• About
  • Workout Routines

Daily Ramblings…

~ Thoughts on Productivity, Health, Writing, Job Hunting, and many other topics…

Daily Ramblings…

Tag Archives: Good times

Daily Ramblings – Funny Friday – Black Friday

26 Friday Nov 2021

Posted by Dave Gardner in Funny Friday

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Black Friday, Corn, family, Friends, Good times, Gravy, Sweet Potatoes, Thanksgiving, Turkey

I hope all of you had a great Thanksgiving. My hope, is for those of you that celebrate, as some of my readers do not reside in the United States.

That being said, we had a great time yesterday! We had smoked turkey, sweet potatoes, baked corn, and apple pie for dessert. We had a small gathering this year. My sister is here visiting, so today I am only posting this, so I can hang out with her, while she is visiting.

If you are out participating in Black Friday events, please be careful. There are always a lot of incidents involved with Black Friday. Well, that’s it for now. I hope you have a great weekend. Tonight, we are having leftover turkey and gravy open-faced sandwiches. Yummy!

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Motivation Monday – I’m back…

13 Monday Sep 2021

Posted by Dave Gardner in Motivation Monday

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

Brother, Evaluating, family, Fun, Good times, Laughter, Monday, motivation, Planning, Scheduling, Sister

I’m back, after a great week with my brother and his girlfriend, We all had a great time, and we all got to celebrate my Mother’s 78th birthday. My sister came down, so all of the siblings were here, along with the gal.

How do you get back on track, after a long vacation? For me, it’s my to-do app, set up with recurring tasks. All my daily to-dos are recurring, so my to-do list literally tells me what I need to do. It’s great!

While my brother was here, I was surprised with an early birthday gift (My birthday is in October). The birthday gift was a 2TB storage drive for my Xbox. After installing it, which took about a minute, I now have 1.7TB of storage remaining. What a treat! I’ve also started playing Call of Duty, Mobile. It is Call of Duty’s way of allowing folks to play their game, who cannot afford an XBOX. I have to say it is quite a good game. I play it on my iPad, and use an Apple-specific controller. It’s great fun. I’ve also decided, since I enjoy so many games, that I’ll stick with Call of Duty Mon-Friday, and then play some new games on the weekend.

Today, I’m knocking out the cobwebs and getting back on track. I recently received an inner prompting to take stock of my life, look at what I am doing every day, and make some adjustments. I get this prompting from time-to-time, and it is a great way to evaluate, consolidate, and reorganize. A friend of mine recently retired and asked for some advice. I told her, find a hobby, list out the things she has always wanted to do, but never had time, and put together a list of daily things she could do to start getting all these things moving. She asked, “Why?” I replied, “Because, binge watching Netflix will get old real quick.”

The point I’m making here is that when you have a lot of time, it is easy to waste it. Retirement does not mean you quit life. It means you enjoy it more fully. If you have recently retired, take a look at your life. What works? What doesn’t work? Then, make a list of all the things you want to focus on for the rest of your life. It could be writing a book, going back to school, learning a musical instrument, taking up drawing, creating a reading list, or even join a book club. The possibilities are endless, and you’ll have fun deciding what you want to do with yourself.

For me, my focus is on learning, reading, writing, spirituality, staying in shape, and gaming. Gaming is my hobby, so I don’t do any gaming, until I’ve knocked out my daily tasks. Life is not without some form of self-discipline. My exercise habits waned during the pandemic, so this is something I will be revisiting for sure. The older I get, the more quickly I get out of shape. Whew!

I’m also doing something different this year. My religious path, follows a different calendar than a traditional one. Our New Year starts on the 23rd of October each year. So, November will now be my January. So, plan on my yearly goals, aspirations, and plans in October instead of December. I’ll get this out to all of you, after I’ve done some thinking, planning, and scheduling.

Well, that’s it for now. We had a great time with family over the last week. It was so much fun, having family meals, playing board games, talking about our memories, and just laughing and laughing. Here’s to family.

