a lot of questions

I question if very few folks can handle success very well. I also question if the few that can are folks who are humble. Look around folks, it’s not rocket science. When we’re successful, it’s much easier to fall hard than it is to maintain our success. I question if we experience success, if the natural tendency is to get proud, it’s soooo human. And I can waffle in being humble and proud, but I know when I’m at my best! No question about it. And it ain’t when I’m proud! Perhaps the challenge of properly handling success is why Albert Einstein once said, “Try not to become a person of success, but rather try to become a person of value.” But the question is, I question if he knew what he is talking about!

I read recently that joy and happiness are created by many things. Da! Research says that Arts and Hobbies, Socializing, and Sports and Games are the top tier. A lower tier is Reading, Studying and Thinking. And the lowest tier is Listening to music, Rest and Napping, and Eating. And the bottom of bottom is Watching TV. You might question that research. I personally question if they have missed the number one area of joy and happiness. That is to love and being loved. You can’t buy that at Costco no matter how large their shopping carts are!

Do we question if our lives change when we are affluent, gifted, and strong? I question if nations change when they are affluent, gifted and strong? The comparison would be to when we are not affluent, not gifted and not strong a.k.a. weak. I read in The Seattle Times (i.e. Seattle is on the west side of the Cascade Mountains) which Is much more liberal than the east side of the Cascades they tell me; (i.e. sorta kinda splits the state); the paper is entertaining to me. I question if the paper is skewed since its a Seattle paper mainly to be read by the Seattle folks. The news I read in the paper is that it seems like everyone is unhappy, everyone! Saturday question—Who are the most joyful and happy folks we know? FlipThePancake, who are the most unjoyful and unhappy folks we know?

Comedic actor W. C. Fields said when asked why he was reading the Bible. He confessed, “I’m looking for a loophole.” Saturday question—Do we look for good or for bad all the time?

LuckieEddie asks--Do we ever need to recalibrate our priorities and refocus on things that are really important to us. Soooo first of all, I have to decide what my priorities are and then evaluate if I’m spending time focusing on them and not on the trivial stuff that is unimportant. Do we ever miss judge people and situations? I sure do! I met a player at ping pong. She was maybe 70, stocky built, and had both knees wrapped.  She didn’t look like a table tennis player more than the man in the moon. Boy, could she play!  And another gal that really fooled me. She was 97 and the World Champion in her age group (i.e. 95-100). What an amazing lady. We played together and I’m glad we didn’t keep score as I think she would have kicked my butt!!! She invited Jeanne and I to her home for conversation and brownies. Very delightful lady with a lot of wisdom (i.e. great attitude). We picked her mind. Sharp as a tack!

Pigweed says—I have a lot of questions about my life. Maybe we all do. Life can be hard to figure out sometimes. Jon Wooden said—"Things turn out best for those who make the best of the way things turn out.” It appears that folks who always think they are right (i.e. never have any doubt that they could be wrong) probably aren’t much fun to be around. We went to the movie, Conclave, and a statement in it was—“Give us a pope that will doubt.” It appears to me that the statement was saying, when we doubt we learn and become better people (i.e. we question). If we have preconceived decisions/ideas without studying other possibilities, we will never know if we are for sure right (i.e. I do doubt sometimes and it seems to be really beneficial, I try to have an open mind). ItchieBitchie says--It appears to me that some folks have very closed minds and if others disagree with them, they label them bigoted, racist, sexist, or whatever the latest label is for wrong.

If you are a football fan of a favorite team, do you ever question the coach on their decision? I do! They get paid millions and I question if their decisions are very good at times! I think they stink sometimes. I’m an IA Hawkeye fan and a couple of weeks ago I turned the channel as I was soooo unhappy with the coach’s coaching; I had enough; He finally saw the light and made the change that almost every IA fan could see for weeks (i.e. the coach didn’t really see the light but was forced to because of an injury). And It worked (i.e. sometimes something that seems bad ends up being really good). What was he thinking! My opinion, the new QB is a better OB and the team spirit is much better; it seems to be quite obvious!  And I don’t even get paid to see that! I can’t imagine a.k.a. question how smart I would be if I got paid millions!!!! I can only imagine!

But there is always hope—There is no medicine like hope, no incentive so great, and not tonic so powerful as expectation of something better tomorrow. 

Dr.J says—"It is not surprising that a culture obsessed with self-promotion and self-interest would view a life commitment to others as a low priority. Studies also reveal that for those who have made the nuclear family a high priority nothing is more fulfilling (i.e. where latitude and longitude meet).”   Saturday question—What is a nuclear family? Soooo is youth sports about the old adage—It’s not if you win or lose but how you play the game?  Or is it about the winner gets the trophy and the glory? A lot of questions for sure. Can we legislate nuclear families? Another question—I was told that the traditional nuclear family is different than the many new cultural nuclear families of our current culture; soooo what does the new cultural nuclear family look like to you?

On our way to AZ we visited one of Jeanne's daughters and son-in-laws who live in Las Vegas for a few days. We visited the Valley of Fire that is in the area. It has been sorta kinda on my bucket list for years. It was beautiful and we hiked some beautiful trails. I would recommend it if you are in Las Vegas. As a hiker from Australia said to us--It was a proper experience! We also hiked in the Red Rock Canyon which is also really great. As a hiker from South Africa said to us--It was a proper adventure!

A lot of questions. We are in the Valley of the Sun a.k.a. AZ for the winter living in our little, small tin hut (i.e. we can’t collect a lot of stuff soooo we collect a lot of memories). One of our goals this winter is to work out at the work out center on a regular basis (i.e. pump some iron). We might change into muscled specimens (i.e. I doubt it)! Soooo if there are three frogs sitting on a log and one decides to jump in the water, how many are still sitting on the log?  The answer is three, just because one frog decides to jump into the water doesn’t mean that they will; that one frog only decided. That is just like us, if we decide to work out doesn’t mean we will; we just decided.

VelvetElvis says—Jesus commanded us to love our neighbor and our neighbor can be anyone.

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

erv

MyDeceasedFrindJean said--Today should always be our most wonderful day.