incredible ride

I read this while eating my oatmeal with half a banana on it--“A wise person is hungry for knowledge, while the fool feeds on trash” (Proverbs 15:14 NLT). MagicTed says--If you want to be wise, learn to ask wise questions—and then listen. WiseWillie says--How do you draw the wisdom out of every person? By learning to ask smart questions (i.e. listen more and talk less). It will give you an incredible ride. It appears that the great folks talk about you and not about themselves.  Why is that do you think? There must be a reason.

Recently I played 18 with some guys who I really enjoy their company (i.e. good guys with good hearts; my kind of folks).  ANYWAY, the “Big Kahuna” also my partner, said to me—I’m a type A person; Type A folks usually are more critical of others than themselves—are you this way—yes I am—Does your wife know this—she sure does.  What a hoot.  Later we said hi to Jack, another golfer teeing off on #1 as we were finishing on #9.  I said—I like Jack; he is always sooooo pleasant and welcoming to me—the “Big Kahuna” said—erv, he must not know you very well!  Then he said—Folks like me a lot better before they really get to know me!  He is soooo funny and humble (i.e. he can really poke fun of himself—a great quality (i.e. my opinion).

The Big Ten conference have really took it on the chin in loosing a number of games to non-conference opponents (i.e. now that is humbling—have to eat humble pie).  After going 7-1 in bowl games last year, maybe they thought they were really something—maybe they aren’t!  It’s a lesson to learn that you can’t live on your past or on your ego.  SusieQ says—Every person has their own story.  Bill Belichick says—To live in the past is to die in the present.

Another guy in our foursome told us that he is trying to do business with a person/company, but they won’t return his calls.  He is giving up on them and will probably go to another company. I had a person who wanted me to help them, but it appears he really didn’t want my help.  I gave him suggestions, but he really didn’t want them.  Besides, he would not return any communication I sent him. Guess what I did; you are right; I gave up on him.  I found out that he treated others the same; guess what they did with him; you are right; they tooooo just gave up on him.  A friend and I often say—If you and I feel that way than others do toooooo; we aren’t the only two who feel that way (i.e. we don’t have incredible insight). This guy will have an incredible ride in life I would guess. (i.e. his reading on his hard-luck meter will be high). CrazyMarvin says—The thing that might cause him problems is the mental part; once he gets that figured out, he will be fine—or gone a.k.a. on the scrape heap!

I had an early Saturday morning breakfast with an old friend.  We enjoy each other’s company.  Now we have something even more in common, both of our wives have dementia.  ANYWAY, he asked my opinion if he should inter into a new, large business opportunity.  We talked about the pros and cons and why he is thinking about doing this.  I said to him—It sounds like you are greedy—his eyes got real  big and he sat up erect and said—I am (i.e. and we both laughed)!  He is soooooo real, soooo real; that is one of the reasons I like him soooo much.

LuckieEddie says--People ask me--What are you depressed about? You can buy anything you want. I wish everyone in the world was rich so they would realize money isn’t everything. Soooo is LuckieEddie really lucky?  I know rich folks who are happy and who are miserable; I know folks who aren’t rich who are happy and those who are miserable.  There must be more toooo it than money, but folks sure spend a lot of effort to get rich.  Why is that do you think?  That is what I thought. 

I have a male friend who is a realsmartperson that will not read self-help books; he says they are all the same.  I have another friend who is a realsmartperson who says that most books you only have to read the first 50 to 100 pages of a book; the rest is just filler.  Again, both of these friends are male; I don’t know if that makes any difference but…!  ANYWAY, I listened to a couple of chapters of the audio book Girl, Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollins (i.e. I downloaded it to my iPhone and listened to it on Bluetooth in the car—worked good for me).  One of the home care providers for Arlene said she was going to read it, so I thought I would tooooo.  It’s quite a popular book soooo I goggled it.  Rachel Hollins is a 34 year old blogger and entrepreneur who tries to help women (i.e. says she has a tribe of over a million followers).  The book is written to women (i.e. targeting women maybe 20 to 50 would be my guess).  After a couple of chapters I knew it wasn’t for me (i.e. she says this book is for women—that is her target).  ANYWAY, I researched it a little and found out the about ¾ of all self-help books are read by women, but women read about 65% of all books.  Now that is interesting to me (i.e. I think many of the greatest guys read books and have always).  I wonder if that is the reason that it seems that more women go to church and believe than men.  You think soooo?  Maybe guys are different than women; just maybe! I have no idea.  What do you think? Do you think guys drink more beer than women? 

