Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas

Christmas puts a smile on my face. To me Christmas is an attitude not a religious event. Almost everybody I know sees Christmas as a time for fun, laughter, friends, family, food, drink and being merry.

Thanksgiving is for giving thanks. Christmas is for making others happy (especially kids). Jews love the Christmas type celebration so much they created Hanukkah that lasts eight days of giving, loving and joy. 

Unfortunately, some people don't like Christmas because they don't have loving people around them. They feel alone and that makes them depressed. That's why it's so important, in life, to make an effort to find love and happiness through people. If that's not possible then we all should find love and happiness within ourselves.

A simple phone call can put a big smile on someone's face. A simple gift or just a card can make someone happy. Having friends and or family over your house will make you happy. Giving love and happiness to others (especially those of need) will make you feel great. 

Happiness Is The Forgotten Ingredient In Life

Christmas = Happiness

Happy Birthday To Me

Happy Birthday To Me

Happy birthday to me - happy birthday to me - happy birthday dear Kenny - happy birthday to me - and many more.

Yesterday I celebrated my birthday - 74 and still going strong. The birthday wishes from sooo many people were really appreciated. To realize that sooo many people remembered me was fantastic. Some of those people that I haven't talked to or seen in many, many years still remembered me - HOO-RAY!

My Ellen told me that my 75th birthday will be a big one. I said that any birthday is great as long as I'm alive and in reasonably good health. Sooo, this one is special and every day after this one will also be special.

When you're young you take birthdays for granted. You love and enjoy the party, but you assume the next one will be just a year away. When you get over thirty, you also assume the next one will be just a year away, but you just hate that birthday number and don't like that that number will be even higher next year.

When you're a senior (like me) you don't assume anything. You're just happy you made it to another year. Appreciation is my favorite word. I appreciate being 74. I will appreciate every birthday from here on. 

I suggest that on your birthday you take a step back and appreciate your:

Love Of Life

The Best Sex In Your Life

The Best Sex In Your Life

For a teenage guy "The Best Sex In His Life" was probably his first time. After spending many, many months whacking off, he meets someone with some experience and has sex. After 32 seconds he has a mind-blowing orgasm. The girl (or guy), with some experience, winds up with no satisfaction and a mess to deal with down below.

For someone in their twenties enough sex is never enough sex. If she or he sees someone that looks right, sex is just a few kisses away. Unless your parents brainwashed you into believing that the best sex is when you love someone, you'll probably marry the first Gal/Guy that screws you. I got married at twenty -UGH. Of course, it didn't work out, but sex felt soooooo good when I was able to unleash my sexual drive on any woman who would let me.

In your thirty's things are starting to get serious (unless you've been brainwashed). You've had enough sexual encounters to know what kind of sexual person you would like to have a relationship with. BTW, the statement above does not mean some was good sex and some was bad sex. IMHO, there is no is no such thing as bad sex.

So now you're getting serious and knowing that if you find the right one (or at least someone close) you're going to marry that person. You may even choose someone who doesn't turn you on sexually because the clock is ticking, all your friends are married, your parents are starting to think you're gay - which is not a bad thing and you want children. BTW, this is not a woman thing, the same clock is ticking for men.

The forties are a great time for sex. You're probably in your second or third relationship (or more - Yah, Yah, Yah). You know what kind of sex you like and want. You're hornier than you were in your thirties and finding a good sexual partner is getting harder and harder. Therefore, when you match up with a great sexual partner, sex becomes a WOW instead of playing on your iPad while the event is happening.

The Fifties is a mixed bag. Many women have moved on from sex and are focused on many other things life has in-store for them. Meanwhile, men are in a mid-life crisis. Their first thought is: "how many shots do I have left in this gun." Younger women are starting to look and smell like fresh roses to them. Love and family may keep these men from wondering away, but they still get a boner just looking at a woman in a short dress. 

Senior sex:

Women - "NFW"

Men - "no sex is as good as a good dump in the morning" or I'll gladly give up sex if I could stop peeing every hour.

Artificial Intelligence (“AI”) The End Of Humanity

Hi all, if you’ve been reading my blogs or reading my books you know I’m a positive person and truly believe “Happiness Is The Forgotten Ingredient In Life.” You also know, I have always given my personal and honest opinion on many subjects even if that opinion negatively reflects on me personally. I’m writing this blog not to bum you out, but to tell you how I feel about the technology world that I personally was and am involved in for the majority of my life.

Question: Is technology and the rapid development of Artificial Intelligence (“AI”) going to be the end of humanity.

I’m sitting at my computer, having my five o’clock scotch, and this question popped into my mind and I felt compelled to blog about it. Please try not to see the negative in this blog, just the reality of what I know from the experience I’ve had in the early years of technology, the reality of today and my fears, concerns and the opportunities coming in the future.

