Archive through April 17, 2002
The ClubHouse: Archives: Thought For The Day:
Archive through April 17, 2002
Weinermr | Thursday, March 07, 2002 - 03:24 pm     Thin Mints are inaccurately named. |
Oregonfire | Thursday, March 07, 2002 - 03:49 pm     "Smart bombs" is a contradiction in terms. |
Lancecrossfire | Sunday, March 17, 2002 - 07:31 pm     War does not tell you who is right--war tells you who is left. |
Grooch | Thursday, March 28, 2002 - 09:26 pm     Whatever befalls you, be it disappointment or annoyance, try to hold onto your love and enthusiasm. Anger, recrimination, disappointment change nothing to the events that are upsetting you, and your negative attitude only means you are depriving yourself even further, of something precious. So it amounts to double injury. Nothing can justify your giving in to negative states of mind. You will say: 'But I feel like this because people have betrayed me, it isn't me who ...' Well yes, it is you; your reasoning is not right. No one is forcing you to feel like this. Even if people have sought to do you harm, nothing forces you to suffer their nastiness passively, and to add to the problem by renouncing your love and becoming hard-hearted. Bad reasoning, you see. And if you do not redress the situation, if you abandon hope, love and faith, you are dead. Even before you actually die, you are already dead." Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov |
Neko | Friday, March 29, 2002 - 11:26 am     Drag your thoughts away from your troubles . . . by the ears, by the heels or any other way you can manage it. It's the healthiest thing a body can do. --Mark Twain  |
Max | Tuesday, April 02, 2002 - 08:59 am     How to Stay Young - Throw out nonessential numbers. This includes age, weight and height. Let the doctor worry about them. That is why you pay him/her.
- Keep only cheerful friends. The grouches pull you down. If you really need a grouch, there are probably a few dozen of your relatives to do the job and several thousand will be met in a chat room..ignore them. You want to SMILE.
- Keep learning. Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening, whatever. Just never let the brain idle.
- Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath. Laugh so much that you can be tracked in the store by your distinctive laughter.
- The tears happen. Endure, grieve, and move on. The only person who is with us our entire life, is ourselves.
- Surround yourself with what you love, whether it is family, pets, keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies, whatever. Your home is your refuge.
- Cherish your health. If it is good, preserve it. If it is unstable, improve it. If it is beyond what you can improve, get help.
- Don't take guilt trips. Go to the mall, the next county, a foreign country, but not guilt.
- Tell the people you love, that you love them, at every opportunity.
- Remember, Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.
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Whowhere | Wednesday, April 03, 2002 - 06:50 am     How policy gets made: Step 1. Start with a cage containing 5 monkeys. In the cage, hang a string from the roof of the cage from which to dangle a banana. Then put a set of stairs underneath the banana so that the monkeys can reach it. When the first monkey tries to use the stairs to reach the banana, immediately spray all 5 monkeys with freezing cold water. After a while, when another monkey tries to get the banana, spray them again with the cold water. Pretty soon, whenever one of the monkeys tries to get the banana, the others will try to prevent it. Step 2. Turn off the cold water. Replace one of the 5 original monkeys with a new one. Clueless about the water, the new monkey will go for the banana. When it does, the original 4 monkeys will attack it, thinking they are about to get the hose. After another attempt and attack, the new monkey knows if it tries to climb the stairs, the other monkeys will try to prevent it. Step 3. Now replace another one of the remaining original 4 monkeys with a new one. The newcomer goes for the banana and is attacked. The first replacement monkey takes part in the beating with enthusiasm. Step 4. Repeat step 3. Replace one of the original monkeys with another new one. When the newest monkey goes for the stairs, the 2 original monkeys and the 2 replacement monkeys beat the crap out of him. The 2 replacement monkeys have no idea why they shouldn't get the banana or why they are attacking the new monkey. Step 5. Replace the 2 original monkeys that were sprayed with cold water. Now all the monkeys that were sprayed with cold water have been replaced. Nevertheless, no monkey will approach the stairs and try to get the banana. WHY? Because that's the way it's always been done around here. AND THAT'S HOW POLICY BEGINS! |
Grooch | Wednesday, April 03, 2002 - 06:53 am     Lol! So that explains it.  |
Norwican | Wednesday, April 03, 2002 - 09:52 am     “Support bacteria. It’s the only culture some people have” |
