Year End

     Here we are at the end of 2017.  All kinds of things are being compared for the year: How were financial things handled?  What were all the celebrities doing during the year?  And let’s not forget all the talk about the royal wedding coming up in the spring of 2018!

     I guess part of my discussion is that I am coming to the end of the first year of my blog: We’re Only Human! I’ve talked about many things that were on my mind and even some things that went W-A-Y beyond my mind!  I didn’t get to 100 posts for the eleven and a half months that I have been writing but it was pretty close.

     I’m also beginning to think about WHAT a new year for this blog is going to mean for me.  So I thought I’d share some of my thoughts for the upcoming year.

     In 2018 I’m going to begin looking more closely at entering posts concerning business topics, especially those concerning internet marketing and opportunities.  I’m also going to consider more “How To” information concerning working on the internet.  But I’m not going to forget a consideration of the “strange and wacky” topics that come to my mind.  At least from time to time!

     The posts may become more precise in ways to improve websites and getting customers to visit you.  I’m going to be giving more details on available software programs and maybe reviews of some of the products and services that may be available to operating a small business.  And I’ll give thoughts to products and services that could improve the quality of your day to day life.

     During the year I’m going to be looking at some of the affiliate programs that you may find interesting.  I’ll consider some that may help you in your business operations.  And YES I will be an affiliate of these programs and will gain SOME monetary reward if you choose to make a purchase from my recommendation.  You can’t blame a guy from wanting to make a little money for his time and efforts.

     I’ll actually be ADDING a PAGE to my blog site that will contain a progressive running of these products so that you can refer to them continually during the year.  Maybe something that doesn’t interest you at the moment of publication may be of interest a month or two later on.  These items will be added on the first post of each week (Tuesday).

     I’m also going to continue to give you a “Quote to Consider” and a “Thoughtful Gem” with each blog post.  These items are to make you think and hopefully to add some insight into your own personal thought process.

     I’m also going to be more consistent in my blog posts.  They will be on Tuesday and Friday of each week.  This should allow for you to expect them with more regularity.

     This is my last post for 2017:  What piece of thoughtful advice should I consider giving you within this post?  How about this:  Remember that we are all only a small piece within the great cog of humanity.  How we function and threat each other is a sign on how well we individual function as part of that great machine.

     This is where it gets really deep:  Always keep within your mind that the world will continue to rotate whether you are here or not!  However, it is always nice to know that it may function a little bit better if you add to the joy of others!

     MY Post Script

     This addition to my blogs is where I’m going to provide the suggested product/service review comments.  I hope that you will find it not only enjoyable but enlightening as well.

     As a final thought:  Many people will probably be or have already decided on a “New Year’s Resolution.”  And no doubt have the best of intentions to keep it!  But we know that before the end of January 2018 most of those resolutions will be forgotten.

     If your resolution (like so many others) is to get into better shape I want to share a program I have seen that offers what appears to be tremendous success.  It’s called the “Lean Belly Breakthrough” and by clicking this link you can learn all about it!  Here’s to your success in 2018!

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"Have a feeling you ate something you shouldn't have?

That feeling will pass!"

Lies

     This time of year is a real difficult time for young ones.  Their parents tell them so many lies that they really don’t know what to believe.  I’ll break down some of these “untruths” that are spread by their parents in hopes of giving them something to look forward to in happiness.

     First this entire thing about Santa Claus!  Really!  A jolly, fat man who is going to break into their homes at night and leave THEM gifts without “taking” anything for himself?  Well, maybe some cookies and a little milk to drink.

     Where does all this nonsense come from?  Pre-modern representations of the gift-giver from Church history and folklore, notably St Nicholas (known in Dutch as Sinterklaas), merged with the English character Father Christmas to create the character known to Americans and the rest of the English-speaking world as "Santa Claus" (a phonetic derivation of "Sinterklaas").

In the English and later British colonies of North America, and later in the United States, British and Dutch versions of the gift-giver merged further. For example, in Washington Irving's History of New York (1809), Sinterklaas was Americanized into "Santa Claus" (a name first used in the American press in 1773) but lost his bishop's apparel, and was at first pictured as a thick-bellied Dutch sailor with a pipe in a green winter coat. Irving's book was a lampoon of the Dutch culture of New York, and much of this portrait is his joking invention.  But the belief and the “history” go back decades.

     Let’s not even begin to discuss the “traditions” of the tree, the giving of gifts, and all the celebration and merry-making that has become synonymous with the Christmas season.  However, not with these lies being serious enough, the parents have to “invent” their reasons based on their misunderstanding of misbelieves with the scriptures.

     Then these “do-good” parents will try and exonerate themselves by telling their children various “stories” that are supposedly come from the bible to justify their reasons for this “holiday celebration.”  Let’s look at a few of these fallacies and where we are going to have to correct this understanding.

     To begin with the very conception that Jesus was born on December 25^th has long been known to be incorrect.  The early Christian church did not celebrate Jesus' birth. It wasn't until A.D. 440 that the church officially proclaimed December 25 as the birth of Christ. This was not based on any religious evidence but on a pagan feast. Saturnalia was a tradition inherited by the Roman pagans from an earlier Babylonian priesthood. December 25 was used as a celebration of the birthday of the sun god. It was observed near the winter solstice.

