When I was a kid there was a joke going around about these two guys competing against each other on a TV show with the object being: who could tell the biggest lie in less than ten seconds? The first guy tells a lie about how his chocolate ice cream cone was actually a dark shade of vanilla. Everyone applauds. The next guy asks the MC if he's ever seen apples on trees in an orchard. The MC says yes, the contestant says, "They were all actually peaches!" The audience erupts in a standing ovation and the guy wins the prize for the biggest lie....................... Well, it was kinda funny when I was a kid.
I was reminded of that joke recently when a federal agency stated that 23% of all the children in the United States live in abject poverty and wake up every day not knowing if they will get enough to eat. That's not funny either is it? That same agency stated that 64% of all the children living in poverty fall under the term, "obese". Poverty is far from humorous but those two statements combined sort of lessened my ability to take either one seriously and the joke I just told you about came to mind.
Yesterday I brought up the subject of a body spray that is supposed to induce trust. I am thinking certain people, in certain agencies either need to get their figures straight or start pouring on the trust spray because with what they are throwing out there as fact I am seriously doubting and am most certainly not picking up what they are throwing down. My heart goes out to those people and their children who are truly in need. But, I also think that those folks who are being paid to watch over them should not use exaggerated or otherwise debatable figures to get more money to waste on unaffective services. True poverty needs no embellishment does it? It's not any funnier than that stupid old joke.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Vitamins and minerals and trust
All this writing stuff has an incredible effect on my physical self. Read that: After working a full day, gardening, socializing and other necessary activity, I get tired and fall asleep while typing. It's taking a toll on the delicate keyboard when my head hits the keys.
In an attempt to counteract the sleepy thing I have begun to frequent my local natural health nutrition shop. The first thing when I walked in the door the clerk/nutritionist smilingly walks up and confidently guides me towards the "men's" supplement shelf. "You don't even have to ask, I know just what you need." He says. "All you guys are looking for this high potent elixir." He was set back when I said the "men's" shelf wasn't what I was there for. It took a few seconds for him to gather himself and forget all about his prepared sales pitch. He didn't say that, I could just tell. After he recovered I explained about my sleepiness and my wish to make sure I was getting all the right nutrients he got down to business and, after a lengthy discussion we decided on an intelligently proper vitamin regimen without chemical additives that wasn't linked to any sales promotion. (I think promotions always seem to have some sort of agenda other than my well being.) As a result I am feeling all vitaminized every morning now. It takes a while for vitamins and minerals to take affect so I am looking forward to the next month and feeling better.
A couple years ago I found and wrote about a spray-on hormonal type product that was supposed to instill a feeling of trust to those people around you. Seeing a couple of bottles of that on the shelf next to the "men's" supplements piqued my curiosity. They had a sample bottle and I gave it a little squirt into the air and smelled it. The aroma was similar to baby powder. "Not particularly manly" I thought. However. what's not to trust about the whole baby powder thing. Then I continued on choosing the correct supplements. When I checked out my purchases I noticed the clerk had a peculiar odor about him. Yes, it was baby powder. Yeah, really it was. I wonder how much you can actually trust a guy that wears a trust spray........Joe
In an attempt to counteract the sleepy thing I have begun to frequent my local natural health nutrition shop. The first thing when I walked in the door the clerk/nutritionist smilingly walks up and confidently guides me towards the "men's" supplement shelf. "You don't even have to ask, I know just what you need." He says. "All you guys are looking for this high potent elixir." He was set back when I said the "men's" shelf wasn't what I was there for. It took a few seconds for him to gather himself and forget all about his prepared sales pitch. He didn't say that, I could just tell. After he recovered I explained about my sleepiness and my wish to make sure I was getting all the right nutrients he got down to business and, after a lengthy discussion we decided on an intelligently proper vitamin regimen without chemical additives that wasn't linked to any sales promotion. (I think promotions always seem to have some sort of agenda other than my well being.) As a result I am feeling all vitaminized every morning now. It takes a while for vitamins and minerals to take affect so I am looking forward to the next month and feeling better.
