It's Saturday: nudge

Do you ever need a nudge to do something? Psychologists claim that twenty percent of people are habitual procrastinators, and the other eighty percent struggle occasionally with putting things off. CadillacJack says--Several books have been written to help people overcome procrastination, but those who need the books never get around to opening them! Procrastinators need a nudge. AverageJoe says—I think everyone needs a nudge once in a while and some of us need a kick in the butt (i.e. more of a major nudge). Could be for sure! Using football terms—When the game is on the line, its time to start cookin’!

I had the opportunity recently to have lunch with friends which came about because of good ol’ Northwestern College. They are good folks with good hearts; my kind of folks (i.e. I told them that I would rather be with them than play a round of golf at the Des Moines Gold and Country Club). ANYWAY, TheCliveWordLady told me that she can remember Jabberwocky. I never heard of it. Its a poem by Carell Lewis (i.e. who wrote Alice and Wonderland) which is considered one of the greatest nonsense poems written in English which uses playful, whimsical language. She recited it to us. She is an English major and has very good control of the English language but that has nothing to do with remembering it (i.e. maybe it does). Her husband said he can remember many numbers maybe because he has a minor in math). Soooo there you go! Soooooo I knew TheCliveWordLady's mother and asked her if she is as nice and sweet as her mother—no, I’m not a sweet person; I think I’m maybe nice but not sweet—why do you say that—maybe I’m more of in charge person and that takes some of the sweetness away. Her husband said he thinks she is nice and sweet. What else could the poor guy say!!!! haha Here is something really interesting to me. She said that her 92-year old mother-in-law is her best friend. Wow! I would guess not many would say that.

What do you think of the Bible? Is it just a product of the religious imagination, or is it a revelation from God, given through human witnesses? About a third of the world population call themselves Christians soooo, obviously, that makes the other two thirds non-Christian. Sooooo I assume that not even the one third of the population, who claim to be Christians, all believe in the Bible (i.e. maybe believe in part of it but not all of it or maybe not much of it). Yet, it is the most read book in the world. AverageJoe says—There might even be some folks who say they believe the Bible but don’t live their lives like they do (i.e. who what me?—that is what our son said when he was young when we accused him of something he claimed he didn’t do—it always made us laugh—I accused his son, Rookie, of something at our evening meal and he said—who what me? A regular chip of the old block).

Recommended with a nudge. I receive information from the Cedar Valley Hospice, the hospice we used for Arlene, about grief. They wrote about Four Tasks of Grief created by William Worden. I respect them but especially thought the last task was very good—To Emotionally Relocate the Deceased to a Place of Memory. Not always easy to do for sure for many. I have no idea if this is accurate or not BUT it appears that I am living my live differently than I have before. Maybe it’s my imagination. Maybe. BUT it feels way different. It’s way slower and much brighter. It feels way different. I sense things more and see things differently. I appreciate things differently and enjoy different things and in different ways. Folks affect me differently. Maybe I ate some bad beans last night. Could be. Or maybe I have been nudged. Alzheimer's is a terrible disease!

I listened to an anxiety counselor recently, pretty much by accident.
One thing he talked about was—The old saying, “If it’s to be it is up to me” is a lie. He said--We are only in charge of how we react to the
circumstances. Yes, I believe that but not entirely. I think we can surely control our life in how we live it and the choices we make. I do. Everyone has an opinion on that, I guess. Maybe he is working with sick folks (i.e. which we all are but to different degrees) and that is more therapeutic (i.e. takes the guilt off of them). Don't kid yourself. A deceased friend would say--erv, Decisions have consequences; there is no question about that. And guess who makes the decisions. Da! BUT I do think our past environment, our current environment, and our genetics do make a difference. Our past environment and genetics can't be controlled but our current environment can. Again, that's my opinion. If you don't like my opinion pick an opinion you like. It's your decision. Such is life.. That pic is in Chet and Jessica's home. I like it. What do you think? That is what I thought.

I read this while eating my oatmeal with half a banana on it--To stop the monster, say “NO.” Now that is a nudge that works for sure. NO! I’m not doing that; NO, I’m not going there; NO, not for me; NO, I’m not walking with that parade; NO, I’m not getting on that wagon; NO, it’s not for me; NO, it’s not what I believe. WildWillie says--Three things we are all concerned about in our life more than anything else: to be loved, to be accepted, and to be chosen. MissPerfect says—And there lies the battle. I saw the saying in the Southfork housing division when on a walk in Waukee while helping with the grandkids recently. I sorta kinda managed them before school and after school for several days. I think they took me on a joy ride but I didn’t know. What I don’t know I don’t know. That is sorta kinda like life—what I don’t know, I don’t know!!!! SusieQ says—Ya gotta make your decisions based on something like your emotions or your heart or your mind or what your friend thinks or what your dog thinks!! A lot of folks tell me that their dogs are really smart. Soooo there! At church recently I talked to Tommy about his showing of his show pig. He told me that pigs are really smart and have different personalities. Soooo there is another option for help in your decisions; ask your pig! I asked Tommy if pigs can be house trained—he didn’t think soooo! Oink oink! I asked Tommy what his showpig's name was--Dean!

