don't give a rip

BigMouthHarriet who is a great button pusher, says--Hey, listen folks, rumors take on a life of their
own. I don’t think that statement is a rumor!  I also don’t think anything in this “It’s Saturday” is a rumor.  SusieQ who is a very good bushwhacker, says—BUT folks do like rumors soooo some of you might make it a rumor! Hey, listen folks, I can’t stop you from misunderstanding me. I can’t, it’s impossible. Saturday question—Have you ever been misunderstood? 

Dr. Seuss said--There is no one "you'er than you!"  You are unique. Your finger prints are unique, your iris pattern is unique, and your DNA is unique. There is no one like you. Soooo why should anyone think like you?

Hey Bub, very few folks give a rip what I say. I realize that. Take that into consideration when reading this “It’s Saturday.” I’m really not that important. It’s like I don’t make much of a ripple if I jump in the ocean.  Some of you are a little bigger and maybe you might make a little bigger ripple in the ocean. Big on the maybe. haha We are pretty little compared to the ocean folks no matter how important we think we are. It reminds me of this story I heard.  There was a lawyer, a preacher and a doctor all hunting deer in northern MI.  They see this 14-point buck in the clearing and all shoot at the same time. It falls dead soooo they all think they are the one who made the kill.  They all thought it was their deer head to mount on the wall in their living room (i.e. their wives just can’t wait).  A game warden came along and asked them what the problem was. They told him and he said he would examine the deer and he might be able to determine which one of them actually did kill the deer.  After his examination, he told them it was the pastor who killed the deer.  Sooooo they asked him—how can you tell—it went in one ear and out the other.

GeorgeTheCrook  who always has his antenna up, says--They don’t give a rip about the person but just pretend they do, they only care about their money!  CNBC says, soooo it must be right--Online romance scams took more than five hundred million dollars from victims in 2021. Often the scammers’ lives seem mysterious and intriguing to the victims, and the interactions and requests for money occur without the individuals ever meeting in person.

MissPerfect who likes to role the dice, says—Where am I anyway? When I look at my big picture of where I am, well now, that can change my perspective. Really folks. Yabut, I like to dwell on one little negative thing that’s not going my way which distorts my big picture (e.g. like someone hurting my feelings).  Why do I do that? Am I wacko or what!  I don’t know ItchieBitchie, I just don’t know. A friend told me that she talked to a mutual pickleball acquaintance/friend here in the park and they think I’m lonely.  Are you erv?  I don’t really think soooo, but I might be; now that is hard to measure, I think.  If I am, it’s just a small part of my big life. BUT I must admit, connections with folks are fun and they lift my spirt (i.e. some folks do that more than others, for sure).  You folks will read different things into that statement. haha  I will probably get misunderstood. Such is life.

I am in the process of making some small changes in my life, nothing earth changing at less yet!  Now I got you wondering again.  I had to laugh when Old-IRS-Bill, a golf buddy, asked me the first time he saw me this winter—erv, have you got engaged since I saw you; you kind of keep us in the dark! GeorgeTheCrook says--It's a good idea to keep IRS agents in the dark! Hey, my old golf buddies do really give a rip about me, they do, I think!  ANYWAY, if I change anything there is no guarantee that my life will get better but if I don’t change anything, I will bet for sure it won’t change! I think that every day we need to thrive to make our life better. I do! I try!

Some folks have told me that they have made new friends here down in the Valley.  Some have told me that they have really been blessed by God in their life by such friends. God has answered their prayers in unbelievable ways, incredible!  They are very thankful and humble about it.  These folks are remarkable and amazing, my opinion.  Sooooo I read what Matt (i.e. anybody can be a Matt) said in his writing—"Think about one of the greatest gifts you have received. I am not talking about something you found under the tree one Christmas morning. Think bigger, more miraculous. Maybe it was a time when you were out of work and a job materialized that could not be traced to all the resumes you sent out. Or when you were sick and got better much faster than the doctors thought you would. Or when you were very worried about someone you cared for and through a series of circumstances you still cannot understand, the problem was resolved. What was your response? Weren’t you so incredibly thankful?”  Or do we just didn’t give a rip after we get what we what!  Here is a story in the Bible that is soooo reflective of giving thanks that is soooo real--“Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, ‘Jesus, Master, have pity on us!’ When he saw them, he said, ‘Go, show yourselves to the priests.’ And as they went, they were cleansed. One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him – and he was a Samaritan. Jesus asked, ‘Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?’ Then he said to him, ‘Rise and go; your faith has made you well’” (Luke 17:11-19). Hey God, I have made some great friends who I really like, now that makes sense, down here in the Valley of the Sun and I say thank you God!  

