Forgiving

This weeks 2-on-1 topic is Forgiving, chosen by Ramana. Be sure to pop over to  Raman's Musings and see what he has to say. 

Why do so many people have a problem with this? As I see it you have 2 ways to live your life. You can be a glass-half-empty kind of person or a glass-half full kind of person. The choice (and this is the key) is yours and yours alone.

If you want to go through life always angry, scheming out ways to get even with folks or in general lugging around what used a chip on your shoulder that has over time turned into a something much heavier and more burdensome to your life. Simply stated, you do not forgive for someone else, you forgive for yourself. You forgive person X for whatever slight that happened years ago and what happens? You have freed yourself of a negative burden, and it feels good. So good it is time to dump some more rubbish on the highway of your life. (just be careful to not get a ticket for littering). 

Some bags may be quite large, some quite small.  Just dump the trash like you dump your household trash every week. Why burden yourself with the negativity? It can be something as silly as a network killing off your favorite character on a favorite show of yours or as deep and complex as years of lies from a parent. Can anything good come out of the anger over those things? When you forgive, you do not change the past but you do present an opportunity for new doors and paths to appear in the future. Don't forget to forgive yourself as well. Most of us have a conscience, and we occasionally do things we regret and so must live with a guilty conscience. Forgive yourself. Apologize for the transgression - put It behind both of you. You'll be glad you did.

 

Do not go through life unnecessarily burdening yourself. Use the tools available to us all in our life kits - those kits are there for a reason,

That's my shack-take on this weeks topic. See ya next week when once again Ramana and I tackle the same topic.

What did you gain or lose by taking a risk?

This weeks topic is another result of my recent adventures traveling across country and attending a 52 year/70th birthday party reunion for my high-school class. Taking the trip was a risk.

Anyone that is more than a casual reader of this blog knows i was a multi-sport jock in  high school. I continued on with sports activities until I could no longer do so because of a combination of age and infirmities. My knees are both shot and I regularly admonished by friends to have them replaced. That's  not something I am even remotely interested in doing. Irrational? Perhaps even as irrational of my fear of flying? Probably. That just does not jibe with the self image I have always had of myself. I am from the walk-it- off generation. Just get up and walk it off, whatever "it" is. Tough it out.

Yep - that's me. Tough guy jock. Okay -maybe once upon a time, but certainly not at the ripe old age of almost 70 with very gimpy knees. There comes a time when you have to stop being or acting like something you are not. What the heck. Isn't a dose of reality a good thing? - a couple of face plants, struggling to get around and feeling like the class clown all conspire against you - reality check time. And just maybe a few new funny stories to tell.

But why does getting a more accurate picture of yourself have to be a negative thing? Isn't it a better idea to know your limitations and live accordingly?

Nobody at the reunion cared that I was in a wheel chair - even those who pushed. Like everyone, we were just plain happy to see some old friends and acquaintances and - as they say in Hawaii - talk story? Remember this event? Did you really do that? Remember the A&W Root Beer Stand on Harder Road? Whatever happened to Prings? Did you hear that the Class of 68 had Creedence Clearwater Revival at their Senior Ball? 

All because we pushed the envelope and had the first ball off campus in the school's history. And you know what happens to the cattle when that barn door is opened- LOL.

I gained a more accurate view of myself on my recent cross-country adventure. I opened myself up to whatever might happen - including those face plants. They did not even leave marks - LOL. I rolled with the punches and made the very best of eac.h situation that presented itself. Especially that hugs and kisses party right near the entrance to the hotel.

Be sure to check Ramana's Musings .

See ya next week, same bat time, same bat channel.

Re Locating - 2-on-1 1/12/2019

 

I somehow knew Ramana would be in squeeze mode about my recent move  - that is he wants to squeeze out of me every bit of info, and he did not disappoint. I am the inspiration for this week's topic. If I had elected to go sailing with my old friend Gary Hall last Monday the topic  likely would have been you can't water ski  behind a sailboat. Of course Gary could have said he was trolling for sharks as there is a substantial great white breeding ground just beyond the Golden Gate Bridge. At any rate, having experienced several re locations himself, be sure to check Ramana's Musings for his take on the subject.

Back in May 1994 Lynn and I hit major speed bumps on the path we were following. We had both been laid off from good jobs and as luck would have it what new jobs that were becoming available were going to recently laid off Silicon Valley PHDs.  I couldn't say I resented the employers - hound one within a week, how often do you get to hire a PHD? So off we went to Texas, hoping to find a couple of jobs. Success! I had one upon arrival and Lynn found one within a week of her and Sean's arrival. 

This was our fourth re location, not counting moves to new apartments, houses and the like. Sean and Lynn had stayed behind to complete the sale of our house - Jamie stayed with her grandparents to finish high school. Side bar - when a friend says movers will pack anything not glued down  they are telling you the truth. Unfinished breakfast plates were packed - good old Mayflower.

Re location number one was 1976 when Lynn established and managed the New England office for our company in Hartford, Connecticut. Number two was Connecticut to Hermosa Beach to work in the home office. Number three was moving back to the SF Bay Area when I worked for RadioShack. We were seasoned veterans at re locating.

