did I get fooled again

I wonder if you folks listen to what I say in “It’s Saturday.”  Why I say that is I just read this story of President FDR--He hated White House Reception lines. He always said, you shake hands and speak but nobody really listens to you. Soooo at one reception he decided to try something different. So, with a firm handshake and big smile he said to his guests—I murdered my mother in-law last night.  He said some of the people answers were, that’s nice, how lovely, keep up the good work!  Finally, a foreign diplomat leaned down and whispered into his ear, I’m sure she had it coming.

SusieQ says--Anyone who says money doesn't buy happiness just doesn't know where to go...shopping! The thing that makes deception so deadly is that those who are deceived don’t know it. Once they realize they were deceived, they aren’t deceived any more (i.e. what a big disappointment most times when a person finds out that they have been deceived). And most folks never know they were deceived (i.e. I could be one of them, I will never know probably).  Ouchy ouchy!  I really enjoy real folks, not soooo much phonies and fakes!  I have had the opportunity to meet some great folks recently, they appear to mirror my thinking and feelings a.k.a. the real deals just like many of you folks who are the salt of the earth).  What a great experience and stimulation.  I don’t think I have been fooled again! They are soooo nice! Well jumping carrot cake!

I read this while eating my oatmeal with half a banana on it—"The religious Jews who had courted Judas’ favor to obtain his cooperation in arresting Jesus cared nothing for him (i.e. they deceived him with money—it usually works). They simply used him. The devil’s crowd will flatter you and see that you will prosper as long as they can use you, but when there is no longer anything in it for them, they will forsake you just as the chief priests did Judas (i.e. threw him under the bus).”  It’s a great form of deception, sucker! That is why many folks don’t trust folks when they are nice to them. They think they say nice stuff to gain an advantage of some kind (i.e. many gals have heard most of the lines before and some were deceived—ya mix those lines with alcohol and it usually ends up bad like the Fast Fredies). It’s quite simple and probably a good thinking in trying to make sure first. What do you think?  That is what I thought. It’s like a golf buddy who gives putts of almost any length to fellow players.  We asked him why he does that—I want folks to like me!

JoeBlowFromLasVegas says--In competition of most forms, we try to gain an advantage.  Find their weak spot and go after it (e.g. stroke their ego). Just as an athlete or military person’s success depends partly on how well they know their opponent—they scout their opponent—they find their weakness or trends and then go after them (i.e. their juggler) in an attack mode. In competitive pickleball, opponents try to find the weak player or find the weakness of their opponent and attach it relentlessly; it works. In Las Vegas, they serve alcohol using pretty women with seductive clothing on to get gamblers to make poor choices (i.e. and it works).  Bingo! It’s all about the money folks, don’t kid yourself!

Have you ever heard the idiom seeing through rose-colored glasses? It’s used to describe someone who always sees a person or a situation in a positive way, sometimes to the point of thinking it is better than it actually is. Maybe even getting folks to become soooo positive that they can’t go wrong! Tell folks what they want to hear and then stroke them; or even give them a little success before smacking them. In our business we really never had a major problem with account receivables but had of course some concerns (i.e. it’s hard not to but it helps to do business with good folks and not to be naïve and greedy).  Folks who had bad credit reputations we guarded, took precautions and watched closely but the ones that were most difficult were the ones who were good for years and then turn bad because for many reasons (i.e. gottcha). It appears that this scenario happens in relationships as well sometimes.  As the saying goes—If we don’t give you credit you get mad and if we give you credit and you don’t pay we get mad, it’s better that you get mad!

CoachB says--Do you know what you see changes what you do? There is a principle in life that whatever you surround yourself with, whatever you’re looking at, whatever you’re listening to, whatever you’re talking about eventually changes what you do. Soooo folks, what are you looking at, listening to, who are you around and what are you talking about? Soooo get around good folks!  Sooooo be careful folks, be careful. Don’t get fooled again! WorldClassLarry says--There is a thinking of life that says—Associating with the right person is a decision that will determine 90% of your happiness. 90% seems pretty high to me but I agree with the thinking. The right person sure can really make a person soooo happy (i.e. just one person; some folks call it miraculous). A wiseguyfromMI likes that 90% tooo as he endorses the opinion that "Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it!" Such is life!

I went and had my blood pressure measured by some retired nurses in our park. They do this as a service to us seniors, that’s pretty nice of them.  You know what, I told the nurse that took my blood pressure, blood pressures numbers don’t lie.  She laughed and said—but some folks think they do! We teach children to count as a milestone in their early learning.  Do we teach them what counts? I guess we have to decide first, what counts to us.  Usually, adults count their money and sometimes don’t always learn what really counts.  We teach others what counts to us but if we are messed up, then we are teaching maybe tooooo much of the wrong stuff, just maybe.  Now that’s my opinion; there is a big difference between those two.  Maybe both are useful but there is a difference. You think soooo! Talking about numbers, how long is forever going to last? Forever! Now that number is hard for me to fathom!  Soooo where do you want to spend forever?  Rookie when visiting me said—Grandpa, the streets in your park are all the same and infinite!

AverageJoe says--It's sure is a lot harder to get into shape than to get out of shape (i.e. easier to sit on the couch and eat chips and watch a Netflix than to do exercises--lot easier to go down than to go up--lot easier to get into a mess than out of a mess).  Yikes! Saturday question—Have you ever been in a mess?

My Daddy, Chester, would say to me about making a decision—erv test it against the worst possible scenario and if it passes, it’s a good deal.  Hey, things always don’t go well soooo test it against the worst possible result as it might happen.  It just might. The future consumes a lot of our time.  Soooo what is our future going to be?  What can I do to form my future?  Futurism is a big business. Trends, forecasts, economic predictions abound. Fortune-tellers, astrologers, and palm readers market their shadowy views of the future. Many folks work hard in trying to develop their future into the future that they would like it to be, but it always doesn’t work that way now does it?  Many folks feel they must find the right path for their lives.  WorldClassLarry says—Be careful who you listen tooooo and hang around with!  Be careful! Ya don't want to get fooled again.

I heard the statement “good enough isn’t” again recently.  I have heard it many times before; you probably have toooooo.  I think I heard it first in the movie/documentary Free Solo where these mountain climbers climb these 1,000+ feet rock walls with no safety ropes or nets; one slip and they’re dead.  Their statement is “good enough isn’t.”  It is said that in business 80% of businesses fail, yes 80%; “good enough isn’t.” MissPerfect says--Relationships can be hard and many fail; “good enough isn’t.” Now that is thought provoking for me.  MissPerfect says--It is really hard for me to be on the top of my game all the time!

Did I get fooled again? Easter is a very important day for Christians as we believe that Jesus died on the cross to forgive our sins and rose from the dead to give us salvation. I have talked to numerous folks this winter down here in the Valley of the Sun that don't believe in Jesus as described that way but maybe have their own version of Jesus or of God). Sooooo, do you believe that we can be touched by Jesus a.k.a. God and then major changes can happen to us?  Do you think that is possible? Sooooo who do you think is getting fooled here? If any of you have ever been touched by God/Jesus, no one, yes, no one can argue that.  It's undisputable! Undebatable! Miraculous! Incomprehensible! Holy azalea!

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

erv

MyFriendJean said--There was never a person who did anything worth doing that did not receive more than he gave.