lose your balance

We none of us expect to be in smooth water all our days (i.e. life isn’t always as smooth as silk). Soooo why are we soooo surprised when the boat rocks and bobs around?  How crazy are we anyway! We always can't run down hill with the wind at our back. We always can’t win.  As a friend said to me recently about a sports event—The other team is trying to win toooo; they pay their coach a lot of money tooooo! WorldClassLarry says—Soooooo when we lose our balance sometimes and fall, why are we soooooo surprised.  It happens. Stuff happens folks!

JoeSmudge lost his something and it might have been his mental balance. He just isn’t the same. He’s a highly volatile person, one whose depth or ability cannot be gauged; he is given to sudden driving impulses, and reason has no part in them. Why? I don’t have a glue. He insinuates that he is at odds with himself. I might be naïve coming from Butler County Iowa but I seem to see more road rage here in the Valley of the Sun than back home.  I hear and see things that I hardly or never see in Butler County.  That isn’t soooo pleasant to see and hear. A friend told us at a little party that one morning early here in the park (i.e. it was still dark) that she saw a vehicle drive slow by her house.  She knew her neighbor was coming back and thought it was the Stage Coach Shuttle droppin’ him off soooo she went outside to welcome him back.  The driver leaned out the window and said—Old lady this not your … business; keep you noise out of it! Obvious it was not her neighbor coming back for the winter.

Folks lose their balance a lot.  Our daughter, Heather, runs a lot and I mean a lot (i.e. like 1,000+ miles a year).  She runs many times on mt trails and the other day she lost her balance and face planted. She got all skinned up but had no serious injuries.  I friend told me about a guy who lost his balance riding his bike and died. Old folks lose their balance and break their hips (i.e. it happens all the time) and it changes their life and sometimes it ends their life. I had a gal talk to me about playing pickleball; she told me she played once, lost her balance and fell and got hurt and never played again.

Sometimes maybe we just lose our balance in our thinking; we get all bent out of shape. Missperfect, who can figure folks out from across the street, says—That is maybe because of age, circumstances, physical health issues, mental health issues, stress of life, changing of relationships, events of our life, etc. I can understand that personally.  Changes in my life the last 8 years have affected me; no question.  Sorta kinda threw me off balance.  Maybe more than I thought or think. Could be, maybe. I have a friend tell me that I’m still in the mourning stage. I really don’t think sooo but she does. Other folks maybe can see that more than I can.  It could be. Have you ever sprained your ankle? How come did that happen? Maybe bad footing, high heel shoes, uneven surface, your equilibrium was messed up, drunk, medicated, playing in a sporting event or just plain happened for really no reason.  How did it feel?  Did it take some time to heal?  Of course it did. A severe sprain takes time; you just can’t do anything about it; it just takes soooo much time. When it happens, we can’t do anything about it; it happened and now we face the results. No fast fix.

It appears that we lose our balance in our priorities sometimes, or maybe it’s just me.  I needed to buy something that was of little importance, and I was told by someone (i.e. I can’t remember who but they told me that I should stop at Savers to buy it). Savers is a non-profit secondhand store that gives all their money made to local causes.  Soooo I just happened to see a store one day and stopped. I was impressed with their stuff and also the organization.  I ended up buying what I wanted and was checking out.  A gal who was in her 20s, I guess, checked me out and said it was half price—what—it’s Monday and most stuff is half price on Mondays.  I told her I was impressed with the store—she told me about how it helps folks—they give to the Big Brothers and Big Sisters organization here locally which my two children are involved in; they are very good to my family and adopted us as their Christmas family. This gal was a joy to be around and had beautiful blue eyes.  She touched me. She put me back on my correct balance, basically humbled me.

I have some preconceived goals that I want to accomplish here in the Valley.  I’m researching the opportunities and will act soooon, I think. They are not “razo dazo” ideas but I think good ideas.  I think they will put more meaning in my life.  I don’t want to rush into anything (i.e. I'm hunkering down).  CaptainKirk, who has a certain style and flare about him, told me—erv, happiness is not the purpose of life but it’s the byproduct of the finding the purpose in your life. Here is an example of giving and finding happiness (i.e. my opinion)—A hug is a wonderful thing. It makes you feel wanted, needed and loved all at the same time.  Hey folks, I’m not going out hugging everyone; that’s not what I want to accomplish!  CadillacJack, who is someone you want on your side, says—A train will always stay on the right track unless, when it comes to a junction an engineer or prankster has thrown the wrong switch. If it reaches the wrong destination, that will be tough on the passengers. I am going to watch for the pranksters!  haha

I bought some cottage cheese as I haven’t had it for a while and it really sounded good.  Probably when I get done eating the whole container, I will have had enough.  I do that with food, I like it but if I eat toooo much I’m tired of it.  I get bored easily.  As the song goes, after you been having steak for a long time beans beans taste fine.  Soooo I need to be careful that I don’t get burned out by doing toooo much of my ideas as I might lose my excitement or I might enjoy it soooooo much that I can’t get enough of it.  BUT most stuff for most folks lose their charm after soooo long and soooo much activity.  BUT not to all folks.

