Ba Ha HA!!!!!!

Katelyn had said "goodnight" and headed downstairs to get ready for bed, when she returned with this weird look on her face.

"Megan" she said. "I have a confession to make.... I just used your toothbrush!!!  And not just a little bit - I full on brushed everything - even my tongue!"

At which point, Megan made a sound as if she had just been kicked in the gut!

Then they both stood there shaking their arms going "Oooooh..... eeeewwwww" and stuff like that.

Then Megan proclaimed. "Its like you just made out with me!" - which made them both say "Eeeewwwww!" even more.

The moral of this story is many fold.....

A.  Sleep deprivation is real and dangerous.  Katelyn has been getting up very early lately.

B.  If you share a bathroom with someone and use the same brand of toothbrush, it is best not to leave them side by side.

C.  Having kids is the best thing sometimes!

D.  (According to Megan tonight) It is better to go to bed without brushing your teeth than to brush your teeth with a toothbrush that you and your sister have both used!

They are sweet girls..... bless their hearts! (As Sara's southern aunties would say when they want to say something rude but are stopping themselves)   :)

Weekend report/The Happiness Project #24

A warm weekend meant a lot of activities.....

- I plated my motorcycle on Friday so I took it for a ride around town and then out to Oxbow with a buddy for ice cream

- Sara got out in the yard and cleaned up a bunch of stuff.  We also built some trellises for some vines to grow on

- We had a couple of bon fires

- And the first races at Estevan Motor Speedway took place.  My brother (aka Lenny) came down for them and here a few pictures courtesy of him.

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The Happiness Project Reminder

Sara has this on our wall - I thought I would share it:  

Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed.  Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace and gratitude - Denis Waitley



Sunday Stuff

Here is what we are talking about tomorrow.  Come on out....

A Scientific Discovery/The Happiness Project #23

Some of the most exciting scientific discoveries have been pursued.  Take Pierre and Marie Curie, for example.  They chased after an understanding of radiation until the effects of it actually killed them.

Other discoveries are more or less stumbled over.  That is what happened to me last night.

I rode my mountain bike to the church building.  Last summer, I did not ride this bike at all because any day that was nice enough to ride the bike was also nice enough to ride my motorcycle.  Not much of a contest there.

Then this past winter, I hurt my shoulder and for the first time in more than 28 years I did not play hockey (In fact, I am certain that I have been on skates every year for the last 44 or 45 until this past winter too). 

All that to say - I was feeling lazy and out of shape and I thought that riding my bike would be a good way to get back into the swing of things.

And then it happened!  You have heard of "Continental Drift" (the scientific theory that states that earth used to be one big land mass that broke into chunks and moved away from one another).......

Well - last night.....  I discovered "Estevan Drift".

Our house is definitely much, much farther away from the church building than it used to be!!!

I used to be able to bike over there without breaking a sweat.  Last night I was puffing and straining and thinking about how much nicer it was when these two locations were closer together.  My legs were sore and rubbery.  I was really tired.  It was bizarre!  Even more strange is the fact that no one else has noticed this yet, but I can't come up with any other explanation.

So there you go!  Sometimes you chase great discoveries and other times they find you!  :)
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The Happiness Project:  Think in Concrete Terms

We need to be able to measure our progress.  You can't accomplish an abstract goal.  Saying, "I want to be a better parent" or "a better worker" or "a better friend" is almost useless because it is too vague.

To be motivating and bring real improvement, our goals must be specific.  Without this you will always be frustrated.  How would you know if you were a better worker or not? 

A better way to think is to say, "I want to finish this task in half the time".  That way you can tell if you are improving.  You will find out if your goal is realistic or not.  It will give you something to work on.

Happy people think in real, not abstract, terms.

So this Happened/The Happiness Project #22

So most of you have heard this by now, but this happened this past weekend.

I think Katie was a little concerned that we were not a lot more excited when they called to say "We are engaged" (they were in Ontario at the time), but we were/are excited/happy/thrilled/etc.

However, it is not a huge surprise.  They have been dating "FOREVER!!!!" (in her words) and he asked our permission when he was here over winter break, so it is the obvious next step.

It is sort of like...... if you survive basic training you gotta expect that you are gonna be thrown into the war soon, right? (Maybe I should have come up with a different analogy there......)  :)

Anyway, we did not say anything till they told people, but now it is on Facebook so now everyone knows (including some kid in Bolivia who has never met us - that is how the internet works right?)
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The Happiness Project Reminder:  Our lives are very easy (Generally speaking)

One of the phrases I have used a lot lately is "Our forefathers would kick us in the backside".  Usually this is said when people start complaining about stupid things.

For example, whining about having to drive to Regina for something.  I get that it is inconvenient sometimes and that you may have better things to do...... but the trip from Estevan to Regina used to be a two week trip not that long ago.  Riding a horse is fun for an hour..... it is not so much fun when you have to cross half a province on one.

Or when people complain about the taste of tap water.  My Grandfather used to dream of the day that he would own a house that had hot and cold running water.  Only the super rich in some big city somewhere else had that luxury (Mind you, in spite of the fact that I have running water in my house.  I still haul water from the grocery store every week ..... and if anyone is standing near-by I often say, "You know, if my Grandfather could see me he would kick my backside")   :)

I very clearly understand that there are real problems that real people really need to deal with - and I am willing to listen to those and help any way I can.

But most of us are way more spoiled than we know and it would do us good to see our blessings and not just our "problems".  It is a much happier way to be....  and it may avoid your butt getting kicked!

Signs of Spring/The Happiness Project: Reminder #21

It is a little known fact that the ancient Aztecs (or some old-timey group of people somewhere that people often refer to when they want to talk about history), watched for four infallible signs of spring.  They are.....

1.  The appearance of the Majestics Car Show.  In this yearly ritual, colorful automobiles of all varieties gather in one large group in Regina, Saskatchewan.  This gathering is quickly joined by the species "Mechanicus Oilius".  They are easily recognized by their long beards, hot rod shirts and general grease smell.

This gathering, happily, took place this past weekend.