The apostles in the Bible predicted that some Christians would adopt pagan beliefs to enable them to make their religion more palatable to the pagans around them. Therefore, some scholars think the church chose the date of this pagan celebration to interest them in Christianity. The pagans were already used to celebrating on this date.

The Bible itself tells us that December 25 is an unlikely date for His birth. Palestine is very cold in December. It was much too cold to ask everyone to travel to the city of their fathers to register for taxes. Also the shepherds were in the fields (Luke 2:8-12). Shepherds were not in the fields in the winter time. They are in the fields early in March until early October. This would place Jesus' birth in the spring or early fall.

     Also consider that it is highly suggested at the celebration of this season that 3 wise men visited the baby Jesus at the stables shortly after his birth.  This can be easily shown as “untruth” simply by reading the bible account as recorded in KJV of Matthew Chapter 2 as follows:

   1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,

        ² Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.

       ³ When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.

      ⁴ And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.

     ⁵ And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet,

     ⁶ And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.

     ⁷ Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.

     ⁸ And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.

     ⁹ When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.

     ¹⁰ When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.

     ¹¹ And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense and myrrh.

     You’ll notice from the above account that the “wise men” were lead to King Herod.  He ascertained where the Christ was to be born and was told Bethlehem and then sent the “wise men” on their way.  The “star” HAD NOT led them to the baby Jesus at all!

     When they did get to Bethlehem they found Jesus, now a young child, living in a house with his mother.  And you can see that we are not told there were 3 “wise men”, but that their treasure of gifts only mentioned 3 items.

     I could continue with such facts that show without a doubt the pagan origins and numerous fallacies surrounding the holiday celebrations are ALL FALSE!  But my point is that parents (and others) continue to fill the minds of children with these things.

     Some will say it is only so they can have a good time.  Lies and deceit NEVER result in a “good time”, only pain when the truth if finally discovered.  While continuing over the years telling young ones these things, why are parents so surprised when they find out that their children have been lying to THEM is things about their lives?

     If we fill the minds of our children with lies how can we expect anything but LIES to come out of their mouths at a future date?  Why are we so surprised when (as adults) our children have difficulties in having honest relations with others? 

     Let’s put the blame where blame is deserved --- on ourselves if we have nurturing lies within our children!

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"If you have a choice to make ---

think very seriously before you make it."

Look Away

     In 1988 the American rock bank Chicago released a song entitled “Look Away”.  Within the lyrics of that song were the words:  “If you see me walking by, and the tears are in my eyes, look away, baby, look away.  If we meet on the streets someday, and I don’t know what to say, look away, baby, look away.  Don’t look at me, I don’t want you to see me this way.”

     This song was about a lost love and how that love had moved on with their life and found someone new.  The deep heart ache that was felt by the remaining member of the former couple was now emotionally upset by the situation, but didn’t want to admit it.  They only wanted to have the former partner to some degree remain removed from causing them pain.

     The song words end with a brief recap of the beginning of the song with the words: “When you called me up this morning, told me ‘bout the new love you found.  I said: “I’m happy for you, I’m really happy for you.””  Now that was the heart of a truly strong individual or the words of a very sarcastic one!  I would have ended the song with the same wording as they did but added:  Yeah RIGHT!

     However, this now being years since that song was released and many years to ponder over it (about 30 years to be exact) I think that the sentiment of the song can be applied to many moments in our lives.  Often we’re just not ready to admit that there are individuals that have come into our lives and passed on to other opportunities and we continue to exist.

     Consider all the people we went to school with.  Growing up there may have been kids that we became close to and then (for whatever reason) their families moved to another town, or maybe even another state.  We continued to function within our normal daily activities.  Did we miss them?  Probably. But we got over it.

     There may have been some that we went to school with who passed away during our school years.  It hit us very hard.  Especially if we were close to them.  But life continued and we moved on.

     There may have been some of our school mates who have died since we graduated from school.  Others went off to college, or to work in some other area.  There was a period of time that our hearts may have had an empty feeling, but we managed to continue forward with our lives.

     Some of our classmates may still be in our lives to some degree.  With the creation of facebook, twitter, messenger, and other online forms of communication we have continue to contact them from time to time.  Maybe we have even fallen prey to the trap of using a telephone conversation!  Or perhaps a text message on occasions.

     But there were still those certain ones, other than our family members, that made a tremendous impact on our lives and within our hearts.  They may have been our classmates, or even some who we worked with in various jobs.  Maybe some who touched our lives only momentarily, but that impact was unforgettable!

     And for some of those we may be a little ashamed of what we have done with our lives or perhaps what we have NOT done with it that we want them to “look away” if they were to pass us on the street somewhere.  Maybe we feel that we have not lived up to their expectations of what we could have been or what they wanted us to be.  Maybe we don’t feel that we have lived up to our own expectations!

     The things that have happened in our lives have molded us into the person we are today.  So if these situations were good or bad we must use that training to be the best person we can.  Regardless of the expectations of others we have to remember that WE control what we do, what we say, and how we treat others.

     Plan your work!  Work your plan!  Do the BEST you can and leave the rest in the hands of God!  Because we’re only human!

