Our Hidden Side

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Every one of us has two sides — the public one that everybody sees and relates to and the private and hidden side we keep mostly to ourselves.

Although everyday people don’t give it much thought, privacy is at the forefront of the high in the public’s eye notables, near famous, and already famous. They have learned how critically important it is to keep their private side under control. 

That calls for a logical and automatic disconnect. That is, the greater the fame, the greater the need for privacy. Sometimes, no matter how discreet, what’s required to remain private even … Read the rest “Our Hidden Side”

To Be Exact Means Exactly That

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That statement is one of the most important and logical truisms of life. That is, to slop through anything with approximates is possible, but often at considerable risk.

Nobody wants a druggist to give them four milligrams when the prescription called for three or hire a home decorator who fails to notice a picture that’s not hung quite straight.

Narrowing that to the here and now, you have neither the time nor desire to read a paragraph a second time just because I, the writer, failed to write it to be readily understood the first time.

All too often the … Read the rest “To Be Exact Means Exactly That”

Listening Your Way To Greatness

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Being one of the senses, hearing is simply assumed. We never give it another thought because we have never had to. 

It’s also automatic. In your conscious moments you are either speaking or you are listening. End of story. Except it isn’t. Consider these four examples of the subject at hand.

You are tent camping in the desert and mountain area of the American West or deep in a remote forest in the American East. You have every reason to say this is about as quiet as it can get, but you find out it isn’t. 

You hear the hooting … Read the rest “Listening Your Way To Greatness”

Now Playing Near You

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The wife and I see the invite to come to the convention center for an evening of desserts prepared by twenty-three area restaurants. A solid plus will be entertainment by duo pianists Felix & Fingers.

Event is sponsored by a local bank, proceeds to pay for scholarships awarded to area high school seniors, price: fifty bucks per couple. We call another couple, our friends, to ask if they wish to join us. They say yes. So we push the button twice and get two printed tickets.

Thursday evening arrives. Dinner is only a snack. Must save room for what’s to … Read the rest “Now Playing Near You”

Then There Was Lenny 

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Falling in love is too unpredictable to be on anyone’s agenda. It just happens, and sometimes so suddenly that it’s difficult to know exactly what the outcome will be.

With three years of college plus two years in the military already behind me, I was ready to move ahead with the remaining two years of college needed to graduate.

Except for some occasional dating I had never given much attention to the social side of life. As a result, I wasn’t prepared for what happened when I met Maxine at an event in her home town of nearby Indianapolis. That … Read the rest “Then There Was Lenny ”

Time Out For The Timeless

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You might think I’m making this up, recalling at random some selected situations just to prove a point. But I’m not.

At this moment, the feelings I’m expressing here are authentic, spontaneous, and of course, logical. That’s because all the unannounced pieces quickly fell into place. I wish they would do that more often — just sneak up on my blindside and surprise me.

This time I invite you to join me as I sit here and look through floor to celling glass doors that extend twelve feet across the almost entire side of the living room. Immediately beyond is … Read the rest “Time Out For The Timeless”

Get A New Grip On Life Now

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How big a jolt do you need to be convinced that your life isn’t turning out to be less than what was promised or you expected, wanted, or once believed possible? If you thought it would be coming from someone else, forget it. That jolt must come from you.

Maybe it already has.

Like smoke rising from a smoldering fire, it most likely originated from one, two, or all three of these sources — time, achievement, and satisfaction. It’s highly likely you are near or already at the upper limit of how much time you can squeeze from an absolute … Read the rest “Get A New Grip On Life Now”

Perhaps The Best One Of All

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Life today is awash in quotes, sayings, bromides, and any short take on the language. Some are dreamy wisps of the impossible or improbable. Others are commands that leave no doubt as to what we need to do to live well and die happy.

Some are as old as civilization while others are so new they are a near perfect match to our present condition. Some come from history’s greatest philosophers and leaders while others have been written by common folks able to give new thoughts a different twist.

Not only are they persuasive, they are everywhere — used as … Read the rest “Perhaps The Best One Of All”

Ten Fingers And Ten Toes

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Okay, straight out and up front, here’s the logic: The human body is so well designed that everything about it has a purpose. Your job, and best you never take lightly any of its remarkable capabilities, is to be the watchdog keeping it safe.

In that respect, cardiac and cancer issues make for the biggest headlines. On any given day, there’s hardly anything that can be added to what is already being said about them. If that weren’t enough, we are awash in updates and advice on how to be healthier and live longer.

Naturally, most all of that concerns … Read the rest “Ten Fingers And Ten Toes”

The Master Reflection

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It’s always around — at home, in cars, businesses, hotels, and other places you might not think about. 

It’s a servant of sorts that reveals you with dead on accuracy. It’s always ready to serve you no matter how you look or feel or who you are or what you have or haven’t done or plan to do. Refuse it if you wish, but you can neither change nor intrude upon what it shows.

The item in question is a mirror.

As common as it might be, it is the only way you can view yourself as others view you. … Read the rest “The Master Reflection”