it is what it is

At the bottom of this "It's Saturday", is the link to a new podcast.  It is with two gals who are 24/7 caregivers for their husbands who have Alzheimer’s/dementia.  Our conversation is about how friends, family, church folks and the public can be of help to caregivers from a caregiver’s point of view.  

This “It’s Saturday” might produce some gasps, whoops, applause, stunned readers, disbelieve, astonishment, concern, joy, backlash, insight, laughter, amazement, puzzlement, bewilderment, head scratching, new concepts, and God only knows what else!  Soooo be prepared.  Surely don’t take me tooooo serious.  Probably DoofusEdward is the only person who will maybe understand.  Take that into consideration when reading it. And DoofusEdward (i.e. who gets seizures when he thinks) might only thinks he understands it; it is quite questionable). 

HCQ (i.e. how come question) is asked a lot by many children of their dad.  It ain’t a new question; it’s been around forever. ANYWAY, but it’s a good question I always thought.  That question seems emblematic of the whole world. So many people ask the good question, but somehow the answer keeps getting not answered by many dads (i.e. my opinion) Solomon felt that way in the book of Ecclesiastes, but he kept coming back to one basic truth. Everything in life is meaningless without a personal relationship with God, for only God can impart lasting joy to our hearts. I believe that. Here is one of many things I don’t understand—If this is the truth why doesn’t absolutely everyone want it and can’t get enough of it (i.e. like most everyone can’t get enough of sugar and food)? Approximately only one third of the world’s population proclaim to be Christians.  Is there an opposing force?  WorldClassLarry (i.e. who is a brainiac) says--There is only one corner of the universe you can be certain of improving, and that’s your own self.

It isn't that I don't remember or forgot or never knew but it's...! I was thinking the other day—I really don’t know much.  That’s just the way it is.  It is what it is.  That is very humbling to me.  Maybe someday a lot of stuff will make sense to me.  And maybe not.  I think it will.  I think there will be some big surprises.  Yes, I do.  Maybe the folks who think they know it all might not know it all.  And maybe those folks who are confused or don’t think they know it all will understand it all after all.  I don’t know.  Time will tell now won’t it.  It is what it is.  AverageJoe (i.e. who shows emotional outrage at times) says—It is very hard to tell who is great and who isn’t here on this earth (i.e. Facebook doesn’t tell me exactly but tries).  I agree AverageJoe, I think some folks are really great, but the earth’s measuring stick doesn’t.  My mentor would say to me—erv, the world’s measuring stick is how much money and power folks have.  But folks, like I said—I really don’t know much! 

I was working with an account manager of a company the other day.  At the end of the day, I must not have explained myself very well as he and I weren’t on the same page.  We both just laughed.  He told me it happens all the time; folks think they are very exact with their explanation (i.e. and maybe are to themselves) but the other person does not understand the conversation the same which results in misunderstanding and causing problems (i.e. like giving your wife or kids instructions).  It is what it is. 

The best way to learn is to ask questions my Daddy, Chester, would say. But ask the right folks (i.e. not a person who is in the same rut that you are in).  Ask folks who know something and not those who just think they know something.  Good advice.  Folks who make money off of you don’t always give you the best advice; maybe an independent person who you pay by the hour might be a better source. BUT it really does matter, if you have trust and faith in the person.  Trust and faith folks, yes, trust and faith!!!

This is what I read while eating my oatmeal with half a banana on it:  RickyRick says—"To reach your goals, you have to figure out how to maintain your enthusiasm over the long haul. Ralph Waldo Emerson said, ‘Nothing great is ever accomplished without enthusiasm.’ I believe that with all of my heart. I have found it to be true in my life. You’ve got to have passion and enthusiasm, or you’re never going to make it to the finish line.”  Now think through that folks.  How and what do you need to do to maintain your enthusiasm?  Now that could be different things to different folks. Oh ya!  ItchieBitchie (i.e. who some think is an enlightened native) says—It’s soooo easy to fall off the wagon and lose a person’s enthusiasm or passion.  One suggestion—Get around good folks!  BUT that is hard for folks if they are in a bad situation and are surrounded by bad people; that is a major change.  That is why many can’t do it.  BUT some can!  Yes they can.

Do you want something?  I mean do you want something really bad!  Are you dedicated to get what you want? Or do you want something but don’t want to put in the effort to get what you want (i.e. you would rather just sit on the couch and eat chips and hope you get what you want)? It takes a lot of enthusiasm to maintain that attitude.  Yes, it does.  SusieQ (i.e. who loves political theater) says--It’s ok to take a day off once in a while but then ya gotta get right back at it.  It is what it is!  OverTheTopFrank says-- My wife and I discovered a serious budget leak…I spent a large chunk of it in the bottomless pit known as Costco and now I have been banned; I was tooooo enthusiastic!