Whowhere | Wednesday, April 03, 2002 - 11:24 am     I've learned that you cannot make someone love you. All you can do is stalk them and hope they panic and give in. I've learned that no matter how much I care, some people are just assholes. I've learned that it takes years to build up trust, and it only takes suspicion, not proof, to destroy it. I've learned that you can get by on charm for about fifteen minutes. After that, you'd better have a big willy or huge boobs. I've learned that you shouldn't compare yourself to others - they are more screwed up than you think. I've learned that you can keep vomiting long after you think you're finished. I've learned that we are responsible for what we do, unless we are celebrities. I've learned that regardless of how hot and steamy a relationship is at first, the passion fades, and there had better be a lot of money to take its place. I've learned that 99% of the time when something isn't working in your house, one of your kids did it I've learned that the people you care most about in life are taken from you too soon and all the less important ones just never go away. I've learned to say "F--- 'em if they can't take a joke" in 6 languages. |
Webkitty | Wednesday, April 03, 2002 - 12:08 pm     I saw this on a Sig page somewhere: ~Behind every keyboard is a real person, behind every person are real feelings~ I think I've seen this saying around before, but its kinda nice  |
Xxlt | Wednesday, April 03, 2002 - 02:12 pm     think about what we have achieved in the united states in 226 years then look at what the other countries have achieved in considerably more time.... |
Urgrace | Monday, April 08, 2002 - 07:47 pm     The Cracked Pot A water bearer had two large pots; each hung on either end of a pole, which he carried across his neck. One of the pots had a crack in it, and while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water at the end of the long walk from the stream to the master's house, the cracked pot arrived only half full. For a full two years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only one-and-a-half pots full of water to his master's house. Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, perfect to the end for which it was made. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of what it had been made to do. After two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream. "I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you." "Why?" asked the bearer. "What are you ashamed of?" "I have been able, for these past two years, to deliver only half my load because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your master's house. Because of my flaws, you have to do all this work, and you don't get full value from your efforts," the pot said. The water bearer felt sorry for the old cracked pot, and in his compassion he said, "As we return to the master's house, I want you to notice the beautiful flowers along the path." Indeed, as they went up the hill, the old cracked pot took notice of the sun warming the beautiful wild flowers on the side of the path, and this cheered it some. But at the end of the trail, it still felt bad because it had leaked out half its load, and so again it apologized to the bearer for its failure. The bearer said to the pot, "Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of the path, but not on the other pot's side? That's because I have always known about your flaw, and I took advantage of it. I planted seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walked back from the stream, you've watered them. For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate my master's table. Without you being just the way you are, he would not have had this beauty to grace his house" Moral: Each of us has his or her own unique flaws. We're all cracked pots. But it's the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding. You've just got to take each person for what he or she is, and look for the good in them. There is a lot of good out there. There is a lot of good in us! Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape. Remember to appreciate all the different people in your life! Or, as I like to think of it -- if it hadn't been for the crackpots in my life, it would have been pretty boring and not so interesting. |
Buttercup | Tuesday, April 09, 2002 - 10:19 am     Tomorrow Never Comes Tomorrow comes -- then it's today so if you have debt to pay, or work to finish; don't delay. Tomorrow never comes. It's fatal to procrastinate, until you find it's just too late, and then put the blame on fate. Tomorrow never comes. The putting right of some mistakes, the gesture that you meant to make, The habit that you vowed to break. Tomorrow never comes. So do it now -- for fate can play some funny tricks; time slips away; we cannot see beyond today. Tomorrow never comes. |
Whowhere | Tuesday, April 09, 2002 - 10:48 am     Very good Urgrace! I like that one! |
Honey51 | Tuesday, April 09, 2002 - 01:50 pm     I don't know if this qualifies as a Thought for the Day, but it sure tickled my funny bone. A woman was helping her computer illiterate husband set up his computer, and at the appropriate point in the process, told him that he would now need to choose and enter a password. Something he will use to log on. The husband was in a rather amorous mood and figured he would try for the shock effect to bring this to his wife's attention. So, When the computer asked him to enter his password, he made it plainly obvious to his wife that he was keying in, " p..e..n..i..s". His wife fell off her chair laughing when the computer replied: ****PASSWORD REJECTED**** NOT LONG ENOUGH**** |
Buttercup | Tuesday, April 09, 2002 - 09:06 pm     This is the final test of a gentleman: His respect for those who can be of no possible service to him. |
Christina | Wednesday, April 10, 2002 - 04:46 am     How about.......Today is the tomorrow, we worried about yesterday!!!! |