Skip ahead 25 years, RadioShack - the neighborhood electronics store filed for bankruptcy, Lynn had passed away and someone had the bright idea to move to North Carolina. Jamie and Sean were flush with cash since they'd each inherited a substantial sum of money when Lynn's mother passed away shortly after Lynn's passing. Jamie stayed in Ft Worth, Sean packed up and headed for North Carolina. I tagged along.

Relocating is relatively complex - especially if you have school-age  children. I was once one of those school-age children - when we moved to California from Colorado. Because our new home was not finished in Hayward we stayed for a while with my grandparents in Los Altos, giving us a 45 minute to one hour commute to and from school.

Then there is the "find a suitable place to live" - and often times you have no idea where a suitable neighborhood is. In the move to Connecticut I selected a new condominium complex -a safe choice. Lynn was terrified about me being forced to select colors and patterns.We survived my choices. I was actually quite proud of them, Lynn was simply relieved. Movers packed and headed east.

A year later we moved back to Southern California - and again a moving company packed us and headed west.

We lived in Hermosa Beach for just under a year before things took a bad turn and we both ended up unemployed. Lynn and Jamie moved back to Northern California and I took a job with RadioShack with the provision that when I had established myself I could transfer to Northern California. Lynn and Jamie lived with my parents.

We bounced around for  few years in the Bay Area, again both gainfully employed in jobs we enjoyed. While technically we re-located several times I do not count them since they were all local. They were your typical gather the family and friends, rent a truck, order lots of pizza and beer moves.

In 1994the economy headed south, and we were again in jeopardy. We sold our house, lost nearly all of our equity and Lynn and Sean stayed and closed the house sale while I headed off to Texas, to be joined a month later by Lynn and Sean. Jamie finished her senior year in high school while living with my folks.

Texas was certainly culture shock but a friendly, decent place. Fort Worth is a great place. As most readers know, however, Lynn was diagnosed with Huntingtons Disease shortly after we moved there. She survived until 2014. In 2015 I followed Sean and moved to North Carolina.

Relocating is never easy, always an adventure. It is up to you to decide whether the adventure is a good one or a bad one. I recently completed my last relocation. It was the adventure of a lifetime and involved a cross-country train excursion, a 5-day layover in Cleveland - a remarkably friendly, pleasant place, a visit to the rock and Roll Hall of Fame, a Zombies concert, a 52 year High-School reunion which we called a 70th birthday celebration, and ended with my move to Brentwood, CA. I am at last where I was meant to be. My Brother and his family took me in. I do indeed have California bloodlines in my heart.

My 86 year old father is here as well and Mike and Margie will have a new grand child - due betwen Mikes's (9/22) and my birthday (9/26). The dogs like me and I have met 5 new grand nieces. Life is good. The adventure is described in blogs and in my friend and traveling companion Jim Furr's numerous photographs.In the list on the right side of this blog under August if you are interested simply open August and read the following titles:

• The End of the Line
• The Beginning of the End
• Long Live Rock and Roll
• A Gimp in a Strange Land aka What's Life Without a...
• Cleveland and the road so far
• Final Trip Prep

See ya next week, same bat time, same bat channel.

Ready to Go!!

Well - the reunion break is over, as is the cross-country train ride. It's back to business as usual and that means if it is Friday it is 2-on-1 blog time. There is one slight change from times  past - I now reside in Brentwood, California. I am as they say home. No  more North Carolina. Maybe there is a God after all. My kids are still safely ensconced in Hickory along with my cat and dog. Not to worry, There are two dogs here - and aging Jack Russell terrier named Mac  and a poofy little Yorkie named Mickey. I have an as yet unvisited friend named Conrad - he  of the lovely wife Carol in Hayward but as I am without wheels (the final price of my getaway) as the kids needed them more than I - that meeting will be in the future. Several times, I am sure. 

So this week's topic is Ready to go.  The reunion was more fun than anticipated. Cleveland was great fun - especially the Rock and Roll HOF  visit capped off by a Zombies concert. Here they are earlier in the year at the Rock Hall - it ws a great show, 70 year rock stars laughing, singing and thoroughly captivating the audience

 Cleveland was a very pleasant surprise. It was fun - friendly people,  a waiter as well versed in the music of the sixties and seventies as Jim and I and the kid is 26. Oh - the food was great too - The Chocolate Bar. Then there was the great haircut caper  - check that out on Facebook along with the bevy of reunion beauties Bobby's haircut attracted to yours truly.
 
The reunion itself was what they all should be - old friends reconnecting and sharing lives. No cliques or nonsense, just plain old FUN. Then there was the completion of the adventure - moving to Brentwood where i now reside with my Dad, brother and sister-in-law. Oh - and my niece Sammy is pregnant - due date sometime  between 9/22 (Mike) and 9/26 (me). Guess we batter root for 9/22 - Sammy and her hubby live nearby.

So I begin the final chapter of my life with a bevy of new cuties calling me Uncle Bubba in an area I have always considered my home.  Politics be damned - I simply love Northern Calfornia and am delighted to be here. It is packed with old friends, new friends, and I am ready to create some fun new chapters. I hope you enjoy the ride. 

Be sure to check Ramana's Musings to see what Ramana has to say. Lastly, I can honestly say the romance is gone from long train rides. Sorry Tammy -  but any trip like this should require sleeper cars. But I would not trade this adventure for anything.

See ya next week, same bat time, same bat channel.