Stuffed animals are fun

With the state fair over, I've had some time to reflect. I realize the games at the fair are not strictly honest, but the prizes of stuffed animals give far more joy than they are worth. My youngest daughter was beaming from the two she had gotten. I love seeing such smiles, because they transcend any typical smile and radiate absolute happiness. It's a special kind of thing, and I've seen it many times from the ridiculous trinkets games provide as winnings. Stuffed animals are little slices of joy.

What other things make us happy, despite their seeming uselessness? Well, flowers for one. You can get a kiss by giving a girl a nice rose. When I was in high school, I made a bunch of plastic cubes which I glossed to a high sheen--my parents kept them, for apparently no other reason than I made them. Parents are renown for treasuring anything their children create. I have a bottle of ocean water, as a memory of a wonderful vacation with my wife. The saying, "One man's treasure is another man's trash," is completely true.

Back to stuffed animals, little children particularly love snuggling with them at night. It's adorable. Like pets, stuffed animals are things children get to take care of, play with, and teach. Watch little girls doing tea parties with their stuffed toys and you'll understand what I mean. Stuffed animals maintain an innocence we lose as we age, and winning them at the fair is like capturing a bit of that again. I think it's wonderful.

- M

Change in the weather, change of season, change of mind

With the beginning of Fall, I'm reminded by how much I enjoy watching the seasons change. I love the colder weather, especially when it snows, and enjoy the leaves changing colors. People are oddly sensitive to changes in nature--the old howling at the Moon aspect comes to mind--and may become very moody for various reasons. To me, nature's many changes is like a listening to a wonderful symphony. Sure, there's lots of different things going on, but it all works together and forms a masterwork every time.

Seasons all have their own special beauties (though I can make a case for Summer being mostly awful). I have a lifetime of special memories in every season, any kind of weather, and with all kinds of temperaments. We have a saying, which goes, "If you don't like the weather, wait five minutes." I suspect this saying is true nearly anywhere in the world to a certain extent. Take a little bit of time and enjoy the wonder of it all.

Do you have a favorite season, or weather? My wife adores the sounds of rainstorms and thunderstorms (so I've found a neat app which does those sounds by random and therefore never repeats itself). It's very relaxing and gentle, in the same way that sea surf rolling onto a beach eases the soul. Crickets, frogs, and all sorts of animals also make noise people enjoy, but I doubt I'll ever join that crowd. Perhaps I'll change my mind later.. or the weather will vary to make me happy.

- M

Do you have a plan for when you finish what you're doing?

When I was training for my black belt in Taekwondo, I had a laser focus on everything I needed to do. I trained daily, for hours and hours. I lived martial arts for the years I trained, even taking notes with me to church and ball games. There was never a doubt in my mind that I'd achieve my goal. I was the best, without the need to prove it to anyone. That kind of confidence allowed me to pursue Taekwondo with all my heart, and I never doubt myself even the slightest. Receiving my black belt was almost underwhelming.

And, then ... what?

I didn't have a new goal--aside from a second-degree black belt--and so I just kept training. What I discovered was a strange lack of focus. I didn't know what I wanted anymore, so I just drifted with what I knew. That didn't last long. Sadly, I wavered and finally dropped out. At the same time I learned a valuable lesson about setting new goals and never letting yourself float without a purpose.

Whatever you do in life, make sure you have a finish line in your sights. Then, when you reach the line, figure out a new one and aim yourself at that. If you leave yourself without one, you'll lose any interest in pushing yourself to new heights and will eventually fall to unwanted lows. We need to achieve, and even tiny wins are still victories. Motivation is the key to running life's journey, and will encourage you to strive to be your best.

Ask yourself, "What do I want? How do I get it done? When do I know I've done it?" Then, chase down your dreams and keep making new ones.

- M

Saying one thing, but doing another.

It's probably safe to say that we all dislike hypocrisy. It's puzzling to watch someone say something and then proceed to do the opposite, and usually infuriating. Why do we do it? (Nobody is safe from this criticism, especially those who deny it the most vocally.) To me, it's a form of delusional lying, because you're attempting to persuade yourself--and others--that you know the proper way to do things, then go on and do it wrong anyway.