I had a little party on my deck for the friends who helped me buy my house here in Carriage Manor.  I bought it site on seen and they did the looking and advising for me (i.e. good folks who I trust).  We had a very good time reminiscing and laughing. One guy told us how he and his wife were walking back home in IN last summer and he caught his foot on something (i.e. and maybe not) and fell face down and got all bloody and was a mess.  He said it happened soooo fast that he didn’t even know what happened.  Another friend said—Didn’t you fall a couple of years ago coming down your steps here in AZ?  You better be more careful.  When he and his wife left, I made sure I turned on all the lights.  Didn’t want to a have a bloody mess at my place! And all the paperwork!!!!

Yes, we sorta kinda poked fun of our friend who fell on his face but in reality, we all fall on our faces almost every day but in different ways (i.e. at least I do).  I came down here to AZ with no agenda and was not going to do anything in a hurry.  Now that is hard to do for me; I didn’t want to lose my balance; I want to stay focused.  I have lost my balance a few times but did sorta kinda correct it. I probably will always fight this temptation.  There are soooo many things to do and soooo many folks to be around. I want to be me and not what others want me to be (i.e. that can be hard to do). Not just here but wherever I am.  I don’t want to be a phony; I don’t want to compete for whatever I’m trying to complete for (i.e. I don’t even know what that is sometimes).  Does that sound crazy to you? I thought soooo! While eating my oatmeal with half a banana on it, I read what Tony Dungy said—Refuse to be defined by your career or accomplishments but determine your life by your every day life (i.e. who you are every day). I read somewhere that the love of money is the root of all evil.  BUT GeorgeTheCrook, who doesn't always want to show his face, says--I just can't get enough of it! I love it. It's my life.

I have talked to some real smart folks (i.e. those real smart folks are some of you) as to what the future of our country is going to be or even our world.  The conclusion seems to be—I don’t know; it will be interesting!  Sooooo you ask me what I think. Well, I have always said, soooo I will stick with it, that for it to really change we will need a catastrophe (i.e. something bad to happen). BUT I'm sorta kinda like the good ol' joke about the economists predicting ten of the last five recessions! Look at history, it has always been that way. It’s no rocket science folks.  But I have no idea what that catastrophe will be.  But it isn’t if but when (i.e. that is my opinion). Soooooo don’t be surprised when it happens.  Do you know how much money some folks (i.e. you guys) have made because of COVID?  I can only imagine. How many new campers have been bought anyway! Many of you folks have never had it soooooo goooood! Common sense says that it can’t continue forever. Can it? Most of the folks who went through the depression aren’t around anymore (i.e. no one remembers it hardly).  I can’t imagine how tough that was. Like a friend said at our little party—Most of us have never had it soooo good. I agree my friend, most of our problems are first world problems like are folks going to buy a $80,000 pickup or a lake cabin or both. A friend called me and told me that he wanted to buy an Iowa farm that he worked on when he was a kid.  He bid up to $15,000 an acre. It sold for $19,000. Very few folks in the world could buy one acre besides a whole farm! Many wonder what they are going to eat today.  Isn’t that a huge massive difference? A friend told me that the house he lives in he could no longer buy now; it doubled in price in the last couple of years (i.e. don’t kid yourself, that is more than 6% inflation folks).

A friend I made maybe 6 or 7 years ago through pickleball hunts elk in his home state of WY (i.e. up ‘er in ‘em mountains).  He was telling me that he always carries a compass as it is soooo easy to get confused especially if it starts to snow hard.  He also told me and showed me how he confuses the bull elk by bugling for them.  The bulls think there is another bull in their territory; there is, a fake elk bull! He uses his hands and voice and he sounds just like a bull elk.  He hunts with a bow and says that sometimes they come rushing to him and are maybe 3 feet away.  He can’t even shoot as when he moves, they are gone. I bet to learn to talk like an old bull elk doesn't happen over night!

When in CO our family went for a family walk/hike.  It was a hoot.  I asked my granddaughters, who can melt my heart, if they will hold my hands six years from now—sure we will grandpa; we will probably be in college, and you will come to see us in your car that flies—could be—they said we would never go to the moon. These gals are soooo nice to me and sweet. One of them got up at 5 to come with their mother to take me to the airport when I left; now that is special.

Thanksgiving day, I asked all our grandkids to write what they are thankful for.  Henry, who I call Rookie age 8 wrote—I’m thankful for everything that I like, and my friends, and school and pets, and fun. Also I’m thankful that God created me. Also I’m thankful to have a family who loves me, and friends who play with me. Easton who I call Jimmer age 9 wrote—I am thankful for my family because I could not have one and they are nice, and I love them so much so I am thankful for them.  Charlotte who I call Charlie almost 12 wrote—my family, my friends, books, food, kindness, clothing, loyalty, truth, sports, culture, laughter, pain, ceremonies/celebrations, parties, dogs, life, plants, the universe, love, cameras, evolution, the past, bravery, humor, water, the five senses, quantity, technology, warmth, coldness, softness, smoothness, animals, companionship, gatherings, paper and pencils, words.  Erin who I call Buggy age 14 wrote—I am thankful for family and friends. I am thankful for ice cream and smiley faces, for music and fall colors. For school and books. For my phone and ability to connect to others through social media. For food and water. I am thankful for my life and a chance to write my own story.  ~  It’s always great to hear what kids say; they seem to be more real; adults seem to be more programed and maybe not soooo real (i.e. fakie; politically correct).

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

erv

MyFriendJean said--Forget yourself and think of others--you'll quickly find joy in your life.

The tip of the day comes from Benjamin Franklin who penciled the old truism--Fish and visitors stink after three days.