Years ago, while walking down the street on a beautiful summer day, I was feeling great. The weather was stunning, it had been a great day, and there were no signs of it changing. As I was enjoying my walk and looking forward to my destination(I don't remember where I was going), some kids drove by and one of them stuck their head out the window and said one word. A very mean word. Just like that everything changed, I wasn't "feelin' groovy". I was instead, angry, and hurt... outraged even. My thoughts changed from my perfect day, to how i could get even with this nameless jerk.
After some time, I thought of it again, and was quite fascinated by it.How could one person uttering one word change my whole outlook like that. Even more interesting was the question; What one word could someone utter out the car window, that could turn a bad day to a good one?
Here is the thing, I couldn't think of one, I still can't. It seems to be very easy to be cruel and unkind, but Kindness requires effort. You could drive by a person, and call them a name to make them feel bad. However if you wanted them to feel good. You would have to stop the car, and talk with them, or do something nice. Ok the car analogy may not work, because stopping your car and interacting with strangers is more likely to creep them out, but I think you get the meaning.
When I think about it more though, it just takes less effort to be mean. When you're arguing with someone... It's easier to keep going until you have won(Impossible as that is), It takes effort to stop, take a deep breath and understand the other persons point of view. It's easier to loose your temper instead of keeping your cool, or harder to be a person of honor than a dishonest person, or one that does not keep his commitments/promises.
I think that we all know some genuinely good people, and some that are not so good. Every once in a while though, you meet someone that makes it look easy, they seem to just on instinct have a gift for doing good. you can feel it when you are around them. the kindness in their souls seems to radiate to those around them. People just want to be close to them, and we are fortunate and blessed to know them.
I have been fortunate enough to know some of these individuals in my life time. Some were friends, others were teaches of one form or another. All of them stand out as people that have influenced my life in amazing ways.
Today I know 2 of these people. One is my little girl, She has been that was since she was born. The other a friend that I am fortunate to have.
These people inspire me, whether it was my friend Derrick, who passed a few years ago, or Alex Harding, who was a kindly person at church when I was a kid, who would take me to father son events, or help me pick out Christmas trees, when I didn't have a Dad at home.. Whether i knew them then, or know them now. I am beyond grateful for the kindness shown and the lessons taught through their actions... My world is a better place for having known them, and hopefully I am a better person through their example.
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Sept. 6, 2006
Steve Irwin died the other day... Stabbed in the chest by a stingray.. I didn't watch his show much, but always had fun when I did...He showed up, with some wild animals, those ball hangin' Khakis of his... and a joy for what he did that was unequaled by most....He did for the Discovery channel, what Emeril Lagasse and Iron Chef did for the food network. It's fitting that he died the way he did...Doing what he loved....Teaching us to love nature and all of her children. I think the lesson he taught us most though, was one not mentioned.... He taught us to, as the good brothers from Creed said, "Greet the world, with arms wide open".
So Mr. Crocodile Hunter... Where ever you are...
Thanx for the laughs, the smiles... and the lessons. Thanx for letting us into part of your world. We are better for having been there.
God Speed
So Mr. Crocodile Hunter... Where ever you are...
Thanx for the laughs, the smiles... and the lessons. Thanx for letting us into part of your world. We are better for having been there.
God Speed
Aug. 30, 2006
Rant time.....
Why is it that when you buy something... The store wants to know your postal/zip code???? What is that about really? I mean... Are they going to deliver the pack of pens and the stack of computer paper that I just bought? Do they want to send me a thank you note for purchasing something at their store? Orrrrrr........ maybe if I live in a bad neighborhood, they don't want my business.... Hard to say..... But buying a pair of jeans shouldn't require an address and phone number...
The phone number one bugs me more than most......Really, unless they are planning on inviting me over for a BBQ(I don't want to come... I'm not that friendly OR that social)... Or hook me up with a ring side seat at Hugh Heffners next bash(OK... That one I will go too LOL)What posible reason do you need my number Mr. Pet food store guy?
The only one I thought was OK, was the local "Petcettera" store.. when the cash girl said "Sir, if you want our monthly newsletter, feel free to leave us an e-mail address".
I think my response to other stores looking for personal info... will be an excerpt from the late great Chris Farley, when he said "My Name is Matt Foley, and I live in a Van down by the river".
Peace Kiddies
Why is it that when you buy something... The store wants to know your postal/zip code???? What is that about really? I mean... Are they going to deliver the pack of pens and the stack of computer paper that I just bought? Do they want to send me a thank you note for purchasing something at their store? Orrrrrr........ maybe if I live in a bad neighborhood, they don't want my business.... Hard to say..... But buying a pair of jeans shouldn't require an address and phone number...
