I seem to mange better

I seem to mange better when I have friends and folks around me who love me.  The church we attend in Aplington will embark on a new adventure (i.e. very exciting and it's a massive huge opportunity--my opinion).  For this endeavor to really be successful we need to be of one accord.  Will that happen.  I don't know.  We will see.  Author Lou Lotz writes--In the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki there were high hopes for the Mexican track team. Mexico’s long distance runners were believed to be among the best in the world. But they didn’t win a single medal.   What happened? One journalist took it upon himself to find out. After extensive research, he concluded that the reason the Mexicans had done so poorly was that they were lonely. These men had lived, trained, and raced in their home communities. But in Helsinki, they were far from the cheering and encouragement of family and friends. One member of the Mexican team said simply: “I run better when my friends are there.”  I run better when my friends are there too. So do you, I suspect. All of us, in our Christian lives, need the support and encouragement of the communion of the saints. We run the Christian race better when our friends are there. The church, at its best, is a place where friends and loved ones cheer and encourage us in our race; where fellow believers supply assistance, encouragement, and love to those who need it; where strugglers find strength, where sinners find forgiveness, where the bereaved find hope. To be in a Christian community where believers are “of one heart and soul”—what a blessing that is.

We are in MI to attend our niece's wedding tonight.  It's oh soooooo much fun to be around family (i.e. I seem to manage better being around family and friends).  It's the last marriage of our children and my siblings' children.  Soooooo we will just have to wait until the next generation starts marring to party again.  We stopped in IL to see Arlene's brother Craig and his wife Julia on our way.  It's always fun to see them (i.e. they are real folks with good hearts--my kind of folks).  We went to a few garage sales and then stopped for a hot dog.  Craig says kidding to Julia--I do as I please when I please often as I please to do it.  Julia replied kidding--In other words that's telling me, his wife, don't tell me what to do!  Craig and Julia raise cut flowers and have about 8 farmers markets in the Chicago area.  The morning we were out and about, it was cool as it froze over the night.  Some folks had covered their plants.  We saw one person cover their flowers with plastic.  Here's a tip folks--Plastic draws frost they told us.  Use anything but plastic.  Huh, interesting.  We enjoy being around family. We will be eating funeral sandwiches and wedding cake all in the same week!  That is what retired folks do to stay within their budget. 


Talk about eating.  Mabel seemed to run better (i.e. she should).  On Easter we were in Waukee with Chet, Jessica and our little Charlie.  We went to the 7:15 service.  Before we left, Jessica sorta kinda hid 12 plastic eggs with treats in them around the family room soooooo when we got back Charlotte could pick them up.  When we got back from church, 11 of them were laying in the middle of the family room, opened and all the treats were eaten.  Mabel, their dog, had a great Easter (i.e. especially enjoyed the Easter egg hunt--can't wait until next year).  The 12th egg was in shelving soooo she just couldn't get it.  I bet she tried.  Mabel is breed to have a good noise and a good hunter.  She performed!  Such is life.

Talk about eating.  The 55+ community where I play pickle ball in the good ol' SW has a meeting/social time each Thursday at 8 a.m..  They serve free donuts and coffee (i.e. the last Thursday I was there I was told they had 32 dozen donuts and ran out).  Retirees like free donuts and coffee let me tell ya (i.e. just like Mabel and Erin and Charlie like those donuts)!  ANYWAY a fellow pickle ball player told me that JoeTheManagement thinks he really thinks he's cool but he's not.  He thinks he's God and God's gift to women.  He has a "small guy mentality" soooooo he has to try to make up for it.  He turns me off.  So what do others think of him.  Everyone thinks the same.  Does he know that he's that way?  Between his ears, I don't think he has a clue; the first time I heard him I turned my body and then she stuck her finger in her mouth.  MissPerfect says--How you evaluate someone makes a big difference how you listen to that person and how you look at them (i.e. how you mange around them); no question!  GerogeTheCrook says--Most folks like to be around humble folks and humble folks are usually givers (i.e. I seem to mange better around humble folks, oh yes).  Think about that folks. 

Joesixpack says--It is easy to go down. It is harder to go up. It is easy to lose ability. It is harder to develop it. Easier to gain weitght  and harder to loose it.  I seem to mange better when I continue to learn.  I had the opportunity to hear a lecture on forest fires before we left the good ol' SW (i.e. JoeTheHike and I went).  It was really informative.  Oversight--the reason why we have massive huge forest fires is that we don't let nature take care of the burning (i.e. man tries to control mother nature--no fires).  The forest should have about 25 trees per acre and there might be 250 trees per acre.  But the ranger said--We try to control but mother nature will have her way.  This summer in AZ will be the driest for many years (i.e. big potential for forest fires he said).  Here is something that is interesting to me:  The Navajos were nomadic and traveled into CA, Mexico, UT and all of AZ.  When they left a spot, they set a fire to the prairie and forest.  Why?  Soooooo when they returned in 4 to 10 years all the grass and forest would be tender and good eating for their livestock.  Huh, interesting.  God tried that once with the flood toooooo I think!  Whipped it clean and started over.  It worked for a while I guess but...!

SusieQ says--I seem to mange better when I accept modernization but keep the bottom line the same--treat folks the way you would want to be treated!  That will put your jersey in the rafters SusieQ!  Oh ya!

LuckieEddie says--The question is not how I do on a good day but how I do on a bad day!  I seem to mange better better when I'm not fearful (i.e. many folks are motivated by fear, the fear of failure).  Jason Gismni of the Rockies says--As a young player, you  always kind of play with that fear of failure.  That's what motivates you.  You don't want to fail.  You keep pushing yourself and pushing yourself.  Eventually, it breaks a lot of guys in this game.  Saturday questions--Are you fearful of failure?  We live in a very competitive society and culture now don't we.  And you know what?  We all can't be #1 so we will all fail.  Soooooooo, it's how I do when I'm not #1 that matters a lot.  As the advertisement says--I feel good in my own skin (i.e. at least most of the time). 

I seem to mange better now that I have this new cell phone that is BlueTooth compatible with the system in our car.  I had to upgrade my cell phone to get this done.  Our kids thought my old phone was from the dark ages.  This new one, they say, is a move up but still not top end.  Yabut it only cost me a penny!  I hope using BlueTooth will make my driving saver while talking on the phone..  It has tooooooo; no hands and all commands are on the steering column.  Besides, now Arlene and I can talk at the same time and listen to the conversation sooooooo I don't  have tell her what was said.  Such is life with modern technology. 

LuckieEddie says--When I'm helping to improve the lives of folks, it touches everybody!  When do friends, acquaintances, family and just plain folks need me the most?  Is it when they fell they have the world by the tail or when they are in the dumps?  I operate better when folks operate with me (i.e. sorta kinda encourage me).  It always feels good to be around folks who lift your spirits (i.e. they are sorta kinda the cat's meow a.k.a. the knights in shining armor) and not the the ones who drag ya down.  You agree?  Soooooo are you a drager or alifteruper?  Believe me, you affect everyone else.  Oh ya!  ItchieBitchie says--You can give in to the failure messages and be a bitter deadbeat
of excuses.  Or you can choose to be happy and positive and excited about life.

He has affected me and influenced me.  Oh ya!  I will miss my mentor/professor/special friend Ivan My Man, yes I will.  He was 86.  He passed away last Saturday.  He told me that he prayed for guidance from the Holy spirit each day for the decisions he made.  I asked him if he received guidance.  Absolutely.  He was a good man.  He taught me a lot about sooooooo much stuff (i.e. financially, emotionally, and spiritually).  I wish everyone could have a friend/mentor like I have had.  I seem to mange better 'cause of his wisdom.  I will miss him.  He was a very successful man in soooooo many ways (i.e. my opinion).  He said many times to me--People get a lot better after they are dead.  Ivan My Man, you just plain were that good even if you didn't know it.  My Daddy, Chester, would say--erv, get around folks who are good and don't know it (i.e. humble folks).  They are the good ones.  The ones who think they are great but aren't, are not much fun to be around. 

WildWilly actually is tooooo big for his britches--tooo high on his horse.  He's a pain in the butt to be around.  I seem to mange a lot better around humble folks.  Oh ya!  DuaneTheWorm has waaaaaay tooooo much of a big head for me to enjoy his company.  Oh ya!  I have been humbled soooooooo many times that I can't count them.  I seem to manage better when I'm humble.  Oh ya!  MissPerfect says--You can be very confident yet still be very humble.  I can't remember exactly what I said but our son thought I said it in a grumpy fashion.  He said I sounded like a curmudgeon!  Ouchy ouchy! That's humbling!   I manage better when I have a positive attitude.  How about you.  Reading the Book helps me to be more positive.  Oh ya!  I was reading Bible Stories to Erin (i.e. age 4) when we were in CO from her The Beginners Bible--Timeless Children's Stories.  ANYWAY  her favorite (i.e. I had to read about 5 times) was, as she calls it, the boo-boo owie story (i.e. the good Samaritian story).  She just really likes that one. 

