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Tue Jul 22, 2008
So Why Are “They” Really Here?
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Note: To view Gene's Blogs posted before May 2008, just visit the "Articles" and "Odds 'N Ends" sections of NuPathz at http://www.nupathz.com/
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It does make you wonder sometimes, doesn’t it? You know the folks I’m talking about. The ones who seem to be wandering around in the middle of a fog bank. The ones without a clue apparently, as to what life is all about. We see their stories on the evening news, we hear about them from our friends or co-workers, we may even know some of them.
These are the “unfortunates”. The ones who are living in near-miserable to really crappy conditions – on the street, in garbage-filled, shabby houses, apartments or motel rooms, without transportation and often with just barely enough food to survive. The ones who are frequently abused in one way or another by acquaintances or relatives, who are trying to scrape together enough money to get their vehicle back into running condition and who frequently encounter more new obstacles to just living than most of us could possibly imagine.
Why are they really here? On earth? Many of us feel that we have a purpose for being here. That we are contributing in some way to the well-being of our families and maybe even society. We are productive – and even though all of us have had our share of difficulties in life, none of these can even begin to compare with the struggles encountered by those who are barely existing on the very edge of humanity.
They may never be really productive. Their chances for escaping their marginal conditions are slim to none. They probably have a better chance of winning the lottery. Sure, some of them may hold down a minimum wage job – or perhaps even several jobs – at sometime in their lives. Many will not. They are stuck – really badly stuck – in a rut that’s leading them to nowhere. That’s sad.
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Thu Jul 17, 2008
Redneck Computer Terms
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Note: To view Gene's Blogs posted before May 2008, just visit the "Articles" and "Odds 'N Ends" sections of NuPathz at http://www.nupathz.com/
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*For the four of you who have never seen this before – and the rest of you who might have, but don’t remember diddly-squat about it…
REDNECK COMPUTER TERMS
BACKUP - What you do when you run across a skunk in the woods.
BAR CODE - Them's the fight'n rules down at the local tavern.
BUG - The reason you give for calling in sick.
BYTE - What your pitbull dun to cusin Jethro.
CACHE - Needed when you run out of food stamps.
CHIP - Pasture muffins that you try not to step in.
CRASH - Where you go to Junior's party uninvited.
DIGITAL - The art of counting on your fingers.
DISKETTE - Female Disco dancer.
FAX - What you lie about to the Revenooers.
HACKER - Uncle Leroy after 32 years of smoking.
HARDCOPY - Picture looked at when selecting tattoos.
INTERNET - Where cafeteria workers put their hair.
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Mon Jul 14, 2008
Let It Go!
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Note: To view Gene's Blogs posted before May 2008, just visit the "Articles" and "Odds 'N Ends" sections of NuPathz at http://www.nupathz.com/
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Seriously. Discard, flush, erase, eradicate, obliterate, and otherwise demolish all those emotion-packed, life-limiting, memories that are holding you back and preventing you from cruising on to a happier life destination. All of ‘em. Everything! Let the past go! Just let it go!
OK, wait a minute… there are some of those memories you might like to hang on to. You know the ones I mean. The good ones. The fun ones. The exciting ones. Yeah, all of those. Those are worth keeping. You can even enhance or brighten them a bit if you want. But the rest of them – let them go!
My handy dandy little dictionary defines the past as anything that has “gone by or elapsed in time”. Here’s old Gene’s definition… anything that existed or occurred before NOW. This very moment. About a second ago, you read the previous three-word sentence fragment “this very moment”. About three seconds ago, that was your “now”. “Now” it is a part of your past – a thing that you did or experienced. It is no longer real. It is just a part of your memory.
Our “pasts” cover a lot of territory and admittedly, some for some of us it covers a bunch more territory than others. But for every one of us, our “past” is everything from one nanosecond ago on back to the beginning of our existence. Everything. It’s all just a part of our personal mental video.
