Our Voice

     Merriam-Webster states that the voice is “sound produced by vertebrates by means of lungs, larynx, or syrinx.” 

     According to the Voice Foundation:  Voice as We Know It = Voiced Sound + Resonance + Articulation

     The “spoken word” results from three components of voice production: voiced sound, resonance, and articulation.

     Voiced sound: The basic sound produced by vocal fold vibration is called “voiced sound.” This is frequently described as a “buzzy” sound. Voiced sound for singing differs significantly from voiced sound for speech.

     Resonance: Voiced sound is amplified and modified by the vocal tract resonators (the throat, mouth cavity, and nasal passages). The resonators produce a person’s recognizable voice.

     Articulation: The vocal tract articulators (the tongue, soft palate, and lips) modify the voiced sound. The articulators produce recognizable words.

     There are some people that have such a soothing voice that you could listen to them all day and not become tired of it.  There are others (I think I fall into this group) who have a raspy voice and you can barely stand to pause for them to speak a sentence.

     Researchers have long known that newborns recognize and prefer their mom’s voice.  And any new mother can tell you that the sound of her voice delights her new baby.  The opposite is also true.  Moms know the voices of their babies.  Have you ever sat in a group of new moms while their babies are in another room?  Suddenly one of children cries out in some type of obvious need.  Generally before the second cry one of the ladies will start getting up and respond: “That’s mine.”

     We all consider different voices every day.  Those we live with, those we work with, those we go to school with, or others that we meet throughout the day.  We spend our entire lifetimes around people “talking” to us in one fashion or another.

     The voice is a marvelous gift that we have been given by our Creator.  Let’s try to use it in an up building fashion.  Never use your free gift of the voice to make someone feel inferior to you or to create dissension within a group.

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"With the passage of time

there is nothing sweeter to hear

than the voice of a loved one."

Winners

     It finally happened:  The huge $1.6 BILLION lottery prize was won by a single individual.  The ticket had been sold from a South Carolina store.  As of my writing this blog post the winner has not come forth to claim the huge jackpot winnings; however, under South Carolina law they have 180 days from the ticket drawing to do so.  They can also claim this prize without their identity being known.  I’m sure that’s a relief being who knows how many “relatives” may be coming out of the woodwork if their identity were made public?

     With this winning they will be receiving an $877.8 million cash payout or they can receive approximately $53 million a year for the next 29 years.  In either case I think we could all agree this is a HUGE amount of money.  Many people would not be able to wrap their minds around such figures.  How sad that concerning lottery winners it is shown that about 1/3 of them are bankrupt within 5 years of winning their prize.

     Looking at these winnings we would have to also consider that this person will have to pay approximately $351 million in taxes (assuming 40%, but that is probably a bit high) if the cash payment is taken.  That would leave them with ONLY $526 million to live on.  If they took the annual payments the taxes would be approximately $21 million per year leaving them with ONLY $32 million per year to live on!  I think that a “normal” person could live VERY well on that amount of money, but again we’ve seen that some just can’t handle it.

     If they really wanted to spend LARGE and only put $100 million into various bank accounts earning a ONE percent annual fee (and they may be able to get more) that would give them $1 million per year to live on (less income taxes).  Not a bad way to live AND they would still have their $100 million.  This scenario would be if they had taken the cash payout.  However, I’m NOT suggesting that they BLOW the remaining $426 million on frivolous things.  Wise investment decisions would go a LONG way in making this money work hard for the winner.

     If they had chosen the annual payment plan and would have only $32 million per year to exist on they would have to consider perhaps a different investment approach.  However, they should be able to (as an example) live off about $2 million per year and invest the remaining $30 million every year.  With some proper considerations they could perhaps receive about 5% investment returns for approximately an additional $1.5 million each year.

     The key for this individual is to look beyond the present. What great benefits that money could allow them to do for other people.  Setting up a great charity fund would be a wonderful way to assist their fellow man with some of the problems they have to face.  Granted money is not the solution to all problems, but it can certainly help in many situations.

     The winner of this huge jackpot will most definitely have to get themselves some help from various other individuals who are professionals within their legal and financial careers; however, these must also be people that the winner can trust and who will not be tempted themselves to do any corrupt actions against the best interest of the winner.

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"You don't have to be a winner to be successful,

however, you can't be successful without being a winner!"

Smile

     “A pleased, kind, or amused facial expression, typically with the corners of the mouth up and the front teeth exposed.” [Dictionary]  Some people say it takes more muscles to smile than it does to frown.  However, that may depend on who you ask!  It is generally agreed that it is “easier” to smile than to frown, but that too may be under debate by some.

