lazyarcher - Posted - 11/19/2009:  02:47:35

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quote:

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Originally posted by Nancy

[quote You see, I live in the present. It took a long time to come to that, but the past is gone, and future looks dim and far away. Now is all I have. Right now all the time.

Nancy

We Create Our Tomorrows by what we dream today.

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Nancy--that right there is IMHO the key to truly living your life. Remember the past and dream about the future, but don't waste today. There is ALWAYS something good about every minute that we live in...you just have to open your eyes and see it.

mike gregory - Posted - 11/19/2009:  05:23:10

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Study the words.
As an example of preserverance in the face of adversity,
and a positive contribution to the Banjo section of this old world,
a He of a high set of standards to try to live up to.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6H5Goh_yGfs

erstokke - Posted - 11/19/2009:  08:35:41

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Easy one: Surround yourself with banjo-pickers, mandolin players, guitarists, fiddlers, dobro players and at least one bass player. I have found that a lot of people here at BHO and musicians I meet in real life are very positive. Bluegrass and old-time music is not the right place for people with other intentions than having a good time.

Norway is one of the richests countries in the world and has several times been awarded "Best County in the World" by the UN. Still, we have a large political party built on complaining about gas prices/taxes. Go figure.

And when you are down and out, remember: Everybody has at least one friend (Frailin, of course!).

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Edited by - erstokke on 11/19/2009 08:38:11

mike gregory - Posted - 11/19/2009:  08:54:03

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A poem written by me, back in High School, between Sept 1959 and June 1963:

"When you are down, with no friends around,
And stung by all life's little stingers,
Open your hands! Hold them up high!
For you know you can count,
On your fingers!"

Seems I've been cranking out smardasticisms for over half a century.
But, that's how I keep such a generally happy attitude.

dbaty - Posted - 11/19/2009:  15:43:52

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Be thankful for what I have.

PF. - Posted - 11/19/2009:  17:25:12

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Meditation, God, and Banjo

Retropicker - Posted - 11/19/2009:  17:34:44

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I love people like that and make it a point to make them smile. I always do eventually. I dont ask how are you, I tell them how good they look or what a nice day it is.
Usually they have a good story too.
I'm not shy telling them if they are only going to always complain, talk to the hand. Usually makes them laugh.

banjokid1 - Posted - 11/19/2009:  18:48:50

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"How do you keep a positive outlook?"
Shucks, I thought that's what picking' the banjo is for!

banjokid1 - Posted - 11/19/2009:  18:49:13

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"How do you keep a positive outlook?"
Shucks, I thought that's what picking' the banjo is for!

brokenstrings - Posted - 11/19/2009:  21:24:59

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quote:

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Originally posted by RB-1

quote:

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Originally posted by brokenstrings

I think of the family expression "Unkraut vergeht nicht" (roughly, you can't kill weeds). It means that you're gonna survive whatever it is.

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I know that one!: 'Onkruid vergaat niet'

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What, is that a Dutch version of it?

shawn_lackey - Posted - 11/21/2009:  14:55:04

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I like to read signatures of bho members. oops!

inniepie - Posted - 11/21/2009:  22:39:37

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My clients at the mental health team where I work keep me humble, and grateful for the privileged life I have. I may feel sorry for myself sometimes - but every day I see them go out there and struggle to stay positive and focused with a multitude of handicaps that block their way. They are my heroes and they inspire me every single day.

edavidt - Posted - 11/21/2009:  23:34:45

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Play the banjo and sing.
Go for a walk with Ruby, the good dog.
Grow vegetables in the yard.
Harvest from the garden.
Cook from the garden.
Take lots of vitamin D this time of year.
Do something cool for someone spontaneously.
Get on my bike and go for a ride.
Shake my fist at all of motor homes that roll through this little town.
Play music with a friend or friends.
Call someone I haven't talked to in a while.
Turn off the radio (don't have a TV).
Go to the Goodwill and score a cool sport coat.
Put the sport coat on over an old flannel shirt and overalls and ask my wife out for coffee.
Turn off my car lights on a cold dark night for 2 seconds on a windy country road.
Sleep outdoors in a tent.
Go rowing on the bay in my rowboat.
Go skiing up on Hurricane Ridge.
Talk backwards (I can say all of the words in order, but pronounce them backwards when I talk - quite a feat but it drives my wife and boys crazy; it is great fun).
Write a nasty letter to city council accusing them of selling out the town.
Play the harmonica.
Imagine there are no corporations, religion, heaven, hell below us, countries, possessions; it's easy if you try.
Imagine all the people living for today and above us only sky.
Visualize whirled peas.
Add more 'art' to my old geo prizm (alas, the geo prizm is no more - someone crunched the fender last year, and the repair estimate was small, but way more than the blue book price; I am trying to decide when I can start adding art to my 95 corolla; might be a problem because I now am doing respectable consulting work and wouldn't want to lose work because of it)
Sleep out in the hammock.
Take a sauna.
Go to bed early.
Go to bed late.
Don't go to bed and stay up playing just fiddle and banjo with a dear friend all night long.

