Come on. Admit it. We've all been there. There's some moment or situation on our lives that we were guilty of blowing something out of all reasonable proportion. Nobody is reasonable and sane 100% of the time - at least if you're honest with yourself.
The current political scene here in the USA and in other countries is a prime example of today's topic in action. So deep are the lines drawn in the sand that when either side passes gas the other pounces on that fact and blasts the offender as an unpatriotic, society destroying boob.
Kids are great at making much ado about nothing - especially when it comes to hurting themselves in some minor way. After long periods of wailing and crying the application of a simple band aid usually solves the matter. Regardless of the owie - a band aid is typically a fix-all response.
In many cases some folks will blow anther's error out of all proportion - simply to make themselves look better. Although the result is often completely the opposite it happens regularly in the business world.
As the source of the saying concerned spying and gossiping about others (at least that is what I am led to believe as I am not nor have I ever been a fan of Shakespeare) an analogous to the NSA and it's obsessive reading of emails and listening to phone calls seems also in order. And the obsessive use of so-called traffic cameras everywhere - common in the UK and an the rise here - seems also to be an example of overkill. We are rapidly becoming a society based on spying, snooping, gossip and rumor. All central themes in Much Ado About Nothing.
Looking for a classic example of the topic in action? Take a look at what right-wing pundit Ann Coulter says about the World Cup. God forbid you like tacos, curry, bangers and mash or something.
So it seems there are countless examples of much ado about nothing screaming "Look at me!" Secrets and secrecy abound. Gossip is everywhere. Here's a musical example that does real justice to Much Ado About Nothing.
That's my quick take on today's topic. Time to see what the other LBC folks have to say.
Friday, June 27, 2014
Friday, June 20, 2014
Unwritten social agreements
Today's topic comes from The Old Fossil.
Several examples immediately come to mind, some large scale and some not so large.
Individuals in a free society have the responsibility - it seems to me at least - to take care of themselves, be self sufficient and not a burden to the rest of society. Sounds good does it not? At least until the fickle finger of fate, karma, god, God, bad luck or whatever you choose to accept as the cause for an action that derails your train and renders you for whatever reason incapable of keeping that unwritten contract/agreement. So now you cannot "take care" of yourself/family. Maybe you lost a job, had a major accident, illness - the reason is irrelevant. The fact remains you are no longer keeping up your end of the social contract.
The fact you need help then calls into play another set of unwritten social contracts - namely that your family and friends rally to assist you and help you get going again. Put the train back on the track. Their help may and indeed does come in many forms - perhaps financial and maybe more important - emotional. I recently experienced a huge emotional; lift when 3 of my oldest and dearest friends simply flew to Texas to spend a weekend hanging out with me shortly after Lynn passed away. It was he subject of a blog entry you may remember - Are we too busy for what really matters. I didn't ask them to come - they simply adjusted their lives and came.
The most important unwritten social contracts are those between family and friends. Loyalty when it matters most. And honesty. The truth is always the best antidote - especially when offered in a constructive, positive way when the truth being offerd is particularly painful.
There are many unwritten agreements that are at play in our lives daily. Our lives are essentially largely series of habits - things we do "automatically" without thought. Its in our best interests and by extension society's as well. If we had to actually think about everything we do we'd be thoroughly worn out in a few hours. The unwritten agreement to be a good member of society allows us to take the pressure off of ourselves.
Then there's the unwritten agreement to have an LBC post up on time so I h-guess it's time to hit send. Time to see what the others have to say on the matter.
Several examples immediately come to mind, some large scale and some not so large.
Individuals in a free society have the responsibility - it seems to me at least - to take care of themselves, be self sufficient and not a burden to the rest of society. Sounds good does it not? At least until the fickle finger of fate, karma, god, God, bad luck or whatever you choose to accept as the cause for an action that derails your train and renders you for whatever reason incapable of keeping that unwritten contract/agreement. So now you cannot "take care" of yourself/family. Maybe you lost a job, had a major accident, illness - the reason is irrelevant. The fact remains you are no longer keeping up your end of the social contract.
The fact you need help then calls into play another set of unwritten social contracts - namely that your family and friends rally to assist you and help you get going again. Put the train back on the track. Their help may and indeed does come in many forms - perhaps financial and maybe more important - emotional. I recently experienced a huge emotional; lift when 3 of my oldest and dearest friends simply flew to Texas to spend a weekend hanging out with me shortly after Lynn passed away. It was he subject of a blog entry you may remember - Are we too busy for what really matters. I didn't ask them to come - they simply adjusted their lives and came.
The most important unwritten social contracts are those between family and friends. Loyalty when it matters most. And honesty. The truth is always the best antidote - especially when offered in a constructive, positive way when the truth being offerd is particularly painful.
There are many unwritten agreements that are at play in our lives daily. Our lives are essentially largely series of habits - things we do "automatically" without thought. Its in our best interests and by extension society's as well. If we had to actually think about everything we do we'd be thoroughly worn out in a few hours. The unwritten agreement to be a good member of society allows us to take the pressure off of ourselves.
Then there's the unwritten agreement to have an LBC post up on time so I h-guess it's time to hit send. Time to see what the others have to say on the matter.
