experiences

Apuleius, whose “Metamorphoses” is the only Latin-language novel that has survived in its entirety, wrote, “Familiarity breeds contempt, while rarity wins admiration.”  Saturday question—Why do we admire rarities that are not absurd? Huh, interesting.  Soooooo tell me why is Metamorphoses the only Latin-language novel that has survived in its entirety.  I’m sure (i.e. not sure but would guess) that during this time, other novels were written in Latin and were important.  There must be a reason, maybe!  This “It’s Saturday” will last until you press the delete button. That is how important it is (i.e. not very).  I understand.  Such is life.

WorldClassLarry says—I take a simple view of life: Keep your eyes open and get on with it. Bill Belichick says—To live in the past is to die in the present.  TheGuyNorthOfTown says—Live today will make tomorrow much better. 

I just stand in wonderment of a lot of things.  Maybe it’s because I’m just a simple person or maybe I just wonder in amazement about each new experience (i.e. I wander as I wonder).  Some of you say, erv, you are just in wonderland.  I think you are right.  I really enjoy appreciating stuff, standing in awe, seeing miracles, and just enjoying life.  Yes, there are days in which I do a better job than others but that is okay.  I hope all of you can experience wondering experiences.  My opinion is that it makes life sooooo much more enjoyable. 

I read in the paper soooo it must be right—Headline: Disney to open 25 stores inside Target this fall.  The article said—The new, kid friendly retail experience will show case more than 450 toys and games, apparel and accessories feathering everything from beloved Disney classics to Disney princesses, Marvel characters and “Star Wars.”  Notice the word experience.  Shigeru Miyamoto, a Japanese video-game designer, said, “The obvious objective of video games is to entertain people by surprising them with new experiences.”  Notice the words new experiences.  Folks, that is how they sell new product and go forward—new experiences.  The old experiences aren’t as exciting anymore; folks want to have new experiences (i.e. except some folks who don’t want new experiences).  My opinion here folks—I think the style and form of delivery in our churches is a good example). I realize that a few folks like to have the same experience as they had in Roseland Reformed back in 1956.  Yikes, that is a long time ago! Business doesn’t pay much attention to those folks.  Business has to create new experiences or die!  Ouchy ouchy!

I said to myself—Now that is convincing!  I was thinking about going for a jog the other morning.  It looked like rain, but it wasn’t raining.  Should I go or should I not.  All of a sudden it started to lightning and thundering.  Now that is convincing!  Saturday question—Sooooo what convinces you to do certain things?  I was with a friend recently who tipped my decision.  I told her that!  Why? Well, I respected her opinion.  There are some folks’ opinions I listen to more than others. Why? I look at their lives, their past history, their philosophy, if they seem to have sound judgment, our relationship, our trust, etc. You get it.  Basically, my experiences I have had with them. 

I recently had an experience that got my attention.  I was going to participate in an activity and was in the parking lot.  Some others drove up.  Three guys drove in aggressively in their sports cars and over-sized pickup, parked them diagonally in two parking spots (i.e. backing them in), got out and had a certain (i.e. I’m better than you walk) to where we were going.  I learned as I interacted with them that they were just like I thought they were (i.e. seemed to be pretty much about themselves).  Those are not the kind of folks I enjoy being around.  I read recently that you are pretty much like the folks you have with you in the boat.  I read this in the paper soooo it must be right—There are is 3% of the U.S. population who are millionaires and they seem to hang around with each other (i.e. really).  That doesn’t surprise me.  Does it you?  I actually know some millionaires who pretty much hang out with other millionaires and other millionaires that don’t.  Why is that do you think? Some millionaires might surprise you who they are. LuckieEddie says—A million dollars ain’t what it used to be. And of course, there are folks who try to act like millionaires but are not!  SusieQ says—They are a dime a dozen. Some of you are millionaires and even multimillionaires; I know you are, and you are very good folks (i.e. good folks with good hearts; my kind of folks). CockyBilly says—I’m going to be a millionaire as soon as your mother-in-law dies!  Listen CockyBilly, I just read this-- “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils.”

Flip the pancake!  I had a conversation with my favorite waiter the other morning before biking.  I asked him about his girls. He told me about his young daughters; the oldest one is in school.  He lives with his girlfriend and the girls share time with their mother who recently moved which caused his oldest girl to change schools.  He was sooooo happy that she adjusted well.  He told me that he doesn’t make a lot of money but is very content and happy.  He loves his girls. Sooooo I read this--But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world.

Sooooo I went for my bike ride and met a pickleball buddy who was walking.  She is a very nice person who I enjoy being around.  Her and her husband do a lot of traveling and are very active (i.e. maybe are millionaires or multi-millionaires).   She is a very positive person.  Her mother recently died of Alzheimer’s and she spend time in a dementia unit.  She shared with me much information.  She and I were in the same boat.  Happenstance experience, na, I don’t think soooo. 

Sooooo I was heading home and I stopped at a stop sign in Cedar Falls. and I seeeee this garage sale sign.  It made me laugh.  I had to meet the person who made this sign.  Soooooo I go to the garage sale.  Louise Louise Louise!  Louise is a pickleball buddy and Thelma is her friend.  We had some good laughs (i.e. very uplifting experience).  Happenstance experience, na, I don’t think soooo.  Now I have her junk in my trunk!

Soooooo I talked to an AZ friend from nw MN.  She and I got to know each other in AZ as we went to the same support group for a couple of years.  Her husband has been in a memory unit of a care facility for 3 months.  I wanted her advice.  She and I had a very good conversation and laughed quite a bit.  We are in the same boat!  ANYWAY, the best advice she gave me was—She writes down every day (i.e. journals) three things that she is thankful for (i.e. one-liners).  This makes her a grateful person and keeps her focus where she wants it. 

