Category Archives: Uncategorized

Crazy Activism and The Big Streak!

Posted on by
Reply

Hands-Off Protests Nationwide
Colorado rallies alone took place in Denver, Boulder, Fort Collins, Loveland, Longmont, Greeley, and Highlands Ranch. Nationwide protests happened today against the atrocities being committed by that guy in office. Many of my friends went to the one in Boulder and Denver and I give them a thumbs up. They were brave enough to step up for what they believe. For more information on what is happening go to: https://www.yahoo.com/news/protesters-tee-off-against-trump-191321348.html?fr=yhssrp_catchall

Comments from the White House are abhorrent. Shakespeare was right in his statement, “The lady doth protest too much, methinks.” When you have the press secretary parroting the words about fraud and abuse when programs are cut, you wonder why she is the representative for the highest office. She should be ashamed of herself and resign. No one wants to hear that. We know what is going on. The highest elected official doesn’t have a conscience.

In 2020, after the George Floyd incident, the president strode across Washington with his military minions, in order to be photographed holding a bible in front of St. John’s church. He had recently ordered  As he held up an upside-down bible he stated that “this is a great country” and turned and left without speaking. This was his statement, as though this explained his order to remove protesters by force. Bishop Budde spoke out against this man. She told reporters, “President Trump does not speak for St. John’s.” She also stated, “Let me be clear: the president just used a Bible, the most sacred text of the Judeo-Christian tradition, and one of the churches in my diocese, without permission, as a backdrop for a message antithetical to the teachings of Jesus [Emphasis mine)]. Everything he has said and done is to inflame violence. We need moral leadership, and he’s done everything to divide us.”—How We Learn to Be Brave by Mariann Edgar Budde, Episcopal Bishop of Washington

When President Trump was elected once again, Biship Budde spoke out. Trump attended church services in her church after the inauguration. In her sermon, she pleaded with him to embrace compassion and strive for unity. She stated there were three foundations for unity:

  1. “Honoring the inherent dignity of every human being. In public discourse, honoring each other’s dignity means refusing to mock, discount, or demonize those with whom we differ, choosing instead to respectfully debate across our differences, and whenever possible, to seek common ground. If common ground is not possible, dignity demands that we remain true to our convictions without contempt for those who hold convictions of their own.”  
  2. “Honesty in both private conversation and public discourse. If we aren’t willing to be honest, there is no use in praying for unity, because our actions work against the prayers themselves.”
  3. “Humility, which we all need, because we are all fallible human beings. We make mistakes. We say and do things that we regret. We have our blind spots and biases, and we are perhaps the most dangerous to ourselves and others when we are persuaded, without a doubt, that we are absolutely right and someone else is absolutely wrong. Because then we are just a few steps away from labeling ourselves as the good people, versus the bad people.” 

In her final plea to him, she stated: “Let me make one final plea, Mr. President. Millions have put their trust in you. As you told the nation yesterday, you have felt the providential hand of a loving God. In the name of our God, I ask you to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now.”
Bishop Budde’s Sermon

I hope that all of this activism will make changes in awareness and help people see the light. However, I don’t believe it has helped in those in the states where contentious people, mostly republicans, are still being voted into office (recently, Florida). The only way to make a change is to keep challenging the people who continue to believe in all of their politician’s nonsensical rhetoric. Keep challenging these folks about the way they vote. Continue to question them by asking them why they believe that their representatives who keep spouting misinformation and not showing up to town halls are representing them, the people. Continue to ask them why they believe it is all right to dismiss people in need or who are not like them.

But let’s take a moment to divest from this seriousness. In 1974, I was in college at the University of Georgia. This was an era of Watergate and Vietnam. Militants had kidnapped newspaper heiress Patty Hearst in February. Gas was short and pump lines long. Streaking (running naked on campus) became a phenomena on all college campuses and events everywhere. It became a competition. Media touted it as simply being springtime college antics and youthful hormones. Some organizers stated that they were just determined to set a record that had gotten away. The University set the record with a culminating event where over 1500 students gathered and streaking on campus.

