done, it's over, it's the past

Sit down with your favorite beverage and let’s have a discussion.  WorldClassLarry says—Discussion is an exchange of knowledge; argument is the exchange of ignorance.  What do you think of that?  That is what I thought.

ItchieBitchie says—Many folks focus on “bite-sized” problems that are timely and tractable. The risk is then to lose sight of the big picture. JoeBlow says—Yabut ItchieBitchie, when you are in the middle of the battle it is very hard to do.  I agree with both of those statements; that is why we need to be around good folks who see the big picture and reinforce us.  Don’t be around folks who whine with you.  SusieQ says—You want cheese with your wine! A friend told me that one of his sub-contractors is stupid; he’s soooo stupid that he doesn’t even know he’s stupid; now that’s stupid!

Years ago Arlene and I were involved with a non-denominational group called Walk to Emmaus.  One of the things they suggested was to have small support groups.  An acquaintance told me this story.  He was in such a group when a member told the group that his marriage was circling the drain.  He asked them for advice.  The group told him that he was a jerk and if they were his wife, they would divorce him toooo.  Ouchy ouchy!  I guess he listened to them and made some changes and saved his marriage.  He had no idea he was such a jerk. LuckieEddie asks—Can a person really not know they are a jerk?

Yoga Berra said--I don’t know (if they were men or women fans running naked across the field). They had bags over their heads.  MissPerfect says we need to coax our minds to forget the crap of our past; that stuff is done, it’s over, it’s the past.  We need to look at the right stuff (i.e. whatever that is).  When we see the whole picture, life looks different.  Have you ever tried to teach someone something, but they thought they knew everything?  How did it go?  That is what I thought.  They are closed minded; they are not receptive to listening to anything new or any suggestions.  They will not even think that they might be wrong or could learn something to make their life better.  I asked a friend at breakfast the other morning—Why did Europe turn soooo cold to God?  He didn’t know but was going to do some research on that.  It seems America is heading down the same road (i.e. a friend told me that we are 15 years behind).  What do you think? I have a hard time understanding this. Help me here. I must not be seeing the big picture or looking at the wrong stuff. Or am I?

Where are the dinosaurs?  They are all in Rookie's room! The scientific theory as to why the dinosaurs disappeared is that the environment changed, and they couldn’t adapt.  They were done!  Extinct!  Toast! Never to be seen again.  Our grandkids like to study about dinosaurs; they know more in their young life than I will ever know.  They pretty much gave me the same explanation.  Some folks adapt to change a lot better than others.  Yes they do.  My iPhone turned into a brick a.k.a. paper weight; Boohoo!  It was nothing that money couldn’t fix!  ha ha  But I had to learn some new stuff again.  I find it soooo interesting that many folks won’t change and say they can’t change unless they can make more money, or it makes their life easier for them or they totally have no choice; then they can do it.  That is soooo funny to me.  A friend told me at breakfast recently that he listens to the radio when he goes to bed (i.e. it helps him fall to sleep).  ANYWAY, the guy talking said that many churches have not changed to keep up with our culture and environment (i.e. still do it like it’s 1956—it’s done, it’s over, it’s the past).  What do you think of that?  That is what I thought. CrazyMarvin says--Often we change when we feel the heat, not when we see the light. Oh! that heat can get results; oh ya!

You ever have a “Damascene experience?”  I do occasionally.  I had one the other day.  The phrase “Damascene experience” is used in modern contexts to describe a sudden awakening, a moment of insight leading to a reversal of priorities and values, or a shock to one’s worldview. Its basis, of course, is in the apostle Paul’s encounter with the resurrected Christ on the road to Damascus where he intended to persecute the followers of Jesus but had a complete reversal in his life and became promoter of Jesus.  Crazy, right?  My “Damascene experience” is not like that but more a shock to my attitude or thinking or something.  It is hard to explain.  I’m just different; I feel different; I can’t explain it really but it sorta kinda gives me a puzzling fuzzy feeling of peace and happiness and being comfortable.  My life that day wasn’t anything special or different; for sure no mountain top experience.  Crazy, right? It’s a feeling I want to put in a bottle and keep but it goes away as soon as it came.  It might last several hours or more but soon it’s done, it’s over, it’s the past before I know it.  Crazy, right.  Do any of you have those “Damascene experiences?”   If soooo, I would like to hear how you explain them.

If you didn’t know what a “Damascene experience” is, I bet you don’t know what “Deepfakes” are.  I didn’t either until I read about it in the paper (i.e. soooo it must be right).  It is deceptive powers of artificial intelligence software being able to alter videos generally to make folks look bad.  It said any high school person with a rather good computer can do it.  Yikes! Some think It will be a pretty big problem in upcoming elections.  There is very little to combat it. Really, I’m not a bit surprised.  Photographers have been altering pictures for years.  They can make anyone look beautiful or handsome.  Don’t’ kid yourself, that’s how they make a living—making folks look good.  JoeBlow says—I have no idea what or who is real anymore.  Ouchy ouchy!

