pros and cons

If you live on a quiet street or a busy street there are pros and cons. Some folks like to watch all the busyness and other don’t; pros and cons. Some folks really like a busy social life and others don’t; pros and cons. Some like to travel and others don’t; pros and cons. Some like to be married and others don’t; pros and cons. The list and examples can go for ever. Everything has pros and cons now don’t they. Many times our decisions are based on which side has the most pros and cons even though neither side is perfect.  It’s seems to be easier to make the decision when there are few cons and a lot of pros!  Oh ya!  MissPerfect who is a shameless hussy says—I always make the right decision, if you don’t believe me just ask me!

Do you really think there are pros in every problem; I mean there is something good in every problem.  Or do you think that is just bologna! When I was a kid, we made our own bologna when we butchered on the farm a mile and quarter south of Roseland, MN.  I really liked the bologna we made. A while back I thought I would buy some bologna, but it wasn’t nearly as good; in fact I didn’t like it. Of course, my thinking might have been just bologna maybe!  BUT a lot of things look different and taste different now than when I was a kid. No question about that. When folks get married in their late 70s and both folks have been married for over 50 years to the same person before, it’s different than when they got married at 21; that is for sure. Or folks who have been married 2, 3 or 4 times before maybe things might look different as well. Or maybe it’s just a bunch of bologna!

Soooooo you want be important, right!  Are you sure? I read about some very important folks who were a mess most of the time. They squabbled and missed the point. They were weak misfits, and they struggled with doubts. Those folks were the disciples of Jesus. But Jesus called them anyway. Pretty crazy I think; you would think Jesus would have called high end powerful folks who had it all together, wouldn’t you. Sooooo maybe there is a spot for us to do something important today. Maybe there are pros and cons in being important!

There are some pros and cons but…OneSmartPerson says--Make your message in a code; not very plain but in a code form; let folks make up their own mind what you are saying; let them figure it out with their thought process; make them wonder! It’s sorta kinda a game. Andrew, anybody can be an Andrew says— Living with God is a strange life—strange to a natural person. It’s a life with an extra dimension. You don’t know what this life is like until you know God. Oh boy, Almond Joy! PeterPaul Almond Joy!

I read while eating my oatmeal that most folks don’t like themselves! What! That is what RickyRick said—"Would you be surprised to know most people do not accept themselves? I’ve been in ministry now for over 40 years. I’ve talked to tens of thousands of people, and I’ve found that most people really don’t like themselves. They wish they were different. They wish they looked different. They wish they acted differently.”  I guess we all have pros and cons about ourselves! I also read a possible improvement for humans liking and accepting themselves more--“In order for man to succeed in life, God provided him with two means, education and physical activity. Not separately, one for the soul and the other for the body, but for the two together. With these means, man can attain perfection.” ― Plato’s opinion   Maybe those two ideas are a hard row to hoe for many folks. Saturday question—What is it that you don’t like about yourself? Are you kidding me!

My second cousin twice removed a.k.a. known as the other Warren from Omaha sent me this—"When in High School (Sibley, Iowa) I sang in the High School boys' quartet, and I still remember the words of a favorite song.  Its entitled " Sophomoric Philosophy"   --- the words go like this  " the more you study, the more you know --- the more you know, the more you forget--- the more you forget, the less you know --- so why Study??? --- 2^nd verse  " the less you study, the less you know, the less you know - the less you forget --- the less you forget, the MORE  you know  --- so Why Study ???.” First of all, when we are sophomores in high school, we hopefully thought differently than we do now (i.e. all of us do except for one and you know who you are). Secondly, some folks think they know all the answers but in reality, it appears that they know very little! Thirdly, I know folks that seem to know a lot and are jerks and I know folks who seem to know very little and who aren’t jerks but seem very wise. Go figure. Sooooo, maybe there are pros and cons in knowing a lot or thinking we know a lot!  Could be, maybe, I don’t know! How do I know, I’m just  a little ol’ farm boy from a mile and quarter south of Roseland, MN who spent the winter in AZ where I was just another bozo on the bus!

You are like no one else! I have an acquaintance who is a friend of Jeanne in our 55+ park. During a flag burning program honoring Vietnam vets, we discovered that she was a medic in the military for several tours of duty. We were quite surprised. She is such a giving and caring person. Recently Jeanne was outside our tin hut and she came bye and they talked. Amazing gal but what we were really amazed about was that she told Jeanne that after all these years she had finally found what her passion and purpose of her life was. Is that exciting or what! She said—After 60 years I found my purpose of my life and it is helping people!  Is that a wow or what! Saturday question—What is your passion or purpose of life. Life has pros and cons now doesn’t it. Such is life.

TrickyRicky says—"You weren’t put on earth to live for yourself. You were made for a greater purpose than simply to make money, retire, and die. You were made for a mission, and that mission gives your life meaning. Until you know your life mission, you’re just existing. Life may seem good, but you won’t experience the fulfillment you would if you were living out God’s intentions for you.”

Maybe you have had a manager who said—“Don’t bring me problems but bring me solutions.”  Maybe that is being the pro in problem solving. Saturday question—Are we the problem or the solution to the problem? ItchieBitchie says—Yikes, I hope I’m not the problem and don’t even know it!  ItchieBitchie, being the problem is bad enough but not knowing you are the problem is even worse! Especially when you think you have been a hot shot all your life! Flip the pancake—Then there are “top shelf” humble problem solvers who are really great and don’t even know that they are a hotshot. Such is life.

It appears that anything I do and any decision I make there are pros and cons (i.e. sometimes I don’t even recognize the pros and cons for many different reasons). I try to have more pros than cons in what I do and the decisions I make (i.e. look for the good).  As a friend told me—erv, it’s a no brainer, there are way more pros than cons in a decision you are making soooo do it, get after it. It appears that we maybe hear the cons more than the pros many times which maybe influence our mind more. Saturday question—Is there anything perfect?  I really don’t know BUT I sure like to have overwhelming odds on my side! That seems to make my life better.  What do you think?  That is what I thought. That seems to be a big pro! Da! Maybe, just maybe, everything depends on where we’re looking and if our looking is any good!

