Ray's Daily

Did you see it?

The question is not what you look at, but what you see.

Henry David Thoreau

If you have been reading the Daily for some time you have heard me lament the fact that I, like many others, miss a lot of what is around me. Often I catch myself not seeing something only because it has always been there and yet when I do stop to look I find some things change with age and far too often I learn that I never really looked in the first place. We are all told that our ability to stay focused is a great attribute that will improve performance, but I believe that if we stay too focused to see and appreciate what is around us we will lose in the long run.

Yesterday morning I had breakfast with a friend who commented on how I am almost always very early. It does appear to be compulsive behavior but I have learned that planning a leisurely drive or a half an hour of personal time for relaxed reading in advance of a commitment is great for the soul and is fuel for later accomplishment. It seems to me that we live part-time in an almost parallel world filled with electronically generated images and untold hundreds of messages and facts that can put so much demands on us that we miss the beauty of the real world.

What got me thinking about this today was an article in PositivelyPresent a blog written by a gal who focuses in on maintaining a positive outlook, here is some of what she had to say.

Seeing the small: how to look for the little things

Over the weekend I checked out an art exhibit featuring miniature art. All of the paintings and sculptures were miniature — no bigger than my hand — and they were beautiful. As a walked through the exhibit, surprised by the details and inspired by those who painted them, I began to think about the little things in life that often go unnoticed. Should one of those beautiful paintings be placed in a typical art gallery, it might go unnoticed, dwarfed by the scale of the typical paintings hanging beside it. Likewise, surrounded by all of the big things in life, the tiny things around us often go unnoticed.

But after seeing that exhibit this weekend, I realize that I’m still missing out on some of the best things in life: the little things. How often do I look down to see what’s on the ground? How often do I look closely at something I love — a book, a painting, a person — and really see the little things in it? Not often enough, I’d say.

Life is short and I don’t want to miss out on any of it. So I’m going to commit to looking at the little things in life — both through the lens of my camera and through my unfiltered eyes. I’m going to commit to looking for the tiny changes, the small details, the little ways the world is shaped by almost imperceptible elements. But I know it’s going to take some practice. Being present is tough enough and looking for the little details will kick the difficulty level up a notch. Here are some of the ways I’m going to learn to look for the little things:

Ways to Look for the Little Things

Study the lines on the face of someone you love.

Watch the sidewalk when you walk.

Examine the brush strokes on a painting.

Pause your favorite scene in a movie and look closer.

Seek out one little thing you love about your home.

Look at the various colors in a clouded sky (it’s not just gray!).

Check out the people on the sidelines during a big game.

Look up and see what’s above you right now.

Print out a quote you love and memorize the words.

Those are just a few suggestions to get me started. Just like being present in a general sense, being present to the little things in life is a great way to live a more positive life. Focusing on what’s all around you — what’s happening in this moment — allows us to live our lives more fully without worrying about the future or dwelling on the past.

Dani

~~~

It is the familiar that usually eludes us in life. What is before our nose is what we see last.

William Barrett

~~~

A husband read an article to his wife about how many words women use a day… 30,000 to a man’s 15,000. The wife replied, “The reason has to be because we have to repeat everything to men… The husband then turned to his wife and asked, “What?”

~~~

Hold fast to time! Use it! Be conscious of each day, each hour! They slip away unnoticed all too easily and swiftly.

Thomas Mann

~~~

My buddy applied for a job as an insurance salesman.  Where the form requested “prior experience,” he wrote “lifeguard.”  That was it. Nothing else.

“We’re looking for someone who can not only sell insurance, but who can sell himself as well,” said the hiring manager.  “How does working as a lifeguard pertain to salesmanship?”

My pal replied, “I couldn’t swim.”  He got the job.

~~~

Show me a man with both feet firmly on the ground, and I’ll show you a man who can’t get his pants off.

~~~

The new pastor decided to visit the children’s Sunday school class.  The teacher introduced him to the children and said, “Pastor Jones, this morning we’re studying Joshua.”

“That’s wonderful,” said the new pastor, “let’s see what you’re learning. How about we start with this…who can give me an answer to this…. who tore down the walls of Jericho?”

Little Billy shyly raised hand and offered, “Pastor, I didn’t do it.”

Taken aback, the pastor asked, “Come on, now, *WHO* tore down those walls of Jericho?”

The teacher, interrupting, said, “Pastor, Billy’s a good boy. If he says he didn’t do it, I believe he didn’t do it.” Flustered, the pastor left the room and went directly to the Sunday school director and related the story to him.

The director, looking worried, explained, “Well, sir, we’ve had some problems with Billy before.  Let me talk to him and see what we can do.” Huh? Really bothered now by the answers of the teacher and the director, the new pastor approached the deacons and related the whole story, including the responses of the teacher and the director.

A white-haired gentleman thoughtfully stroked his chin and said, “Well, Pastor, I move we just take the money from the general fund to pay for the walls and leave it at that.”

~~~

Truth is like the sun. You can shut it out for a time, but it ain’t goin’ away.

Elvis Presley

~~~

A woman was telling her friend, “You know, Jane, it was me who made my husband what he is today–a millionaire.”

“Is that right? Well, what was he before you married him?” asked the Jane.

The woman replied, “A billionaire!”

~~~

Many people have never learned to see the beauty of flowers, especially those that grow unnoticed. For instance, when you walk outside and look down at your feet, you may see tiny flowers nestled in the moss and clover hiding under a curled fern. Most people just step on them. I paint them.

ERIKA JUS

~~~

Stay well, do good work, and have fun.

Ray Mitchell

Indianapolis, Indiana

Management is not responsible for duplicates from previous dailies. The editor is somewhat senile.

This daily is sent only to special people who want to start their day on an upbeat. If you have system overload because of our daily clutter, let me know and I will send you the information via mental telepathy. If you have not been getting our daily you can request to be added by e-mailing me at raykiwsp@gmail.com. Back issues are posted at https://raykiwsp.wordpress.com/ currently there are about 2000 readers from around the world.

You’re welcome to come with us!

Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.

Helen Keller

I met yesterday morning with a top administrator of a local university and the executive director of one of our cities premier senior serving organization. I commented on how I was concerned about many of my older friends who seem to be afraid to move with the changes that take place around us as time goes by, letting the opportunities to live a fuller life as they age pass them by. Unfortunately I also know many young who just stagnate in place trapped in a mundane existence. Thankfully it does not have to be that way, but it will be if they don’t get up and see the scenery of an ever changing world as an opportunity embrace the changes rather than fighting them or ignoring them.

