Now Is Forever

Every second of our lives is a moment in “The Now”. How can it be otherwise?

What is past is passed and we can only remember and HOPE that we Learn from our past. What is Yet To Come holds promise and, perhaps, fear but we spend each Now preparing for what is Yet To Come.

I prepare by focusing on the Present, my knowledge about that moment, the situations I am facing and the lessons I have learned to try and select the most beneficial action to take at that moment. Often that action is not only beneficial to me but sometimes it is focused only on being beneficial for me rather than for all or some others. And, sometimes, it is intended to be beneficial exclusively for others. The hoped for thought in selecting my next action is “the most benefit for the most good”. Hopefully.

What’s your rationale for Actions in “The Now”?

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Don’t Impeach

Don’t Impeach Donald Trump.

Don’t Retweet his Tweets; Don’t bother Reading his Tweets.

Don’t debate the accuracy of his latest Blurtings.

Don’t give him ANY Press Coverage.

If we ignore him, maybe he will just Go Away!

Quoting Andy Weir – The Martian

Andy Weir is a software engineer / programmer who wrote a book: “The Martian” as his first novel.

At the end of this book, he wrote:

“… human being has a basic instinct to help each other out. It might not seem that way sometimes, but it’s true.

If a hiker gets lost in the mountains, people will coordinate a search. If a train crashes, people will line up to give blood. If an earthquake levels a city, people all over the world will send emergency supplies. This is so fundamentally human that it’s found in every culture without exception. Yes, there are assholes who just don’t care, but they’re massively outnumbered by the people who do. …”

Does this reference to “assholes” cause you to think of anyone you know of who is getting way too much press about destroying rather than building?

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Alabama’s Secession

Alabama’s Vote in favor of a Pedophile over any legitimate, honest, politician is their request to Secede from the United States of America.  And PLEASE take your “president with you.

Those Annoying Neighbors

You have them, too.

Those annoying neighbors who always put their Holiday decorations out one day before you do and they almost always look spectacular.

The neighbors with their yards that are immaculate and always look like something out of Homes and Gardens.

And, their kids who are always well dressed, well mannered, and well educated.  Well, Well!

Whatever can we do about these people?  Other than try our best to ignore them except when they are around and saying “Hi!” while walking their dog or going out for dinner.

The Two Worst Days of the Week

Every week there are two days that are going to happen and over which we have Little or No Control:

Yesterday happened.  It’s over.  There is nothing we can do about that day anymore.

But, we can take some learning out of our Yesterdays if we choose to.

What happened?  What can we learn from what happened?  What, if anything, can we choose to do using that Learning to influence our lives today and in our future?

Tomorrow is unwritten.  What WILL happen is not within our direct control.  Can we, at least, prepare for it based on what is and has happened in our Yesterdays and Today?  Of course, we can, if we choose to learn from our experiences: all of them.

My recent Thanksgiving has reminded me about what to be truly Thankful for and that is just easy to remember that we all have Today and whatever things happen through us or to us each day!

Thanx

 

An Inside Joke

Do you know what an Inside Joke is?

It’s a joke that only works inside my head!  That’s an Inside Joke.

And by the way, that, in itself, is an Inside Joke!

 

However, since you are here, why don’t you check out some of my other blogs:

IT’s Lost Art of Software Engineering:

https://softwareengineeringhandbook.wordpress.com/

A never ending supply of Opionions, some of which are mine:

https://opinionsarefree.wordpress.com

An evolving look at Life through Golf’s eyes:

https://23thingatimpact.wordpress.com

An aging commentary on Alternative Lifestyles:

https://noalternatelifestyles.wordpress.com

Veteran Computer Consultants: an SDVOSB

https://veterancomputerconsultants.wordpress.com

Practical Project Management:

https://projectmanagementhandbook.wordpress.com

An Age Bracket that I have grown passed:

https://sixtysomethin.wordpress.com

The Path To Inkc – a Social Media offering to Individuals and Small Businesses:

https://thepathtoinkc.wordpress.com

Thanx, bgbg

 

Presidential History

From a Friend on Facebook (I hope he doesn’t mind…)

The first president I remember led the allied forces in Europe to victory in WWII. He cautioned us against the military industrial complex. He built the American highway system to enable American to defend itself.

The second gave his life for America. He read seven newspapers at breakfast every day. He led our race to the moon vs. the then USSR and we won it because in part of his vision for America. He battled religious bigotry and won.

The third got the voting rights act passed. He escalated the Viet Nam War. A war that killed 50,000 Americans of my generation

The fourth was a criminal who escalated the Viet Nam War. A war that killed untold women and children.

The fifth was appointed and he was a bit clumsy.

The sixth became a thoughtful world citizen these past 37 years. He gave us The CAFE standards that are fleet-wide averages that must be achieved by each automaker for its car and truck fleet, each year, since 1978. These standards were intended to roughly double the average fuel economy of the new car fleet to 27.5 mpg by model year (MY) 1985. He put solar panels on the White House roof.

The seventh closed the mental institutions and broke the back of organized labor. He canceled the CAFE standards. He dismantled the solar panels on the White House roof. His action led to the attempted dismantling of the American middle class. He raised taxes several times.

The eighth was a good man who did the right thing, he raised taxes, though it cost him a second term as president.

