It's Saturday: pragmatic

I don’t care what you think, I’m not rubbing your feet or massaging your ego!

TheValedictorian says--You can be whatever you want to be. That advice should have these two words added: “within reason.” Try as they might, some people will never become Olympic athletes, astronauts, concert violinists, or Arctic explorers. They may be too old or too young, lack the necessary ability, or have started too late in life. No amount of desire or willpower can overcome some obstacles in life. LuckieEddie says—Now that is being pragmatic.

They are losing some “mainstream attention.” Saturday question—Have you ever lost some “mainstream attention?” Sooooo how did it feel? How did you handle it? NASCAR is losing TV ratings (i.e. that is $$$$ folks)—how come—takes toooo long in this day of instant gratification—boring boring boring except for the last few laps! "The Factor" is, it's all about the money folks; don't kid yourself folks. Fox figured it out; it's all about the money!

Arlene and I attended three different churches while in the Valley of the Sun. We attended our 55+ community’s non-denomination church in the auditorium. SeniorPastorRichard (i.e. senior in two ways) did a talk (i.e. a three-point throwback talk) in his 3-piece suit. It was good. About 400 were there—the folks seemed to really like it. The percentage of folks over 65 was 121.85%. I heard an old timer say—If they didn’t serve free coffee and donuts afterward, the crowd would be half! Another church we attended was Broadway Christian. They have 3 classic services and 2 modern services each Sunday (i.e. that is what they call them folks). We went to a classic one. SeniorPastorJohn is a good speaker using some modern stuff and some traditional stuff. His talk was good. 106.43% of the folks were over 65. The folks seemed to like it. The other church we attended was Central Christian. They have 5 campuses. We attended the Gilbert campus where they have 2 services on Saturday and 3 on Sunday. They are all contemporary services. SeniorPastorCal gave a good talk using modern verbiage, modern technology and modern scenarios. The percentage of folks over 65 was 28.95%. The folks seemed to like it. All the talks were good but I preferred one.

It’s soooo hard to have a lot of folks listen to you or pay any attention to you as everyone has places to go and folks to see (i.e. folks are busy). But depending what crowd you are trying to get their attention, your mythology might be different. CadillacJack says--Yes, some types of crowds will be more receptive to different styles of presentations. Oh ya! AverageJoe says--Certain types of crowds will react to certain type of stimuli differently (i.e. many crowds are different). It’s hard to attract attention of all the different crowds with the same style. I think that is being pragmatic.

“But then on the other hand--It is no use for a tree to bud and blossom if the blossom does not develop into fruit.” ~ Martin Luther Martin are you saying that ShowboatSally is just that, a showboat? Martin, some folks like to look at show dogs (i.e. show dogs get a lot of attention). "Not every man can carry a full cup. Sudden elevation frequently leads to pride and a fall. The most exacting test of all to survive is prosperity" ~ Oswald Chambers SusieQ asks—How in the world can I get this right? I hear different stories from different folks. Who should I believe. PastorJohn (i.e. anybody can be a John) said he read in order to be great you have to be less. RichieRich says--What! Are you kidding me PastorJohn, that’s not the world I live in. IickieVIckie says--What I hear on TV is just the opposite; let’s be pragmatic about this. GeorgeTheCrook snorted—Sometimes the craziest things or events can shift the tide. Bingo! Pattyinheryogapants says—I don’t need more planning or more thinking about it; I just need to git-r-done!

I lost the head cover of my Ping driver and they sell used ones at Golf Headquarters for $2. Soooo I was paying for it when the guy next to me was paying as well—hi erv, it was our retired dentist Ken. We chit chatted and then I said—Sooooo you play golf—I just drag these clubs around soooo I can drink! Now that is being pragmatic.

Our SenorneighborTed was raking his yard. We chit chatted and I went for my run. When I got back I said to him—you better take a break Ted—ya I should but if I take tooooo many breaks I won’t ever get done. Now that is pragmatic.

This doesn’t sound toooo pragmatic but it might be. I don’t know. What do you think? I read in the paper (i.e. sooooo it must be right) that propulsion systems might be something of the future. They will act like the old pneumatic tube for bank deposits, except for people and goods; they will travel at nearly the speed of sound across America. Crazy! I also read that they are developing electric airplanes for regional flights. Crazy! I’m just laying it on the line folks. Such is life.

LouLouLouuuuu says--Have you ever had one of those moments when you realize that you’re about to make a decision that will change the course of your life, and nothing will ever be the same again? Getting married. Having a child. Chucking your career and launching your own business. It’s like you’re standing at a crossroads, and the road you choose will define the rest of your life. Robert Frost described the experience in his poem “The Road Not Taken”: I shall be telling this with a sigh / Somewhere ages and ages hence: / Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— / I took the one less traveled by, / And that has made all the difference. ItchieBitchie asks—Is that being pragmatic?

Ricky says-- I accept Your Word as my authority. You say it, I believe it, and that settles it. Ricky, in my favorite Bible verses it says—His understanding I cannot fathom. I believe that. I also believe that God is God and that’s just the way it is. My opinion folks is if we can get to that thinking (i.e. most of the time), we are way better off. Is that being pragmatic?

MissPerfect says—I just follow the “popular opinion”; I get along a whole lot better when I follow the “popular opinion”; a whole lot better than when I follow the “unpopular opinion”; I’m just a follower; whatever the masses do, I do tooooo. Tooooo that I say to SusieQ---baaa baaaa baaaa! Isn’t that what sheep do—follow the “popular opinion” and say baa baa? AverageJoe says—It is sooooo easy to be average (i.e. lukewarm) and even easier to be below average but a lot harder to be above average and really hard to be excellent. I read this while eating my oatmeal with a half a banana on it—Those persons who choose to live significant lives are not going to take their cues from the religiously indifferent. Nor will they conform to the crowd nor mouth their prejudices nor dote on the failures of others (i.e. that is right from the horse’s mouth—the horse’s mouth being…no one knows for sure which horse wrote that; the experts have different opinions—some of those opinions maybe are popular and some maybe are unpopular! Such is life.

I heard this from a friend who heard it from a friend—It’s ok to sit on the pity pot for a little while but it’s time to get off and flush! I heard this from a friend who heard it from a friend who heard it from a friend—Bitterness is like drinking poison and expect the other person to die. AverageJoe says—That is some pragmatic advice but they also could be “tough mudders.”

Secretariat says--Spend each day trying to be a little wiser than you were when you woke up. Yabut Secretariat, sometimes the stuff I learn “causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.” CadillacJack says—Between 33.4% and 64.78% of folks experience that trembling (i.e. and it’s not from Parkinson disease either).