Friday, June 13, 2014
Unclehood - LBC topic
Unclehood. I am Uncle Bubba to a fetching batch of young ladies - Becca, Sammy and Rachel - my brother's kids; Heidi and Nicole - my sister's kids; and Lin - an "adopted" niece and daughter of the late Pete Dintino - one of the best friends I have ever had. The moniker Bubba comes from the fact that my brother and sister - 11 and 10 years younger than I - could not say brother - it came out Bubba. Still does. So since they still call me Bubba it is only natural that my nieces all call me Uncle Bubba.
Interesting thing about being an uncle - on occasion nieces - and I suppose nephews biut of course I have no personal experience there - might on occasion listen to you when they would likely blow off the actual parent. Or so I've heard.
Truth of the matter is I am on Facebook largely because the nieces find it convenient to keep up with family comings and goings there.
The bottom pic was at one of Sammy's softball games - she had a full scholarship to Notre Dame De Amur and it was close enough to home that there were always family members at the games. Sammy is 6-ft. tall and got the pitching genes I wanted. Becca is working and going to school. Truth is she's the hell-raiser of the group. New mom Rachel is happily at the moment a stay-at-home mom. Nic is a chef and Heidi a cosmetologist. Lin just graduated from college and is looking into grad school. Pete is very proud of her - as am I and her other surrogate uncles - Pete' s posse - she did yeoman work taking care of Pete when he fell ill.
I am extremely proud of each of my nieces. They have unlimited potential and are working hard at realizing that potential. They are also very different. My brother and sister's kids were brought up in the family tradition of athletics and Sammy pushed that envelope along quite nicely.Heidi and Nic were both excellent soccer players and their mom and I were involved as coaches, league officials and the like.Heidi and Nic are from Hawaii and have a special reverence for aunties and uncles because of that.
Lin is quite independent and not afraid to do whatever it takes to get what she wants. She spent time recently as a student ion Costa Rica. It was a great experience. Becca and Sammy I think prefer Vegas. But fear not - I believe what happens in Vegas stays there ladies. I bet the guy Sammy took out in one punch for messing with Becca wishes Sammy had stayed home though.
I've often wondered if the nieces think of me like this - Buck's kind of a roll model.
So that''s a quick shack-take on unclehood.
Interesting thing about being an uncle - on occasion nieces - and I suppose nephews biut of course I have no personal experience there - might on occasion listen to you when they would likely blow off the actual parent. Or so I've heard.
Truth of the matter is I am on Facebook largely because the nieces find it convenient to keep up with family comings and goings there.
 |
| Heidi |
 |
| Lin |
 |
| Nicole |
 |
| Sister-in-law Margie, Sammy, Becca, my dad, Rachel |
I am extremely proud of each of my nieces. They have unlimited potential and are working hard at realizing that potential. They are also very different. My brother and sister's kids were brought up in the family tradition of athletics and Sammy pushed that envelope along quite nicely.Heidi and Nic were both excellent soccer players and their mom and I were involved as coaches, league officials and the like.Heidi and Nic are from Hawaii and have a special reverence for aunties and uncles because of that.
Lin is quite independent and not afraid to do whatever it takes to get what she wants. She spent time recently as a student ion Costa Rica. It was a great experience. Becca and Sammy I think prefer Vegas. But fear not - I believe what happens in Vegas stays there ladies. I bet the guy Sammy took out in one punch for messing with Becca wishes Sammy had stayed home though.
I've often wondered if the nieces think of me like this - Buck's kind of a roll model.
So that''s a quick shack-take on unclehood.
Friday, June 6, 2014
If I Could Invent One Thing To Make The World A Better Place It Would Be.....
This week's topic is silly. Clearly the person that offered it was really reaching. Oh - yeah. It was me.
OK - here goes. I'd invent a pill - watch out big pharma - that gives everyone a sense of humor, patience, the ability to move on from things they cannot change and that allows them to see the world through the eyes of a child. It might be a big pill but once you get it down I suspect you'd feel better and if everyone feels better wouldn't the world be a better place? Wouldn't the issues of the day be easier to solve with patience, humor and the wisdom of a child?
I think so. And since today's post is so short I've included a couple of tunes to make you smile (hopefully)
Oh what the heck - 3 songs. I just felt like hearing these this AM.
Tune in next week, same Bat time, same Bat channel for the next installment of the LBC saves the world, brought to you by Ramana, Ashok, Maxi and her always full glass, Maria and occasionally the Old Fossil.
OK - here goes. I'd invent a pill - watch out big pharma - that gives everyone a sense of humor, patience, the ability to move on from things they cannot change and that allows them to see the world through the eyes of a child. It might be a big pill but once you get it down I suspect you'd feel better and if everyone feels better wouldn't the world be a better place? Wouldn't the issues of the day be easier to solve with patience, humor and the wisdom of a child?
I think so. And since today's post is so short I've included a couple of tunes to make you smile (hopefully)
Oh what the heck - 3 songs. I just felt like hearing these this AM.
Tune in next week, same Bat time, same Bat channel for the next installment of the LBC saves the world, brought to you by Ramana, Ashok, Maxi and her always full glass, Maria and occasionally the Old Fossil.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)