the real thing

My nephew-in-law says--I asked the gym instructor if he could teach me to do the splits. He replied, "How flexible are you?" I said, " I can't  make in on Tuesdays."

I know folks, many are you, that are the real thing; there is nuttin phony, flakey or smokey about you.  You are my kind of folks.  No question. Some of you are great folks, the real thing, with good hearts. Some of  you don't look the part which even makes you even better (i.e. you are very humble). You don't have to have a new $150 biking outfit and ride a new $3,000 popular e-bike and brag that you rode 8.2 miles! You might have burned 132 calories but the ice cream you had afterwards had 643 calories Oh well, if it make you feel good!  A friend told  me at breakfast this week that an acquaintance takes a weight reduction shot ever month at $1,000 a pop and he has lost 90 pounds. Soooo there. I golfed with three friends recently (i.e. all old coots).  The oldest and probably the best golfer was telling us he takes a 4 in 1 pill a.k.a. MP multi purpose pill. His doctor prescribed it for controlling his blood pressure as it is very reliable and effective but it was originally designed for ED. Other side effects are it reduces the size of an enlarged prostrate and it also improves a guy's golf game.  Now he is getting his money's worth. It's hard to be able to compete with my friends who have the latest golf equipment and the latest medication. Another old coot in our group who is a retired professional writer a.k.a. Valedictorian always says--Every good story is embellished a little bit!  Well, Jack be nimble, Jack be quick!

Do you buy the real thing or a knock off product?  Some folks will only buy the real thing as they say there is a difference and others say it’s the same product but just under a different label. JoeBlow says—Folks are just buying a brand name (e.g. John Deere), that’s all.  Some of you will always buy the most expensive and others of you will always buy the cheapest.  ItchieBitchie, who is impossible to ignore, says--What do you think? I think if a person has a lot of money, does it really make any difference?

Soooo I asked a guy in our ol’ goats golf group I played with—What brand of seed corn do you plant.  I plant xyz brand as I think it’s the best but I don’t know if it is, but I think soooo and that’s all that matters; it’s the most expensive toooo soooo that makes me think it’s the best.  Besides, my dad always used that brand too. I said to him--Sooo whatever makes you feel good is the best for you. He laughed. He then said—Besides I like their free seed corn caps the best and they give me free golf balls toooo! JoeBusinessman says--The rule of thumb to get and keep business is always give folks something free; it works all the time. A business owner told me once—If we can’t get rid of a product, we put in the isle with a sign that says—reduced price.  We just say that but it’s the same price.  They go like hotcakes! How easy are we anyway! Someone once said—There’s a sucker born every minute. I hope that a good product and the integrity of the businessperson has something to do with it as to what we buy and who we buy our products from.  But money usually talks a lot; it's all about the money! Such is life.

We had a client who was an old single guy.  He would come into our office on a regular basis to just talk to the support staff (i.e. he was probably lonely and bored). After a while the girls caught onto his routine of talking to them, taking a free pen, and using the bathroom. Sooooo, when they saw him coming, they would hide the pens and put a sign up on the bathroom door—Sorry, out of order.  His aim wasn’t very good the girls said! Soooo, when I sold his house after his death, there were 33 Campbell-Mellema Insurance and Real Estate pens in a drawer.  Hey, they were free!

I try to seek the real thing, what I mean about that is, I will try to educate myself with facts as to what is real and not just baloney. It is really hard to tell sometimes, I think.  I can ask KnowItAllRalph, my neighbor, but that is just what I get, his biased, uneducated opinion. BUT some folks listen to him, but very few! I like to ask questions of smart folks who are educated or have a lot of experience in the areas I wonder about. And even those smart folks will tell me sometimes that they just don’t know. Soooo how do we really find out what is the real thing.  WildWillie says—I watch the TV news 24-7; it’s the real thing ‘cause they tell me it is.  Then I go to Facebook and double check!  I’m up on things let me tell ya!  I even talk to folks that think just like me at church (i.e. our little holy huddle) soooo its got to be right.

The truth a.k.a. the real thing by David, anybody can be a David--“The present self ‘is,’ and the former self ‘was,’ and, in truth, that which ‘was’ is not identical with that which ‘is.’”  My Daddy, Chester, would say—erv, the good folks don’t have to tell other folks they are good, everyone knows that.  Soooo I wonder then why some folk make a lot of noise in telling others how great they are.  I wonder.  WorldClassLarry, who is a can-do kind of person, says--The real thing is the real thing, isn’t it.  Abraham Lincoln said—You can fool some of the people all the time, all the people some of the time but you can’t fool all the people all the time. I think Abe is right.  What do you think?  That is what I thought. I know some great folks, who many of you are. Yes you are. And some, well maybe think they are but… GeorgeTheCrook says—erv, your interpretation of great might be different than mine. Now that surely could be true GeorgeTheCrook. That could be the truth! GeorgeTheCrook, it will be interesting what you write about yourself in your obituary! I think you will pump yourself up big time! And you surely may, you are the one paying for it! My mentor would say—erv, most folks get a lot better after they die!