A couple years ago I found and wrote about a spray-on hormonal type product that was supposed to instill a feeling of trust to those people around you. Seeing a couple of bottles of that on the shelf next to the "men's" supplements piqued my curiosity. They had a sample bottle and I gave it a little squirt into the air and smelled it. The aroma was similar to baby powder. "Not particularly manly" I thought. However. what's not to trust about the whole baby powder thing. Then I continued on choosing the correct supplements. When I checked out my purchases I noticed the clerk had a peculiar odor about him. Yes, it was baby powder. Yeah, really it was. I wonder how much you can actually trust a guy that wears a trust spray........Joe
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Writing coach says:
Writing coach says, "Write!" By Golly I write!
My writing coach says he needs to know where I am with my writing skills at this time. He says I need to write, write, write. Well jeez! What do I write about? "Anything!" He says. So, I write about whatever is on my mind at whatever time it is that I am writing. You've witnessed the past week. The coach has been all over that too. He says its better that I blog instead of email him because I have a different voice in emails than on my blog. "Pathos changes with medium!" He says. Pathos again, I've heard that before. I've been told I have good pathos in most circumstances which brings the reader into the experience I'm writing about. Are you into what it is I'm writing about right now? Coach says I lose that pathos sometimes when I actually try to bring you into the experience. He says it is better to just write naturally and "allow" the reader to enter the experience of their own volition instead of attempting to do it for them. Huh?
Coach says it goes like this: I write what's going through my head because I am inspired, not because I want to be on the best seller list. My talent lies in my natural, uninhibited communication ability. Hmm! When it's not forced it becomes interesting. When it's forced I use too many words and my uncomfortableness becomes almost glaring and uninterestedly too wordy. I'm working on that. "Sincerity and brevity make for a good read." he says. Here I go.............Joe
My writing coach says he needs to know where I am with my writing skills at this time. He says I need to write, write, write. Well jeez! What do I write about? "Anything!" He says. So, I write about whatever is on my mind at whatever time it is that I am writing. You've witnessed the past week. The coach has been all over that too. He says its better that I blog instead of email him because I have a different voice in emails than on my blog. "Pathos changes with medium!" He says. Pathos again, I've heard that before. I've been told I have good pathos in most circumstances which brings the reader into the experience I'm writing about. Are you into what it is I'm writing about right now? Coach says I lose that pathos sometimes when I actually try to bring you into the experience. He says it is better to just write naturally and "allow" the reader to enter the experience of their own volition instead of attempting to do it for them. Huh?
Coach says it goes like this: I write what's going through my head because I am inspired, not because I want to be on the best seller list. My talent lies in my natural, uninhibited communication ability. Hmm! When it's not forced it becomes interesting. When it's forced I use too many words and my uncomfortableness becomes almost glaring and uninterestedly too wordy. I'm working on that. "Sincerity and brevity make for a good read." he says. Here I go.............Joe
Monday, August 15, 2011
A perfect outcome to a difficult situation
During times of trauma, be it serious or simply inconvenient, when it involves other people you are never quite sure of the outcome. The smoke has cleared, the words spoken and action taken concerning our being confronted on a public sidewalk by barking, aggressive dogs intentionally allowed to run loose by their owners. It involved two good people that, perhaps weren't aware of what havoc their dogs could wreak upon their neighbors: us. They have taken corrective steps and are now restraining their animals as far as I can see. I am gratified!
Sometimes a defensive mechanism will prevent us from seeing that our innocent or ignorant decisions aren't exactly as harmless as we had thought. It's embarrassing and difficult to face. Especially when confronted by someone saying they are dead wrong. No one likes being told they are wrong. It's a normal reaction to deny it and defend themselves. It's what happens after they've had time to think about it that is a sure sign of who we are.
The dogs are no longer a problem. Thankfully no harm was done other than the trauma. Good people make mistakes from time to time but when all is said and done, good people eventually do the right thing. They did this time too. It's a wonderful day in the neighborhood.
Sometimes a defensive mechanism will prevent us from seeing that our innocent or ignorant decisions aren't exactly as harmless as we had thought. It's embarrassing and difficult to face. Especially when confronted by someone saying they are dead wrong. No one likes being told they are wrong. It's a normal reaction to deny it and defend themselves. It's what happens after they've had time to think about it that is a sure sign of who we are.
The dogs are no longer a problem. Thankfully no harm was done other than the trauma. Good people make mistakes from time to time but when all is said and done, good people eventually do the right thing. They did this time too. It's a wonderful day in the neighborhood.
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