Before I continue, I’m going to live until the year 2038. I can only see or project the reality of “AI” in my last twenty years of life. I’ll leave it up to the science fiction writers to expand beyond 2038.

The technology age started in the fifties. We’ve had the stone age and then the industrial age and now the technology age. In the fifties, when companies like IBM (just like IBM - there were other people and companies that were advancing technology, but IBM created a Corporate market for how technologies (then called computers) could be used to make companies more profitable.

We all know the positives of computers. They certainly have given me a wonderful and prosperous career. I couldn’t be writing this blog if I didn’t have a computer and the internet.

The purpose of the IBM computers was to compute (hence the word computers). Humans just couldn’t compute mathematical or other kinds of data as fast as a computer. All the other sources (the pen, the abacus and the calculator required human interface. The computer could do the same thing faster and as the technology got even better, much, much faster.

BTW, the technology paradigm is that computers (and now other technologies like “AI”) will double every year. You heard me, not every ten years – every year.

Computing stopped being the sole purpose of computers a few years after their primary objective. Reducing the cost of labor (THE mostly costly aspect of any company) became the Holly Grail of technology companies. This is still the primary reasons of technology today.

Manufacturing and product packaging are now run by intelligent robots not human workers. On the manufacturing and product packaging floor there used to be ten now there are two. In every department of a company computing and now “AI” is reducing the need for manpower by fifty percent or more. As an example, the major cost of Ride Sharing Companies (i.e. UBER) are its drivers. In just a few years an UBER car will pick me up at my house without a driver. This will be true of long-haul truck drivers, delivery people, etc. etc.

In the next twenty years the only humans who will have decent paying jobs will be Programmers, highly skilled workers in highly skilled companies and people with great vision to create the next big thing. Believe it or not, in my lifetime a real looking “AI” robot will be delivering your TV news not the human anchor you see today. After my lifetime there won’t be any need for skilled Programmers because “AI” Bots will write their own code.

In the military, “AI” is already changing the way we fight the enemy. Not just Drones will do the fighting, but non-human Bots will do the fighting.

There is something I want to say about that:

Isaac Asimov the renowned Science Fiction writer wrote fifty years ago that in the development of Robots the world should agree on two rules. Rule number One, a Robot should never harm another Human Being and two, a Robot should only take directions from another Human Being unless that Human Being’s directions break Rule number One.

Today those two rules are being broken by the military. I know they are doing so to protect us against the enemy, but once we break those two rules, who’s to say the Bots won’t kill the good guys.

All of this (no jobs for the masses and Bots killing Humans) is going to affect our Humanity as we know it today. In my last twenty years of my life, I’ll be interested how society reacts to these changes because many good things will come from “AI.”

National and individual security will be much better because of “AI.” The downside is that our privacy will suffer. Today, people are willing to give up some privacy to be safer. Today, we gladly give our personal information out to the internet because we believe it won’t come back and haunt us even though many people have been burned by their own personal information.

“AI” is making it easier to get information – “OK Google, where is a Mexican restaurant near me.” “Alexa, order me a mushroom pizza from Pizza Hut.”

“AI” is allowing us to have intelligent appliances that can turn on when we want and even order groceries when we run out. We now can go to a kiosk and get a Big Mac without talking to a human.

Sooo, will “AI” destroy humanity or will it benefit humanity?

My Answer Is, It Will Do What We (Humans) Allow It To Do

Why This Car

Why This Car

America loves their cars. As a matter of fact, in my travels to many countries, I have found that everyone loves cars. Why they love a particular car is in the mind of the beholder.

Here are some of the many reasons I can think of:

* I'm all into saving the planet so I want an electric or hybrid car. Kenny's comment - an electric car will not save the planet. That's because the planet is going to be just fine even after we pollute and destroy the environment. You see, after we blow ourselves up the planet will rejuvenate itself and all the cockroaches will survive. However, by buying an electric car you will save time before Climate Change does us in. Therefore, buying an electric car is more about saving your ass then saving the planet.

* I love the way it looks and I love the way it makes me feel. Kenny's comment - If you need a good-looking car to make you feel better, I suggest you talk to a mentor about your insecurities.

* I'm all into utility. I don't care what the car looks like, I just want to be able to get all my kids and or friends into it. I also want to make sure I can store all the stuff, I don't need, from Costco. I also want all the safety features that make me feel safe while driving. Kenny's comment - now this person has their shit together.

* I'm all into prestige. The more the car costs the better it looks and the more it makes others think I'm successful. Kenny's comment - now this person doesn't have their shit together.

