Daily Ramblings – Motivation Monday – Maskless

Tags

Achievement, Assessment, Fun, Goals, Hobbies, Maskless, Monday, motivation, Planet Fitness, Relaxation

It is so weird going into stores without a mask on, but that’s the reality in Michigan now that we are getting vaccinated and cases of COVID are dropping. In other parts of the world like India, Japan, and Australia, things are going back to lockdowns yet again, as various strains of COVID reappear in previously safe areas. The CDC has opted to label these strains using Greek letters to avoid causing issues with the countries of origin. This makes a lot of sense to me, since no one has control how this virus mutates or where it will do so.

My local Planet Fitness is no longer requiring masks, so I’ll be heading there with more vigor. I don’t know if you’ve tried working out with a mask on, but boy, is that a butt-kicker.

Well, we are in the half-way mark of 2021. Now is the time to begin assessing where you are on your goals for the year. Are you on track? If so, awesome. If not, now’s the time to begin adjusting your efforts to make up lost ground. It’s also a good time to remove some goals you just can’t get yourself to do. It’s ok. Many goals suffer this plight. Some goals we set just aren’t right, or the timing is off. Whatever the reason, get rid of that ball and chain and stick with the goals you enjoy working on.

Enjoy your week, folks. Get your self-evaluations done this week. It’ll really make a huge difference at the end of the year.

One more thing I’d like to add is hobbies. Do you have one? Mine is video games. I love playing games and it is my way of blowing off steam and having fun. If you don’t have a hobby, take a look at some of the blogs out there. Many people are so excited and happy with their hobbies, they create blogs about them. Whether it is reading, writing, video games, exercise, coin/stamp collecting, drawing or playing an instrument, find one. I chose one that would serve me well as I get older. Hobbies are something to look forward to. Hobbies keep life fulfilling and fun. When I get my daily work done, I really enjoy playing my video games. This is what a hobby is all about–you have to look forward to it and get joy and satisfaction from it. Everyone has that one thing they can’t get enough of. Find that, and you’ll be entertained, satisfied, and will live in a balanced way. Remember the adage, All work and no play, makes Jack a dull boy? It’s true. Work is not a hobby. Hobbies relax, refresh, and engage us in something we enjoy.

If you don’t know what it is you like to do, or never considered a hobby, here’s a great link with 100 ideas: https://www.mydomaine.com/hobby-ideas You should be able to find something on this list to try. That’s it for now, folks. Have a great week!

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Funny Friday – Senility

Tags

Chuckle, Friday, FriYAY, Fun, Funny, Giggle, Laugh, Relax, Rest, Senility, Smile, Snicker, Weekend

Two men are discussing the ailing health of their parents.

“I feel bad,” the first man says. “My dad is senile. All he does is stare through the window all day long.”

“That’s an awful way to live.” the second man responds.

“Yeah, I know,” the man admitted. “One day I should really let him in the house.”

Joke credit: The Best Joke Book (Period)

Have a great weekend, all!

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Funny Friday – Adorable Old Woman

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Doctor, Friday, FriYAY, Fun, Funny, Giggle, Laugh, Old Woman, Relax, Snicker, Weekend

An adorable old woman visits the doctor. “Doctor, I have this problem with gas, but it really doesn’t bother me too much. It never smells and is always silent. As a matter of fact, I’ve farted at least ten times since I’ve been here in your office. You didn’t know I was farting because it doesn’t smell and is silent.”

The doctor says, “I see. Take these pills and come back to see me next week.”

The next week the lady returns. “Doctor,” she says, “I don’t know what the heck you gave me, but now my farts, although still silent, stink terribly.”

“Good,” the doctor says.

“Now that we’ve cleared up your sinuses, let’s work on your hearing.”

Joke Credit: The Best Joke Book Period

I hope all of you have a terrific weekend! I enjoyed my time this week with my sister and had some great fun. Take care of yourselves. I’ll see you Monday!

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Thankful Thursday – Sisters

Tags

enjoy, family, Fun, Games, Good Food, Good times, Movies, Relax, Sister

My sister just left for home. It was a nice 5 days. We watched movies, got take out, hung out in the living room and chatted, and she even watched me play some Call of Duty with my brother. It was a great visit! She likes coming down and hanging out with Dad because we don’t know how much longer Dad will be with us. Last night, they watched some Star Trek movies (Dad loves those).

It’s terrific to have family visit. The folks get a kick out of it, and it’s always fun to catch up. When I have a family member visit, you’ve probably noticed a little inconsistency with my postings. I put everything I am doing on hold when family comes to maximize my time with them.

Anyway, I’m grateful for the time we had together. It was great fun!

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Funny Friday – A Worried Father

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Chuckle, Friday, FriYAY, Fun, Giggle, Happy, Laugh, Relax, Smile, Snicker, Weekend

A worried father calls the family doctor because he thinks his teen son has caught a venereal disease.

“I think he got it from the maid,” says the concerned dad, “and I’ve also been sleeping with the maid.”

“Okay,” the doctor replies calmly. “Well, when you bring him into the office, we’ll look at you as well.”

“And that’s not all,” the father continues. “I think I might have given it to his mother.”