The ninth squandered his opportunity. He was a brilliant speaker with unrealized potential. He squander our countries potential for his own personal interests.

The tenth was easily led and himself led us poorly into wars we did not need against a non existent fabricated threat. He cost the lives of so many and for what?

The eleventh brought some of us hope while igniting hatred by others. He reinstated the CAFE standards. The program covered car model year 2012 to model year 2016 and ultimately required an average fuel economy standard of 35.5 miles per US gallon (6.63 L/100 km; 42.6 mpg‑imp) in 2016(of 39 miles per gallon for cars and 30 mpg for trucks), a jump from the 2009 average for all vehicles of 25 miles per gallon. He battle racial bigotry and won.

The twelfth doesn’t read. He doesn’t focus. He is absurdity and vanity. He is attempting to dismantle everything in his sight including CAFE standards, the EPA, the list is endless. The stock market loves him. He makes rich people richer.

He makes me appreciate even more that we have Pope Francis.

Replacement Theory

There are some people who are fundamentally habitual in their nature.  These folks tend to repeat, focus on, become addicted to a behavior of one kind or another and they, then, tend not to let go.

There are other folks who are much less habitual but I am not talking about them now.

Habit driven people will latch on to some behavior or object and “work it to death” in one manner or another. Reading books and newspapers; eating either anything or some particular type of food or individual food like Potato Chips, Ice Cream, Coffee (better be Starbucks!!??), playing games on line (much more recent but still a repetitive obsession).

These habitual people are almost OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder)!

My Replacement Theory suggests that Habit Driven people have a choice to replace one addictive behavior or substance for another but CANNOT stop themselves from being repetitive.  So, the choice they are typically faced with, when they realize they are this type of person, is to choose between Ice Cream (if that is their current obsession) and Oatmeal; On Line Games versus Chess (on a physical board) with a friend; Coffee instead of Booze, for examples.

If there were only two types of people: Habitual and Not so Much: Which would you be?

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Common Sense Bill of Rights (from eMail)

This is probably the best e-mail I’ve seen in a long, long time. The following has been attributed to Lewis Napper, a Jackson, Mississippi computer programmer. He didn’t expect his essay — a tart 10-point list of “rights” Americans don’t have — to become an Internet legend.
——————————————————————————————–
NEW PREAMBLE TO THE CONSTITUTION

We the sensible people of the United States, in an attempt to help everyone get along, restore some semblance of justice, avoid more riots, keep our nation safe, promote positive behavior, and secure the blessings of debt-free liberty to ourselves and our great-great-great- grandchildren, hereby try one more time to ordain and establish some common sense guidelines for the terminally whiny, guilt ridden, delusional. We hold these truths to be self evident: that a whole lot of people are confused by the Bill of Rights and are so dim they require a Bill of NON-Rights.’

ARTICLE I: You do not have the right to  a new car, big screen TV, or any other form of wealth. More power to you if you can legally acquire them, but no one is guaranteeing anything.

ARTICLE II: You do not have the right to never be offended. This country is based on freedom, and that means freedom for everyone — not just you! You may leave the room, turn the channel, express a different opinion, etc.; but the world is full of dummies, and probably always will be.

ARTICLE III: You do not have the right to be free from harm. If you stick a screwdriver in your eye, learn to be more careful; do not expect the tool manufacturer to make you and all your relatives independently wealthy.

ARTICLE IV: You do not have the right to free food and housing. Americans are the most charitable people to be found, and will gladly help anyone in need, but we are quickly growing weary of subsidizing generation after generation of professional couch potatoes who achieve nothing more than the creation of another generation of professional couch potatoes.

ARTICLE V: You do not have the right to free health care. That would be nice, but from the looks of public housing, we’re just not interested in public health care.

ARTICLE VI: You do not have the right to physically harm other people. If you kidnap, rape, intentionally maim, or kill someone, don’t be surprised if the rest of us want to see you get the blue juice.

ARTICLE VII: You do not have the right to the possessions of others. If you rob, cheat, or coerce away the goods or services of other citizens, don’t be surprised if the rest of us get together and lock you away in a place where you still won’t have the right to a big screen color TV or a life of leisure.

ARTICLE VIII: You do not have the right to a job. All of us sure want you to have a job, and will gladly help you along in hard times, but we expect you to take advantage of the opportunities of education and vocational training laid before you to make yourself useful.

ARTICLE IX: You do not have the right to happiness. Being an American means that you have the right to PURSUE happiness, which by the way, is a lot easier if you are unencumbered by an over abundance of idiotic laws created by those of you who were confused by the Bill of Rights.

ARTICLE X: This is an English speaking country. We don’t care where you came from, English is our language. Learn it!

Lastly

ARTICLE XI: You do not have the right to change our country’s history or heritage. This country was founded on the belief in one true God. And yet, you are given the freedom to believe in any religion, any faith, or no faith at all; with no fear of persecution. The phrase IN GOD WE TRUST is part of our heritage and history, sorry if you are uncomfortable with it.

If you agree, share this with a friend. No, you don’t have to, and nothing tragic will befall you if you don’t. I just think it’s about time common sense is allowed to flourish. Sensible people of the United States must speak out because if you do not, who will?