As we talked I realized that for many it is not a case of wanting to stand still but rather a case of not knowing how to move ahead. Possibly it is fear of change but more likely it is lacking the confidence to risk venturing into the unknown. I know from experience that once someone who does step on the train that carries us through an ever changing landscape of ideas, interesting people and entertaining experiences their life becomes more stimulating and enjoyable.

One of the reasons that I am so active with Indianapolis OASIS, my friend’s agency, is that it provides an open door to a fuller life for those over fifty. No matter what a person’s interest may be or even might be OASIS can point its members in the right direction and even provide new friends to share the experiences.

We don’t have to wait to be asked either; we can take the first step on our own. I recently read a long article entitled Life Keeps Moving and So Should You written by author counselor Odette Worrell. It is too lengthy to include in its entirety so here is an excerpt that I think is worth your time.

I once read, “It isn’t enough to look up the steps, you must step up the steps.” Breakthroughs don’t happen by thinking about how to make a change….breakthroughs happen through action. Our fear of what we will leave behind & the comfort of knowing what to expect keeps us from moving forward. How about thinking of what not moving forward is keeping you from experiencing? If you are truly wanting to experience happiness, you will have to brave stepping outside your comfort zone and allow yourself to engage with the unknown. It is akin to being on a date with yourself.

Do one thing every day that you love.

The sheer fact that you are doing something that appeals to you and is for the sole reason of finding pleasure in your day will slowly make you reconnect with the part of you that has been shuffled aside for years. It is amazing to hear how difficult it is for people to take 3 minutes a day to honor themselves. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out what message we are giving our bodies and our psyche when we tell it that we simply don’t have time for ourselves. Find the joy and love yourself a little. You won’t believe what joy building can do to transform your life.

“Do” with “you” factored in the equation.

Many of us are living to work, rather than working to live. Remember that life is more than just paying the bills. A well-lived life is not simply a matter of what we have done or accomplished, but rather who we were while getting there?

Find someone without an agenda.

Whether it is a friend, a therapist, or a complete stranger….being able to share your struggle is often enough to release them. Being able to voice our fears in a safe place where there is no judgment, releases the tension and anxiety of suppressing our innermost feelings.

Put one or all of these pieces together and you will be that much closer to finding the ease that we all search for as the world around us changes. When a river comes to a stone, it simply bends and flows around it. Find this place in your own life. There is no need to push the river. When you get to those bridges, just put one foot in front of the other. Have faith that what awaits is simply a better you.

~~~

Most of the shadows of this life are caused by our standing in our own sunshine.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

~~~

Two kids are talking to each other. One says, “I’m really worried. My dad works twelve hours a day to give me a nice home and good food. My mom spends the whole day cleaning and cooking for me. I’m worried sick!”

The other kid says, “What have you got to worry about? Sounds to me like you’ve got it made!”

The first kid says, “What if they try to escape?”

~~~

If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door.

~~~

A customer wanted to ask his attractive waitress for a date, but couldn’t get her attention. When he was able to catch her eye, she quickly looked away. Finally he followed her into the kitchen and blurted out his invitation. To his amazement, she readily consented.

He said, “Why have you been avoiding me all this time? You wouldn’t even make eye contact.”

“Oh,” said the waitress, “I thought you wanted more coffee.”

~~~

“Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.”

John R. Wooden

~~~

A man goes to consult a specialist about his medical problem. After the visit the man asks, “How much do I owe you?”

“My fee is five hundred dollars,” replies the physician.

“Five hundred dollars? That’s impossible. No one charges that much!”

“In your case,” the doctor replies, “I suppose I could adjust my fee to three hundred.”

“Three hundred dollars? For one visit? Ridiculous.”

“Well, then, could you afford two hundred?”

“Who has that kind of money?”

“Look, replies the doctor,” growing irritated, “Just give me fifty bucks and get out.”

“I can give you twenty says the man. Take it or leave it.”

“I don’t understand you,” says the doctor. “Why did you come to the most expensive doctor in New York if you have no money?”

“Listen, Doctor”, says the patient, “When it comes to my health, nothing is too expensive.”

~~~

I’m safe from identity theft, no one wants to be me.

~~~

A lady who was speeding had an officer pulled her to the side of the road. She didn’t have her seat belt on so as soon as she stopped, she quickly slipped it on before the officer got to her window.

After talking to her about speeding, the officer said, “I see you are wearing your seat belt. Do you believe in wearing it at all times?”

“Yes, I do, officer,” she replied.

“Well,” asked the officer, “do you always do it up with it looped through your steering wheel?”

~~~

The best way to prepare for life is to begin to live.

Elbert Hubbard

~~~

Stay well, do good work, and have fun.

Ray Mitchell

Indianapolis, Indiana

Management is not responsible for duplicates from previous dailies. The editor is somewhat senile.

This daily is sent only to special people who want to start their day on an upbeat. If you have system overload because of our daily clutter, let me know and I will send you the information via mental telepathy. If you have not been getting our daily you can request to be added by e-mailing me at raykiwsp@gmail.com. Back issues are posted at https://raykiwsp.wordpress.com/ currently there are about 2000 readers from around the world.

It works well for us!

It is the things in common that make relationships enjoyable, but it is the little differences that make them interesting.

Todd Ruthman

I have good news, I did not fail my first real cardiac rehab session last Friday, I didn’t do much but I did do what I was told to do. Today we get more serious. I am scheduled for thirty three insurance paid sessions, I don’t expect miracles but I do have high hopes. I know I will benefit from the discipline.

~~~

On another subject, as many of you know I have been married since I was a teenager. My wife Nancy and I have had the good fortune to have had three great children who have given us seven great grandchildren. I give my wife most of credit for how well they developed for my early career kept me away from my family for extended periods during the kid’s formative years.

We have had our up and downs like most couples, but we always got through them, primarily because of our ability to forgive those we care about. I sometimes think that part of the success of our over a half-century of marriage is that I have enough flaws to satisfy my wife’s need to provide me council but not enough to create pain and ill will. All in all I really don’t see how my life could be much better.

In our case I don’t think the secret is more than unbelievable compatibility. Some people think it is strange because in many ways we are so different from each other. Our interests vary, sometimes completely, yet we care enough not to require each other to like the same things, do the same things and even think the same way. There is significant overlap of course, our love of family, enjoying live theatre, world travel and the friends we have in common are examples. But there is an equal amount that we do independently and that works well for us, we do not require each other to join us when we are doing something outside our common interest. We do make allowances when something is important enough for one that the others participation is warranted but that does not happen often. Yes our marriage wears a rich patina that has been created by many years of loving compatibility.

You know it is not often easy for someone to move away from their self-centered beliefs and accept someone else’s differences, but trust me it is worth the effort. Here are some tips that I found on a State of Virginia that can make for a happier existence.

10 Tips to Improve Your Interpersonal Skills

1. Practice Smiling Often.  No one wants to be around someone who is always frowning.  Maintain a positive, cheerful attitude about work and life.

2. Pay Attention to People.  Make eye contact and address people by their first names.  Ask them for their opinions and suggestions.

3. Be Generous with Praise and Words of Encouragement.  If you let others know that they are appreciated, they will want to give you their best.

4. Keep Your Promises.  If you promise something to someone, follow up on it.

5. Treat Everyone Fairly.  Do not play favorites and avoid talking about others behind their backs.

6. Pay Close Attention to Your Body Language.  This and the tone of your voice have a lot to do with how people feel about you.  Think before you speak!

7. Make other’s Laugh.  Most people are drawn to a person who can make them feel better.

8. Try to See Things from Another Person’s View.  Empathy is about being able to put yourself in someone else’s shoes and understanding how they feel.

9. Keep an Open Mind.  Remember there is always room for discussion and compromise.

10. Don’t Complain.  There is nothing worse than a chronic whiner.  Try to focus on helping other people solve their problems and it will be remembered.