2.  The first sighting of "Motorcycle Experience".  This TV show can be found on TSN and it fills the gap between the time when the weather warms up almost enough to ride and actually plating the bike and hitting the road.  Sitting in the basement and watching other people ride and talk about riding is enough to tide one over till the real thing happens.

I have watched three of them now.

3.  The mountain bike cleanse.  In this ritual, our four mountain bikes are freed from their winter hiding, given a once over and test ridden,

This happened today..

4.  Lastly, the re-birth of the Estevan Motor Speedway.  The lilting sounds of V-8 engines screaming in the cold night air and the intoxicating smell of burnt racing fuel make this the pinnacle of the seasonal celebration.

This glorious event takes place this coming Saturday at 5 pm and lasts throughout the warm summer months.

So there you have it.  Irrefutable proof that spring has surely arrived.  Ask any Aztec.... they know..
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Happiness Project Reminder #21:  You (or I) do not have to have an opinion about everything

Over the past week, I have started saying, "I do not have an opinion to share about that".

Now..... you will note that this phrase allows that I may actually have an opinion - in fact as a breathing, thinking person, I likely do - but here is the cool bit....... I don't have to share it.

In other words, I don't have to tell you what I think about what you choose to do..... I do not have to comment on how you spend your time or your money..... I don't have to have input on how you raise your kids, or what you think about the government or whether you like Taylor Swift or not!

"I do not have an opinion to share about that" keeps me out of needless arguments and out of commenting on situations where I have no influence anyway.   In other words, it keeps me from thinking or talking about things that make me angry or frustrated.

Now, if you start doing something that is actually going to harm you in some serious way, of course I am going to speak up.  However, if you decide to wrap yourself in velvet and wear a fez on your head...... well, actually I may say something about that too.

In general, the less I concern myself with things that have nothing to do with me, the happier I am.

Give it a try  I bet it works for you too!

Beauty is where you find it/The Happiness Project #20

Some do not realize that there is a waterfall in Estevan...... well, ok, it is not a waterfall.... it is more of a weir.... or a small dam..... or a spot that a little water tumbles a short distance. 

However, if you look at it the right way, it is beautiful..... as Megan shows in this picture that she took yesterday when we went for a walk in Woodlawn on Sunday

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The Happiness Project:  Be a Peacemaker

Tonight, we were recounting the numerous times that I have "lost my nut" on someone in the past.  In my experience, it has rarely turned out to be good thing.  In fact it most often just results in more mess.

My happiness book says.... "If your friends and family are upset with one another, or you, then you we feel it.  Try to be a peacemaker.  Be the voice of reconciliation and reason.

That really is a good idea.

Majestics car show/The Happiness Project #19

I went to the Majestics car show in Regina on Saturday. I did not want to spend the whole day taking pictures, so here are just a few to give you a taste.

Sara likes VWs so I took a picture of this one for her.  She would actually drive this one - even with the paint like this

I liked the colour of this one.... it was different but nice

This was the only Dodge Dart Swinger that was there (This is a 71 I think and mine is a 73).  I got in a big conversation with the owner and even asked if I could look under in it because I wanted to see how the exhaust was routed etc.  

Here are two old Triumphs that I liked

A 1925 Henderson..... very rare

I always say that Majestics is the first real sign of spring - so yaaaaaayyyy!!!!! :) ________________________
The Happiness Project:  Try to think Less about the people and the things that bother you

There are an infinite number of things that you could spend your time thinking about, but many of us concentrate great attention on those things that we find the most upsetting.  Don't ignore the things that bother you, but don't focus on them to the exclusion of the things that bring you happiness and joy.

Sunday morning stuff

It is a gift/The Happiness Project #18

I feel sorry for most of you.  You lead such boring lives!

Katelyn and I, on the other hand, get special attention wherever we go.

Megan and Sara go through the border - nothing!  No one hardly pays attention to them.

Me - I go through screening at the airport..... "Sir, you have been chosen for extra screening.  Would you like the pat down here or in that room over there with extra personnel provided?" (I took my pat down in broad daylight right there in front of everyone - it was fun!)  :)

Yesterday, Katelyn drove to Ontario.  To get there, she had to cross into the States.  Border guard asked her where she was going and why.

She told him "Rainy River, Ontario to see my boyfriend".

He asked her some more questions and then said that "the computer" had randomly chosen her for extra screening (Right!) and that she needed to proceed to door C.

Once inside, they asked her several more times where she was going, where she was stopping in the States (no where other than to get gas 1/2 way there), who she was going to see in the States (no one).... where are you going again?????  Etc.  They even made her write out her story and then searched the SUV.

In the end, they said, "Have a nice day" as they always do to me too.  She was there an extra 20 minutes or so.

My conclusion:  I think that we must have something special about us.  People are just attracted to us and want to spend more time with us than they do with most other people - but of course they are too embarrassed to say that out loud - so they "detain" us and ask us to sign things so that they have our autograph to remember the day by.

It is hard being so popular.

Or maybe it has something to do with the lengthy criminal records that my uncles and cousins have.  Either way - we get to visit with way more people than most!  :)
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The Happiness Project:  Reminder #18 -  Most of the time it is not what happened but how you think about what happened

There is no objective way to tell whether you have had a good life, a good year, a good month, a good day or a good hour.  In most circumstances, things are what you choose to call them.  What one person may see as something bad, the other sees as something good.

The golfer who wants to play on the weekend hates seeing the rain while the farmer suffering through a drought is overjoyed.

Therefore, because you get to decide how you want to see the events of your life, you get to choose your story.  Happy people don't always get what they want, but they look for the good until they want what they have.

Kid Report/Happiness Project Reminder #17

Megan finished up her last final exam today and so her first year of university is officially in the books.  She came home this afternoon and it is nice to have everyone under the same roof again.

A few years ago I posted this picture of Megan learning to change the oil in her truck, Fonzi.

Today, it was Katie's turn to learn on their SUV.