I have some old friends who I play golf with (i.e. old in more ways that one haha).  I really like these guys.  Our leader, The Great Shedlowsky, says--"This game is hard enough without you guys talking all the time!" Soooo we treated him just like the pros.  We compared his score; it didn't seem to make much difference haha!  GovernmentMike was telling us how much he enjoyed his job through this life; the only thing I would have done different, he said, was invested more aggressively. Da!  He also said--A good doctor has to have a lot of patients! Da!  I asked TheIRS-Agent what his best line was. He said--They would put me at the end of the fancy table of the board room and give me a rickety old folding chair that was lower than their fancy mahogany board chairs to make me feel little (i.e. he's about 5.6" anyway sooo it didn't take much haha).  He would stand up and put his hands on the table and say--Ladies and gentlemen, this is a very simple game we will play, it's called "'proof or consequences!" It changed the tone of the room real quickly! These guys are a hoot!

I give a rip.  A person who I sure enjoyed being around told me this about themselves—I’m a little headstrong and set in my ways! She is and that is what makes her who she is. She makes me laugh. Hey listen, when you are dealing with folks who are in their middle 70s what can you expect. They don’t give a rip what others think of them (i.e. not toooooo much anyway but they do a little as they still have an image to protect). Hey, listen, when we are in our mid 70s we have a new chapter in life, especially if we are single. Mid 70s folks have been around the block a few times let me tell ya! They’re not rookies! Many are pretty gritty and can be as tough as nails. BUT in their inside, most are sweet and kind and give a rip! Most are pretty neat folks!

Soooooo I got up early the other morning, made myself a cup of coffee and was thinking about a certain situation in my life.  Not a bad situation, actually a very fun situation but sorta kinda a confusing situation to me.  You ever have any of those situations? I didn’t want to jump to a bad conclusion and was just pondering the alternatives and thought of this--The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but he who heeds counsel is wise. Do I think I am right and not thinking about it from both sides? The danger of thinking I’m right on the basis of my own opinion is that it leaves no room for hearing the opinions of others—of receiving counsel and wisdom from those wiser than me. This is really a fun process I am in; really fun. A friend recently asked me what I thought about a cultural debate and I said I didn’t know; I really don’t know. Then this friend went on and told me their opinion. I still don’t know but did listen to their opinion. It was refreshing to just listen. I read somewhere that wisdom and humility go together; pride and arrogance also go together. Hey, listen folks, when you are a little ol’ farm boy from a mile and quarter south of Roseland, MN, you take all the help you can get!

I was watching Division I Men’s Basketball the other night and was thinking how can all those guys stay academic eligible. Soooo I texted a couple of friends. One was a Dean at a Division I school and the other was a long time tutor for Division I athletes.  They both said great tutors maybe! I never hear of any of them being academic ineligible anymore. Huh, interesting. I don’t understand that; it sounds fishy to me. Soooo the other day I was dropping off a book at our park’s library and noticed that there were maybe 20 women in the pool room. I stuck my head in there and there was a guy giving them beginner lessons. Just happened that I knew a couple of the gals at the first table and the coach was teaching them the proper gripe and proper stroke.  I learned a lot in about 2 minutes. It seems it always helps to have a teacher, coach, mentor etc. who teaches us the proper methods when we start.  Huh, interesting. Now YouTube has a lot of tutorials that are very helpful for us to mimic. All good basketball shooters as an example pretty much shoot the same.  I realize that many of you don’t give a rip about shooting pool or shooting a basketball, but you do care about money investing, parenting, relationship skills, passing a test, taking all the advantages on your taxes, etc.

Abraham Lincoln, March 4, 1865, ended his ‘Second Inaugural Address’—"With malice toward none; with charity for all; with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nation’s wounds; to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan — to do all which may achieve and cherish, a just and a lasting peace, among ourselves, and with all nations.”  Do you think all the folks understood what he was saying?  Do you think all of us understand what he was saying? I don’t think our minds think alike and understand the same. They can’t. We have different genetics, different past environments, and different current environments.  Such is life.

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

erv

MyFriendJean said--Doing what you like is freedom...liking what you do is happiness.