I have a friend who has asked me—erv, what is your motive for doing something as if your motive is wrong you will probably not have success in the long run! That is probably true in many things my friend. I have thought about that many times when I do things—What is my motive (i.e. the pros and cons). We all have different motives for whatever reason now don’t we (i.e. maybe some motives are better than others). And we make our decisions probably based on which motive we feed the most!  It ain’t nuttin new, it’s been around forever!

I try to do this; it seems that it makes my life better; try it, you might like it (i.e. there are a lot of pros to it let me tell ya)--The Bible says, “It is wonderful to be grateful and to sing your praises, LORD Most High! It is wonderful each morning to tell about your love and at night to announce how faithful You are” (Psalm 92:1-2 CEV). It’s not just a one-time prayer. It’s a lifestyle of gratitude. The psalmist sang God’s praises every morning and every night. It is good for me to jump for joy!

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

erv

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

audacity

Have you heard a person described this way---They are soooooo audacious!  Saturday question--Are we audacious? The definition of audacious that I'm trying to write about in this "It's Saturday" is--taking extremely bold or daring risks. 

RickyRick says—"Where do you need to be audacious? Where do you need to trust God? Maybe we need to take the initiative to step out in faith, think big, or take a risk. When you’re following God’s dream, we can know he will honor the big steps we take in faith.” You believe that? Are we audacious or a chicken?

I read while eating my oatmeal with half a banana on it--“The best way to measure how much you've grown is not by inches or the number of laps you can now run around the track, or even your grade point average..... It is what you've done with your time, how you have chosen to spend your days, and whom you have touched this year. That to me is the greatest measure of success.” ~ R. J. Palacio’s opinion! Jeanne and I wrote out some goals we had for our winter in AZ before we departed for AZ last fall.  We recently reviewed how we did, and we feel we did quite well, our opinion! Some very important, interesting, challenging opportunities we did. We are thinking we used our time pretty wisely…but we always can do better. Next year we will “hit those decks a runnin' and spin those guns around….

FredieTheFreeLoader asks—"Are you going to read any books in the next year? Are you going to take any seminars? Are you going to grow? Are you going to develop any skills? Are you going to learn any relationship skills? Or are you just going to be the same 10 years from today as you are right now?” I have learned a lot this past winter in AZ from many sources.  Here are a few ideas I have learned from observing folks:  Some folks are really nice to others and those other folks are really nice back to them. Some folks talk about other folks’ lives and don’t talk soooo much about themselves (i.e. and some never talk about anyone except themselves—ouchy ouchy). Some folks are soooo humble and some quite arrogant. Some folks are great listeners (i.e. give their whole attention) and some are terrible listeners (i.e. when someone else is talking to them they don’t look them in the eye but might fiddle with their phone etc.—ouchy ouchy a.k.a. self-glory seekers, narcissistic, mecentered). And some folks' stories are tooo much in detail and are toooo long (i.e. they go on for ever, very boring)! Saturday question—Which folks do you think are audacious?

Samuel Taylor Coleridge, the English poet said--"The light which experience gives is a lantern on the stern, which shines only on the waves behind us." Soooo do we need to look what we have done so we can correct the mistakes and play better in our future? So does our experiences give us reference points from which we can learn and grow? I think soooo, my opinion. BUT do we do it? 

When some of our family was in AZ, we played The Horse Racing Game. We really had a good time, especially our 12-year old grandson, Jimmer. We gave all the players $10 worth of dimes and we played for keeps (i.e. now that makes a big difference). It would even have been more exciting if we all had to play with our own $10. It seems that when we have a horse in the race and we are spending our own money, well, the race is way different ain’t it! When we put the chips back in the box it’s not quite as important, my opinion!

My mentor would say to me—erv, the world measures success in how much money you have but not all folks do. Charles, anybody can be a Charles says—"Curiously, however, few ever address what most folks want (but seldom find) in their pursuit of success: contentment, fulfillment, satisfaction, and relief. On the contrary, as the Executives’ Digest once reported, ‘The trouble with success is that the formula is the same as the one for a nervous breakdown.’ And what is that? Work longer hours, push ahead, let nothing hinder your quest—not your marriage or family, not your conscience, not your health or friends. Be aggressive, if necessary mean, as you press toward the top. At the risk of sounding ultra-simplistic, I’d like to offer some counsel that stands 180 degrees in contrast to all the above: Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety upon Him, because He cares for you’ (1 Peter 5:5-7).” LuckieEddie says—As for me and my family, we are going for the money, yes we are; we really like money and what it gives us! Money money and more money is the answer; it says that on TV soooo it must be right!

We had morning coffee with some old friends (i.e. old in more ways than one) this week on their patio overlooking the golf course in their 55+ community this week.. TheMN-Enginner and MaryTheNurse asked Jeanne how we met and then they told us how they met some 60 years ago. MaryTheNurse said he took me into the linen closet in the hospital where I was a student nurse and he was a orderly. She said he was an disorderly orderly!  They are audacious folks alright!

I learned from some audacious friends recently by how they showed their generosity in expressing their happiness for us. They didn’t have to be this way, but they did. We were just amazed and touched. We really shouldn’t have been surprised as they are such good folks with good hearts; our kind of folks but we still were!  I tell you what, we have really been eating good! Thanksamillion. I read while eating my oatmeal with half a banana on it—"We are to minister to folks by serving them (i.e. many times with menial tasks, unspoked tasks which some would consider unimportant, but we should also serve with big, important tasks and unexpected expressions.” That just might be audacity! “When we do the common things in life in an uncommon way, we will command the attention of the world.” ~ George Washington Carver's opinion.