The good thing is, we can all change our behavior. Sure, it can take a lot of courage to admit what you've been doing, but the reward is gaining honor and respect from those who know you. Afterward, be honest in what you do. When I was growing up, we were taught the Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Maybe that's changed in wording somewhat, but the idea is to treat people kindly, regardless of circumstance. That includes keeping the same standards for everyone, and especially yourself.

Personal responsibility is a great thing for any society, and makes us better people on the whole. Yes, we see the polar opposite from most of our entertainment, but people of good character are still powerful examples. If anyone wants to know what I'm talking about, I'd point you toward my father and mother--there are no finer examples living. As another saying went: Let your word be your bond. Life is a lot easier when you don't need to remember what attitude you need to portray, and just live life in the best way possible.

- M

Family meals are a true blessing.

Painting by Norman Rockwell

I think it's fair to say we all love food to a certain degree--hopefully in a healthy way. Growing up, my family always ate the evening meal together, at the dinner table. Our modern, chaotic, haphazard, and ridiculous schedules topple this concept much of the time. However, I still think it's important to gather at the table and eat. It's important. It's fun. It's worthwhile.

Why?

The main reason is so the family can get caught up on each other's lives. We need personal contact, and to ignore that reality is to the detriment of us all. We bond over food, and always have. Being together also encourages talking and getting to know each other. Sure, we hopefully enjoy good food, but it's the fellowship with loved ones that's primary in my mind.

Our lives are so busy, it's hard to find the time to get everyone all in one place. But, take the time and effort to do so. You'll quickly discover how treasured these moments become. I regret not spending more time with my children at the table. How is it we have all the time we need for silly activities, yet so little for the ones that truly matter? I'm not sure. What I do know is I hate regret, and leap at the opportunity to gather and talk and eat.

- M

Wow, how time flies ...

Isn't it incredible how fast time rushes past, especially when you're doing something fun? I completely lost the weekend in a blur of editing my newest book. I've heard it said that if you love what you do, you'll never work a day in your life. That's true. However, it may not begin that way. When you're first learning a skill, it's tough as nails to keep learning. You have to force yourself. But, there comes a time when the work becomes natural (not necessarily easy) and you find enjoyment in the process.


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Then there are those activities which are a joy from start to finish. Sports you enjoy, parties you love, games you can hardly wait to play. Life is filled with wonders and joys. Why do we spend so much time complaining about the things we dislike? I've never understood that. Sure, scooping trash and cleaning gum off the sidewalk isn't particularly celebratory, but there's no need to dwell on it -- unless it's your job and you're making money, in which case feel free to celebrate all the way to the bank.

I think I need to set an alarm so I realize what time of the week it is. Lost track of time? No. I'm not sure what day it is!

- M

Treasured photos are oddly hard to keep these days.

When I was growing up, my parents studiously put together photo albums and maintained a large collection of photographs. These days, most photos are digital, which makes keeping a photo album strangely difficult. Isn't that odd? Photos are more common than ever, but if you don't have your phone with you then how do you show them off? Sure, you could print them off--though you require either going to the store or a specialized printer to do so--or you could get one of those digital photo frames (funny things, which hold many hundreds of images and can cycle through them).

My parents, circa 1981. Shouldn't this be in an album?

I love the ease of photos now, but also sigh with sadness at the loss of picture albums. Some of my favorite memories are sitting on the couch, flipping through photos, and listening to stories about each image. Families get to know each other through photos, and somehow that's being lost. Maybe now it's become an art form--such as scrapbooks--and special attention is given to them? I don't think so. We are so determined to snap thousands of images that we scarcely consider how to present them to others. It's tough to match the wonder of a picture held in your hands, with the date and location scrawled on the back for timely reference.

Funny how nostalgia bleeds throughout your life. I find myself pining for simpler days very frequently anymore. Perhaps I'm getting old ... I prefer to think I'm growing wiser ... or senile. Memory and emotion floods me when I look at old pictures. Also, physical photos don't require electricity to display, won't be deleted accidentally (unless you're very inattentive), and can be restored to their original luster with care. See? There's lots of good reasons to have a photo album! Go out and make one today.

- M

Time for a fair ... state fair that is.