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

erv

MyFriendJean says--Don't pick  a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he'll  just kill  you.

Oh that water!

ItchieBitchie says--Live life unfiltered (i.e. pick you kicks).  We had dinner out with our family Tuesday night in CO and our waitress (i.e. the gal who brought us our water was very nice and very pretty) had a necklace on that I asked her about.  It said--Live the life you love.  She said it says on the other side--Love the life you live.  Soooooo I asked her what that met--Live my life with contentment.  She also had a necklace on with a cross.  Such is life.

A gal a couple of tables over would snort when she laughed.  I haven't heard that for a long time, a snorter!  I think she was the wife of Bucksnort!  I bet if I would throw some water on her (i.e. like folks use to do to dogs when they were connected) she would quite her snortlaugh but she would probably really snort but a different form of snorting.  Sooooo folks can snort in different ways but this gal's snort was the intake of air.  Exiting of air is called, well you know.  It's sorta kinda a snort!  A buddy in AZ told me that he came upon a lady in a room sorta kinda unsuspectingly.  The lady said--Sorry, I just laid some stink bombs! 

In AZ the water tastes terrible (i.e. has many chemicals in it).  Most folks filter the water or buy it.  It even smells.  When I washed the car, it would leave a scum on the car. Water is a big deal in the dessert (i.e. not much of it).  I also understand that water is a concern in many parts of the country and world.  Ya gotta have water to crow a crop which is food!  No water, no money! GeorgeTheCrook thinks that water will be the next thing we will have war over.  Water is that important folks. 

When in Palm Springs area, Jan and Gene took us to Indian Canyons up'erin'em mountains.  It was just beautiful.  We did some hiking and had a picnic.  What fun.  ANYWAY in the canyons there were small streams of water and along those streams there were huge massive California Fan Palm trees.  I asked a ranger about them and she said they were thousands of years old.  They were breathtaking contrasts to the stark, rocky gorges and barren dessert land beyond.  They looked like oasis in the dessert and they were.  The native Indians lived here for years.  LuckieEddie says--Where there is water, stuff grows (i.e. think about that statement folks).  There is an old SW saying that goes like this--Folks fight for gold but kill for water. 

MissPerfect is like a fresh drink of water.  She is soooooo resilient (i.e. A resilient person is a term psychologists give folks who seem to overcome multiple personal and family hardships--folks who don't have privileged backgrounds).  Joesixpack says--Some folks seem to be very resilient and others not quite sooooo much.  Why is that folks?  Maybe it's the water they drink.  You think sooooo?  Or the folks they are around.  I operate much better when I'm around special babes in my life.  Those babes affect me.  Yes they do.  OMG I LUV MY BABES!

Two Sundays ago in Mesa I might have been one of the youngest of maybe 400 folks at the church service.  This last Sunday at the Rock in Littleton, CO I might have been one of the oldest of maybe 250 folks at the church service.  Huh, interesting.  Pastor Bruce is encouraging everyone to speak to others who don't go to church to come (i.e. get your tail back in church this Easter).  He said on an average Sunday, about 18% of Americans go to church.  The picture is of their brochure to give to folks inviting them to come to church.  I tell you what folks, the Living Water is the best!  The Book says U R 2 keep His commandments and honor and glorify Him for ever (i.e. and come to church to eat donuts).  That's the conclusion of the matter. 

Sunday afternoon we went upin'em'er mountains and did a little family hiking (i.e. ya gotta get those grand kids started early).  We stopped at the Bucksnort Saloon in the canyon.  In the parking lot adjoining some private property (i.e. maybe where Bucksnort and wife live) going over a little bubbling brook of water, was this sign.  It wasn't spelled perfectly but everyone understood what it meant.  It reminded my of some of my writing.  Most of you get my points most of the time even though I don't always spell everything perfectly (i.e. you get it?).  Such is life.  

This is some water that will make you run (i.e. more than run to the bathroom). A successful diet is mind over platter. Hall of Fame pitcher Satchel Paige once said--Age is a question of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter. In the dessert hydration is a very important thing (i.e. ya gotta drink water). LuckieEddie says--Ya gotta hydrate your body and your mind to maximize your life. Heather and James have a little saying in their "useless room" (i.e. a room named by JearBear) that says--And in the end, it's NOT the years in your life that count. It's the LIFE in your years. ~ Abraham Lincoln ~ Cadillac Jack says--Life is much more enjoyable if a guy gets involved in something you believe in. Oh ya! SusieQ says--Some of you think life is a contest; it ain't; it just looks that way at times.  There is a smarter betterway to live your life than as a contest!  JoeTheBucksnort says--All the different folks make the beauty in the world.  Oh ya!

This is some funny stuff (i.e. at least to me). It was in the last Arizona Republic before we left. They asked the question: Is AZ ready for daylight saving time? Here are some of the responses (i.e. countess reasons): No! We'd have to teach our legislators how to reset their watches -- That's an utterly insane idea! -- I'm already too HOT to handle! -- In this economy it's about all we can save! -- Does this affect Happy Hour? -- Won't happen. Arizona doesn't want any more enlightenment.

Oh ya, the sites of the mid-west!  Well it's always good to be home.  We have some errands to do and some cleaning to do of course.  We are just like "any old drink of water" (i.e. not any different than anyone else).  Such is life.


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

erv

MyFriendJean says--One of the best things a man can have up his sleeve is a funny bone.

You might be surprised

You might be surprised and maybe you won't be surprised.  I did a sunrise hike up Piestowa Peak last Saturday morning.  JoeTheHike and JimRon were to go with me but both wimped out.  JoeTheHike went bird watching with his wife and JimRon's big toes hurt him.  JimRon went running upin'em'er mountains a couple of weeks ago with me.  Now both of this big toes are black and he might loose both toe nails (i.e. ya gotta cut your toe nails JimRon).  And you think this retirement is easy!!!  It's hard to live life to the fullest if you sleep through half the day.  The roman poet Horace gave the same advice 2,000 years ago:  Carpe diem, which means "seize the day."  This is your wake-up call:  You snooze, you lose!    Yabut I'm retired!!!

Not surprising, retirees are mostly over 65 down here in Sun Valley.  I saw one of those retiriees' bumper sticker that said--Back off, I'm grumpy!  Let me tell ya, most aren't!  Those retirees have the newest and best golf equipment, neatest cars, fanciest cloths, neatest bikes, and a lot of time on their hands.  Retirees are hard on the grape vines let me tell ya and also on the hops.  They like their wine and beer while socializing.  And some of these folks are older than the Statue of Liberty.  They ain't normal folks let me tell ya (i.e. they have massive huge motors).  All likelihood is that an average person would be terrified by these animals.  I think many of these retirees say--Mission accomplished, lets circle the wagons and enjoy (i.e. take a break.--reevaluate--recalculate--redirect--rethink--reload).  The Ping Golf rep was at the course in our Fountain of the Sun recently.  I went and hit their new driver.  I liked it.  A good friend said--erv, when you return to the Valley next year, you'll probably have a driver as big as a suburban!  Ya never know now do ya.  The Ping representative said--erv, I can make it right for you!  All I needed to give him was my Visa card.  Such is life.

You might be surprised how you react when it happens to you. We never are sure now are we. Maybe a month ago we sat near some Northwestern College grads from IA. We haven't seen them for some 45 years. We still recognized each other. How about that. This last Sunday Arlene, I, JimRon, Karen, Bill and Jan went out for brunch after church. We really had a good time. Jan told us that she had ovarian cancer about 7 years ago. She seemed to have such a great attitude. This is what she said that really touched us: When I prayed I asked God either to show his supremacy and heal me or to be my sufficiency until he took me to heaven.  I think that sorta kinda tells us what Jan's ehtos is.  I think Jan believes in God (i.e. a strong faith).  My opinion is that Jan is very humble before God.  A friend gave me the book about John Wooden several years ago.  One of his sayings that I remember is is:  Talent is God-given.  Be humble.  Fame is man-given.  Be grateful.  Conceit is self-given.  Be careful.

One of my pickle ball partners this week was a nice gal who was petite.  She told me she use to weigh 10 less--soooooo what happened--I don't sleep very well soooooo I get up at about 3 and eat a bowl of chocolate ice cream.  Ouchy ouchy!  MissPerfect says--You might be surprised but what really matters in life is what happens in us, not what happens to us (i.e. our attitude).  Do we change? Do we grow? Do we improve?  About "dowegrow" here is how retirees grow let me tell ya--The most fattening thing that you can put into a double banana split...is a spoon at the DQ.  Now those banana splits will make a person grow.  Oh ya!  Yabut I like them!!!  I make it sound like retirees have no woes.  They do.  Everyone does but it's just nice maybe facing those woes in the Valley.  I don't know.  What do you think? I do know that many folks (i.e. maybe all folks) have woes and they just have to move forward and do the best they can.  It's not always easy but ya got to do it.  A gal from our home town came by the pickle ball court recently (i.e. they winter in the park that I play pickle ball in).  I talked to her as I played (i.e. multi tasked).  ANYWAY I asked her how her husband's back was doing--not good and now his stomach is bad; we are going home early.  Such is life.