I emailed a friend and was wondering how big their new bean head was—it looks massive huge—I also wondered how that can stay even when the ground is uneven with it being soooo large.  His response--It's a 45 foot flexible drapper head that has overlapping seams on the cutting section approximately every 12 inches that allows in to flex and follow the contour of the ground. That is incredible to me. 

Friends communicated this to me—erv, you have a great life....not an easy life, but a great life.  Think about that folks.  I admit and have told many of you that exact statement.  For the most part, I know that (i.e. there are days and moments that I don’t feel that way).  I think this has to do with perspective.  Compared to what and “what ifs.”  And comparing is soooooo hard on folks; we many times thing we should have it better compared to others.  I really think if a person can maintain some strong flavor of peace in their life, life is sooooooo much better (i.e. my opinion). Saturday question--Where do you find the greatest flavor of peace?  Are you at peace?  MissPerfect says--I just try to buy something better than w!hat my friends have; I have peace until they go shopping and out do me again.  Man-O-Man! GeorgeTheCrook says--Envy of the neighbor is a powerful tool!

It was an incredible ride.  I talked to some ladies/friends who were drinking coffee at a table after church Sunday.  They just made me LOL.  They were talking that they don’t know what to believe of the women who accuse men of sexually assaulting them.  They don’t know what to think or believe.  One said she did some bad stuff when she was a teenager—I can’t believe you would ever do anything bad—believe me I did; real bad stuff. Another gal who grew up with her said—you weren’t that bad—I was bad.  She never did convince herself nor did I or the other gals convince her that she was not that bad.  Soooo what is bad?  Did you ever do anything bad as a teenager. 

At pickleball the other morning, one of our opponents said after she miss-hit a shot—why did I hit it (i.e. meaning she thought it was going to be long and out of bounds).  She is a fun gal to play with and we kid her some.  I said—I have no idea; are you talking in some code?  My partner (i.e. a male) said—Us guys can’t figure you gals out what you are saying.  He was kidding her I think.  I for once kept my mouth shut.  I thought no matter what I said would not be good! Yay yay for me for once.  Sooooo at church Sunday, I was visiting with a friend who is maybe 80 who is a real person with a good heart; my kind of person.  She said—I put my foot in my mouth a lot; I don’t mean toooooo but just do.  She made me laugh.  Soooo I called her and asked her how old she was (i.e. never suppose to do that to a woman)?  She said she was 80.  She was diagnosed with a blood disease 20 years ago and the doctors told her she would live maybe 10 years; she is still doing well after 20 years (i.e. she says she has lived a quality life). Yes, she has had an incredible ride. Sooooo I asked her how this makes her feel—blessed! LAUS DEO

Arlene and I stopped and talked to The Pumpkin/Mum Lady recently at her road-side market.  We didn’t need any more pumpkins or mums, but she had such a neat display (i.e. Arlene has always liked this stuff).  I didn’t expect this to be such a great time a.k.a. incredible ride.  The Pumpkin/Mum Lady (i.e. grandma of 8) told me that she and her husband are landscapers. She said--I have a degree in Landscape Design and he does the work; that is way it’s suppose to be but I push the wheel barrow more than I want—You make your total living but doing this—yes, we aren’t rich but we can pay for our groceries; I told my husband when we got married that money isn’t that important to me but I would like to have enough soooo we don’t have to worry if we have enough money to pay for our groceries. You seem soooo happy; are you a believer—sure am; I don’t know what I would do without God; I get out of whack sometimes and then realize that I’m trying to do it my way; it never works.  You are a good person; I wish you would tell my husband that ha ha—I try but I’m not always great let me tell ya!

Here is your Saturday tip—I was leaving pickleball the other morning and soooo was a friend.  I asked her why she was leaving soooo early—entertaining tonight; got to get ready; got to clean the house—I thought you told me once that you don’t enjoy cleaning the house—I don’t and I don’t do a very good job; sometimes I just leave the vacuum out soooo the folks think I’m not done yet! A guy who was part of the conversation said—I tell folks that we're in construction. They just made me laugh. But both of these folks like to play pickleball!

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

erv

MyFriendJean says--The greatest happiness of life is the conviction, that we are loved.