I like that my kids want to know and try things.  It is very cool!  (And it may get me out of doing all the oil changes someday!)  :)
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The Happiness Project #17:   Volunteer

Every community has countless opportunities to give and help someone else.  You could teach English to those who are new to our country.  You could help out at your local school.  Libraries are often short staffed and looking for help.  In fact, every service group I know of is looking for people to join in and help out.

One of the best decisions that I have made during my time in Estevan was to volunteer at the "Estevan Motor Speedway".  Not only does it allow me to be around cars and mechanical stuff, which I love, but it has opened up an entirely new group of people to get to know.  Also, unlike most of the other things that I am involved with, I do not run things at the speedway.  I have a couple of specific jobs to do, which I think are fun, and that is it.  The big responsibilities belong to someone else, but they are glad that I am there to help out.

If you are interested in something, chances are there is a group in your town that is interested in it too and they are probably looking for help to do it.

Volunteers have a sense of purpose, they feel appreciated and they are less likely to be bored or dissatisfied with their lives.

It is hard to be unhappy when you are connected to other people, doing something you like and are contributing to something bigger than yourself.

A Couple of Random things/The Happiness Project #17

First this.......

I don't know why I thought this was funny when I saw it..... maybe it just seems like they are struggling to make it sound interesting or important or something.....


"Question Period is the top program on TV!"

"Well,  ok, it is the top program on CTV at least" (We are not talking about those US stations.  They have a lot of shows that are better than Question Period, obviously!).

"Come to think of it, even CTV has shows that are much better than Question Period, so I guess we could say that it is the top political program on CTV!"

"Then again, there is that show on Thursday from Ottawa.  It is really good..... so let's say that Question Period is the top political program on CTV on Sunday!"

"You know, though, that Ottawa show only runs every other week, so let's point out that Question Period is the top weekly Sunday Political show"

"You are kidding me!??  There is a higher rated political show on CTV on Sunday night????  Well, fine, just write that we are Canada's top weekly political show on Sunday morning"

In fact I think they were going to go with....  

"Question Period:  Canada's top weekly Sunday morning political program that does not have a dog on it but does have two guys named Doug - which gets sort of confusing sometimes - that is shot with more than two cameras but less than five in a room that is 20 degrees Celsius or less" - but they ran out of room.
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We will now also ask that you rise, remove your hats and observe a moment of silence for the Toronto Maple Leafs who played a very fun style of hockey and ran the best team in the league to 6 games before running out of gas and getting bounced from the playoffs tonight (sniff, sniff!)

Oh well!  At least now I will get back a huge part of my life.  I have sat on the couch watching hockey so much lately, I almost got enfolded into it.

Oh - wait - the Oilers are still playing right?????  :)
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The Happiness Project: Reminder #17   Don't think "What if"

Spending your time imagining what would have been if you had changed various decisions that you made in your life is counterproductive and only leaves you unhappy.  We need to learn from our past, but it is more important to dwell on what you can do to make the future better.  Don't waste your present days thinking about how you could have changed the past.

However you got to this point, you are where you are and all you can do now is choose where you want to end up.

Happy people think about what can be changed and made better, not that which is done and gone.

Picture this/The Happiness Project #16

Sari is home from a short trip to Manitoba to see her friend Laura and so I will post some of her pictures on here maybe today or tomorrow.

However, speaking of pictures makes me think of a quote I saw recently....

"Fun is what people have between taking pictures".

I am not saying that I do not like having pictures of things.  For example, the other day I went back and looked at a bunch of pictures and videos from the motorcycle trips my brother "Lenny" and I have been on and they made me smile.

On the other hand, though, I there is a big part of me that hates carrying a cell phone and an even larger part that says "Put that stupid phone away and just enjoy where you are and what you are doing!".  

So, over the past few days, we have gone on walks, spent a whole day cleaning up the yard, we had a bonfire and a bunch of other stuff, but we have no pictures to post at all.

Reminder #16:  Sometimes, the best thing you can do is just enjoy the thing that you are doing!

The Secret to Home Cooking/The Happiness Project #15

Some of you may not know this, but I (Tim) consider my self something of a food expert.... a "foodie" if you will.

So when Katelyn asked me to divulge the secrets to my culinary success..... well, it was only natural of me to.........  wait........ what?????  

Oh ya!  That is right!!!!   I am not a foodie at all!!!!   In fact, I hate that term so much that I just punched myself in the head for using it!!!

To me, food and eating are just about survival.  So, with Sara away, Katie and I decided that we ought to BBQ some burgers.  She had never done this before so I showed her how.

We did not blow ourselves up..... and (as far as we know so far) we did not give ourselves food poisoning.

That is about as foodie as I can get!  :)
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Happiness reminder #15:  Satisfaction is Relative

Your happiness is relative to a scale you yourself have created. 

If your measure your happiness right now against the two or three greatest moments in your life, you will be unhappy because those moments can never be duplicated.  If, on the other hand, you measure today against some of the toughest days you have had, you have all the reason in the world to appreciate this point in time.

The same goes for comparing your life to others.  It is completely pointless!  You are not the same as anyone else.  You did not have the same experiences growing up.  Even children from the same family had different advantages and disadvantages from one another just based on when they were born.

You can look at someone else and think, "Their life is so much better because they have ____________" (fill in the blank) and yet it quite possible that someone else (or maybe that same person) is looking at you and saying "Their life looks so good because________" (some other thing).

Here is the thing:  There is no objective definition of success.  Success and happiness are judgment calls - and you are the one that has to make those calls for yourself.

So - are you happy?  Content?  Do you feel like your life is being spent well?

If not, what will you change?

NHL Playoffs/The Happiness Project (Reminder #14)

I love the first round of the NHL playoffs!

I love that the players actually care about winning (rather than a game in say February where they often float around like it does not matter what happens).

I love "sudden death overtime" and staying up half the night wondering what will happen.

I love the upsets that always come along with the first round.  For example, no one gave the Maple Leafs much hope of making the playoffs this year.  Then, when they did, they had to play Washington who had the best record in the regular season and no one gave them much hope of winning a game much less the series.  Now, after three straight overtime games, the Leafs are up 2-1 and are playing a really fast and fun to watch style of hockey.  For a guy who has cheered for them since he was 6 years old, it is nice to have something to cheer about.