WorldClassLarry, a regular flame thrower, says—"Many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it and sometimes they'll dump it on you. Don't take it personally. Just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on. Don't take their garbage and spread it to other people at work, at home, or on the streets. The bottom line is that successful people do not let garbage trucks take over their day. Life's too short to wake up in the morning with regrets, so...Love the people who treat you right. Pray for the ones who don't. Life is ten percent what you make it and ninety percent how you take it!” The guydownthestreet says--To get into the final four, the rule is simple, win to get in!

We went to a spring training game between the Rockies and the Cubs. A foul ball came our way and came down into Jimmer’s hands. He tried to catch it, but it bounced out of his hands and into the lap of the lady behind him. He was crushed, really crushed. For a 12-year old baseball enthusiast, that was hard to take. Have you ever been crushed? Da! The ball always doesn’t bounce our way now does it. It takes an audacious person to go forward sometimes. Many folks cannot or will not!  Ouchy ouchy! The old lady could have given him the ball, but she decided not tooooo. It was her decision! Saturday question—Have you ever been the old lady? SusieQ who know who she is, says—You make many right decisions, and everyone likes you and then you make one bad decision, and no one does! Life ain’t always easy folks; don’t kid yourself! BUT, maybe the old lady had a good reason why she didn’t give Jimmer the ball, could be! Maybe the old lady taught Jimmer a good lesson in that life isn’t always fair; the only thing that is fair is the Butler County Fair and that’s in June!

Is an audacious person sorta kinda analogous to an anomaly? I don’t know! Sooooo what kind of person are we anyway?

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

erv

MyFriendJean said--It takes as much energy to hold out a helping hand as to point a finger.

quality

“When the Ritz-Carlton Hotels won the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, the owner of that outstanding organization, Mr. William Johnson, stated that now they would need to work even harder to earn the respect that came with the award. ‘Quality,’ he said, ‘is a race with no finish line.’”

WorldClassLarry says--It's time to start living the life we've imagined. Saturday question—Are we really living the life (i.e. quality life) that we imagine we want to live or are we digging our heels in and not going forward? Pretty deep, huh! Ok, have you been watching the women’s and men’s NCAA March Madness? I have and really enjoy them. If you like college basketball, this is the time alright. The crowds go wild for their teams. I like that support. I find that support is really good for me and I would guess for all people. We need advocates to cheer us on. Saturday question—Are you a advocate for others and cheer them on (i.e. being jumper cables)? They need it and you are the folks who can do that. Sooooo throw those chips away and get your butt off the couch! It will give our lives and someone else's life more quality. It's a  step back and a schwisssh at the Big Dance!

Many scientists question if there is life after death, and most of them say, “We just do not know.” Science deals in formulas and test tubes. But there is a spiritual world science knows nothing about. They seem to be on opposite ends of the spectrum I think (i.e. they just don’t mix like water and oil). Saturday question—Which thinking do you think produces a quality life? My opinion is that folks who live in a wonder world, wonder about all the miracles they have in their daily lives, seem to be happier and be more content. That is my opinion and that can’t be measured either!  

Is there a difference in what different folks think is quality in communication? Maybe like a factual response compared to a fun response!  And maybe there is a difference how guys respond than girls; now that could be tooooo and there is maybe a difference why and how they respond (i.e. a factual or a fun response), could be (e.g. gee, you could at least smile is example of a fun response) compared to your dress is beautiful (e.g. very generic and factual response; big smiles compared to you look gorgeous). Or the difference in responds could be because of how folks have been trained by family; could be, maybe probably, I don’t know. JoeBlow says—There has never been any humor in our family; we have always been serious; we don’t even understand humor; we don’t laugh much in our family, never have. SusieQ asks--Is a serious response or a fun response the best? Do you think this is true or syrupy? Schwisssh!

AverageJoe who thinks he is the best thing since spam, says—If you want a quality life, you gotta spend most of your time with quality folks; If we dance with evil eventually we will become evil (i.e. it’s sorta kinda like osmosis). Look around folks, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure that out. Good parents are always concerned with who their kids hang around with as they pick up their traits and habits. Humans sorta kinda mimic the folks they are around. And that is why it is good to have a good mentor or mentors. Bingo! Many of you folks are great (e.g. like Gideon’s fab 300), quality folks that have good traits (i.e. that is my opinion anyway). Do you think this is true or wonky? Or another step back and another schwissh!

I just read while eating my oatmeal with half a banana on it that one good way to solve a problem might be to be silent and wait. Yes, be quiet and wait. I know some of you think that is just bologna. One way I can find silence is hiking in nature; it seems to really work for me.  Of course if you disagree with my method, you can use “ the shoot out at the ok corral method,” that works tooooo! Who ever shots the fastest and most accurate wins!

Most of us at some point stop growing taller. We reach our maximum height. Not so with trees. A new study has found that trees never stop growing during their lifespans. In fact, as they age, their growth accelerates. MissPerfect says—I have a tendency to keep growing in weight even when I don’t try; it seems like it’s just osmosis! Well, wouldn’t it be great if all of us could continue to grow in knowledge, social graces, and love! You know, I think we can with a little effort. What do you think, that is what I thought. BUT what do I know, I'm just a little ol' farm boy from a mile and quarter south of Roseland, MN.

This, I think, is a quality thought I had.  I made a mistake by missing a turn while driving the other day. I probably wasn’t paying enough attention. I actually got rather unhappy with myself for doing it. I don’t  like making those type of mistakes. ANYWAY, many mistakes I make I don’t get excited about but treat them more as opportunities,  learning opportunities in that I will never do that again. BUT will I miss another turn and misplace my glasses again, of course I will.

TomSmart asks--Do we want a quality life? I do and try to work toward that goal. I do. I challenge you to join the ranks of those people who live what they teach, who walk their talk. Joesixpack says—Ya but TomSmart, talk is cheap but it takes money to buy whisky! Some folks are just quality from top to the bottom; there is no question; those are my kind of folks (i.e. folks with kind hearts—those are you folks except for one of you and you know who you are). Do you think this is true or syrupy?