* I'm all into price. I want the best car I can get that meets my budget. Kenny's comment - This person is either cheap or knows how to manage their budget. This person will probably have plenty of money to retire on. Just as an aside, too many people spend more on a car than they can afford. It's sad, but true. 

Wake Up People - a car's main purpose is to get you from one place to another.

For me personally, I love my Honda CRV. It hits all the buttons I want in a car. 

What About You

You Talk Too Much

You Talk Too Much

Did, in the past, or do you now have a girlfriend or boyfriend or worse yet, a husband or wife that Talked Too Much - UGH. Below are the lyrics from the George Thorogood song. It made me laugh - especially the ending.

George Thorogood And The Destroyers Lyrics

"You Talk Too Much"

You talk too much, you talk too much

I can't believe the things that you say everyday

If you keep on talking baby

You know you're bound to drive me away

Now you get on the telephone with your girlfriend

Your conversation baby ain't got no end

Yakety-yakety-yakety-yak all the time

You keep on talking baby drive me out of my mind

You talk too much

I can't believe the things that you say everyday

If you keep on talking baby

You know you're bound to drive me away

Well I laid out in the afternoon I start to nappin'

You walk into the room with them jaws a-flappin'

You keep that motormouth moving morning, noon and night

You keep on talking baby make my head turn white

You talk too much

I can't believe the things that you say everyday

If you keep on talking baby

You know you're bound just to drive me away

I think you're trying to put me through some kind of test

I'm begging you baby won't you give it a rest

You talk about people that you don't even know

Keep it up baby I'm gonna pick up and blow

You talk too much

I can't believe the things that you say everyday

If you keep on talking baby

You know you're bound to drive me away

Don't get me wrong baby I don't mean to complain

But if you keep on talking you're gonna drive me insane

You keep on talking all around the clock

I'm begging you baby won't you please stop

You talk too much

I can't believe the things that you say everyday

If you keep on talking baby

You know you're bound to drive me away

Honey, I hear you. Yes dear. You're right dear. (Under his breathe) "shut the F up.

How Many Times Do You Say The Word Appreciate

How Many Times Do You Say The Word Appreciate

If you don't say the word Appreciate or Appreciate something you've seen at least once a day (even if you don't say it out loud), you're missing a great chance to make yourself a happier person. From our early creation we evolved into creatures that don't normally take a step back and Appreciate. 

We spend too much of our energy on negatives things, having blinders on when we see or hearing something to Appreciate, not giving a shit, or not focused on what we have verses what we don't have. 

To really Appreciate something, you have to be able to take something in and let your mind absorb what it's seeing or hearing in a positive way. Another way of putting it is, taking into your brain, something someone says or something you see that makes you very happy.

I just went to a huge party. It was fabulous. I loved the food, the music, the dancing and the friendly people most of whom I did not know. A few times during the party, I'd be sitting at my table and Appreciate what was going on in front of me. 

The next day, I sent a text to the hosts of the party saying how much I loved the Party and how much I Appreciate being their friends. Saying this made me feel good and I hoped it made them feel good - positive energy begets positive energy.

I was on the phone with my medical provider. She did such a great job communicating with me and making sure I had the information I needed. I must have said how much I Appreciated her three or four times. She deserved it and I really Appreciated her.

Appreciation is a feel-good word. As I've always said: "words are very important - words have meaning." Taking the few seconds to Appreciate something will just make your day better. Taking the few seconds to tell someone how much you Appreciate what they said or their actions will not only make your day better it will make their day better.

Sooo, 

How Many Times Do You Say The Word Appreciate

It Feels So Good When She Stops

It Feels So Good When She Stops

The Midterm Election reminds me of the old joke:

"This guy's wife hits him over the head with a hammer every day. His best friend asks him: "why do you let her do that to you?" He says back: "because it feels so good when she stops."

I don't know about you, but I'm so glad the Midterm Election is over. My mail usually comes by 1 PM. for the last two months my mail has been coming around 5 PM because of all the "vote for me" and "don't vote for him or her because....... mail. I never read any of it and just put it into the trash.

I usually record the shows I want to see. This is really necessary during the Midterm Election because of the horrible attack ads that go on and on for months. Sooo, I just skip over them just to keep me sane.

Having the right to vote is the basis of Democracy. I very happy that more people came out to vote in this Midterm Election as compared to previous elections. What I'm not happy about is the BILLIONS of dollars spent to convince me and others to vote for their candidate. 

In my opinion, most of the people in America already knew who that were going to vote for. Therefore, the BILLIONS could have been used to cure cancer and the result of the election would have come out the same.

