resilient

Many of you folks are “top notch” a.k.a. top guns. You do things because you want tooooo and not because you have tooooo.  You see the big picture. You really think about others. My hat goes off toooo you.  I applaud you. I suggest you applaud yourself some but not tooooo much soooo that you get obnoxious! haha

When I bounce a basketball it bounces right back to me--Newton’s Third Law of Motion: for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. But if I just pick my nose and don’t bounce the ball, guess what, nuttin happens; to the basketball anyway! CoachB says—"Volunteering counteracts effects of stress, anger and anxiety. The social contact aspect of helping and working with others can have a profound impact on your overall psychological wellbeing. Nothing relieves stress better than a meaning connection to another person. Volunteering combats depression. Depression is nothing but sad. You sad? Start helping someone else and you’ll find…it’ll start lifting your spirits.”  You believe that?  That is what I thought.  I suggest to my grandkids to do volunteer work even at a young age. I really think it is good for all of us to think of others and not always about ourselves (e.g. like getting a bigger boat).  But that is my opinion and I’m just a little ol’ farm boy from a mile and quarter south of Roseland, MN.  Idea—Try helping someone who can’t help you back. AttentionGettingLiz says—That won’t help me get any attention.  I like attention and glory.  Yes, I do. I like to ring my bell soooo folks will notice me! 

I was jogging and ran into an acquaintance and I asked him what he has done recently that is exciting—I am helping our son’s girlfriend get a car; I got a good deal on one that needs some body work which I can do and am going to sell it to her for what I have in it—wow! that’s nice of you—I won’t give it to her until she pays me for it (i.e. saves the money to pay cash); her and her family are terrible money managers; for every dollar they make they spend 2 and have credit cards maxed out at probably 19% interest—not good—are you trying to teach her—I am but it is really hard; my wife came from the same type of family and after all our years, she still doesn’t understand money management (i.e. her money management mentality just keeps bouncing back to her default programming). Saturday question—Sooooo how can that mentality be changed?  FYI, I did throw away my jogging shoes that I use when jogging on the golf course early in the morning when the grass is wet!  I just can’t get any more mileage out of those suckers!  I got a lot of bang for my buck from those suckers let me tell ya! haha

The other morning, I was sitting in my sun porch doing my devotions and drinking my coffee and watching the hummingbirds drink from a window feeder about eight feet from me.  They were just humming along on their migration to the south.  They seem soooo happy like they have no cares in the world. I thought of sooo many folks who have soooo many cares but yet are soooo productive in their own way.  Very resilient for sure. I’m talking about many of you guys. I’m happy for you. Yes I am. BUT for those hummingbirds to migrate from IA to AZ it’s quite a trip for them. They fly maybe 20 miles a day and it’s about 1,500 miles soooo that is about 75 days.  That’s a lot of wing flapping for those little guys! Those little suckers flap their wings about 80 times a scond (i.e. anywhere from 50 to 200 depending on speed and direction). WildWilling says--Now that is a lot of flapping; almost as many words as my mother-in-law talks per second! And that is when she isn’t even excited!

A golf buddy told me on the 8th tee box that a group of farmers were drinking coffee in The Shed deep in Butler County just on the other side of the Beaver Creek and thought they should buy the Phoenix Suns to diversify their investment other than just Butler County farm ground. They thought they all could throw in a few bucks and form a syndicate.  It sounded like a good investment as Robert Sarver, the majority owner, and his buddies paid 400 million for it in 2004 and the estimated value now is 1.8 billion (i.e. that is almost as good of a return on Butler County farm ground). And if it doesn’t work out, they would complain to the government and get a bail out of some kind.  Grassley just lives just down the road a bit and owns Butler farm ground soooo he would probably help them if they gave him some campaign money.  I don’t know for sure if that story is correct as my golf buddy heard it from the guys at Sinclair grain elevator who heard it from the coffee group at Aplington golf course who heard it from the coffee group at the Parkersburg café who heard it from Aunt Tina from Wellsburg who heard it from her cousin from Kesley who heard it from her sister at coffee after the Sunday service at  the New Hartford Methodist who heard it from her Uncle Harry from Phoenix who heard it from a street person from down town Phoenix who heard it direct from Sarver himself!