While I was on my way to becoming a police officer, I saw these actions in a different light. My life choices have colored my experiences with protests. I saw it as a challenge to let things happen in a peaceful manner, while controlling the civil disobedience in a kinder way than the way it was handled in the 1960s. I believe all have the right to protest and not be beaten half to death. I believe both sides can keep it peaceful. We don’t have to exercise extreme force on either side. And, for crying out loud, keep the guns at home. When has that ever solved anything? Think about it. If you are naked, where would you put a gun? Huh? Huh?

Gotta love the 70s! Have fun tonight checking out these hindsight articles regarding the streaking craze!

The Big Streak
https://www.americanheritage.com/streaking-fad
https://jimnicar.com/2013/04/11/the-bare-facts-of-streaking/
https://oxfordeagle.com/2016/12/03/ole-miss-streaking-in-the-1970s/
https://magazine.washington.edu/streaking-fad-of-the-70s-once-ran-through-uw/
https://www.runnersworld.com/runners-stories/a27305183/history-of-streaking/

I love you all and I hope for a better world and loving people everywhere!

Sound Bites – Make it Happen

Posted on by
Reply

Or: STAND UP and FIGHT for BRAVE REPORTING, AUTHORS with HEART, and HUMANITARIANISM!

For every hateful rant that comes out of the mouth of, ohhhh let’s say …that ignorance is bliss person Representative MTG. (you know who I’m talking about) regarding public television, let’s ask news reporters who are repeating her comments follow-up with fact-checked rebuttals. Let the truth shine through with new sound bites. Let the follow-up become positive and exuberant statements from all supporters who understand the incredible benefits of public television. Tell unbiased news reporters about the heroic lifelines small broadcasting stations have in each of their little towns. Remind them how sometimes public television is the only station that gives news to those in distress after disasters. Tell the world the benefits of positive and encouraging reporting on PBS and NPR that we all want to listen to instead of heartbreaking and ugly reporting on that biased station our illustrious leader loves.

For every idiotic comment on social media that comes out of that guy in office and his Best Buddy (you know who I’m talking about), about important agencies that really matter to us, let’s all start slamming back rebuttals and remind him how wrong he is. Let’s all make positive comebacks to his ridiculous tirade about the benefits of all the things that they dislike… like ohhhh let’s say… the Department of Education, USAid, Social Security and Medicaid,  FAA, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, FEMA, IRS, Dept. of Treasury, National Institute of Health, NOAA, and the Treasury Department, to name a few.
https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/elon-musks-government-dismantling-fight-stop/story?id=118576033

Let’s remind that Amazon mega billionaire that we support him because we love the convenience of buying and selling online with him. Let’s remind him that he should give some of his money to all of these worthy causes like his ex-wife does. Let’s remind him that he should give of himself freely with no strings attached. Let’s remind him what a massive boycott could do to him like what is happening to the Best Buddy. If we all stand together as a people, we can make positive change.

And give! Give, give, and give a tiny portion of your income, no matter how little you have, to those in need, those representatives and senators who are fighting against this oppression, and those in the media who want to stand up and speak the truth. Create your own movement for generating action for a sane and loving world!

I decided to pick one cause a month and give some of the money back in my part-time job to those in need. This is the money I am making after I have retired. I started in March and so far, I have donated to World Central Kitchen and Rocky Mountain PBS. I plan on doing much more in the days to come. We can all do the same if we don’t eat out at every lunch or have that extra cup of coffee at our favorite drive thru. Every little bit counts right now to keep the momentum to combat what is going on.

And now, I am re-vamping a tradition that I had in the past, to give to others in a way that can create a better community of knowledge and understanding. I used to be the person who gave books as presents every Christmas to my friends and co-workers. I had a large group of associates and friends and I loved the old Chinook Bookstore in Colorado Springs (alas it is no more). It was a place of friendship and warmth. I spent a lot of time there browsing and buying books. I took them home and devoured them, relishing the pure enjoyment of learning something new or reading the next in a series of fantastic fiction. My research took me places that I’ve never been and I hoped to visit someday.