Now, everybody is saying: "we won." The real answer is, America won because "The People" had a chance to have their voice heard. As you know, this is not true in many, many other countries.

Some people believe that because the House went to the Democrats and the Senate went to the Republicans, we will have two years of gridlock. I choose to not believe that. America always finds its way. If nothing good gets done "We The People" will vote for people who will get it done. In the grand scheme of things, politically, two years is a blip on the radar. 

Again, America will always find a way to heal itself. 

For me personally:

It Just Feels So Good That It Has Stopped!

Why Get Up And Get A Haircut And Get A Real Job

Why Get Up And Get A Haircut And Get A Real Job

As you know I love listening to rock and roll. I heard two songs today that put a smile on my face. Hope you enjoy the lyrics:

Why Get Up

The Fabulous Thunderbirds

Why get up, why get up
How can I get up, why should I get up
This whole world's gone crazy
Think I've seen enough
I'm gonna sleep forever why get up

Phone keeps ringing right off the hook
Some bill collector, I know what cooks
Think I'll stay in bed, dream all day
World outside bugs me anyway
When I get things going, the going gets rough
So I ask myself why get up

Why get up, why get up
How can I get up, why should I get up
This whole world's gone crazy
Think I've seen enough
I'm gonna sleep forever why get up

Went to the doctor, he said lose some weight
If you don't do it quick, we'll have to operate
I talked to my lawyer, he said case is closed
That woman got it all even the garden hose
Staring at the ceiling thinking just my luck
Better roll back over why get up

Why get up, why get up
How can I get up, why should I get up
This whole world's gone crazy
Think I've seen enough
I'm gonna sleep forever why get up

Well I can't quit drinking, I'm nervous all the time
When I wake up, it's like a ton lead on my mind
What was it, I said to that girl last night
She really got upset, I best stay out of sight
I remember a gun and calling somebody's bluff
I better duck under the cover why get up

Why get up, why get up
How can I get up, why should I get up
This whole world's gone crazy
Think I've seen enough
I'm gonna sleep forever why get up

Get A Haircut And Get A Real Job

George Thorogood

I was a rebel from the day I left school
Grew my hair long and broke all the rules
I'd sit and listen to my records all day
With big ambitions of when I could play

My parents taught me what life was about
So I grew up the type they warned me about
They said my friends were just an unruly mob
And I should get a haircut and get a real job

Get a haircut and get a real job
Clean your act up and don't be a slob
Get it together like your big brother Bob
Why don't you get a haircut and get a real job

I even tried that nine to five scene
I told myself that it was all a bad dream
I found a band and some good songs to play
Now I party all night, I sleep all day

I met this chick, she was my number one fan
She took me home to meet her mommy and dad
They took one look at me and said "Oh my god!"
Get a haircut and get a real job

Get a haircut and get a real job
Clean your act up and don't be a slob
Get it together like your big brother Bob
Why don't you get a haircut and get a real job

Get a real job, why don't you get a real job
Get a real job, why don't you get a real job

I hit the big time with my rock and roll band
The future's brighter now than I'd ever planned
I'm ten times richer than my big brother Bob
But he's got a haircut he's got a real job

Get a haircut and get a real job
Clean your act up and don't be a slob
Get it together like your big brother Bob
Why don't you get a haircut and get a real job

Get a real job, why don't you get a real job

What Would You Do With 1.6 Billion Dollars

What Would You Do With 1.6 Billion Dollars

Let's start with my wife. For sure she would be buying more shoes and handbags. She probably would want a larger house so my Man Cave would be further away from her when I'm watching a very noisy action Blow-shit-Up movie. Currently, she is planning to trade in her Lexus (she doesn't like their new styling) for a loaded Honda Accord. I would assume she would get something more expensive.

BTW, the money would never change the sweet smart person I love now.

What about me. I have to really think about that. I already have enough clothes and shoes for the rest of my life. I already love my house and my Man Cave. I already love where both Ellen and I live. I love my Honda CRV and would probably get another one. I would like a 75-inch TV in the Den and a 65-inch TV in my Man Cave. We already travel first class and maybe we would do it more often, but my bad back would restrict how much we would travel. Maybe we would travel more if we had a private jet (we both hate airlines).

BTW, I will always be the good guy I am now. As you know (from my blogs and books), I grew up poor so I already have more money than I ever dreamed of having.

I think the biggest expense Ellen and I would spend our money on is the people we love and the foundations we would create to help people in need. We would want to see where our money is going and see the faces of the people we help.

Sooo, What Would You Do With 1.6 Billion Dollars? 

The Good Old Days

The Good Old Days

Ah, remember The Good Old Days - I do. However, if I really think about The Good Old Days and compare it to today, I'm not sure the Good Old Days were as good as I remember them. Our brain wants to remember positive things. The brain tries it's best to suppress the negative things. 