You might be surprised that the yard trinkets are different here in the SW.  I really like the SW flavor.  Here are a few pictures I took of typical yard stuff with the SW flavor in our neighborhood in the Fountain of the Sun.  https://picasaweb.google.com/100992634446593487520/TheOldSWYardFlavor?authkey=Gv1sRgCMWb7KW0lJOXDw#

Well tomorrow morning early we are leaving the Valley @ 5 a.m. (i.e. bright-eyed and bushy-tailed).  We're heading to CO to stay with James, Heather, Erin and Easton for a few days and then back home to do income tax.  We will have no Internet connection until we get to CO so that's why the early It's Saturday.  Haven't seen them since Christmas.  Excited to see them.  Then we will probably stop in Waukee on the way home and see Chet, Jessica and little Charlie!  Looking for ward to seeing them too.  Skype is ok but you can touch and hug! 

The title today, you might be surprised, came about per what a cousin said to me about our children.  Soooooo you older folks, are you ever surprised by your adult children?  You younger parents, are you ever surprised by your younger children.  How are you surprised?  I wonder if my parents, Chester and Anna, if they would be alive, (i.e. both died at age 56) would be surprised with me and my sisters.  I wonder.  I wonder if they had certain expectations of us.  I wonder, if they had expectations of us, if we exceeded them, met them or did not meet them.  Maybe they expected me to be a butcher, a bakery or a candle stick maker!  Sooooo do I have expectations of our children, their mates and our grand children?  Am I ever surprised how they act and react?  Do they exceed my expectations if I have any at all?  Should I have any expectations?  Like my cousin said--erv, you might be surprised how your children will act some day after you are dead.  You will probably never know.  You might just be amazed!  I said--They are good kids sooooooooo they will do well. 

Pope John XXIII said--See everything, overlook a great deal, correct a little.  Joesixpack says--We might be surprised how much easier life would be if we would do that.  I wonder sometimes if seeing everything is a good deal.  If I don't see something (i.e. know about it) then it doesn't affect my life (i.e. no outside stimuli).  Isn't that the reason monks go into monasteries?  Media of any kind can stimulate our thoughts and actions (i.e. and we have a lot of stuff that stimulates our thoughts and actions and our modern stimuli is very fast tooooooooyet).  Much of this is called marketing!  Oh ya!  And it works.  Andcorrectlittle--It's a lot easier to get along with our kids (i.e. smart, very capable adults) if I don't correct them and don't even give them suggestions.  Most folks don't like correction but I read somewhere that the fools are the one who don't accept correction.  You believe that?  Ok overlookagreatdeal--It's hard to do that, especially when we think we are always right or a fixer or a bossy person or the big daddy or a type A personality like SusieQ!

You might be surprised about this.  When we were in the Palm Springs area, I was told that there are 150 golf courses (i.e. all very nice).  I was also told that 75% of play on these 150 very nice courses are from Canadians.  Wow!  I wish we could buy our oil from those folks.  Maybe we could trade green fees and country club membership for oil.  Hey, it's all about the money.  I played my last round of golf downhereintheoldSW Wednesday with my regular guys.  Well, one of them wasn't there but TheThurnderBayGuy's son was here so he played with us.  He works putting up metal buildings in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan at the potash mines.  Soooooo I asked him--Isn't it cold in the winter working up there--ya, but we dress for it; we work until it's 35 degrees below then we have to quite--35 degrees below; are you crazy or something!--na, it's not bad.  You must have to be a Canadian to understand 50 degrees below and winds that make it feel like 80 below--it pays well!!!  His dad then said--once it gets to 35 below, it doesn't fell much difference if its 50 below--ya right!  Such is life.

Coming home from golf the other day, one of my golf buddy's said--My wife says to me--You have a big mouth sooooo just shut up when you get excited.  You just get yourself in trouble with your big mouth!  You might be surprised what ItchieBitchie is thinking!  He is very poised and keeps his mouth shut.  Abraham Lincoln once said--"Better to keep your mouth closed and be thought a fool than to open it and remove all doubt"?  Have you every said to yourself--Seriously, why did I say that anyway!  Why didn't I just keep my mouth shut.  In all likelihood, we will not keep our mouth shut when we should again in the future.  It's sorta kinda like what BigPete teaches me in pickle ball--First thing you gotta get the ball over the net and in play (i.e. you can't win if you don't).  Make calculated shots that make it more difficult for your opponent to return the shot easily (i.e. sets up your next shot).  Let your opponent make the mistakes.  Sooooooo when a guy keeps his mouth shut, he sorta kinda lets his opponent make the mistake maybe or at least sets up your next shot.  What do you think?  OneSmartGuy says--Great folks keep their mouth shut when they have an opportunity to say something bad about someone else to make themselves look better (i.e. hurt someone).  I think that's maturity and greatness.  When you have the power to hurt someone and decide not too!  Ya that's maturity and greatness, I'm sure of that!  That's my view from press row.  Here is some more view from press row--LuckieEddie is a successful person.  His secret for success is:  aim low!  Soooo was LuckieEddie always that way?  No he wasn't --  he wasn't that way before his parents brought him home from the maternity ward!   Sooooooo...!  It's your turn to speak!!!!  Are you surprised what GeorgeTheCrook says here--We normally become what the person closest to us thinks we will become.  Who is closest to you and what do they think you are or will be?  Who are you closest to and what do you think they will be?

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

erv

MyFriendJean says--A moments' insight is sometimes worth a lifetime of experiences.

not bragging nor compaining

Disclaimer--This It's Saturday might not be worth a red cent to some of you.  That might be especially true if you are from the Y-Generation.  But it might have some value if you are a penny pincher (i.e. from the Great Generation).  JoeBlow says--There is just no way to sugarcoat the difference!

Not bragging nor complaining folks.  Guess where we were for a few days this week.  Here are some hints.

Not bragging nor complaining but just tellin' you how it is.  No one likes a bragger and no on likes a complainer.  As a result many times we don't tell it how it is.  We just keep our mouth shut.  You have to have a really good friend to be able to tell them really how it is.  Most folks don't have such a friend.  But some do.  And even then, it's a fine line what you tell them.  I think it takes a very special friend to be able to 'getitoffyouchest" with something really good or something really bad that affects your emotions.  I read this in the Arizona Republic sooooooo it must be right--Lord, please bless us that we can keep our problems in perspective.  Amen.

He wasn't bragging nor complaining but just being real (i.e. my kind of person).  I had breakfast with a friend downhereinthevalley this week.  He told me that he is an alcoholic and has not had a drink in 10 years, attends AA meetings regularly, and says the first step for a person who has an alcohol problem to admit it.  He writes down quips that he hears at AA meetings and gave me a few at breakfast:  Humility is not thinking less of yourself...but thinking of yourself less; Marriage is a union of 2 people...one of whom is always right and the other who is the husband; Prayer...a way to make life better for people...but more...a way to make people better for life; If God seems far away...who moved!!; All good intentions  will die...unless they are executed; I thank God for doing for me...that which I can't do for myself.  This guy reminded me that I'm not in charge and until we understand that, we probably will have a problem.  What do you think?

AverageJoe says--If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude. Joesixpack says--I'm not sure about some folks!  I'm not bragging nor complaining about some folks but I'm just not sure about some folks.  Some folks seem oh sooooooo nice and some folks seem oh sooooooo not soooooooo nice.  When it comes to politics, region or money, folks seem to have different opinions and don't change very easily (i.e. not very open minded).  Some folks I think are just idiots (i.e. my opinion).  There are folks it seems who win the battle but loose the war but they can't see it.  My Daddy, Chester, use to say--erv, you can't win a pissing match with a skunk!  Ouchy ouchy! 

More hints!



MissPerfect says--Everyone has a story!  Many times we just don't know it.  You might not have a clue what's going on in my life and I really don't have clue what's going on in your life even though we are around each other.  We hide our emotions and feelings and life happenings.  And don't think you are the only person who has emotions, feelings and life happenings.  'Cause you aren't.  Expecting life to treat you well because you are a good person is like expecting an angry bull not to charge because you are a vegetarian.

A good listener (i.e. gives someone an opportunity to express themselves without 'topping" their story is a great gift you can give someone).  Just keep your mouth shut and listen without giving any advice.  It seems if a person can share something they have have held eternally for a long time is good for their health (i.e. let it all hang out).  What do you think. 