Today, I am aiming to start that back. I recently ordered and gave the book How to Raise a Citizen to a friend who is helping young people learn to survive in the world. He and his high school friend started an after-school program, going back to their neighborhood to help them. They have been given an opportunity to engage the youth in positive ways. They carved out a place for them through the help of the City where they lived. These kids can now have a place where they feel safe, play basketball, have a snack, do homework, and read. These young entrepreneurs are helping create opportunities for the teenagers. They have contacted local businesses and industry to partner with them that will help these kids in the future. They have had backpack and food drives, and will be holding events for education as well as job fairs. It’s programs like these that I want to support. He is on Instagram and it is called Generational Opportunities. We should work to let this happen all over in those little neighborhoods that need the most help. We can all make this happen in our communities.

So when you find a book that moves your heart and soul, give it to someone and encourage them to read it and pass it on. Although I haven’t found the perfect bookstore like the Chinook, I visit the ones in the small towns everywhere I go in my travels. I order a lot of books online, but I want to continue buying and reading interesting books and support these small bookstores. I want to pass them on to co-workers and friends. I encourage you to start your own movement like this. Who knows? Maybe we’ll be able to return to intelligent conversation and kind acts on a daily basis!

******

And to the person who hit my car and drove off today, shame on you! I would have left a note and paid for the damage if I had done this to your car. Karma will catch up with you in the end. I am sad that you are the person that you are. There are too many selfish people like you in the world! Your life circumstances should not be the excuse to do mean and terrible things to others. I will try to forgive you, but it’s hard.

For the rest of you, I love you all and happy reading tonight.

Being Happy in the Moment

Posted on by
Reply

There will always be self-doubt in our brains, but we can be truly happy with ourselves at any time in our given lifetime if we give ourselves credit. We remember ourselves as that young aspiring person ready to tackle the world, yet sometimes when we look in the mirror, we don’t see that same person. Instead of embracing who we are today, we begin to pick apart what we have become. So before you go spiraling downward, let me tell you something:

You are who you are because of your past and your history. You are who you are because your life has taught you the lessons you need to become the older adult that you are right now. You are who you are because you are a loving human being in touch with the world, regardless of what is changing around you every day that you live.

You are who you are because life has given you what you need to survive and move on. You are who you are because you are kind to yourself and others. You are who you are because you embrace change, not hide and cower in the darkness from it. You are who you are because when life gives you lemons, you make an incredible Long Island Iced Tea, or an Arnold Palmer! You are who you are because you care.

You are who you are because you want to keep loving and learning and you “Never give up! Never Surrender!” (OK, you MUST WATCH Galaxy Quest!)

Stay positive! Enjoy the moment and care for others as if they were your own family! Love to all tonight.

We Can’t Give Up!

Posted on by
Reply

Or: Or How to Change the Regression to the Past.
Today was a self-reflection and a day of discord. The more I read, the more I worry about what the people who believe in this current administration and what they are letting happen to us. All I want to emphasize tonight is that this contentiousness and hatred has to stop. We cannot regress to a past era that was hopeless for all the little people in the world. We are 327 million strong and we can band together in a just cause. We cannot support or become the kind of person who wants control of others so they feel better about themselves.

It’s time to rally for change and stop the anger at the people who are being persecuted. We can do this in a peaceful manner. We can fight the ridiculous billionaires if we ignore their tantrums and demand they change for the betterment of all people. We can stand up in our place of work to that guy in office like Mariann Edgar Budde, the Episcopal bishop of Washington D.C., who peacefully confronted him at the beginning of his term. She has an excellent book called How We Learn to Be Brave and I encourage you to read it to learn from her. She is that very example of a brave person that I am talking about and want to emulate!

I still believe that media should step up like the old days and call attention to those in office that are doing and saying awful things, even if they are banned from the White House. I still believe that education is the key to create change from this chaos. The more we put out positive statements on every media outlet, the more we can create change.

