An Ounce

If you can believe it - there are a whole lot of folks in this world who’ve never tried baseball. Even in a place like the US where we’ve been playing for years.

Really.

Hitting a baseball is pretty simple. All you have to do is swing a baseball bat in a manner that places the bat at the precise location, and at the precise moment to cause the bat and the ball (which is moving very rapidly through the air) to collide.

Yah – simple.

But, definitely not easy. 

However, not being fantastic, or world-class, at something is not a reason -not to do it.

And, not trying – or being willing to try new things - grantee’s you’ll find few new joys.

There are plenty of things we can involve ourselves in that we might be really bad at – but the fun of doing it makes it a great experience.

Something can be more fun when you do them badly – like karaoke

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Humans and animals have always had a relationship of some kind. Domesticated animals are trained to work and be companions, or as pets, and they fill many other roles as well. 

And baboons have a documented history as far back as the ancient civilizations of Egypt of being adopted by humans, and then trained to be ox cart drivers and herdsmen. And in this case, as a railroad laborer.

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Dale lived a very uncomplicated life. He never married and didn’t have any children.

He grew up poor.

Dale worked for 67 years for the same company. He was a carpenter.

Dale was a regular churchgoer.

And, Dale Schroder was a very frugal man, a blue-collar guy, with very simple needs.

He was not highly educated.

He was not all that sophisticated.

And, he was certainly not famous.

Most humans will arrive and then leave the earth without much notice, like Dale Schroder.

But, unnoticed or not, we can make a great difference.

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Here in the desert southwest, around the end of February and early March, as the sun lasts a little longer in the sky, the lizards begin to spend more time in my backyard.

I’ve got a story to tell you that may well have happened right there, as I soaked in some warmth on the back porch swing.

We have a block wall fence the lizards seem to enjoy crawling up on top of to take in the warmth. I watched one of them, only a few inches long, skittering about, up and down the wall, back and forth on the top of the wall.

Life is pretty simple for a lizard. Wake up when it’s warm and go out to find lunch. 

But this little guy was apparently not sure what to have for lunch. Should he go to the top of the wall to pick off a gnat, or down to the bottom and ambush an aphid? He hurried back and forth up and down the wall – don’t know that ever found anything to eat.

His inability to make a decision and stick with it became a bit of a problem. - Check it out!

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I have an experience to share. One for which words will be a poor substitute for reality. Yet, it was so amazing we’re going to give it a shot.

Back around 2010, I had the chance to travel to Peru for about 10 days. The trip was with my brother and a group that provides training for pre-hospital and hospital professionals and volunteers.

While there, our little group had a chance to make a trip to one of the New Wonders of The World. Machu Picchu.

I imagine the builders of this place must have been showmen. Having partnered with nature in creating this extraordinary space where a curtain of fog could be slowly raised to reveal such a view. One which has the effect on most humans of stealing a breath and making the heart skip a beat.

Mother Nature was obviously showing off.

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Because we all have different experiences, genetics, predispositions, history, fears, values, and objectives – you and I, we all will at some point act in a way that others will see as a bit nuts.

And, they may be right, So remember the next time you see somebody do something stupid – They probably had a completely rational and reasonable reason for doing it.

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Life today seems to be ever-changing. Things constantly shifting. Society changes constantly. Values, ethics, and even interpretations of history. Heroes are portrayed as villains. Scoundrels are represented as virtuous. In some cases, even the truly evil is twisted to embody good. Big cities shrink, small ones grow. Technology, so-called “settled” science transforms.

I’ve got a little story that gives a precious perspective on this seemingly unstable world we live in. Let’s consider this tale from the perspective of our protagonist, a single drop of water.

Ice, vapor, liquid – it’s all water.

Mixed in a solution or by itself – water is still water.

Part of a deadly flood, or used to clean a wound – water is still water.

No matter how we find it, how we describe it, the value we give it, or the truth - or the lies we say about it – water is still water.

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Our world today is filled with so much information. Broadcast media, the internet, and books are everywhere. There is more information at our fingertips today than ever before.

