We did a lot of camping as a family when I was a kid. We packed up our van (mom and dad did all the work, but I still like to say we), and the five of us piled in for more hours in a vehicle than any family should ever spend together. Our itinerary usually took us west. Yellowstone, Canada, Tetons, Mount Rainer, Badlands, Grand Canyon, Glacier, Mount Rushmore, Wall Drug, Reptile Gardens, Bear Country USA. You get the idea.
I'm not sure where I heard this theory, but it is so very true. Start your day by eating the frog, and you are empowered to take on the rest of the day. (What? Really? Ribbit?!?)
A few years ago I had the opportunity to attend the Daytona 500. You have to see it to believe it. I recommend putting it on your list of things to try and sneak in once before you die. It has nothing to do with being a racing fan. The sights, sounds, smells, the people. It is bigger than life. It's also a sign that spring can't be far away every February.
If today were my last day on earth, I think I would go without any real regrets. That feels pretty good. Now don't get me wrong, I am very much opposed to going today, but I am certain that we have almost no say in the matter. It's comforting to think we do, but we don't. Sure, we can be careful, and avoid dangerous situations; but the truth is, we don't get to chose how we die; we chose how we live.
I was driving through the Target parking lot yesterday, and apparently the happy lady coming from the other direction was a tad bit upset with my driving. Sure I moved over in her direction a little (at 5 mph and accidentally). And she flipped out. Arms flailing, yelling (which was extremely effective in her car with the windows rolled up, but I could see her jaw flapping away).
Ok, go ahead. Laugh, point fingers, snicker. I used to watch Oprah quite a bit. (I also watched the CBS soaps too. Bold & The Beautiful was my favorite.) Part of it was the fact that I didn't have cable, which limited my choices to Judge Judy, the guy painting on PBS, and Oprah. Back when Dr. Phil was an occasional Oprah guest I thought he was great. Now I think he has too much show, and too little material.
I was talking to a co-worker today about a new task she was trying to get comfortable with. She was frustrated and lacked confidence because she didn't feel comfortable with her new role. She was trying hard to learn, but was dissatisfied with how quickly her grasp of the duties was coming along.
Sure a big juicy burger is important, but for me it's all about slathering on lots of ketchup, mustard, and Miracle Whip. As much as I enjoy a summertime hot dog from the cart on Main Street, it would be nothing without chopped onions and ketchup spilling on to my shirt. And I love shrimp, but it's most important role is that of a delivery device for the cocktail sauce.
Sure I have been lucky, we all have at one time or another. We have probably been the victims of some really bad luck too. There are lucky ducks, good luck charms, and the luck of the Irish. I just wonder how to know when it's really luck, and when it's something else entirely. Have you ever noticed that the harder we work, the 'luckier' we are?
Why would anyone be satisfied with doing a job to anything less than the best of their ability? Why do some people consistently over achieve, while others consistently fall short? I think a large part of it is where they're aiming their guns. If someone's goal is to do what's expected, then I think they'll frequently come up short. Their best performance will be 'what's expected.'
On any given day there are about a million things that make their way up and down our to-do lists. Busy, busy, busy. We are forced to find a balance between what needs to be done, and what's important but can wait. We prioritize because we have to. The danger lies in leaving the wrong things on the to-do list for too long.
The NFL has cracked down on celebrations in the end zone after touchdowns. If you ask me, we don't celebrate enough. (At least in the non-football world.) We are very good at beating ourselves up when things go wrong. We need to make sure we are spiking the ball (or popping the cork) when things go great.