Lancecrossfire | Wednesday, April 10, 2002 - 02:18 pm     Actually I have more than one though for today—although to be truthful, these started last night. So they are technically thoughts for the days. What is today? It isn’t a holiday, it isn’t the celebration of some major event (at least not identified on the calendars I’ve looked at), and it’s not anyone’s birth day that I know. So, do we need to be thankful for something? Do we need to remember a person or event in history? Do we need to say any well wishes to someone? For me, I have to say I don’t need to, although I feel I should. I would hate to think that I would only want to be in the giving spirit at Christmas, or think of all the things I have to be thankful for only on Thanksgiving. I hope I would want to say something well wishing to people I know on some other day beyond their birthday. Can we make a difference? I guess that depends on what you are thinking of making a difference toward. I don’t think any one of us is going to bring about world peace by ourselves. Although I think we have the ability to help someone feel better about something, or the ability to help ourselves. It has been said that a person is more likely to be remembered for how they made someone feel than for anything else they could do. How have you made people feel lately? We respond to things everyday. We respond to people everyday. If you want a response from someone else, how do you get it from them? If you want your spouse to stop at the store, do you ask nicely, or do you bark out orders? When you are asked to stop at the store, which way is most likely going to get you to do it? If we give people what they want when they are angry at you or act in a negative way, they are much more likely to do the same thing next time—because it worked before. When someone treats you in a less than positive way, they are, for the most part, just one of many. When someone treats you well, they may stand out as being only one of a very few—much easier to remember them—and much more desirable to remember. It works the same way when you choose how you will treat others. If you want to be just another one of the masses, go for the negative approach. If you want to be remembered in a positive light, then stand away from the crowd and provide a positive interaction. Just think of how you’d like to be treated, if you are wondering how to interact. Could things be better? Could things be worse? For me, the answer is always going to be yes to both. I will always remember what it felt like being without a job for over a year. I will always remember what it was like living pay check to pay check, barely having enough for the basics of living—and in some cases not having quite that much. No matter how bad it gets at my job, it will always be better than not having one. You know, from my perspective, even though I put in lots of extra hours, I don’t work as hard as a lot of the people here at TVCH. The folks who are parents—especially single parents. Being a parent is an every second job. The people who work their tails off to end up with a roof and food and transportation—those folks are under stress. These are the people who win my admiration. These are the folks who keep their face in the wind and don’t give up. They look to improve their situation, and contribute to the world. They provide love to their children and families in conditions that are less than ideal. All of these folks are amazing people to me. I admire those folks who look for the best in other and in the best of the situations they are faced with. The term “if it is to be, it is up to me” is more than a catchy phrase. It’s also a truism. Most cases of moving forward aren’t being in the right place at the right time by just pure luck. Most of the time it’s by efforts by someone. Opportunity doesn’t usually knock—it usually has to be sought out. To those that help others, I salute you. There are lots of ways to help—money, time, care, love, knowledge, support, and others. I still remember who I felt when others did something to help me during my times when things weren’t so good. My “repayment” has been to try to do the same whenever possible. For anyone out there that has helped someone, I hope you are being remembered for how you made that person feel. Do you feel especially good about someone? Do you love them? Are they your friend and you appreciate their friendship? Have you expressed any of that to them recently? It’s not a bad thing to say it to them. You may think they should already know it. But what does it hurt to say something? What does it hurt to say something that may help them to feel good? People seem to be good at saying when they aren’t happy with each other. Maybe if we could be as good at communicating when we are happy with someone. When was the last day you sent a card or flowers “just because”? When was the last time you got something “just because”? How did you feel when it happened? These are just some thoughts for the days. What is today? It’s a day to do with as much as possible. And it’s a time we can never ever get back to do over. |
Tksoard | Wednesday, April 10, 2002 - 02:34 pm     I only know you, Lance, from TVCH, but I am blessed for that. You are one of the most caring, loving, and best men I have ever "met"!! Thank you for being YOU!!  |
Sage | Wednesday, April 10, 2002 - 03:01 pm     Lance, thanks for your thoughts and for sharing them. Thanks for reminding me what is really important, and for helping me to get centered again. I am truly honored to know you and to call you friend.
