This was sent to me by my Dad. Thought I'd share it here.
Number 10: Life is sexually transmitted.
Number 9: Good health is merely the slowest possible rate at which one can die.
Number 8: Men have two emotions: Hungry and Horny. If you see him without an erection, make him a sandwich.
Number 7: Give a person a fish and you feed them for a day; teach a person to use the Internet and they won't bother you for weeks.
Number 6: Some people are like a Slinky.....not really good for anything, but they can still put a smile on your face when you push them down a flight of stairs.
Number 5: Health nuts are going to feel really stupid someday when they are lying in hospitals dying of nothing.
Number 4: All of us could take a lesson from the weather. It pays no attention to criticism.
Number 3: Why does a slight tax increase cost us two-hundred dollars and a substantial tax cut saves only thirty cents?
Number 2: In the 60s, people took acid to make the world weird. Now the world is weird and those same people take Prozac to make it normal
AND THE NUMBER 1 THOUGHT FOR 2007: We can pinpoint the exact location of one cow with Mad-cow-disease among the millions and millions of cows in America. But, we haven't got a clue as to where thousands of illegal immigrants and terrorists are located? Maybe we should put the Department of Agriculture in charge of immigration!
WOOF ya later!
~ bbw
Thursday, January 18, 2007
Friday, January 05, 2007
01/05/2007 - GROWING OLDER OR WIZER...
What does “growing up” really mean? I'm guessing it means different things to different people. Just like all things. But I can remember when I was little, growing up meant getting older. There wasn’t a lot to thought put into it then. It was just all about getting older and being able to do things that the older people did.
But now that I'm one of the “older people”, growing up means something more, something different. It has more to do with maturity now than age. I mean, face it – we all age. We all get older. But look around you. How many adults do you know that you can really call “grown up”?
I tease sometimes saying I still don’t know what I want to be when I “grow up” – indicating that I have never really settled on doing just one thing in my life. I’m ok with that. I like change. I also tease saying I hope I never “grow up”, meaning that I enjoy being mischievous and living life with a certain child-like playfulness. I'm ok with that too. What concerns me about the world around me, is that some people (lots actually) seem to have missed the necessary “growth” required to mature emotionally.
Too often I'm confronted with “grown” adults who say things that just blow me away, or who act in ways that remind me of high school – or worse – JUNIOR HIGH! Usually it is about their relationships with other people, but can be about their jobs, their pets, or just anything in general.
Now I'm just a laid-back kind of guy who has piles-a-plenty of my own personal shit to deal with. So getting caught up in someone else’s drama is not my thing. And I'm usually pretty quick to let them know too. I have sort of a zero-tolerance policy on drama, pettiness and squirrelly grade-school antics. To them I just want to say “GROW THE FCUK UP!” and I don’t mean for them to magically get older.
From a distance, I’ve watched these people, some of them dear friends of mine, and some of them worthless shits like the asshole that was stalking me for a couple of years (see… zero-tolerance!). And as I watch them I try to understand what makes them behave so. What makes an “adult” fall apart when the person they are smitten with, doesn’t return the sentiment? What makes an “adult” come to the conclusion that they cannot be friends with someone who doesn’t believe, think, vote or feel the way they do? What makes an “adult” try to convince their friends to pick them over other friends with whom they have had a falling-out? How does an “adult” become obsessed with another person to the point that they will do anything, include harm the other person – all in the name of some screwed-up idea they call “love”? I don’t think you can just label them crazy or psychotic and issue them medication and weekly therapy. There are too many highly-functioning, professional, seemingly normal-in-all-other-ways people out there who are behaving this way. So what can it be?
Now, I'm only guessing here, based on my observations and many discussions with some of these individuals, and I believe that much of it is rooted in lack of self-respect, lack of self-esteem, and lack of responsibility for one’s own actions and one’s own feelings. When I’ve confronted friends about how they are acting, they usually start out with blaming the other person for their feelings. Now we all should know by now – our feelings are our responsibility, as are our actions. Of course there are other factors involved, such as past history, depression and such. But I'm still at a loss for how to deal with this behavior in my own friends. If people I don’t know act this way – well that’s for their friends to handle. But when it is people I know, or even people I care about, it really gets me turned-around, and a bit angry at them for behaving so NOT “grown up”.
Well – I don’t have some magical solution for this dilemma. I can’t even say I haven’t behaved in a similar manner (in JUNIOR HIGH!). But I must say, I think the best thing I can continue to do is to be honest with these people, and to support them without supporting the behavior. I hope in time that people are able to see in themselves those behaviors that are holding them back from truly fulfilling lives. And that they find the courage and resources to make positive changes in themselves. Call it a silly, childish dream if you want to… but I will believe in it until I decide to grow up.