I still wish that the playoffs would start earlier in the year and be done about now.  There is no way I am going to care much about it past this round because it will be too nice outside to waste nice. hot summer days sitting inside watching guys play a winter sport..... but I still love the first round.

So if you see me at the office or around town and I look a little sleepy..... maybe I have been up watching hockey till all hours of the morning..... but even if I am sleepy, I will likely be happy!  :)
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Happiness reminder #14:   Happy people realize that they don't have to do anything

Do you realize that unless you are in prison, you do not have to do anything?

I said that to someone recently and they said, "I have to go to work!"

Well, no you don't!

You choose to go to work, but you don't have to.  You could sell everything and live in a cardboard box if you wanted to.  Granted, most people don't want to do that so they choose to go to work.  But that is still a choice.

Speaking of choices, you certainly do not have to work where you work.  Again, that is a choice.  You could change jobs and do something else if you really wanted, but you choose to work where you do.

You do not have to live the lifestyle you have right now.  You have chosen that too.  People all over the world live with more or less than what you have - you have chosen what you wanted and the payments and obligations that you now have reflect those choices - but you still chose it and you could "unchoose" it by selling everything and downsizing if you really wanted.

Here is the point: When we make ourselves victims.... when we act as if everything in life is out of our control.....we will be unhappy.  No other outcome is possible!

Truth is that there will be some things that you can do nothing about, but the majority of the things in your life are there because you have consciously or unconsciously chosen them - therefore you have the power to change them, make them better or choose something else.

You are not powerless.  Life doesn't just happen to you.

Happy people spend their time doing what is important and valuable to them so that at the end of the day, or the end of their life, they can look back and say "That was worth doing!"

What is important enough to spend your life on?

Editor's note:  This thought was inspired by an article that was written by a junior hockey coach.  Have a look here......

https://thejuniorhockeynews.com/confessions-of-a-junior-hockey-coach-why-do-you-play-2/

The Happiness Project (Reminder #13)

Those of you who watch the "Canadian Football League" will know the name Henry Burris.  He played quarterback for the Riders, the Stamps, the Tiger cats and the Redblacks.  In fact, he won the Grey Cup with the Redblacks and then retired last year.

He is now starting a career in television.

In a recent interview, he was asked about how his new career was going and what the learning curve was like and he said...... "Playing in the world of football has prepared me for the pressures and the stress you have to deal with. That’s allowed me not to get caught up in the moment and make things bigger than they are."

I love the last part of that quote!  

Happy people are even-keeled.  Happy people don't blow things out of proportion.  They don't get overly excited..... overly hopeful..... or overly down.  

That is not to say that you go through life stoically not feeling anything, but it does mean that it is likely best to avoid the extremes.   

Building things up to be better than they are is only a recipe for disappointment.

Wallowing in your own misery is just a good way to waste your potential.

Therefore, be happy about good things..... be sad when it is appropriate..... and keep things in perspective.  

Doing so not only levels things out, but it allows you to learn new things from everything that you go through whether good or bad.

And - for the times when you cannot fix or get around something - here is some good musical advice from Canadian singer/song writer Sarah Slean.

Have a good week!

Victoria, BC (Pictures and video)

This past week, one of our former church members passed away and his family graciously asked if I would come to Victoria and do his funeral service for him.  I had a really nice time with this family (in many ways, they are like family to Sara and me) and I was really glad to be there.

While it was not at all the point of the trip, there was a little bit of time to go sightseeing.  As well, one of the family members organized a whale watching touring for about 20 of them, so I got in on that too.

Here are a few pictures and some video of the trip.

The view out my hotel room window on the only day we saw the sun (and that was only for about an hour- it was cold!!!)

Walking along the shore

Down in the harbour

I liked the floating houses.  Even stopped and talked about them with a lady who was out painting her flower boxes (They are on city water and sewer - just in case you were interested as I was)

We had some visitors

On the whale watching boat.  This is part of the cabin.  You could watch from inside or walk all the way around the outside on the deck

Sea lions in the sun (or what there was for sun)

The top boat was the one we were on

And some short videos 

I was treated really well and was very glad that I not only got to participate in the service and be with the family, but most of all, to have just been part of their lives.  Over the years, they blessed my family more than they know.

Sunday stuff

A Cool Idea/The Happiness Project (Reminder #12)

What you see about is a cool fundraising idea at Sara's school.  A person from the art gallery came over and had each child do a painting.  The paintings were then framed and put on display during parent/teacher conferences and the parents were given the opportunity to purchase their child's picture.  After two nights, the public was invited to come and buy the remaining works.

This cool idea raised about $2000 that will go to new playground equipment.

I just thought it was a creative way to do things and that it looked very nice!  Well done!  I am sure other schools will copy this in the future.
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Tell someone how important they are to you (Reminder #12)

I am getting ready to do a funeral next week and it has made think once again about the fact that we often do not say nice things about people until they are gone.  We may think those things.... we may really appreciate people..... but we never it.

So, why not change that?   Call someone, write them an email or just sit someone down and tell them what you like about them.  It will make both you and them happy.

A Controversial Post/The Happiness Project (#11)

This blog has been very tame for quite some time now, so it is time to shake things up.

It is time to ask the tough questions whether anyone likes it or not.

Some people shy away from the really serious stuff, but not me!  So here goes......

Hot dogs....... are they a sandwich or not??????

Technically speaking, meat (or something else - like Peanut butter) inside a bun is a sandwich.  A hot dog is meat (sort of) inside a bun, so therefore.......

But I have NEVER heard anyone call a hot dog a sandwich.  Ever!!!!  What gives with that?  Why are we so "hot dog-ist" (or is it "Sandwichistic") that we somehow feel the need to exclude the hot dog from this group???  Why are sandwiches so exclusive?????

I know, I know..... people don't like to face hard hitting questions like this!  But that is not going to stop me!

Tune in tomorrow for my thoughts on corn on the cob!!!   It will be a dilly!!!!