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Thu Jul 10, 2008
Toilet Cleaning Instructions
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Note: To view Gene's Blogs posted before April 2008, just visit the "Articles" and "Odds 'N Ends" sections of NuPathz at http://www.nupathz.com/
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Just for the heck of it…
TOILET CLEANING INSTRUCTIONS
1. Put both lids of the toilet up and add 1/8 cup of pet shampoo to the water in the bowl.
2. Pick up the cat and soothe him while you carry him towards the bathroom.
3. In one smooth movement, put the cat in the toilet and close both lids. You may need to stand on the lid.
4. The cat will self agitate and make ample suds. Never mind the noises that come from the toilet, the cat is actually enjoying this.
5. Flush the toilet three or four times. This provides a "power-wash" and rinse".
6. Have someone open the front door of your home. Be sure that there are no people between the bathroom and the front door.
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Tue Jul 08, 2008
Diffusing Anger or Feeding the Flames
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Note: To view Gene's Blogs posted before April 2008, just visit the "Articles" and "Odds 'N Ends" sections of NuPathz at http://www.nupathz.com/
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If you occasionally find yourself in escalating arguments, here’s an approach worth considering…
DIFFUSING ANGER OR FEEDING THE FLAMES
By Margaret Paul, Ph.D.
Have you ever had an argument with someone -- a partner, spouse, close friend, child, parent or other relative, or a business associate -- that started small and spiraled into an intense conflict? Have you ever scratched your head, wondering how it got so out of control?
Let's take a look at what feeds the flames of anger and what diffuses it.
* Feeding the Flames of Anger *
Emma and Jake have been married for 14 years. They love each other, but they frequently have arguments that escalate into intense fights where both of them end up feeling awful.
They've noticed that it doesn't matter what the conflict is about. Just about anything can touch off their anger, defensiveness, and blame. Then the laundry list from the past comes up and they are at it, often ending with threats of divorce, which neither of them wants.
The problem is that they feed the flames with ANY response once one of them is angry.
Once a person is angry, he or she is no longer open to hearing another view of things. Anger is a way of trying to have control over getting one's way. When a person is angry and yelling at or blaming another person, they are trying to bully that person into doing what they want. They don't want to hear the other's feelings, explanations, lectures, or logic. When they are angry, they may have no feelings of caring about the other person -- they just want to control the person or the situation.
Therefore, ANYTHING you say to an angry person feeds the flames of anger and escalates the conflict. The angry person may use whatever you say against you. Then your own anger escalates as you defend against the attack and attempt to gain control over the other person's behavior, feelings, or views.
Now you are both pointlessly trying to control each other, bringing out the heavy artillery as you defend your position.
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Fri Jul 04, 2008
Friday Silliness - Cheap Parrot… and more…
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Note: To view Gene's Blogs posted before April 2008, just visit the "Articles" and "Odds 'N Ends" sections of NuPathz at http://www.nupathz.com/
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CHEAP PARROT
A woman went to a pet shop and immediately spotted a large, beautiful parrot. There was a sign on the cage that said $50.00. “Why so little?” she asked the pet store owner.
The owner looked at her and said, “Look, I should tell you first that this bird used to live in a house of prostitution and sometimes it says some pretty vulgar stuff.”
The woman thought about this, but decided she had to have the bird anyway. She took it home and hung the bird’s cage up in her living room and waited for it to say something.
The bird looked around the room, then at her, and said, “New house, new madam.”
The woman was a bit shocked at the implication, but then thought, “That’s really not so bad.”
When her two daughters returned from school the bird saw and said, “New house, new madam, new girls.”
The girls and the woman were a bit offended but then began to laugh about the situation considering how and where the parrot had been raised.
Moments later, the woman’s husband ‘Keith’ came home from work.
The bird looked at him and said,
“Hi, Keith!”
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Wed Jul 02, 2008
A Short Quiz
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Note: To view Gene's Blogs posted before April 2008, just visit the "Articles" and "Odds 'N Ends" sections of NuPathz at http://www.nupathz.com/
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1. There's one sport in which neither the spectators nor the participants know the score or the leader until the contest ends. What is it?
2. What famous North American landmark is constantly moving backward?
3. Of all vegetables, only two can live to produce on their own for several growing seasons. All other vegetables must be replanted every year. What are the only two perennial vegetables?
4. At noon and midnight the hour and minute hands are exactly coincident with each other. How many other times between noon and midnight do the hour and minute hands cross?