I heard that 84% of high school students say they have passion but 74% of their passions are in sports, arts and entertainment. The problem with that is only 2% of the jobs are in those areas. Go figure! Sooooo that doesn’t sound very practical or effective (i.e. not practical passions maybe). And we wonder why they can’t get a job to pay back their education costs. Soooo are we practical or live in la la land. The percentages tell us something I’m guessing. Someone just sent me a response that was &$!#%. I had no idea what that meant. It’s probably practical to them but not to me! That response could easily be misinterpreted I guess as I have no idea what it means. I’m maybe impractical and ineffective in the modern world! As a friend tells me--erv, you are analog in a digital world! Maybe, probably, could be, I don’t know! Is this like a double dribble!

A quality golf buddy who is Canadian pulled out his wallet and found a plastic envelope that had a 50 dollar Canadian bill in it. He unfolded it and showed it to me. He said his mother gave it to him many years ago.  After she did, everything went very well for him; it’s has been his lucky bill he said. His mother said that his wife is the best thing that has ever happened to him; she is his angel. I told him that his luck probably doesn’t have the same quality in the U.S. as it used tooooo as the Canadian money now has a conversion rate in the U.S. of about 70%! But 70% of luck is better than no luck at all I guess! Is this icing! 

Here are a couple of quality suggestions for our lives (i.e. my opinion)—Make up your mind to rejoice today. And be humble when you are victorious! It appears to me that quality folks seem to have these qualities. It appears that folks who do just the opposite of those two suggestions, well, they just don’t light up my life. Do they light your life? That is what I thought. HumbleBetty who is very polished, says--Gratitude is my light! Do you think this is true or wonky?

You have to decide if you are going to wilt like a daisy or if you are just going to go forward and live the life you have been granted." ~ Kevin Costner 

Saturday question--What kind of king do we actually want? Do we want a ruler like Pilate (i.e. a truly weak ruler), or are we willing to follow a quality king like Jesus (i.e. the King of kings) who will rule for ever?

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

erv

MyFriendJean said—Ideas are funny little things…they don’t work unless we do.

you decide

Ok, here is a decision right off the bat, are you going to read “It’s Saturday” or not. What is going to help you make that decision anyway? There are many factors that I don’t even know about and maybe you don’t even know about I would guess (i.e. God only knows for sure). ItchieBitche says—The mind is a mystery; do we ever really figure out the mind of someone else? Do we even figure out our own mind? Da! Ding ding! Is there anybody home?

We saw this direction sign while hiking in Sabino Canyon. I guess we had to decide what direction we wanted to go for ourselves. It was up to us I guess. We laughed. We took the down hill trail; way easier and we knew what was at the bottom soooo we couldn’t go wrong! BUT picking our direction isn’t always that easy. Sooooo how do we decide what direction to go anyway?

It is said that during one of Martin Luther’s periods of depression, he found his wife, Katharina, dressed in black. He asked her why she was wearing black, and she responded, “Because I am in mourning.” He asked, “Over what?” She replied, “God has died.” He said, “You know better than that.” And then she said, “I do, and you do too. Why don’t you start living like you believe that God is alive?”

I heard a Sabino Canyon ranger say this about the future of nature—Sometimes human, worldly success is the nemesis to the success of our earth. That is about as deep as the Grand Canyon. Our 12-year grandson, Jimmer from CO, was here in AZ and really wanted to see the Grand Canyon which he calls The Big Crack.  Do you know that many visitors spend as much time or more time in the gift shop than they do looking at the Grand Canyon?  King Solomon, proclaimed as the smartest person in the world, said—For with much wisdom comes much sorrow, the more knowledge, the more grief.  Now that sounds like an oxymoron doesn’t it.  BUT the footnote explanation makes sense to me—Humanistic wisdom—wisdom without God—leads to grief and sorrow. That’s deep tooooo but not as deep as The Big Crack! More like the Columbia Gorge! BUT you decide!

I read this while eating my oatmeal with half a banana on it--"Writing about painful experiences and emotions can improve our mental and physical health. The theory and practice of expressive writing, a technique that involves writing about an upsetting experience for 15 to 20 minutes a day for three or four consecutive days is really beneficial for our mind and soul. Expressive writing has been shown to improve people’s physical and mental health for weeks, months, and even years. As it is put: it is a brief writing technique that helps people understand and deal with emotional upheavals in their lives. It is a little like a self-help therapy without outlandish claims. Its greatest appeal is that it is a method with strong scientific evidence behind it." You decide if it makes sense to you!

ItchieBitchie, who always makes everyone feel like a somebody, says—I try to live my life with integrity, let people see on the outside what’s going on inside. It means, "folks see what they get." Hypocrisy is the great enemy of integrity. We practice hypocrisy when we know the truth and don’t do it. It’s when what we say isn’t the same as what we do. It appears that folks with integrity are the real deal and not a fake. I guess we get to decide how we what to live our lives. GeorgeTheCrook says—I live my life like a chameleon, I change color depending on the situation; I just blend in with the surroundings. They also have a long sticky tongue; and their eyes can be moved independently at each other soooo others have no idea what they are looking at. It seems to work for me.

You ever grunt, I mean when something is hard like opening a pickle jar that you can’t get open. I grunt but it doesn’t seem to help me. How about you. Sooooo why do we grunt? Soooo if we have something that seems hard in our life, why do we grunt and complain then? Why? Does it help? Sighing is a silent scream I have been told. Soooooo maybe a grunt is something like a sigh. You think soooo! I used to feed hogs and they grunted a lot! Is there a similar relationship between my grunts and pigs’ grunts? Think about that next time you open a pickle jar will ya!

We went to a Cubs/Rockies game this week. I sure enjoyed the pitch time clock, The game was over in 2 hours and 15 minutes. We enjoyed the game. BUT, our family took my vehicle and Jeanne and I took her vehicle and we met them there. WELL, when we went to the parking lot we couldn't find our vehicle; we knew exactly where it was and we still couldn't find it. We finally figured it out, we were looking for my black vehicle and not her gray vehicle. How embarrassing can it get! We laughed and grunted really hard!