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Buttercup | Sunday, April 14, 2002 - 04:21 pm     On my calendar today: Just to be good, to keep life pure from degrading elements, to make it constantly helpful in little ways to those who are touched by it, to keep one's spirit always sweet and avoid all manner of petty anger and irritability -- that is an idea as noble as it is difficult. Edward Howard Griggs |
Whowhere | Wednesday, April 17, 2002 - 08:37 am     Tips on staying Safe I learned from my children's karate classes that the elbow is the strongest point on your body. If you are close enough to use it, do! If you are ever thrown into the trunk of a car, kick out the back tail lights and stick your arm out the hole and start waving like crazy. The driver won't see you but everybody else will. This has saved lives. Last night I attended a personal safety workshop, and it jolted me. It was given by an amazing man, Pat Malone, who has been a body guard for famous figures like Farrah Fawcett and Sylvester Stallone. He works for the FBI, and teaches police officers and Navy SEALS hand-to-hand combat. This man has seen it all, and knows a lot. He focused his teachings to us on: HOW TO AVOID BEING THE VICTIM OF A VIOLENT CRIME He gave us some statistics about how much the occurrences of random violence have escalated over the recent years, and it's terrible. Something like 99% of us will be exposed to, or become a victim of a violent crime. Here are some of the most important points that I got out of his presentation: (1.) The three reasons women are easy targets for random acts of violence are: a.) Lack of Awareness You MUST know where you are & what's going on around you. b.) Body Language Keep your head up, swing your arms, stand straight up. c.) Wrong Place, Wrong Time DON'T walk alone in an alley, or drive in a bad neighborhood at night. (2.) Women have a tendency to get into their cars after shopping, eating, working, etc., and just sit (doing their checkbook, or making a list, etc). DON'T DO THIS! The predator will be watching you, and this is the perfect opportunity for him to get in the passenger side, put a gun to your head, and tell you where to go. AS SOON AS YOU GET INTO YOUR CAR, LOCK THE DOORS AND LEAVE. a.) A few notes about getting into your car in a parking lot, or parking garage: Be aware: look around you, look into your car, at the passenger side floor, and in the back. b.) If you are parked next to a big van, enter your car from the passenger door. Most serial killers attack their victims by pulling them into their vans while the women are attempting to get into their cars. c.) Look at the car parked on the drivers side of your vehicle, and the passenger side. If a male is sitting alone in the seat nearest your car, you may want to walk back into the mall, or work, and get a guard/policeman to walk you back out. IT IS ALWAYS BETTER TO BE SAFE THAN SORRY. (Better paranoid than dead.) (3.) ALWAYS take the elevator instead of the stairs. (Stairwells are horrible places to be alone and the perfect crime spot.) a.) Do not get on an elevator if there is a weirdo already on there. (Of course bad men don't always look bad.) b.) Do not stand back in the corners of the elevator, be near the front, by the doors, ready to get off or on. c.) If you get on the elevator on the 25th floor, and the Boogie Man gets on the 22nd, get off when he gets on. (4.) If the predator has a gun and you are not under his control, ALWAYS RUN! a.) Police only make 4 of 10 shots when they are in range of 3 to 9 feet.This is due to stress. b.) The predator will only hit you (a running target) 4 in 100 times. And even then, it most likely WILL NOT be a vital organ. RUN! (5.) As women, we are always trying to be sympathetic: STOP IT! It may get you raped, or killed. a.) Ted Bundy, the serial killer, was a good looking, well-educated man, who ALWAYS played on the sympathies of unsuspecting women. He walked with a cane, or a limp, and often asked for "help" into his vehicle or with his vehicle, which is when he abducted his next victim. One attendee told us the story of his daughter, who came out of the mall and was walking to her car when she noticed two older ladies in front of her. Then she saw a police car come towards her with cops who said hello. She also noticed that all 8 handicap spots in the area were empty. As she neared her car she saw a man a few rows over calling to her for help. He wanted her to close his passenger side door. He was sitting in the driver's side, and said he was handicapped. He continued calling, until she turned and headed back to the mall, and then he began cursing at her. In the meantime, she wondered why he didn't ask the two older ladies, or the policeman for help, and why he was not parked in any of the empty handicap spots. As she got back to the mall, two male friends of hers were exiting, and as she told them the story, and turned to point at the car, the man was getting