PS.  If you want an outside opinion regarding the hot dog thing, check out this link.

http://www.hot-dog.org/culture/hot-dog-sandwich
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Reminder #11:  Be Open to New Ideas

The world continues to change and if you refuse to learn, try new things or adapt, you will limit yourself to what you knew and were comfortable with in the past.  As time goes on, you will become increasingly frustrated with your surroundings.

Happiness is not found by fighting change, but by learning and growing with it.

Everything old is new again/The Happiness Project (reminder 10)

The Sask government published the list of the top baby names in the province for 2016.  Interesting that (Once again) a lot of old names are new again.

All except "Blanch" and "Oscar"...... you still don't see many of them.  :)

Most of these I am ok with.... however I still believe that there should be some vetting process where someone somewhere has the right to say, "Come on now!  We are not gonna let you stick your child with that name!"

Have you ever thought that it is odd that one of the most personal things about you - your name - is given to you without your consent or permission?

I asked a buddy of mine that question once and his response was, "We did ask our babies what they wanted to be named and all they did was stare off into space and drool - so what are you gonna do?"

Fair point!  :)
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Reminder #10

Your goals need to be aligned with one another

If the tires on your car are not aligned, they do not point in the same direction and, therefore, they fight against one another as they go down the road.  This leads to one or more of the tires wearing out prematurely.

Similarly, we have to line up our life goals.  Things that are in conflict cannot co-exist.  You cannot state that you want to be at every school event that your child has and then accept a promotion at work that pays more but demands that you be on the road all week.  One or the other of those two things is going to suffer.

I know a guy who was offered several promotions, but he turned them all down.  He decided that being closer to home was more important than making more money, so he aligned his life off of what he thought was his most important goal.

You can't say "yes" to everything and you probably can't do everything comes along.  Happy people choose to do what is most important to them and let other things go.

Do you know what is most important to you?  Are you lining up your life around it?

The World is full of Nice People/The Happiness Project (#9)

Every once in a while, my nice wife will by me a motorcycle magazine.  This latest one had a story called "Girl Meets World" about this young woman who decided to ride across America alone. 

The only problem:  She had never been outside of Los Angeles before.  Admittedly, she was a little nervous about what was going to happen over the next few weeks/months.

And do you know what happened?  

Lots of nice things!  She met all kinds of nice, friendly people.  (Editor's note:  It is shocking how many people will talk to you when you are on a motorcycle)

In fact, at one campground an older couple invited her in for breakfast.   At a diner, she went to pay her bill and was told that it had been paid by some guy she did not know.  When she tracked him down to say "thanks", he told her that he thought she looked like she was on a grand adventure and he wanted to encourage her to keep going.

Stuff like that happens!   One time my brother and I almost ran out of gas in our bikes.  As we were sitting on the side of the road in Montana, in the rain, wondering what to do, a lady pulled over and asked if we needed help.  When we told her our situation, she took us to her farm and she and her husband filled our tanks.  When we asked how much we owed them, they said, "Nothing!"..... then they wished us well and sent us on our way.

If you watch the news or sit in the coffee shop too long, you will be convinced that the world is going down the drain.  All that exists is hate, fighting, criticism and heartbreakingly horrible events.

Get out in the real world, though and you will likely find that there are lots of good people out there.

So, why not turn off the news and go meet one?

Ps.  If you want to read more about this young lady's travels, she had such a good first experience that she is now trying to ride all 50 states.   You can find her stories at this link......

http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/find/Girl%20meets%20world?page=3

Hello Newman/The Happiness Project (#8)

Here is the perfect gift for the early '90s TV fan on your list.

A Seinfeld mini apartment.

Yes!  You too can own an exact replica of Jerry's apartment in miniature.  Click here to be taken to the web site for more details.

The good news..... it is that they are only $399.99 each!!!!!

I will take 10!  :)
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Friendship Beats Money (Reminder #8)

If you want to know if people are happy, don't ask them how much money they have in the bank, Don't ask how much they take home every two weeks.  Ask them about their friends!

Everyone needs enough to live, but beyond that we are way too focused on cash.  In the end, you will not remember the money, but you will not be able to forget the people.

Invest wisely!

Sara Talking about the Breakfast Program/The Happiness Project (#7)

Sara was invited to the United Way's "Annual General Meeting" on Friday night.  Click here to read an article that contains a little of what she had to say.....

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You don't need to win or be right every time

Ultra-competitive people who always have to win end up enjoying things less.  If the lose, they are very disappointed and if they win it's what they expected would happen anyway.

It is ok to let things go and not pressure yourself to be right, do everything and win at all costs. 

My New Bike/The Happiness Project (Reminder #6)

I found the best bike in the world today......

I would have killed for this bike when I was a kid.  (Note the super cool "Toronto Maple Leaf" flag on the back!)

Two problems though.....

1.  All they had was the little kid's bike.  No adult version in sight.

2.  I think it is super slow.  Probably always comes in last - just like the real Maple Leafs! :) 
(As a life long Leaf fan, I can make that joke because they are actually playing well this year.... and having the ability to laugh at your pain is a sign of maturity!)  :)
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Action Eliminates Fear (The Happiness Project - Reminder 6)

When tackling a problem, thinking is necessary.  However, too much thinking about the problem can create unnecessary and even unrealistic fear.

The longer you put off doing what you know you need to do, the more fear you create.  Then, instead of simply dealing with the problem, you now also have to deal with the "imagined issues" that your mind has created around the problem.

Therefore, the key is to act.  Often, the situation is not as bad as it first appeared and, even if it is, the fact that you are doing something about it makes it easier to deal with.

Do you have a paper to write?  Do you need to have a tough conversation with someone?  Are you going to a new school or starting a new job?   Is there a problem with your 1973 Dodge Dart Swinger that needs to be addressed?

Do your research.  Think through the situation.  Then do something, anything, to move forward.

Fear grows as we wait.  Action eliminates fear.

Making Friends/The Happiness Project (Reminder #5)

Megan was writing to me tonight as she and her sister were driving around Regina.  She said that as they were sitting at red light with the music blaring, Katie started dancing in her seat.

