The old guy talks about bullying

   Bullying has been around for ages, but it seems to have gotten worse. The bullies have more ways to taunt people with that Internet. We need to find a better way to deal with these bullies because what we're doing isn't working.

     Parents need to talk to their kids about bullying and being bullied. It's time to stand up to bullies, but not with your fists. Defend yourself with your brain. Teach your kids to be defiant and confident. Bullies pick on kids that appear weak, not ones that are confident.


     Bullies can be racist, they can be young or old, and male or female. They are small-minded, so use your mind to defeat them.


     Mom told me bullies are jealous that's why they pick on others. She told me to ignore them or laugh it off, but don't wilt in their presence. That only feeds their anger. Stick up for your friends and they'll stick up for you.

     It's a different world these days, so maybe my advice won't always work, but one thing I know for sure is you are a worthy opponent, so bullies beware. Don't let bullies get in your head.

"That's how it was....in my day"

Playing Chess with the old guy

"Your move, Captain Hook."

"My name's Stanley, not Captain Hook."

"Okay, Stanley Hook."

"No, not Stanley Hook, just Stanley."

"Fine, Just Stanley, still your move."

"Jeez, there I moved. How long have we known each other?"

“Long time, before you wore pirate clothes. Why?"

"Lots of changes since then...not all good." 

"Some people today have no conscience or patience."

"Tru dat, they expect too much. Your move."

"Yes, seems like everyone worships celebrities with fake lives."

"We need to give people more enemas. That would calm them down."

"I don't know about that Stan, but it might make them rethink their choices."

"Well, I never liked them, but maybe it worked, cause I turned out alright."

"You went through that pillaging phase, which wasn't your shining moment. Your move."

"Yeah, Mom and Dad straightened me out with that. Tough time, lots of enemas."

"So, why do you still wear the pirate clothes?"

"Today, pirates are viewed as glorified adventurers. They even have statues of them in the Caribbean."

"You mean no one's destroyed them yet?"

"No, why would they? It's history."

"Don't you watch the news? Historical monuments are being torn down all over the country."

"Why?"

"People are offended by them."

"That's whacked, they're just statues. So, if I'm offended by something, that means I should destroy it?"

"Like I said it's a different world today."

"Two words, more enemas."

What would happen if....

What would happen if no one paid attention to a racist protest?

What would happen if the news media didn't report the KKK activities? 

What would happen if everyone ignored the white supremacists? 

What would happen if we realized we are all people of color?

What would happen if we didn't coddle our children?

What would happen if we gave everyone respect?

What would happen if we treated everyone like a friend?

What would happen if we slowed down and learned to appreciate life?

What would happen if we listened before we argued?

What would happen if we smiled more?

I'm not sure, but I believe life would get better for most of us.

There's no guarantee, but I think it's worth giving a try because what we're doing isn't working very well.

Advice from an old guy

     Have a seat. Let's talk for just a minute. Life isn't easy, but why should it be. It's a privilege, so live life like it's your only chance, because it is. Take it from me, I've been there. Everything you do is important, so pay attention. I've made mistakes, but I learned from them, so don't worry if you make mistakes, but worry if you repeat them, over and over. There's nothing wrong with accepting help; we all need it sometimes. 

   The young need to listen to the old with life experiences, but also the old need to listen to the young with idealistic dreams. We need both, in order to live with balance and passion.

     Don't be a puppet to someone else's dream. Life will be more difficult if you try to mimic another person's dreams. You'll be happiest when living your own.

     Live an organized life because a chaotic life is stressful and will wear you down. Take small steps to make changes. It took a long time to get where you are, so don't expect a miracle to change everything overnight. You don't live in a fairytale. If you never give up, you'll get the results you want and appreciate them more.

     Always remember this one question. How do you eat an elephant? By taking one bite at a time.

     "That's how it was....in my day"

Spreading Fear

     The NAACP put out travel warning for Missouri. All they're doing is spreading fear, with no basis on fact, just conjecture. There was a post on Facebook with a number of comments about how racist people in Missouri. It was obvious that they only read the headlines. The story was about a bill the Missouri governor got passed that is being interpreted as negatively affecting racial lawsuits. I don't know if that's good or bad, time will tell.

     Is there racism in Missouri, yes and in every state? Was it fair for the NAACP to put a warning out about traveling to Missouri? No, not in my mind. It's politically motivated grandstanding, to get media attention. Lobbyists do it all the time because fear is a motivator.

     I look forward to the day when lobbyist stop using fear to promote their agenda. It may be a long wait. Missouri is a great state to live, work and vacation in. Can we do better? Yes, of course, but it's more difficult when Missouri has to defend these accusations. "Just Saying..."

Angry People

     There are a lot of angry people in this world today, but I rarely run into any face to face. Social media seems to be where they exhibit their anger. You can't win an argument on social media because there are no repercussions. In a way you're invisible. All you can really do is agitate others, so if that's your goal, mission accomplished.

     Would most people use the angry vile words to your face that they use on social media? Some maybe but most I suspect would tone down their use of hostile words. Anger is a negative emotion, which breeds more anger. Sometimes anger is justified but it's easy to cross that line to the dark side.

     The courts just ruled that the St. Louis Zoo has a right to ban guns from their premises. This has lead to a rash of comments regarding this decision both for and against. The funny thing is there were hostile comments from both sides. To me this proves that people are more interested in preaching than listening. Angry people always feel they are right and are unwilling to listen to another viewpoint.

     Open carry is just one of many hot topics. We all know and understand the arguments from both sides. On this topic, there seems to be no option for negotiation on either side. If we are going to live together in a peaceful society, there has to be negotiation. Everyone can not get everything they want, all of the time.

     We recently visited the St. Louis Zoo with relatives from Colorado and had a great time without feeling our lives were in danger. I personally would not have felt safe if open carry was allowed at the zoo. The argument is that criminals will ignore the law and carry their guns anyway. So if you choose to ignore the law as well and carry your gun into the zoo, are you a criminal?  "Just Saying...."