A Poem For Older People

A Poem For Older People

I got out of bed today and knew it was going to be a great day 
How did I know I would thrive, because anytime I wake up I must be alive.

After breakfast and a glass of hot tea I went to the bathroom and success was glee.
You see, most older folks never assume a good BM is assured, but when it does happen it feels like we're cured.

I look at my huge box of pills and try to remember which ones to take. There are some because I ache and some because I don't want to get a bellyache. However, most are there because the doctor says doing so will help me avoid any kind of outbreak.

I take the dog for a walk, but because both of us have bad backs we have to stop, sit down and have a talk.
Yes, I talk to my dog because she is the best listener. And she looks at me like I'm as special as a Foreign Minister.

I get home and keep myself busy because if I do nothing I'll start to get dizzy. I love my free time to be creative. Writing for me makes me stimulated. 
Stimulated is good for an older person because it keeps us out of a rut and makes sure we don't just veg-out on our butt.

The time goes by so fast making me wanting it to last. Sooo, after dinner I slow things down by watching an old show or movie. I like the ones that show a lot of booty. 

One of the best things about getting older is I can't remember shit. Therefore, I can watch the older Law and Order shows (you know the ones with Lenny) over and over again and still not know if the bad guy is going to acquit.

Sooo, that's my poem for all of us older people. The hope is that we will wake up tomorrow and do a sequel.

Are You Kidding Me

Are You Kidding Me

Trump will make a great President

Clinton never did anything wrong with the emails

Bernie is not a socialist

Big feet have nothing to do with the size of your penis

Two people in love never fight

All Cops hate black people

All Jews have big noses and small dicks

All Muslims support terrorism

Electronics are ruining our children

The stock market is not rigged

Rich people get the same jail sentence as poor people 

The current IRS rules are fair to all

All Irish men are drunks

Everything is God's will

LGBT people are a danger to our society

All black men have big dicks

White people are the master race


If you believe even just one of the statements above is true:

Are You Kidding Me

Never Compromise Your Happiness

Never Compromise Your Happiness

There is no good marriage without compromise. There is no friendship without compromise. There is no great sex without compromise. There is no good job without compromise. There is no management of finances without compromise. There are no good political solutions without compromise. There is no great life without compromise.

I could go on and on, but the real question is where do you draw the line? The answer is simple: "NEVER COMPROMISE YOUR HAPPINESS."

We all think we have many years left to find happiness. That's just NOT true. You can get hit by a bus. You can get Cancer. Old age will catch up to you faster than you think. Sooo, be reasonable. Make all the compromises you can live with, but "NEVER COMPROMISE YOUR HAPPINESS."

Once you cross that line you have given up your power to create a happy life. Life is not about how many years you can live. Life is about the amount of happiness you can obtain in your life. Living in an unhappy relationship is never a good answer.  Living with a "woo-is-me" attitude because you're not getting what you want out of life or your health is making you miserable is a shit way to live your life.

I'm not saying the solution is to get out of a bad relationship or to run away from your life's problems or ignore your health problems. What I am saying is to find a way to compromise with yourself so you can find as much happiness that's available to you. 

Always ask yourself: "is what I'm doing or about to do going to make me happier?" "Can I compromise for the main purpose of making me happier?" "Am I happy enough now to continue to live my life just the way it is?"

If the answer to these three questions is NO, then you have crosses the happiness line and need to change your life for the better. Only you know what that change should be, but please accept the fact that you're running out of time so make the change(s) NOW.

You Deserve A Happy Life. Never Compromise That.

What Are You Grateful For

What Are You Grateful For

I'm in Sitka Alaska today March 14th 2016. My wife and I are walking past the docks where hundreds of boats are docked. We are on our way to downtown Sitka.  Remarkably there are positive energy saying written on the concrete walk every ten feet.

One of the written statements says: "what are grateful for."  this took me back and even though I was tired from our three hour walking tour,  I realized how grateful I was to even be in Alaska enjoying the beautiful nature of a city purchased from the Russians almost two hundred years ago for  $7.8 million dollars.

Then I started to appreciate how wonderful my life has been and how wonderful it's going to be.  There are only nine thousand people who live in Sitka.  It's extremely hard to get work.  It rains 278 days of a 360 day year.  However, the people of Sitka seem happy and really appreciate this day because it's 78 degrees and sunny.

As a southern California man I get pissed off when I have to walk the dog in the ten days a year that it rains.  Shame on me for not being grateful for my life.

While I'm writing this blog on my tablet at midnight tonight I realize that I'm not being as grateful as I should be regarding the events of my past,  the events of my current life and my future life.  Even though I'm more enlightened than most,  I still take the good things in my life for granted.

Sooo, on my cruise through Alaska, I'm promising myself to be grateful for every positive thing I see, eat and experience on this trip.

