Thursday Quote - April 30th

"Our lives improve only when we take chances and the first and most difficult risk we can take is to be honest with ourselves." - Walter Anderson (American artist)

Baseball mirrors life

I love baseball. Everything about it. The ballpark, the sound of the ball off the bat, the cheering crowd, the numbers and the strategy. It mirror life: There are the highs - a towering home run and lows - striking out with bases loaded.

I was watching the Cardinals - Braves game last night (Go Cards!) and looked at the strategy that two of the winningest managers in baseball history employ and made me think about how baseball is like life.

Baseball: Do you leave a pitcher in to try and get the last out of the inning or bring in a reliever.
Life: Do you stick with a plan and gut through it or change plans?

Baseball: Do you take the risk of putting in a defensive replacement and take out a hot bat?
Life: Do you switch to a more secure option or stay with the what got you there.

Baseball: Do you study the runner on first and see he takes his time going back to bag after each pitch and do a quick snap throw to first to nab him?
Life: Do you study the situation and see an there is someone not doing a job well, step in and take that opportunity away from them?

I could go on. I know you may not see things the way I do or don't like baseball. But look at things around you and see how connected they are to you. From the way the rain cleans the landscape to the way traffic moves on a busy interestion. You can take these and find parallels to your life. Look inward and see what you are really made of.

Monday Morning Quote - April 27

"People grow through experience if they meet life honestly and courageously. This is how character is built." - Eleanor Roosevelt

The terrible habit of the Exaggeration

Ok, time for me to rant about a pet peeve: Exaggeration. Now I understand using exaggeration to get across an idea or feeling, such as "I'm freezing" or "It's a million degrees outside". But when someone uses this to excess, it just becomes and irratant in a conversation and quick becomes a conversation stopper for me.

I know someone that uses this all the time. It has become so common place with them that I really don't like conversations with them. Everything is more than it seems. In a series of conversations, they were burning up, so tired they can't think straight, it was the cutest thing in the world, they are the nicest person ever, don't like a certain food since it's the most disgusting thing in the world and didn't like a show since it was the worst show ever.

Now these kinds of statements make me want to say to them "Wow burning up! We need to get you to the hospital, that sounds painful. So tired you can't think straight? That must be why you don't make any sense." Yes, I can really be sarcastic, but I didn't say it. However, the conversation was quickly over, since I really didn't want to hear any more.

I wonder why people use exaggeration so much, or to exaggerate - Every time :)

Is it that they do not know how to explain something without it. Do they feel that when they talk like this, it impresses people? Well, let me tell you, that it does not. Think about what your saying, how you say it and how others interpret what you say. Do you exaggerate to much? Do you know someone that does?

Down with Hypocrisy!

I have an acquaintance that is a full red-blooded hypocrite. Anytime this person is called out on they get extremely defensive, make excuses and turn it around like it's my problem.

It's quite frustrating to deal with this type of behavior. If I was hypocritical, I would appreciate someone pointing it out. I strive to be true to myself as well as others.

Let me give you an example. This person completely dressed down someone for being judgmental, explaining that it's bad, that you can't make judgments about someone based on generalizations, lack of knowledge etc. Then less than an hour later, says "Look at the woman over there, I can't believe she's just letting her children act like that. Some people shouldn't have children." When I pointed out that it looks like they're not her kids since they're calling her by her name and not Mom, this person said "Well, that's good since she probably shouldn't have kids."

Hypocrisy is a damaging trait. Some people don't see the hypocrisy in the things they say or do, others choose to ignore it, still others use it as a tool to feel superior to others. Anyway that it's used, I implore you to stop. If you cannot be honest with yourself, you cannot expect others to be honest with you.

Thursday Morning Quote - April 23rd

"Those who danced were thought to be quite insane by those who could not hear the music." - Angela Monet

Use technology to make us more human, not less

A quick, funny and poignant three minute talk about the anti-social aspects of smartphones. How many of you are guilty of this?

Monday Morning Quote - April 20th

"Half our life is spent trying to find something to do with the time we have rushed through life trying to save." - Will Rogers, Autobiography, 1949

Entropy rules! Time for a coup

Apparently the law of entropy is alive and well in my house. If you don't know what entropy is, it's "a measure of the disorder or randomness in a closed system." In essence, everything is moving toward a state of chaos. Describes things here pretty well right now.

I won't go into the details, but suffice to say that it's not a really good situation to be in when you're trying to calm your mind. Right now, mine is quite exhausted and a tired mind is not a good one. I need to find some "me" time to just sit and rest and push all the distractions out, even if for a short while.

It's a stuggle, but if it was easy, everyone would be doing it. When I achieve my state of nirvana (or at least peacefulness), it will all be worth it.

Lesson from the doves

We have a dove's nest in out backyard. They built it behind a plant on the patio. Probably to hide from the crows and hawks. Every day at 5:00, the male dove flies in and waits on the fence. The female then flies off (my guess is to get a break from egg sitting, get something to eat and I'm sure her back is killing her). When the female takes off, the male comes in and sits on the nest until the female come back.
What great teamwork Now, if more couples can work so nicely together.