Every day we have to persuade those that are still enamored of that guy in office and his minions that he is not good for the people or the country. Every day we need to plan for his assault on rational America and convince those in power to keep fighting for democracy now and in the future. Change is hard, but we can have momentum if we keep making tiny little changes locally and stop being afraid of what’s going to happen to our money. We are bigger than that. We have to get into the trenches of the downtrodden and help each other on a daily basis. Fear is what they want. We have to be fearless so our children can become the citizens we want them to be.

I still believe that we can move forward. I refuse to buy into throwing up my hands and believing “Nothing can be done.” Let’s make small changes every day we live. We can take back the statement “Make America Great Again” from the ridiculous people and truly extend that to all those in North America and around the world. Reach out your hand and join everyone who believe there is still hope.

Live in this moment as though your life depends on it. Enough said.

I send love to all those out there who are frightened in hopes they will read this and believe that things will change for the better.

Routine and Ritual

Posted on by
Reply

There’s a guy in our office who brings a large can of SpaghettiOs for lunch EVERY DAY. He heats them in the microwave in a large plastic Kool Whip type of bowl and consumes the whole can. How he eats that everyday is beyond me. I think that is his go to happy place routine. Maybe it reminds him of his afternoon snack or dinner with his mom or siblings. It’s just his thing. It may even be his ritual to get through the day.

We all have a daily routine, but it’s how we embrace it in the present and learn to grow it when change occurs. And what is the difference between routine and ritual? How do we perceive our actions? Does a routine entail a simple chore that must be completed to get to the next chore? Or is a routine a set of actions that bring “…meaning, learning or joy” into our lives?

“A daily routine is a series of tasks that you complete every day in the same order.” For me it is getting up in the morning, taking a shower, brushing my teeth, applying a little makeup, getting dressed, and making a breakfast or lunch, depending on if I am working that day. I may have time to check my home email and write a little in the morning, but then I go to the rec center or work depending on the day. At the end of the day, I like to come home, change clothes (take off the damned bra!) and get a snack and something to drink. I finish my writing, then clean up the kitchen and prepare dinner. Most nights we eat together in front of the TV, but when kiddo is home, we have a meal at the table. It’s always nice to catch up. That is a pretty good routine, albeit a lot of chore time.

“A daily ritual is similar to a daily routine since they are also a series of tasks that are completed in the same order. But a daily ritual differs in its intention. Daily rituals are meaningful practices and are internally motivated. A daily ritual can provide energy and enjoyment along with efficiency and structure. A ritual is a carefully selected way of doing something that has a sense of purpose and a positive side effect in addition to the straightforward completion of the task.”

Maybe the ritual started out as a chore, but I figured out how to make some of the things motivating and meaningful. For example, I use some lovely dishes and cups for my snack while I’m checking email or preparing notes for a blog. Maybe it’s the ritual of preparing the meal by taking out the ingredients, reading and following a recipe, or winging it with a new dish. Or, maybe it’s about processing a scene from the book with my spouse to figure out the ending. There is even a morning ritual of sorts where I take a look at our spending and savings to know where I’m at so I don’t worry about it all week. Reframing chores to the concept of “mentally preparing for my day” makes you a better person. “There’s a balance to be found with routine and ritual. We’ll always have routines that we need to do to be efficient. There’s always stuff that simply needs to be done. But there’s a lot of value in finding routines, (or even parts of routines), that we can turn into rituals for the benefit of a better day.”

“Rituals are the foundation upon which great work is completed. The difference between a daily routine and a daily ritual is intention….Creating daily rituals can help you be successful, whether that’s succeeding at business, creating amazing art, or becoming the person you’ve always wanted to be.” For more information on this excerpt go to:
https://www.lifehack.org/847758/daily-rituals

Another way to look at rituals versus routines is this lovely chart that I found on another website:

AttributeRitualRoutine
DefinitionA set of actions performed in a specific order for a specific purposeA sequence of actions regularly followed
Emotional ConnectionOften associated with emotional significance or spiritual meaningMay lack emotional significance and be more practical in nature
FlexibilityLess flexible and more structuredMore flexible and can be adjusted as needed
FrequencyUsually performed on specific occasions or eventsRegularly performed on a daily or weekly basis
IntentionPerformed with a specific intention or purpose in mindMay be performed out of habit or necessity