~~~

Find the person who will love you because of your differences and not in spite of them and you have found a lover for life.

Leo Buscaglia

~~~

QUOTES FROM WHEN NANCY AND I GOT MARRIED

1) “I’ll tell you one thing, if things keep going the way they are, it’s going to be impossible to buy a weeks groceries for $20.”

2) “Have you seen the new cars coming out next year? It won’t be long when $5000 will only buy a used one.”

3) “If cigarettes keep going up in price, I’m going to quit. A quarter a pack is ridiculous.”

4) “Did you hear the post office is thinking about charging a dime just to mail a letter?”

5) “If they raise the minimum wage to $1, nobody will be able to hire outside help at the store.”

6) “When I first started driving, who would have thought gas would someday cost 40 cents a gallon. Guess we’d be better off leaving the car in the garage.”

7) “Did you see where some baseball player just signed a contract for $75,000 a year just to play ball? It wouldn’t surprise me if someday they’ll be making more than the president.”

8) “Do you suppose television will ever reach our part of the country?”

9) “I never thought I’d see the day all our kitchen appliances would be electric. They are even making electric typewriters now.”

10) “It’s too bad things are so tough nowadays. I see where some married women are having to work to make ends meet.”

11) “Did you know the new church in town is allowing women to wear slacks to their service?”

12). “Why in the world would you want to send your daughter to college? Isn’t she going to get married? It would be different if she could be a doctor or a lawyer.”

13) “There is no sense going to Lincoln or Omaha anymore for a weekend. It costs nearly $15 a night to stay in a hotel.”

14) “If a few idiots want to risk their necks flying across the country that’s fine, but nothing will ever replace trains.”

15) “We won’t be going out much anymore. Our sitter informed us she wants 50 cents an hour. Kids think money grows on trees.”

~~~

The right thing to say comes to mind after you’ve said the wrong thing.

~~~

She said: A friend and I were shopping for dresses for her three-year-old girls to wear to a wedding.  In the store, another girl staring intently at Sarah and Becky asked, “Are those girls twins?”

“Actually they’re triplets,” I explained. “They have a brother at home.”

“Wow,” she replied. “They sure look like twins to me.”

~~~

The secret of good golf is to hit the ball hard, straight and not too often.

~~~

I phoned one of those “let’s sue everyone partnerships” that advertise on T. V. I told them I wanted to sue them! I hurt myself going for the remote to turn them off.

Their response was “which member of the firm was doing the commercial?”

~~~

The darkest hour is only 60 minutes.

~~~

A young man visiting a dude ranch wanted to be macho, so he went out walking with one of the hired hands. As they were walking through the barnyard, the visitor tried to begin a conversation, “Say, look at that big bunch of cows.”

The hired hand replied, “Not ‘bunch,’ but ‘herd.'”

“Heard what?”

“Herd of cows.”

“Sure, I’ve heard of cows… there’s a big bunch of ’em right over there.”

~~~

“Love comes when manipulation stops; when you think more about the other person than about his or her reactions to you. When you dare to reveal yourself fully. When you dare to be vulnerable.”

Dr. Joyce Brothers

~~~

Stay well, do good work, and have fun.

Ray Mitchell

Indianapolis, Indiana

Management is not responsible for duplicates from previous dailies. The editor is somewhat senile.

This daily is sent only to special people who want to start their day on an upbeat. If you have system overload because of our daily clutter, let me know and I will send you the information via mental telepathy. If you have not been getting our daily you can request to be added by e-mailing me at raykiwsp@gmail.com. Back issues are posted at https://raykiwsp.wordpress.com/ currently there are about 2000 readers from around the world.

Thanks everyone!

We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures.

Thornton Wilder

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day, a national holiday in my country. Traditionally it motivates many of us to look back and appreciate all the reasons we have to be grateful for the many things that make our lives worthwhile. It is not a day to be spent on what is wrong in the world but rather to focus in on what is right. It is also time for those of us who are lucky enough to have family nearby to share our love for each other over a feast. My hope is that the spirit of Thanksgiving will linger on for far longer than just one day and possibly help to defuse the anger and ill will that is so prevalent these days.

There will be no Daily until next Monday since we are taking both tomorrow and Friday off. But I want you to know before I leave that all of you are on my reasons-to-be-thankful list, so many of you make my life both interesting and worthwhile. I am afraid there are far too many others who have either lost sight of the value of Thanksgiving or are so alone that they need people like you and me to let them know they are worthy and important. Here is a poem by Edgar Guest written many years ago that brings up images of what Thanksgiving can mean if we follow its spirit.

Thanksgiving

Gettin’ together to smile an’ rejoice,

An’ eatin’ an’ laughin’ with folks of your choice;

An’ kissin’ the girls an’ declarin’ that they

Are growin more beautiful day after day;

Chattin’ an’ braggin’ a bit with the men,

Buildin’ the old family circle again;

Livin’ the wholesome an’ old-fashioned cheer,

Just for awhile at the end of the year.

Greetings fly fast as we crowd through the door

And under the old roof we gather once more

Just as we did when the youngsters were small;

Mother’s a little bit grayer, that’s all.

Father’s a little bit older, but still

Ready to romp an’ to laugh with a will.

Here we are back at the table again

Tellin’ our stories as women an men.

Bowed are our heads for a moment in prayer;

Oh, but we’re grateful an’ glad to be there.

Home from the east land an’ home from the west,

Home with the folks that are dearest an’ best.

Out of the sham of the cities afar

We’ve come for a time to be just what we are.

Here we can talk of ourselves an’ be frank,

Forgettin’ position an’ station an’ rank.

Give me the end of the year an’ its fun

When most of the plannin’ an’ toilin’ is done;

Bring all the wanderers home to the nest,

Let me sit down with the ones I love best,

Hear the old voices still ringin’ with song,

See the old faces unblemished by wrong,

See the old table with all of its chairs

An I’ll put soul in my Thanksgivin’ prayers.

