Mindset

            You’ve heard it said “I’ve done this before!”  They made an expression for this:  It’s dejevu!”  But maybe the reality is you HAVE done it before!  Or maybe the events have been so close to the present one that it seems that you have done it before.

            What a marvelous organ we have in our brains.  We can relive all the wonderful moments in our lives whenever we want to.  We can experience things that we have never actually experienced ourselves.  Our minds can take us to places we’ve never been to or we can create places that don’t actually exist.

            Our minds have such tremendous creativity that it seems at times that we are only limited in its creativity by the boundaries that we ourselves put upon it.  Your thinking process can become so sensitive that we can include the small, sensations of touch and taste within our thoughts.

            Have you ever listened to a speaker describe the preparation of a meal so enjoyably that you begin to taste the various foods within your mouth?  Your pallet begins to savior them and then to anticipate your actually eating those foods.  I’m sure you have!  You begin to prepare yourself for an enjoyable meal, even if it is only presently in your mind.

            Your mind also makes you a more sympathetic person.  Many advertisers are counting on this ability of your mind.  You’ve seen those ads where the abandoned or mistreated animals are pictured in hopes that you will want to donate your funds for their care.  This ability is also what assists us in showing empathy for other humans and the varying circumstances that they face.

            With this same brain we can learn complex calculations and motor control abilities or the simplest of things like lifting our hand or foot.  We have the wonderful ability to look at situations and reason out a solution to very complicated scenarios.  And we can also look at these various situations and ponder “what if”!  We can change certain variables within the scenario and propound a different solution than the one that had been previously reached.

            Within our “mind’s eye” we can enjoy the beauty of art, music, sunsets and sunrises.  With many other activities we can ponder the past and the future.  Our mental capabilities seem to be limitless, although at the present we use a very small portion of our minds capabilities.

            We can make the decision to look upon our present conditions and resolve to have the determination to make changes for the better.  We should make all the efforts we can to do this if it is at all in our ability to do so.

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"Often the complexities of our situation

reside only in our mind."

Logical

     It seems in this world today that what used to be a simple and logical solution to many problems is not even considered.  Something like sitting down and talking things out just doesn’t come up in the conversation for bringing an end to conflicts:  And it doesn’t matter if the conflicts are small or large.  The answer is almost always the same:  Let’s fight!

    

     Years ago I heard a comedian who was discussing how the world’s conflicts should be resolved.  I understand that he was only making comments to gain the laughter of his hearers; however, when some of his suggestions are given a logical consideration maybe he had a valid point that was being made.

    

     Let’s consider a couple of the points he introduced.  First, do you recall seeing scenes on television or perhaps you have been within the United Nations Assembly Hall when a “discussion” is going on.  In either case you would often see one of the delegates holding his finger or hand to his ear as he adjusted or concentrated more fully on the translation he was receiving through his ear piece.  The comedian suggested that regardless of what a speaker was saying or how demonstrative a speaker was, the translator should be telling the delegate: “Everything is going to be fine.  We love each other.  Let’s just all get along in peace.”  And other such comments.  Besides isn’t the United Nations purpose to bring peace to the world of mankind?  Like we know that’s going to happen!

    

     His second point was also very interesting.  If nations were determined to have conflicts between themselves maybe there should be a more simple way to resolve these issues.  The leader of each of the conflicting nations should put on a pair of boxing gloves and “duke it out” for ten rounds or whoever wins by knock out first.  There should be an agreed concession to be forfeited or lost by each party prior to the fight beginning.  And the losing party must be willing to accept this loss as a finale to the agreement.

    

     Think of all the lives, the property, the time, and the money that would be saved by proposing such an arrangement!  Millions of young people would no longer be sacrificed to the ravages of war.  Millions of dollars could be saved on not needing such expensive military weapons.  Communities and innocent people in many lands of the world would no longer be subjected to the horrors and disasters of war.  And although it was not available at the time, a lot of money could probably be made by broadcasting the event on “pay-for-view”.

