What are you thankful for about people who are different than you?

In response to last week’s imponderable question, “What are you thankful for about people who are different than you?,” my writing and sailing friend Rich pointed out, “Because it does in fact take a village and that includes the village idiot to blaze the ‘don’t go that way path.’ To the rest of the village I can only say ‘you’re welcome’.”

My wife Alison replied, “Thankful for their sharing!” to which my equestrian friend Royce added, “Diversity makes us all better persons.”  My college roomie John then explained, “Differences introduce us to new experiences, adds diversity, yet we still find out that in many ways we are the same and we do have many things to be grateful for.”

My production manager friend Ray pontificated, “Each person is unique, thus different from anyone else. And yet, each person being unique means that we all are the same, that is, we are all unique. It is being samely unique that allows us to be individuals, but at the same time to be a family known as mankind. And for that I am truly thankful. As we said so many centuries ago, the first moment of dawn is when you can look into the eyes of another human being and see yourself.   As to the glass being half-full or half-empty, I don't look at it either way. I just know that it's refillable.  Namaste my friend and what a unique person you are.”

My dad’s beach buddy Bob explained, “Much depends on where the differences are.  Appearance makes it challenging and interesting.  Philosophically and politically depends on the perceived solution to life's problems.”

One of our Ecumenical Thanksgiving speakers Tom shared, “My grandfather told me, ‘If everyone was the same, they’d all be in love with your grandmother.’”

My sailing friend Glenn lamented, “Missed this one.  From the discussion on bingeing, I blacked out again.”

Please send me your thoughts about this week's "things that make you go 'Hmmm' ":

With Thanksgiving a recent memory, are there left-unders or right-overs?

Lord, give me a sense of humor; give me the ability to understand a clean joke; to get some humor out of life, and to pass it on to other folks. 

Hal

My insightful friend Dr. Dwana shared a reply to “who pays?’, “NOT the one who starts their order with ‘We’ll have separate checks!’” 

Thanks to Demetri Martin, Steven Wright and George Carlin for the inspiration for Hmmm.   I invite you to call or email me to catch up.

Can you be over-saturated?

In response to last week’s imponderable question, “Can you be over-saturated?,” my birthday bud Jon concluded, “That would be a very unique situation,” while my cousin Valarie explained, “Being over-saturated is as feasible as giving 110 percent--impossible but quite common in our exaggerated vernacular.”

My writing and sailing friend Rich shared, “Tequila tends to over saturate my filters,” to which my social media friend Mark admitted, “It’s been a while, but I remember drinking much more than humanly possible in college...more than a few times.”

My college roomie John requested, “At the risk of being political, I believe we are over-saturated with coverage of the orange clown in DC.   Can the media please boycott him and just cover other news worthy items?”

My cycling friend Ted, who is also a private pilot, advised, “Reading lots of NTSB reports on how people die in airplanes, task over saturation can be quite lethal in a cockpit. Just don't bother your pilot when s/he's really busy- you will over saturate him/her.”

And my equestrian friend Royce pointed out, “Shouldn't that be ‘overly’ saturated?”

Please send me your thoughts about this week's "things that make you go 'Hmmm' ":

What are you thankful for about people who are different than you?

Lord, give me a sense of humor; give me the ability to understand a clean joke; to get some humor out of life, and to pass it on to other folks. 

Hal

Wishing you, your family, friend, and friends you haven’t met, a memorable holiday break.  We have more than enough to be thankful for.  If you can realize that ‘your cup is more than half full,’ then you realize we have much to be grateful for.  Yes, there is plenty to do to improve our world; the good news is that when we work together, like building a Habitat for Humanity home, clean-up a river, or help kids read, we all benefit.

Thanks to Demetri Martin, Steven Wright and George Carlin for the inspiration for Hmmm.   I invite you to call or email me to catch up.

Who pays the check?