For example, if any of you have broken a bone (I have broken three) you remember it was very painful. However, it's almost impossible to relive that pain. The brain protects us from many bad things that happened in the past by not letting us to relive a bad episode. Therefore, the brain remembers The Good Old Days as a really great time in life.

When I take a step back and truly think about the Good Old Days, I remember there were no supermarkets where I lived. To get meat I went to the butcher store. To get groceries I went to the local grocery store. To get candy I went to the local candy store. To get fish I went to the fish store or the fish market. Today, I can do all of that in one supermarket. In that sense today is better than The Good Old Days.

In The Good Old Days, I had three good restaurants (Italian, Chinese and a Deli) in a ten mile radius. Today, I have almost twenty good restaurants (with all kinds of different foods) within five miles from my home. The Good Old Days just didn't have the selections I have today. Maybe The Good Old Days weren't as good as I remember them.

In the Good Old Days, I had a car that I had to pay extra to get a radio. Back then my car got ten miles to the gallon of gas. Today, my 2016 CRV has sooo many features that driving is safer and more fun. I get thirty miles to a gallon. Soon, I won't have to drive at all because the car will take me where I want to go without me driving it. Maybe The Good Old Days weren't as good as I remember them.

In The good Old Days there was one hospital within fifteen miles of my home. Today, I have three hospitals within fifteen miles. Also, in The Good Old Days the average cure for illness was take two aspirin and call me in the morning. Today, there are so many cures for so many problems that living longer through medicine keeps getting better and better. Yah, I know the cost of health care is out of control, but given the choice I choose today over The Good Old Days.

Life was simpler in The Good Old Days and making good friends was easier, but after thinking more and more about today as compared to The Good Old Days;

I Choose Today

Physical Pain

Physical Pain

Any kind of pain sucks. There are three kinds of pain - mental, physical and pain in the ass pain. This blog is about physical pain. 

Physical pain comes in different flavors. A pin prick hurts, but is gone in an instant. Breaking a bone or tearing a ligament is very painful and can last months. However, some pain lasts forever. I have two bad disks in my lower back plus an arthritic condition in the same area. I've been in pain most of my adult life.

There is only a 50% - 50% chance an operation will relieve my pain, but there is also a 50% - 50% chance I will come out of the operation worse than when I went in, sooo I decided to live with the pain. As a matter of fact, the pain shooting down my leg is part of my life. I've embraced it instead of hating it.

I sometimes have fabulous dreams that all my pain is gone. That dream only lasts until I wake up in the morning. I don't like taking pain pills so I do all I can to keep my weight down and going to the gym to build up my core and the rest of my body to minimize the chances my back will go completely out which leaves me in the worse kind of pain - which is debilitating pain. 

Debilitating pain is pain that stops you from living your life. When that happens to me I have no choice but to get a steroid injection (it's an anti-inflammatory) in my back from my Pain Doctor. If any of you have debilitating pain, I feel your pain.

At one time in our life, we all have pain of some kind. The older we get the more chances we will be in pain. The old saying: "getting old is a bitch" is sooo true. However, how we deal with the pain will determine if we're going to live life to the best we can make it or if we are going to live a life saying: "woe is me."

Life is too short to let pain of any kind (including mental pain) to steal the life we deserve. If it's short term pain, understand it will eventually go away. If it's long term pain, find a way to see the pain as part of your life not the end of your life.

My last blog was called: "LIFE IS GOOD!" The alternative to not dealing with the pain is a lousy life. Sooo, ask yourself: would I rather live life with the pain or let the pain ruin my life. Those of you that are in pain now have a choice. 

I Choose Life Over Pain

LIFE IS GOOD

LIFE IS GOOD

LIFE IS GOOD. Baseball season is almost over - I can now get out of my coma, My LA Rams Football team is in first place, Basketball is about to start and my LA Lakers look like them may make the playoffs, Hockey season is starting and my home team the Las Vegas Golden Knights are still a really good team - LIFE IS GOOD!

LIFE IS GOOD. I went over my finances with my Financial Advisor and if we stay on budget, we can live out the rest of our lives without the worry, I have great car, health and home insurance, I have Long Term Health Insurance just in cast our health puts us in an assisted living or nursing home and I have an umbrella policy to protect us if we should get sued for any reason (except doing anything illegal) - I FEEL SAFE - LIFE IS GOOD!

LIFE IS GOOD. Our health is good (except for our bad backs) and we are able to work out at the gym and do all the things we want to do at our age - LIFE IS GOOD.