I learned that it seems it bothers parents when their grown kids and their spouses are not like them. Some have even changed from what they were earlier in their life. Something seemed to nudge them which changed them. It appears that money, education, work areas, spouses, geographic living areas, bitterness, and God only knows what else seems to change the kids from their parents teaching or example. That can really be hard on parents I hear. Me toooooo! BUT flip the pancake! Some children have gotten way better by changing themselves. Way better than their parents. Some parents are maybe way off in la la land (i.e. my opinion). Maybe some parents are soooo opinionated or goofy that they have driven their children and spouses away from them (i.e. they would rather not see them). That of course have driven the contact with the grandkids away toooo. Ouchy ouchy! CrazyMarvin says—My wife is wacko and it has hurt our family’s dynamics, for sure (i.e. she is a political radical, a religious freak and a money managing boss). SusieQ says--Maybe that is why our kids don’t answer the door when we knock!!!!! A wise, smart friend told me recently—My Mother was a worry wart; but my sister and I are not; we just put our heads in the sand! Another wise, smart friend told me recently—I parent just the opposite of my father! Hey listen, everyone has defects! Don’t kid yourself. Progressive Insurance advertises that they can protect you from many things but they can’t protect you from becoming like your parents!

Sherry impressed me. I had a photo printed at Walgreen in Waukee, Clive, West Des Moines or was it Urbandale. They all interconnect it seems in a certain area. That really doesn’t matter. The gal who helped me was wise. I said—It amazes me how I can plug my iPhone into your computer and within a short time I have a printed picture—ya, but we can’t solve any real problems like world hunger, a health care or stuff like that; the leaders just like to get rich and it is all about themselves. I’m starting to think that everyone is starting to figure this out. Well, most folks anyway except for a few of you folks. You must know if you are one of them. BUT maybe you don’t know that you are one of them. JoeBlow says—Now that is even a bigger problem.

Last Saturday morning (i.e. relatively early) I went for a jog on the golf course. Already there were several groups playing. Why not! It was a beautiful fall day and the trees were just gorgeous. Maybe years ago I might have been out there playing for a few quarters but not anymore; things don’t stay the same for sure. ANYWAY, I was jogging through the aggressive long rough with me head down as I didn’t want to sprain an ankle or worse yet fall and get hurt more serious. I thought about a senior friend who recently was going for her morning walk in her neighborhood. She had her head down watching for uneven sidewalk sections. A young neighbor lady was backing out of her drive (i.e. maybe late for work, putting on makeup and texting) and hit her. She got a big knot on her head, a bruised hip, and an abrasion on her elbow. The young lady was very emotional. It made me think to reset my brain. This seniero could have been way different (i.e. long-term very sad implications that could have been very serious for both of them—affected their lives forever).

Have you ever done anything stupid? Of course, you have. We all have. Sometimes other folks have done something stupid that has really impacted our life (i.e. somethings beyond our control). BUT by far the majority of the time, the stupid stuff that that has really impacted our life, we did to ourselves. Don’t kid yourself folks. Sooooo if we can eliminate our own stupid stuff, we will be better off. Suggestion—Get around good people and watch how they do it and ask a ton of questions. BUT as stupid as we are, we probably will still do stupid stuff! Well, I’m speaking for myself here. You seem a lot smarter, BUT some of the stuff you do, I wonder about you at times! Especially one of you. You know who you are!!! haha

Do the opposite. I saw an IL license plate on a big pickup that had a license plate frame that said—Proud to be a red neck! Soooo what does that mean to you? Like this person is rebellious, like opposite how others think, a problem person, chews tobacco, has a gun in the pickup, thinks different than society? How do you define a red neck? Are you a red neck and proud of it? Am I a red neck? One of Warren Buffett’s suggestions of investing is to do just the opposite of what everyone else is doing. Saturday question—Are you a crowd follower or a red neck type of person?

Last Sunday morning I had a very good conversation with a couple of friends who happen to attend the same church as I do. One is 68 and has been retired for 9 years and the other is 63 and is still working. The friend still working said he has no idea what he would do if he would retire. He likes his profession basically and asked us what we thought. I told him he should keep working until something changes (i.e. that was my nudge). The other friend and I had no problem finding stuff to do after retiring. BUT all three of us seem to been fortunate to give ourselves options (i.e. financially). It appears that those other two guys are good money managers. They both said that all three of us are not “excessive wanters.” We are satisfied with our lifestyles and don’t want a lot or need a lot but do have good lifestyles but not excessive. We all seem to be happy the way we are and what we have (i.e. basically a simple, satisfying life). Soooo what does all this mean? I have no idea. I do like these guys a lot—good guys with good hearts; for sure.

Before the service I talked to a young lady who has become a friend. She told me about her temporary job between jobs that she has been educated for. She was soooo happy and I was for her. We just enjoyed each other. She was sitting in the back where I usually sit (i.e. not her normal area). I asked her why? I want to try something different (i.e. a regular red neck--haha). Another friend and I talked about the sermon after the service. She told me that she always doesn’t witness her faith as much as she should (i.e. Da! Isn’t that all of us). She said she needs a kick in the butt. Soooo I kicked her in her in the butt! She too is such a great gal. Also has a heart of gold. My kind of person. I miss not going to church and having these experiences. I pray that our church can grow into a family that all feel this way. We have a chance. Oh ya! Suck it up cupcake and let’s get going. We’re burning daylight!

BUT, I’m just a little ol’ farm boy from a mile and fourth south of Roseland, MN who now is older and sits in the back of church and keeps his mouth shut.