I can relate to this 6th grade kid, Harry, let me tell ya.  I was never very good in English class.  I never was a very good speller either.  I think I did not pay enough attention in Roseland, MN elementary when they taught us English.  I was probably thinking about baseball or something.  ANYWAY I was still in the top 5 in my class (i.e. I'm not bragging nor complaining).  Yes I was.  There were only 5 in my class.  Back to 6th grader Harry.  He was to do some research for his Sunday School class about Moses and this is what he came up with--Moses led the Hebrew slaves to the Red Sea where they made unleavened bread which is bread made without any ingredients.  Moses went up on Mount Cyanide to get the ten commandments. He died before he ever reached Canada.  I know, I know that some of you think that my It's Saturday is about the same as Harry's research (i.e. not worth a red cent)!

My mentor tells me--erv, nothing is ever as bad as it looks and never as good as it looks.  I'm not bragging nor am I complaining but it said in the paper (i.e. sooooo it must be right)--Rich more likely to fib!  Rich receive greed as positive soooooo it's okay to cheat.  Soooooo are you rich or just act like a rich person?  Uff-dah!  LuckieEddie says--You know what, at times I seem to have a lot of clutter in my life that makes it more difficult for me to stay out of trouble.  Sometimes I wonder if all of the world is in choots to get me.  The world really does nag at me.  Uff-dah!  Talk about clutter and hording.  I read in the paper sooooo it must be right, this--Horders fill their houses with newspapers or empty cans, neatly stacked boxes or hastily piled clothing, typewrites, garbage or animals, among other things...the stacks of debris make narrow passageways...a thin line separates collectors from people with horading problems...many have suffered a traumatic loss and have substituted inanimate objects and possessions in place of human caring and love...the disease is more apparent in the elderly...considered a kind of a compulsion...a person really has to want to change to change this pattern.  LuckieEddie, maybe you need to get the clutter out of your life.  What do you think LuckieEddie?

Tick tock tick tock!  Ya the clock is ticking and we are all getting older (i.e. older by the tick tock).  AverageJoe says--You can't teach an old dog new tricks.  I say baloney to that statement.  Sooooo don't give me that jazz about "you can't teach an old dog new tricks."  Yes you can if the price is right.  I see it all the time with the old dogs here in the Valley, if there is money involved they can learn new tricks.  I'm not bragging nor am I complaining but money can change folks alright.  Oh ya!  It's all about the money folks (i.e. one of the greatest motivators ever).  MissPerfect says--Don't act soooooo bemused, you aren't any different. The church we attend here in the Valley looks all soooooo good; the church is packed, giving is good, and folks seem sooooooo happy.  Sooooo the pastor gets up and says--We need to pray for our church as we have a split in leadership.  Guess what's it about?  You're right--MONEY!  Huh, interesting but no surprise.  Such is life.  I read it in the paper sooooo it must be right, that the famed The Crystal Cathedral property was sold out of the federal bankruptcy protection.  Ouchy ouchy!  The church that we are a part of in good old Aplington for about 40 years, will have a vote tomorrow that will have a huge massive impact on the people (i.e. the building will remain standing at least for now).  The church will never be the same no matter how the vote turns out (i.e. I'm not bragging nor complaining).  I have heard sooooooo many folks say--It's sooooooo sad.  It's a new culture and the Y-Generation looks at things differently.  Such is life.

I feel buggy already!  I happened to have conversation with a bug exterminator the other day.  He wasn't bragging nor complaining!  He told me that scorpions, termites and bed bugs are the biggest problems with bed bugs becoming a massive huge business. He told me that it's a world wide problem that is getting worse as folks are caring them all over.  You can go to a 5 star hotel and it might have bed bugs that you might take them home.  A friend told me that one of his tenants took her favorite blanket to a friend's house and collected some bed bugs and then took them home and infested much of the apartment building.  Ouchy ouchy!

I don't think he's bragging nor complaining.  I read in the paper, soooooo it must right about Bruce Halle, the founder of Discount Tire after a couple of business failures.  The article was touting his book, "Six Tires, No Plain."  ANYWAY Entrepreneur Halle states this as his simple credo:  Find something to like in everyone.  Give everyone the benefit of the doubt.  Negative thoughts are a waste of time.  Be kind, and have a passion for humility.  Well frost my stockings!

Joesixpack says--Some of us begin the day with a workout in the gym or a 5-mile run, others with coffee and a doughnut, perhaps topped off with a cigarette.  It's all a matter of habit.  Habits govern our lives...many of our daily actions are the result of actual decision-making (i.e. decisions have consequences).  Soooo who gets to make the decisions anyway in your life and mine?  Da!  ItchieBitchie says--Listen up, if you believe you can change--if you make it a habit--the change becomes real.

Not bragging or complaining!  People born before 1946 were called – The Greatest Generation. People born between 1946 and 1964 are called – The Baby Boomers. People born between 1965 and 1979 are called – Generation X. And people born between 1980 and 2010 are called -Generation Y.  Why do we call the last group - Generation Y ? Y should I get a job? Y should I leave home and find my own place? Y should I get a car when I can borrow yours? Y should I clean my room? Y should I wash and iron my own clothes? Y should I buy any food? 


Johnny Miller said while doing the Cadillac Golf Championship--Ya gotta hit in down the middle a.k.a. fairway. You can't hit it in the crap (i.e. bad idea) and expect to score well. You might get by with it a time or two but over time, it will kill ya. MissPerfect says--I'm not bragging nor complaining but it's just like life, if you are in the crap all the time, life is more difficult; it's hard enough when you're down the middle. I just can't understand why folks keep hitting their head against the wall. It would fell oh soooooo much better if they would quite. I just don't get that. 

Okay, you got it figured out (i.e. I'm not bragging nor complaining).  I'm sure some of you have been here.  It's a beautiful place--Palm Springs area.  We visited our friends Gene and Jan.  It was a hoot.  I called Gene a couple of days before we left and talked about the details.  I said--Now we don't have day light savings time here so that makes us two hours ahead of you, right--ya that's right--ok, then we will leave at 8 and it's a 4.5 hour drive so we will get there about 10:30--ya that will work.  Sooooo we are going down I-10 and Gene calls me--sooooo where are you--cruising down I-10 and should be there according to my gps at 10:29--it's 11:10 here--how can that be, my clock says 11:10 and we decided that you are 2 hours behind us--I don't know but my watch says 11:10 and we have a tee time at 1:20; you better not stop--what!!!  We figured it out, we were the same time.  Man-o-man!  Thursday we had the opportunity to play PGA West Jack Nicklaus Tournament Course with an acquaintance Gene made last year (i.e. our babes rode along).  We had a great time.  This guy, wife and children had us for dinner after the round.  They are very humble, happy, uplifting, refreshing, and real folks (i.e. my kind of folks).  We had a great time. 

Not bragging nor complaining!  "I have never known six happy days in my life." ~Napoleon Bonaparte, Emperor of France and conqueror of much of Europe~      --     "I have found life so beautiful."  ~Helen Keller, lecturer and writer who was blind and deaf from the age of 19 months; Helen Keller graduated from college and went on to champion the cause of blind and deaf people.~  Huh, interesting.  LuckieEddie says--it's NCAA Basketball Tournament time folks; Life is like a game of basketball, and most of us just stand there and dribble!!!!  And there are upsets tooooooo!  ItchieBitchie says--It's a lot more fun to win than to loose; when it all comes together, man, is that a thing of beauty!  Raa Raa Raa!!

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

erv

MyFriendJean says--Every church could put out a sign, "No perfect people need apply".

from 1 to 10

From 1 to 10, tell me the most influenced people in your life.  These folks are probably game changers I would guess.  These folks could be very good folks or very bad folks but they really influenced your life (i.e. change your game).  The group called the Linksters (i.e. abut 80 guys who play golf from of our park) had their annual fun day scramble this week.  I played with three guys I didn't know before.  Two of them were ex-Marines.  One was 78 and the other 82 from NY and MI.  I told them how the Marines seemed to really help our son-in-law.  I think one said he was a smart ass and the other said he was a bad ass before joining the Marines.  The Marines really helped them both they said (i.e. influenced their lives).  JimPaul, age 82 (i.e. he went by two names soooooo I called him JimPaul) rode with me.  We had the best of times (i.e. from 1 to 10 it was a 10--it was that good).  ANYWAY we had our morning cup of coffee and were starting out on our first hole.  He took out a flask and asked if I want a little Kahlua in my coffee--I sure did--I like that.  Soooooo after a few holes the beverage gal came around and I got a couple more cups of coffee.  JimPaul again got out his flask and we doctored up our coffee with some more Kahlua! What a hoot.   ~  BigPete influenced my pickle ball play this year.  Oh ya.  I learned a lot from him.  Sooooo get around good folks and just watch and ask questions.  My Daddy, Chester, would always say to me--erv, ask questions.  It's the cheapest way to learn.  One more thing about BigPete influencing me--remember he's the one who likes the color pink sooooooo much.  Well on Fridays some of our pickled ball group wear pink.  Soooooo I had to spend my winnings at the golf course soooooooo I bought a pink golf shirt. 