“Rituals and routines are essential components of our daily lives, each offering unique benefits and serving distinct purposes. While rituals are steeped in tradition, symbolism, and meaning, routines provide structure, efficiency, and predictability. By understanding the differences between the two and incorporating both into our lives, we can create a harmonious balance that enhances our well-being and enriches our experiences.” Feel free to check out this website for more information: https://thisvsthat.io/ritual-vs-routine

Change can unbalance us, but it’s how we balance these factors that make us a whole person—one that allows us to keep up with ourselves. Since I went back to work, my daily routine was disrupted and I had to get back to the essential rituals that helped me keep calm and centered. It takes me a little longer to process my daily thoughts after work, and sometimes I just have to sit for a few minutes to decompress before taking on the chores at home. I love reading a good book before I embrace the blog or novel. I love making dinner and cleaning up the dishes after the meal so they aren’t an eyesore in the mornings when I have to get up. I love to knit while watching TV at night. And I combine my Senior lunch day or Senior choir day with a workout afterwards. And in the summer I am in the yard! Happy times are a comin’ soon! If we keep trying to establish our rituals, we’ll feel whole, no matter what is thrown at us on a daily basis.

I love this rain! Thank the heavens for releasing it to this thirsty earth. Love to all tonight! Sleep well.

Absurdity Must Not Be Tolerated

Posted on by
Reply

Misinformation is false or inaccurate information—getting the facts wrong. Disinformation is false information which is deliberately intended to mislead—intentionally misstating the facts.
https://www.apa.org/topics/journalism-facts/misinformation-disinformation

“According to behavioral models, exposure to misinformation increases the odds that people will believe it, which in turn increases the odds that they will spread it….Misinformation spreads differently on social media than on legacy media such as television, radio, and newspapers. Mainstream news outlets tend to have robust safeguards in place to prevent and correct false claims, but several unique features of social media encourage viral content with low oversight. Rapid publication and peer-to-peer sharing allow ordinary users to distribute information quickly to large audiences, so misinformation can be policed only after the fact (if at all).” For more information go to the American Psychological Associations website and take a look at this article:
https://www.apa.org/topics/journalism-facts/how-why-misinformation-spreads

Another great article to read about how to critically evaluate online information is located at:
https://princetonlibrary.org/guides/misinformation-disinformation-malinformation-a-guide/

I am a great believer in education and encourage discourse every chance I get. But, when I hear the crazy misinformation that is being given out to the public at our nation’s capitol (yes, it is with an o, look it up!), I have to speak up. Absurdity (or Idiocy) is not okay.

Poul Anderson wrote a series of short stories that became a compendium known as The Complete Psychotechnic League. In the story called The Troublemakers, the protagonist stated that “…politics is the art of creating an equality of dissatisfaction.” This story unfolds in a spaceship bound for Alpha Centauri that would take centuries to get there. People grew old and died enroute, and the officers were in charge. The protagonist posed that the people in command made it a point to “stir up against each other men who should have been comrades [and] break the innocent with lies…provoke mutiny by injustice and intrigue…[and] infiltrate the revolts [that] they themselves had created [to] control them….” The people in charge believed that “cultures have momentum [and] don’t change overnight.” And, finally, he stated that “Conflict was inevitable.”

Anderson wrote this series of short stories over many decades (starting after World War II or late 1940s and ending in the 1980s during his life). These stories were later compiled in a more orderly date/time fashion and tweaked a little to make them fit in his future timeline. When he first wrote The Psychotechnic League as a short story, Anderson believed that conflict could be controlled if properly directed by using psychology and involving the United Nations (U.N.) as the supreme leaders in command. However, he changed his mind in his later years and decided that the U.N. shouldn’t be the folks in charge of a world government. But he also didn’t believe that any commander (or president) should have absolute overt control. He felt that indirect control could allow events to take their natural course.

What we are seeing in this decade is a massive surge of a control by our government for their own monetary personal gain. Society is being forced to change in order to retrieve control and retain personal freedom. Society is warring with each other and not understanding our own history. Cutting funds to education, fact-check news, and especially NPR and PBS funding is an affront to all those wishing to pass on correct knowledge to our future children and grandchildren.

