improvisation

What is said and what is understood will not always be the same for sure in this “It’s Saturday.” One of the reasons is that our past environments are different. Example—I know a gal here in our 55+ community that grew up in IA but lived some time on the east coast and then some time in CO. Those three geographic areas influenced her, I think.  Now she is who she is but basically, she still is a mid-western IA gal, my opinion. Like the old saying, you can take the gal off the farm, but you can’t take the farm out of the gal!

ImpromptuJoeNincompoop asks—What now folks? I want an instant transformation—a total makeover in an hour (i.e. like they do to women on TV).  As I walk through or bike through our 55+ community of about 1,000 units which when full in January through March amounts about to maybe 1,500 folks, I see folks’ personalities shown through by their winter homes, personal property, stuff and even themselves. Maybe they think they are going to change by being in AZ but basically, they don’t change much or completely or even maybe not at all. They are pretty much the same as they were when in WA, MT, IA, AK, SD, ND, CO, MI, MN, Canada, WI or any other state or country. Folks don’t change much in an hour or day or a few months of spending the winter here in AZ. Our park appears to have a midwestern flavor to it I have been told.  We have very few folks from the East Coast, from the South or West Coast but mainly folks with a midwestern background mentality. As BettySnowbird who seems like the calls always go her way, said to me—We bought here for a special winter lifestyle (i.e. maybe a repurposing lifestyle). I don’t think this lifestyle is an improvisation. But it could be. Some folks are flying high!

I have found out once again that folks are pretty independent and want it their way. Ya, they like group activities and do a lot of different things but the bottom line is still they like it their way. I think this is especially true with retired folks who are down here in the Valley.  They like to think for themselves even if they say they don’t. It is even more pronounced when folks have some amount of spendable income to do with what they want. Ah, the money! BUT I have seen these independent folks do amazing things if they want to and if they have toooooo.  They can do it alright! They are very capable let me tell ya even though they might be gallivanting around!

Dr.J says--In English class, we learn that a simile is a figure of speech used to make comparisons using the words as and like, words that occur nearly ninety times in the book of Proverbs. That book is filled with comparisons between wisdom and folly (i.e. I don’t remembering learning about similes at good ol’ Danube High but maybe I wasn’t listening). For example, Proverbs 25:28 says, “Whoever has no rule over his own spirit is like a city broken down, without walls.” Soooo I question myself as I ponder, what is wisdom and what is folly in my life? Aren’t we something else! We sorta kinda put on an improvisation sometimes, maybe. It’s like an old saying—When a potential client of a CPA asked them what is the answer of 2 + 2 and the CPA answers, what do you want it to be!

It might be an improvisation, but it might work.  I transported my DISH receiver from IA to AZ.  I put it together but couldn’t get a signal soooo I called DISH.  They could not help sooo they said they would send a technician in the morning. Wow! Okay. He arrived about 7:45 and fixed my problem and also explained that my TV isn’t a smart TV but my DISH Hopper does have the ability to get wi-fi—really—I’ll show you sooo he just did it for me soooo now I can watch Thursday night NFL.  This guy was personal and professional (i.e. an independent contractor).  I asked him if DISH treats him well—they do—I bet you treat them well tooooo—I do—If they call you and ask how I did and you respond very positive they give me a $5 bonus, enough to buy about half a burger—I will—thank you for doing that. I don’t think he was giving me an impromptu performance but was real, but I think it’s an incentive for him to do a good job.  Huh, interesting. Money does the trick!

TomSmart who always seems to be running down hill with the wind at his back, says--It appears that the door to happiness opens from the inside and not the outside.  What I think that means is when folks try to sell you something they are telling you that if you buy stuff you will be happy a.k.a. capitalism but that is not how any of us can really become happy (i.e. my opinion). Okay maybe for a short time! I think again we need to get the inside right to have lasting happiness and that can be hard. I know folks that, I think, are really happy folks. They might not have the most stuff but are very content (i.e. as a friend who has many options says--I like my live style). Some could have a lot more stuff but they don’t want more stuff and others are content even though they can’t afford to have more stuff. But regardless, they are happy folks. Maybe happiness is an impromptu attitude for some. Could it be genetic or is it because of our past environment or current environment? What do you think? That is what I thought. Are you a happy person?