CoachB said—Rich folks have big libraries, poor folks have big TVs.  You believe that?  That is what I thought.  I do think that our minds are affected by what we experience.  Different folks have different perspectives of life and of the world because of travel experiences, what they read experiences, and who they talk/associate with experiences (i.e. that’s pretty much a slam dunk).  Can you comprehend this or do you really even care (i.e. I read this while eating my oatmeal with half a banana on it)—It may feel like you are sitting still right now, but you are not. You are on a planet that is rotating on its axis at 1,000 mph. Like clockwork, it makes one full revolution every 24 hours. And if that isn’t amazing enough, planet earth is moving around the sun at speeds approaching 67,000 mph! Sooooo the next time you feel like you’ve had an unproductive day, remind yourself that you did travel more than 1,500,000 miles through space today.  And you worry about if your shoes match your outfit or if your yard looks good, maybe we should worry more about how in the world does God make that all happen, and will he continue to do that!  Now that is amazing to me; a wonderment.

Sooooooo I always tell my 90-year old friend, that she is going to live to 120.  They will just keep changing body parts in this new modern age of medicine.  I won’t recognize you as all your parts will be all different, but I guess it will still be you!   Sooooo she goes to the doctor for her annual physical and the doctor tells her she is doing well and could live to 100. She tells the doctor that I tell her that she is going to live to 120.  The doctor says—I don’t think sooooo! I told her that I think the doctor is wrong; I’m smarter than the doctor!  We had a good laugh. 

A friend and I ride our bikes from Cedar Falls to Waterloo, eat breakfast and then ride back.  It’s a nice morning event.  The ride is about 14 miles, but we talk longer than it takes to bike (i.e. a great experience).  ANYWAY, during our last ride we were in Waterloo where the path is right above/next to the Cedar River by the Waterloo Center for the Arts that is on top of the levee with steps down to the river and a patio (i.e. a nice look).  There was a metal table and two metal chairs sitting on the patio right next to the river (i.e. maybe they had some kind of event the night before).  Sooooo as we were approaching this area, two hooded young men were walking past the chairs and table and one of them kicked one of the chairs in the river.  We rode past them.  At breakfast, my friend asked me why do you think that guy did that?  I said I didn’t know but have some ideas—me toooo; I wanted to stop and say something but was scared for my safety—I was tooooo!   Another experience.

You ever get soooo excited about an opportunity a.k.a. experience that makes you just shake?  I do and have had such experiences show up this last week.  These experiences aren’t about money, power, prestige, attention or glory at all. DuaneTheWorm says if that is the case, I’m not interested in those experiences! Knowing you DuaneTheWorm, I surely understand. I pray for opportunities, I pray that I can recognize them, and I pray that I may have the courage to act on them.  Well, these opportunities just fell in my lap; now let’s seeee what happens.  Crazy for sure!

Here is an interesting experience.  Last Saturday morning I went for a jog on the golf course.  There was a twosome and a single golfer on the course.  The single guy is a guy who I wave at but don’t know his name (i.e. for 20 years).  He lives maybe three blocks from us.  I always thought I should get to know him.  Soooo on the golf course I stumbled across him three times.  Each time having a little conversation.  The last time we talked about his new Yamaha golf cart—It’s a gas cart that is quieter and can go faster; it has a road gear and can go 19 miles an hour (i.e. some folks tweak them to go 30 mph).  I asked him if he would care to golf with me sometime.  He said he would.  Sooooo there you go.  He’s a maybe a 40ish bachelor sooooo maybe we might share some time.  Some of you might say—Sooooo what’s the big deal about that?  You might be right; I have no idea!!!!  It’s way beyond me for sure!!!

Here is another interesting opportunity.  A pickleball buddy, John (i.e. anybody can be a John) emailed me an encouraging email and also said that they celebrated their 53rd anniversary by going to the movie Overcome.  He suggested I should go. Then I got a call from an old family friend, Diane (i.e. anybody can be a Diane), asking how we were doing.  We laughed a lot and she told me that I should go and see the movie Overcome—is it any good—I think soooo; I have seen it 4 times—you should know all the good lines by heart—I do!!!!  We laughed some more.  Sooooo I went.  It’s a Christian movie about inspiration, motivation and the salvation story.  It would be a good movie to take your family.  It’s about forgiveness, fighting adversary, and finding God; we are all going to have these issues in our lives, and we are all going to die. For some of you who don’t believe in God and think you are going to die like a pig (i.e. that is what you have told me) I have an idea for you.  Maybe go late at night and sit way in the back or Netflix it or rent it at Red Box.  You can watch it at home by yourself and no one will even know.  Surely you are open minded enough to do that, right?

Experiences really energize me.  I really like new experiences. 

BUT I didn’t like this experience!  No, I didn’t. It was Arlene’s fault.  Yes it was.  Four days ago I thought my oatmeal with half a banana with some pecans on it didn’t taste good but I forced myself to eat it; I thought my taste must be off.  The next day again it didn’t taste good.  I didn’t eat it and tried some of the pecans; they tasted alright.  The third day again it didn’t taste good again sooooo it had to be the bananas.  It was not.  Soooo today, again my breakfast didn’t taste good (i.e. it tasted really yucky).  There is only one ingredient left; the milk.  It was sour; only 28 days past expiration.  It was Arlene’s fault as she always ate Raisin Brand with milk on it for breakfast.  She was no longer consuming the milk to keep it fresh.  I still have the putrid taste in my mouth. Such is life. 

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

erv

MyFriendJean says—Before you give someone a piece of your mind be sure you can spare it.