And we the people are rebelling, even as social media by those in power condemn us. Most of us believe in education and understand that illiteracy cannot be tolerated.

Protests throughout history haven’t always gotten what we needed or wanted at the time, but everyone must understand that we all have a right to do so without people like that guy in office and his minion, you know who, attack you online and have the insane MAGA media defame you. Protesters, teachers, and professors being attacked online is not right. We all have rights, and I may not always agree with others, but shouting misinformation online and sharing this nonsense is ridiculous.

Nothing is free in life, but if each person who believes in free speech as well as reliable and credible speech (the other 50% and hopefully more now) would give a dollar to their local TV stations, especially NPR and PBS, it would add up quickly, and reach the .1% that is being cut by that guy in office. Legal civil disobedience in action can be an amazing and uplifting strategy. Billionaires shouldn’t be in charge of our money, or our news. They shouldn’t be able to demean us with their ridiculous diatribes. We can continue to have great unbiased news and lovely shows to watch if we all just pitch in to save them.

Out here, we love our local Rocky Mountain PBS and give to them as much as we can every time they fund raise. Those people in office that don’t have the intellectual capacity to understand the shows, they try to shut it down. Those who have never watched the kid shows that my child grew up on (and became an incredible person as a result of watching and participating in the lessons) should not have a say in what programming can be on television. They should look deep into their hearts and souls to understand what that guy in office is trying to do with their support.

It’s time for everyone in these positions to take a look at who they really are and why they were voted into office. It’s time to become human beings once again that are not afraid to stand up to money and power for the greater good.

The misinformation that our government and their minions are giving out to the world is simply just WRONG. They should be in therapy if their childhood was incredibly bad. They want others to suffer for their upbringing. No other child should suffer because of their personal history bias. Just keep telling them to go to therapy and listen to their constituents. We cannot be afraid like they are. We have to Get Up! Stand up! And take a stand!
Enough said.

Love to all tonight and wish for rain!

Sometimes It’s Okay to Ask for Help

Posted on by
Reply

Thank you kiddo for helping me today. Sometimes technology can be overwhelming to us oldsters but when someone like you shows me the way, it is a beautiful thing. Thanks for being you!

And on that note, take a look at my new book page! It looks so much nicer! Still working on Book III for both bigs and smalls for the series. (And after publication, he will help me once again, I’m sure!)

So my lesson for today is it’s okay to ask for help of any kind, but take notes and remember it for the future when you are endeavoring to learn something new. Don’t give up and feel overwhelmed about it (and don’t blame others because things are changing constantly in this world). Just remember the good ole’ days weren’t really that good and we can seek to find new ways to help each other every day we are on this planet.

A society that has isolated us in the past has made up feel like we have to go it alone when facing bad days and tough decisions. I have felt the guilt that my accomplishments haven’t been worthy by some people. I have faced difficult times where no one believed in the things I believed in. It has been hard to ask for help in my adult life and when I go it alone, I have a huge fear of failure.

So as I age, I have been trying to help others, even though I get a little annoyed when they don’t give back the way I feel they should. I admit to this flaw, and still go on to do the best I can every day. Our lives have been molded by stressors that pile up every day because others don’t feel we little guys are worthy of their help. So each day I ask the world and all of us little guys in it to care a little bit more about others. I ask everyone to be kind and just don’t worry about it. Giving of ourselves is free, and sometimes it just makes us feel better about our current situation. It’s a hard task for all, but we will persevere if we worry a little less. I’m still working on that part.

For more information about asking for help, go to:
https://www.wondermind.com/article/asking-for-help/

Take care of yourselves and others tonight and enjoy the warmth before the next storm!

Laugh Everyday – Ode to C. W. Metcalf

Posted on by
Reply

Today was an insane Monday in our little slice of city employment dominion. We had sooooo much mail that it took us over 2 hours to process it. Then, we had to enter everything into the computer. My co-worker and I got through it with her funny life stories and talking trash about some of the folks who sent the information in to us. We laughed, we cried, and all the while we felt so alive.