'When the EMTs were treating Ron up'eronthatmountain, they kept asking--From 1 to 10 Ron, how bad is your pain.  He kept saying--It's an 8.  Later he told me that actually his pain was more like a 10 but he didn't want to sound like a wimp!  I asked a buddy how he was doing--he said A1 (i.e. I suppose that means from 1 to 10 a 10).  I asked a check out clerk at Walgreen how his day was going--he said 50-50 (i.e. I suppose that is a 5 I would guess.

JoeTheHike a.k.a theMinnesotaMountainQueenJoe a.k.a 92YearOldJoe and IowaJimRon from LeMars, IA which he says is the ice cream capitol of world went with me and we hiked Picacho Peak this week.  JoeTheHike is the guy in the picture who looks like he wet his pants.  I don't know for sure if he did or not!  He doesn't look no 92 some teenagers told me after I told them he's 92.  I told them he was on steroids.  We made it all the way.  A gal on the way up said--I stopped at WimpAssCorner.  It's an unique hike.  From 1 to 10 I would say maybe an 8 in difficulty and a 9 for fun.  I'll ask JoeTheHike and JimRon what they think it was. JimRon says--9 in difficulty and 7 for fun..  JoeTheHike said--9 in difficulty and 10 in fun 'cause I accomplished it.  I call Jim, Ron all the time sooooo now I just call him JimRon.  It works.  We met a guy on the trail and I asked him what does it say on your tee shirt--The train has derailed...and there are no surveyors!  You can see that we each thought the difficulty of the trail was different.  Some of you think "ourtrianranoffit'strack!  Such is life.

I over heard a lady call herself a "jerkhead" on the golf course the other day (i.e. I think she 4-putted or something). From 1 to 10, how bad is a "jerkhead"?  She is from Canada soooo maybe that has a different meaning up north.  But it sounds bad to me.  Have you ever been a jerkhead?

I have met some very nice/humble folks (i.e. dear hearts and gentle people) from many states and Canada down here in the Valley.  From 1 to 10 there are a lot of 10s (i.e. my opinion).  I have also met a couple of arrogant folks (i.e. it's all about them).  From 1 to 10 they are maybe 7 and 8s in being arrogant!  Not good.  But I don't know what's going on in their lives sooooooo I'm going to give them the benefit of the doubt.  Yes I am.  Ya just never know what's going on in folks' lives.  Joesixpack says--Treat everyone as if they have a wounded heart because they probably do.  Yesterday at pickle ball, a guy with a wounded heart told me his story.  A gal and I were sitting on the bench waiting our time for the next pickle ball match.  Some how we started taking about how we enjoyed the company of a certain person but our first reaction of her was not that way.  We completely misinterpreted her.  She is a very nice person but at first we wondered about her.  Soooooo there you go. 

From 1 to 10 how do you like these explanations of why AZ does not have daylight-saving time?  I read these in the paper sooooooo they must be right.  There is a old Navajo saying "that only the U.S. government could believe that when you chop the top off a blanket and sew it on the bottom, you have a longer blanket."  Here is another--"One of the pundits says we got enough sunshine without the extra hour"! 

From 1 to 10, how do folks understand salvation?  A church a pastor served years ago had a practice of officially visiting every family each year. One year he decided to ask this question in each home: “If you were to die tonight and stand before God, and he were to ask you, ‘Why should I let you into heaven?’ how would you answer?” This is a roundabout way of asking about the basis of salvation.
 He was surprised that nearly half the church members gave an answer something like this: “Well, I haven’t done anything really bad, and I have tried to be a good Christian and gone to church regularly.” That—in spite of all our theology and all his preaching about God’s free, unearned grace!
God saves us through the blood of his son Jesus Christ, and the cause of our redemption lies in his love and grace. There is nothing we can do to make God love us more, and there is nothing we can do to make him love us less.  ItchieBitchie says--Yabut I like to be in control, not God!  GeorgeTheCrook says--If I understand this right, all we have to do is confess our sins and ask Jesus to be our Lord and Saviour. 

Determining the best player in golf is easy if played correctly and scored correctly (i.e. if folks follow the rules).  Most times folks don't follow the rules.  They have mulligans, use the foot wedge, give me putts, roll the ball for a preferred lie in the fairway and out, etc.  Soooooo in reality most golf scores are hard to compare (e.g. there is a huge massive difference if you always roll your ball for a preferred lie compared to play it as it is).  Sooooooooo from 1 to 10, how much do most golfers play by the rules?  How about in life?  Now flip the pancake.  When judges judge someone (i.e. from 1 to 10) by how they think they perform (i.e. like diving, a beauty contest, gymnastics etc) now that is another story.  I wonder if it's always fair.  I wonder sometimes if they are influenced by their emotions etc.  What do you think?  Guys look at babes and say, hey she's a 10 or a 5 or a 7 or a 2.  Many emotions are involved in that rating I think.  Yabut in NASCAR racing, who ever crosses the finish line first is the winner! 

Golf is suppose to be a gentlemans' game or gentleowmans' game! Sooooo from 1 to 10 how much of a gentleman or gentlewoman are you? What if you were playing in the club championship tournament finals and the match was halved at the end of 17 holes. You had the honor and hit your ball a modest two hundred fifty yards to the middle of the fairway, leaving a simple six iron to the pin. Your opponent then hits his ball, lofting it deep into the woods to the right of the fairway.
Being the golfing gentleman that you are, you help your opponent look for his ball. Just before the permitted five minute search period ends, your opponent says: "Go ahead and hit your second shot and if I don't find it in time, I'll concede the match." You hit your ball, landing it on the green, stopping about ten feet from the pin. About the time your ball comes to rest, you hear your opponent exclaim from deep in the woods: "I found it!". The second sound you hear is a click, the sound of a club striking a ball and the ball comes sailing out of the woods and lands on the green, stopping no more than six inches from the hole. Now here is the ethical dilemma: Do you pull the cheating bastard's ball out of your pocket and confront him with it or do you keep your mouth shut?      
My mentor says--The best time to do something is NOW!   He says that folks who procrastinate usually aren't very successful.  From 1 to 10, how much of a procrastinator are you?  SusieQ says--Procrastination is my sin.  It brings me nothing but sorrow.  I know that I should stop it. In fact I will, tomorrow.  AverageJoe says--Suck it up cupcake and lets get going now!  We're burning daylight. 

Saturday question--Did you put Jesus in your top 10 list?  Maybe He can't be characterized in this list (i.e. 'caause He's more than human).  Maybe He's way beyond this list.  Maybe you never even thought about Him.  Does Jesus have an influence on your life at all.  Maybe you don't believe in theism or the Triune God.  Soooo did the folks you listed have anything to do with your financial position, your power position, your social position or your ego?  From 1 to 10, what's really important to you?

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

erv

MyFriendJean says--No one can be best in everything but you can be your best at everything you do.

now we're cookin'

DuaneTheWrom says--I take advantage of everyone in equal degrees--I show no favoritism--And I'm good at it!  Do you want to get well?  Really, do you really want to get well?  Do you really want to get rid of resentment you have with DuaneTheWorm?  Or are you just blowing smoke.  If you want to get well, ya gotta, I repeat, ya gotta get rid of resentment.  Ya just can't talk about it but ya gotta do it folks.  Now we're cookin'!  Cadillac Jack says--Here is a time when amnesia is good (i.e. forget your resentment).  If you have resentment against DuaneTheWorm, who doesn't even know it or doesn't really care (i.e. the resentment doesn't bother him) ya gotta get over it.  Resentment only poisons your life (i.e. you drink the poison in hopes it will kill him but the reality is it only poisons yourself).  Soooo it's like what Harry heard his parents talking about at the breakfast table one morning. Dad says to mom, Harry can mow the lawn today if he feels like it. When his dad was leaving to work, he shouted back to his mom, Harry better feel like it!  Such is life.

Joesixpack says--I wonder if I get cookin' in the wrong way some times.  Have you ever thought about how much of our discontent and unhappiness comes from looking at other people and comparing ourselves to them? When Shakespeare in a sonnet “curses his fate,” it’s because he wishes to be “like one more rich in hope . . . desiring this man’s art, and that man’s scope.”  Looking at others as a point of comparison can only lead to disappointment. There will always be someone more well adjusted, have a better golf score, more intelligent, have snazzier stuff, more devout (i.e. to say nothing of richer and thinner!). John Calvin said he was aware of only two “luminous certainties”—himself and God. This certainly does not mean that we should be so self-absorbed that we ignore others and their needs. But it does mean we should trust God to know what’s best for us, and not resent what he chooses to give to others. When our focus remains on God and our chief desire is to please him, we can say with the psalmist, “Truly God is good” to his people, including me!  ItchieBitchie says--Our company treats all our clients the same.  Our mission statement is--We cheat everyone and we're good at it!  That's the company that DuaneTheWorm is CEO of. 