I saw some folks recently doing an activity. Some of them were really good at this activity. Folks who really become good at something can demonstrate their success in a way which appears to some as over the top by some folks a.k.a. showoffs and others show their success in a very humble way. SusieQ says—Some folks like to act important, and others don’t. Why is that do you think? There has to be a reason. We decide what the reason is. Maybe some of them need a cold shower! I read that many great men and women have died unknown and unsung! Just think how many have! I can only imagine! I heard a super senior lady talking to another senior guy in our park—She said I think someone stole my golf cart—no no, no one here would steal your golf cart—then my golf cart must have got lost or I’m lost!

We went for a bike ride along a canal and also under some power lines. We talked to a friend who she and her husband bike a lot and bike the same paths.  She asked if we got shocked by current under the high-powered power lines. She said that they have at times when the power was stronger. What! Ya, when we touched the medal on our bikes, we could feel the current. Now that is electrifying!  Is that good for a person? I like to be electrified but I don’t know if this type is good for me. BUT I did wonder why Jeanne’s hair stood up on end!

This got my attention!  You get to decide if it gets your attention. I read--"The grass might seem greener on the other side, yet when it comes to fault finding, we’re generous with ourselves but strict with others. Our mind is quick to judge the misbehavior of others when in fact we’re not better at all. We just like to think we are. Let’s be aware of that and improve upon our own weaknesses.” I am going to try to improve on that. You want to join me? It sure sounds like a good deal; it doesn’t cost anything and the return on our investment is huge massive! You decide!

A super senior lady stooped by our place in her golf cart. I told her she was the only lady that I know who matches her outfit to the color of the streak in her hair (i.e. she had a purple shirt on and had a purple streak in her white hair). Do you know that purple is the royal color--yes, I do--you are royal--yes, I am, some folks tell me I'm a royal pain in the...!

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

erv

MyFriendJean said--A good picture stops a moment from running away.

certainty

Saturday question--Are we ever cocksure positive only to find out later we were wrong? I have and I don't like the feeling! FussbudgetBetty says--I was sooooo certain I was right! Da! I admit that I have changed my mind about something in 180 degrees! 

They say that taxes and death are certainties. We try to lessen our taxes or not pay taxes at all and we try to not to die. We spend a lot of money and effort doing both sorta kinda anyway.  BUT many folks only get concerned about dying when they have a problem. When things are going well, we usually don’t take care of our bodies, minds or souls very well. But when there’s a problem, Katie bar the door, we want a pill to fix everything (i.e. a certain fix). Saturday question--Have you ever had a toothache? Now that's a humbling experience for sure that gets our attention!

It’s a certainty alright. I went to the work out center the other day to get stronger (i.e. I was hoping 15 minutes would do it). I can’t hit the golf ball like I use to and also can’t play pickleball as well; now that is a certainty. I found out real quick why I can’t as I have less strength than I used tooooo and I didn’t have much before soooo if I’m 50% less of little, that doesn’t leave me much left. Now that is a certainty .Houston, we have a problem!

LuckieEddie’s certainty is now certain that it has to change. It’s a certainty.  It’s been that way for ever. Change is driven by convenience and of course money. C’mon folks! A few years ago, the old boys at the restaurant said that they would only take their SS check if is mailed to them, no automatic deposit for them; they didn’t trust it.  Then SS said the only way you can get your SS check is by automatic deposit and they said—Ok, we’ll take it; it’s ok! BigMouthBill says--Aren’t we really something! We have no idea what we are talking about! CadillacJack says--Change is our friend not your foe; change is a brilliant opportunity to grow.

Do we live in wonder? I really am in a wonderland in my mind, yes I am. It is amazing the wonder that is all around me and is happening. It’s unfathomable, incomprehensible, just plain amazing. Way beyond my understanding. It blows my mind! Here I am at my age just astonished by God’s world. Wow! We watched a movie the other night called The 12 Mighty Orphans and one of the statements that was instilled in the orphans was—We are soooo blessed! I really like that attitude. Boy, am I blessed! I admit it! But here is a challenge I have—The Bible teaches us that we are blessed to be a blessing!

Jeanne and I were talking about what a friend did (i.e. he went to the Super Bowl that cost him $10,000). I said I would never do that—she said—you can but elect not toooooo!  Now that is a certainty maybe folks; I elect not to do that!  She didn’t know it but that was a great compliment to me. A senior lady in the apple sauce aisle at the grocery store had a tee shirt on that said—Don’t grow up, it’s a trap! There was a book written years ago that I read that the title was something like a better mouse trap or was it who moved the cheese or something like that. The world always has and always will build better mouse traps or make better tasting cheese and we are the mice. Don’t you forget it folks.  Snap, we are trapped! It’s a certainty. Ouchy Ouchy

A new mouse trip; a certainty, it's the smashtruck. It works! It saves our park money by smashing the garbage between dumplings instead of having it hauled. Like I said, someone always figures a way to make money by saving someone else money; a win win situation (i.e. a new mouse trap)! It's an easy sell, a no brainer! Huh, interesting!

I read recently while eating my oatmeal with half a banana on it--There are countless false prophets in the world today (i.e. this is a certainty). Every one of them has a following. Often they proclaim their message with more zeal than the true prophets. Yet they are lying. How are we going to tell whether a prophet is true or false? Now that is a good question! We were around two widowed ladies recently. They told us that they didn’t think they wanted to get married again but might consider having a male companion friend.  We asked how come?  They said they didn’t want to train another man!  We said—C’mon, are you sure you wouldn’t think about it if the right guy came along—well, ya maybe, it would have to be the right one! Soooo maybe they weren’t telling the truth! Dog trainers say treats work very well in training a new dog, soooo there!

I think this is a certainty to me, but you might not; I understand. But at least think about it, will ya; be just a little open minded. My hero David, the Psalmist, wrote--God’s praise “shall continually be in my mouth” (i.e. words he wrote during a time of trouble). When I’m feeling rotten because of something and need an uplift, that is what I try to do. A friend thinks that the statement, “I try,” might be a Midwest statement as she doesn’t hear it in her part of the world. I hear folks say it a lot, I will try my best. I tell our grandkids to always try to do their best. I like that statement as it is rather humbling to me as I always don’t do what is right or my best, but I try! What do you think? That is what I thought!