We all know the cliché—“laughter is the best medicine.”  According to the Heart Foundation, “…studies have shown how laughing through life is beneficial for your health. Laughing lowers stress, reduces anger, and forces us to breathe. But there is a specific science to laughter and why it is so good for your heart. Here are the top 5 reasons you should laugh every single day:

  • Increases blood flow.
  • It counts as cardio.
  • Strengthens your immune system.
  • Reduces stress. 
  • The benefits last.
5 Reasons You Should Laugh Everyday

And here are some more interesting fun facts on the Everyday Health website:
“Laughter is the physical manifestation of finding something funny, and it can help to reduce inflammation and stress hormones, improve circulation, and enhance the immune system.”
“Laughing changes brain activity.”
“Just a moment of laughter can allow us to think more clearly and creatively and strengthen a sense of connection with others.”

  • Don’t Worry About Being ‘Funny.’
  • Curate Your Comedy Collection.
  • Take a Laugh Break
  • Tap Laughter to Learn More
  • Don’t Be Afraid to Lighten Up

https://www.everydayhealth.com/self-care/how-to-laugh-more-every-single-day-why-its-so-good-for-you/

In 1992, C.W. Metcalf and Roma Felible authored a book called Lighten Up. I read this book to lighten up stressful situations when we were all under pressure. Being in law enforcement I understand the dark humor we all would use to relieve that pressure valve. Metcalf told us it was ok to laugh about horrible situations to “…release endorphins [that] diminish physical and psychological pain.” He also suggested that “…we quit focusing on the idiocy of others and the cruel circumstances of a universe that seems, at times, to be conspiring against us.” Finally, he talked about the three basic skills he hoped people would come away with after reading the book:

  • The First Humor Skill: The ability to see the absurdity in difficult situations.
  • The Second Humor Skill: The ability to take yourself lightly while taking your work seriously.
  • The Third Humor Skill: A disciplined sense of joy in being alive.

Like me, he was a boomer but grew up in the wild 1960’s. He identified with what it felt like turning 40 as an age where we were becoming our parents. We never thought we would and were disheartened. However, we saw the humor in it and moved on and tried to get along with everyone, even those grumpy folks! This book is one I would highly recommend to old and young readers to work through his process. He was a great writer and even more wonderful human being.

Here is an obituary of sorts created on a Facebook page to show how he impacted others.

“C.W. Metcalf was a highly respected teacher, performer, and author on the use of humor in stress management. His message was based on research with crisis and trauma survivors who remained healthy, resilient, and creative under pressure. Eventually, C.W.’s own life-and-death battles inspired him the most, as he recovered from two brain cancer surgeries and battled adult leukemia. In one of my all-time favorite MASTERS interviews, C.W. shared his cancer survivor’s joy in being alive. Sadly, C.W. lost his battle in 2007, but his powerful message is a wonderful legacy for all of us.”
https://www.facebook.com/groups/mastersbywinnclaybaugh

So, wind down from the day, see the humor in all of it. Pat yourself on the back for getting through everything and enjoy the evening of mindless TV. And sing and laugh a little bit tonight. I love you all!

We’ll Sing in the Sunshine

It Will Be All Right

Posted on by
Reply

Some days you just never know if everything will turn out okay in the end. When it feels like nothing is working, take a few minutes, brave the wind, and go out and start cleaning out your garden, delighting in the green shoots that are rising up out of the ground. Water your emerging tulips and daffodils and be happy. Pick a few for the table! Be happy that you survived the worst days of winter for now.

Sing some songs for the next Senior Choir extravaganza!

Finish a task that was crazy difficult in your brain and be satisfied with the result.

Paint some doors and trim.

And make a beautiful chicken-rice casserole for dinner.

When you accomplish a task, clean out stuff (including your brain!),  and cook, life goes on around you and your family is happy with the results. Take a moment to enjoy little stuff and prepare for the next day without worrying about tomorrow.

