2-18-24

Try this senrye—Life can be a tough game / Some who try it fail badly? / Then why is it loved so much? PeteTheGrouch says—However, take caution that some excitement has gotten far ahead of the reality! Theodore Triantafeelopowlos says--What kind of an illustration are you and I (i.e. like what kind of a poster child are we)? Are we constantly whining and complaining (i.e. negative) or constantly encouraging and uplifting (i.e. positive)? Maybe life is how we look at it.  Maybe!

2-18-24 is the right answer; the right combination to my first locker in Jr. High in Danube school building.  I went to Roseland Elementary for my first 6 years which was two rooms with each room having 3 grades.  Like I have said, I was the in the top 6 in my class as I had only 6 in my class.  ANYWAY, when I went to jr. high, I got my first locker and 2-18-24 was its combination.  That’s crazy that I can remember that combination. 

Well, I wish I had the right combination now!  It’s been over a year since Arlene passed on. Several friends and authors have said—erv, don’t do anything stupid and crazy during the first year.  Sooooo now I can do something crazy and stupid, but I haven’t decided what that is going to be!  It’s been a quite a year for me. It has been like comparing apples to oranges (i.e. they are both fruit, they both grow on trees, and they are both delicious and nutritious so they are somewhat alike). It’s not like comparing Rottweilers to Sherman tanks! My life is surely different, and I am somewhat confused (i.e. it ain’t nuttin new as folks have been doing it for ever but now it’s just me—one spouse usually always dies first).  Our current culture seems to have made the adjustment even harder but how do I judge that? Who knows? Some folks don’t function very well being alone and some seem to do quite well (i.e. many factors maybe cause this feeling—like if a person didn’t much care for their spouse or if they really did). As we age, there are more single folks because of death and divorce (i.e. more women than men as women live longer). Soooo what is my future going to be?  I don’t have the combination to that one—yet! JoeBlow says—erv, you do have options! But James said to me—erv, you better not wait toooo long!

MyNeighbor says--It's so much easier being nice when you are retired! Saturday question--If we asked all the folks what is their percentages of  experiences that are positive and what percent of their experiences are negative, what would be the average?  Soooo this week I meet with a few folks of the church I attend and had a book discussion of the the book we read called The Baron's Apprenticeship.  It was a good experience for me.  I sent the group this text later in the day--"Thanksamillion You guys softened my heart this morning. You, my friends, are special. You seem to get better each year. God bless you." But later in a day I had an opposite experience with some other folks. Sooooo there you go! RunTheWorldJoe says--erv, those evaluations are your opinions.  Thanksamillion for pointing that out to me RunTheWorldJoe!

If I was offered a great and powerful chalice of money and fame and I knew it was poison, would I drink it?  SusieQ says--Boy, Americans like money and fame, erv (i.e. even if it’s hard to be humble and spiritual if you drink it).  But would I drink it? It would really be fun to have money and fame, maybe! And maybe not for very long (i.e. an illusion).  I have evaluated my life as to who I am this last year and really like my life, I liked Arlene’s and my life together, and don’t know if I would want to change my general philosophy.  Yes, there are many many folks who have much more money and fame than I, but do I really what their lifestyle? If I don’t like some little facet of my life (e.g. cold of winter), I can make some little adjustments (i.e. tweak my life a little) but do I really want to change my life’s philosophy much.  Ok, maybe I have had a better life (i.e. in my mind or your mind) than some, now that could be or you maybe think your life is way better than mine and it could be (i.e. it seems like some of you are always running down hill with the wind at your back).  Maybe even you want to change your life big time; I understand; maybe you should if you can (i.e. some of you think your life is unattractive in its current shape).  BUT, I’m thinking more of tweaking than changing. ItchieBitchie says--erv, you have no idea what you are missing with the money and fame that I have; you have really no idea! Now that could be ItchieBitchie, that could be, maybe I have no idea what I am missing out on. BUT wonder if a major change happens in our country, our world, my life; yikes, that might make me change my life more than just a tweak! A major change for either the better or for the worse (e.g. like all of us have exactly the same amount of money and fame, all wear the same color masks and carry the same looking card stating we have been vaccinated, all driving or not driving the same kind of electric car that we don’t own, having a spouse that is programed like every other spouse, eating the same kind of food, or all watching the same TV news --haha).  If that would happen, I hope for the better. Somethings I have no control over.  Or do I!

This red chicken showed up in my back yard the other day!  I had no idea where she came from.  But what the chicken did was made me smile; it lifted my spirit. It has an opinion, for sure! Well, pluck pluck pluck, the hen just laid an egg!  What a hoot! Her label said she came from China vie way of Hobby Lobby!

 Soooo a friend gave me a dozen of home-grown eggs.  I opened the carton and was surprised (i.e. as surprised as Cleopas was). I have never seen this display of colored eggs before.  I asked her about them and she said—Her daughter and son-in-law have several different kinds of chickens so get a fun variety - color and size.  Her tip--I did wash those so they should be refrigerated but if you don’t wash them they can be left on the counter for weeks. They have some enzyme or coating when they’re laid that protects them. I like to leave them on the counter cuz they’re pretty! 

I am a John Grisham fan and have read all his 35 books. I really enjoyed his latest, A Time for Mercy.  It has a lot of feeling about family, loyalty, friendship, and relationships. It is about Jake the street layer in a criminal trial with an ambush.  The book shows how rough life is for folks who are disadvantaged and how life is tough for folks who seem to have it good. Jake at the end of the book said he has learned to not let others affect his life; he needs to think for himself or he will never be successful (i.e. of course it’s fiction).