~~~

A thankful heart is not only the greatest virtue, but the parent of all the other virtues.

Cicero

~~~

A man in Phoenix calls his son in New York the day before Thanksgiving and says, “I hate to ruin your day, but I have to tell you that your mother and I are divorcing; forty-five years of misery is enough.

“Pop, what are you talking about?” the son screams. We can’t stand the sight of each other any longer,” the father says. “We’re sick of each other, and I’m sick of talking about this, so you call your sister in Chicago and tell her.”

Frantic, the son calls his sister, who explodes on the phone. “Like heck they’re getting divorced,” she shouts, “I’ll take care of this,”

She calls Phoenix immediately, and screams at her father, “You are NOT getting divorced. Don’t do a single thing until I get there. I’m calling my brother back, and we’ll both be there tomorrow. Until then, don’t do a thing, DO YOU HEAR ME?” and hangs up.

The old man hangs up his phone and turns to his wife. “Okay,” he says, “they’re coming for Thanksgiving and paying their own way.”

~~~

“My cooking is so bad my kids thought Thanksgiving was to commemorate Pearl Harbor.”

Phyllis Diller

~~~

A lady was picking through the frozen turkeys at the grocery store, but couldn’t find one big enough for her family. She asked the stock boy, ‘Do these turkeys get any bigger?’

The stock boy answered, ‘No ma’am, they’re dead.’

~~~

Vegetables are a must on a diet. I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread and pumpkin pie.

Jim Davis

~~~

In the week before Thanksgiving Mary-Jo asked her class of 9 year-olds to write a paragraph entitled: ‘What I am most thankful for on Thanksgiving Day’. All Joey could write was:  ‘I am thankful that I’m not a turkey at Thanksgiving.’

~~~

“He who thanks but with the lips

Thanks but in part;

The full, the true Thanksgiving

Comes from the heart.”

J.A. Shedd

~~~

Stay well, do good work, and have fun.

Ray Mitchell

Indianapolis, Indiana

Management is not responsible for duplicates from previous dailies. The editor is somewhat senile.

This daily is sent only to special people who want to start their day on an upbeat. If you have system overload because of our daily clutter, let me know and I will send you the information via mental telepathy. If you have not been getting our daily you can request to be added by e-mailing me at raykiwsp@gmail.com. Back issues are posted at https://raykiwsp.wordpress.com/ currently there are about 2000 readers from around the world.

I start again tomorrow

“When you are in the valley, keep your goal firmly in view and you will get the renewed energy to continue the climb.”

Denis Waitley

I have pre-Thanksgiving good news, the docs have monitored my Pacemaker adjustment results and found improvement. Because of the seven days of better heart performance I am able to go back to Cardiac rehab tomorrow, let’s hope I last more than 3 minutes this time.

As I think I shared with you before the goal of the rehab is to restore my vigor, improve my physical status, get me back into the habit of regular exercise, and motivate me to eat smarter and lose my excess pounds. In effect my doc’s are taking away my excuses. I have really done poorly using the heart problems as the rationale for not pushing too hard. The sad part was that before all this happened I was on my treadmill regularly and had lost substantial weight and felt good. That is where I want to get to again, I have a cruise in early January and I do not want to have to restrict my activity to the point I miss too much. Of course I understand that what I must do is reestablish the mindset that will keep me from slacking off.

I like what personal trainer Bob Choat offers in the following article. As of this moment I plan on following his advice, OK I will follow his advice, is that more positive?

Creating a Peak Performance Mindset

Being able to stay at a high level of performance on a continuing basis is difficult for the majority of the population. It’s important to have the right mindset in order to stay at a high level of living day in and day out. There are certain mental techniques that you can use.

1. Make sure you are keeping yourself fit. Get out and exercise. This will enable you to deal with both mental and physical stress that may come your way.

2. Eat high quality foods. By eating right and healthy, your body will get the proper nutrients for physical and mental health.

3. Do deep breathing. Our blood supply needs constant oxygen that will energize our bodies and minds. This will insure that our bodies get the energy it needs and keep our lungs healthy too.

4. Do mental training. Meditation and self-hypnosis as well as visualization help to calm a stressed mind and to develop focus and awareness. The more you’re able to train your mind on a regular basis, the easier it will be to access that calm state whenever you need it.

5. Stay optimistic. Having a positive mindset is important for continued high level performance. Being around positive people will help you too.

6. Have positive goals. Having goals that you can stay focused on will help you stay focused on the task at hand and provide a target to aim for.

7. Do some extreme self-care. Taking care of you first is important for recovery. You’ve done some of it in the other steps. It’s important to take some down time. This recovery period will help raise your performance level when you are taking action.

~~~

Lots of people limit their possibilities by giving up easily. Never tell yourself this is too much for me. It’s no use. I can’t go on. If you do you’re licked, and by your own thinking too. Keep believing and keep on keeping on.”

Norman Vincent Peale

~~~

“I’d like the number for Jennifer Smith in Richmond, Virginia,” the young man said to the 411 operator.

“There are multiple listings for Jennifer Smith in Richmond, Virginia,” the operator said.

“Do you happen to have a street name?”

The young man scratched his head and hesitated a minute, and then replied…..

“Well, if it will help any, my friends call me ‘Snake’.”

~~~

A good wife always forgives her husband when she’s wrong.

Milton Berle

~~~

What did the Yogi say when he walked into the Zen Pizza Parlor?

“Make me one with everything.”

When the Yogi got the pizza, he gave the proprietor a $20 bill. The proprietor pocketed the bill. The Yogi said “Don’t I get change?”

The proprietor said, “Change must come from within.”

~~~

The only two things we do with greater frequency as we age are urinate and attend funerals.

~~~

A man in a hurry taking his 8-year old son to school, made a turn at a red light where it was prohibited.

“Uh-oh, I just made an illegal turn!” the man says.

“Aw, dad, it’s okay,” the son replies. “The poilce car behind us just did the same thing too!”

~~~

If you tell the truth, you don’t have to remember anything.

~~~

A blonde woman goes to the post office to buy stamps for her Christmas cards.

She says to the clerk, “May I have 50 Christmas stamps?”

The clerk says, “What denominations?”

The woman says, “God help us. Has it come to this? Give me 6 Catholic, 12 Presbyterian, 10 Lutheran and 22 Baptists.”

