Think About Your Troubles

One of my favorites growing up was this song. Provides a new perspective. Thanks, Harry Nilsson. (What's your favorite part? Mine is "Not too good for drinkin'...")

Trouble

So IF earlier today I said, "I didn't start taking aspirins until I was married," WHY should that get me in trouble?

It's JUST a statement of timing and actions. Nothing more, nothing less. Do you not believe?

Poll on Blondes, etc.

Two things about the current poll on blondes, brunettes, etc. 1. The Fake Blondes term is not meant to slam; it was just a category name that came up most on Google. Well, maybe Yahoo. 2. I think the conclusion of this poll might cause us to think in a different way. It's a thought I'll share at the end of the poll.

Hope you vote.

Birds

In all of God's Green Earth, WHY do birds have to dump on MY car?

Do they not SEE how much land there is out there for them to do that? Do they not see all the OTHER cars? I did NOTHING to them, and, frankly, I'm getting a little sick of it all.

Dad's Wisdom

Dad used to say, "Read all the books you can because you won't live long enough to make all the mistakes yourself."

I like Dad. But, man, he could be demanding with all that reading books thing.

What words of wisdom from your Dad or Mom (or grandparent or cousin) stand out?

Column A, Column B

So here's my theory. In most conversations, you can identify if a person is in Column A (which means Yes) or Column B (No).

For example, if the guy asks, "Would you like to go to dinner this weekend?" and she says, "Oh, this weekend? Um, this is a busy weekend for me" then you could safely assume she's giving a Column B answer but she doesn't want to come out directly with a No because that would be too rude. But if she says, "That sounds fun" then, obviously, it's a Column A answer.

I think people talk this way because it's sometimes hard to come right out and say "Yes" or "No, thank you." Sometimes it feels too direct or hurtful, so people say other things around that, but what they're saying still lines up with their core feelings about wanting to do something or not.

Ever since I've started listening for which column responses land in, it has been FASCINATING to hear what people are really saying. In fact, it's made a huge difference in understanding others' real intents. Sometimes I get it wrong, but this approach greatly minimizes the misreads. And it helps me respect another's position more readily instead of trying and trying and trying to persuade them to my point of view. Honestly, it comes down to an understanding and respect thing.

Column A or Column B. Let me know if it works for you.

Head Discovery

So I'm in this meeting where five of us are interviewing this guy for a job, and things are going well, and the guy's bald and very likable, but apparently we're asking tough questions because the guy starts to sweat.

And I noticed the sweat was coming from his bald head where, you know, the baldness is, but nothing was sweating from the typical sweat places around the forehead. It was just all up there.

And then more and more beads were forming like a Chia pet, and while I felt sorry for the guy, I couldn't stop staring. And I kinda forgot the questions I needed to ask. Then I thought he was going to see me, but my eyes were glued and more beads popped up and I couldn't take my eyes off of it. And I thought this is SO COOL 'cause I've never noticed that before.

Then I wondered if that's where HS (head sweat) really forms for all of us but most don't see it 'cause, you know, it's hidden.

Anyway, it was fascinating. And we didn't make the guy an offer. But the sweat was cool. You ever had something like that?

About the Passion

So isn't Valentine's Day all about the Passion?

And passion is kinda like Burning (in a good way). And burning is like a Fire (in another good way--hey, two good ways).

And if there IS a fire, then SOMEone has to instigate it.

And that leads to THIS song--a song you've heard and sung AND danced to (we have cameras) BUT have probably never seen like THIS.

Live the passion. Happy V-day.

(PS - I didn't say we USED the cameras, just that we had them.)

When to Apply

Okay, I was in a conversation with two friends AND I asked an innocent question, but THEY had such differing views from what I thought they would say. Hence, the deodorant poll to your right.

Let me know your thoughts/habits/pattern (hope it's a daily pattern) and I'll tell you more about our conversation after the poll closes.

Candor on the Stop

Can we be really, really candid for a moment?

I kinda ignore stop signs in parking lots, like at the mall and Target and such. Yeah, I see 'em. And I slow down, but, really. STOP? C'mon. What's the point. Is that guy with the yellow/orange (annoying) security flashers gonna chase me?

Instead of a Stop SIGN, isn't more like a Stop SuGGESTION?

Do you stop?

Flossing Victory

I just want the LADIES who ridiculed me -- humiliated me to the ground (not really but it sounds energetic) -- for flossing beFORE I brush to know that after this SCIENTIFIC survey, 4 out of 5 dentists (not polled but they're in EVERY poll) AND the majority of those surveyed here floss BEFORE brushing.

37%!! Isn't that like a MAJORITY? Okay, well close.

But that aside, we must unite and admit that all of us who DO floss ARE concerned about our blogging friends (25%) who don't even touch the floss wax.

Friends, Romans, please, consider the possibilities. We know it's rough at first because the floss string cuts like a knife inflicting unTHINKable pain, but we'll be there for ya. Promise. Unless you don't ever, ever, ever, you know, FLOSS, in which case, we'll be singing THIS song. (Just jump to the 3:00 minute mark.) Yeah, I know it's not pretty, but that's kinda the point.

Groundhog's Day

And is it Groundhog's Day or Groundhog Day? 'Cause I think the movie ruined it and changed what all of us had been saying all those years, and I don't we should let Hollywood DO that to us.

Groundhog or Groundhog's Day? Which?

For Men's Eyes Only

It's February and we all know what THAT means--a cruel reminder that no matter WHAT we do, there's NO WAY we can really succeed in gift giving on Valentine's Day. Believe me, I've tried. And the women are gracious about it, but deep down, we know we've failed. . . a LOT.

PLUS, the thing is we all know that we'll crash again this year, but inVARIABLY the women in our lives will protest that point.

Don't you agree, though, that IF you give chocolates, they'll think, "Thanks! (but that's fattening and he should KNOW I'm trying to lose" and if you give a Sweeeet Card, it's, "Aaah, this is so wonderful. Thank you! (is THIS IT? That's ALL he's giving this year? What about the CHOColate??)."

And flowers? Typical. Same ol'. (Plus, I always feel instantly stupid when I'm in a flower shop. I admit, I don't know what I'm doing but ALL the women behind the counter DO and I KNOW they giggle when I'm gone.)

The torment goes on and on, so WHY do we HAVE this Annual Beating? It's V-deMoralizing!

And what do they say back to us (and it's not that I don't appreciate it, it's just that I don't belieeeeve it): "Anything you do will be fine. A poem. A card. Just the thought."

But, see, all the while, they're on AutoScope for what other women are getting, and, frankly, it's ALWAYS better than what they got.

So, I'm kinda in to giving up. But only after I get the flowers, chocolate, card, dinner, jewelry, time devoted to doing anything around the home she wants me to AND a poem. Let me know how YOU fare this year.

PS - How many women read this?? (Did YOU not READ the headline? YOU don't have MEN's eyes; yours are Gorgeous! This is kinda sensitive private stuff.) OK, as long as you've read this far, then we HAVE to hear YOUR side of it, 'cause, frankly, we're failing over here. Throw a lifeline. Something.