He said he just stood there dumbfounded.  Just like that, the guy disappeared.  That was some 20some years ago and he remembers it like it was yesterday.