~~~

It’s always darkest before dawn. So if you’re going to steal your neighbor’s newspaper, that’s the time to do it.

~~~

A man is a person who, if a woman says, “Never mind, I’ll do it myself,” lets her.

A woman is a person who, if she says to a man, “Never mind, I’ll do it myself,” and he lets her; gets mad.

A man is a person who, if a woman says to him, “Never mind, I’ll do it myself,” and he lets her and she gets mad; says, “Now what are you mad about?”

A woman is a person who, if she says to a man, “Never mind, I’ll do it myself,” and he lets her and she gets mad, and he says, “Now what are mad about?” says, “If you don’t know I’m not going to tell you.”

~~~

The greatest discovery of my generation is that a human being can alter his life by altering his attitudes of mind.”

William James

~~~

Stay well, do good work, and have fun.

Ray Mitchell

Indianapolis, Indiana

Management is not responsible for duplicates from previous dailies. The editor is somewhat senile.

This daily is sent only to special people who want to start their day on an upbeat. If you have system overload because of our daily clutter, let me know and I will send you the information via mental telepathy. If you have not been getting our daily you can request to be added by e-mailing me at raykiwsp@gmail.com. Back issues are posted at https://raykiwsp.wordpress.com/ currently there are about 2000 readers from around the world.

I was disappointed!

The size of your success is measured by the strength of your desire; the size of your dream; and how you handle disappointment along the way.

Robert Kiyosaki

I have often been accused of not taking things as seriously as I should. As I have shared with you in the past I have been fortunate to realize that you can’t change what has already happened and that rather than agonizing over it, it is best to learn from it and move on. Another thing that has always helped me is the understanding that almost everything we worry about does not happen, so worry is a non-productive distraction that can really have a negative effect on how we feel and what we do. I decided a long time ago that it is better understand our challenges, prepare for them if we can and then put off worry until it is too late to worry and then take whatever recovery steps you can.

Of course my life, like everyone else’s has its ups and downs. Lately I have had a number of regrets. In the past two weeks I missed a community based board meeting, had to leave a Salvation Army major event before it was completed, had to cancel my attendance to a leadership organizations annual meeting, as well as missing a number of other activities. What is so disappointing is that I am sometimes letting others down. My life has been full and I have seen and done a lot so missing some activities is no big deal from my standpoint, but to me it is when I am expected by others to participate but don’t. The reality is that my health has been somewhat erratic of late and what I have tried to do is avoid any commitments where I would be important or critical to the outcome. I have even offered to resign from one board, not due to lack of interest but rather due to my failing to help as much as needed, my resignation was not accepted.

I can live with the disappointment but I am not happy with letting others down. Hopefully this week will lay the foundation for wellness after my heart docs read the results last week’s cardiac monitoring. The disappointment not withstanding I have much to be thankful for and will truly appreciate our Thanksgiving Holiday on Thursday.

I live through my disappointments but sometimes it is not always easy. Here are tips from E-How Health that might help me and possibly others.

How to handle disappointment

1 If you fail at something, don’t let the disappointment stop you from trying again. Pick yourself up and give it a try again. You may just succeed next time.

2 Think about all the other great achievements that you had in your life. Use this to strengthen yourself. Know that this is just a temporary stumbling block.

3 Talk to yourself, tell yourself that you are not a failure. Use other successful people as examples. Use their experiences to help you look at things from a different perspective.

4 Use laughter to deal with your disappointments. Don’t let your disappointments steal your joy. It helps if you can find humor in the situation.

5 Choose supportive, positive friends to share your pain with. Hearing uplifting words can make a big difference and help to boost your self-esteem.

6 Find things to occupy your time. keeping yourself busy will lessen the pain. Sometimes when you encounter disappointments, you become stronger from it. Keep your head up high, and look towards a brighter beginning.

~~~

You may be disappointed if you fail, but you are doomed if you don’t try.

Beverly Sills

~~~

A foursome teed off on the long par-3 eighth hole. The green on this hole lay behind a large bunker, so any shot that made the green would disappear over the top ridge of bunker. You couldn’t tell where your ball landed until you arrived on the green.

After the last player hit his shot, the first golfer to hit charged off down the fairway, without waiting for the others. He disappeared over the bunker and seconds later came running back down the fairway to the other three, yelling and screaming, “I got a hole-in-one!

I don’t believe it!” “You’ve got to be kidding,” said the other golfers in the foursome. “You run ahead of us down the fairway. Then you vanish over the rise, where you know we can’t see you, and, all of a sudden, you start hootin’ and hollerin’ about a hole-in-one. Do you actually expect us to believe you? How stupid do you think we three are?”

“No, no. It’s true. I swear it,” he said crossing his heart. “Go look. I left it in the hole to prove it.”

~~~

A pessimist mourns the future.

~~~

Millions of years ago, there was no such thing as the wheel; the only way to move things was by carrying or dragging. One day, some primitive guys were watching their wives drag a dead mastodon to the food preparation area. It was exhausting work; the guys were getting tired just watching. Then they noticed some large, smooth, rounded boulders, and they had an idea: They could sit on the much more comfortable boulders and watch! This was the first in a series of breakthroughs that ultimately led to watching football on television.

~~~

I just read a report that stated that last year 4,153,237 people got married.

I don’t want to start any trouble, but shouldn’t that be an even number?

~~~

When entering a hotel where she and her husband were staying, Gladys, a devout Baptist, noticed a shabbily dressed man lounging idly in front of the newspaper stand in the lobby. She noticed that several men stopped to talk to him and gave him a little money. He seemed so cheered by the encounters she impulsively put ten dollars in an envelope, wrote ‘God Bless” on the outside, and handed it to him.

The nest day the man stopped her on the street. “Here’s your $250,” he said cheerily. “God Bless won 28 to 1!”

~~~

To make the world a friendly place, one must show it a friendly face.

James Whitcomb Riley

~~~

Arnold was a ventriloquist, and not a good one at that. In fact business was so bad that he was trying his luck as a medium. One day, a widow came into his office and said that she wanted to contact her dear departed husband and asked Arnold what he charged.

“If you only want to hear him speak,” said Arnold, “I charge $30. If you want to have a conversation with him, I charge $50. But I charge $100 if you want a conversation with him while I’m drinking a glass of water.”

~~~

I have six locks on my door all in a row.  When I go out, I lock every other one.  I figure no matter how long somebody stands there picking the locks, they are always locking three.