5. What is the only sport in which the ball is always in the possession of the team on defense, and the offensive team can score without touching the ball?
6. What fruit has its seeds on the outside?
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Mon Jun 30, 2008
Dogs and Cats
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Note: To view Gene's Blogs posted before April 2008, just visit the "Articles" and "Odds 'N Ends" sections of NuPathz at http://www.nupathz.com/
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*The following article is provided courtesy of Bret Burquest
DOGS AND CATS
Dogs are extremely social animals whose psychological welfare is dependent on an association with other dogs in a pack while following the guidance of the pack leader. Domestic dogs rely on a human master as a surrogate pack leader. Properly trained, a man can be dog's best friend.
Cats don’t need a pack leader to show the way. They’re self-contained units of indifference that rely mostly on whim.
Dogs don’t dwell on the past and give little thought to the future beyond their next meal. They live almost exclusively in the present.
Cats don’t dwell on anything, including the present. They live almost exclusively in a different dimension.
Show dogs fall into six categories, depending on their talents and lineage: sporting breeds, hound breeds, working breeds, terrier breeds, toy breeds and non-sporting breeds. A non-pedigree dog is called a mutt.
Show cats fall into two categories, depending on the length of their hair: longhaired division and shorthaired division. A non-pedigree cat is called a cat.
Dogs perform functional tasks such as herding livestock, following scents, retrieving game and providing protection.
Cats perform dysfunctional tasks such as unraveling a ball of twine or chasing an imaginary object.
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Thu Jun 26, 2008
A Woman’s Thoughts on Life
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Note: To view Gene's Blogs posted before April 2008, just visit the "Articles" and "Odds 'N Ends" sections of NuPathz at http://www.nupathz.com/
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Women over 50 don't have babies because they would put them down and forget where they left them.
A friend of mine confused her Valium with her birth control pills... she has 14 kids but doesn't really care.
One of life's mysteries is how a 2-pound box of chocolates can make a woman gain 5 lbs.
My mind not only wanders, it sometimes leaves completely.
The best way to forget your troubles is to wear tight shoes.
The nice part about living in a small town is that when you don't know what you are doing, someone else does.
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Tue Jun 24, 2008
Operatoooor – Number Pleeyazz…
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Note: To view Gene's Blogs posted before April 2008, just visit the "Articles" and "Odds 'N Ends" sections of NuPathz at http://www.nupathz.com/
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That’s what she would say. As I remember it from my years as a really short person, after you had cranked the handle and lifted up the receiver, you’d hear this female voice down at the telephone office say “Operatooor. Number pleeyazz.” (I think that’s how they were taught to say it.) Then you’d give her the number you wanted to call – usually something complicated like “Hi Shirley - 671, please” (or even “Doc Wykoff’s office, please”…) – and she’d move a plug to the right hole on the switchboard and do whatever she had to do to make Doc’s telephone ring. That is unless she knew that Doc had gone out to the Strauss’s for a house call, then she’d let you know that she could connect you there or that if you wanted, you could just wait about a half an hour until he got back to the office and try again then. Talk about personalized service…
Those were the days of the party line. You’d have several – maybe even up to twenty or so – families sharing a single phone line. You’d know when you got a call by the number and length of rings you heard coming from the telephone. Ours was two short rings if I remember correctly. You’d always know who was getting a call on your party line by the number of rings. And of course, if you wanted to be just a little snoopy, you could quietly pick up the receiver on your phone and “rubber”. Yep, that’s what they called eavesdropping back then. Sort of tacky but actually a lot of folks did it and nobody seemed to care all that much. Except for old Mrs. Snyder, that is. She could get downright snotty about it at times.
Gosh, we’ve come a long way, haven’t we? Now we can call just about anybody we want anytime we want from anywhere we want. Have an urge to talk with your neighbor’s second cousin Mable who is vacationing on Isolation Beach, Florida while you’re zipping down the freeway at a breakneck 7 MPH? Just do it. Want to check the current status of your investment in Ear Hair Removal Cream stock while you’re canoeing leisurely down the North Fork River? Just do it. Want to… well, you get the idea.
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