Monday I was playing golf and on 16th hole (i.e. a 180 yard par three) I hit a really bad shot (i.e. very ugly) to the right.  It bounced off some hard pan ground and bounced again to the right.  It eventually hit the concrete retaining wall between the golf course and the houses.  It ricocheted off the wall bouncing down the cart path and finally ended up about some 30 yards right of the green on some more real hard pan ground.  I took a 4 iron and rolled it onto the green to about 8 feet from the hole and made the putt for a par.  As I was leaving the green, Henry (i.e. a guy in our foursome) said to me--erv, A lot of people wouldn't of played it that way but it worked for you!!!!  Henry really made me laugh.  Thanks Henry.

Itchiebitchie says--Ya gotta be ready so when the fickle winds of opportunity finally blows your way, you got to be ready to act (i.e. take advantage of the opportunity) as it might not every come your way again.  O Lord; teach me your paths . . . for you I wait all the day long. How do we resolve the seeming paradox between being led, which implies movement, and waiting, which suggests standing still?  The truth is, we do it all the time. I can be hiking on a trail up'erinthosemoutains while “waiting” for the next signpost to see where the trail leads. The trick is to not be overconfident and turn before we’re given directions. A favorite Dutch proverb was Je moet niet de Heer vooruitlopen, which means “you must not run ahead of the Lord.”  What happens if the signpost doesn’t show up? Rest assured, it always does, when we look for it in faith and wait for it patiently. And God will lead us, as he has promised, because he always keeps his word.  Now we're cooking!

Now we're cookin'!  Two drunk men had a disagreement.  One of them said that it was daytime;
the other said it was nighttime.  As they argued a third person came along, he was also inebriated,
so they decided to ask him.  "Sir, is this daytime or nighttime?  "Sorry," He said, "I'm new here." 
Excess alcohol or any intoxicant, can make you do really stupid things.

GerogeTheCrook says--When a man refuses to obey God, he inevitably obeys the devil. I recently starting to take golf toooooo seriously and told my self--what in the world are you doing erv! Meaningless, meaningless, just chasing after the wind.  Enjoy the game and quite complaining all the time;  Enjoy the folks around you, enjoy the weather, enjoy the atmosphere and quite being sooooo serious.  Life was soooooo much more pleasant for me (i.e. and my golf game is better).  MissPerfect says--The sooner you decide to get your life headed in the right direction the more time you have to enjoy it.  Sooooooooo don't take yourself sooooooo serious; no one else takes you that serious and really no one really cares about your golf game.  You might think they do but they really don't.  Once you get relaxed, life starts to really cook!  "Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up. ~Thomas A. Edison~

DON'T QUIT!
============

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the road you're trudging seems all uphill,

When the funds are low and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,

When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest, if you must, but do not quit.

Life is queer with its twists and turns,
As every one of us sometimes learns,

And many a failure turns about,
When he might have won had he stuck it out;

Don't give up though the pace seems slow--
You may succeed with another blow.

Often the goal is nearer than,
It seems to a faint and faltering man,

Often the struggler has given up,
When he might have captured the victor's cup,

And he learned too late when the night slipped down,
How close he was to the golden crown.

Success is failure turned inside out--
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,

And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems so far,

So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit--
It's when things seem worst that you must not quit.

~Edgar A. Guest~

Yabut I find each day toooooo short for all the thoughts I want to think, all the hikes I want to take, all the books I want to read and all the friends I want to see. Such is my life.

Ecclesiastes is my favorite book of the Bible.  I was rereading the introduction and here is part of what it says--The author takes measure of man, examining his capabilities.  He discovers that human wisdom, even that of a godly person, has limits.  It cannot find out the larger purposes of God or the ultimate meaning of man's existence...But faith teaches him that God has ordered all things according to his own purposes and that man's role is to accept these, including his own limitations, as God's appointments.  Man, there for , should be patient and enjoy life as God gives it.  He should know his own limitations and  not vex himself with unrealistic expectations.  He should be prudent in everything, living carefully before God and the king and, above all, fearing God and keeping his commandments...Life not centered on God is purposeless and meaningless.  I really think if we can do that, well, then we are cookin' folks!

Have you ever tried to figure something out but just can't?  I have and do (i.e. I did my first Sudoku this week).  Soooooo you give up and set your mind to some other task, that sort of clears the slate--or cleanses the palate, you might say--and lets your gray matter take a fresh start on the original problem and then bingo, you figure it out (i.e. now we're cookin').  It's rather hard sometimes to manage our lives (i.e. staying with our core values and our philosophy).  When we stick to our game plan and not vacillate, it seems to work better.  Yabut all those folks and things that want to tempt us to go their way.  The guy in the picture who was next to me on University during a red light obviously sticks to what he believes (i.e. his back seat is his garbage collection site as his back seat was full of garbage to the windows--Hungry Howie just made me laugh).  Hey, we all have different philosophies of life now don't we.  Such is life.

JoeBlow says from the Valley of Retirees--I have my cake and am living it toooo!  Retirement means I don't have homework!  Now we're cookin'!  But personally,  I still can't change and do things slowly (i.e. many retirees do things slow and it drives me crazy at times).  I'm working at it but I'm haven't been very good soooooo far.  Retirement means that we can do what we want when you want tooooo and don't have to do things we don't want to do.  A cousin-in-law says when he doesn't want to do something--I have a funeral that day!  A retired cousin says--I'm behind in my work and don't seem to be able to ever get caught up!  Retirement means you don't have to follow a schedule.  Retirement means you do what your interests are (i.e. naps included).  Retirement means that at the last minute you decide you don't want to do something, you just don't.  And finally--when it come to doin' nutten...some retirees are the best!  SusieQ says--Just sit back on your couch with your chips Jack, I'll take care of it.  Now we're cookin'! 

Holy macaroni, he's smart (i.e. a regular smartypants)!  Coming back from golf this week, I was telling my golf buddies that I was going on a moon-light hike that night (i.e. full moon).  One asked--Isn't it dark.  Na, the moon is out and your eyes adjust quite well.  The other guy said--that's why pirates wore a patch over one eye.  What, I thought it was 'cause they lost a eye in a fight.  No, they wore a patch over one eye when on deck and then when they went below deck they changed the patch to the other eye soooooo they could see in the dark--what have you been smoking buddy?  Soooooo I goggled it and it says--Sailors would also wear them over one eye above deck and then switch it over in order to be able to see in the dark below deck.  This guy is sooooooooo smart (i.e. he's just like room service).  ANYWAY I did the moon light hike.  It was a great opportunity and experience.  I didn't use my flashlight once but I did change my patch to the other eye once I got out there in'em'ermountains!!! Not everyone must of thought it was as exciting as me--didn't see one other person.  Such is life.

Sooooooo many of you have asked how my Hikin'BuddyRon a.k.a the helicopterspinningride guy is doing.  http://www.azfamily.com/video/featured-videos/Some-twists-and-turns-in-difficult-mountain-rescue-140478333.html  Well, with Ron's permission to reprint this, here is your answer--Hey Erv, Thought I’d give you a bit of an update based on my doctor visit today: Basically I’m good. As to why it happened, probably not being on Plavix since the first of the year was a major factor, perhaps that combined with the work load I was under climbing the mountain, possibly just a fluke thing where a piece of plaque in my artery for some reason became detached and found its way into a slight narrowing in the stent that had been placed in my right coronary artery in April of ’09. He said overall it never should have happened and shouldn’t happen again. My nitro wasn’t going to help the complete blockage  anyway.  ~  He did say that his patients who now ask him if they can go off Plavix one year post stenting are warned that he had one patient now (me) who did have a bad consequence. And it wasn’t too hard for him to convince me to stay on Plavix the rest of my life.  ~  I asked him, “If I had called you first and said is it okay with you that I climb a mountain like Camelback?” He said he likely wouldn’t have had any objection. He said it might have helped if I had loaded up way more on energy drinks, electrolyte-type things and stayed super hydrated. But he wasn’t sure that would have prevented it. Electrolytes are just a good idea when hiking.  ~  He wants me to do about a week of supervised cardiac rehab, do another echocardiogram and then we are free to head on down to Florida. But he doesn’t believe there has been much if any long term effect on my heart. Amazing, isn’t it?  ~  So Praise the Lord for He is Good and His Mercy Endures Forever. Blessed be the Name of the Lord!  ~  Thanks again for your support and encouragement.  ~  All the best, Ron

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

erv

MyFriendJean says--Focusing on ourselves will never reveal our life's purpose.