     However, wherever I have traveled it does seem to go better, in whatever the situation, to smile.  It can also help many times if we don’t take ourselves too seriously.  Let’s admit it; we are often very funny and curious creatures --- we humans!

     When we make a mistake, either in word or deed, let’s just smile, admit it, and move on in our lives.  We often try to “justify” ourselves or our actions.  True, we made a mistake, but there was a REASON we made the mistake.  And most often, the reason was not our fault!

     We don’t want to be made to look foolish.  We don’t want people to think that we don’t know what we’re doing.  We certainly don’t want to people to look down on us or to think poorly of us.  Regardless of the circumstances, we don’t want to lose face in front of our family, friends, workmates, or others.

     All we usually need to do is have a good laugh at ourselves, correct the error, and continue in our life.  A smile also shows the pleasantness that we can have between ourselves and others.  If we are constantly in a “serious” mood and rarely smile or laugh at situations, people will find it very difficult to be around us.  They may reach the point where they DON’T want to be around us.  That would make our circle of friends very limited.

     Next time you find yourself in “one of those moments”:  just smile and carry on.  Our life is generally not coming to an end simply because we have made a mistake.   In a very short time we will probably not even remember what had happened or why!

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM 

"As long as you keep smiling

people can only guess what you're up to!"

Excited

 

     When I was a child it was often the simplest of things that would excite me.  Just getting a day off from school was an amazing event.  Even when we would be surprised because you showed up for class and then found out that you had a substitute teacher.  It just made the day so much more special.

     Of course, as I grew older I found the things that excited me became a bit more complicated and involved.  I recall once when we had gone on vacation to Florida as we had done for many years.  I was sixteen years old and had recently gotten my driver’s license.  The day after we got there I found out that (unlike today in many areas) you could drive motorcycles on the beach.  My Dad paid for the cycle for 4 hours use.  I was extremely excited.  I rode up and down that beach as many times as I could during those 4 hours.  I got so-o-o-o sunburned that my skin actually peeled four or five times after we returned home.  I’m surprised that I was not sick from the experience.

     After I graduated from High School I got a federal job in Washington, DC.  That was an exciting experience within itself.  However, during those first couple of years I had several exciting moments.  I have to say at the top of the list was meeting the girl who became my wife for over fifty years now. 

     However, as side notes of excitement, on one occasion I got to cross the street in downtown DC and brushed shoulders with John Wayne.  The “Duke” had been shopping in one the local men’s clothing stores.  Of course I had to “check out” this store for myself.  I should have been more aware of the type of store it was when I noticed that NONE of the items had price tags on them.  I should have left immediately but I found myself purchasing a $35 tie.  This was 1968 so you can imagine what that tie would cost today.

     There was another experience that got me excited while I was there.  I began taking karate classes with Master Jhoon Rhee at his Washington area dojo.  Once several of us got to attend one of the tournaments that he was sponsoring and I got to meet Chuck Norris, although I was not in his sparing level, I did get to watch him perform several times.  As the years passed and his career moved on to television and movies I found it very interesting that I could say I actually meet him once.  I’m certain the experience meant very little to him. You may remember him as Walker, Texas Ranger.

     Today I find that I have returned to my younger years and it is more of the “little” things that keep me excited. I was actually able to get out of bed this morning and didn’t feel as bad as I did yesterday!  That’s exciting!      

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"One thing that truly excites me today

is watching the excitement of others."

  

Control

Who is in control of YOUR life?  Most people may reason on that question as:   “That’s the dumbest question I’ve ever heard!  I’M in control of my life!”

     If we really spent the time necessary to consider our answer, is it REALLY true?  We would probably want to think that we make our own decisions.  NO ONE tells US what to do!  Hold on for a moment – we all know that probably isn’t true.  There is always SOMEONE who is influencing our thinking, our style of dress, or even our speech or other aspects of our lives.

     I am a child of the sixties.  That’s the 1960s if my grandchildren are reading this post, NOT the 1860s as they may want to think.  They believe I’m older than dirt, but that’s another story onto its self.

     In the sixties, we wanted to be radical – anti-establishment.  We wanted to dress a certain way and talk a certain way.  We even let our hair grow long in some type of protest.  The age of the flower child, drugs, rock n’ roll and who could forget Woodstock?

     However, we were all influenced by those FEW who were directing the strategies of the age.  And when we look at the young ones today: WHAT has changed?  There are those in sports and the entertainment industry who are still the major influencers on these young ones:  Who want to talk like them, dress like them and look like them.