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Thankful Thursday – Sisters

28 Wednesday Apr 2021

Posted by Dave Gardner in Thankful Thursdays

≈ 3 Comments

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 – Spiritual Saturday – Giving

08 Saturday Aug 2020

Posted by Dave Gardner in Spiritual Saturday

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

family, Friends, Gifts, Giving, Good memories, Good times, Togetherness

As we give of ourselves, of our patience and love, to someone else who needs it more, something changes inside us. Something flows in, a flow of good feeling. A spiritual upliftment occurs both in us and in the person receiving the love.

—Harold Klemp
The Language of Soul

Have you ever thought about your favorite moments in life? I do from time-to time, and none of them involve money, an award, or anything else material. My best memories are with family.

I remember playing Scrabble with the family when I was a kid. I remember learning how to play card games. I remember my grandfather teaching how to play chess. The best memories I have are those where I spent time with someone else.

When we give of ourselves, we open ourselves up. It is an expanding practice. It makes us feel good and the person receiving the gift to feel good. Sometimes, just giving someone the time of day on the phone is enough. Maybe they’re having a rough time of it and need to vent. Maybe they just did something terrific and don’t have anyone else to tell. These little moments are the most precious to most people.

There is one circumstance when I was thrilled when I received something. It was when my late grandmother sent me a gift in the mail, while I was in the Army. What meant a lot to me is she never missed a birthday–ever. I also knew she didn’t make a lot of money from Social Security and other things, and it meant so much that she would still take the time to get me something. Toward the end of her life, she used to send homemade chocolate peanut butter cups. Sometimes they would show up all melted, but it was truly the thought that mattered.

My mother is the same way. She never, ever, misses a birthday. Even when I was deployed in the Middle East, she got me birthday and Christmas presents. Another time, my wife and I decided to put together a cheese and meat plate and sit behind our home next to the pool and listen to jazz. We didn’t say anything to one another. We just sat there, enjoyed the music, nibbled on cheese, meat, and crackers, and enjoyed our moment together in complete silence.

I hope each of you has a terrific Saturday!

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Spread Your Wings Sunday – Weekly Challenge

16 Sunday Feb 2020

Posted by Dave Gardner in Spread Your Wings

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Friends, Good times, Reconnect, Spread Your Wings, Sunday, Weekly Challenge

There’s only one challenge this week. It is brought to you by The 5-Minute Journal

Challenge: An old friend you’ve been meaning to connect with is (there name). Call this person today.

Have a great Sunday!

Until next time…

Dave

42.997350
-82.507366

Daily Ramblings – Thankful Thursdays – Ah, Holidays!

12 Thursday Dec 2019

Posted by Dave Gardner in Thankful Thursdays

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Christmas, Coffee, family, Friends, Good Conversation, Good Food, Good times, Grateful, Holidays, Movies, Snow, Thankful, TV

Today, I’m thankful for the holiday season. I don’t really care about the gifts and such, but I enjoy relatives visiting, the Christmas lights, the tree, the snow, and all the food that comes this time of year.

This year my brother and sister are coming to town and it’ll be great. We’ll watch movies, talk as a family in the living room, eat out a few times, and maybe even catch a movie at our local movie theater. Then there’s the Christmas dinner, which will be Mom’s recipe for roasted duck! Yummy!!

Obviously, the gifts are fun, but I get a kick out of people opening my gifts, not so much the gifts I get. It’s nice to get people something you think they’ll like. It’s also fun to just enjoy the vibe of the family being together, reminiscing about times past.

I realize we should all be giving to one another all-year long, but because this time only comes once a year, it is special; you know?

I realize for some this is a traumatic time of year. It brings back memories of family members who have passed and the gaping hole they have left in the family. This is just tough and my heart goes out to all of you who are experiencing this. That being said, I would recommend throwing yourself into a charity or volunteering. I’ve always found that when I give of myself, my problems fade a bit. I know this is probably a simplistic solution to your problem, but I wanted to throw that out there, in case you have never tried it. It works. At least it does for me.