I read in the paper, soooo it must be right, that folks in their 80s are happier than folks in their 20s. You believe that?  It said—They don’t deal with folks they don’t like. They choose their associates and associations much more carefully as they get older. As folks get older, they get more selective. They start cutting loose folks that need cutting loose. They don’t deal with folks they don’t like. Saturday question—Is this the real thing? I have a friend who I am thinking about who really accepts folks as they are. They tell me not to judge folks.  I think those are great qualities. I try! But sometimes it’s easier to just not be around them (i.e. out of sight out of mind).  Ouchy ouchy!

“There are far, better things ahead than anything we leave behind.”—C.S. Lewis – 1898-1963 – writer.  Mr. Lewis was a non-believer who changed into a believer after studying a lot.  He wrote a lot; he was a very deep thinker.  He is still quoted a lot and his writings are still studied a lot yet today (i.e. but hard to understand by many including me).  Even though he was a great man, each day at 4, he sat at the end of the bar and had a pint and would talk to anyone, a regular AverageJoe or as a friend would call him, a common person. I would have really liked to have talked to him. Yes, I would have. I think a very interesting man. He really seems to have been the real thing.

Have you ever had your life going like it’s all unicorns and rainbows (i.e. a maybe wonderful but often a unrealistic scenario). It really feels good though now doesn’t it.  It’s when it seems everything is going your way.  Like you are living in paradise. But can it last?  MissPerfect, who loves to be in the spot light, says—In my life it doesn’t; usually real-life pops it head up. Our son tells me that I am living a life of unicorns and rainbows.  And I love it.  I’ll take it! I hope it lasts forever. I'm going to enjoy it now; now is now!

I have written a plan for the rest of my life.  I hope it is the real thing (i.e. I mean, I hope I can live it out with gusto). It’s more of an attitude plan than a step-by-step plan of accomplishments.  I suggest you write a plan for the rest of your life.  I think it’s a great idea.  My opinion. My mentor taught me to do a net worth statement each year (i.e. sorta kinda a measuring stick of sorts as far as money is concerned). I think it’s equally important to have a plan for the rest of our lives for doing stuff that is really important. Again, that’s my opinion. If your plan is to sit on the couch and eat chips and coast on out, it won’t take you long! My suggestion is to enjoy our plans now (i.e. today is the day folks)! And to live it to the maximum! Hop to it!

Saturday question—Are you playing the role or are you the real thing (i.e. the real McCoy)? A friend, who is certified exciting, was invited to be a part of a small group of women. One of the gals is the Queen of the City (i.e. she describes her as owning half of the city).  She is a widow lady who drives a new sports car and is loaded with money (i.e. has money coming out of her ears).  She does have a serious health issue that her money can’t fix.  ANYWAY, my friend thought she is not very happy even though she has many business acquaintances, socializes in the high-end social groups, and knows many elite folks (i.e. the Queen of the Pile).  It seemed to my friend, who is soooo kind, that she really doesn’t have anyone who really cares about her even though she is the Queen of the City.  Sooooo my friend communicated with her and told her that she cared about her.  The Queen of the City thanked her profusely and was soooo appreciative.  Their relationship took a 180.  Sooooo what did you folks learn from this?  That is what I thought. SusieQ says—I learned if I want to be Queen of the City I need to find a better paying job or marry rich or inherit a lot!

Are you an independent person and think for yourself or are you more a person that believes whatever others tell you?  Do you make up your own mind or let others make up your mind for you? Do you believe whatever way the wind blows? Are you open-minded or very narrow minded? Are you just like your past environment? Are you a copycat of your parents? Are you totally influenced by crazy ideas? Are you really your own thing; your own real thing?

JoeFriend asked--Soooo, I heard it said--We are who we are, not what we have.  Soooo erv, are you the real thing?

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

erv

MyFriendJean said—Being told something for your own good seldom does you any.

BOUNIS COVEAGE:  

A very old man lay dying in his bed. In death's doorway, he suddenly smelled the aroma of his favorite chocolate chip cookie wafting up the stairs.

He gathered his remaining strength and lifted himself from the bed.
Leaning against the wall, he slowly made his way out of the bedroom, and with even greater effort forced himself down the stairs, gripping the railing with both hands.

With labored breath, he leaned against the door frame, gazing into the kitchen. Were it not for
death's agony, he would have thought himself already in heaven.

There, spread out on newspapers on the kitchen table were literally hundreds of his favorite chocolate chip cookies.

Was it heaven? Or was it one final act of heroic love from his devoted wife, seeing to it that he left this world a happy man?

Mustering one great final effort, he threw himself toward the table. The aged and withered hand, shaking, made its way to a cookie at the edge of the table, when he was suddenly smacked with a spatula by his wife.

"Stay out of those," she said. "They're for the funeral."