One thing I've learned...

"One thing I have learned...


One thing I've learned to do well during the past sixty nine years is smell a con, especially if he or she is a polished pro and hides things right out in public which is one of the safest places of all. So what have you learned in your umpty-ump tender years?

gb

Originally posted by Grampy Bobby
[b]"One thing I have learned...


One thing I've learned to do well during the past sixty nine years is smell a con, especially if he or she is a polished pro and hides things right out in public which is one of the safest places of all. So what have you learned in your umpty-ump tender years?

gb[/b]

Originally posted by Great Big Stees
That I didn't know as much as I thought I did.

Originally posted by Grampy Bobby
[b]"One thing I have learned...


One thing I've learned to do well during the past sixty nine years is smell a con, especially if he or she is a polished pro and hides things right out in public which is one of the safest places of all. So what have you learned in your umpty-ump tender years?

gb[/b]

Originally posted by Soothfast

That Captain Sisko was really a better captain than Captain Picard.

Originally posted by Soothfast
That Captain Sisko was really a better captain than Captain Picard.

Originally posted by Grampy Bobby
Designed his own ship as I recall.

"One thing I have learned..."


That ineffectiveness, inefficiency and counter-productive effort still rule the day. First notice the phenomenon, without grasping its significance, as an eager ten year old boy. It was a wonderful summer day all day long and a crew from the D.P.W. (Department of Public works, I later learned) parked several trucks hauling various equipment, including a beautiful backhoe, at the junction of McCarthy Street Hill and Union just before noon.

Apparently an old rusted water main needed replacing. There were eight men sent to do the job, six with shovels wearing rubber hip waders, one foreman in a brown department uniform and The Boss who wore a shirt and tie. Outgoing and gregarious child that I was it was natural to strke up conversation with the men. They seemed happy to talk with me once The Boss drove back to the office for blusprints that had been forgotten. Remember asking how long they would be working on our street. "Couple of hours" was their reply. Stayed light late then in towns like ours not too very far from Boston. Anyway, the eight of them were still there at 9:00 pm, my bedtime. Waddy Young, my favorite worker, said good night to me as I trotted off to wash up and climb in bed.

Next day at breakfast I asked my Dad why it took the D.P.W. so long to finish yesterday's job. Still remember his answer, "Always takes them a long time and they always send eight employees to do the job, no matter how big or small". He noticed my puzzled look and added, "Son, didn't you notice there were always two coming and two going, two in the portable toilets smoking cigarettes and two working". I said, "Oh". All these decades later I recall that summer day tonight and describe it to you with a smile.

Boston Lad

In my years, I have noticed an undeniable general pattern. I say general because there are times when the pattern breaks. But those times are very few and far between.

The pattern I have noticed is, as soon as I stake claim to knowing what someone or a group of someones will do in the future, the exact opposite occurs.

The pattern seems to be focused mainly in the area of sports and my work environment.

As soon as I give my opinion about a co-worker's character and future with the company, they immediately demonstrate the complete opposite and make it look like I'm a horrible judge of character; which I guess if you consider the consistency of it, that does make me a horrible judge of character. Countless ex-employees have been adversely affected by my praise. I can write a letter about how great an employee is, how hard they work, and how they are flexible, honest, loyal... and the very next day, we're lucky if they even bother to show up for work but if they do, their attitude totally sucks. Employees generally last no more than about 30 days after I praise them to the top brass.

And as soon as I give my opinion one way or the other about the success or failure of a sports franchise, the exact opposite occurs. This happens with uncanny regularity. However, if I try to use reverse psychology in order to get the preferred result, this backfires on me as well.

So I've decided that it's best to keep my opinions to myself if I'm giving them about a co-worker or sports franchise I care anything about. And if cornered and forced to give my opinion or prediction, I keep it low key with an escape hatch; something like, "I think he/she/they won't do very well, but it wouldn't surprise me if he/she/they succeed(s)." And that effectively turns me into a politician that just mumbles a bunch of fluff without committing to anything.


I've also noticed, along the same lines, that when I pray to God for something I really desperately need; I get what I prayed for--but not until Dad has a barrel of laughs, stringing me along and not giving me what I need, until the time comes when I start to give up on it. But again, if I try to use reverse psychology, it backfires on me. Evidently Dad knows what my true feelings are, so a preemptive "Ok Dad, I ... *ahem* .... I give up! I know I'll never get it," in an attempt to convince Him to just go ahead and give it to me straight away... no, that doesn't work. Nope, I have to wait until that last second of the last hour of the last day, when I truly feel like I'm just not going to get what I prayed for because Dad must have other plans.... *boom* I get it.

One time I was in crisis and the same thing happened. Not until the very last, moment of truth second, did I get what I desperately needed. When I got it, I looked up to the heavens and shook my fist... tears of joy in my eyes, I said, "Dad! I'm not going to forget this! When I get to heaven, I'm going to put a bucket of water over my bedroom door, so when you come to check on me it falls on your head and soaks you head to toe!"

Needless to say, that didn't go over too well.


So onward I go.

By the way, the Falcons are going to struggle at home against the Saints who are the better team. It wouldn't shock me if the Falcons win, but, I expect them to lose.

guys don't mean it when they say they love you

YouTube

The bigger they are, the harder they fall!

-m.

I learned one thing once.

Have since forgotten it though...

So you do the thing.

Originally posted by Grampy Bobby
[b]"One thing I have learned...


One thing I've learned to do well during the past sixty nine years is smell a con, especially if he or she is a polished pro and hides things right out in public which is one of the safest places of all. So what have you learned in your umpty-ump tender years?

gb[/b]

Originally posted by Suzianne
You should always say "Thank you", "I love you" and "Great job" to someone every day, and mean it. (Not necessarily the same person, spread it around, make three people happy, instead of just one.)

Meaning it is the important bit. It won't help you one bit if you don't mean it, AND the people you say them to will know, making the end result very different.

There are no guarantees in anything. There are many probabilities, many possibilities,
but no certainties (with the exception of death and paying taxes or course).