Sucked In Like a Maniac!

I've been sucked in by Apple Computer, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Linkedin and cable news to name just a few.  I can hardly believe it and I don't like it!

I know folks who can barley do anything unless there's an APP to support their actions.  I have friends who keep track of their steps, where they ride their bike, how many calories they're consuming, how much water they're not drinking, how much weight their lifting, loosing or gaining and for all I know, how many times a day they're breaking wind (I haven't checked but I bet there's an APP for it).

Also, I've fallen into the rat-trap of feeling like I have to be constantly "connected" and available to anyone on the planet who wants to contact me about darn near anything.  Somehow, I've also convinced myself that there are a bunch of people just waiting around to hear what I have to say; as if there's a shortage of opinions, ideas and suggestions floating throughout cyber space.

The truth is, I can't think of one celebrity or TV personality who's opinions I need on anything that pertains to my life, with the possible exception of Stuart Varney, Charles Payne, Jim Cramer and most of the folks on CNBC's "Fast Money".  
 
So, effective Tuesday morning, July 4, 2017, I'll be conducting an experiment by unplugging from Linkedin, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, most of cable news and all of network news.  For at least the forceable future I plan on getting most of my world updates from Mauricio; the proprietor of The 211 Cafe, just in back of the Bentonville Square.  He makes a great cup of Guatemalan coffee that's well worth the $3 it will cost you to acquire one.

For personal enjoyment and writing fulfillment, I plan to continue posting on this blog just for fun.  In the unlikely event your entertainment needs aren't fully satisfied through the nearly limitless sources vying for your attention, you can check out "Old and Ridiculous!" now and then...just for fun.  It's the one place you can find out what's been going on in my world, if you choose.

For my family and friends, my phone will be off most of the time, although I do plan on checking it  randomly and at various times throughout each day.  I never want to miss communication from my family and friends.  In the highly unlikely event of an emergency, you can contact my bride, my daughter or my Mom.

Regarding this "semi-unplugged plan"....I'll keep you posted.

Bentonville, Arkansas

Bentonville, Arkansas is a nice place to visit!  If you live in The Czech Republic, you'd probably like it here.  I'm not sure if I'd make the trip all the way from there just to visit our little town, but then again, people travel further than that to visit towns that aren't nearly as cool as Bentonville.  Now that I think about it, I'd recommend logging onto myoverpricedplaneticket.com and choose the least overpriced ticket available.  And if you're planning on staying a few nights, I highly recommend the 21c Museum Hotel, just off the Bentonville Square.  Once you get your first cup of coffee or pint of  locally brewed craft beer...you'll know what to do.
On these and similar travel related topics, I'll try to keep you posted on a more regular basis.

P.S. If you stay at the 21c, tell them "that one guy" recommended you stay there.  (There could be a free beer in it for me:)

Ol' Pal Salute!

The only thing nearly as good as a fine K9 companion is the memory of one.  Here's to our Ol' Pal Max!

In 44 years of owning cars and trucks the only vehicle I've ever named is the one I've been driving since May, 2002.  I refer to my Chevy Tahoe as the "Max-Mobile".  It was Max's favorite place to nap and hang out.  I'm guessing I hauled him around in the Tahoe at least 100,000 miles.  On top of the many miles traveled he spent countless additional hours napping in the back while it sat idol in our driveway.

Max is not the only dog deserving of the moniker "One of a kind" but he was certainly one of them.  Thanks for the memories Max...gone but not forgotten.

What Happens to all the Leaves?

Where do all the leaves go?  It seems like the oak and hickory woods of Southern Missouri should either be covered in 10 feet of top soil or 40 feet of leaves.  It's neither.  I may ask Klietus to do some light leaf-research if he's not too busy riding his motor-scooter from Arkansas to Alaska and back.  I'll check on that and in the mean time try to keep you reasonably posted....  

Simple Shakers

Most of the good things in life are simple and uncomplicated.  Like this salt and pepper shaker set perched on my Mom's window sill above her kitchen sink.  If I'm not mistaken (I'll have to confirm this with Mom), these are the same salt and pepper shakers that sat on the kitchen table in our home the entire time I was growing up.

Simple and uncomplicated?  You bet!  And, they work just as good today as they did 50 years ago.  Just turn them upside down, shake, and VOILA;  instant awesome hamburger!  No instructions required, no politics involved and so darn simple even a hard-headed (fill in the blank with the derogatory term that best describes the people who affiliate with the political party you just loath) could do it!
On random related and unrelated topics...I'll try to keep you posted.

Meandering & Lounging

Ol' Maxie Pad was one of the sweetest dogs God ever placed on the earth!  This picture was taken several years ago, shortly after his first encounter with the bovine.  Upon seeing this particular cow standing just on the other side of this fence with several of it's friends, Max ran at it at full speed, unaware of the barbed-wire fence that stood between them.  When he hit the fence, all 105 pounds of my old friend came to an immediate dead-stop.  It scared the snot out of me and for a couple of seconds I thought it might have killed him, or at least, cut him up real bad.  

Somehow, there wasn't a scratch on him, as far as I could find.  After he shook it off he walked back over to the cow and stood there waiting to see what it would do.  The rest of the cows meandered off; all except this one Ol' gal.  I don't know if it was her first encounter with a dog, but she warmed up to Max almost immediately.

From that point on Max never chased another cow; although he did bark at them every time he saw a heard meandering around a pasture.  Funny how the only thing cows seem to ever do is eat, meander, lounge and make room for more food.  And that's probably why Max ended up getting along so well with the bovine.  Like my old K9 companion, the cow seems to have a lot of this stuff figured out🐮🐮🐮

Hurry-Up!

There's a song by the group "Alabama" that starts out:

I'm in a hurry to get things done,
I rush and rush until life's no fun,
All I really gotta do is live and die,
But I'm in a hurry and don't know why..."

I'm no philosophical guru (not technically) but that song seems to accurately describe the daily life of many people.  I'm often times in a hurry and have to stop and ask myself, "Why the snot am I in such a hurry!"

The reason my old friends in the above picture enjoy our annual get-together at our cabin is largely due to the opportunity to slow down for a couple of days and tune out the busier parts of their lives.  Busy, busy, busy....Why so stinking busy!

If this sounds like you, consider pondering why you put so much pressure on yourself to move through life at breakneck speed.  The old saying "Stop and smell the roses" is good council.  Most of the best things in life cost little or no money.  Views and moments like those in these pictures are all around us.  But if we go through life at 120 miles per hour, we're likely to miss most of them.