The phone number one bugs me more than most......Really, unless they are planning on inviting me over for a BBQ(I don't want to come... I'm not that friendly OR that social)... Or hook me up with a ring side seat at Hugh Heffners next bash(OK... That one I will go too LOL)What posible reason do you need my number Mr. Pet food store guy?
The only one I thought was OK, was the local "Petcettera" store.. when the cash girl said "Sir, if you want our monthly newsletter, feel free to leave us an e-mail address".
I think my response to other stores looking for personal info... will be an excerpt from the late great Chris Farley, when he said "My Name is Matt Foley, and I live in a Van down by the river".
Peace Kiddies
No Date
Humans are a funny creature.....We want what we don't have.... If it's a hot summer day, we want it to be cool... a cold winter day? and we miss the hot balmy humid days of summer....
I have wanted a place where I can just spout off what ever pops into my head... so I create this blog... and guess what? I've got nothing to say.. I should have thought of this years ago... It may have shut me up before I got myself into trouble LOL..
I turned 43 last week.. Not very traumatic...The 40's seem to be a time of just dealing with life.. I don't really think about going back to school anymore... hard to work out University and a Mortgage payment.. I don't think I'll become a hip cool, computer programmer... or a teacher....or own my own pet food store(well I do still think of that one now and then hehe)... It's more like, this is what I do... and It's not a bad gig... I work in social services.
My daughter turned 10 on the weekend.... She sometimes gets sad at the prospect of getting older... At 10, she's losing some of that little girl charm, that captures the attention of friends and women at the shopping mall alike...School gets harder, and there is more expected of her in her day to day life....So sometimes, she will say that she wishes she didn't have to grow up...
I tell her, that every year .. as she gets older.. she leaves things behind.. part of her childhood...And she picks up new things to replace them. A few years ago.. it was Sesame street, and BRATZ dolls... Now she loves to do crafts, and she cooks like an Iron Chef... All stuff she enjoys... so we sit together and wonder what being 10 will bring.. I think it's the same for the rest of us... Would I want to be 21 again? Hell Yeah.. I was slimmer... had more energy.. and was still young enough, that I considered myself pretty much immortal.. But that doesn't change the fact, that I really like the 43 year old version of me a whole lot more than me when i was 21....I'm calmer now, more seasoned... I wouldn't be so presumptuous as to say I'm wiser.. But i do know more.. Mike @ 21 was trying to impress the world.... Mike @ 43 doesn't really give a crap what the world thinks....He likes himself just fine...
What will 43 bring with it? Well a couple of failed diets.. and probably a few extra pounds to prove the point... A class in pottery, and one in knitting(I'd like to learn to make something besides scarves).. 43 will bring the exciting conclusion of "The Dark Tower" series... Rachel(My little girl) and I, will learn what happens to Sara Crew.. and we'll read adventures from a host of other authors. Some friends will go their way... and new ones will be discovered ....Logan(My 15 year old).. will have a birthday, and probably get his license(yeach....), He will stand taller and perhaps grow to be even more awesome than he already is(if that is even possible), and Mitch (18) will continue to dazzle me with his depth of thought and wisdom....
43 sounds like it will be a good year.. Just like all the rest.... leave some things behind... and find new things along the way.....
Peace Kiddies
I have wanted a place where I can just spout off what ever pops into my head... so I create this blog... and guess what? I've got nothing to say.. I should have thought of this years ago... It may have shut me up before I got myself into trouble LOL..
I turned 43 last week.. Not very traumatic...The 40's seem to be a time of just dealing with life.. I don't really think about going back to school anymore... hard to work out University and a Mortgage payment.. I don't think I'll become a hip cool, computer programmer... or a teacher....or own my own pet food store(well I do still think of that one now and then hehe)... It's more like, this is what I do... and It's not a bad gig... I work in social services.
My daughter turned 10 on the weekend.... She sometimes gets sad at the prospect of getting older... At 10, she's losing some of that little girl charm, that captures the attention of friends and women at the shopping mall alike...School gets harder, and there is more expected of her in her day to day life....So sometimes, she will say that she wishes she didn't have to grow up...
I tell her, that every year .. as she gets older.. she leaves things behind.. part of her childhood...And she picks up new things to replace them. A few years ago.. it was Sesame street, and BRATZ dolls... Now she loves to do crafts, and she cooks like an Iron Chef... All stuff she enjoys... so we sit together and wonder what being 10 will bring.. I think it's the same for the rest of us... Would I want to be 21 again? Hell Yeah.. I was slimmer... had more energy.. and was still young enough, that I considered myself pretty much immortal.. But that doesn't change the fact, that I really like the 43 year old version of me a whole lot more than me when i was 21....I'm calmer now, more seasoned... I wouldn't be so presumptuous as to say I'm wiser.. But i do know more.. Mike @ 21 was trying to impress the world.... Mike @ 43 doesn't really give a crap what the world thinks....He likes himself just fine...