Just then, a guy in a big pickup pulled up along side on them.... looked at Katie..... and started dancing along with her..... and then drove off.

When big (ish) city meets small town, good things happen!
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Have Realistic Expectations

People who are happy don't get everything they want, but they want most of what they get.  In other words, they rig the game in their favour by choosing to value things that are within their grasp.

People who find themselves dissatisfied in life often set unreachable goals for themselves, setting themselves up to fail.  Yet people who set high goals for themselves and reach them are no happier than people who set more modest goals.

Whether you are assessing your position at work or your relationship with family, don't begin with fantasy pictures of the world's riches person or the world's ideal family.  Be realistic and strive to make things better, not perfect.
           -  From "The 100 Simple Secrets of Happy People"

Sunday Stuff/The Happiness Project (Reminder #4)

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If you are not sure, guess positively 

"Unhappy people take a situation in which they are not sure and they come to a negative conclusion.  For example, if they aren't certain why another person is being nice, they assume that the person must have a hidden, selfish agenda.  Happy people take that same situation and guess the positive possibility, that is, that the person really is nice" - from "The 100 simple secrets of Happy People"

This is one of my favourite tips and one of the best lessons of the book for me. It is easy for me to think negatively and worry about stuff.  The good news is that you can re-train yourself to think differently.

Give it a try.  It really helped me!

The Happiness Project (Reminder #3)

Choose your comparisons wisely

"Many of our feelings of satisfaction or dissatisfaction have their roots in how we compare ourselves to others.  When we compare ourselves to those who have more, we feel bad. When we compare ourselves to those who have less, we feel grateful.  Even though the truth is we have exactly the same life either way"

-  From "The 100 Simple Secrets of Happy People: What Scientists Have Learned and How You Can Use It"

Imagine a little kid happily playing with her new toys on Christmas morning.  You would not go up to her, take out your phone and show her pictures of kids who received a lot more than she did.

However, people do that to themselves all the time.  Rather than enjoying what they have, they feel bad because others have more.

What are you thankful for right now?

Generally speaking, happiness has less to do with our circumstances and more to do with how we see those circumstances.

I am glad they warned me!/The Happiness Project (Reminder #2)

I don't know how well you can read this, but it is the label from a barbecued chicken that I bought yesterday.

Notice the 3rd line says...... "Heat to 165 F or 74 C".  Then it says, "Be careful as the chicken will be hot!"

Am I ever glad they cleared that up for me!!!   I am always getting the oven and the freezer confused, so I wasn't sure what was going to happen when it was done!

Maybe the steam coming off of it or the fact that it is a ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY FIVE DEGREE PILE OF MEAT should have clued me in...... but I am glad that they reminded me anyway.

Look further down.... they do it again under the microwave instructions.

I am thinking that if you do not know that it will be hot, maybe you should not be playing with the oven unsupervised!  :)
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Disconnect from the Drama  (Reminder #2)

Good baseball players do not swing at every pitch.  They know that they do not always have to react.

Happy people know that too.

Thanks to cellphones, Facebook and the internet, we know more about each other than ever before.  I know what you think.... where you go..... what music you like.... and even how you spend your money.

The lines between what is public and what is private have blurred to the point that they have almost disappeared..... and that is not good!

Happy people have boundaries and they know that........

1.  They don't have to share or know everything.  Long ago a friend told me that their family shares things on a "need to know" basis.  They weren't trying to be rude.  They just realized that too much information is not good.

2. They don't have to have an opinion about everything.  Because we know more about one another than ever, we have come to believe that it is our job to comment on the choices other's make. However, the truth is that it is none of my business where you vacation, or who your favorite musician is or what you had for lunch.

So..... get off of Facebook.  Put your phone down.  Stop commenting on what everyone else is doing or not doing and go live your own life!

As in baseball....... Sometimes the best reaction is no reaction!

Sari in the Paper/The Happiness Project (Reminder #1)

As you can see, Sari was in the paper again last week.  This was really cool, though, because it involved one of the Separate (Catholic) Schools in town.  They chose her program to receive the proceeds from a cookie sale done by the Kindergarten class to teach them about alms giving at Lent. 

In fact, they had her come to one of their morning chapel times and then praised the good work she and her volunteers do in looking after the kids of Hillcrest.  It was quite something!  Very affirming and very nice!
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THE HAPPINESS PROJECT: The Preamble

It would be really easy to simply complain about the complainers, but (a) that does nothing but add to the complaining and (b) it does nothing to change me or make me better...... so today is the start of something new and better.

Every day I am going to share a simple reminder that you can use to make your life happier and give you a better outlook.  As mentioned last night, this all stems from a book Sara found about 10 years ago.  It is backed up not only by common sense and scientific study, but in most cases, scripture as well.

My intentions are simple....
1.  To provide a positive action that anyone can start doing right away to change themselves for the better

2,  To make sure they are short and quick to read.  I want you to be able remember these things, so they will be less than four short lines most of the time.

Last disclaimer:  I offer these things not because I have learned them, but because I need to learn them.  (In fact, at lunch today Sara said, "Dude, you sound really negative!  Tell me something good!").

When I focus on the negative, it makes me miserable and it makes those around me miserable.  Fortunately, I have a choice.  So, this is the start of making better choices.

Below is the first reminder and the format of things to come.  Enjoy!  Give these things a try.  Use the comment section and share how it is going.

Ready - go!
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Reminder #1:  You are here to make things better

Anyone can criticize.  Tearing things apart is easy.  Pointing out mistakes doesn't fix them; it simply makes them more noticeable.

Nothing is gained by being negative.

Happy people are convinced that are here to make things better.  They believe that they can change things and that even small changes in the right direction make a positive impact.

So why not try?   Compliment someone.  Smile at a stranger.  Get to know your neighbours.

Intentionally focus on the good, because what you focus on, grows.

Musical schizophrenia and Introducing the Happiness Project

I has been a good weekend for music in our lives.

Saturday we were in Moose Jaw having lunch when this group of musicians came in and started playing Celtic music.  It was great!  Here is a small sample.......