It's a certainty alright, no questions about it. You and I look at the same things but see different things. Why is that? Maybe our brains are programed differently, could be, maybe, probably, I don’t know. Recently we visited the Karchner Caverns, one of the 10 best caves in the world maybe. We all looked at the same stalagmites, stalactites, and columns but we all saw something different, for sure. I think maybe we look at life and the purpose of our life the same but see different things. I do think soooo maybe, could be, probably, I don’t know. WildWilly says--Here might be an example of how we see things differently--We are here to add what we can to life, not to get what we can from life.

I was hiking up 'er in 'em mountains the other day and was standing on my favorite vista overlooking a beautiful valley below. I heard some racket coming down the trail that kept getting louder and louder. It sounded like about 100 Carriage Manor women on a hike. As they came around the bend there were 6 women about age 60 all taking at the same time, no one was listening and all looking down at the trail. They walked past me about 20 feet away. None of them saw me, they didn't seem to hear a word the others were saying and didn't see any of the beauty of the valley. Hey, that is the way I saw it, heard it, and understood it! When I got to my vehicle, there were two guys getting on their mountain bikes going for a ride.  They asked me if I saw any rattlesnakes--no, I didn't--we saw one last time we rode soooo they are out there.  We talked about rattlesnakes a little and I said--I was to a program on rattlesnakes here in the mountains and the ranger said that most bites happen to guys in their 20 who are under the influence and who are trying to impress a girl. One guy said--That really lessons my chances to get bit by a rattler. The other guy said--me toooo!  Soooo you didn't here them, see them or understand their body language like I did (i.e. they say body language is about 80% of communication) but your understanding still could be many things I guess. 

Ok, do you know of the sonnet by William Wordsworth called "The World is too Much With Us?"  Have you read it? Do you know the meaning of it?  It's about maybe how we see and understand things differently maybe. I suggest you learn about it. Something different for you. It's always good to learn something new! That is my opinion. BUT you might think differently (i.e. that is a certainty). I understand that toooo! Such is life.

The person who I think was the smartest ever, said (i.e. erv’s paraphrase)—We all have ears to hear, eyes to see and hearts to understand but we all hear differently, see differently, and understand differently.  Now ain’t that the certain truth, a certainty! Related to that thought, it appears that many folks enjoy different types of conversations compared to other folks. SusieQ says—Don’t kid yourself erv, we all do; just look around! Some folks enjoy certain conversations and others just get really bored and get up and leave (i.e. like a friend of mine does; I think he gets to a point of hearing enough of the same old stuff I think)! haha I asked him once about it and he said that he had to leave to go and sort his socks in his sock drawer! Right! Related to that thought, have you noticed that some folks don’t understand humor at all or not the same type of humor as you do? They just don’t get it and act like a deer looking in the headlights of a car! I guess the conclusion of the matter is that we are all different now aren’t we! Now that is a certainty without a doubt!

A new female senior friend who is our neighbor went to a bar here in the Valley of the Sun where they sponsor “Senior Speed Dating!” You heard it right, Senior Speed Dating. I don’t think I ever heard of that in Butler County Iowa (i.e. maybe she thinks she needs Senior Speed Dating as time is running fast)! She said—It was a bust! She had no success! She was disappointed!

Hey listen, all relationships have to start somewhere, don’t kid yourself. We were given this pic; pretty neat we thought. It’s a small world after all! I had to go to Mesa, AZ to meet Jeanne who is from the State of Washington. The two couples that were instrumental in  getting us to gather are from Canada. Go figure! No one from Butler County IA! Probably the most popular question folks ask us is, how did you meet. Well, it was a God thing, a God Wink, a miracle. It was Sunday, February 26, 2023 and our park was having their Sunday Chapel Service in the ball room. I usually go to Broadway Christian, but my big sister (i.e. only in age) and her husband were using my vehicle soooooo I just walked to the chapel service. Roy and Rita from Canada, old pickleball friends (i.e. old in two ways) who don’t usually go to the park’s service as they go to another church but this Sunday the service was honoring all the couples in the park who have 50-year anniversaries and they knew some of the folks. Jeanne hadn’t gone back to the chapel service since the death of her husband, Larry, about four years ago, as it was soooo hard for her as he sang in the choir. But this Sunday she said she was forced to go by an internal force but didn’t know why (i.e. she had no desire in meeting another man, none). Well, I sat in the back and Roy came up to me and told me that the woman they wanted me to meet is here and there is a chair open right beside her and I should go and sit by her. I told Roy that I didn’t want anything to do with dating a woman; I just want to coast on out and call it good (i.e. I was done with trying to find another woman). He insisted that I do it, but I said, “no way.” Well, Dianne and Keith, also Canucks, were sitting next to me who I didn’t know, said to me (i.e. my version—you idot, get your butt over there). Their version was like that’s an opportunity and you should pursue it. Sooooo, I went and sat by Jeanne. I introduced myself and said, Roy says you are a nice person, and I should meet you. She looked at me, put her hand on my arm and got teary eyed. The rest is history as they say.

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

erv

MyFriendJean said—The trouble with the younger generation is that most of us aren’t in it.

curmudgeons

An acquaintance told us that they are a certified, full time curmudgeon—a cantankerous, crusty obstinate, bad-tempered, argumentative, uncooperative, grumpy, grouchy, testy, and crotchety person! A real killjoy! 

Bobby, anybody can be a Bobby, says--Studies and research teams did research on leaders of the highest-performing companies. What they discovered was that in most cases, the top corporations were not headed by well-known, charismatic personalities, but by humble individuals whose passions for excellence and success were balanced by great humility. Looking over the research, they observed, “The good-to-great leaders never wanted to become larger-than-life heroes. They never aspired to be put on a pedestal or become unreachable icons. They were seemingly ordinary people quietly producing extraordinary results.” Now that research describes those top-notch folks who are like you folks, expect for one of you and you know who you are! 