I love state fairs. When I was a kid, we would trudge down, spend far too much on tasty pastries, and enjoy a free concert or two. One of my very special memories is enjoying a concert from a man of many voices. He pretended to shoot the rafters with a six shooter, rolled wooden doorknobs down the stairs, did a fantastic impression of a locomotive, and entertained with his hilarious stories throughout. Apparently he was the sound effects for the Disney movie, "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" (storm sounds, wind noises, and lightning, etc.).

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Depending on my mood, I'll either enjoy the games or become very frustrated. Usually I won't play them anymore ... not because they're rigged (they aren't cheating exactly, but are still insanely difficult to actually win). Mostly, I enjoy watching the people interacting with others. Also, there's lots of shopping to do, and even I can find interesting things and trinkets. It's a good thing I don't bring much money, because I could spend a lot on stuff I don't actually need--that goes for the fried butter and funnel cakes too.

My wife is entering her quilts into the fair, so I'll surely go see those. It's neat to see how she has grown in confidence, and isn't afraid to put her work out there for others to critique. Takes a lot of guts to do that. If you've ever gone to see what people enter, it's absolutely stunning to see the variety of arts represented, and the wide variety of talent. Last year we could have spent several days just looking at the arts and crafts section, but there's also food, beverages, collections, and on and on and on. Whatever you enjoy, I'm sure you'll find it at the fair.

If you can, I urge everyone to attend your state fair. It's all good fun! Did I mention all the rides and other fun? ...

- M

Who are you? Let the character introductions begin!

When it comes to movie character introductions, it's really hard to beat the way Indiana Jones is brought into the light. "Raiders of the Lost Ark" is perfect in this, and deserves to be studied. We are given the setting in establishing shots that tell a story of ancient, forgotten, civilizations. Then, there is an attempt at mutiny, and Indiana's trademark whip lashes out to disarm the ruffian. Only then does our hero show himself, with a shadow-into-sunlight face shot. It's instantly memorable. There's a rapid trap-laden treasure run, followed immediately by the reveal of the villain--who promptly takes the treasure from Indy.

I've noticed an alarming lack of introduction in many modern stories. One tactic is doing an interview (like in "Iron Man" or "San Andreas"), and it cheapens the effect. The last thing a story needs is forgettable main characters. In Tolkien's book, "The Hobbit," we're given a lot of information about hobbits and their comfortable existence, then directly shown Bilbo who is the paramount hobbit. Readers fall in love Bilbo immediately, because we understand him.

Sure, there's no rules about how to do anything regarding stories, but there are methods which work and ones which normally don't. I have no problem going against the grain, only make sure there's a reason to do it and not just because it's unusual. Fortunately, there's a huge number of fine examples to study. Pick one and let it be your guide.

- M

Beautifully dangerous animals.

There are a lot of stunningly gorgeous animals in the world, some yet to be discovered I'm sure. When I was a kid, I loved sharks and dinosaurs. I learned all I could about them. That led to a lifelong desire to understand nature. Did you know there are gorgeous frogs--poison dart frogs--with incredible colorations, and are so deadly that you can kill yourself by simply picking one up. A tiny octopus--the delightful blue-ringed octopus--can kill an adult human with a bite so fine you may not even notice. And, the platypus (my favorite creature of all time) hunts with it's eyes closed, can sense the muscle nerves twitching in shrimp, and has poison claws.

A common theme throughout nature is how bright coloring and vivid patterns are signals of a deadly kind. For we humans, it's hardly a sign of anything--aside from style and enjoyment. Interesting, right? I could only imagine how drab our world would become, if bright colored clothing was a sign of danger. We'd end up with gray and black everywhere. Yuck.

However, there are other creatures of profound beauty and mostly harmless, like peacocks, seashells, starfish, unicorns and rainbows. Once you understand the threat, you can easily enjoy the beauty. Yes, even sharks and dinosaurs. Wild animals are not to be toyed with, but there's nothing wrong with watching and savoring. Go out and enjoy nature!

- M

Happy Labor Day!

So, in celebration of Labor Day, we take a day off and work at home ... strange, but that's what we do. Oh, that and watch lots of sports and eat chips and salsa. It's all in good fun. Enjoy your day, you've probably earned it ... hopefully.

Happy Labor Day

- M

p.s. On a much more somber note, please pray for Texas and the major disaster that has befallen them. They can use whatever aid you can send.