out of the back seat into the front, and the car sped away. DON'T GET CAUGHT IN THIS TRAP. (6.) Tips to saving your life, if you have gotten into a violent situation: a.) REACT IMMEDIATELY If he abducts you in a parking lot, and is taking you to an abandoned area, DON'T LET HIM GET YOU TO THAT AREA. If you are driving, react immediately in the situation, and crash your car while still going 5 mph. If he's driving, find the right time, and stick your fingers in his eyes. He must watch the road, so choose an unsuspecting time, and gouge him. It is your ONLY defense. While he is in shock, GET OUT. (This sounds gross, but the alternative is your fault if you do not act.) b.) RESIST Don't go along with him: run, if you are able: DON'T EVER GIVE UP! You DO NOT want to get to a crime scene. (7.) Always keep your distance when walking past strangers on the street or in dark areas. (8.) GET A CELL PHONE. a.) There are packages for $19.95 a month that allow you to program only 911 into the dialing out program. (This is an alternative for parents who say it is too expensive for their kids to have a cell phone.) (9.) BREAK DOWNS: Make every effort to avoid this by ALWAYS keeping your car in good working order. a.) If your car breaks down: LOCK YOUR DOORS. You better have a cell phone to call for help. b.) If you don't have a cell phone: (shame on you) keep a blanket, warm clothes, a pair of boots, and a flashlight in your car always, for emergencies. c.) If it's noon on a business day, you may want to put your hazards on and walk to safety. d.) If it's 2 AM, put on your warm clothes, and walk to a lighted area. You are a perfect target if you are sitting in your car broken down. Predators search the highways for easy targets like you. e.) If you're on a desolate road: walk away from the car (in your warm clothes) and go to some bushes, or some area AWAY from your vehicle. It will be cold, and uncomfortable, but you DO NOT want to stay in your car, and there are no psycho bogeymen waiting in the bushes who knew you were going to break down there and then. (10.) Physical defenses that we can use against the violent predator: a.) The EYES are the most vulnerable part of the body. Poke him there. HARD. It may be your, only window of opportunity. b.) The neck is also a vulnerable spot, but you MUST know where to grip, AND HAVE THE STRENGTH to cut off his breath. c.) The last place is the KNEES. Everyone's knees are very vulnerable, and a swift kick here will take anyone down. **** A cautionary note about these things. If you do not do these things right the first time, you are in trouble, because it will only anger the individual, and that anger will be TAKEN OUT ON YOU. I'm not saying don't attempt them (it may be your only hope), but be forceful when you do. (11.) If you are walking alone in the dark (which you shouldn't be) and you find him following/ chasing you: a.) Scream "FIRE!", and not "help." People don't want to get involved when people yell "help," but "fire" draws attention because people are nosy. b.) RUN c.) Find an obstacle, such as a parked car, and run around it, like Ring Around the Rosie. This may sound silly, but over the years, 5 women have told Pat Malone that this SAVED THEIR LIVES. d.) Your last hope is getting under the car. Once you are under here, there are tons of things to hold on to, and he will not be able to get you out and will not come under for you (most likely). Usually they give up by this point. The catch here is that YOU MUST PRACTICE GETTING UNDER THE CAR. You must have a plan (he will have one), know if you will be going on your back, front, from the side or back of the car. It must be practiced. (12.) Never let yourself or anyone that you know be a "closer" in any type of business (bar, store, restaurant, gas station). Pat knew Danielle, who was a girl that just died from being shot point blank by some kids while she was closing at the local gas station. He talked with her the night before she died, and asked whether it ever scared her to close alone. She said yes, but said, "I'll be all right, Pat. I'll be all right." She wasn't. Our world is not as safe as we pretend that it is, and living in our fantasy worlds WILL get us in trouble, sooner or later. Pat Malone said again and again that the women who die EVERY MINUTE from violent crimes expected to go to bed tonight, and get up tomorrow. No one expects it, but we must be prepared and aware so that we HAVE A PLAN. BE PREPARED TO ACT! AND ACT HARD! HAVE A PLAN! |
Faerygdds | Wednesday, April 17, 2002 - 09:01 am     Thank you for sharing this information with us! I know we hear about these things and how to protect ourselves, but it's nice to get a refresher couarse and remind ourselves that the world isn't as "safe" as we might LIKE to think. Also.. I've read/seen a lot about personal defense, but this had some really great ideas that I hadn't even thought of! Be Safe! |
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