the secret

I just wrote about this on 1,151! and it belongs here too.

When I was writing everyday for Ordeal I was doing something that I am not doing now.

I was always thinking of something to write. In everything I read, every conversation I had, every thing I saw on TV or heard on the radio I was snatching ideas that I developed into articles.

I haven't been doing that of late.

It is time to carry a notebook and to pick up this good habit again. It is a habit that I think every good writer has, always writing down scraps of ideas for future use.

stop

More power to the willing.

Those of us that are willing to stop are the ones in control of our own lives.

You cannot do the things that you want to do if you continue to do things that are no longer important to you.

"To start anything new, you must stop doing something old. We say that "getting in means getting out." ", Brian Tracy

This is crucial.

Don't just stop using the things you have, sell them off.
Don't just grumble about being taken advantage of, put a stop to it.
Don't just accept your situation, change it.

I know from my own experience this is hard.

I have far too many things and need to get rid of a lot of them. This is a monumental challenge for me.

On the other hand, I have the opportunity to change my schedule completely around in the coming year and look forward to the chance.

Put yourself first and let go of the things that are holding you back. If you feel someone is taking advantage of you set a date when this must stop. And stick to it.

order

I've spent the Thanksgiving weekend bringing a little bit of order to my house. I'm one of those semi-mad scientist types with rooms right out of a scene in a movie. You know, books and magazines piled high, black electronic things strewn about, a row of computers, tools and cameras and guitars everywhere and a little Dachshund scampering about.

Well now that I'm almost done it all looks a lot better, you can still describe it the same way but it all looks a lot better.

I also spent the whole four day weekend at home. Didn't go out once. In our modern world this is quite an accomplishment. I'll bet a lot of you would have a hard time doing this.

I first tried this a couple of years ago. I had some vacation time to use and no plans so I decided to just stay home. It wasn't easy. Oh, I had plenty to do, still do. There is just some sort of anxiety for most of us when we try this. That shouldn't be as the home is where we have just about everything we have spent our money on.

So there you have it, try staying home for days when you don't have to and put things in order while you're there.

phish

Some of these still get through and I have to admit I find the twisted English to be pretty funny.

Here is one for your enjoyment. Link deleted.

Sir/Madam,

Your specific position has been reviewed to the crucial commissions, and upon painstaking forethought, we are able to propose to you the subsequent opening offer.

Based upon painstaking forethought you make the grade to obtain a sizable benefit on your original property investment.

By completing the subsequent attached form in a timely manner we will be able to decide our estimation, and we feel assured you will obtain not only a lowered rate of interest, but also a cash return that will fulfill all your holiday needs and more!

Hoping on the best for you all.

Olin Chavez

excerpts from a letter

In closing a letter to a friend who doesn't much care for computers I wrote, "Now keep plugging away at the PC it's good for you."

He responded, "Good for me!!??? In what way??"

I replied,

"It's neuroscience man!

It's all about the synapses!

It is good for all of us to spend time learning new things, forms new synapses in our heads, makes our brains better.

Buy some old math books at the used book store and do some problems everyday.

Learn to play a musical instrument.

Try a foreign language.

Take up painting or drawing.

Learn to work on your car.

Tie flies. (For fishing.)

Start writing everyday.

Learn how to really use the computer or get around on the internet.

All of these things, and millions of others, challenge the mind, make it grow, and that is just plain good for all of us."

The idea expressed here is certainly part of my value system.

glaze

The 'Beav' came into the shop early. He was grinding away at something when we came back from lunch so we went over to have a look.

There he was, disc grinding a lawn mower blade.

The other fellow said, "Be careful, you'll take the temper out of it."

Beav nodded in agreement and said he knew what he was doing.

The advice continued, "You know the best tool for that job is a file." (It is.)

Right then I saw it! A glaze came over Beav, his eyes fogged right in front of me.

There was no way he was even going to consider using an old fashioned hand tool when he had a perfectly good air drill in his hand with a supply of sanding discs.

That's the way most everyone in this country is. Very few of us will give a second thought to using old methods that proved themselves through the years.

Why I heard just this week about a school math test where the correct answer for a simple multiplication problem (7X9) was about 60!

So if you can stomach using old tried and true methods yourself when you do things just watch someone else when you suggest they give it a try. A real honest to goodness glaze will sweep over them and there is no way they will do it.

They can't even understand it.

fall

It's fall.

Fleas get on the dog and then mice come in the house.

I didn't have any trouble killing the little bloodsuckers that were biting my Snickers but the mice have given me pause.

The first one I trapped got caught by a hind leg and screamed its head off. He scurried under the piano when I reached for him; he crossed from there to my bedroom and came to a stop.

I picked up the trap and carried him outside. Released and dropped him into the inky blackness of the ravine next to the house. Injured yes, but given a chance, not killed just because he was inconvenient.

The second one escaped the trap too but sat there in a daze. I put on some gloves and picked him up by his tail. Carried him out to the same black hole in the night.

This reveals what a weenie I really am. Most guys would have had the sense to just smack the mouse in the head with a hammer.

Me?

I'll probably trap a three-legged mouse this weekend.

take three

I'm writing this same story, more or less, for all three blogs.

I went to see this car, I was interested in buying it. I had talked myself into thinking that it was a good idea.

When I looked it over, I found out it wasn't for me.

I left, with issues.

What happened was that the owner, David, kept the car somewhere else and brought it down to his house at my request so I could have a look at it.

It's a great car! It is the most desirable of the first generation Mazda RX7 sports cars. It is in great shape, David put a lot of time and money into it making it nearly perfect. You don't see these cars much anymore, they are disappearing fast.

It just isn't for me and I should have known this before I ever contacted the seller.

What really bothers me is what happened after David brought the car down to his house so that I could see it.

His wife backed her SUV into it!

Oh man! If not for me! Then again, I didn't do it. I don't know. Shoot! Probably a big fight at David’s house over this one.

Seems somewhat funny too! No, it's not funny, you just can't help yourself when you laugh a little bit.

Oh cruel fate!

This little story illustrates how events are connected together even though one event may not actually influence another.

It just seems that way.