fantastical

John Key, the 38th prime minister of New Zealand from 2008 to 2016, said--"You get out of life what you put into it.  I think you need a bit of luck, but you also make a bit of luck."

This is why I buy newspapers—To get the good, accurate, toooo the point, and information that is new and stimulating.  Maybe this “It’s Saturday” is much like the newspaper heading.  Maybe I just hedge soooo I make everyone feel good (i.e. very wishie washie).  Remember, you get what you pay for.  Sooooo I got a letter form the Waterloo Courier saying my digital subscription is going up from $13 a month to $19.  Soooo I called them and told them it was toooo much—well, we can keep it at $13—is that your lowest price; I get the Arizona Republic digital subscription for 6 months for $1—let me check—I can give it to you for $8.  Fantastical! Everything is a game it seems. 

How is your life JoeEverything, who is a colorful old coot whose therapist says he has HIC (i.e. “he is crazy”)—Fantastical, but it could be better. As the story goes, a very wealthy man was being interviewed by a reporter. Toward the close of the meeting, the reporter looked at the billionaire industrial magnate and boldly asked, “Sir, how much is enough?” With a slight grin, the prominent business leader responded by holding two fingers slightly apart and saying, “Just a little bit more.” That seems to be the motto of our materialistic times: “Just a little bit more.” The world has pretty much tried to condition us to never be satisfied with what we have. Now that is a battle of life for many and maybe all.  Comparison and envy are constantly in our face (i.e. it’s everywhere). SusieQ says—It’s fantastical for capitalism.  BUT, I think capitalism is the best, by far. Look around folks, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure that out. That is unless you don’t want to work and have the government take care of you (i.e. everyone gets rice and beans to eat except the corrupted government leaders). That is my opinion.  BUT I might be wrong, AGAIN!

Many folks won’t make a change until they feel the heat and that many times is pretty late or even toooo late as when we feel the pain of the heat (i.e. the damage is done).  If we see the light before we feel the heat, we are way better off.  Soooo the question is then—how do we see the light? A buddy here in our park just had the fluid behind his eyeball replaced as he couldn’t see very well.  It’s just amazing what they do to fix folks up isn’t it.  Sooooo he got fixed up.  Maybe we need to get fixed up soooo we can see a lot better (i.e. see the light). My opinion is that thinking and meditating and reading good stuff and being around good folks can influence me to see more of the light.  I wonder if many times we know what the light is but don’t head the warnings.  It maybe might save a lot of pain.

I had breakfast with a friend down her in the Valley of the Sun.  He had something he wanted to talk to me about.  We had the best conversation.  We talked about what he wanted to talk about. I don’t know if I helped him much (i.e. I think he solved his own problem), but I think he ended up helping me a lot about a situation I have.  Fantastical!  Isn’t that strange how that works sometimes.  Crazy for sure. What a great time we had. He is soooo smart!

Recently I went for a bike ride in a near by 55+ community.  I was just interested in seeing what that park looked like.  It was pretty much double wide mobile homes with not as many rules as some parks as folks seemed to be allowed to have more freedom with what they could have and do to their places.  There was a guy sitting in the sun on his drive having a late afternoon beer soooo I stopped and talked to him.  Found out that about 50% of the population live here full time and prices range somewhere between $120,000 to maybe $250,000. He told me that he was 60 but looked like 50.  He said more folks say that.  He was from MN but also has a house in SD but lives here most of the time because he got tired of the snow and cold. He was a programmer for a large bank and worked from home.  He liked his situation but maybe it was not fantastical.  He said he wasn’t married but has a son.  He said he did something real terrible, real terrible in his past. I am ok but I was not a good person.  I was real fortunate not to lose my job.  I have dated some, but I enjoy my freedom and I find many women do toooo. I said to him when leaving—peace and prosperity to you and he said—the same to you. I got the impression that he was a good guy but made a big mistake.  Ouchy ouchy! Can any of you folks relate to that?

LuckieEddie, who can get in my head, says—"Employees with an above-average attitude toward their work will generate higher customer satisfaction, high productivity, and higher profits. In addition, companies with higher morale (more than 70 percent) outperformed others in the same industries by 11.3 percent.” It’s fantastical! LuckieEddie, I don’t know if those figures are correct, but the reality is probably.  Missperfect, who is considered snooty at times, says—I think you can include family, church, and individuals to that equation.  The question is how do we ramp up the attitude part of the equation?  GeorgeTheCrook says—When you have leadership that has a good attitude it seems to help (i.e. get around good folks). And if there is a bad apple in the barrel it seems to affect the whole barrel of apples (i.e. stay away from rotten apples).  I can testify to those statements. I really have a choice as to who I choose to be around here in the desert.  If I don’t want to get close to a rattle snake, I just go around them. JoeAtomBomb says—Smile at them, wish them the best, and leave them. YaBut RickyRick says--It’s easy to quickly think of five things that other people do to offend you. But can you name five things you do that offend your spouse, friend, or co-worker? If not, then you can always ask them. They’ll be glad to tell you!

