Category Archives: General

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What Do You Mean?

Veterans' Day 2022

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Two caveats:

I am a veteran and love that so many have changed their Facebook profile photo to one of them in uniform. But, the only photo I have is one when I was an Ensign (way back in the late 70s) and obviously that isn’t digital – we didn’t even know what that word meant or if it existed back then..lol

Because it’s Veterans Day, I’ll post about How To Read My Book tomorrow. Bet you are glad for the reprieve from my bragging and sales pitches..lol

Ok, now about today’s subject….

Today is Veteran’s Day and I will say that everyone, especially here in San Antonio, makes it a special day with discounts and freebies for Veterans. It’s extremely nice and I’m sure appreciated by all of us.

I don’t think anyone wants “Thank you for your service” to merely be something you say like “how are you today?” or “have a nice day”. But, it’s similar to so many of our overused words. How many times can you say “like” and have anyone pay attention to it or have anyone think it actually has meaning.

Ask yourself, “What do I mean when I tell someone I hardly know (or even those I do know) ‘thank you for your service’? What am I really thanking them for?”

Maybe, you could add a little something extra about what it means knowing that they gave up a job that would earn more money to continue to protect our country or to serve those who were doing the protection.

Also, please remember, that it’s not all about Combat veterans. I see this way too often and I’m not demeaning them..BUT I feel that when people think only of combat veterans as “worthy” or “important”, the whole point is missed.

We are a TEAM and more importantly, we are a FAMILY! Everyone on a team is important. I continually refer to the pandemic and the immense importance of (but with little recognition of) the housekeeping staffs in the hospital. How long do you think the hospital would have been able to remain open without them scrubbing and spraying everything to keep those little buggers (literally) from hopping up onto another patient or staff member?

Same with the military. Without all the supply people in the states and without trainers, not much would good would happen in the combat arenas. EVERYONE has a part.

So, maybe ask someone what they did in the service – not just the branch but what their job was and how they liked it or who they supported etc.. Find out more about the service you’re thanking them for. I guarantee you’ll go away enriched!

Thanks to all my Shipmates who cared for the patients we took care of. You all supported each other so everyone could give their utmost and know that a caring person was nearby. I love everyone (well, almost everyone….I don’t want to be Pinocchio) I served with.

Happy Veterans’ Day!

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Pick-A-Person

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Today’s a perfect day for this new “game”.

Why? Because it’s the New York City Marathon Day, of course.

Now, don’t stop reading just because you’re not a runner/walker or a marathoner. It doesn’t matter.

What I’d like you to do is scan your memory or even your bookshelf. Or here’s an idea, go through your “Friend” list on social media.

Pick one person that you admire. It doesn’t matter even if you know them (but they’re on your “friend” list for some reason, right..ha ha).

Take 30 seconds to a 1 minute – that’s all it requires. You can do more or even less. You have control. It’s totally up to you.

Why did you pick that person? What is the first thing that comes to mind when you picked them? I mean, you have a ton of people to choose from – from world leaders, ancient philosophers, your mail carrier, you disabled neighbor or friend, an acquaintance who’s sick or struggling right now, someone who’s been the Phoenix rising and overcome hell to rise up again.

Now caress that one thing, that one quality or characteristic you saw. Describe what that quality is. Then express gratitude that you have seen this trait personified.

Ask yourself what you can do to cultivate that same attribute. Obviously (hopefully), it’s something you desire, or you wouldn’t have picked them. Why do you admire them? Make a list of what you need to do to either strengthen it in you or to develop it.

Today I pick Kim McCoy, whose comeback from a horrific car accident during a 340 mile race and a resultant amputated leg, is the stuff that “feel-good” and inspirational movies are made of. She is running in the New York City Marathon. Determination is the word that comes to mind when I think of her. This is coupled with persistence but I am going to use “determination” as my word of the week and write down everything I can think of that will emboss that quality in my daily life.

Best of luck to Kim and all the others who have worked so hard to prepare for the New York City Marathon!

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Is The World A “Mess”?

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It’s almost discouraging to scan the papers or even social media because most of what you see is negative stuff – people arguing, fighting, violence both provoked and unprovoked.

“Why bother? Many of us have just thrown our hands up in despair. We give up? What’s the world come to? It’s such a mess.”

One of the most important lessons I learned in preparing for the 2022 Vol State race (and subsequently for life – too bad it’s several decades late) was that you should focus on only that which you can control. “Control the Controllables” for short.

Neither you nor I can control the state of the world. We can actually control so very little in our lives that that is often the source of our frustration and even our anger.

But you CAN control the way you behave in YOUR world. You can control your anger and your responses to people and their actions even if you can’t control their actions. Can you go a day without experiencing “frustration” at something? Can you make a pact with yourself to replace every negative thought with something positive? Take the controversy about Daylight Savings Time. You can’t do anything about that. Instead of letting the negative effects of all the name calling and derision get into your mind, why not prevent the spewing of the stress chemicals by thinking about the weather at this time of year (or if it’s still uncomfortable, think about what’s coming) and be grateful and happy about it. I walked to the mailbox this morning (the extent of my walking right now) and it was 58 degrees and glorious. I just took a minute to savor it.

Can you help someone in your apartment, on your block, in your neighborhood, in your community? You can control what you do and who you give to. You can’t control their reactions so don’t do it to gain appreciation and be thought of as a wonderful person. Do it because it gets you out of the “the world is a mess” thinking process.

Or, just concentrate on something in your life that you can control and that will make you feel good. Can you go to bed earlier at least one night a week? Then, maybe 2 or 3 and so on? Can you not get a latte one day a week and donate that money – or put it in a special jar for a surprise you can get for someone or for yourself?

There’s a myriad of ways you can change things in your life so it’s not a mess. We change the world one step and one person and one response at a time.

Make a list of things in your life (see the word cloud image I included and make your own). Then, circle those that are in your control. Copy that to a separate list that you can keep in front of you whenever you need to remind yourself. A car cuts in front of you. Can you control that? No. But, do you have to get upset by it? Nope! That’s within your control!