WOOF ya later!
~ bbw
But now that I'm one of the “older people”, growing up means something more, something different. It has more to do with maturity now than age. I mean, face it – we all age. We all get older. But look around you. How many adults do you know that you can really call “grown up”?
I tease sometimes saying I still don’t know what I want to be when I “grow up” – indicating that I have never really settled on doing just one thing in my life. I’m ok with that. I like change. I also tease saying I hope I never “grow up”, meaning that I enjoy being mischievous and living life with a certain child-like playfulness. I'm ok with that too. What concerns me about the world around me, is that some people (lots actually) seem to have missed the necessary “growth” required to mature emotionally.
Too often I'm confronted with “grown” adults who say things that just blow me away, or who act in ways that remind me of high school – or worse – JUNIOR HIGH! Usually it is about their relationships with other people, but can be about their jobs, their pets, or just anything in general.
Now I'm just a laid-back kind of guy who has piles-a-plenty of my own personal shit to deal with. So getting caught up in someone else’s drama is not my thing. And I'm usually pretty quick to let them know too. I have sort of a zero-tolerance policy on drama, pettiness and squirrelly grade-school antics. To them I just want to say “GROW THE FCUK UP!” and I don’t mean for them to magically get older.
From a distance, I’ve watched these people, some of them dear friends of mine, and some of them worthless shits like the asshole that was stalking me for a couple of years (see… zero-tolerance!). And as I watch them I try to understand what makes them behave so. What makes an “adult” fall apart when the person they are smitten with, doesn’t return the sentiment? What makes an “adult” come to the conclusion that they cannot be friends with someone who doesn’t believe, think, vote or feel the way they do? What makes an “adult” try to convince their friends to pick them over other friends with whom they have had a falling-out? How does an “adult” become obsessed with another person to the point that they will do anything, include harm the other person – all in the name of some screwed-up idea they call “love”? I don’t think you can just label them crazy or psychotic and issue them medication and weekly therapy. There are too many highly-functioning, professional, seemingly normal-in-all-other-ways people out there who are behaving this way. So what can it be?
Now, I'm only guessing here, based on my observations and many discussions with some of these individuals, and I believe that much of it is rooted in lack of self-respect, lack of self-esteem, and lack of responsibility for one’s own actions and one’s own feelings. When I’ve confronted friends about how they are acting, they usually start out with blaming the other person for their feelings. Now we all should know by now – our feelings are our responsibility, as are our actions. Of course there are other factors involved, such as past history, depression and such. But I'm still at a loss for how to deal with this behavior in my own friends. If people I don’t know act this way – well that’s for their friends to handle. But when it is people I know, or even people I care about, it really gets me turned-around, and a bit angry at them for behaving so NOT “grown up”.
Well – I don’t have some magical solution for this dilemma. I can’t even say I haven’t behaved in a similar manner (in JUNIOR HIGH!). But I must say, I think the best thing I can continue to do is to be honest with these people, and to support them without supporting the behavior. I hope in time that people are able to see in themselves those behaviors that are holding them back from truly fulfilling lives. And that they find the courage and resources to make positive changes in themselves. Call it a silly, childish dream if you want to… but I will believe in it until I decide to grow up.
WOOF ya later!
~ bbw
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
01/02/2007 - STARTING FRESH...
Here we are again! Another new year, full of promise, potential and possibilities! We should all be brimming with energy and excitement just thinking about it. But sometimes that is not the case. Sometimes, we are coming down off of the high of the recent holiday excitement. Or we may be simply exhausted from it all. Sometimes we may be dreading another year of unfulfilling jobs, insurmountable bills and loving relationships that seem out of our grasp.
In some ways, I'm very lucky. Not that my job is all that sweet. It does pay well but I find it harder and harder to go to work every day. I will have to really consider what to do about that this year. I plan to get a better handle on my finances this year too. I made some pretty good progress in 2006, but there’s still some work to do, and some additional self-discipline to apply.
In the area of relationships, I'm very lucky indeed. Now, I know that luck isn’t all of it, because real relationships take work, and effort on everyone’s behalf. But I’m starting off 2007 with great friends, a wonderful family, and a partner who is as much in tune with me as anyone I’ve ever met.
This New Year’s Eve, I went to dinner with my wife and my boyfriend (how many people can say that?!) and we talked about our plans and expectations for the coming year. The kids made their own NYE plans for the first time in their lives, so the adults were pretty much on their own. It was kinda cool! New Year’s Day, we all got back together with the kids, cooked up some home-made Chinese pork dumplings and sat around watching movies.