CoachB says—You old hunk, don’t judge anybody because they are a lady or a man, young or old, as you never know what they know and who can do what you need done, even plumbing! In our culture we live in, I am just amazed how males and females are soooo capable and knowledgeable about both blue jobs and pink jobs (i.e. that definition was given to me by a friend). Really there are no pink and blue jobs anymore; we have come a long ways baby. Yes, we have. I would guess curmudgeons won’t understand that. What do you think?

Curmudgeons are real killjoys, now aren’t they! I had a friend in college who told me that she could memorize very well and did very well academically (i.e. got good grades) but she told me that she never knew what any of it meant (i.e. didn’t understand the meaning or application).  Another friend told me that he got an advanced degree in a certain area and went on the job, but he didn’t know nuttin; he had to basically learn it from scratch on the job. Or a new mother told me, I had a baby but didn’t have a clue how to mother the baby. I remember on my first real paying job out of college, it was my first day and an old curmudgeon (i.e. his name was Marty) called me a punk kid; it really hurt my feelings as I thought I knew a lot and was important as I just graduated from college a.k.a. a real hot shot alright! Basically, I knew nuttin! I still remember that and that was 57 years ago. And I’m still really a punk kid who still knows nuttin! Nuttin has really changed let me tell ya! Such is life.

If I was going to war I think I might pick a curmudgeonJake as my war buddy! I think I would. I think he would be trusted and tough. I think I could trust my back side with him. He would fight for me and the cause. I think he would be loyal!

Fred had no self-control, pig headed, stubborn, doing shenanigans, and he left a path of destruction behind him and being just plain obnoxious He was a four-hundred-pound hog who got loose in Colorado last fall. He covered four miles over ten days, tearing up lawns and digging up roots along the way. He was finally captured by animal service agents, who found him a home at a local high school’s agriculture farm. And you thought I was telling the story about the curmudgeon you know down the street! 

I was talking to a couple who own and operate a towing company. They tow vehicles from all over the place. I asked them if they have a hard time collecting their fees—no no, the folks we help are soooooo happy that we will help them and are very happy to pay us to get them out of their messes; many of them are on the interstate with traffic going by them 90 mph or in an area that they are scared to death or they really need help badly or have been sitting stranded for hours—they just love us when we are their savior. Even the best curmudgeon is happy to be saved or brought out of harm’s way. Aren’t we all sorta kinda that way. We will pay any amount to get out of a big mess. Sooooo flip the pancake, when we have everything going our way, we don’t have that feeling of appreciation but grumble like the best curmudgeon but when things are going south, we sure change our tune, (i.e. oh, what a relief it is to have someone get us out of our mess). Huh, interesting!

You ever get goose bumps? I wonder if curmudgeons ever get goose bumps? TheButlerCountyThing who thinks they aren't a piece of the pie but are the whole pie, says—I doubt it; they are tooooo crusty to get goose bumps; nuttin affects them; they have no emotions; they think they are always right; they know everything, they think; if you don’t believe that, ask them. King David is one of my heroes.  In Psalm 8, the prophet Nathan just exposed David to his face that he was a big sinner by having sex with Bathsheba. This is paraphrasing by erv—David humbly confessed his sin to God and humbly asked God to restore joy in his life which it appeared God did. That same equation will work for all of us. I believe it will even work for the biggest curmudgeon on this earth. I believe that. Now that’s a wow!

The curmudgeon has shown up in me I think. RickyRick says—"You’re always going to get discouraged when you try to be a superhero and do more than is humanly possible. You need a more realistic view of yourself: You can’t fix everybody’s problems.” It might be fact or opinion that we can’t fix hardly anyone’s problems if they don’t want them fixed! Soooo our smart tv said that there was no internet connection. I checked the modem, went through all the settings on the tv and even read the directions but no success. Jeanne came in and unplugged the tv and plugged it back in—bingo, fixed! Da!

My friend, Hank, anybody can be a Hank, suggested that I should buy this battery-operated warning light that twirls an obnoxious red light if the temperature in my IA house goes below a certain temperature soooo my neighbors can see it.  Sooooo of course I bought it. Why not! It seemed like good business to me. Wouldn’t it be great if we could buy a warning light for our mind and body that would do that (i.e. have it installed on the top of our heads). Maybe the warning light would go on when we become a curmudgeon. The problem might be that there would be obnoxious lights flashing all the time. Now that would be a mess! 

Soooooo we had lunch with a couz and hubby at Grayhawk Golf Course. What a hoot we had. They are soooo much fun. Sooooo we were wondering how much it cost to play there soooo I went in the pro shop and asked. It was what they call Dynamic Pricing—what’s that—we have a guy on staff that changes the price every 9 minutes based on supply and demand but currently because of the high demand, the price will vary between $300 and $400 a round—really?—really! That is about how much I pay for a membership for the whole year at Aplington Golf Course in Butler County. And the curmudgeons in Butler County think that’s tooooo much! Hey, like the assistant pro told me, it’s what the market will bear.

A friend, George (i.e. anybody can be a George), was showing me his new golf cart that had a lithium-titanate or lithium-titanium-oxide (LTO) battery.  He said they are really pretty simple erv—George, it’s much like me, pretty simple. And George responded--It’s ok to be simple erv, you don’t have much that can go wrong! 

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

erv

MyFreindJean said--Praise does wonders for the sense of hearing.

piffle thoughts maybe

In July 2020, researchers at Queen’s University in Canada discovered that the average human brain has more than six thousand unique thoughts every single day. Holy cow, I wonder if I’m average; how about you? I think our neighbor down the street far exceeds that number and the neighbor the other direction I question if they think at all! Such is life.