Associate/Disassociate

Would you want to associate or disassociate with her?  I met a big crusty, gritty, old SW roadrunner.  She is a tough old thunderbird let me tell you.  She seems pesty beyond her age.  She is borderline obnoxious (i.e. well, maybe over the line).  LuckieEddie says--I know her tooooo.  I have a word to describe her.  It starts with a 'b' and it ain't beautiful!  I think she is still living 'cuause God doesn't know how to  handle her and the devil doesn't want her!  She is a regular AZ dust devil folks (i.e. you might have to goggle what an AZ dust devil is)!  I wouldn't want to get on her bad side let me tell ya!  Jumpin' Josophat, I think I'll disassociate!  Saturday question--Do you know the story behind Jumpin' Josophat?  Soooooooo wonder if this person is part of your business, family, church, civic organization, hiking group, golf league, neighborhood or is your mother, mother-in-law, person of power or the person in charge?  This type of person can cause great problems and even destroy good stuff (i.e. if you know what I mean).  Ya need a shaman to fix her I think.  And you know what?  She probably doesn't have a clue that she is what she is.  Ouchy ouchy!

Creating our life's soup is quite a process alright.  We put a lot of ingredients in the old pot of soup of life.  We put in catastrophes, successes, tragedies, winning events, disasters, and great hits and stir it up and we are what we are (i.e. my mentor tells me that we are all programed by our past).  I think about folks that were/are part of my life (i.e. you guys) and others who play/played a part of my life's soup.  Some folks I'm better off associating with and others I'm better off disassociating with.  It's really hard to change others and it seems it's hard to change ourselves too (i.e. everybody thinks of changing others but no one thinks of changing himself).  Maybe we need to be careful who's attitudes we put in our soup of life.  What do you think?  Suggestion--get around happy folks with good attitudes.  Find someone who makes you laugh sooooooo hard that coffee comes out of your nose.  Getting back to that pot of soup (i.e. my life). The taste can really change from day to day, week to week, or year to year. Good and bad ingredients can really change the taste of my soup. How about you? Sooooooo folks be careful as to what you put in your soup. I realize that sometimes we have no control of the ingredients sooooo then we somehow must control our attitude. Oh that attitude!

I associated with John, John and Steve the other day (i.e. we played golf together).  I never had 2 Johns in one foursome before.  One John said--No big deal erv, every house has a John and some have 2!

Here's the skinny folks!  Some expert runners say you should associate (i.e. think about your form, breathing etc) while running and other expert runners think you should disassociate (i.e. don't think about your running but think about other stuff).  GerogeTheCrook says--You are what you think!  It's interesting to me that when I run, hike, and bike I think about stuff and when I play golf, pickle ball, and ping pong I don't think about other stuff.  Actually time goes faster when I do (i.e. disassociate).  Sooooo for me, I do some of each but more disassociating.  Some of the things I think about are just insane, just insane (i.e. you don't even want to know).  But I do need to associate some when doing those runs on those mountain trials or I could faceplant up 'erin'em'er mountains let me tell you.  And that would not be good let me tell ya!  Such is life.

Saturday question--How smart are you do you think?  Do you ever think that your wishes are God's will?  While running I decided that I'm an average person, just average.  I'm not spectacular at anything and not really bad at tooooooo many things soooooo that makes me average.  Soooooo there must be some folks above average and some below average to make others average.  I really think that you guys are above average.  I really do.  Soooooo how do you rate yourself?  Joesixpack says--erv, folks usually over evaluate themselves soooo more than likely you are below average if you think you are average.  Joesixpack, you have a point there.  DuaneTheWorm thinks he's above average but in reality he's below average--my opinion. Such is life. 

I purchased an AZ cap at the Swap Meet the other day for $3.50 tax included.  I ruined my favorite one (i.e. the Steamboat Springs cap, as I forgot I had it on and ran in the mountains with it--the sweat just stains them soooooo bad).  ANYWAY I said to the shop owner--Having a good day--typical--what does that mean--Our economy isn't worth a %@#&* and it's going to &%#@*!  I sell cheap stuff  which is all from China and my sales have gone down hill every year for the last 5 years; I'm sure others are having even a more difficult time as much of their stuff they sell folks don't need and is a lot more expensive; Thank goodness for the Canadians; they are our saviours; they have money and spend it here.

I think it's a social phenomena here in the Valley with the snowbirds.  They pretty much associate with each other pretty good. Of course you don't know their backgrounds and you aren't around them all the time.  Some need to associate with others all the time and others don't.  Some folks just plain like to be alone and others need folks stroking them constantly.  There are folks who all come from the same community back home and hang on each other all winter as well a.k.a associate and then there are others who like to meet new folks and just be independent a.k.a. disassociate. Just think how many folks you have associated with through your years--many.  Sooooo how many do you still associate with.  Sometimes you disassociate with them 'cause you find out they don't agree with your values, morals, life styles etc.  Sometimes you find out they are jackasses.  Sometimes they don't want to be around you either.  We associate with folks for many reasons and we disassociate with folks for many reasons.  Such is life.  We are all different, now that is for sure soooo we do different things and think differently.  "If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears the beat of a different drummer. Let him step to the music he hears, however measured or far away." -- Thoreau --  Back to the Valley Folks (i.e. many are seasoned folks let me tell ya).  I talked to one of those seasoned ladies the other day.  SeasonedTille said--I can't figure out how some old folks can be so cantankerous.  Now I know.  A high-school classmate of mine moved in our 55+ community.  Guess What?  She was a little snippy, gossip in high school, and she still is!  We just become more of whatever we are--that is good news and bad!  Hey listen, there are many many nice folks here.  Many let me tell ya (i.e. they are like Superman, invisible, helping others.  Such is life.

Talk about jackasses!  A donkey is a cross between a mule and a horse.  A donkey is used to carry cargo on trails as they are sooooooo sure footed.  You know why?  'Cause their eyes are farther back in their head soooooo they can see all their feet unlike a horse who can't see their feet at all and must remember where to steep causing more failures.  Here is a myth of the Calvary of the SW:  They rode donkeys and not horses.  Did you know that the forts were probably the biggest economy stimulus of the early settlers?  Once the war with the Indians and bad buys was over, they closed the forts and broke the early settlers.  I mentioned a couple of weeks ago that AZ was the 48th state in the Union and is only 100 years old.  Where do you think all the bad guys went?  You got it -- AZ!  Soooooo maybe you don't want to dissociate with the human form of jackasses but associate with the real jackass (i.e. they just might have a place in your life).  I was running in the mountains one day and I met this guy.  He called me a Sherpa.  I said I surely wasn't but he insisted I had to be if I could run on these mountain paths.  Saturday question--Do you know if the conquistadors rode horses or donkeys?

I usually don't associate with NASCAR but I did Monday night.  A friend and I were talking on the phone and he told me about the blower truck crash during the Daytona 500 that just happened sooooo I turned it on.  I ended up watching the rest of it.  It looks to me who ever doesn't crash wins.  Sooooo I emailed my brother-in-law (i.e. a car nut) and asked him if he stayed up and watched it (i.e. he lives in the eastern time zone soooo the race ended about 1).  His response--I did stay up to watch it, and I'm getting no sympathy for being tired!  The next one is in Phoenix, so you should go.  Sooooo I emailed my friend who was talking to me on the phone if he ended up watching it.  Here is his response-- Yes I did stay up and watch.  I'm not a huge Nascar fan but I do like restricter plate races where they all bunch up and usually there are big crashes.   The picture are of some of the drives standing on the track waiting for the repair of the tract being done.  It seems to me like all the drives have the same built. Wonder why! MissPerfect says--Maybe it's 'cause if your were a fat driver you couldn't get through the window to get into the car. Now that good be. 

Associate/Disassociate is a decision you must make.  That is to associate with God or disassociate with God.  I read this while eating my oatmeal with a half a banana on it--While others may find their fulfillment in the acquisition of wealth or the accumulation of things in doing something better than everyone else, or in the plaudits of their peers, my foremost desire is to be the object of Your love and to be Your child and be Your servant forever.  Cadillac Jack says--The pain of  sacrifice is nothing compared to the pain of regret.

Ron might not want to associate with me and Kent after hiking  Camelback with us  The picture was as Ron put it--a happier time.  It's when we were at the top before his whirling helicopter ride.  We could end up on his disassociate list!

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

erv

MyFriendJean says--Don't brood over your troubles--you'll only hatch them.

Being real

How would you make a marriage work? Tell your wife that she looks pretty, even if she looks like a truck. *Ricky, age 10  Now that is not being really real Ricky!  Pastor John talked about courage Sunday.  He said--courage encourages courage.  I pray to be courageous so I can glorify and honor God.  Yes I do.  But it's still hard to be courageous all the time (i.e. I'm being real folks).