   

     I’m not suggesting any of the above recommendations for a way to resolve the conflicts of human nations today, but it does seem to be that the search for a more peaceful means is often perhaps considered as a last resort.  With the costs of property, lives, and so many other considerations at stake does it really seem logical to bypass a peaceful solution?

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"It seems that the simplest solution to a problem

would be the most logical one!

But that's not often the case."

Abuse

     One of the things I’ve never been able to understand is child abuse.  This is a great problem and concern today and has been growing in severity over the past few years.  With the recent two incidents of parents in California (USA) horribly mistreating their children, that situation is unbelievable.  I was born into a family that wasn’t perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but we cared for each other when it counted.  I had two older sisters (one has passed away) and a younger brother, being somewhat saddled in the middle.  So I know what it is like when you’re too young to be doing the things that your older siblings would do and I was too old to get the attention at times that my “baby’ brother got.  We had our differences of opinions when we were growing up, we still do.  The same was true with our parents.  I can’t say we were the closest of families, but we had vacation times and other family times when we got together.  But even when we would disagree with our parents or vice-versa never did the situation reach the level of violence that can be seen today.  We were disciplined when we were growing up when it was needed.  But that didn’t mean we were beat all the time.  Sometimes a good stern talk or spending some time in your room was all that was needed.

     Of course, sending a child to their room today would probably not be viewed as punishment.  The child’s room probably has a television, a VCR or DVD player, a stereo system, computer, games, toys, books and almost any other thing you can imagine.

     Maybe the problem stems from a basic lack of love.  Today many parents have children that they don’t want.  They feel they just get in the way.  They leave them alone at home when it’s not necessary.  HOW can you possibly “forget” that you have a baby in the back seat of your vehicle?  They make them grow up fending for themselves.  Parents today will not apply necessary counsel, discipline, and direction that are needed in the lives of their children.  Some feel there is justification for abortions, but in many cases that is only another cop-out --- not wanting to shoulder the responsibility for their actions and raise a child that they never should have had in the first place!

     But often children themselves add to the problem.  They reject authority of any kind.  They seek out their own choice of peers and support their actions by condemning the actions (or lack thereof) of their parents.  They get a chip on their shoulders thinking their parents “owe” them because they never “asked” to be born.  Instead of viewing life as a precious gift, given to them, they waste it and let it fall apart.  Yes, child abuse (actually human abuse) is a problem that everyone should look at more seriously.  And I’m not prepared in this blog to start a discussion of sexual child abuse or the abuse of our older generation. 

     At times it seems that our HUMAN tendencies are not to act very human at all!

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"You NEVER harm those you love."

Relative

     What would happen if we all woke up tomorrow and everything was doubled in size?  We wouldn’t really notice anything different.  The same would stand true with any other thing we would want to consider if we keep the same relative perspective.  This doesn’t work in the real world, however.  No two things are truly fluctuating in the same relative positioning.

    Take the economic condition as the most flagrant example.  When the cost of housing increases five percent or the cost of groceries, or gas, or clothing, or entertainment, or ANYTHING else --- do your wages increase five percent?  Certainly not!  But we never seem to look at the economy in the same relative terms.  How many times have you heard someone say (or perhaps you’ve said it yourself):  “I can’t believe it costs that much for (whatever)!  I can remember when that was only (so many) cents a gallon, or (so many) cents a loaf, or a pound, or a package!”  Have you ever noticed that when people say these kinds of things and “long for the good old days”, they mention that when things were that price your income was next to nothing?  Maybe $5 a week or $2 a day for long hard hours.

     Yes, all things are relative to something.  But we never want to compare apples to apples or oranges to oranges.  That’s only human nature.  We have to minimize the contrast by exaggerating the differences.

     Now don’t get me wrong.  I’d like to see things cost less.  I’d like to have nicer clothes and bigger cars and money left in my pocket at the end of the month.  But I have to recognize that I can’t ask everyone to lower THEIR prices to aide my situation and not be willing to make sacrifices myself.