I did a little volunteering at our golf course recently.  I ran into a friend who does a lot of volunteering at the course.  We had some pretty serious damage to our water lines from apparent poor workmanship last fall.  He said to me--erv, it is what it is; we need to go forward; I have a hard time with the coffee drinkers who just complain but don't do anything.  Ouchy ouchy!  My friend, there are complainers and there are doers; you are a doer.  I was at breakfast with a friend the other morning and he said--erv, there are talkers and there are doers!  

I have a strong tendency to enjoy being around folks who are enthusiastic (i.e. yes, many of you folks).  I am attracted to folks who are competitive and aggressive and do it with humility (i.e. that is a hard line to know where it is—confidence and humility). Do you like to be around the shakers of the world?  Some of the shakers really aren’t that nice of folks but some are.  Many shakers are very enthusiastic, aggressive, and competitive you know.  Ok, I have a tendency also to pick my folks I enjoy being around, but I much prefer them to be enthusiastic, aggressive, competitive and humble (i.e. good folks with good, real hearts).  Does that make any sense to you?  That is what I thought.  Such is life. 

A friend/golf buddy (i.e. who I enjoy being around as much as ice cream) called me this week.  We talked how Tiger’s putting letting him down; we both think that age will do that to a person.  Age causes a lot of problems for most folks if we like it or not.  My friend (i.e. who is in his mid-70s) said he played league golf the other night and missed 7 short puts; I never use to miss one (i.e. he didn’t folks) and now I missed 7 in 9 holes.  I think he needs to take more pills!!!! It is what it is!

I have told you that I wear a Bobby Jones cap a lot.  He is one of my heroes!  Some of you have no idea who Bobby Jones was just like some of you have no idea what integrity is.  Many of you have great integrity.  In fact, if you had a cap with your name on it, I would wear it.  That is what I think of some of you.  Webster says integrity is--The quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; moral uprightness. Does that make any sense to you?  That is what I thought.  

I was riding with a golf buddy in his golf cart when he said to me—erv, "It is what it is" when I asked him about his wife’s medical situation.  He was a student of mine in high school (i.e. business law and math I think) some 45 years ago.  We got to know each other more because of golf after his retirement.  ANYWAY, he said to me—I pray for you and Arlene—soooo how do you pray—I pray that Arlene can have the best quality of life with her disease and I pray for you to have patience in taking care of her.  Folks just surprise me, and I’m amazed how great some folks are.  They just amaze me.  I wrote before about the death of my long-time business partner and friend.  I have just been amazed how many folks have showed symphony to me in his death.  It totally amazed me; many expressions of love were from folks who I didn’t except (i.e. very sincere; way different than how I thought I knew them).  Yes, we express sympathy for family, but I never have been sensitive enough to others who have lost friends.  What is also interesting to me, I think non-church goers were just as expressive of their symphony to me as church goers.  Is that crazy or what! Why do you think that is? That is what I thought. I surely haven’t been symmetric enough to folks who lost friends in the past (i.e. I now feel bad for not being more aware and sensitive).  Ouchy ouchy!

It is what it is! A friend is a very avid outdoors man.  He really likes to hunt and fish.  He showed me his basement that has many trophy fish and animals that he shot or caught all over the world.  He told me that he wanted his kids to be like him (i.e. a love and intense interest of the outdoors).  He pushed them and sorta kinda forced them even though they didn’t have a huge massive interest.  Now his grand kids and him were fishing and he said—We had more fun playing with the night crawlers than we did fishing; my attitude has changed.  Such is life.

It is what it is.  Here is another Father's Day story.  All of you will understand it differently. No question!  All of us have different memories, different circumstances, and different emotions.  It is what it is. ~   My son pulled our washing machine away from the wall to investigate why it had quit working. Standing behind the tilted-up machine, he looked over at me kind of funny-like as I sat, watching from a safe distance. His look suggested he was thinking, “Dad, you’re looking sort of old sitting there. You make me think of Grandpa. He’s gone now, and one day you’ll be gone, and I’m not real happy with that thought.” After fixing the washing machine, as he was putting some tools back in the toolbox, he asked, “Remind you of anything?” I said, “Yup, I was just thinking about that. Those were my dad’s tools.” “Yup,” he said.

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

erv

MyFriendJean says—In the matter of style, swim with the current; in matters or principle stand like a rock.