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

Until next time…

Dave

42.941645
-82.551603

Daily Ramblings – Bonus Content – Thanksgiving Dinner

28 Thursday Nov 2019

Posted by Dave Gardner in Bonus Content, Thanksgiving

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Creamed Peas, family, Friends, Good times, Holiday, Mashed Potatoes, Stuffing, Thanksgiving, Turkey

img_0790
img_0796

Here’s a shot of my Dad (left), Mom, Sister, and her boyfriend. In the picture on the right is yours truly on the far left. We had turkey, mashed potatoes, creamed sweet peas, stuffing, and mom’s homemade cranberry sauce, which goes really well with breast meat.

Later we’ll dive into pumpkin pie.

For those of you that celebrate, I wish you and yours a great Thanksgiving!

Until next time..

Dave

 

42.997819
-82.517534

Daily Ramblings – Thankful Thursdays – Family

22 Thursday Aug 2019

Posted by Dave Gardner in Thankful Thursdays

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

family, Good Food, Good times, Grateful, Nephew, Netflix, Sister, Thankful, Wife

Our nephew visited this last week for a few days. It was great having him here. We went out to some restaurants, hung out on our deck, watched some shows on Netflix, and got in a little Xbox gaming. He got plenty of face time with Mom and Dad and we all enjoyed his stay. He headed back yesterday to get ready for his senior year at ASU, which started today. My sister also came up for a few days. While she was here we binge-watched Mindhunter Season 2 on Netflix. If you haven’t watched the Mindhunter series, it is worth your while.

I have been working with my wife to help her get ready for her teacher’s certification. We have been burning the midnight oil every day for the last few weeks for a few hours each night. It’s nice to help her get ready.

I am thankful for all the opportunities to spend time with family. I am blessed that I could be in the situation to spend time with my folks during their senior years. It was great seeing the nephew this week. It is also nice to spend time with my wife, while she pursues her career in Arizona. I am so proud of her.

I am also grateful for the new followers this week. Daily Ramblings is slowly creeping toward the goal of 1000 followers this year. It is nice to see new followers when I check into the Daily Ramblings blog site on WordPress. Thank you to all who have opted to follow my blog.

Over the next few days, I’ll be on a religious retreat, so Friday and Saturday postings will not happen. I’ll be too busy with the retreat and will not have time to get something up on the site. I’ll see you all on Monday!

I hope all of you have a great weekend!

Until next time…

Dave

42.997350
-82.507366

Daily Ramblings – Thankful Thursday

17 Thursday Jan 2019

Posted by Dave Gardner in Thankful Thursdays

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Bad times, experiences, Good times, Grateful, Happiness, Learning, Life, Sorrow, Thankful

“I believe that if you don’t derive a deep sense of purpose from what you do, if you don’t come radiantly alive several times a day, if you don’t feel deeply grateful at the tremendous good fortune that has been bestowed on you, then you are wasting your life. And life is too short to waste.” – Srikumar Rao

Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/srikumar_rao_563863?src=t_thankful

This life is such a blessing. The ups and downs, the happy times and the sad, and the times of loneliness and joy of being with family. All our experiences combined comprise our life.

When the bad times come, we are in the thick of it. We are at the edge of the abyss and highly creative, solving the problem right in front of us. During these times we aren’t so happy. We are stressed out, we are overcome with emotions, and we are struggling to survive. Interestingly, when these times pass and we recollect the experience we view it as a source of triumph, sometimes even laughing to ourselves. We laugh because we see the comedy in some of the things that go wrong in our lives. These bad times are the areas in our lives where we really do learn and grow. I am thankful for all of the bad times. They taught me so much about myself.

When the good times come, we are ecstatic. We are so happy and joyful. Everything is bright and colorful. We enjoy these times so much that we hope they never end, knowing that something can go wrong at any minute without notice. These are the memories we store away for later. These experiences slip in and out of psyches over and over again. They remind us how precious life is.