     And yet this is what people are constantly doing.  They want better roads, better medical care, more police protection or firemen.  They want everything better but they don’t want to pay more for anything.  This can be seen so plainly when politicians are running for office.  They promise so many GREAT benefits, but they also promise to LOWER taxes.  How do people think the cost of all these additional benefits are going to covered?

     And have you ever noticed that in that extremely rare event when things do seem to go right for you and you get a little ahead financial, then you have these long lost cousins, or brother or sister or niece or nephew or SOMEONE showing up with their hand out?  Well --- I guess it is ALL only relative after all.

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"You can choose those you want to be around,

you can pick those you wish to call friend,

but you are stuck with your relatives!"

Just Pause

     Are you one of those people who are always so busy that you never have time to stop and enjoy what you have?

     I can remember when I was a young teenager.  I used to think that if I only had a part time job I’d have some money to do things with my friends.  They’d go out driving, stopping occasionally at the Dairy Queen for a snack.   Then Friday or Saturday nights it was off to the drive-in.  Some of you may not even know what that is, but if you ask your parents or grandparents they’d be able to tell you.  Maybe there’d be a chance during the summer to go out to the swimming pool or even better go for a drive to the river and find a nice tree with a rope tie-off.  Then you could swing out like Tarzan and make a great splash into the river.  But I never had enough money to do all those things with my friends.  That part-time job would be the answer to my prayers.  Well, I got the job and the money was great.  I’d make $90-$100 a week PLUS any tips I could accumulate.  For a 16 year old I was making really good money (especially at that time).  But then I realized I no longer had the free time to go to the show, or the pool, or the river, or out “cruising” with the guys, or do anything else for that matter.  I had lost sight of what my true objective had been.

     Does this sound a little familiar?  We constantly want to do better or get more, and we lose track of what is really important.  Sometimes life forces us to slow down even when we don’t want to.  A few years ago I began having severe pains in my chest.  Fortunately it wasn’t a heart attack.  But, I wound up having to spend four days in the hospital while they ran some test.  While I lay there in the hospital room bed I had time to contemplate various aspects of my life. That was better than trying to count those little holes in the ceiling tiles!  I’ve come to better appreciate the things that most people don’t consider very important.  When was the last time you lay out in the grass on a beautiful summer day and watched the clouds roll by?  Remember making those clouds become faces, cars, trains, various creatures, or anything that your mind could conceive.

     Today our lives are more motivated by panic response.  We react to situations.  We respond to stimuli.  But occasionally we need to stop the runaway frantic life and smell the flowers, hear the birds sing and take a moment to laugh.  Yes laugh at our lives at times and at ourselves more often.  We probably need to learn to look at the world and at ourselves through the eyes of a child.  We need to re-examine from time to time what are really the important things in our life.  We might find there is a tremendous need to step back for a moment and readjust some priorities.  Besides, if we find ourselves in a medical disaster or some terrible accident that suddenly brings our life to an end, think of all the things we would have missed.

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"It's better to pause and play in the grass

before you are placed UNDER the grass!"

Don't Give Up!

     Have you ever noticed that in an office or plant or company of any size it seems that two to five percent of the employees do ninety to ninety-five percent of the work?  But it’s the larger percentage (the part that is hardly ever doing anything) that seems to get all the praise and the higher salaries.

     It would probably be no surprise to most people, but those few who are doing most of the work, are usually living payday to payday, struggling to make ends meet.  And they’re always having some month left over when they run out of money.  Sadly these are also the few that always are afraid to take the chance on something new.  They are always just a few hundred dollars away from having things fairly comfortable each month.  These are the people who should find a part-time income.  Something that doesn’t cost them much to get started.  Something, perhaps, that isn’t going to make them over-night millionaires (what really does?), but can be run as a sideline business 10-20 hours or so a month and provide that extra few hundred dollars per month which is so badly needed.

     Setting up a part-time business may also give you various tax incentives that may help in your over-all financial condition.  I’m not going to try and explain these in this blog because of space and individual circumstance, but it would well be worth your wild to consider the possibilities with a tax professional.