Boy, is it hard to stay in balance for me, yes, it is. It’s a lot easier to lose my balance a.k.a. to get out of whack. Oh, ya! Actually I never had outstanding balance compared to folks who have great balance. I wasn’t a good roller skater, skier, a great bike rider etc. I wonder if that is genetic. Soooo it must be Chester and Anna’s fault! It can’t be my fault! The world I live in, I gotta blame someone! It’s never a person’s own fault! Now that is a piffle thought!

I bought a new pair of hiking shoes/multi purpose Danner brand shoes. I really like them. They must be good as on the sole it says “vibram.”  I had no idea what that meant soooo I googled it and it is a special sole developed by an guy from Italy which I guess is the top of the line of the rubber lug grips to give the best possible grip soooooo a person doesn’t stumble and fall.  The timing was really good as we might need a good grip going forward at our age. Good footing is always good!  I just had a buddy face plant and smashed his face; not good! We really think we have our foundation and grip where it needs to be (i.e. a cord of three is very strong and very hard to break).

Here is a thought of Paul, anyone can be a Paul—His list of virtues a.k.a. Paul’s list of the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). Christian virtues are distinguished from other lists of virtues by their source: the Holy Spirit as opposed to the human ideas and efforts of man. A shorter list of virtues is found in 1 Corinthians 13:13: faith, hope, and love. Paul makes the point that the greatest of these virtues is love. Hey, a non-believer can’t even hardly disagree with Paul’s thought. Or they can call them piffle!

Ricochet thoughts do that, they just bounce right off of us; we don’t absorb them at all. How does our minds decide what to absorb or what to ricochet? I have no idea! I can’t remember the last time I ricocheted my voice like an echo off a canyon wall.  I know we did it as kids. When was the last time you ricocheted your voice? I guess it’s much like we say--May I bounce an idea off of you? We went on a hiking/exploring trip to SE AZ with the main attraction being the Chiricahua National Monument area (i.e. was home of the Chiricahua Apache and is the Land of the "Land of Standing Up Rocks"). Let me tell you, Jeanne and I bounced more stuff off each other, what a hoot. We sure enjoy being together.

Are we more long term planners or short term planners. Sometimes we are impulsive and sometimes not soooo much. Sometimes we say—What was I thinking. I just read recently--The master has failed more times than the beginner has even tried. I’m not saying I’m a master but I do say that I have lost more than I won. BUT I try to put the odds in my favor which seems to help, some of the time. I try to stay away from piffle thoughts!

Maybe some of my thoughts are just piffle thoughts!  Have you ever got your feathers ruffled?  I have had my feathers ruffled recently. Maybe they were ruffled for my own good or maybe they were not. I don’t really know but they were ruffled (i.e. my brain thoughts got ruffled). My feathers were ruffed by actions and words of others. Maybe I misunderstood them and took those actions and words wrong, could be maybe probably, I don’t know but they affected me. Now I will see what happens. Even piffle actions and words can cause a difference. I hope I don’t hurt others with my piffle actions and piffle words. Yikes. I would guess I have and will! But, I hope I take other folks’ piffle actions and words in a sum total and not just tooooo serious. I hope I see their big picture (i.e. that being who they really are and not just a small piece of their life being some emotions for some reason that I don't understand).

TheRogueRhinocerosFromButlerCounty says--Our thoughts and even how we vote depend mainly on how it affects us personally (i.e. usually how it affects us financially). Don’t kid yourself. It’s all about the money. Recently I saw the decision made by a person based on how it was going to affect them instead of how it was going to affect the primary recipient of the decision. JoeBlow says--It’s all about me a.k.a. Uno, number one! ItchieBitchie says—Humans can be sooo selfish sometimes. SusieQ says--My past environment and current environment really affect me in how I think and make decisions! 

Some of you might think this thought is piffle. I have thought about “who is a great person” the other morning during my quiet time. Who do I think is a great person? Who do others think is a great person? Who does the news media think is a great person? Are they Billionaires? Political leaders? Good pickleball players? Great professional athletes?  How about a very talented person in anything? Sooo who is great? Is a kind, trusted person great? I think they are, my opinion. I think a person who in their dealings with others is trusted is one special, great person, my opinion! I like trustworthy folks, yes, I do but you might not. Maybe we all don’t think great folks have the same qualities. GeorgeTheCrook says—Look at their track record, now that will tell you something! Don’t kid yourself! A lady told me recently—I don’t care what folks’ morals and values are, I only care if they make me money! WorldClassLarry says--If you want to be trusted, be trust-worthy.

Are successful folks great at how they can manipulate folks a.k.a an unique strategy? I heard about a person who really knows how to manipulate people in business especially woman. This person is really smooth; knows exactly what to say and how to act to get their way. Saturday question—Is that just being a great dynamic person? I can’t see it being a good quality in a personal relationship at all but maybe in the corporate world it works. What do you think? Through the years, guys have used all kinds of pickup lines to attract girls: “Even if there wasn’t gravity on earth, I’d still fall for you.” “I’m no photographer, but I can picture us together.” “If I could rearrange the alphabet, I’d put U and I together.” JoeBlow says—They seem to work for some; at least for the the short term!

Recently we had the opportunity to go to see the play, Life Could Be A Dream, with old college friends (i.e. old in two ways) at the Hale Centre Theatre. We had such a good time, and the play was very good as well, very entertaining and funny. Yes, we have dreams and we totally think that our relationship is a dream come true. Pretty amazing we think! Such is life. 

In an 1888 letter to his brother Theo, artist Vincent Van Gogh wrote, “For my part I know nothing with any certainty, but the sight of the stars makes me dream.” We have many dreams and are dreamers of much good! Oh ya. God has been good to us!  We know that! We are very thankful. Oh ya! This has been way beyond us! We know that! An old buddy, old in two ways, told me—Out of 100 folks in the world, 26 live less than 14 years, 66 died between 15 - 64 years of age, 8 are over 65 years old. How blessed are we anyway!

ItchieBitchie says—Piffle piffle, it’s all piffle or was it “meaningless meaningless, just chasing after the wind?”

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

erv

MyFriendJean said--Much wisdom comes from wise words, little from wisecracks and less from wise guys.