Some folks like somethings better than others. Such as some like certain cafes, sport teams, music, vehicles, churches, type of movies, clothes, electronic gadgets, leadership methods, food etc.!  You got it?  Soooo you might like something really well but if many others don’t like it, it probably won’t sell or last (i.e. can’t make enough money or there are not enough folks to support your like).  BUT you say—I like it and I will make others like it (i.e. that’s like beating a dead horse). Look around folks, it’s not rocket science.  It’s not 2-18-24! Folks will think you are an odd duck!  And you say—I really don’t care; if I like it I like it!  If I walk like an odd duck, quack like an odd duck, I’m an odd duck! And you say--do I really care? I like it; so, soooo be it! Quake quake quake!

I have friends who are terminally ill, and I have friends who seem to have the world by the tail at least on this earth (i.e. why do I know this, you have told me). That is quite a contrast isn’t it.  And probably many folks don’t know where they are I would guess a.k.a. as like being confused.  I recently have had some clarity to this confusion; I got a glimpse through the lens of a telescope (i.e. not a complete slam dunk 100% full vision) of where I am soo I’m still confused; I will always be confused on this earth but this glimpse was refreshing.  Sooooo folks, where are you? What do you want? What do you need to do?  Sooooo what’s your 2-18-24 bingo magic!

Or as a friend says to me a lot—When the Gonger gongs, it’s all over folks.  No more making decisions about your eternity.  Your life on this earth is history and you can’t renege (i.e. you can't talk or buy your way out of this one). It is what it is. 2-18-24!

I was thinking more about 2-18-24 at good ol’ Danuble, MN jr. high and sr. high.  Probably Coach Black was the most instrumental in giving me confidence.  He was my hs bb coach and is still giving confidence to folks. For sure he was a part of my life. His encouragement has affected me, no question.  Confidence is soooo important for all of us and soooo important that we help others to gain confidence.  Soooo how do we give confidence to others?  How do we get confidence? Good questions for sure. What is the 2-18-24? Saturday question—Do you like yourself and what your thinking is?

Soooo this week I went for a ride on my Yamaha XL250 in a friend’s paradise.  It was a beautiful spring day.  I saw 5 wild turkeys and 8 deer.  Perfect!  It made me smile and feel good.  ANYWAY, I came over the hill and a friend was just pulling into his yard with his shinny John Deere tractor and an old grain drill; he was seeding oats.  Soooo I pulled in and he invited me to have a Diet Dew on the deck where his wife joined us.  These folks have been our friends for years; in fact, they were seniors in hs the year we came in 1968 (i.e. great folks with good hearts; my kind of folks). They have a cow-calf operation and have for years; it’s calving season (i.e. a fun time of expressing new life). Here is his wife’s story—I spend 6 hours getting ready for our family Easter celebration with all our children and grandchildren.  They came, ate, hunted eggs, the grandkids ran all over the farm, I was worried sick they would get hurt but their parents didn’t seem worried, and then they left after 3 hours.  I then spent another 3 hours cleaning everything up. I was tired! It is hard for me to believe that these kids, as I remember them, now are about 70 years old. What a fun time we had (i.e. a great experience).

I really like the word, sovereign.  It is soooo powerful, uplifting and assuring to me.  It gives me confidence when I hear it.  Dr.J says—"There’s no word higher, greater, or possessing more authority than that of sovereign. Notice the last five letters: REIGN. The prefix, sov, means ‘super’ or ‘above all.’” My opinion is that God is the only sovereign power.  No humans are sovereign, although I know a few folks who think they are (i.e. big turn offs for me). GeorgeTheCrook says—My sister-in-law is one of those! Here is a possible idea for you to feel the sovereign God—I like to be in complete silence and just be still and not really think of anything.  It is mind boggling to me (i.e. very refreshing which gives me confidence--therapeutic). It’s a form of 2-18-24 for me. 

A friend told me recently that in jr. high he and his friends would cause problems for a certain teacher.  This teacher would say to him—I know you are the sneakiest one but I just can’t catch you.  My friend told me that he knew when to quit (i.e. back off) while his friends did not and got punished.  Oh, to know when to quit.  Saturday question—Do you know when to quit or do you continue and suffer the consequences? WorldClassLarry, who performs triple-doubles often, says--It seems if we push anything to hard or toooo far or too long a.k.a. overkill, it will harm us; there is a limit; don’t kid yourself folks, just ask an ol’ jr. high teacher! haha 

Missperfect says--And, be prepared for this battle here on this earth.  It ain’t nuttin new! 

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

erv

MyFriendJean said—Thanks can be returned but never borrowed.

PS

Tip of the day! I went for my first bike ride on the trails this week.  As I was getting my bike out of my vehicle, I noticed this old guy taking his bike to the kiosk where there is equipment that you can hang your bike on it to work on it.  He was cleaning the chain.  As I went by him, I noticed it was an old biking and running acquaintance “ol’ Roger.” We visited and he told me that he cleans his bike chains with water and Dawn; Dawn is the best grease, oil, and gunk remover there is. Soooo there is your tip of the spring bike riding season.  If it’s good for de-greasing it might really be good for de-waxing your ears!  But I don’t know for sure! Some of you might have pretty big wax built up as you don’t seem to listen very well!  haha A friend got a new dog and she said—I hope my new dog listens to me better than our kids did!