But, it might be a mistake to mistake a plethora of information for facts or truth –

“Not everything you find on the internet is true” – I believe that’s a quote from Napoleon Bonaparte that I found on the internet. I’m sure you remember Napoleon – that short French guy who liked to pose with his right hand stuffed into his tunic (I always wondered if that was a persistent itch or an upset stomach). He even has a mental affliction named after him – The Napoleon Complex – the popular belief that short guys tend to overcompensate for being small by being domineering and aggressive. 

Well – Napoleon stood at about 5’ 7”. Just below the current average height for men in today’s world, in his time was considered above the average height of 5’ 4” to 5’ 6”. 

That's just one Truth That's Myth. Listen and find out a few more.

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William decided he needed to be tough enough to take care of himself in a fight. As a teenager, he became involved in golden gloves boxing. And he excelled in this effort. His record on the circuit was 22 and 1. On his 24th match, he got his nose broken, and decided it was time to find something else to do. His passion lay elsewhere.

Though he was plenty bright and his teachers described him as a ‘strong student’, he didn’t graduate from High School. With his father gone, William got a job to help support his family. He was often required to work quite late, causing him to often sleep in missing classes at school. Unfortunately, on one of these mornings, he missed a required final exam in English and ended up a bit short of the credits needed to graduate.

Rather than take summer classes, William just kept working. He loved his job and the thought of being cooped up in a classroom all summer was not at all appealing to him.

Who is he? Listen and take a guess!

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Joel

https://www.biography.com/musician/billy-joel

https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/billy-joel-3442.php 

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The dreaded ‘Love Triangle’. Absolutely no one ever wants to be caught in a Love Triangle. Wisdom and time have proven that the Love Triangle always ends badly. 

According to recent surveys, it is a situation considered even worse by 9 out of 10 hopeless romantics than finding out there are murder hornets in the neighborhood. And 98.7% of all relationship counselors contend a Love Triangle should be avoided more vigorously than the next killer COVID variant (the remaining 1.3% shouldn't be trusted). 

Everyone knows that the Love Triangle always leads to disaster. The very best outcome that can be expected is that at least one heart will be broken.

But, on this Valentine’s Day, we do not want to dwell on the negative. We will not speak of broken hearts.

Nobody gets their heart broken today!

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Have you ever watched the actions or behavior of someone and thought to yourself, “that’s is so wrong”? 

It’s likely that you don’t really understand where their perspective, or perhaps the context of the act. It may be what you saw is perfectly justified by what you didn’t see – and didn’t know.

I can say with confidence that making assumptive judgments based on uninformed guesses can get you into trouble. I’d bet that some of us have even made a snap judgment of someone or something, and then or mouth by-passed our brains, and said it out loud.

These tactless outbursts might have even been overheard, and the person respond.  “Don’t You Judge Me”! But, Do those words mean what you think they mean?

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Mathew (KJV) 7:1-3

1.     Judge not, that ye be not judged.
2.    For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye meet, it shall be measured to you again.
3.    And why beholdest thou the mote that is in they brethren’s eye, but consider not the beam that is in thine own eye?

Definitions:

Perspicacity - Noun: 1. Keenness of mental perception and understanding; discernment; penetration. 2. Archaic. Keen Vision.

Krino: (Greek) Condemn, avenge, sentence, or levy punishment. See also additional forms of Krino such as Krinete, Krinethe, etc…

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It is one of those events in history that at first might cause a little grin. It was such an outrageous and unexpected event. But, upon discovering more about it, the grin fades, and the horror of the grisly reality can cause a gasp.

What happened – and how? That question has been the subject of many a study and investigation – and most details have been figured out.

What was this mayhem of molasses? 

In the early in the afternoon of January 15th, 1919.  It was around 40 degrees Fahrenheit – not at all unusual for the Northeastern United States. 

Then, without warning, a 60-foot-tall storage tank burst open unloading 2.3-million-gallons of wet sticky molasses all at once. 

Sources:
https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/molasses-floods-boston-streets

https://www.history.com/news/great-molasses-flood-science

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Molasses_Flood

https://www.newenglandhistoricalsociety.com/great-boston-molasses-disaster-1919/

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About 1/2 mile from our home was a little marsh. And, along with the flowering dogwood trees, one of the ways we knew that spring was upon us, was that 100s of little frogs down in the marsh would start to sing. 