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"When thinking: 

"Look what I have accomplished."

Remember all those who have helped."

The Young

    When you were growing up as a kid you probably didn’t give much attention to what was going on in the news.  You were more interested in sports, or “teen idols” and what was going on in the “real” world of your little town after school.

     I know I would rush home after school (before I was old enough to have a job) and head straight to the television so I could watch the latest episodes of Superman and the Howdy Doody Show.  That was the type of thing that interested me.  There were no video games or websites that you could go to for information.  You didn’t have any “connections” with your friends over Snapchat or Instagram, etc.  WHAT was a cell phone?   

     According to marketing data, a remarkable 9 percent of 12- to 17-year-olds in the United States use Snapchat every month.  While they mostly send photos, the app’s Discover portal allows them a lens on events in the outside world – at least in theory!  Unfortunately, at least according to the app, the world is mostly gossip, celebrities in various states of undress, and kittens, so states the article “Kids Are Stuck Getting Their News from SNL and Snapchat.  Save Us, Linda Ellerbee!” by Eleanor Cummins.

     From the time period of 1992-2015, it was possible for some youngsters to get “news” like programming by watching “Nick News”.  It was THE place for younger ones to get a real taste of what news programming should be like.  It was serious and took its young audience serious also.  According to Bronwen O’Keefe, who helped to produce Nick News at the time, “We weren’t going to dumb anything down for the audience and we weren’t going to avoid things that were controversial.”

    You don’t see many young people sitting around in coffee shops, or libraries, or even in their own rooms reading the New York Times, the Washington Post, or USA Today!  It just doesn’t happen.  They would rather be on their phones, ipads, or tablets doing who knows what!

     The article previously mentioned by Eleanor Cummins also states, “For precocious teens and preteens interested in current events but unlikely to sit down with a newspaper, Saturday Night Live often serves as a glimpse at our current political moment.” 

     Most younger ones have to depend on their parents or teachers to help them not only “know” what is going on in the world of finances or politics, but they need to “understand” how these situations are going to affect THEM personally.  This will take an investment of time upon the adults who attempt to provide these explanations.

     It used to be that you could learn history and know that information would be the same 5, 10, or even many more years later.  Today, even the history that was taught in school is being questioned or it is being changed.  With everyone trying to be “politically” correct you are almost scared to make a statement that may be taken wrong by so many.

     Then the “current” history that is being written every day is happening so fast that you almost hesitate to try and learn it until you have some bit of certainty that it’s not going to change in the next few minutes.  It is almost like the weather in Colorado.  We always so say if you don’t like it just wait a few minutes and it will change.

     We sadly see this same atmosphere in so many other areas.  At one time it was BAD for you to eat hotdogs.  Then it was not a problem.  In the past the idea was (from Dr. Spock, NOT Mr. Spock) that you should never discipline your child.  Then it was learned that discipline is a necessary form of correction and education.  Some took that statement to mean that you were to BEAT your children to keep them in line, so now public correction is NOT appreciated.  Of course, we should all recognize that in any area extremes are not usually what is preferred.

     However, I digress.  This post is to help us as adults recognize that the younger generation needs to become more aware of what is going on in the world around them.  Not only the things that they may find personally interesting: celebrities, etc.  But world affairs that one day may mean a great importance within their lives. 

     We have an obligation to do this, but we’re only human!

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"Talk to your Mom every day,

but give your Dad a few words too."

If You Love Someone ---

     A few years after I got married my wife bought me a small stone paperweight that had written on it “If you love someone --- tell them!”  I have kept that gift for many years and each time I look at it I think a little bit more about that saying.

     When I was growing up my Dad was not a very emotionally expressive man.  He would always make the statement: “I put food on the table.  You have clothes to wear.  You have a roof over your head.  Can’t you tell that I love you?”  He never saw the need to actually express himself by saying the words.

     I guess he was like many men even today.  We don’t often think it is necessary to express our feelings by getting all “mushy” with words.  That’s the kind of thing that the women do!  So we just sit around and play our macho part.

     So I thought when my family began to grow and my wife and I had children I would not be that kind of father.  I often wanted to (and did) put my arms around the kids and tell them that I loved them.  I did the same with my wife.  Even today after 50 years of marriage I enjoy walking with her anywhere holding hands.  I remember on one occasion my son told us that his cousin made a comment to him when he saw us “kiss” in public!  (It was just a quick peck on the check!)  I have always enjoyed expressing my feelings.

     I thought it was necessary to let them know how I felt about them.  So whenever I could I made the expressions of my feelings known to them.  But after I got that gift I began to think a little deeper on the matter.  Is making an expression all that is needed?

     Yes!  They needed to hear me express my feelings, but they needed to SEE those feelings in action.  Too often it is simple to let the words flow over your lips and there is no substance to them.  You can say “I love you”, but how are you able to back up those words.  I started to see that more was required than mere words.

     You have to act in a way that stands behind those words and makes them become a reality.  It might be like telling someone “Hope you get to eat today!”  But you don’t do anything about getting them some food.  Your words may have some meaning of feeling behind them, but the words alone are a bit empty when they are not backed up by actions.