What will 43 bring with it? Well a couple of failed diets.. and probably a few extra pounds to prove the point... A class in pottery, and one in knitting(I'd like to learn to make something besides scarves).. 43 will bring the exciting conclusion of "The Dark Tower" series... Rachel(My little girl) and I, will learn what happens to Sara Crew.. and we'll read adventures from a host of other authors. Some friends will go their way... and new ones will be discovered ....Logan(My 15 year old).. will have a birthday, and probably get his license(yeach....), He will stand taller and perhaps grow to be even more awesome than he already is(if that is even possible), and Mitch (18) will continue to dazzle me with his depth of thought and wisdom....
43 sounds like it will be a good year.. Just like all the rest.... leave some things behind... and find new things along the way.....
Peace Kiddies
August 22, 2006
I had a chat with this guy this morning... Very kool person, I have worked with him for a few years now... and we got on the topic of women... No bashing, just observations....he said that we... the guys are really the romantic ones... not the fairer sex..... We are the dreamers.... Women tend to be more .. In the now, more direct thinkers....More business. I guess he seemed frustrated with that... Comments of.. "If they would only hear us"... Or give it a try..
So when I said.....I understood...I mean what person hasn't experienced that feeling.. male OR Female.... , I understood, but maybe we all just need to just do our own thing....We both felt that at some point... It would just die out on it's own... 2 people pursuing their own paths..
Thinking about it later though, I wonder why that has to be... What is it in us, that makes us so threatened by our partner following his/her own path? I mean Crap... I'm more guilty than most at this.. so I'm hardly preaching... more like thinking out loud.. Isn't it possible to walk your own roads.... yet still be hand in hand.... Glad for each others gains? and celebrating our differences as well as what makes us the same? Hell, I've never been able to do that.... But it makes sense that it could be wonderful for the couple that could...
There is a celtic Rune called "Gebo" or "partnership...a gift" ( Looks like a big "X").. It talks about the gift of 2 separate beings.... who retain their uniqueness... even as they unite...There's more to it, but you'll just have to Google it..
Men and women are so different.... I have said that we would all be happier if we were just Gay..... Guys would just be guys..... They would Boink..... eat at Chinese food buffets... and say inspirational things like "Sup?.... Not much... Sup with you?" Eventually all we would do is grunt I'm sure.....
Women would communicate..... Share ideas...and opinions..... Listen and be heard.....They might not Boink as much.... but it would be really great when they do LOL...
But alas... there is no button you can push to change teams......So maybe the key isn't trying to be heard..... maybe we just need to stop worrying about that so much.... and just try to hear what they are saying.......But then again... what do I know.....
Peace Kiddies......
So when I said.....I understood...I mean what person hasn't experienced that feeling.. male OR Female.... , I understood, but maybe we all just need to just do our own thing....We both felt that at some point... It would just die out on it's own... 2 people pursuing their own paths..
Thinking about it later though, I wonder why that has to be... What is it in us, that makes us so threatened by our partner following his/her own path? I mean Crap... I'm more guilty than most at this.. so I'm hardly preaching... more like thinking out loud.. Isn't it possible to walk your own roads.... yet still be hand in hand.... Glad for each others gains? and celebrating our differences as well as what makes us the same? Hell, I've never been able to do that.... But it makes sense that it could be wonderful for the couple that could...
There is a celtic Rune called "Gebo" or "partnership...a gift" ( Looks like a big "X").. It talks about the gift of 2 separate beings.... who retain their uniqueness... even as they unite...There's more to it, but you'll just have to Google it..
Men and women are so different.... I have said that we would all be happier if we were just Gay..... Guys would just be guys..... They would Boink..... eat at Chinese food buffets... and say inspirational things like "Sup?.... Not much... Sup with you?" Eventually all we would do is grunt I'm sure.....
Women would communicate..... Share ideas...and opinions..... Listen and be heard.....They might not Boink as much.... but it would be really great when they do LOL...
But alas... there is no button you can push to change teams......So maybe the key isn't trying to be heard..... maybe we just need to stop worrying about that so much.... and just try to hear what they are saying.......But then again... what do I know.....
Peace Kiddies......
August 21, 2006
Monday, August 21, 2006
So here I am back at work.... Day one after my week off, which if I may add was so choice...Spent some time at a cottage and did a lot of kick back and relax..