TheCrazyCatLady asks--Where does it end on how much we want? Saturday question—How much do you want anyway? I was talking to a friend the other day and she thinks she will live to maybe high 90s as she has longevity in both of her parents.  Well, if that is the case I’m living on borrowed time as my parents, Chester and Anna, died when 56. Yes, some folks do live longer than others. But my big sister, only in age, says she plans to live to 91! Soooo there! I then talked on the phone with a friend who is almost 80. He played golf with his buddies of his age that day and they argued who was captain and what their scores were (i.e. they can’t hear or remember and complain that they can’t play as well as they use tooooo).  He said we sounded like the old guys who we use to make fun of years ago!  That was soooo funny to both of us. Soooo the other morning I was at my Waukee family sitting on their deck drinking coffee. I said—I see your neighbors have their house for sale—ya, he was an old guy, a couple years older than you; we think he died. Holy smokes! I had to laugh! I went home and rode my Yamaha XT250! The clock is tickin’ alright! It’s been that way for ever; it doesn’t change folks no matter who you are. But I’m getting stronger with age. Oh ya! Twenty years ago, I couldn’t carry $30 worth of groceries out of the store but now I can easily do it! In one hand!

Someone left some pears on the table for the taking at church last Sunday. I took a few as I like pears. They were at different stages of ripening.  I had to let some sit out to ripen before they were really good.  It reminded me of us humans, we sometimes have to set out for a while to ripen before we get good. And some just like the pears, just get rotten! Who ever put those pears out there, thanksamillion. 

Do resilient folks have better anticipation?  I wonder if we make a mistake or have something not go our way but can anticipate the next move to get on track fast if we are better off.  JoeBlow, who is a needle mover, says—If we can anticipate the future, it can really make a difference; it puts the odds in our favor.  Soooo can anticipation be taught or learned or is it instinct? It seems by the time one person reacts, the other person has it done already (e.g.. a Red Baron move, maybe that is why he had soooo many kills, he saw them before they saw him maybe). Now that is an advantage for sure. Why is that? CrazyMarvin, who can render me speechless at times, says—I think some folks think when they sleep! Their brain is always running at top speed it seems. JimmieQuick, who is a rain maker, says—I do analytics and that help me; don’t analytics run almost everything anymore?  I think so as long as the analytics are correct that is and not manipulated like the census was soooo some cities could get more free money; it's all about the money. There are no emotions in decision making anymore; there is no guessing; everything is done based on percentages, aren't they? The bean counters make all the decisions. LuckieEddie, who plays his tail off, says—Ya got to be proactive instead of reactive, at least most of the time maybe! BUT NoMistakeEdith, who doesn’t wear shoes out very fast, says—When I’m proactive I make more mistakes; it’s easy to wait and see what works even if I’m behind the curve and miss most of the big success. I don’t hit any homeruns for sure, but I don’t strike out much either. I heard the announcers say that the competitors in the U.S. Tennis Open will wear out maybe several pairs of shoes in one match. Holy smokes, now that is burning the rubber!

As my mentor would say to me—erv, it’s never as bad as it looks and it’s never as good as it looks.  I have concluded that folks really don’t care very much how great you were 20 years ago, 10 years ago or even last year.  They want to know what you are doing now (i.e. in the present). JoeBlow, who is always itchy to do something, says—Some folks do like to talk about their past success when they were in high school (e.g. like when they scored a touchdown), but folks really don’t care to hear about it again now do they, that was 60 years ago. They want to hear what you did this week that is exciting.  Soooo what have you have done with your life this week? Now that is how we bounce back maybe. MissPerfect says—Yabut erv, it’s soooo hard to do something exciting; it’s way easier to sit on the couch and eat chips and watch the news 24/7 and complain. And let me tell you, I’m really good at it.

And how resilient is the earth! Our planet sits on an axis. If that axis shifted one degree the wrong way, we’d burn up. If it shifted one degree the other way, we’d freeze. Our planet is at the perfect angle to sustain life. I have no comprehension how this can work (i.e. His understanding I cannot fathom).  It’s way beyond me. And us humans worry and fret about the dumbest of things.  Aren’t we really something else! Most of us are recalcitrant. Mark Twain once said the two most important days in your life are the day you’re born and the day you find out why. AverageJoe’s wife, I-LikeHolidayInnExpress, says—I think the most exciting days of my life are the day we bought our camper and the day we sold it!

For sure some folks are more resilient than others.  There are maybe many reasons. If we can keep our composure by not getting soooo high or sooo low because of situations, it might be easier to control our emotions.  BUT we all have different DNAs and it might not be possible. Suggestion—Friends tell me that therapy and medication have really made their lives way better. Sooooo maybe seek medical help if you struggle.  I have been told by folks that it can really be a bounce back; it has changed their lives.

For a long time, superhero movies have dominated the film industry. I understand the appeal. I am attracted to stories in which good triumphs over evil. And I find inspiration in characters who have the power to bring order and justice to the world. Many of you folks are superheroes in your own way. Keep it up! Nuttin but good will come out of your actions and your motives.  For sure! It is a sure way to stay resilient, my opinion.

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

erv

MyFriendJean said—Success is simple, do what’s right, the right way, at the right time.