     So I’ve learned that the words need to be supplemented with action.  Once you SHOW someone how you feel any words that you express afterwards have much more power behind them.  Now I feel that my previous gift would have much more import if it read: “If you tell someone you love them --- SHOW them by your actions!”

     In a perfect world we would all probably be better able to do this.  But as we are today it is very difficult to make it happen.  What a truly pitiful excuse when all we can say is: “We’re Only Human!”

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"Talk more about others than yourself - - - 

it will keep you humble."

Tell Your Story

    It’s hard to imagine the BILLIONS of people who presently live on this planet Earth.  But, if it were possible we could travel around the world and talk to as many people as we possibly could and we would find that everyone of them had a very unique story about their life.

     You could start with yourself.  You might have to go back into your childhood and think really hard, but I’m sure you could come up with some story that would be truly representative of YOU and no one else.  Maybe if you had siblings it could be a story about all of you doing something together.  Or if you are an only child you might have remembered a story in which you created a sibling so that you would have someone to play with.

     Maybe your story would be about how your parents had to work HARD to care for the needs of the family.  Those lean and depriving years may help to explain how you react to financial situations today.  It’s possible that your life story would have been just the opposite and you realize that when growing up your family had more material things than many of your friends.  So today you have become extremely generous to those who are in need.

     Stories would come just like the people who tell them.  There would be long (tall) stories and also short ones.  There would be very colorful stories and many with a very dark and sinister air about them.  There would be those stories that would make you laugh and those that make you cry.  We would have to include some stories that lift your heart to unbelievable heights and those that seem to knock you down to the lowest of places.

     If you ever really want a huge laugh get a child to tell you a story that they completely make up as they go along.  It could be on any subject.  The important thing is that it must come directly from the child’s mind.  You will probably be amazed at what they are able to create from their imagination.  Don’t work about the improbability of what they are saying actually being possible.  Just listen to the excitement in their voices and the animation in their delivery.

       Consider that journey to the far reaches of the globe.  All the people you could meet from varying cultures, upbringing, with their different fears and aspirations.  And imagine the personalities of the men, women, and children who make up these billions of living beings.  Now consider the time you would have to spend in considering THEIR stories!  Time that would be needed to let all the various components really sink into your mind.  Imagine the feelings you would gain within your own heart as you let them pour out theirs within the framework of their story!

     How long would it take for you to contemplate the real meaning behind the words they have been expressing to you?  How could you walk away and not be touched by the happiness or the sorrow that they have conveyed to you?  Where could you go to get away from the anguish that they may have expressed by means of their story?

     Maybe we could take the time (at least a portion of it) to try to understand some of the people who are the closest to us:  those of our own families!  Maybe we have lived with and near to these people for many years, but do we really KNOW their story?  Perhaps we could begin by understanding ourselves by telling our own story!

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"Don't ever enter a duel of intelligence

with an "empty gun."

Today!

     I’m sitting in my office thinking over my schedule for the remainder of this month.  Since it is now December and there are about only three weeks left until the 2017 year comes to an end I thought this might be a good time to make sure that all my remaining appointments, assignments and personal commitments don’t get lost in the shuffle.

     Then it dawned on me that when you really book at all your obligations whether they are personal or business nothing ever really gets done until “today!”  We may have it scheduled for next week or our deadline is the second Friday of the month; however, whatever DATE you have an item scheduled to get accomplished you never get it done until it is “today.”

     I’ll see if I can explain my thought so that you understand.  Let’s say we have some BIG plans we’re going to do on Saturday, but today is Wednesday.  We’re not going to do our plan for three more days, right?  Then it becomes Friday.  Now we’re not going to do our plan until tomorrow because then it will be Saturday.  But when Saturday gets here and we can get our plan done we don’t usually refer to it as Saturday anymore: then it will be TODAY!  Do you follow my thinking?

     That being the logic behind our view of the activity we want to accomplished: NOTHING gets done until TODAY!  It may seem a little strange thinking in that fashion because we are always planning an event for a future time.  It’s got to be done this afternoon, tomorrow, next week, next month or some other period of our future time schedule.  However, when we actually get to that period of time it has become TODAY.  So nothing ever gets accomplished until today!

     That being the case my mind begins to wonder:  What are we doing TODAY?  If we really are the masters of our time and we don’t let time control our lives we will have an orderly arrangement as to HOW we are going to get things done.

     We would need to have some priorities in our lives as to how and when activities are done.  Preparing ourselves either by what is most important or what will take the most (or least) amount of time to get accomplished.  In my own case I like to review the day before and schedule those things that I don’t particularly like to do earlier in my day when I am the most rested and receptive to getting things done.  You would need to look at your load of responsibilities and see how you can do the same for your schedule.

DON’T PROCRASTINATE!

     Some have a reverse view of work accomplishments:  Why do today what you can put off until tomorrow?  But remember: Tomorrow NEVER comes!  When that day gets here it’s always today!  And today is the only day you can get things done.  Besides if you let things “pile up” it will only be less likely that you’ll want to take the necessary time to get things done.  Or you may be allocating an ENTIRE day to accomplish what previously could have taken you fifteen or twenty minutes a day to stay caught up!

SEGMENT!

