Sunday, January 29, 2012

Writing a blog sometimes feels an albatross (a. a constant worrisome burden. b. web-footed bird). I especially have trouble thinking of topics to write about. My friend Jill suggested that I peruse (to read or examine typically with great care) the dictionary for ideas. I have an American Heritage Dictionary that has 2134 pages. I’m still in the A’s. I like the dictionary because it seems to have every word in the English language. It also has pictures of famous people. My 3 favorite A’s are Bud Abbott of Abbott & Costello. I loved their “Whose on First” routine. Hank Aaron is listed as the all time home run leader as it should be. Kareem Abdul Jabbar is listed as the all time leading scorer in the NBA. I admire (to regard with pleasure, wonder, and approval) all three. I have to admit (to permit to enter) that finding topics can to tough even in the dictionary. I don’t want to seem airy fairy (as speculative, visionary, and flimsy as to lack all substance, purpose, and practicality) about all this. I always hope that my next blog will be the best yet. Next time I should write about the web-footed bird instead of the burden.

Sunday, January 15, 2012

Changing the Calendar—I don’t know if you’ve heard but there is talk about changing the calendar so that holidays would be on the same day every year. It seems pretty boring and rote to me. I think that we need a more radical change. It seems to me that most people are trying to avoid work as much as possible. They take off two to three days on both sides of a holiday. When they are working they come in late and leave early. The country’s work ethic seems to be quickly dissolving. I’m very codependent so if I was in charge of changing the calendar I would change all the days to Saturdays and Sundays with one Friday a week thrown in for work. Every week would be Saturday, Sunday, Saturday, Sunday, then Friday, Saturday, Sunday. People could then have most of their time off and be able to sleep in almost every day. Churches would prosper because they would have 3 days to collect. On Friday people would get lots done. They would be focused, rested, and creative. This is my proposal when I’m put in charge of changing the calendar.

Sunday, January 08, 2012

Sharing—I think of myself as somewhat generous. I try to do some volunteer work, think good thoughts about others, and donate money to “good” causes. There is one area of my life that I struggle with in being generous and that is sharing my popcorn. I love popcorn. It is one of my favorite foods. My selfishness started when I was in high school and I would make popcorn nearly every night. I would keep the large bowl for myself and give the other four members of my family a small cereal sized bowl to share. I rationalized this action by using the “Story of the Little Red Hen”. As you may remember Little Red was trying to get help in making bread. She asked all the other animals on the farm for assistance. All refused so she ended up making the bread all by herself. When the bread was finished all of a sudden the other farm animals wanted bread. I didn’t even know that farm animals liked bread. Little Red said, “Nay, nay, I made the bread so I get to eat it all.” This is the rationalization that I used in keeping most of the popcorn and unlike the Little Red Hen at least I shared some of the popcorn. When I left home and was living alone I got to eat all the popcorn that I made guilt free. I never thought much about it but several years later I was at a family gathering and the subject of popcorn came up and my nephews and nieces all started calling me, “Uncle Jim the Popcorn Hog”. I was stunned. What had my brother and sister had been telling them? It was very humbling and embarrassing and even after telling them “The Story of the Little Red Hen” story I decided that I had to start sharing my popcorn. Now when I make popcorn I share half of it with my wife but she also helps me make it.

Sunday, January 01, 2012

Patience is a virtue. I tend to be very impatient. I hate grocery lines, crowded freeways, or lines at the bank. I plan to never go back to Disneyland again, its way too crowded. It drives me crazy when I’m playing golf and people line up their drives or fairway shots or their putts. Just get up there and hit it. Why take so long? You’re not Tiger Woods. All these things are VERY annoying. Maybe I’m a control freak or an irrational snob who thinks that some people are getting in my way and going way to slow. I think that God is trying to teach me patience by putting all the people who have coupons at the store or eight transactions at the bank IN MY LINE. It always happens when I move from a longer line to a shorter line. The only people I have a little patience with are old people. They are slow and many of them are unstable walking. You can’t really yell at George Burns or Grandma Esta for not moving fast enough but sometimes I feel like it. I know that this is a huge character defect that I have. I know that I need to “stop and smell the roses” and that “all good things come to those that wait.” My motto on most days is the “impatience is a virtue” and please move faster.