When I get home I'm going to hug my dog and take a step back to appreciate and be grateful for the wonderful life I have.

That's my story, what's your story.  Do you see yourself grateful for what you have had,  what you have today and the fabulous future you're going to have or are you only focused on what's not right with your life.

Happiness Is Being Grateful For Life

"Greatest Love Of All"

"Greatest Love Of All"

Sometimes there is a song that hits you at the core of your being. That song for me is "Greatest Love Of All" by Whitney Houston.  That song is the essence of my writings that "Happiness Is The Forgotten Ingredient In Life."  Sadly Ms. Houston couldn't live by these beautiful words before she died.

The lyrics below say what I feel much better than I could ever say them.

I believe the children are our future

Teach them well and let them lead the way

Show them all the beauty they possess inside

Give them a sense of pride to make it easier

Let the children's laughter remind us how we used to be

Everybody's searching for a hero

People need someone to look up to

I never found anyone who fulfilled my needs

A lonely place to be

And so I learned to depend on me

[Chorus:]

I decided long ago, never to walk in anyone's shadows

If I fail, if I succeed

At least I'll live as I believe

No matter what they take from me

They can't take away my dignity

Because the greatest love of all

Is happening to me

I found the greatest love of all

Inside of me

The greatest love of all

Is easy to achieve

Learning to love yourself

It is the greatest love of all

[Chorus]

And if, by chance, that special place

That you've been dreaming of

Leads you to a lonely place

Find your strength in love 

Sooo, Make Sure "The Greatest Love Of All" Is YOU!!

Thank You For Reading

Thank You For Reading

Writers write for many reasons. When they first start writing it's usually all about them. They put words on paper that comes from their heart and brain. Many times their writing is so personal they don't want to share it with anybody. Many times they're not sure what they wrote is good enough to share (BTW, this is especially true of people who create paintings).

After they get more confident they share their writings hoping someone will like it. Their ultimate goal is that people will like it so much they can continue writing and hopefully make a shit load of money. For some, the money becomes so important they compromise on the art of their writings.

Then there are writers like me. I write because I have something to say and I'm proud of what I put out there for everyone to read. One of the nice things about being older is ego plays a lesser role in what I do. Therefore, I'm not overly hurt if people don't like what I write or overly happy if they do.

What is important to me is that someone reads what I've written. Writing a book is great (I've published five books), but each is only about one subject. Blogging is a much better form for me because each blog is about a different subject. 

I hear a song and I write a blog about it. I see and read what's going on in the world and I write about it. Most times I write about what's in my head at the time of the writing. I open Blogger on my computer and stare at a blank page until something starts percolating through my pores.  Staring at what I've just written makes me very happy.

My reward is not money because I don't get paid to write a blog. My reward is that I now have around four thousand readers in ten different countries. 

Thank You For Reading 

Death Of An Animal

Death Of An Animal

We all know how sad it is to lose a loved one. This is especially true if it’s someone you've known for many years and who has been your best friend. Most of us consider that loved one to be a human being, but some of us feel just as sad if it's our animal. Take it from me, when our twelve year old dog Zita goes back to the Universe, my wife and I will be very sad.

Some people take any death dramatically. They get depressed, angry or even stop talking to the other people in their lives. Some people feel so bad they immediately replace the one they lost. If it's a wife, they remarry in less than a year. If it's an animal, they get another within days. IMO, both actions are wrong.

Again, IMO, after the death of a loved one a person should take time off to be with themselves. Now is the time to love yourself more than anything or anyone else. Now is the time to comfort yourself. Now is the time to take that vacation you've been putting off because you didn't want to leave that person or that animal. Now is the time to plan your future. If that means a new person or a new animal is in your future, great, but the future doesn't have to mean weeks or months.

What I've experienced in my many, many years is that people have a harder time getting over losing an animal than losing a person. There's something about the ritual of human death that leads to closure.  Friends gather around to be there for you. If you're religious, the church holds your hand and says nice things. If you have an open casket, everyone says goodbye. When you lower that person into the ground there's closure. If you cremate your loved one and spread their ashes, you have closure.

For most people none of that happens with a loved animal. When the animal gets really sick you take it to the Vet who suggests you "put the animal down" (just typing those words makes me sick). When the Vet does so, there is no closure just the sad feeling of loss. 

You might think it's a good solution to cremate the person or the animal and keep the ashes with you, but that solution rarely brings closure. The sadness of the loss of the one you love is being reminded every time you look at the Urn. 

Sooo, IMO, accept death is death. If thinking that person or animal is going to a better place (even though it might be bullshit) focus on that not your personal loss. But, most important:

Now Is Your Time. Use It To Love Yourself More Than You Ever Did Before