     But us older ones can also be influenced.  Political and commercial elements of this world spend BILLIONS of dollars on advertising and other marketing strategies.  The means they use to influence the minds of people and to sway our lives as to how we spend our money or make decisions in other matters.

     No one can know for certain exactly what degree of influence is leveled upon us.  But it is probably more than we imagine, even more than we would admit.  It would perhaps be a surprise to each of us if we did know what amount of pressure was upon us each and every day!

     We should all work harder to make as sure as possible that WE control our own life.  But we will never know for a certainty if that is true or not!

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"The man who can control his tongue

can control ANYTHING!"

Fiction

“Fiction is the truth inside the lie.” ― Stephen King      

     Of course, Stephen King is one of the masters of horror writing.  He has to his credit more than 350 million copies which include: Salem's Lot, The Shining, Night Shift (stories), The Stand, The Dead Zone, Firestarter, Cujo, Danse Macabre (nonfiction about horror), Roadwork Creepshow (comic book, illustrated by Bernie Wrightson), The Dark Tower I: The Gunslinger, Different Seasons (novellas), Christine, Pet Sematary, Cycle of the Werewolf, The Talisman (written with Peter Straub), Skeleton Crew (stories, including "The Mist"), The Bachman Books (novel collection), It, The Eyes of the Dragon, The Dark Tower II: The Drawing of the Three, The Tommyknockers, Nightmares in the Sky (Photo book with text by King), Dark Visions, The Dark Half, Dolan's Cadillac (limited edition), My Pretty Pony (limited edition), The Stand: The Complete & Uncut Edition, Four Past Midnight (stories), Needful Things, The Dark Tower III: The Waste Lands, Gerald's Game, Dolores Claiborne, Nightmares & Dreamscapes (stories) Insomnia, Rose Madder, Umney's Last Case, Desperation, Six Stories (stories), The Dark Tower IV: Wizard and Glass,  Bag of Bones, Storm of the Century, The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon, The New Lieutenant's Rap (limited edition), Hearts in Atlantis, Blood and Smoke (audiobook), Secret Windows, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft (nonfiction autobiography), Dreamcatcher, Black House (written with Peter Straub), From a Buick 8, Everything's Eventual: 14 Dark Tales, The Dark Tower I: The Gunslinger (revised edition), The Dark Tower V: Wolves of the Calla, The Dark Tower VI: Song of Susannah, The Dark Tower VII: The Dark Tower Faithful, The Colorado Kid, The Secretary of Dreams, Cell, Lisey's Story, The Mist, Duma Key, Stephen King Goes to the Movies, The Little Sisters of Eluria (limited edition), "Graduation Afternoon" (in PostScripts), "Throttle" (in He is Legend), Under the Dome, "A Good Marriage", "Big Driver", "1922", "Fair Extension", Full Dark, No Stars, The Chronicles of Harris Burdick, "The Dune",  11/22/63, The Dark Tower: The Wind Through the Keyhole, Hard Listening (co-written with other authors in his author rock band), Joyland, The Dark Man, Doctor Sleep, Revival, Big Driver, A Good Marriage,  Mr. Mercedes, The Bazaar of Bad Dreams, Finders Keepers , End of Watch, Sleeping Beauties (co-written with his son Owen King), The Outsider, and Elevation.

     You will recognize many of these titles even if you are not a reader of Stephen King as they have been made into movies for the big screen over the years.  King is a very prolific writer as you can see and will no doubt continue to do so as his life continues.

     I started with his quote above to show how “horror” is connected with the political arena.  I think every politician must have that phrase memorized and they attempt to live their political lives according to its meaning.  They seem to try and hide the truth within their lies and yet it all comes out as fiction!

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"It's easy to tell when a politician is lying ---

their lips are moving!"

People

     I’ve done a bit of traveling in my life.  I think I’ve been in almost 2/3 of the states within the continental United States plus Hawaii.  I’ve also been to five or six countries within the world, having lived in Turkey for almost two years.  And there is something I’ve found to be true about all these visits: If you smile at people and be friendly you get along a lot better than if you act like you’re superior to the locals.

     A friendly smile is not bound by the language of most countries.  If you treat people the way you’d like to be treated you’ll get along much better.  In illustration of this let me share the following story from my time in Turkey.

     I was there from 1971 through 1973 in the military. I served as a Sergeant assigned to the Hospital for preventative medicine purposes.  That’s kind of a BIG title basically meaning that I was trained to handle things that were medically based, but did not fall under someone else’s specific job duties.  Our department handled water samples, sound surveys, hearing tests and other such needs.  However, I digress from my story.