When I was in CO on my way down here to AZ last fall, our family went on a 4+ mile hike.  During our hike I asked our 15-year-old granddaughter, Erin, what she thought she wanted to be.  She thought that day she wanted to be a cardiac sonographer and live in a van. She made me laugh! I don’t think she said that as an impromptu response. I do know that she can hike faster than I can and is a lot smarter than I am. She just might do that! She is a focused gal. When I was a freshman in high school, I didn’t know much about anything (i.e. my world was extremely small living on the o’l farm a mile and a quarter south of Roseland, MN).  Of course, that was a zillion years ago!  It is hard to imagine that many girls back then graduated from high school at the age of 16, 17 or 18 and married their high school sweetheart and got their MRS degree.  Of course, they took home economics in high school soooo they were ready to go! They accomplished their goal. They never heard of or thought of being a cardiac sonographer back then. For that matter, I would guess they never thought about living in a van either! haha

I had a classmate at Roseland elementary. She had a hard time academically but still was ranked in the top 6 in our class. Of course, we only had 6 in our class. A few years ago, I asked someone from Roseland what happened to her.  They didn’t know if she graduated from high school but she married a farm boy, raised a family, worked hard and now they own many farms and are very rich and probably drives one of those big pickups.  Soooo there you go! I would guess she never dreamed that she would end up with that lifestyle but maybe.  Saturday question—Did you ever dream you would end up like you are? What are your dreams of your future?

Make no bones about it, it ain’t no improvisation folks; this is what Tony Dungy says—"When you are in a volatile situation, don’t make things worse by letting anger get the better of you. Be wiser than hot-tempered people with short fuses. Control yourself. Keep your mouth shut and if necessary, just walk away and maybe revisit it another day. Don’t compound the situation by getting angry back at them.” My experience is that you can’t reason with an angry person. Soooo don’t try. It’s a waste of my time!  Provers 22:24-25 says—Don’t befriend angry people or associate with hot-tempered people or you will learn to be like them and endanger your soul.”  Ouchy ouchy! Now that could be wisdom folks, it just might be! SusieQ who would be a great center linebacker says—Angry folks are just frustrating and  a waste of my time!

I have had several of you contact me and ask what are going to do; erv, you didn't say.  Yes, I didn't.  Time will tell.  BUT maybe there is a time to pray and a time to act. Like JohnThePastor said last Sunday--When you get to be seniors the clock is going tick tock tic tock!  Many folks and churches do a lot of praying but do little action.  Look what they did in 2022.  Many seniors really haven't done much in 2022 either except maybe gained a few pounds. AverageJoe says--erv, I'm good at that!

I asked a golf buddy while playing the other day--Soooo are you married to the gal you live with or not--oh, we're married, but not officially--sooooo what does that mean--we say we are and feel we are but aren't really officially--soooo what does the Pope say about that--we don't believe everything that the Pope thinks; we would lose $4,000 a year if we would get married--soooo it's about the money--ya, it is; but erv, we are having a friend marry us to please the folks but still maybe we aren't really married legally according to the government--is that sorta kinda a fake marriage then? He went and hit his ball! Soooo folks, is that a improvisation?

Folks, remember that 99% of my life is just ordinary stuff, maybe probably just like yours.  I’m just an OrdinaryJoe.  Nuttin special about me. Actually, I’m pretty boring! Sometimes not even guidable. I have heard life stories of many retirees and some of their life stories seem unbelievable, incredible.  Some of yours are tooooo I would assume.  We all live different lives now don’t we. Some are rather tame compared to others. ItchieBitchie says--BUT it does appear that givers are happy folks. 

Epictetus, a Greek phosphor who died 135 AD said--"If you want to improve, be content to be thought foolish and stupid." What Epictetus meant and how I understand it might be way different. RustyTheRoadrunner says--Then again erv, does it really matter!  And do others even care! The reality is there are few to done that really care what you think erv.  And you know what BigEgoJoe, very few toooo none really care what you think either even though you make a lot of noise. Thanksamillion RustyTheRoadrunner for your input!

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

erv

MyFriendJean said--Invest in the power of love, not the love of power. MyFriendJean passed on in 2020 at the age of 92. She was a neat lady who I miss. She was the real deal! Not an improvisation, my opinion. Here is a story a pickleball friend told me of another pickleball friend that we made about 10 years ago down here in the Valley. He went to the doctor for his Medicare physical.  The doctor said all his numbers look good and you are healthy. The doc than asked him the standard questions like do you get dizzy, do you smoke, do you drink--our friend said, yes, I like my beer--how much do you drink--about 9 bottles--in a month or a week--no, in a day--you drink 9 bottles of beer every day--well, some days I drink 6 and some days maybe 12 but it averages to about 9 a day--how long have you been doing this--let's see, I'm 72 now and I started probably when I was 20 sooooo I guess for about 52 years--the doc didn't know what to say and finally said--well, I guess keep it up!