Elayne Boosler

~~~

It was a typically busy day at the bank. After a glance at the line of waiting customers, a harried looking man came up to the side counter and demanded, “What do I have to do to change the address on my account?”

Without missing a beat, the clerk replied, “Move!”

~~~

Men’s best successes come after their disappointments.

Henry Ward Beecher

~~~

Stay well, do good work, and have fun.

Ray Mitchell

Indianapolis, Indiana

Management is not responsible for duplicates from previous dailies. The editor is somewhat senile.

This daily is sent only to special people who want to start their day on an upbeat. If you have system overload because of our daily clutter, let me know and I will send you the information via mental telepathy. If you have not been getting our daily you can request to be added by e-mailing me at raykiwsp@gmail.com. Back issues are posted at https://raykiwsp.wordpress.com/ currently there are about 2000 readers from around the world.

Take the next two days off!

A weekend wasted isn’t a wasted weekend.

Author Unknown

A few weeks ago I wrote in the Daily on a Friday that I thought that we needed to lock away our things-to-do lists, store our worries and just let ourselves enjoy life for a couple of days. I was pleased when I got a note from one of our readers that the message got to her just at the right moment for she was loading up work to take home that would tie her up all weekend and decided to just set it back down and start Saturday without an agenda. She said it worked great and she finished the weekend reenergized.

I don’t know about you but I am exhilarated by having a couple of days each week when I am free to treat myself to exploration, contemplation, drop out time, some experimentation, some special cooking, possibly some recreational reading, a visit with a friend just to hang out, the list of opportunities for enjoyment is endless. But it is there only if I let myself set down obligations, concerns, and demands on my time. What about you? Do you give yourself the gift of dropout time? You know we have so much to be thankful for and yet we have so much that we don’t see, take for granted and ignore.

Here is what an unknown author wrote who I think really gets it:

The Best Day of My Life

Today, when I awoke, I suddenly realized that this is the best day of my life, ever!

There were times when I wondered if I would make it to today; but I did! And because I did I’m going to celebrate! Today, I’m going to celebrate what an unbelievable life I have had so far: the accomplishments, the many blessings, and, yes, even the hardships because they have served to make me stronger.

I will go through this day with my head held high, and a happy heart. I will marvel at God’s seemingly simple gifts: the morning dew, the sun, the clouds, the trees, the flowers, the birds.

Today, none of these miraculous creations will escape my notice. Today, I will share my excitement for life with other people. I’ll make someone smile. I’ll go out of my way to perform an unexpected act of kindness for someone I don’t even know. Today, I’ll give a sincere compliment to someone who seems down. I’ll tell a child how special he is, and I’ll tell someone I love just how deeply I care for her and how much she means to me.

Today is the day I quit worrying about what I don’t have and start being grateful for all the wonderful things God has already given me. I’ll remember that to worry is just a waste of time because my faith in God and his Divine Plan ensures everything will be just fine. And tonight, before I go to bed, I’ll go outside and Praise my eyes to the heavens. I will stand in awe at the beauty of the stars and the moon, and I will praise God for these magnificent treasures.

As the day ends and I lay my head down on my pillow, I will thank the Almighty for the best day of my life. And I will sleep the sleep of a contented child, excited with expectation because I know tomorrow is going to be the best day of my life, ever!

~~~

How pleasant is Saturday night,

When I’ve tried all the week to be good,

And not spoke a word that was bad,

And obliged everyone that I could.

Nancy Sproat

~~~

A young and foolish pilot wanted to sound cool and show who was boss on the aviation frequencies. It was his first time approaching a field during the night time. Instead of making any official requests to the tower, he said:  “Guess who?”

The controller switched the field lights off and replied: “Guess where!”

~~~

Sound travels slowly.  Sometimes the things you say when your kids are teenagers don’t reach them till they’re in their 40s.

~~~

It was a sunny Saturday morning, and Pete was beginning his preshot routine. As he was visualizing his upcoming shot, a voice came over the loudspeaker, “Would the gentleman on the ladies tee please back up to the men’s tee, please!”

Pete was still deep in his routine, seemingly impervious to the interruption. Again the announcement, “Would the man on the women’s tee kindly back up to the men’s tee!”

Pete had had enough. He yelled, “Would the announcer in the clubhouse kindly shut up and let me play my second shot!”

~~~

I was going to buy a copy of The Power of Positive Thinking, and then I thought:  What good would that do?

~~~

The new Ensign was assigned to subs, where he’d dreamed of working since a young boy.  He was trying to impress the Master Chief with his expertise learned in Sub School.

The Master Chief cut him off quickly and said, “Listen, ‘sir’, it’s real simple.  Add the number of times we dive to the number of times we surface.  Divide that number by two. If the result doesn’t come out even, don’t open the hatch.”

~~~

What we see depends mainly on what we look for.

~~~

Office Rules

1) If it rings, put it on hold.

2) If it clanks, call the repairman.

3) If it whistles, ignore it.

4) If it’s a friend, take a break.

5) If it’s the boss, look busy.

6) If it talks, take notes.

7) If it’s handwritten, type it.

8) If it’s typed, copy it.

9) If it’s copied, file it.

10) If it’s Friday, forget it!

~~~

“Faced with the choice between changing one’s mind and proving there is no need to do so, almost everyone gets busy on the proof.”

John Kenneth Galbraith

~~~

Jack, a lawyer, lies dying with his partner of 40 years by his bedside. “Mike, I’ve got to confess. I’ve been sleeping with your wife for 30 years and I’m the father of your daughter. On top of that, I’ve been stealing from the firm for a decade.”

“Relax,” says Mike, “and don’t think another thing about it. I’m the one who put the poison in your martini.”

~~~

I never think of the future – it comes soon enough.