     Another thing that I have found helps me is not looking at a job in its entirety.  What I mean is when you look at the task at hand you’ll probably realize that it actually takes two, three or maybe four separate steps to get it completed.  So why not segment that task into its various portions and you’ll find that the task becomes easier to accomplish and it also makes it possible for you to “break” between segments and not feel like you have let the task incomplete.

     Another thing that I have found helpful in my own case is not to have multiple tasks in various stages of completion.  Even if you have segmented the task into various portions:  get ALL the portions completed BEFORE moving to the next task.  This has really been helpful when I have several tasks that are similar.  By completing one task at a time you know you can move on without that task tugging at your mind.  I don’t care who you are or what you think:  you CAN NOT multitask!  Your mind needs to give its complete attention to the task at hand.  When I was younger taking driver education classes our instructor told us: “If you drive with ONE hand on the wheel and ONE hand on your date:  you’re lacking ONE hand to handle either activity!”

     You must also remember that regardless of how well you plan there WILL be distractions ---especially if you are working out of your home!  Simply understand this and deal with it the best you can.  At times that might require halting your present task, taking care of the interruption, and then returning to your task.

     While we may have warm memories from our past and we may schedule and plan for the future, we can only get things done in the present --- TODAY!  Regardless of your status in life, your best efforts, or your determination, you only have twenty-four hours in today:  Use each moment wisely!

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"Eating humble pie today 

could be better than 

eating crow tomorrow."

Love Story

     When you’re growing up there are various music, books, or movies that touch you in some way that maybe at first doesn’t register in your life.  Later on as you continue to mature and have various experiences in your life you begin to see how even small things change, add to, or take away from your character.

     I’m going way back to 1970 and a movie called “Love Story.”  It starred Ryan O’Neal as Oliver Barrett IV, a young man from an upper class east coast family and heir to the Barrett fortune.  Oliver meets Jennifer “Jenny” Cavalleri (played by Ali MacGraw) a quick-witted, working class Radcliffe College student of classical music.  They quickly fall in love, despite their differences and the disapproval of his father.

     Their life is not easy and they have only their love to get them through it.  Because of their decision to marry, Oliver’s father has cut him off from the family fortune.  Having graduated third in his law class, Oliver takes a position at a respectable New York law firm and decides to begin a family with Jenny.

     After failing to conceive they consult a medical specialist.  After many tests, Oliver is informed that Jenny is terminally ill.  The movie actually never says what disease she has although it appears to be leukemia.  After trying to live a “normal” life their medical bills have grown to the point where Oliver has no alternative but to ask his father for financial help.

     When his father asks what the large amount of money is for, Oliver only replies that it is personal!  His father inquires if he has “gotten a girl in trouble?”  Oliver doesn’t want his father to know the truth so he simply says “yes”.  So his father writes him a check.

     In the climax of the story, Jenny has prepared for her funeral and the two of them try to find comfort in each others’ arms and revel in the love that they have shared together.  Then Jenny dies in his embrace.  As Oliver is leaving the hospital he sees his father outside.  The senior Barrett has rushed to New York after hearing of the news about Jenny.  Oliver tells him that Jenny is dead, and his father says “I’m sorry”, to which Oliver replies “Love means never having to say you’re sorry.”  This is the main theme that is woven throughout the lives of Jenny and Oliver during the entire move.

     That movie touched my heart as it did for thousands of other people.  But as the years have passed since I watched that movie I have come to appreciate that as heart-wrenching and powerful that statement was in the movie --- it is completely wrong!  If you truly love someone you will constantly be telling them you’re sorry when you have made mistakes.  And you are going to make mistakes because we are all imperfect.

     Throughout your married life you will regret many things that you do or say or maybe it’s the things that you DON’T do or say that will make you have regrets.  Whichever the case, it is the truly loving person who will admit their errors and will then make the necessary adjustments to “make it right!”  That’s what love really is: the acknowledgment that you and your spouse are not perfect and mistakes are going to be made and forgiveness is going to be necessary.

     As for myself I think the Bible has the best description of love in action.  It is recorded at 1 Co. 13:4-8 (according to the King James Version):  “Love is patient, love is kind.  It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.  Love never fails.”  We have many reasons for displaying love.  But primarily our first reason is plainly stated at 1 John 4:19 where it states: “We love because he [God] first loved us.”

     If we truly showed this love in our lives and displayed it in our lives there would never be a reason to say we were “sorry!”  But, we can’t do that the way we should because of our imperfections:  we’re only human!

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"When you have nothing,

you find out who your real friends are."

Paper Clip!

     Over the past few decades there has been a continuous advancement in technology.  It seems that with some electronics you have barely been able to purchase the item before a “new and improved” model has been put on the shelf.  And often there are not many improvements to the new model.  Of course, you many times have to deal with the “bugs” in the advancements.  Until there has been time to get these “fixed” you almost wish that you could go back to your previous product or at least you regret making the switch as quickly as you did.

     Yet some of the “greatest” or most “useful” productions have been very simple creations.  They have withstood the test of time and continue to be great tools for many personal and business projects.  One of these items that I have been thinking about is the simple paper clip.  Let’s look at its’ history.