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Edited by - edavidt on 11/21/2009 23:46:06

scotty22 - Posted - 11/22/2009:  00:10:20

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Best suggestion I heard all day!

Nancy - Posted - 11/22/2009:  07:13:45

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[quote]Originally posted by edavidt

Play the banjo and sing.
Go for a walk with Ruby, the good dog.
Grow vegetables in the yard.
Harvest from the garden.
Cook from the garden.
Take lots of vitamin D this time of year.
Do something cool for someone spontaneously.
Get on my bike and go for a ride.
Shake my fist at all of motor homes that roll through this little town.
Play music with a friend or friends.
Call someone I haven't talked to in a while.
Turn off the radio (don't have a TV).
Go to the Goodwill and score a cool sport coat.
Put the sport coat on over an old flannel shirt and overalls and ask my wife out for coffee.
Turn off my car lights on a cold dark night for 2 seconds on a windy country road.
Sleep outdoors in a tent.
Go rowing on the bay in my rowboat.
Go skiing up on Hurricane Ridge.
Talk backwards (I can say all of the words in order, but pronounce them backwards when I talk - quite a feat but it drives my wife and boys crazy; it is great fun).
Write a nasty letter to city council accusing them of selling out the town.
Play the harmonica.
Imagine there are no corporations, religion, heaven, hell below us, countries, possessions; it's easy if you try.
Imagine all the people living for today and above us only sky.
Visualize whirled peas.
Add more 'art' to my old geo prizm (alas, the geo prizm is no more - someone crunched the fender last year, and the repair estimate was small, but way more than the blue book price; I am trying to decide when I can start adding art to my 95 corolla; might be a problem because I now am doing respectable consulting work and wouldn't want to lose work because of it)
Sleep out in the hammock.
Take a sauna.
Go to bed early.
Go to bed late.
Don't go to bed and stay up playing just fiddle and banjo with a dear friend all night long.



I laughed at your list. You must be a happy fella to be around. Wish there were more like you.

mike gregory - Posted - 11/22/2009:  07:19:10

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Edavidt,
Please post pics of your added art.

wrentree - Posted - 11/22/2009:  08:32:57

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I look at the two worst days of my life to date. Losing my Father in 1987, and my Mother in 2007. I survived those two events and am still basically the same person.

At this time, I can only imagine a couple of other things that could happen that would be worse. When I was separated and heading for a divorce (which I didn't want) I said "O.K. Lord, you had better take it from here as I don't know which way to turn." He showed me the way and I got through that, too.

To complain or not to complain, that is the question!!

mike gregory - Posted - 11/22/2009:  08:54:59

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quote:

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Originally posted by wrentree


>snip<
To complain or not to complain, that is the question!!

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Andy Rooney gets paid to complain. I don't.
But, sometimes, just for the fun of it, or because there's nothing else that can be done.....

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Edited by - mike gregory on 11/22/2009 08:55:37

wrentree - Posted - 11/22/2009:  12:20:26

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I have never heard you complain other than in jest Mike!

Banjoitus - Posted - 11/22/2009:  13:06:58

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I manage to stay positive by not grounding myself out with the negative folks I encounter. Once I calculated that I would not last past my 56th year by a rather lengthy formula that seems to have been baseless. Now that I'm sixty six and a half, I figure I've already lived on 10 years of borrowed time, and I haven't a clue how to pay it back! Just like finding a twenty in the street, just enjoy it, and don't look a gift horse in the mouth.

mike gregory - Posted - 11/22/2009:  13:13:03

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quote:

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Originally posted by wrentree

I have never heard you complain other than in jest Mike!

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Under normal circumstances, one does not jest about one's mother being condemned to Eternal Torment.

http://www.banjohangout.org/forum/t...&whichpage=3

I was not jesting.

I was complaining.

Rather than get this thread a "RELIGIOUS" lock, those of you who have Scriptural proof that Jesus said that faith in all the writings that were later assembled into what is now referred to as "The Bible", is necessary as a requirement to enter Paradise, can send it to me at my private address:

mgregorybanjo@core.com

Instead of posting it here.