Albert Einstein

~~~

Stay well, do good work, and have fun.

Ray Mitchell

Indianapolis, Indiana

Management is not responsible for duplicates from previous dailies. The editor is somewhat senile.

This daily is sent only to special people who want to start their day on an upbeat. If you have system overload because of our daily clutter, let me know and I will send you the information via mental telepathy. If you have not been getting our daily you can request to be added by e-mailing me at raykiwsp@gmail.com. Back issues are posted at https://raykiwsp.wordpress.com/ currently there are about 2000 readers from around the world.

Peace be with you!

“When you find peace within yourself, you become the kind of person who can live at peace with others.”

I was at a meeting the other night where we heard a presentation by an Israeli who had a fighter pilot son that was killed in the Palestinian conflict. The speaker also lost his parents in the Nazi death camps during World War II. This amazing wise man who is now 84 has joined with other Israelis and Palestinians who have lost a child or loved one during the constant struggle faced by those on both sides of the current conflict. He and his fellow peace workers truly understand that most people want peace and to live without fear. They have discovered as they sit down together that their differences are dramatically moderated when they get to know each other and learn that they have much more in common then they realized.

He quoted Gandhi who said if everyone follows the principle of an eye for an eye we would soon all be blind. As I listened it dawned on me that the hatred and jealousy will not disappear until the end of life when everyone become equals unless the people decide enough is enough. I realized that each of us can choose to live unhappily with envy, jealousy and anger or we can stop and understand that we can decide that enough is enough. Often it means we may have to compromise and find the middle ground so we can talk to each other instead of screaming at each other. We all would do well to understand the value of live and let live instead of demanding that others conform to our way. Yep, here it is again, choice; do we make choices that will allows us to live now or are we satisfied to wait until we have no life left to find peace and happiness. For me, I want to be like the woman in this story.

Each Day Is A Gift by Author Unknown

The 92-year-old, petite, well-poised and proud lady, who is fully dressed each morning by eight o’clock, with her hair fashionably coifed and makeup perfectly applied, even though she is legally blind, moved to a nursing home today. Her husband of 70 years recently passed away, making the move necessary.

After many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing home, she smiled sweetly when told her room was ready. As she maneuvered her walker to the elevator, I provided a visual description of her tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had been hung on her window. “I love it,” she stated with the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old having just been presented with a new puppy.

“Mrs. Jones, you haven’t seen the room …. just wait.” “That doesn’t have anything to do with it,” she replied. “Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time. Whether I like my room or not doesn’t depend on how the furniture is arranged, it’s how I arrange my mind. I already decided to love it. It’s a decision I make every morning when I wake up. I have a choice; I can spend the day in bed recounting the difficulty I have with the parts of my body that no longer work, or get out of bed and be thankful for the ones that do. Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open I’ll focus on the new day and all the happy memories I’ve stored away, just for this time in my life.”

She went on to explain, “Old age is like a bank account, you withdraw from what you’ve put in. So, my advice to you would be to deposit a lot of happiness in the bank account of memories Thank you for your part in filling my Memory bank. I am still depositing.”

And with a smile, she said, “Remember the five simple rules to be happy:

1. Free your heart from hatred.

2. Free your mind from worries.

3. Live simply.

4. Give more.

5. Expect less.”

~~~

If you want to make peace, you don’t talk to your friends. You talk to your enemies.

Moshe Dayan

~~~

Kyle and Justin were sitting down to eat their supper with the baby sitter when 6 year old Kyle saw the baby sitter sit down in his daddy’s seat. “You can’t sit in Daddy’s seat!” Kyle exclaimed.

“Daddy’s not home,” the baby sitter replied, matter-of- factly. “Since I’m responsible for you while he’s gone, I can sit here. Today I’m the boss.”

Justin, the 4 year old, quickly piped up, “If you’re the boss, you have to sit over there in Mommy’s chair!”

~~~

“I’m tired of all this nonsense about beauty being only skin-deep. That’s deep enough. What do you want, an adorable pancreas?”

Jean Kerr

~~~

A lady lost her purse in the bustle of shopping at the mall. It was found by an honest little boy, who returned it to her.

Looking in her purse, she commented, “Hmm, that’s funny. When I lost my bag, there was a $20 bill in it. Now there are twenty $1 bills.”

The boy quickly replied, “That’s right, lady. The last time I found a lady’s purse, she didn’t have any change for a reward.”

~~~

Remember, once you get over the hill, you’ll begin to pick up speed.

~~~

Sid and Al were sitting in a Chinese restaurant. “Sid,” asked Al, “Are there any Jews in China?”

“I don’t know,” Sid replied. “Why don’t we ask the waiter?”

When the waiter came by, Al said, “Are there any Chinese Jews?”

“I don’t know sir, let me ask,” the waiter replied and he went into the kitchen.

He quickly returned and said, “No, sir. No Chinese Jews.”

“Are you sure?” Al asked.

“I will check again, sir.” the waiter replied and went back to the kitchen.

While he was still gone, Sid said, “I cannot believe there are no Jews in China. Our people are scattered everywhere.” When the waiter returned he said, “Sir, no Chinese Jews.”

“Are you really sure?” Al asked again. “I cannot believe there are no Chinese Jews.”

“Sir, I ask everyone,” the waiter replied exasperated. “We have orange jews, prune jews, tomato jews and grape jews, but no one ever hear of Chinese jews!”

~~~

Who was the first person to look at a cow and say, “I think I’ll squeeze these dangly things here, and drink whatever comes out”?

~~~

Laws of Parenting

—The later you stay up, the earlier your child will wake up the next morning.

—For a child to become clean, something else must become dirty.

—Toys multiply to fill any space available.

—The longer it takes you to make a meal, the less your child will like it.

—Yours is always the only child who doesn’t behave.

—If the shoe fits…it’s expensive.

—The surest way to get something done is to tell a child not to do it.

—The gooier the food, the more likely it is to end up on the carpet.

—Backing the car out of the driveway causes your child to have to go to the bathroom.

~~~

Find out what you don’t do well and don’t do it.

~~~

The state trooper pulled Mr. Schwarz over and, after inspecting his license and registration, informed the motorist that he was going to have to spend the night in jail.

“What’s the charge?  Mr. Schwarz demanded.

“None,” replied the officer.  “It’s all part of the service.”

~~~

I like to believe that people in the long run are going to do more to promote peace than our governments. Indeed, I think that people want peace so much that one of these days governments had better get out of the way and let them have it.