Here are a few of the quotes to get you through the night.
“Even the darkest night will end and the sun will rise again.”—Victor Hugo
“Blink away tears and walk forward and even, if the first step hurts, believe that everything will be okay. Someday it will.”—Unknown
“Do what you feel in your heart to be right, for you’ll be criticized anyway. You’ll be damned if you do and damned if you don’t.”—Eleanor Roosevelt
“The night is darkest just before dawn. Hold on, everything is going to be perfectly alright.”—Unknown.
For more of these sustaining quotes go to:
https://www.positivityblog.com/everything-will-be-ok-quotes/

So chill tonight and listen to this masterpiece:
Bob Marley Every Little Thing Gonna Be Alright

Love to all on this wonderful day we’ve had!

Blame Game – Continued

Posted on by
Reply

“If you give a man an answer, all he gains is a little fact. But give him a question and he’ll look for his own answers.”—Patrick Rothfuss

“You are responsible for your life. You can’t keep blaming somebody else for your dysfunction. Life is really about moving on.”—Oprah Winfrey

“All blame is a waste of time. No matter how much fault you find with another, and regardless of how much you blame him, it will not change you. The only thing blame does is to keep the focus off you when you are looking for external reasons to explain your unhappiness or frustration. You may succeed in making another feel guilty about something by blaming him, but you won’t succeed in changing whatever it is about you that is making you unhappy.”—Wayne Dyer

“Some people love being victims because they love being able to blame someone else. Accountability [emphasis mine] is too much for them. They don’t like being responsible [emphasis mine] for who they have become or where they are in life.”—Anonymous

So I had to stop and take a breath last night but I’m back. Sometimes I just overwhelm myself with my dreadful thoughts. This will be my 135th post today.

But you all know I’m not wrong. I want to continue down this pathway for a little longer and promise to say something nicer tomorrow.

Author Finn Robinson states that some people have had past encounters where failure led to punishment of some kind, therefore they are ruled by fear. Thus, they feel that they are justified in thinking that others should be punished for their actions. He also stated that these same people aren’t good with taking criticism, even if it is perceived criticism. They have a hard time learning from their past mistakes and feel it is just someone else’s fault. They live in denial, or in the case of seniors, in their version of the past. Unfortunately, the past isn’t always a better time. It’s better to learn from our mistakes and move on to a new way of doing things. For further information see his article:
People who blame everyone else instead of taking responsibility for things share 12 common traits

Arash Emamzadeh authored an interesting article in Psychology Today. He stated that “…blaming others is a defense mechanism [or] an unconscious process that protects the finger-pointer and blame-shifter from experiencing unpleasant feelings, such as guilt or shame.” He further stated that “Blaming is usually considered part of the defense mechanism called projection, which involves denying one’s own anxiety-provoking or negative characteristics and seeing them instead in others.” Finally, he asked: “Are certain individuals more likely to shift blame onto others? Yes, according to a recent series of investigations by Kaufmann and colleagues: Blamers tend to have difficulties with emotion regulation. For further information go to:
Why Some People Will Always Blame Others | Psychology Today

Accountability and responsibility. Author Lachlan Brown takes a step regarding how you can reclaim your life and be who you need to be. You don’t need to blame others if you step up and admit you are accountable for your own behavior. He lists 11 tips to accomplish this. Here are a few:  

  • Stop blaming other people. The most important step to taking responsibility for your life is to stop blaming others.
  • Stop making excuses.
  • Ask yourself how other people impact you if you think you are a victim.
  • Love yourself.
  • Stop complaining – this takes more energy than just accomplishing what you need to do.

The rest of his tips can be found at: https://hackspirit.com/taking-responsibility/

So, sometimes we get it that you may feel isolated and lonely, and want to have human interaction. However, there are so many places that you can visit to talk to others and resolve what is going on with you. Volunteer to help others so you understand there are bigger issues in the world. And maybe take a breath and count to five the next time you call wanting heads to roll at a government office for something that you could have easily fixed yourself. Enough said….

Love and hugs to those in need tonight! Enjoy the flowers popping up. Enjoy the weather before the storm in your lovely little part of Colorado.