LIFE IS GOOD. I have a great wife, we have really good friends and family here in Las Vegas and around the United States, we also have a few good friends that live in Europe which makes it fun when we travel - LIFE IS GOOD!

The best part is I'm really loving writing this blog:

LIFE IS GOOD!  

Global Warming

Global Warming

The ice sheets are falling (BTW, I was in Alaska and watched them fall into the sea so it's really happening). The sea is getting warmer. The storms are getting stronger. With all of this happening it must be about Global Warming - I don't agree.

The reason I don't agree is because the term Global Warming gives everyone a wrong impression. The people who don't agree about Global Warming say: "last winter was the coldest winter ever how can that be about Global Warming. We've had more snow than ever before. Therefore, it can't be Global Warming."

They're right. It's not Global Warming it's Climate Change! We are in a stage where our earth's climate is changing. Some believe that after this stage we will enter an ice age (I don't think it will happen while I'm alive, but who knows).

Climate Change is real and anyone who believes otherwise is not paying attention. 

Now comes the question: "what is causing Climate Change." Some believe that it's just a natural thing that happens every so often. They point to the fact that we have gone through an ice age and a major drought before humans populated the earth. 

Ya know, they do make a good point. However, most of us are sure that humans polluting the Earth is not making anything better it's making things worse. How can any Government accept polluting our beautiful Earth by opening coal factories? How can any Government accept eliminating car pollution standards? How can any Government accept allowing oil refineries to pollute the skies just so they can make more money? I can go on and on, but I hope the sane people know these policies are NOT making the problem better.

Sooo you say, what the hell does this blog have to do with happiness? Just ask a person with acute asthma how happy they are breathing the air around them. Just ask the people who are losing their homes to violent storms if they are happy campers. Just ask the people who lost a love one because of major fires if they are really happy. 

Climate Change is making some people depressed and unhappy. However, let's not give the naysayers their argument by calling it Global Warming when it really is:

CLIMATE CHANGE 

Why Am I Here

Why Am I Here

I never know what's going to pop into my crazy head. Yesterday, in a quiet moment, A thought popped into my brain - Why Am I Here? WOW, that was a very deep question with many, many answers. So many I had to really think hard about it. After much thought, I'm still not sure Why Am I Here?

Am I here to save mankind - definitely NOT! Am I here to be a good father - well, that hasn't worked out for me. Am I here to be a good husband and a good friend - I believe I am, but there has to be more to it than that. Am I here to "serve" a higher being - I do believe that putting positive energy out into the Universe will bring back positive energy, however, I don't believe I'm here to "serve" anybody.

Am I here to make money and lead a comfortable life - I do believe in capitalism, but that can't be the reason I'm living on this planet. Am I here to please everyone around me - if you're reading my writings and my blogs you know that's not the reason I'm here. Am I here to be a happy and positive energy person - now I might, just might, be getting closer to an answer. 

I still don't know the absolute answer. 

Maybe I'm Here Just Because I'm Here

OLD

OLD

At ten I felt young. At thirteen I was wishing I was older. At twenty I was married with a child on the way - I still felt young because my career was taking off. At twenty-five I was managing five people, my wife didn't like being a stay home wife, the kids (two kids now) were in need all the time and I started to feel I was getting OLDER.

At thirty-five I was divorced, the kids were in their teens and I was feeling young again because I was free again. At fifty, I was working too hard and managing almost a hundred people. I had a new wife (my Ellen) which was great and the kids were all grown up. I found myself somewhere between feeling young and feeling OLD. 

At sixty-five, I was retired, the wife was still great, the kids had moved on, I was on Medicare and didn't have to worry about health insurance - I was feeling young again.

Now, I'm soon going to be seventy-four and these are the best years of my life. I still have a great wife, my grandkids are wonderful, I love my new home in Las Vegas, I'm greatly enjoying my writing and my blogging, NFL Football just started and Basketball is soon to come - When life is great you can't help feeling young. When life sucks it's too easy to feel OLD.

The sad part is seeing friends and other people looking OLD and feeling OLD even though they are much younger than I. Sooo, that leads me to ask: "what about you." Do you still feel young or are you feeling OLD because you're spending too much time focused on your aching bones and the life that's past you bye?

If you're in the latter, you're probably not a happy camper and OLD age seems to be coming at you faster than ever. If you love life and still are able to find new and interesting things that fill your day, you most likely are happy and still feel that "young at heart" pulling at your future.

It's just my opinion, but I believe OLD is a state of mind and young is a state of mind. Therefore, even if you have bad health, even if you have a bad job, even if you have a lousy social life, you can choose to feel:

OLD OR YOUNG - You Choose

The Chopped Liver Diet

The Chopped Liver Diet

It's the Jewish Holiday and I just remembered something my father (Sam) said to me when I was twenty years old. It's called "The Chopped Liver Diet." This is how the diet works:

* Eat Ellen's Chopped Liver for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Do this for seven or eight days. 