“Oh, no!” cries the doctor. “Well, now we might all have it!”

—The Best Joke Book (Period)

Have a great Friday, folks!

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Funny Friday – Government Workers

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Chuckle, Friday, FriYAY, Fun, Giggle, Happy, Laugh, Relax, Smile, Snicker, Weekend

Since we find ourselves in some very politically charged times, I figured I’d poke a little fun at government workers today, with this little joke.

How many government workers does it take to screw in a light bulb? Two: One to insist that the light bulb has been taken care of and the other to screw it into a faucet. – The Best Joke Book (period).

Have a great Friday, folks!

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Thinking/Thankful Thursdays – Lifelong Learning

Tags

Fun, Hobbies, lifelong learning, online schools, school, Skills, Sources, staying competitive, Work

I’m a big advocate of lifelong learning. I am taking a python course currently on Udemy, but have a few more courses in the pipeline for the year. I want to get better with Excel (pivot points, charts, etc.), digital marketing, and data science. These are all on Udemy and are available for a small fee. I got all these courses with 10+ hours of content for about 40 USD. These courses will keep me busy for a while and provide me with the skills necessary to act in my new position in my religious organization for the State of Michigan.

I can’t stress how important it is to remain up-to-date with technology. My parents struggle with most of this, and frankly, so do many in their generation. Most of us in my generation learned technology as part of our jobs. We had to learn it because we needed these technologies to compete in the marketplace. Simple things like searching the Internet, using an email service, an online calendar, or a cloud-based storage system (Google Drive, One Drive, or iCloud). These things are so simple to me, but a mystery to those who have never used them. The world will continue to progress and leave these folks behind more and more.

Now, more than ever, it is important to learn technologies like ZOOM, Skype, or other video chat service. Because of lockdowns, schools and businesses particularly have had to use these types of systems to teach students and interact with their clients. They are also so cool to use to stay in touch with friends and family. My wife and I either Facetime or use ZOOM when she needs help with paperwork or something in AZ.

So keep learning. It is fun, it keeps you engaged, and will give you capabilities you may need in the future, as our societies become more “digital”. It’s also really fun to engage with people all over the world and make new friends. I have friends all over the states, friends in Europe, Australia, and even Indonesia. These technologies have shrunk our planet and give us access to other cultures. This helps us understand why other countries do what they do.

If you’ve never used services like Udemy or Coursera, feel free to ask questions in the comments section. I’d be happy to connect with you directly and help you out. I am not affiliated with any of these educational companies—I’m just willing to give you a helping hand in case you need help. These services are terrific and provide me with the ability to learn all kinds of things that I either find interesting or need to know to do something I want.

Here are some links for your use, should you take this up for yourself:

https://www.udemy.com/

https://www.khanacademy.org/

https://www.edx.org/

https://www.coursera.org/

These are some top online educational sites I have used and recommend. Most of them are absolutely free (except Udemy) and will require you to pay if you want a certificate of completion to use for college credit or employment purposes (Coursera and EdX). Udemy charges a fee for all its courses, but these are typically around 9.99 USD, if you are patient and wait for many of their sales events, which literally happen monthly.

Well, that’s it for today. I hope all you have a terrific Thursday.

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Thankful Thursdays – Sister

Tags

family, Friends, Fun, Grateful, Humor, Sister, Thankful, Thankful Thursday

My sister just changed jobs and decided to move back home to get herself set up for the new position. It has been a great time so far. We hang out, we talk, we watch shows on TV, and we get to hang out more then when she was living a couple hours away.

It’s nice to have her home. I missed most of her life, while I was in the service, and living in different states after I retired. I know her, but really don’t. Now’s the time to get reacquainted and get to know her as an adult woman.

So today, I am grateful for my sister. She’s got a great sense of humor, works hard, and always contributing to the family. I couldn’t be happier that she is home. It’s a great thing.

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Thankful Thursdays – Grateful for Sis

Tags

Enjoyable, family, Fun, Grateful, Movies, Shows, Sister, Talking, Thankful

My Dad had a hernia surgery this week and is recovering nicely. In light of this, my sister wanted to come up and stay with the family to help out when and where needed. Since she, like most folks, is working remotely for her company, it didn’t matter whether she was here or at her place.

My sister is always bringing some humor to the place. She likes to laugh and enjoys watching good movies, hanging out with the family and friends, and talking with friends on the phone. One of her endearing qualities is being so excited to watch a movie together and then falling asleep partway through. This happened when she was over, as we watched Joker for the first time.

So today, I’m grateful for my sister. She’s a good soul who loves life, loves to have fun, and loves to talk. Thanks for coming over, sis. It was a great few days together.

Have a great Thursday, folks!

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Funny Friday – Last Day

Tags

Adjustment, change, Do Nothing Day, Fun, Funny Friday, Last Day, Weekend

Howdy, folks!

I have been contemplating a move for my “do nothing day” and decided that Friday is a better day for that. Subsequently, I’ve decided to shut down my Funny Friday to accommodate this. I’ll still post random funnies that I find, but want to keep my “do nothing day” pure, so Friday has to go.

I hope everyone has a terrific Weekend.

Until next time…

Dave