Dwight D. Eisenhower

~~~

Stay well, do good work, and have fun.

Ray Mitchell

Indianapolis, Indiana

Management is not responsible for duplicates from previous dailies. The editor is somewhat senile.

This daily is sent only to special people who want to start their day on an upbeat. If you have system overload because of our daily clutter, let me know and I will send you the information via mental telepathy. If you have not been getting our daily you can request to be added by e-mailing me at raykiwsp@gmail.com. Back issues are posted at https://raykiwsp.wordpress.com/ currently there are about 2000 readers from around the world.

They just keep on going!

He conquers who endures.

Persius

I think one of the things that make my life as interesting as it has ever been is the variety of people who share their goals, wants and needs when we meet for a meal or coffee. In recent weeks I have visited with an officer of a philanthropic foundation that is funding projects that are enhancing the health and wellbeing of the citizens of my city. I have spent time with a key aid to the Indiana State legislature who will be dealing with many critical issues in the months ahead as we try to do more with less. I will be meeting in a couple of days with a University friend who is developing a new medical doctorial program to help provide the kind of knowledge workers that we will need to deal with our rapidly changing health delivery systems. I have spent hours with a friend that has so much to offer in so many ways that they are having a hard time choosing a career path that will provide the most satisfaction. I also have been helping to promote greater attendance to live theatre productions in partnership with a favorite professional acting company. And if that was not enough today I will be visited by the archivist of the leading popular music collection in America to select books from my musical history collection to add to their reference library.

I could go on but I won’t, as I think you can see my life has been enriched by being able to work with others as they deal with their challenge’s, plans and activities. In every case these are successful folks who do me a great honor by letting me be part of their life. One of the primary attributes of the hundreds of successful people I have met over the years is perseverance. They never give up easily, they may hit a wall but rather than stopping they will take a different tack. The other thing I like about them is that they take setbacks in stride. I think it is their optimism, self-confidence and experienced wisdom that keeps them in the game even when things look bleak.

Our old friend Ralph Marston wrote something a while ago that might have been written by those who are doing so much in my town, here is what he said

Steadfastness of purpose

Don’t base your attitude on how things are. Choose your attitude so that it supports and expresses the way you wish to be. Events and circumstances swirl around you in a constant state of flux and confusion. Yet those things you perceive and experience do not define who you are.

You are more than the fleeting situations and occurrences in your world. Living within you are the steady values, purposes, intentions and dreams that transcend all the ups and downs playing out around you. Let your feelings be guided and inspired by the best that’s inside you. Don’t let those feelings be tossed in every direction by whatever happens to come your way.

There is no end to the number of distractions vying to pull you away from your purpose. Yet there is no good reason to give in to any of those distractions, for each one will soon pass on by. Live with a steadfastness of positive purpose. Who you truly are, is always much stronger than whatever you might be going through.

~~~

“I do not think there is any other quality so essential to success of any kind as the quality of perseverance. It overcomes almost everything, even nature.”

John D. Rockefeller

~~~

She said:

Before I was a Mom – I slept as late as I wanted and never worried about how late I got into bed. I brushed my hair and my teeth everyday.

Before I was a Mom – I cleaned my house each day. I never tripped over toys or forgot words to a lullaby. I didn’t worry whether or not my plants were poisonous. I never thought about immunizations.

Before I was a Mom – I had never been puked on – Pooped on – Spit on – Chewed on, or Peed on. I had complete control of my mind and My thoughts. I slept all night

Before I was a Mom – I never held down a screaming child So that doctors could do tests…Or give shots. I never looked into teary eyes and cried. I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin. I never sat up late hours at night watching a baby sleep.

Before I was a Mom – I never held a sleeping baby just because I didn’t want to put it down. I never felt my heart break into a million pieces when I couldn’t stop the hurt. I never knew that something so small could affect my life so much. I never knew that I could love someone so much. I never knew I would love being a Mom.

Before I was a Mom – I didn’t know the feeling of having my heart outside my body. I didn’t know how special it could feel to feed a hungry baby. I didn’t know that bond between a mother and her child. I didn’t know that something so small could make me feel so important.

Before I was a Mom – I had never gotten up in the middle of the night every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay. I had never known the warmth, The joy, The love, The heartache, The wonderment or the satisfaction of being a Mom. I didn’t know I was capable of feeling so much before I was a Mom.

~~~

“Automobile – A mechanical device that runs up hills and down people.”

~~~

She told me that as an attendant at an exclusive golf club, her work includes welcoming guests to the course and loading bags in and out of vehicles.  She’s the only female on the staff, and works with eight teenage boys.

One day a golfer drove up in a yellow Lamborghini.  Three of the teens rushed to help him.  Later, they gushed about their conversation with the man, who told them he owned three of the Italian sports cars.

“Really?” she replied. “What line of work is he in?”

“We didn’t talk about that,” said one of the boys. “We only asked if he has a daughter.”

~~~

Experience is something you don’t get until just after you need it.

~~~

One of the single girls in the office came in one morning and began passing out cigars and candy, both tied with blue ribbons.

When asked what the occasion was, she proudly displayed a diamond solitaire on her left ring finger. “It’s a boy,” she announced, “six feet tall, 178 pounds!”

~~~

I used to eat a lot of natural foods until I learned that most people die of natural causes.

~~~

The social studies teacher had just finished a unit on war and peace. “How many of you,” he asked, “would say you’re opposed to war?”

Not surprisingly, all hands went up. The teacher asked, “Who’ll give us the reason for being opposed to war?”

A large, bored-looking boy in the back of the room raised his hand.

“Johnny?” the teacher said.

“I hate war,” Johnny said, “because wars make history, and I hate History!”

~~~

A good plan today is better than a perfect plan tomorrow.

General George S. Patton

~~~

NEW DRUGS FOR WOMEN!

BUYAGRA: Stimulant to be taken prior to shopping. Increases potency and duration of spending spree.

MENICILLIN: Potent anti-boyotic for older women. Increases resistance to such lines as, “You make me want to be a better person.”

ST. MOM’S WORT: Plant extract that treats mom’s depression by rendering preschoolers unconscious for up to six hours.

EMPTY NESTROGEN: Highly effective supplement that eliminates melancholy by enhancing the memory of how awful they were as teenagers and how you couldn’t wait till they moved out.

PEPTO-BIMBO: Liquid silicone for single women. Two full cups swallowed before an evening out increases breast size, decreases intelligence, and improves flirting.

DUMMEROL: When taken with Pepto-bimbo, can cause lowering of IQ, causing enjoyment of loud country music and cheap beer.

FLIPITOR: Increases life expectancy of commuters by controlling road rage and the urge to flip off other drivers.

JACKASSPIRIN: Relieves headache caused by a man who can’t remember your birthday, anniversary, or phone number.

ANTI-TALKSIDENT: A spray carried in a purse or wallet to be used on anyone too eager to share their life stories with total strangers.

RAGAMET: When administered to a husband, provides the same irritation as nagging on him all weekend, saving the wife the time and trouble of doing it herself.

DAMMITOL: Take two and the rest of the world can go to hell for 8 hours

~~~

“All great masters are chiefly distinguished by the power of adding a second, a third, and perhaps a fourth step in a continuous line. Many a man has taken the first step. With every additional step you enhance immensely the value of your first.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson

~~~

Stay well, do good work, and have fun.

Ray Mitchell

Indianapolis, Indiana

Management is not responsible for duplicates from previous dailies. The editor is somewhat senile.

This daily is sent only to special people who want to start their day on an upbeat. If you have system overload because of our daily clutter, let me know and I will send you the information via mental telepathy. If you have not been getting our daily you can request to be added by e-mailing me at raykiwsp@gmail.com. Back issues are posted at https://raykiwsp.wordpress.com/ currently there are about 2000 readers from around the world.