     What type of business should you run?  This too is a very personal question to consider.  But, if you browse through various income opportunity magazines, tabloids and mail offers, or even spend some time on the internet, I’m sure you’ll find something that will interest you and fit your particular needs.

     The problem seems to be that most people --- those who are hard workers and who really need to start a part-time business --- are those who spend those extra 10-20 hours each month complaining about not being able to make ends meet.  Now’s the time to stop complaining and start changing your situation.  To say the least, it will take time and constant effort to make your part-time business a success.  But that is how anything is accomplished.  Pace yourself---continue to move forward with your plans and efforts.  And most importantly DON’T GIVE UP!

     You may find, in time, that an enjoyable part-time business, one that you truly enjoy working may begin to produce a really nice income for you.  An income that will become of itself enough to sustain you and your family during the month.  You may be able to make your business your full-time employment and have the additional freedom of being your own boss.  This would be a great goal to achieve; however, in the mean time the additional income from the part-time business is going to be a great addition to your monthly financial needs.

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"Take the parts you know,

Learn the parts you don't know,

and you will become completely successful."

Computers

     Well, the article today is really hitting home --- COMPUTERS!  It seems today they’re everywhere.  You can’t buy groceries, shoes, clothes, or just about anything without having it rung up by a computerized terminal.  And have you been to a fast food restaurant lately?  I mean INSIDE, not through the drive-thru, and watched them take your order?  They don’t even have to ring it up!  They push the button that says HAMBURGER and it registers, along with the price.  They press the button SMALL DRINK, FRIES, whatever!  It all registers.  They don’t even have to know the prices on anything.  Then they press another button and BINGO here’s your tendered cash and then your correct change. 

     Kids are getting jobs today --- while they are in school --- and they can’t make change for a dollar!  I’m not jumping the educational system at this point (although we all know there are considerable changes that could be made).  What I am hinting at is:  it seems to me that the computerized age is swiftly carrying our youth in that direction.  Young people are growing up without the benefit (or evidently the NEED) to THINK!  Everything is pushing a button, getting results --- DON’T THINK!

     Many of you probably remember growing up without television (heaven forbid!) and listening to radio programs or playing games as a family.  Things that made you THINK and get involved with others.  Today kids respond negatively if they are told to read a book.  READ!  “Why not wait for the movie (or video)?”is their response.  The avenue of using our brains by means of reading --- imagination --- has almost disappeared.  Do you know what one of the fastest growing areas of education is today?  Computer training: NO not the understanding of computers and how and why they work, but specialized training in specific PROGRAMS, so they will know the right buttons to push.

     I remember having individuals come into my office to apply for a job and one of the first things out of their mouths was that they knew how to program a computer.  That was great!  But I would have to tell them that we don’t do ANY programs with our office operations, but could they follow directions and push the right buttons?  Believe it or not that was sometimes more of a problem than you might think.

     I’d be the first to admit I’m not ready to give up my computer or my other computerized gadgets, but I think we ought to look closer at some of these aspects.  I recall a “picture of the future” I saw in a magazine years ago.  The human was one big round body with a single L-O-N-G arm and ONE finger.  That’s all he needed to push the right button.  Sobering thought isn’t it?

     Yet, some of the very interesting things that many enjoy today are movies.  Have people forgotten where these movies come from?  There are creative imaginations of the people who can THINK beyond just pushing some buttons.  The minds of some of these writers are almost impossible to conceive where they could have possibly “thought up” the stories that we watch as movies on the big screens, but we are willing to pay MILLIONS, sometimes BILLIONS to enjoy watching them.

     What about the new products and processes that are becoming available for us to use each day?  People with marvelous thinking abilities are needed to continue to provide these wonderful things.  We must prepare our young people today to be able to THINK in aspirations of reaching the stars of the future!  We don’t want to create a long armed, one fingered generation for the future.

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"If you learn the simple, basic things,

the more complicated will become easier."