And then on Sunday afternoon we went and heard the Regina Symphony orchestra at the high school in town.  It was interesting to think that people have been listening to this music for hundreds of years.

For example, they played Mozart's symphony number 29 which he finished on April 6, 1774.... so basically 243 years ago,  Oh.... and he was 18 years old at the time!  Here is that piece if you want to give it a bit of a listen.

Both were very interesting and cool in their own way.  Very nice!
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Many years ago.... like maybe 15.... Sara found a book called "100 Simple Secrets of Happy People". Written by Dr David Niven, it contained very short articles outlining various activities that promote happiness.  Click here if you would like to learn more about it.

Anyway, I think she bought about 10 of these books to give away at Christmas time and I ended up with one.  Since that time, I have probably read this book more than 50 times.  In fact, I read one tip per day at the start of every day in the office, just to remind myself how I want to be and how I want to think.  As I have done that, I have often thought, "I need to adapt this and share it somehow".

Here is the thing:  I and so sick of the negative, whiny, complainy attitudes around me (and sometimes even in me)!!!     Generally, life is not that bad!  And even if it is, complaining and being negative is not going to help anything.

So I am starting what I am calling "The Happiness Project".  Every day I am going to blog something from our lives (sort of like "30 blogs in 30 days") but I am also going to share a reminder or a tip that will help us see life in a more positive way.  If I have nothing else to write, I will share the tip anyway.

I will try to post one every weekday, but my real goal is going to be about 5/week until I run out of stuff (and I have collected a lot of tips).

I promise these thoughts will be short, quick to read and easy to start doing right away.

Would you like some happiness and to see the world in a better way?  Me too!  Maybe we can remind and help each other.

The Happiness Project - starting tomorrow!

And we limp across the finish line (Blog 30 of 30)

So it took me almost 2 months to do a month worth of blogs (I started this round on Jan 22) and even at that some of them were like this one in that they do not have much to say.

But I ask you..... how much can you say about shoveling snow??    I mean..... really?   It is hard to have a super interesting/creative blog when you are buried under 20 feet of snow.

Thankfully the snow is melting and brighter days are ahead.  Days filled with motorcycles, stock car races, walks in the park, bike rides, trips to the beach, cruising in my old Dodge (hopefully), car shows and who knows what else...... so give me about 5 or 6 days and then come back and we will have a go at this again.

I promise it will be much more interesting......  unless it snows again.   Then I will blog about moving to Hawaii   :)

A Couple of hockey tips and the video for Sunday

The Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League playoffs started last night and that meant that the Yorkton Terriers were in town to play the Bruins.

I went to the game and sat where I always sit, behind the visitor's bench.  One of the reasons I like sitting there is that it is where the visiting team's fans sit and often I get talking to them, ask them about the other team, etc.  It is fun.

Until last night.  Without getting into a whole thing here, let's just say that the couple of ladies behind me did not stop complaining from the start of the game till the end.  Complaining about the refs.... complaining about the Bruins..... complaining about their own team..... the even complained about getting a penalty when it was actually a timeout (there was not penalty being called).

After two and a half periods of this, I had heard about all I could take.  When one of them said something even more silly than the stuff they had said before, I turned around and looked at her like "What are you talking about?"   This caused her to start beaking me off and so we had a little exchange where I encouraged them to be a little more positive and a little less whiny.

Now - please note - this has nothing to do with their gender.  I am not picking on ladies in general, just these two.

I have been thinking about this incident on and off all day and I have come up with two rules that I believe everyone ought to know/follow.....

1.  If you are going to constantly comment on everything that goes on out on the ice, it would be good to know the rules first.

2.  Don't take it so seriously!  It is a game!  I go to cheer for the Bruins but if the other team scores a nice goal or the other goalie makes a nice save, "I cheer for them too".  Go and enjoy watching high level athletes playing well - that is fun.  Win or lose - it is not that important.  As someone once said,.....

"If what a 18 year old kid does with a puck is ruining your day, you have bigger issues going on"

Cheer for your team..... be a good fan..... but leaving the whining and the "everyone is against us" stuff at home.  No one wants to hear it (especially for three straight periods)

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Here is the Sunday stuff.....

An Apology and we have a winner (Blog 28 of 30)

So I was thinking, "My poor blog readers!  It has taken me forever to do these 30 blogs and then when I have done them they have not been that interesting at times".

Well..... here is the thing.....there are so many things you can say about snow, blizzards or shoveling (which seems to be all I have been doing lately).

I have been working on my car a great deal, but I am afraid that I may be more interested in that old Dodge than most people are - and I do not want to bore you so.....

I would offer you your money back, but it sort of seems like you are getting full value on your investment here.

Please do hang in there though.  With spring coming, shoveling is about to be a thing of the past.  As well, spring means more activity and more interesting things to write about and thus better blogs (or maybe it will mean that I will decide that I am done for the summer and just leave - we will see)  :)

Anyway - the point being - I am aware that this has not been my best work lately - but what can you do?  (That is not a rhetorical question - I actually mean, "What can YOU do?"  Answer - "Nothing" so get over it!)  :)

BONUS BIT:  I am sure that you remember (how could you forget) that I offered my "Calvin and Hobbs" book to one lucky reader and we have a winner!!!!!

LENNY!!!!!!   COME ON DOWN!!!!!!!! (Well - don't come down since I will see you in 10 days - that would be silly!).  

Lenny is going to discover amazing things.... his mind is going to be opened in new and fascinating ways..... ways he has never known before!   Congratulations, Lenny!!!  :)

Part time fan - but glad to be this time (Blog 27 of 30)

Every year I say I am not going to watch curling on TV.  I think to myself, "It is sort of slow.  Why bother?"

And then every year I get sucked in.

I did not watch much of the Brier this year, but last night's game between Manitoba and Team Canada was good (big comeback for the win by Team Canada) and then tonight's was even better.

Congrats to Newfoundland/Lab for winning on home ice with a last shot draw.

Who has the movie rights?  Get me Brad Gushue's phone number!

I was glad I got suck into watching curling again.

Sunday preview

Here is what we are talking about at church.  Come and hear it and invite someone if you like!