It said on a plumber's truck here in Sun Valley--Don't sleep with a drip. Call your plumber!  The other morning I was impatient with Arlene and hurt her feelings (i.e. I was a real drip).  I apologized and she was soooooo kind in accepting it but I still wasn't happy with my self (i.e. I was not kind and should have been--it's hard to take something back after you did it).  I went and played golf with some nice folks but didn't really have my heart in it (i.e. I still felt bad).  I didn't play exceptionally well (i.e. maybe my expectations are greater than my ability).  ANYWAY When going to the parking lot, I came face to face with a veteran (i.e. he had a veteran's cap on) and I said hi and he asked me how I was.  Sooooooo how was I?  I think I said good!  I said back to him--How are you--great; after spending 11 months at Iwo Jima, every day is good day.  A gal who I played golf with and I both said--thank you for serving and he replied--It was a job we had to do!  I told a another gal we played with that she was a real person.  I asked her how tall she was--she said 4'11' but have shrunk to her current height of 4'10".  She was 72, single (i.e. divorced twice and for 35 years).  She later came up to me and said--She would rather be married but it didn't work out that way.  She plays 5 times a week and was a pretty good golfer.  I think she almost beat me.  I enjoyed her company and the other two folks. Yes I did.

Do you ever lie to yourself?  A officer pulled over a guy and said--sir, I have you going 65 in a 55 and I don't thing you had you seat belt on.  Did you?  Officer, I did but was just struggling getting my license out.  If you don't believe me ask my wife.  Mam, did your husband have his seat belt on?  She said--I never go against my husband when he is drinking!  MissPerfect asks--Do you ever lie to yourself.  Honesty can be a struggle for all of us (i.e. we are not always real).  Being an honest person means more than not lying; there are fibs, white lies, half-truths, clever deceptions, exaggerations, etc.  Jesus make it very simple, "let your 'Yes' be 'Yes' and 'No,' 'No"  Matthew 5:37

Arlene does exercises with some ladies each morning.  She really enjoys them as she says they are soooooo sweet, authentic, genuine, real gals.  They don't flaunt their wealth or pretend to be anything but are who they are.  They are just soooooooo nice to her without trying to impress or puff themselves up.  She also really likes our neighbor, Karen.  They go together and after wards have coffee with several of the gals.  Soooooooo I asked Arlene why she likes Karen soooooo much--Arlene said--'Cause she is soooooooooo real! 

I played golf with a friend and his grand son this week.  Ryan is 17, a junior in high school in ND, 6'2'  140 pounds and hits the ball 300 yards consistently with a little draw.  He is a fine young man and a good golfer.  He has potential to a great person and a great golfer (i.e. he has a good start but he will have to make his decisions and we all know decisions have consequences).  ANYWAY on the 14 tee box, Ryan said to me--In playing golf with my granddad and his buddies, you're the first person that doesn't wear hearing aids and actually can see my drives!!!  Now that is being real.  Such is life.  If you want to make the picture bigger, just click on it.

DuaneTheWorm is a phony (i.e. a real smoke screen). Abraham Lincoln said--You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you can not fool all of the people all of the time. Some folks I really don't care if I'm around them or not.  I just don't really care.  LuckieEddie says--Well, to tell you the truth, I don't quite enjoy being around all his b-s, I don't really care to waste my time being around him!  It doesn't take some hyper awareness to know that JakeTheFake isn't real (i.e. it takes some idiot to fall for the joker's sanagians but some do). 

AverageJoe says--Know the truth, speak the truth.  Do we know the truth or have a preconceived idea what the truth is (i.e. something you make up to make it fit your thoughts).  Are we really real or just fakers of the what the real truth is?  What do you think?  Maybe we don't like the real stuff sooooo we tarnish the truth to fit us better.  I'm being real here a.k.a. transparent here folks.  I recently was not facing the real truth 'cause I don't like the real truth.  I got humbled and once again realize what the real truth is.  I don't like it any better but am now dealing with it differently.  It's like playing an exceptional round of golf and think that it is the real truth but it isn't.  I sometimes have a hard time dealing with the real truth.  I do folks. 

Let's be real!  God of the good times is the same as the God of the bad times.  Joesixpack says--That thought sorta kinda squeezes my mind.  I tell you what Joesixpack, when it starts feeling good, just jump in and get some on ya!  When the chemistry is good, good things happen.  Just look at Jeremy Lin and the Knicks.  Now isn't that quite a story.  Unbelievable.  Just unbelievable!  Great story about timing and opportunity (i.e. chemistry).  And when the chemistry is bad, it just ain't good.

A quotation from Dante’s Divine Comedy: “O mortal men, be wary how you judge.” The words are spoken to Dante by a group of redeemed souls in heaven after he has expressed surprise at seeing the pagan Roman emperor Trajan among them.   As Mark Twain quipped, when he was twelve he couldn’t believe how ignorant his father was, and by the time he turned twenty he couldn’t believe how much his father had learned!  If even in the human realm our snap judgments—often based on limited information and false assumptions—can be so easily reversed, how much more so when we question God? Here’s the best news of all: God reverses our judgment of ourselves. Sometimes we think we are sooooooo smart but in real life we aren't .  Sometimes we think we are as smart as God.  Such is life.

I sometimes wonder if being a DuaneTheWorm would be easier than being a real person.  One would never question yourself  'cause you are always right, always the most important, always the best at everything.  You have all the answers and are always better than everyone.  DuaneTheWorms aren't but think they are sooooooo in their life they are.  If you think you know everything and are the greatest, what is there to think about?  Do DuaneTheWorms every realize that they aren't real?  Do you think sooooo? 

I asked a couple of friends if they would each tell me something about their life that was real (i.e. these gals are real folks with huge massive hearts--my kind of folks).  Here are there responses written by them and printed with their permission:  Couz Fays says-- I was enjoying a morning hike on one of the local mountain trails.  I was close to the end, so I reached for my keys so I’d be ready to get into my locked car.  Because many of my athletic clothes do not have pockets, I have to find other places to put them.  My cell phone goes in my bra as well as a tissue, and my keys, since I have two items on one ring, are placed at my waistband; one part on the inside, the other hanging on the outside.  As I started to get my keys, they were NOT on my waistband where I had put them.  I hiked back up to the top, asking people along the way if they had found a set of keys.  I looked on the trail and alongside of it.  Nothing!  I did this twice!!  (a total of 3 times up & down).  On my way down the last time, I had an itch, kinda in the groin area.  When I scratched it, I felt something.  Upon further investigation, there were my keys - laying in the CROTCH of my panties!!  And I never FELT them!!  Can you believe it?  I'd say I got my exercise that day.  It's been a good laugh, but also a lesson learned: I now hang my keys on a cord I wear around my neck.  (However, my cell phone still goes into my bra.)  That's a wow story folks!  ~  A good friend who I really like and enjoy and care for says:  Dear Erv....here goes...Angels on earth...I tried hard to think of a humorous story from my life...unfortunately, when/if I do something funny, my husband immediately shares with family and friends.  God has probed me to share his story. Several years ago, my husband and I were in a very serious car accident, which kept me trapped in our car for 1 1/2 hours under an 18 wheeler. Two angels kept me safe, one from earth who somehow, literally crawled in the car and kept her hand on my shoulder for 1 1/2 hours. Talking to me and keeping me calm. I never had the opportunity to meet her, but, thank her I did. God's angel stood guard while they cut the top off the car and lifted me out.  I saw him and talked to him. The amazing part is that I truly thought he was part of the rescue team, until Ron pointed out it would of been impossible for anyone to stand under the 18 wheeler. I can still picture him today.  God's angels protect us in different ways.  Look around..yours maybe in a car along side of you keeping you safe.. That's a wow story folks.  Ok here is an opportunity for some of you.  I asked my friend if you who have experienced similar events in your life could share with her.  She said that would be fine.  You are to email me and I will forward them to her and you two can communicate.  ervmellema@gmail.com  Folks, those are two very real stories of events in a couple of neat folks in my life.  Oh ya! 

Talk about a real experience.  It was very scary for me and for my friend.  We hiked Camelback Mountain Friday along with Kent.  Things did not go well for my friend Ron.   Very emotional for me.  I just talked to Ron and he is doing fine.  A couple of replaced stints.  He thought he was going to die with the spinning.  He was conscious through all of it.  It was really spinning let me tell ya. It looks like he is going to be fine. Risky rescue at Echo Canyon Video:   Air flow from chopper's blades sends rescued man spinning while dangling in air
http://www.azcentral.com/video/1472193269001

There is really a command in the Bible why we are here in Phoenix.  Yes there is (i.e. it is real).  It says in Acts 27:12 this--Since the harbor was unsuitable to winter in, the majority decided that we should sail on, hoping to reach Phoenix and winter there. 

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

erv

MyFriendJean says--Remember that silence is some times the best answer.