Then there are the times that reside in the middle of these two extremes. They are the workdays. They are our habitual experiences. Getting up, going to the gym, getting our kids off to school, our morning commute. These are the days that we rarely notice. Nothing good or bad, exciting or boring, just time passing by.

Our lives are all of these things woven together into a quilt, with the myriad pictures we capture and remember. Pictures of friends, holidays, and graduations. Pictures of marriages, reunions, and anniversaries. Pictures of dinners, vacations, and birthdays. This is the life we lead.  I am grateful for all of the pictures in my quilt. The good pictures, the bad pictures, and the opportunity to share my quilt with others.

New Followers

I also wanted to thank all of the new followers this week. We are getting really close to the goal of 500. Daily Ramblings is at 488 followers. I only need 12 more to hit the goal of 500. If you know of anyone that may be interested in my content, send them my way.

I hope each of you has a great week!

Until next time…

Dave

42.997350
-82.507366

Daily Ramblings – Phoenix – Day 11

10 Monday Dec 2018

Posted by Dave Gardner in Travel

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Amazon, Brother, Friends, Good times, Great weather, Nephew, Netflix, Phoenix Trip, Xbox

Today is just a hangout day with my brother at his home. We’re watching a new show on Amazon, called Fortitude. It is really good so far. We have to run some errands today so my brother can get some last-minute things for his trip tomorrow with his son to Barbados.

I’ll be here at his house until the 13th, just hanging out and relaxing for the last three days I’m here, before heading back to Michigan. This was a really good trip. I got to hang out with some of my friends who I used to work with out here. I got caught up with some folks I haven’t seen in a while.

It was also really nice to hang out with my brother and see my niece get married. My brother’s son will be coming over today to hang out and sleep the night here so they can get to their flight early in the morning. While they’re gone I’ll be knocking out some reading and get caught up on some Netflix and Amazon shows I’ve been wanting to watch.

That’s it for today, folks.

Until next time…

Dave

33.569178
-112.173056
← Older posts

Subscribe

  • Entries (RSS)
  • Comments (RSS)

Archives

  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017

Categories

  • Accomplishment
  • Announcement
  • Annual Goals Posting
  • Birthday
  • Bonus Content
    • Update
  • Book Review
  • change
  • Christmas
  • Easter
  • Father's Day
  • Four Dimensions of Life
  • Fourth of July
  • Funny Friday
  • Gaming, Reading,, Watching, and Learning
  • Goal Setting
  • Halloween
  • Happiness
  • Happy New Year
  • Helpful Articles
  • Hobbies, Games, and Movies
  • Holidays
  • Illness
  • Independence Day
  • Insight Mars Lander
  • Journaling Series
  • Labor Day
  • Las Vegas
  • Life Happens
  • Martin Luther King Day
  • Memorial Day
  • Merry Christmas
  • Milestone
  • Mother's Day
  • Motivation Monday
  • Online Course Review
  • Politics
  • Procrastination
  • Productivity
  • Quotes
  • rituals
  • self-improvement
  • Series Sunday
  • Service
  • Spiritual
  • Spiritual Saturday
  • Spread Your Wings
  • St. Patrick's Day
  • Success
  • Super Bowl
  • Tactics Tuesday
  • Ted Talk
  • Thank you
  • Thankful Thursdays
  • Thanksgiving
  • Thinking Thursdays
  • Thinking Tuesday
  • Travel
  • Uncategorized
  • Valentine's Day
  • Veteran's Day
  • Visualization
  • Weekly Review
  • Wisdom Wednesday
  • Workout Routine
  • Writing

Meta

  • Register
  • Log in

Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com.

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy
  • Follow Following
    • Daily Ramblings...
    • Join 1,288 other followers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • Daily Ramblings...
    • Customize
    • Follow Following
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar
 

Loading Comments...