     A paper clip (or sometimes paperclip) is an instrument used to hold sheets of paper together, usually made of steel wire bent to a looped shape. Most paper clips are variations of the Gem type introduced in the 1890s or earlier, characterized by the almost two full loops made by the wire. When a moderate number of sheets are inserted between the two "tongues" of the clip, the tongues will be forced apart and cause torsion in the bend of the wire to grip the sheets together. Paper clips usually have an oblong shape with straight sides, but may also be triangular or circular, or have more elaborate shapes.

     According to the Early Office Museum, the first patent for a bent wire paper clip was awarded in the United States to Samuel B. Fay, in 1867. This clip was originally intended primarily for attaching tickets to fabric, although the patent recognized that it could be used to attach papers together.  Fay received U.S. patent 64,088 on April 23, 1867. Although functional and practical, Fay's design along with the 50 other designs patented prior to 1899 are not considered reminiscent of the modern paperclip design known today.  Another notable paper clip design was also patented in the United States by Erlman J. Wright in 1877. This clip was advertised at that time for use in fastening newspapers.

     The most common type of wire paper clip still in use, the Gem paper clip, was never patented, but it was most likely in production in Britain in the early 1870s by "The Gem Manufacturing Company", according to the American expert on technological innovations, Professor Henry J. Petroski.   He refers to an 1883 article about "Gem Paper-Fasteners", praising them for being "better than ordinary pins" for "binding together papers on the same subject, a bundle of letters, or pages of a manuscript".   Since the 1883 article had no illustration of this early "Gem", it may have been different from modern paper clips of that name. The earliest documentation of its existence is an 1894 advertisement for "Gem Paper Clips".   In 1904 Cushman & Denison registered a trade mark for the "Gem" name in connection with paper clips. The announcement stated that it had been used since March 1, 1892, which may have been the time of its introduction in the United States.   Paper clips are still sometimes called "Gem clips", and in Swedish the word for any paper clip is "gem".

     Definite proof that the modern type of paper clip was well known in 1899 at the latest, is the patent granted to William Middlebrook of Waterbury, Connecticut on April 27 of that year for a "Machine for making wire paper clips." The drawing clearly shows that the product is a perfect clip of the Gem type.  The fact that Middlebrook did not mention it by name, suggests that it was already well known at the time. Since then countless variations on the same theme have been patented. Some have pointed instead of rounded ends, some have the end of one loop bent slightly to make it easier to insert sheets of paper, and some have wires with undulations or barbs to get a better grip. In addition, purely aesthetic variants have been patented, clips with triangular or round shapes.   But, the original Gem type has for more than a hundred years proved to be the most practical, and consequently by far the most popular. Its qualities—ease of use, gripping without tearing, and storing without tangling—have been difficult to improve upon.

     It has been claimed, though apparently without evidence, that Herbert Spencer, the originator of the term "survival of the fittest", invented the paper clip. Spencer claimed in his autobiography to have invented a "binding-pin" that was distributed by Ackermann & Company, and he shows a drawing of the pin in his Appendix I (following Appendix H). This pin looked more like a modern cotter pin than a modern paper clip, but it was designed to hold sheets of paper together. It is approximately 15 cm unfolded.

     A Norwegian, Johan Vaaler (1866–1910), has erroneously been identified as the inventor of the paper clip. He was granted patents in Germany and in the United States (1901) for a paper clip of similar design, but less functional and practical, because it lacked the last turn of the wire. Vaaler probably did not know that a better product was already on the market, although not yet in Norway. His version was never manufactured and never marketed, because the superior Gem was already available.

     Long after Vaaler's death his countrymen created a national myth based on the false assumption that the paper clip was invented by an unrecognized Norwegian genius. Norwegian dictionaries since the 1950s have mentioned Vaaler as the inventor of the paper clip, and that myth later found its way into international dictionaries and much of the international literature on paper clips.

     Vaaler's patents expired quietly, while the "Gem" was used worldwide, including his own country. The failure of his design was its impracticality. Without the two full loops of the fully developed paper clip, it was difficult to insert sheets of paper into his clip. One could manipulate the end of the inner wire so that it could receive the sheet, but the outer wire was a dead end because it could not exploit the torsion principle. The clip would instead stand out like a keel, perpendicular to the sheet of paper. The impracticality of Vaaler's design may easily be demonstrated by cutting off the last outer loop and one long side from a regular Gem clip.

     Wire is versatile in its nature. Thus a paper clip is a useful accessory in many kinds of mechanical work including computer work: the metal wire can be unfolded with a little force. Several devices call for a very thin rod to push a recessed button which the user might only rarely need. This is seen on most CD-ROM drives as an "emergency eject" should the power fail; also on early floppy disk drives (including the early Macintosh). Various smartphones require the use of a long thin object such as a paper clip to eject the SIM card and some Palm PDAs advise the use of a paper clip to reset the device. The track ball can be removed from early Logitech pointing devices using a paper clip as the key to the bezel. A paper clip bent into a "U" can be used to start an ATX PSU without connecting it to a motherboard (connect the green to a black on the motherboard header). One or more paper clips can make a loopback device for a RS232 interface (or indeed many interfaces). A paper clip could be installed in a Commodore 1541 disk-drive as a flexible head-stop. A paper clip can be used (unsafely) to temporarily bridge a blown fuse. The steel wire from a paperclip can be used in dentistry to form a dental post. Paper clips can be bent into a crude but sometimes effective lock picking device.   Some types of handcuffs can be unfastened using paper clips.