In response to last week’s imponderable question, “Who pays the check?,” my dad’s beach buddy Bob called out, “Last person left sitting at the table” while my social media friend Mark felt, “The best person at the table. At least you should thank her accordingly.” 

My writing and sailing friend Rich observed, “Someone, always, it is an immutable law of physics, ‘There is no such thing as a free lunch.’  Any time you hear a proposal , your first question needs to be who or what is picking up the check……….”

My musical friend Jonathan wrote, “I think we all pay the check.  If there is something due, then everyone has to put something in to get something out. Some will pay with legal tender, others will pay with promises, some will pay with goodwill. Those who don’t pay don’t understand the value proposition if any balance due from anyone for anything. Dig? 😉“ to which my business development friend Ray agreed, “We all pay the check! There is no such thing as a free lunch!”

My equestrian friend Royce explained, “according to who has the expense account and/or needs a tax deduction for ‘business purposes’."

My collaboration and sailing friend Andy pointed out, “When the government spends, we all pay the check, but sometimes it’s worth it. Use your annual opportunity to give a bit of democratic feedback in the voting booth” to which my sailing friend Nom expounded, “If you're a Democrat, the government pays the check.  If you're a Republican, you pay the check. If you are real, you know our children will end up paying the check.”

Please send me your thoughts about this week's "things that make you go 'Hmmm' ":

Can you be over-saturated?

Life Love truly, Laugh uncontrollably And never regret anything that made you smile!

Hal

From last week’s “what is a pump kin to?”,  my temple friend Lesley noted, “the pump is a descendant of the bellows” and my equestrian friend Royce observed, “gas, which can be caused by a ‘pumpkin’ and or a necessary item for transportation.”

My Earthlink friend Bill shared, “I totally agree with Ray’s comments regarding the tragic events in Pittsburgh, and voted this past week to hopefully change the situation in our country.”  My college roomie John added, “I hope that we start a movement to a better place.  Our (American) history has been full of violence.  Let's hope we can do a better job for our children.  My concern is that the Greatest Generation did their part, but our generation has not done our part.  We still have time.”

As proof of this positive motion, I’m helping plan the 14th annual Thanksgiving Ecumenical Celebration this Thu, Nov 15 at 7p.  Click here for details because this is an annual display of respectful conversation and reflection.  Join us in person (carpool and arrive early) or watch streaming live online.

Thanks to Demetri Martin, Steven Wright and George Carlin for the inspiration for Hmmm.   I invite you to call or email me to catch up.

What is a pump kin to?

In response to last week’s imponderable question, “What is a pump kin to?,” my business development friend Ray replied, “if you're at the local coffee café, a pump is kin to another shot.”  And my sister-in-law Lorrie noted, “Looking though my shoe bags, I see my pumps have a lot of kin in sneakers, flats, and slippers - some of which haven't seen the light of day much less proximity to the ground in a long while.

One could add that a pump device is a kin to gravity; what gravity does to fluids and slurry, pumps can do, and do so uphill.  In baseball, a pump is a kin to a balk; and in law enforcement, a pump is a kin to prodding for information.  And with an ego, it is a kin to making someone feel good, even if not earned. 

On a serious note, thank you for the outpouring of feelings and sympathy regarding the Oct 27 killings in a synagogue in Pittsburg.  I personally received numerous phone calls and emails expressing extreme sadness for our community as a whole as well as the Tree of Life congregation, and support to end hate-motivated violence.  As my friend Ray wrote,

It is impossible to put into words the level of chagrin that this household has over all of this. Really hard to put into words that would be deemed printable. If there was ever a place where we as a society could find refuge, solemnity and safety in times of crisis, it was our religious institutions (churches in Charleston, SC and Sutherland Springs, Texas are other examples). Such is no longer the case. We have drifted so badly that the notion of having reasonable – let alone civil – discourse is out the window. Everyone is so quick to say "God Bless America" yet we can only hope and pray that The Almighty does bless us during these difficult times. You, I, and others grew up in a multiplicity of ethnic backgrounds and we were taught to respect others and to learn from cultures and traditions different from ours. We also did it with a keen sense of humor that is steadily diminishing in our society. At the same time, when someone got out of line, we let them know about it while remaining civil. 