The week after Christmas, I mailed a letter to my Dad, effectively “coming out” to him and letting him know where my life is today and giving him some high-level insight into my relationship status with my wife and with Al. I wanted to do it after Christmas so that he would not have that on his heart during that time, but I also wanted him to know before the new year began. He called me on December 30 but I didn’t take the call. I wasn’t ready to have a discussion just yet. He left me an encouraging voice-mail, letting me know he loved me and that I would always be his son. I have to admit – I did not expect that response. I didn’t know what to expect, and I felt it was safer to have no expectations at all.
On NYE, I called him back and we chatted briefly. His main concern was that I was not depressed during the holidays. I explained how I have had about 4 years to deal with it now, and that I was doing well, and he shouldn’t worry. He also did not want me to worry. He only mentioned twice how he does not approve of “that kind of lifestyle” but that he loved me. Then there was the awkward joke when he asked if this was a “Brokeback Mountain” kind of thing and all I could do was laugh and explain to him that no, we did not own any sheep! LOL
In retrospect, I'm not sure how the wine industry will measure their vintages from the past 12 months, but for me, 2006 was a good year. I traveled a bit, met and made some really great friends, and created some wonderful memories. So if I may correct myself… 2006 was a GREAT year!
Looking forward to 2007 is a bit daunting, as it always is for me trying to “see” into the future. But I will deal with the issues of my job, and will continue to prioritize finances, family and fun as we move forward into the year. I will continue to cherish the friends and loved ones who stand by me, reach out to me and support me in this journey called “life”. I will continue to be open to learning new things, seeing new perspectives, making new friends and experiencing life to the fullest. I really can’t say what 2007 has in store for me, but I know this… I’m ready for the adventure!
WOOF ya later!
~ bbw
In some ways, I'm very lucky. Not that my job is all that sweet. It does pay well but I find it harder and harder to go to work every day. I will have to really consider what to do about that this year. I plan to get a better handle on my finances this year too. I made some pretty good progress in 2006, but there’s still some work to do, and some additional self-discipline to apply.
In the area of relationships, I'm very lucky indeed. Now, I know that luck isn’t all of it, because real relationships take work, and effort on everyone’s behalf. But I’m starting off 2007 with great friends, a wonderful family, and a partner who is as much in tune with me as anyone I’ve ever met.
This New Year’s Eve, I went to dinner with my wife and my boyfriend (how many people can say that?!) and we talked about our plans and expectations for the coming year. The kids made their own NYE plans for the first time in their lives, so the adults were pretty much on their own. It was kinda cool! New Year’s Day, we all got back together with the kids, cooked up some home-made Chinese pork dumplings and sat around watching movies.
The week after Christmas, I mailed a letter to my Dad, effectively “coming out” to him and letting him know where my life is today and giving him some high-level insight into my relationship status with my wife and with Al. I wanted to do it after Christmas so that he would not have that on his heart during that time, but I also wanted him to know before the new year began. He called me on December 30 but I didn’t take the call. I wasn’t ready to have a discussion just yet. He left me an encouraging voice-mail, letting me know he loved me and that I would always be his son. I have to admit – I did not expect that response. I didn’t know what to expect, and I felt it was safer to have no expectations at all.
On NYE, I called him back and we chatted briefly. His main concern was that I was not depressed during the holidays. I explained how I have had about 4 years to deal with it now, and that I was doing well, and he shouldn’t worry. He also did not want me to worry. He only mentioned twice how he does not approve of “that kind of lifestyle” but that he loved me. Then there was the awkward joke when he asked if this was a “Brokeback Mountain” kind of thing and all I could do was laugh and explain to him that no, we did not own any sheep! LOL
In retrospect, I'm not sure how the wine industry will measure their vintages from the past 12 months, but for me, 2006 was a good year. I traveled a bit, met and made some really great friends, and created some wonderful memories. So if I may correct myself… 2006 was a GREAT year!
Looking forward to 2007 is a bit daunting, as it always is for me trying to “see” into the future. But I will deal with the issues of my job, and will continue to prioritize finances, family and fun as we move forward into the year. I will continue to cherish the friends and loved ones who stand by me, reach out to me and support me in this journey called “life”. I will continue to be open to learning new things, seeing new perspectives, making new friends and experiencing life to the fullest. I really can’t say what 2007 has in store for me, but I know this… I’m ready for the adventure!
WOOF ya later!
~ bbw
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