* The next day you have a Heart Attack. 

* You're in intensive care and the doctors are doing their best to unclog your arteries.

* After the successful operation, the doctor says you're going to be fine, but I have to put you on a very strict diet.

* Three weeks later you lost twenty pounds.

Now tell me, what other diet would lose you twenty pounds in a month. The answer is only: 

The Chopped Liver Diet

Don't Let Past Mistakes Guide Your Life Today

Don't Let Past Mistakes Guide Your Life Today

We've all made mistakes in the past. Most of us are making mistakes today. However, letting the mistakes of the past guide you to continue to do what you really don't want to do today is never going to lead you to the happy land.

You may have made a mistake in who you married, but if you're still in that relationship, for whatever reason, you will negatively impact your happiness today. If you made a mistake choosing a career you don't like, staying in that career, for whatever reason, will eliminate your chance of doing something else that makes you happy.

If you made the mistake of putting work, money and/or ego ahead of family, friends, me time and real happiness and continue to stay in that rat race, your health will be affected and the life you really wanted will never happen.

I could go on and on, but I hope you get the point. Mistakes of the past should be a learning experience not an unhappy sentence. Mistakes of the past should be put aside. It's OK to forgive yourself for those mistakes. I'm sure you heard the saying: "doing the same thing over and over again is the definition of insanity."

You don't have to live by your mistakes. You can make changes. The key is to focus on YOUR happiness not anyone else. It's never too late to change the things you don't like into the things you do like.

Mistakes Of The Past Are The Past And Have Nothing To Do With Your future - 

Unless YOU Let Them

Traveling In The Future

Traveling In The Future

Traveling today sucks the big one. By car, too much traffic and too many crazy drivers. Traveling by motorcycle scares the shit out of me. Traveling by bicycle hurts my legs just thinking about it. Also, more people are killed by accidents involving a bicycle than people killed by airlines. Then there is traveling by airplane - UGH!!!

It isn't even bad enough that you have to get to the airport an hour plus before your flight, but even if you get there on time, how many times has that plane left on time - the answer today is almost zero. Then you wait in line through security. Then you wait in line until you're able to get to your seat. Then you fight for space to put your luggage up top. 

Then you sit in your uncomfortable seat and hope the flight isn't delayed more because of mechanical or airport traffic problems. Then the person in front of you is big and has to put their seat back which pushes your legs up to your chest. The only solution is to put your seat back which pisses off the person behind you so they have to put their seat back which causes a cascading of pushed back seats.

Of course, the airlines could make seats that don't go back, but then someone might complain. Sooo, since they really don't give a shit about the majority of us, they will never do this for one main reason - they want us to be uncomfortable so we have to upgrade to a much higher fare if we want to get through a four or five-hour flight - triple UGH!

At the end of this disaster, you have to wait again until they have a terminal spot to put your plane. I've been on a plane for forty minutes waiting for that spot. Now you've arrived and GOD forbid you have put your luggage on the plane and have to wait until your luggage comes down the shoot. Even if it makes it (which ten percent of the time it doesn't), you have to wrench your back pulling your luggage off the older than dirt luggage machine while fighting the person in front of you who is pushing like hell to get his luggage before you.

If you're lucky enough to be in Europe, you can avoid all this airplane bullshit and take the train. BTW, the train system in most countries is so much better than anything we have in America. In Europe especially, the train comes on time. You can get to the train five minutes before it leaves. no security to go through and if you have a lot of luggage someone will help you get it on the train.

Sooo, what will be different in the future? Well, that is determined by how long is your future. I'm going to live until 2038 (read my book The Year Of My Death). By 2038, there will be driver-less cars. That will make driving better because you can sit in the back seat and read, blog, listen to music and watch a video while praying the driver-less car knows where the hell it's going and doesn't crash because it's computer didn't recognize the pole in front of it.

As far as the airplane goes, by 2038 planes will get you to where you want to go much faster, but all the bullshit stated above will still make flying a horrible experience. Why doesn't America invest in trains and monorails? It's simple, the airplane lobby doesn't want it and nobody is willing to pay for it.

Sooo, if your me, I don't see a big change traveling in my future. However, someone who is two years old today probably will see traveling as a good thing not a bad thing.

Beam Me Up Scotty

Rock And Roll Soul

Rock And Roll Soul

I have a Rock And Roll Soul. I've always had it. When everyone else was listening to Pat Boone I was listening to The Four Tops, The Spinners and The Temptations. On the Radio, when everyone else was listening to Dick Clark, I was listening to Jocko. 