I read in the paper soooo it must be right that the folks of the United States seem to be in a “grand funk.” Why, JoeAverage asks. IckieVkckie says--I know ‘cause I live the life.  Many might say—The list of negative stuff is pretty long (i.e. it seems overwhelming at times)! Here are some interesting figures—The pastor at the church I attend here in the Valley said—On a Sunday morning in the U.S. and Canada combined, there are about 100,000,000 folks who attend church.  That is more than all the folks who attend all kinds of sports events in one year in the U.S. and Canada combined.  That is what he said folks.  Sooooo if this soooo called “grand funk” continues or increases, will that number increase? I was at a group men’s study recently where the facilitator said—In order for a person to get better, they have to get to the very low point (i.e. you can give them stuff to help them but it seems like that doesn’t work; they got to learn it themselves—figure it out themselves). That was his opinion. You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make them drink. JoeCool says—BUT, it helps to put a little salt in their food!  BUT really, facts from newspapers! If you believe them, I have some great land to sell you in the Florida swamp!

My opinion—Ya got to keep moving; ya got to move 6 days a week and rest the seventh.  Ya just got toooo.  It improves your attitude immensely.  Or you can sit on the couch and eat chips and watch the news; now that will kill ya for sure.  Being in a warmer climate sure adds to the opportunity to be outside and move 6 days a week doing a multiple of activities.  It just does. And it seems to help with everyone’s attitude.  It’s not rocket science folks.  WorldClassLarry says--Exercise based on medical science is the #1 thing that you can do to improve your health and increase your life span.  My opinion—And have a much more enjoyable life.  And you gals can wear more Spandex outfits!

This story came from a smart person, a kind person, a survivor who wasn’t born with a gold spoon in her mouth, a person who knows how to milk the cow and did and is humble a.k.a a great one.   COWS DON’T GIVE MILK  A father used to say to his children when they were young—When you all reach the age of 12 I will tell you the secret of life.  One day when the oldest turned 12, he anxiously asked his father what was the secret of life.  The father replied that he was going to tell him, but that he should not reveal it to his brothers. – The secret of life is this. The cow does not give mile. “What are you saying?” Asked the boy incredulously.—As you hear it son, The cow does not give milk, you have to milk it.  You have to get up at 4 in the morning, go to the field, walk through the coral full of manure, tie the tail, hobble the legs of the cow, sit on the stool, place the bucket and do the work yourself.  This is the secret of life, the cow does not give mile.  You milk her or you don’t get milk.  There is the generation that think that cows GIVE milk.  That things are automatic and free, their mentality is that if “I wish, I ask…I obtain.” They have been accustomed to get whatever they want the easy way...But in life is not a matter of wishing, asking and obtaining. The things that one receives are the effort of what one does.  Happiness is the result of effort. Lack of effort creates frustration.

Here is an analogy about the above smart person.  It’s just like “March Madness,”—“survive and move on”  or “lose and you’re done” a.k.a. just hanging on to win and go forward (i.e. winning never gets old). I have to admit that I sorta kinda feel like a “Cinderella team” in the final four (i.e. me and my two sisters were/are survivors; not much different than many of you folks).  ANYWAY, I was on a high school basketball team that went to the MN State Tournament many years ago (i.e. back then it was just one class—a really big deal for little Danube High). I never was in a hotel before and ate very few meals in a restaurant (i.e. I was a little ol’ farm boy from a mile and quarter south of Roseland, MN who probably shot more hoops at the basket on our farm light pole than I did in a gym.  I literally was the kid who when stepped into Williams Area a.k.a. The Barn on the University of MN campus where the state tournament was played who said—This sure would hold a lot of hay! The pic was on Coach Black's(i.e. a very good man) recent funeral program. Yes that is me. My Mom, Anna, always cut my hair with a hand clippers. Really not bad! 

CoachB says—"It’s not going to work unless you do it! Many people are looking for the easy out. They just want to snooze and lay back and have everything just given to them.  Well, most folks who have success in most anything, have put a lot of work into it.  It’s not going to work unless you do it.” Missperfect says—Not entirely soooooo Coach B, I inherited a pile of money and I’m lazy and my sister married money and she hasn’t worked a day in her life (i.e. and let me tell you, she sure has a lot of clothes plus a new car)! CoachB says--Soooo get up and go get your destiny.

ItchieBitchie says—I just love it when everything goes my way (i.e. when I grab the bull by the horns and take charge).  It’s fantastical.  BUT when things don’t go my way, well, that is another story.  I have experienced both! “Incidents and events that make no sense at all now will one day make perfect sense—if not in this life, then in heaven.”—Oneperson’sopinionwhoIagreewith! Let that sizzle in your spirit! Soooo suck it up cupcake and lets get going!

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

erv

MyFriendJean said--A person's heart plans their course, But the Lord directs their steps.