     As you can see this seemingly simple item can be used for various purposes.  There’s no complicated design to the paper clip, but where would we be without it being around?  I can’t speak for everyone but I would be lost without this unbelievable necessary product!

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"Always keep the MAIN thing

the MAIN thing!"

Deep No 4 --- Flying Humanoids

     The phenomenon is unbelievable, but supposed sightings are building up around the world, especially I Mexico.  Although some would want to group these sightings with other UFO sightings others tend to purpose that these sightings are different and should be examined as a completely new area of research.  For decades UFO sightings have come in the form of discs, spheres, orbs, triangular, tubular, plasma, cluster sightings, and even splitting UFOs and these have provided any serious researcher an important graphic dossier to make studies and analyses of this phenomenon.

     But over the past decade and a half a new group of sightings have cropped up that have many researchers baffled.  These are the mysterious flying humanoids.  As some have reported these ARE NOT UFO sightings at all, but are flying entities in human form.  This has been something completely different than anything that has been reported in the past.

     In March 2000 Salvador Guerrero, one of the most respected sky watchers with many hours of UFO videos, had a rare sighting.  While he was doing his regular sky watch on the roof of his home in Colonia Agricola Oriental, Guerrero encountered something so bizarre it opened a new chapter in aerial sightings in Mexico.

     At first, Salvador thought the object he had spotted could be a dark UFO high in the sky, so he started videotaping as usual.  However, he soon realized that this was something completely different and could not believe what he saw.

     It was a dark, solid object which was almost static in the sky, spinning slowly on its axis: featuring what looked to be a human form with “arms” and “legs” perfectly visible, giving the impression that “he” or “it” was floating in the air.  The dark humanoid creature remained stationary in the same spot for several minutes, spinning slowly with arms and legs “outstretched” all the time.  The object then began to move, disappearing behind a building.

     Since that time Mexico and other areas have provided their own share of such flying humanoid sightings.  But is this really a ‘new” phenomenon?  Some feel that we have no further to look than in the pages of the Bible.  We all know angels as beings of super-human powers and abilities, usually pictured with wings and the ability to fly.  Angels were given many jobs, from warriors to messengers to guards.  Some, known as Ishim angels in the Jewish faith, are said to watch over humans here on Earth.  Angels are found I many religions and cultures around the world.  Other civilizations throughout history had their magical beings as well, all with incredible powers and often included was the ability to fly.  Always the heavens are recognized as a holy place, and these creatures are said to travel to and from the heavens with ease.  Some have suggested that sightings in modern times are nothing more (or less) than angels or ancient gods.

     Some purpose a possibility in the realm of crypto zoology.  The legendary Mothman is an example of a flying humanoid creature that is said to inhabit the Point Pleasant, West Virginia (USA) area.  The Mothman notoriously appeared during the year leading up to the tragic collapse of the Silver Bridge in 1967, but sightings continue from time to time.

     The Jersey Devil is another such flying creature.  This one is said to inhabit the Pine Barrens of New Jersey.  Could there be some undiscovered animal out there, perhaps a giant bat or some other creature that may have the power of flight and which could be easily mistaken for a human?

     Or maybe there is another explanation!  For decades Hollywood and the movie industry has been trying to help us prepare for the possibility that one day we may find out that we may be sharing this planet “with a visitor (or visitors) from another planet with powers and abilities far beyond those of mortal man.”  Or that there is the possibility at various times since humans have been “operating” with nuclear power that “accidents” have occurred to humans and they have mutated into humans with extraordinary powers, the least of which may be flight!  Maybe these things have already happened and have been happening so that when civilization is ready to accept these beings it will come as NO surprise that they are already here!

     All of these things could be to prepare us for the ultimate “coming out.”  So that when it does happen it will be “no big thing!”  Perhaps you’ll just walk outside one day and your buddy will punch you in the arm and exclaim: “Look!  Up in the sky!  It’s a bird!  It’s a plane!  Oh, it’s only a flying humanoid!”

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"When asked what YOU do ---

be brief!"

Around the World Trip

     If you could go ANYWHERE in the world, where would you decide to go?  I’ve decided in Stage 3 of my Ultimate Vacation to plan an “Around the World” trip!  How long am I going to allow for such a trip:  80 days?  I’m not sure if I could get everything accomplished in that amount of time.  So what I’ve decided to do is simple:  PLAN the trip I want to take!  No time limits or expense limitations and not completely inspired by the most alluring locations.  This entire excursion would be accomplished by using a private jet charter to fly from location to location, but the exact activities which would be done may require more time and consideration.    

     I would begin by flying from our home in Colorado to Calgary, Alberta, Canada.  Then we would continue to Thunder Bay, Ontario Canada, to Labrador, New Foundland, to Boston, Massachusetts, then to Charleston, South Carolina. 

     From Charleston we would journey to Kingstown in St Vincent and the Grenadines.  This modern capital was founded by French settlers shortly after 1722, although St Vincent had 196 years of British rule before her independence.  Here the beautiful botanical garden which was conceived in 1765 is one of the oldest in the Western hemisphere.  William Bligh, who was made famous from the Mutiny on the Bounty, brought seed of the breadfruit tree to this area for planting around 1793.  Beyond the fabulous history, the unbelievable sites of nature will require at least a few days to soak in.