May we find ways to remain civil and respectful as we push for solutions.  And may we find and care for those that seem despondent, overwhelmed, and alone, so that they do not turn to the darkest corners of the Internet for find support of other loners who turn to illogical, inappropriate, and inhumane solutions.

Please send me your thoughts about this week's "things that make you go 'Hmmm' ":

Who pays the check? (from my friend Lon)

Life is too short for drama and petty things, so kiss slowly, laugh insanely, love truly, and forgive quickly.

Hal

If you haven’t voted early, please vote on Tuesday.  All votes count.  It’s a system that’s served our country for 240+ years.

For my part of respectful conversation, save the date:  I’m helping plan the 14th annual Thanksgiving Ecumenical Celebration on Thu, Nov 15 at 7p.  Click here for details because this is an annual display of respectful conversation and reflection.  Join us in person or what streaming live online.

Thanks to Demetri Martin, Steven Wright and George Carlin for the inspiration for Hmmm.   I invite you to call or email me to catch up.

In response to last week’s imponderable question, “What is a pump kin to?,” my business development friend Ray replied, “if you're at the local coffee café, a pump is kin to another shot.”  And my sister-in-law Lorrie noted, “Looking though my shoe bags, I see my pumps have a lot of kin in sneakers, flats, and slippers - some of which haven't seen the light of day much less proximity to the ground in a long while.

One could add that a pump device is a kin to gravity; what gravity does to fluids and slurry, pumps can do, and do so uphill.  In baseball, a pump is a kin to a balk; and in law enforcement, a pump is a kin to prodding for information.  And with an ego, it is a kin to making someone feel good, even if not earned. 

On a serious note, thank you for the outpouring of feelings and sympathy regarding the Oct 27 killings in a synagogue in Pittsburg.  I personally received numerous phone calls and emails expressing extreme sadness for our community as a whole as well as the Tree of Life congregation, and support to end hate-motivated violence.  As my friend Ray wrote,

It is impossible to put into words the level of chagrin that this household has over all of this. Really hard to put into words that would be deemed printable. If there was ever a place where we as a society could find refuge, solemnity and safety in times of crisis, it was our religious institutions (churches in Charleston, SC and Sutherland Springs, Texas are other examples). Such is no longer the case. We have drifted so badly that the notion of having reasonable – let alone civil – discourse is out the window. Everyone is so quick to say "God Bless America" yet we can only hope and pray that The Almighty does bless us during these difficult times. You, I, and others grew up in a multiplicity of ethnic backgrounds and we were taught to respect others and to learn from cultures and traditions different from ours. We also did it with a keen sense of humor that is steadily diminishing in our society. At the same time, when someone got out of line, we let them know about it while remaining civil. 

May we find ways to remain civil and respectful as we push for solutions.  And may we find and care for those that seem despondent, overwhelmed, and alone, so that they do not turn to the darkest corners of the Internet for find support of other loners who turn to illogical, inappropriate, and inhumane solutions.

Please send me your thoughts about this week's "things that make you go 'Hmmm' ":

Who pays the check? (from my friend Lon)

Life is too short for drama and petty things, so kiss slowly, laugh insanely, love truly, and forgive quickly.

Hal

If you haven’t voted early, please vote on Tuesday.  All votes count.  It’s a system that’s served our country for 240+ years.

For my part of respectful conversation, save the date:  I’m helping plan the 14th annual Thanksgiving Ecumenical Celebration on Thu, Nov 15 at 7p.  Click here for details because this is an annual display of respectful conversation and reflection.  Join us in person or what streaming live online.

Thanks to Demetri Martin, Steven Wright and George Carlin for the inspiration for Hmmm.   I invite you to call or email me to catch up.