I enjoyed 2009, on a personal level, but the horror stories of family suicides, massive bankruptcies, scams and political porn really ticked me off. Not enough to stop me from smelling the roses though. It was a good year, for us, and I'm thankful for it. We didn't get richer, didn't lose good jobs, got grants for our renovations, made good progress with the ground-work, and nobody got hurt or died. Mostly though, I made good friends here and built new friendships. Even my alternator likes me. I was chatting with my wife last evening about philosophies, after we watched Robert Redford's 'Africa' movie. He describes how his silent tribal assistant needs his freedom. Someone was suggesting they needed to be herded into a camp or something. He explained that the fellow's entire life is much like the New Agers' thinking of the "Here and Now". While we were chatting, I was nailing down a frame and missed the nail. Actually, I hit my fingernails. Instead of cussing some exotic expletives in 3 languages , I calmly pointed out that not only was I not NOW and HERE, I was Nowhere, but in my sore, purple, fingernail, smiling (or is that grimacing???) It friggin' hurt! This year is over, almost. But I'll take my purple finger and all my other stuff and my freedom into 2010 and that's the nut of it. Something to build on. Have a great 2010, folks.
Thanks, Normy....and back to you two fold! I hope every one of our members has a stellar year......in SPITE of the government screwing things up!
I've also been very fortunate this year. Still working, still fairly healthy, family is all well and they have their jobs and to top it off we have a blue moon on the last day of the year. And I too have great internet freinds. But my choke didn't behave this morning. It was stuck. I'll have to investigate later in the day light. I can't wait to see if 2010 gets better. I wish for all the members here to have good health and those out of work, good fortune next year.
I think I see where you are coming from Norman. My year has been up and down But I am still very grateful for what I have. I have a great wife thattakes care of me when I am ill. And I am that most of the time so most would have a hard time seeing any silver lining at all. But for me I see tons of good things even in the bad. During the summer I not only had my car catch fire but I put a nail in my leg. Now most would say there is no way there is any good there. But there was. That nightat the ER was actually fun and it was the best my head felt in YEARS. I don't know why but it did. And for that I am truley grateful. I had forgotten what a painfree and clear head felt like. And had the carb not caught fire I would not have been so set on EFI as I am now so it lit a fire under my butt so to speak. And to that it brings me back to being grateful for the wife I have. Because she lets me have my car to work on and to drive and showoff, in fact she encourages it. Why? Because it's like therapy for me. It is a way for her to get me out of the house, when I otherwise wouldn't. We should all also be grateful that we have friends9even if we have yet to meet them) that we can talk with and help. And let's hope 2010 is a good year.
Yup. You got it Stick. And the right lady too. Powerful team, that. There's a French saying, "Changer le mal de place." Changing where it hurts! I once went to a live Tony Robbins meeting in Seattle, promoting his 'Personal Power' books and tapes. One of his techniques involves doing something outlandish, like slapping your butt or snapping a finger or whatever, to reinforce what your goal is in a given situation. It might be as small as threading a needle after a good party, or as big as liking the neighbor's Pitbull or owning a successful business. I'm French Canadian, my wife is Mexican, and we're both stubborn. Sometimes her goals and mine run into the other's brickwalls. I know that I can use that technique and so does she, but she forgets about more often than I do. She shmoozes me better though. We're all we've got up here. Her family is in Mexico, mine is mostly gone or too far away. So we work at finding 'Our Way'. 14 years later, we haven't done too bad. My goals for 2010 are to get the Renos done. Build a carport (no legal room for a garage), get my wife down to visit her family for a few weeks, and get her a piano to learn on. I hope to find and rebuild a Turbo I4 with a standard trans for the Fairmont, but it all depends on the other goals.
For a retired guy you sure are busy. There's no sittin' around for me either. I saw what that did to my grandfather.
Steve, I like western movies. Well I scored a really good one with Kris Kristoferson and Willie Nelson (Outlaw Justice) the other day. You know that they aren't spring chickens, yet they climb on those horses like second nature. They do what they love, and that's probably what gives them the healthy chemicals to keep their energy up. When I veg out, I do it with passion. And when I'm lost in a project, man, I'm lost!!! I figure my odds at living to 90 are pretty good. My gramps died at 88, with both legs cut off, climbing into his 1958 Chevy to get groceries. His dad died at 96 or 98. Mine was overweight and died at 76. 30 more years! That's almost a 3rd more to go! If sh!t happens before that, at least I was on my own way. Love doing new things, stretching my envelopes. Already pondered my navel when I was 25, and after gazing at it long enough, picked up my new Me, and never looked back. I looked at some of the New Age ideas back then, read books, even read the Old Testament and the New Testament to compare ideas. A few simple things stuck out from all the quoted sayings: Before Enlightenment, Hewers of Wood and Carriers of Water, After Enlightenment, Hewers of Wood and Carriers of Water - knowing why. That one tells me that Work is a healthy activity. The other was even simpler - The Attitude of Gratitude brings Altitude. That one forces me to see things beyond my personal feelings about stuff, like Stick pointed out. Sometimes disaster/distress has a positive outcome. The sooner I get thankful about it, the quicker I can see the next step up and out. People look at cow-patties and go "Yuk!", but they pay a premium for it at the Nursery for their veggies and lawns. Back to my Western movies. Did you know that Sean Connery also did a Western flick? "Shalako" - 1968, right when he was cranking out 007 flicks. There's a line in it by a respected enemy indian warrior about how Christianity tried to convince the indians that all their rewards came from an invisible God, to distract them, so that the Christians could take their earthly lands from them. Made me wonder if there wasn't some basis of fact there. Here we are over 50 (slick eh?) determined to keep active, and moving ahead. I don't know about you, but I find that the more things I take on, the more ideas I get. Sometimes I wake up with a new invention or widget that I have to sketch before I forget. It was worse when I was younger, I poured big bucks into patents and R&D. Only one panned out, and I did well with it. I blame my dad's sense of humour. He used to say "I wonder what the Guy who invented Sex is up to now?" I didn't invent sex, but I love inventing!
2009 wasn't our best year. Other than moving to Oregon, it kinda sucked, mainly due to the job situation. 2010 has got to be better. Here's hoping and praying that your 2010 will be a good one as well....... Marshall
ya...aside from a miserable failed relaitionship,....a job i hate....and rain.. ....09 rocked!!! (much funnier in my head)... Any day above the lawn is a good one !! To my fellow wagon dorks...I wish you all a safe New Years !! and a shiny happy 2010
Happy New Year Norm:2_thumbs_up_-_anima, looking back it did turn out pritty good considering last new years eve I was hospitalized in intensive care and almost kicked the bucket. I have a great wife, great grown up kid, and managed to keep working everyday...no complaints here
happy new year norm, our 2009 had its ups and downs we had a great vacation in april at gulf shores alabama. got a 700. square foot condo for $135.00 a night lol i didn't want to leave only to come back home and see my wife lose her job of 5 years. we had a bad couple months cause she is a diabetic and her insulin supply's almost bankrupted us without insurance. then she found another job and has been working since july and a month ago i had knee surgery it was a scope of the knee but when he went in found a bunch of damage. so he did a lateral release and my cartilage on the outside left of my knee looked like stalactites so he smoothed them as good as he could. so i might have another few years till i need a total replacement oh well could be worse i guess. sorry about the long post i hope everyone has a great and safe 2010.
That's my thinking lately also. 2009 was my worst year ever and hope 2010 will be a little better. Happy new Years to all.