The backyard was a perfect place to sit in the evening, watching the fireflies dance in our little grove of trees, viewing the brilliant colors in the sky change as the sun set, and listening to the shrill song of the little frogs. 

Frogs are an interesting bunch. They are not necessarily that bright as a general rule, but there are things we can learn from them.

I recall a little story I heard years ago, not sure when. But as I recall it was a mostly true story that may have happened down in that little marsh in the Shenandoah Valley near our home. It was truly a calamity.

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Be wise enough to recognize that focus, courage, grit, and commitment can be found in places you might not expect. Anyone who chose’s to be courageous can accomplish more than you might think – and true courage may be found in those you might least suspect– including yourself. 

Have you ever heard of Sgt Otybrskaya?

A pretty amazing soldier in the Russian army during World War 2 on the eastern front against the Nazis. The Sgt was posthumously awarded “Hero of the Soviet Union” for performing as a tank driver in battles around Vitebsk.

Sgt Otybrskaya has a story that will surprise you. Check it out….

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Does the world really need more platypode - or platypuses - or whatever?

To answer my own rhetorical question. Maybe. But not without a second thought and some consideration.

Think before you speak. Consider before you do.  "Is this really a good idea"?

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Setting goals is a great way to improve and grow. The beginning of a new year is a traditional time to evaluate our lives - to see where we have been, where we are, and where we are going. 

The new year's resolution is a common example of this. It’s a great time to think about what we want to accomplish, what we want to change, and who we want to become. 

Goals can give us the power and perspective to move forward in incredible ways, and help us to achieve amazing success.

And, unfortunately, we can also give them the power to crush us with our perceived failure.

But have we failed? Let's not be so hasty?

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This episode is the final one for the third season, and for 2021. 

I get the privilege of sharing an interview with an extraordinary person, Kelli Charlton. She explores with us the concept of the 3 C’s. The 3 C's are an excellent prism to view life through. And, a great set of perspectives to view life through as we move forward into the new adventure of 2022!

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Christmas is full of tradition, symbolism, and mythology. There are rituals handed down over generations, and new customs begin with family and friends.

One of the more ancient traditions is the, sometimes lauded and often dreaded, Christmas Fruit Cake. (And no – I’m not referring to crazy aunt Mable) 

Believe it or not, fruitcake has an interesting history covering over 2 millennia. And, even today there a some who still propagate the fruit cake tradition during the holidays.

If you receive one – do so graciously (even if you will never eat it). 

If you are among those who are anti fruitcake – no worries – just give it to someone else. 

Either way, rest assured the fruitcake will be around for a long time to come because the sincere sentiment of some traditions will never go out of style.

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I’ve got a story for you about the life of one of the most well-known characters in entertainment history. This story will highlight some of the lesser-known facts about him. See if you can guess who it is before I tell you.

This character is probably one of the most famous 'Mama’s Boys' ever.

Though he never wrote his own music, he had an ingenious way of making the music uniquely his. 

His music was unfamiliar, new, different - it was unprecedented.

But in spite of initial trepidation and fear, he blazed forward clearing a trail in the music industry for many to follow.

And, a lot of folks didn’t like it – no not one bit.

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Idioms – defined as a phrase or group of words the represent a figurative, non-literal meaning attached to the phrase -or- an expression that cannot be understood from the meanings of its separate words but must be understood as a whole.

American English idioms can be a nightmare for those learning to speak English. And, also cause a lot of confusion for those who just haven’t heard the expression before. But they are fun and add color to the conversation.

Some examples of common idioms include “Give Up” meaning – surrender – or – the ball is in your court, meaning it’s now your responsibility. Or, a more current idiom, ‘google it’ which means looking it up on the internet using the google search engine.

Idioms can come and go quickly – and sometimes hang around confusingly past their ‘sell by’ date.

Idioms and other expressions that are absolutely clear to us can be absolutely unclear to others.

Even in plain English – or even worse, in legal terms – people misunderstand and may even end up in court.

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