Now life resumes as normal, how sad..... There are so many people that take so much of their self identity from work... and while I admit I do a fair bit of that myself, I'm pretty sure that on the grand scale of life, I'm pretty suited to retirement.. My life would be just fine, puttering around... reading, kicking back.... and devoting massive amounts of time, figuring out what I'm going to do next.
Really though... There are lots of things I would like to do if the daily grind weren't so daily.. But they will wait... Until I am very, very old LOL...
It's my birthday in a few days.... 43 years old.. They say 40 is the new 30(I have know idea who the hell "They" are).... In my case 43 is just what it is... 43 years old.... Sure fitness buffs age slower... That's not me.....I'm carrying an extra 60 lbs(did I say 60? with a straight face?).... I LIVE on red meat when ever I can.... My idea of a salad is garnish on my burger.. and I put back about a liter of Pepsi a day.. 40 may be 30 to YOU Mr. Jogger.... But to me, heck it may be 48....Don't get me wrong... I like the IDEA of fitness... I own... The Boot camp DVD set by Billy B. Complete with the famous "Billy bands"..... I own "The GI Diet" and have read.. "The Zone".. "Atkins"... and remember that tough Susan Powter "Stop the Insanity" Chick? Yeah I got her stuff too....I tried Jogging... all of 4 times(Thought my lungs were going to burn right out of my cheast).. and did 17 Mins... Of Billy B.'s 60 min . boot camp work out... I don't know, maybe I'm not tough enough... or maybe if I really want to gasp and hurt that much.... I'll just hit myself in my own testicles, with a ball pean hammer.... It'd be quicker... and after I'm done throwing up, I can pour myself a Pepsi...as you are no doubt aware by now, i can't spell to save my life....
So why the blog? Not really to talk about me.... Or to whine about life(Life is pretty good, when you think about it)..... More like a place to rant about the day to day things I see... Good and bad.... The quirky guy at the bus stop.... that just started talking to me like we were best of friends... when i was trying to read a book.... Or the really tough looking HUGE guy who looked like he could snap me in half if I looked at him wrong, who suddenly became putty when his toddler daughter called him.... I don't know, sometimes the day to day, just needs to be heard.... and this is where it will have it's say....
And who knows.... maybe I'll try running again.. :-)
Peace Kiddies
Now life resumes as normal, how sad..... There are so many people that take so much of their self identity from work... and while I admit I do a fair bit of that myself, I'm pretty sure that on the grand scale of life, I'm pretty suited to retirement.. My life would be just fine, puttering around... reading, kicking back.... and devoting massive amounts of time, figuring out what I'm going to do next.
Really though... There are lots of things I would like to do if the daily grind weren't so daily.. But they will wait... Until I am very, very old LOL...
It's my birthday in a few days.... 43 years old.. They say 40 is the new 30(I have know idea who the hell "They" are).... In my case 43 is just what it is... 43 years old.... Sure fitness buffs age slower... That's not me.....I'm carrying an extra 60 lbs(did I say 60? with a straight face?).... I LIVE on red meat when ever I can.... My idea of a salad is garnish on my burger.. and I put back about a liter of Pepsi a day.. 40 may be 30 to YOU Mr. Jogger.... But to me, heck it may be 48....Don't get me wrong... I like the IDEA of fitness... I own... The Boot camp DVD set by Billy B. Complete with the famous "Billy bands"..... I own "The GI Diet" and have read.. "The Zone".. "Atkins"... and remember that tough Susan Powter "Stop the Insanity" Chick? Yeah I got her stuff too....I tried Jogging... all of 4 times(Thought my lungs were going to burn right out of my cheast).. and did 17 Mins... Of Billy B.'s 60 min . boot camp work out... I don't know, maybe I'm not tough enough... or maybe if I really want to gasp and hurt that much.... I'll just hit myself in my own testicles, with a ball pean hammer.... It'd be quicker... and after I'm done throwing up, I can pour myself a Pepsi...as you are no doubt aware by now, i can't spell to save my life....
So why the blog? Not really to talk about me.... Or to whine about life(Life is pretty good, when you think about it)..... More like a place to rant about the day to day things I see... Good and bad.... The quirky guy at the bus stop.... that just started talking to me like we were best of friends... when i was trying to read a book.... Or the really tough looking HUGE guy who looked like he could snap me in half if I looked at him wrong, who suddenly became putty when his toddler daughter called him.... I don't know, sometimes the day to day, just needs to be heard.... and this is where it will have it's say....
And who knows.... maybe I'll try running again.. :-)
Peace Kiddies
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