The other day I had a nice visit with a friend who is lonely.  Loneliness is a major problem in our culture.  You wouldn’t think soooo with all the social media etc. that we have but it is (i.e. you want to have friends, but no one wants to be friends with you).  It appears that loneliness is really hard on folks.  A friend down the street suggested I read this book (i.e. she said it was a good one).  I asked the librarians if it was good—a very popular read).  Soooo I checked it out and then Goggled it and read it.  I liked it; BUT soooo what does that mean! One of the story lines is about loneliness (i.e. my opinion).  Try it, you might like it; if you don’t just bring it back to the library; no one will never know or care! Sometimes the past is hard to forget (i.e. it haunts us) even though it’s done, it’s over, it’s the past.  Such is life.

 It’s done, it’s over, it’s the past for this sucker.  He didn’t get across the road fast enough and became road kill!  Ouchy ouchy.  Have you ever been to an internment of a body?  A friend told me the other day that when they bury the ashes from cremation, they call it inurnment.  ANYWAY, usually if there is a religious leader doing the service, they say something like—From dust to dust or they came into the world with nothing and exit the world with nothing.  Well, that is except LuckieEddie’s sister, LadyLuck, who put all her assets into her Master Card account; she heard that you can use Master Card all over hell! Soooo I was riding my Trek 1000 on my usually route north of town on Butler County T25 to the Kesley Corner and back (i.e. about 11 miles) when I see this raccoon that is pretty decayed on the side of the road.  I stopped to take a closer look.  You say yucky!  Well, all of us will look the same someday if we have our bodies buried (i.e. even if we buy the $10,000 casket and the $5,000 vault). Ya gotta remember that 60% of our body is water. I went back later and picked up some of the teeth and skeleton parts for our grandkids.  I wonder how they will like this gift? 

It’s done, it’s over, it’s the past but…!  Playing pickleball the other morning. I introduced myself to my partner who I haven’t met before.  He was Dan; I said PickleballDanTheManFromWestFourthStreet.  A friend across the net said to me—I was once married to a DanFromWestFourthStreet; He was pukie!  Why do you think he was pukie?  No sex, self-centered, psychologically abusive, arrogant, I think gay!  Oh!  Soooo why did you marry him in the first place.  I didn’t realize he was that way when we got married; I got fooled!  Ouchy ouchy!  Now it’s done, it’s over, it’s the past!

The other day I had breakfast with a very successful businessman/friend.  He told me that he had a partner who at times would do shady things.  He addressed him about it.  He said—My kids go to camp toooo (i.e. no harm no foul)!  Meaning he needs to make money for himself toooo.  My friend says that he always came first.  I asked my friend—Could you really trust him—I did; he never took advantage of me as far as I know.  Yes my friend—as far as you know!  Saturday question—Do you think you have been taken advantage of but never knew it?  I’m sure I have; no question. But it’s done, it’s over, it’s the past and I never knew it. I have an acquaintance who I found out later that he took advantage of me a couple of times.  I have no time for him.  NONE! I would guess if he did it to me, he has done it to others. He is about one person— NUMERO UNO, a complete hoax!

Yabut Billy Graham said--Sooner or later, our sins always catch up with us — always. Sometimes they catch up with us quickly and forcefully; sometimes it happens only gradually or over a long period of time. But eventually we will pay the price when we rebel against God, either now or in eternity. The Bible warns, “You will be sinning against the Lord; and you may be sure that your sin will find you out” (Numbers 32:23). You believe that? JoeSlick says—I don’t know about that, I have covered my tracks pretty darn good! I think sooner or later (i.e. when the bonger bongs) we will find out if that is true.  JoeSlick, I suggest, to be on the safe side, you should ask for forgiveness; Jesus promises he will forgive us if we only genuinely and sincerely ask; pretty simple; also pretty inexpensive; Jesus has already paid the price. You believe that? That is what I thought.

At our Wednesday golf outing a guy (i.e. who has a swing as smooth as silk) said he has no idea where I come up with all the stuff I write about.  I told those guys to tell me some good crap (i.e. not just your crap but the cream of your crap) soooo I have some material!  On the third tee box I was giving a guy a hard time about his mindset as he is a retired engineer.  I told him about a friend who is the same and he still has three pens in his shirt pocket in that little plastic pocket case but when we played golf, the score card was a masterpiece (i.e. soooo neat).  Another guy in our group who is a retired bean counter, said—That was how I looked for years!  Ya, we all have distinctive features because of our occupations, past environments and our education.  Even though they are done, over and the past, they still show their heads a.k.a. pop ups.  We are who we are. Such is life.

A friend called and asked if she could bring a pot roast over to us for our evening meal—of course; we like pot roast.  She came with it including carrots and potatoes.  She said—It’s burnt; you’ll need to trim it. Kiddingly I said to her—how come—I’m just a terrible cook, that’s why.  It was just fine and very delicious (i.e. she way over exaggerated it).  Again, most women always say something negative about the meals they bring.  You gals all make me laugh!  We have not had a bad meal yet! 

Secretariat and our daughter, Heather, tell me I need to do sprints to run my 2.5 miles faster.  They are both marathon runners who run around 8-minute miles for the 26.2 miles.  Ok, so I ran 5 100-yard dashes on the football field. I thought I was flying. My times were all between 28 and 30 seconds. That’s 11-minute miles. My calculator must be wrong! My fastest time in high school was 10.2. It is hard to accept that those days are done, it’s over, it’s the past.  I still think my calculator must be wrong!!! Surely I couldn’t slow down that much in 56 years! No way! Maybe it’s the shoes!

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

erv

MyFriendJean says—It’s easier to keep up than to catch up.