Dick Clark ended his show saying: "thank you everybody." Jocko ended his show saying: "This is Jocko - I'm like a roach on a post - too smooth to move." 

Sooo, what is a Rock And Roll Soul? It's a Soul that loves life. It's a Soul that feels the beat every day of their life. It's a Soul that loves to laugh. It's a Soul that wants to dance the moment you wake up. It's a Soul that loves people with the same Soul. 

If you're still not sure listen to the Rolling Stones sing: "Start Me Up." If you're still not sure go to the nearest black church and listen to the Gospel. If you're still not sure, listen to Aretha Franklin - we miss you Aretha.

You can have a Rock And Roll Soul even if you don't like Rock And Roll (I hope there are only a few of you out there). Pat Boone's music has no Soul, but if you listen to him you're just going to have to make your own Soul. On the other hand, Frank Sinatra's music has a lot of Soul. In my opinion the music that has the most Soul is the Blues. I love the Blues because it hits my gut and enhances my Soul. 

When people like hanging out with you it's because of your Soul. When people trust you it's because of your Soul. When people have your back it's because of your Soul.

Starting today, listen to Rock And Roll, The Blues, The Gospel or Frank. 

If that doesn't enrich your Soul, you're already DEAD

Remember When 2 + 2 = 4

Remember When 2 + 2 = 4

Growing up just about everything in my life 2 +2 = 4. Growing up the Nation and most of the World 2 + 2 = 4. Today almost everything I read, watch or hear do not get 2 + 2 to equal 4. 

A huge percentage of what the Politicians say today don't come close to 4. They are either over exaggerating to 5 or ignoring the facts to 2 (sometimes 1). I'm getting closer to becoming A-Political. I don't want to do that because I want to believe in the American System. I want to vote for candidates, but which ones are totally committed to 2 + 2 = 4.

Although I'm not religious, I want the people who are, to believe their Church follows 2 + 2 = 4. With the bad things going on in many religions it's clear they have lost their way so they no longer act like 2 + 2 = 4. Doing horrible things to kids and hiding the truth puts them at minus 1. Using the name of God (Allah) to make war puts them at minus 1.

Some newspapers are making shit up and have given up on 2 + 2 = 4 just so they can sell papers. Watching news shows like CNN and FOX News is confusing to say the least. How can I believe they are truly seeking 2 + 2 = 4 when the Commentators covering the same story state the direct opposite of what the Commentators on the other network are saying. 

There is only one 2 + 2 = 4. Variations in math to either state their political opinion or to get more people to watch their shows is ignoring the fact that 2 + 2 will always equal 4. Anything other is either bullshit or planned misrepresentation. 

I wish it would all stop. I want to believe in something other than myself. One of the most important things a person can have is TRUST! 

TRUST = 2 + 2 = 4

The More You Have The Less You Appreciate

The More You Have The Less You Appreciate

Hi all, miss me? Been on a Cruise the last three weeks and had a great time with great friends. So few people can afford the time or the cost to go on a cruise. It got me thinking about how lucky I am and how I need to make a point to never take things for granted.

As wonderful things come your way, do you take the time to appreciate them? It's harder to do so the more you have. As a kid I had many wonderful friends. We were all in the same boat, so my friends were something I didn't think about. I took them for granted.

However, we all saved up money to buy the Wilson NFL football called the Duke (the Duke is still the standard NFL football sixty years later). We really, really appreciated that football. Each kid got to take the football home after we played street football (some of you might remember the play - go behind the red car and I'll hit you with a pass).

At sixteen (the driving age at the time), My Uncle Harry financed me enough money to buy my first car - a VW Beatle. He lent me the money under one condition. I had to make a payment book and pay him money every month until the $1500 was paid off. I really, really appreciated my car.

The more money I made the more I could afford a new car every three years. The fact is I didn't appreciate those cars anyway near the appreciation I had for that Beatle. 

The more money I earned, the more promotions I got, the few health problems I had and the more friends I came to know, the less I appreciated all that I had. It wasn't that I didn't enjoy having those things, it's just that I didn't stop to really, really appreciate it all. I was more focused on what was wrong with my life than what was so great about my life.

Now, I'm seventy three and can't stop appreciating all that I have. I love my Honda CRV. I love my Ellen. I love being retired. I love having people around the globe reading my blogs. I've accepted my bad back and appreciate that I don't have to go under the knife. I love that I have enough money to live out the rest of my life and still be able to do wonderful things like going on a cruise.

Hopefully, life is giving you as much or more than you believed you would get when you were younger. Please don't let getting more hold you back from appreciating what you have NOW!