How to be offended by Everything (Blog 26 of 30)

In a nutshell, this is why I quit Facebook.  Everyone's outrage meter is at like "10" all the time.  If yours is not, this video is for you.

PS.  I am offended by the terrible acting in this video.  I am also offended that they took an idea that could have been really funny and did such a lousy job of it.  I want my money back!!!  Oh wait....

Who Knew? [And a special one time offer] (Blog 25 of 30)

I am not a big comic book guy.  Not into Superman, Spider-Man, etc.  However, I have always liked "The Far Side" and "Calvin and Hobbs".

Sara recently gave me this book..........

I thought it was just going to be a history book sort of thing, but it was way more interesting than that.

Did you know that Bill Watterson quit doing Calvin and Hobbs on Dec. 31, 1995 and that the strip only ran for 10 years?

Did you know that he HATED the celebrity status that the cartoon gave him?  He thought (a) that it was stupid that people got attention just because they did something that was public in nature.  He figured that was no more special or interesting than anyone else.  He was just a guy doing a job...... and (b) that he could not do that job well if he caved into the fame.  He figured that if he lost his anonymity that he would lose the ability to observe and experience "real life" and the strip would suffer from the unreal perspective that came with fame.

Did you know that he believed this so much that he lived in a self-imposed seclusion where he did very few interviews and hardly ever let his picture be taken (Google it - there are hardly any pictures of him on the internet and none are less than 25 years old).

I had no idea!  And there is much much more.

Turns out, he is a super weird dude, but in some ways I really admire him.

So, here is your "special one time offer"...... if you are interested in reading the Calvin and Hobbs backstory and finding out more about the guy that people know almost nothing about..... I will give you this book.

Be the first to write to me (either in the comments section or by email) and you can have this book.  I liked it and I think you might too.

Ready....... GO!!!

Ok - That is lots now (Blog 24 of 30)

Normally, I am all for winter.  I like hockey and sledding and even walking in the snow.  I find the cold invigorating.

But I am over it for this winter.

We had a record amount of snow in December and it just has not stopped since then.  Sunday afternoon we were dreaming of spring and then today this happened.....

That is looking out of Sara's office window this afternoon...... and then it got worse.  In fact, it was so bad that I barely made it home from the office.  The streets were clogged and the visibility was bad.

I am all for saying goodbye to the snow for this year now.

It happened again! And Sunday stuff (Blog 23 of 30)

For many years Sara and I have participated in a curling funspiel in support of our Bible camp (Clearview Christian at Kenosee Lake) and every year I have great dreams of winning the whole thing.

And then other things happen.  Like one year my rink was beating by a very good curler and three little girls.  The kids could not throw the rocks through the house so they had tons of rocks in play all the time and cleaned our clocks.

This year, we were accused of "stacking" our rink,  Several people thought we could be the team to beat...... and we were..... for the first game.  Then it all went down hill.  We ended up winning one and losing two and that was the end of our day.

I would like to say that it was fun anyway..... but it wasn't!   You know what is fun???  Winning... that's what!!!   That is why they always visit the locker room of the guys who won the Stanley Cup instead of the locker room of the guys that lost it.  Winning is a more fun story to tell.

But it was nice to see some of my old friends.... it was fun to hang out with Sara.... and (I guess) it was fun to curl..... even if we lost - again!

PS.  Here is what is happening for Sunday morning (This one includes a special guest)

I have been rejected (Blog 22 of 30)

Often when I am speaking at a new place, I will introduce myself by telling people that I have been going to church all my life and that my mom's side of the family is the churchy side and my Dad's is anything but.

That is true.  Some of my Dad's good buddies, many of whom used to hang out at our place from time to time, were well known to local law enforcement.  One of the guys died in the PA penitentiary.....  another ended up on the 6 o'clock news after he was killed in a drug deal gone bad.  I am serious when I say that I sort of get both sides of that street.

Today, I suspect that "Pippus side" of things may have caught up to me.

I went to renew my passport.  Simple right?  Fill out the short form (30 minutes tops).  Get new pictures.  Take the whole thing to the government office.  Get new passport in a couple of weeks. Relatively painless.

Me.... I did all the stuff above, however when I got to the desk the lady she looked everything over and said, "Ah ha..... ah ha..... good..... oh wait".  Then she proceeded to tell me that because my passport has water damage on it (it was in my coat pocket during a rain storm while I was riding my motorcycle through North Dakota) that the government would likely reject it as having "been tampered with".  She said I could try anyway, but once you send in a bad passport, they flag you.  Too many of them (she did not know how many) may make it hard to get any passport at all.

Her suggestion:  Let my current passport run out and then start all over again as if I never had one.  In other words, fill out the long form (including doing all the guarantor stuff) and then sit around for 4-6 weeks without a passport until my new one comes.

I was at the hockey game tonight and I asked everyone I saw (virtually) and no one has ever heard of this before.

I'm telling you..... the MAN is out to get me!!!!   Maybe I should consider changing my name. Throw them off the trail for a while.

If I wasn't secretly a Russian spy sent here to gather information about Canada, I would be really offended.

Movie Review (Blog 21 of 30)

Sara and I never go to the movies..... except for tonight. 

We went and saw the NASA based show "Hidden Figures".  I won't bore you with all the details (you can read real movie reviews other places), but I will say....

1.  We really enjoyed it

2.  If you have not seen it yet, you ought to.

Don't you hate that? (Blog 20 of 30)

I have a buddy (Scott) who HATES it when people post things about their lives, but don't give enough detail for you to know what is going on.  For example, when people, out of the blue, post something like.....

"Don't know how this is gonna go!"

No context.  No real information.  No help.

In fact, Scott refers to "Facebook" as "Vaguebook" due to people's tendency to be all "cloak and dagger" about things.

All of that to say this.... I have not been very good at keeping up with my "One blog per day" commitment lately, but I have a good reason.

It is not that I am lazy or slacking off.

In fact, there is some stuff going on right now.  Good stuff!  Like, possibly something big.  I don't know how this is gonna go, but it is kinda top secret so......

You are welcome!  Have a great day!  :)