During the 2 week Christmas through New Year’s holiday there was a dearth of news, podcasts and minute-by-minute Trump updates. I expected this. It was a relief. I listened to more music. I found alternative podcasts covering different subjects outside of current events and doom forecasting. The last time I noticed this much relief was…
Underwater
Since I stopped swimming a few days ago, I felt like a weight has been removed from my shoulders. I wasn’t expecting to feel this way. I guess all the little annoyances that accompanied swimming bothered me more than I had realized. Or, I put up with them because IIWII. But now that I don’t…
Focusing On The Small Stuff
I mentioned my nagging shoulder injury in my last post. Over the past 6 weeks or so that it has been bothering me I’ve taken a number of steps to deal with it: All of this enabled me to function – somewhat. But the constant pain and lack of improvement drove me to go to…
Weakling
A week or so before Christmas I tweaked my glute and left leg. I hoped it was a minor strain – which has been a regular consequence due to my age, active lifestyle and unrealistic obstinacy regarding my physical capabilities at times. Then, on Christmas eve, it got worse. I recognized it was a sciatica…
Let There Be Light
I hate being cold. But since I live in North Carolina I have to deal with it every winter. A few weeks ago our first winter forecast called for low temps in the single digits. I thought about how cold I’d be walking the dogs. I thought about how I’d be shivering for hours while…
No Easy Answers
Online and in media, people often ask: These make for compelling (I guess) sound bites, interview closing lines and Twitter posts. However, beyond providing distractive entertainment and content filler, they don’t help anyone. For life’s biggest problems, there aren’t no easy answers and no shortcuts. You don’t need someone to provide easy answers. If these…
There Is No Safety Net
On a recent Money For Couples episode a couple in their early 50s said they wanted to pay for their children’s college and provide a “financial safety net” for the children’s future. Without hesitation, Ramit said, “You cannot afford to pay for your children’s college. There is no safety net. You don’t have enough money.”…
“The Way You Do Anything Is The Way You Do Everything.”
I heard Ramit Sethi say this on his podcast today. Although I’d never heard this quote before, I’m quite familiar with the principle behind it. My grandfather used to say “Anything worth doing is worth doing right.” This is how he taught me to paint, to mow the lawn and to soother home repair work….
Advertising Air Balls
When I was a teenager shooting hoops one of the most embarrassing shots was when you would shoot the ball and miss everything. Forget about making a basket, these shots wouldn’t even touch the rim or the backboard. Everyone would laugh at you while shouting “Nice airball!” I don’t shoot hoops anymore for entertainment, but…
How Someone Treats You Shows You How They Feel About You*
I don’t waste my time trying to determine someone else’s motivations, beliefs or intentions. My speculations about what is going on inside someone else’s head are completely irrelevant. Unless we have a close relationship or the matter is trivial, I usually won’t ask them either. What is more revealing is their actions. I don’t need…