     While stationed there during this period of time many of the single GIs would get housing off base and then HIRE a local to do their cleaning, shopping, and other odd jobs for them.  They would pay this person about fifty dollars a month to all this work PLUS wait on them hand and foot.  A GOOD wage at that time was the equivalent of about $2 American money per day.  They would make these poor people treat them as if they were gods, when many of them were only making about $600-700 per month themselves!

     My point is that we should all strive to treat people as fellow humans.  And as humans they all deserve to be treated decently and with respect.  It’s hard to imagine, but the brief little story that I shared from years ago happened in many other locations around the world.  Today, it is probably worse.    

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"Keep Smiling ---

You'll be surprised at how far it gets you!"

Example

     You would think that most adults, especially those who are parents, would understand that we are to be setting an example for the children we have and for those of others.  Of course, this example should be a good one and not one that we would not condone from our children.

     This continues to be a problem for some adults.  Especially is this true when we are attending or participating in some type of sporting event or other activity which involves our young ones.

     How bad is the situation really getting?

     “There is no youth problem in youth sports.  There is an adult problem in youth sports.”  So said Coaching School founder Gary Avischious.

     According to research by Michigan State University’s Institute for the Study of Youth Sports, more than 70% of kids drop out of youth sports by the age of 13.  One of the main reasons: ADULTS!

     I can understand a parent getting emotionally involved in their kid’s sports activities.  You want your son or daughter to be athletic and to be participating in sporting activities at their best level.  But you have to remember they also have to enjoy the sport.  This can’t really happen when they are embarrassed by YOUR activities.  It might even be possible that your child might perform better at their sporting event if YOU WEREN’T THERE! 

     I’m not saying that you should not be interested or involved in your child’s sports activities.  But you can still show interest even if you miss a game occasionally.  If your child knows that you trust that they will do their best you don’t have to be there yelling at them all the time: “Run faster!”  “Hit harder!”  Or whatever your usual comments are. 

     An article on huffpost.com by Linda Flanagan stated: Where she lives “The Summit Lacrosse Club’s code of conduct includes 14 specific directives for parents, including “I will tell my child that the official is human and sometimes makes mistakes,” and “I will not use foul language, ridicule or criticize the referee, coaches or other players, by yelling from the sidelines, or by making dramatic arm movements.” 

     This article was in 2011!  I hope that those parents took to heart the information that the Lacrosse Club was trying to provide them:  Information on how to be better FANS at their sporting events.  

     However, the situation in general across the United States hasn’t gotten any better.  The antics of many parents at their child’s sporting events only highlight the bad situation of parents’ actions.

     How can we expect our children and other youths to build within themselves a good moral standard of conduct when we give them such a poor example?  We CAN’T!

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"If everyone lived by the example WE set,

would the world be a better place?"

Laughter

     There are times when you find yourself in a very funny situation and you cannot hold back the laughter that it causes.  There are those who can make a situation funny and those who make fun of a situation.  The real fact of the matter is knowing when to do which!

     Within my life I have found some professional “funny men” (and women) who only need to walk upon the stage or scene of a play and I begin to laugh.  They haven’t done anything yet, but I know what they are about to do is going to be funny.  I’m going back a bit and there will be some of you who will have no idea who I am talking about, but a few of these people who come to mind are Jonathan Winters, Tim Conway, Carol Burnett, and Joan Rivers.

     These people were just funny!  It didn’t matter if they were telling funny stories or appearing in some type of skit:  they were JUST FUNNY!  And their humor was not vulgar or demeaning in any way.

     But much of today’s humor has to be sexual, racists, or hurtful in many other aspects.  It attacks a person often in a very “put down” kind of way.  Just to get a “joke” or “poke” at a person or their reputation some comedians will say almost anything.  They may try to “apologize” later about it stating that they didn’t mean what they said to be so hurtful, but it has already been said.  They can’t reach up into the sky and drag the words back into their mouths and “erase” all the hearing of those whose ears had their words ringing within them.  No, they must try to make their statement become, as if, they had said something different!  Often that is impossible to do.

     We have enough bad, sad, and terrible things that are happening in the world.  We do not need to add to our suffering by making “jokes” about things that ARE NOT funny!  We need laughter to lighten our loads and make our hearts rejoice.  We need to learn to be more considerate of our fellow humans.

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHFUL GEM

"Be willing to laugh at yourself.

It may not change your situation,

but it may help you deal with it better."