     From this tropical paradise we would fly to Caracas, Venezuela, then to Santiago, Chile.  We would continue to Stanley, Falkland Islands and on to Cape Town, South Africa.  We would go north from here to Nairobi, Kenya.

     The natural wonders of Kenya would be enjoyed by a fantastic 7-day tour of 2 national parks.  We would begin at the world-famous Maasai Mara with its breathtaking numbers of large game, before heading to the stunning scenery of Lake Nakuru and Amboseli to enjoy the delights in these areas.  All of these marvels would be enjoyed under the assistance of a local tour guide so the entire experience would be one that we would be talking about for many months to come.

     Then our journey would continue to Casablanca, Morocco, then to Barcelona, Spain, on to the beautiful Dublin, Ireland and up to Bergen, Norway.  Our sites would be next directed to Hamburg, Germany: The Gateway to the World!  The green city on the water is not just one of the most beautiful cities in Germany but, the normally reticent citizens of the hanseatic city also have difficulty hiding their pride about “their” city.

     From dusty porcelain jugs to a chirpy family of ducks, you can find just about anything in the shadow of the 100-year old fish auction hall.  Since1703 pretty much everything that is not bolted down has been traded here at Hamburg’s most traditional market.

     After spending some time in this marvelous historic city we must move on.  First traveling to Vienna, Austria, then we would make a stop in historic Athens, Greece.  We would fly on to Bucharest, Romania, Helsinki, Finland and then to Kiev, Ukraine.

     Our next stop would be in Ankara, Turkey.  When I was in the military I spent two years in Turkey in the southern portion of the country along the Mediterranean Sea.  I would look forward to spending some time in another part of the country.

     Rising dramatically on a steep incline from the banks of the Enguri Su, Ankara, Turkey’s capital and second most populous city, is a modern European metropolis speckled with reminders of its varied history.  Old castles and ruins from Hittite, Phrygian, Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman civilizations dot the landscape.  The modern city includes government and state houses, major universities, military bases, consulates, bustling nightlife and the oldest park in the city, Genclik Park.

     But least we begin to grow “roots” in somewhat familiar surroundings, our journey must continue to Mumbai, India.  Then we would journey on to Ulan Bator, Mongolia and Shanghai, China with our jet zipping into Yokohama, Japan.

     There is at least enough to do here for one day if not several.  A visit to Minato Marai 21, a popular, modern neighborhood with great shopping and tons of restaurant options is a must.  Many traveling sites recommend a stop at Big Wharf (Osanbashi Pier) to enjoy its uniquely shaped pier with spectacular views.

     The Sky Garden is Japan’s highest observation deck on the 69^th floor of the Landmark Tower, the tallest building in Yokohama standing at almost 1,000 feet.  Using the really fast elevator you can reach the observatory in about 40 seconds.  The observatory provides a 360-degree panoramic view of Yokohama city, the Yokohama Bay Bridge, and the Tokyo Tower and Mount Fuji (on clear days.)

     Our journey continues as we fly to Bangkok, Thailand, then to Singapore, Malaysia, and on to Quezon City in the Philippines.  Our next consideration will be the sites of Brisbane, Australia.

     Sun-soaked Brisbane still has traces of friendly country hospitality underneath the cultural vibe of urban life yet also offers a striking city center.  Here we find countless restaurants, theatres and cafes spilling happily into the streets, barely contained by the looping flow of the Brisbane River.

     And the rolling hills that surround the city give a number of viewpoints, while the region contains some of the country’s finest tropical rainforest, reaching out to a string of glorious beaches washed by the warm waters of the Pacific Ocean.

     The coastline is dotted with idyllic islands.  Moreton Island, just a 70 minute ferry ride from Brisbane, is the third largest sand island in the world, yet fewer than 100 residents call the island home.  Most of the island is national park, creating a blissful paradise of sandy beaches, bush and lagoons.  But before we decide to purchase some “home” property in this beautiful land we must continue our journey.

     We fly to Wellington, New Zealand, then to Suva, Fiji and on to American Samoa.  Our next leg of the journey finds us spending time in French Polynesia.  Tahiti and Bora Bora are the most well known French Polynesian islands, thanks to their picture-perfect beaches and romantic ambiance.  These islands are ideal for handholding, with their lush landscapes and mood-setting features like lagoons and grottos.  The heart-shaped island of Mo’orea makes a wonderful base for divers and snorkelers eager to explore its surrounding barrier reef system.  Feeding the massive, sacred eels of Huahine is a once-in-a-lifetime way to experience an important local ritual.

     But we must finish up our journey around the world by stopping in Hawaii.  Then our trip would go on to San Jose, Costa Rica and turn north to Acapulco, Mexico.  It may be hard to believe but from here we would fly back home into Colorado and end our journey. 

     Of course, I only mentioned some the things we would do in the various locations that we would visit.  However, I might have to “revisit” my thoughts on the duration of this journey.  Maybe an ENTIRE YEAR would be a better time frame!

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

Test Yourself:

"Does your life control you,

or Do YOU control your life?"