Posted on 12/18/2005 11:08:33 PM PST by bannie
So...what HAVE you learned in the last 25 years?
Wow! Interesting question. I don't have one single answer, and if I started to think about it, I'd write a book. But I'll be thinking about this all day . . .
So...what HAVE you learned in the last 25 years?
Northwest Kansas is a really crappy place to live.
But, did they get clean?
That's funny. I've learned how to balance my checkbook, write software and I am a poor judge of woman-flesh.
Maybe a bit long, and heavy on the ego, but here it is:
It doesn’t do much good to set back and bitch about your situation. The only person who can really help you is you. Others can point you in the right direction. They can offer advice – but any help is short term and in the long run worthless. I found out that fun is where you find it, and that “the good old days” weren’t necessarily all that good all the time. Even the fun days of the Old Army had some bad times. We just tend to remember the good and forget the bad things that happen, and that is a very good thing.
There was a phrase that was used in the Army by a lot of Viet Nam vets, “It don’t mean nothin”. It was seldom used in a really serious context, but for all the petty situations we found ourselves in. It doesn’t pay to get tied up in knots over every little thing.
I learned from my late wife that there really is this thing called love, and that it is indeed a wonderful thing. I learned that two people can be so completely in love and so compatible that they become as one person.
I also learned from Sheryl's death:
The material things in life are really meaningless. If we lose our home or our car or any of our possessions, it is only temporary and they can eventually be replaced.
It is important if we have loved and been loved.
There are some things that are beyond our control. While it does make things easier to be completely in control of life, it is often better to accept that which is beyond our control. I have not regretted any of the choices I’ve made in life. I could have made other choices that would have resulted in my being wealthier and healthier now than I am. I could have saved my money while in the Army and invested it wisely. I would also have ended up a very boring person with little life experience. In hindsight, every choice was for the best. Not many people can say that.
There is a prayer –
“God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”
1. Life AINT FAIR!
2. Those who whine about life not being fair should be put to sleep. There is NO SUCH THING as a level playing field, a "just wage", or a free lunch folks!
3. While the Right has its share of head up their a-s morons, the Left is ENTIRELY COMPOSED of such folks, making the Right far more preferable to the left.
4. That attacks on REASON from the Left and the Right should be fought tooth and nail, even if it means pissing off friends.
5. That your family are all you have when the going gets tough. Even close friends can't be trusted.
6. That women LOVE for you to listen to their problems, but don't want to hear about yours.
7. That money may not buy happiness, but at least stability and comfort.
8. That free minds and free markets lead to a productive and competative citizenry. Protectionism and provincialism may be charming in the abstract, but lead to disasters whenever applied to policy.
9. That the USA is the GREATEST LAND OF ALL, and that anyone who admires "Western European Civilization" or Africa equally to the U.S. is a TRAITOR!
10. That there is such thing as an AMERICAN CIVILIZATION apart from those referenced above.
11. That illegal immigration is a drain on resources, although legal immigrants (and many illegals) are often far preferable to the schlubs in the bottom 10% of our population.
12. That the right to keep and bear arms should NEVER be infringed and is the RIGHT THAT PROTECTS ALL OF OUR OTHER RIGHTS!
13. That some pointy-headed intellectuals based in Rome do not have a monopoly on the Truth, but that man's understanding of the holy goes beyond any scripture.
14. That Pinot Noir goes great with Salmon, although every other fish deserves a Sav Blanc or a Chardonnay.
15. That REAL WOMEN HAVE CURVES!
16. That there is NO LOYALTY to the employee, therefore you have NO LOYALTY to your boss.
17. That "authority figures" do not automatically deserve respect. They need to earn it like the rest of us.
18. That God is a Republican and Santa Claus is a Democrat (thank you PJ O'Rourke!).
19. That DeNiro is an overrated actor, while Harvey Keiter is underrated.
20. That I had creative differences with Sister Sophie during my performance of Georg Von Trapp in PJP II High School's performance of the Sound of Music.
21. That one degree at the University of Chicago is worth more than three degrees at Harvard from an intellectual standpoint, although not enough employers recognize this.
22. That Public Schools are nothing more than socialism for the middle class.
23. That Populists and those who glorify the "common man" are a greater threat to our freedom than all of the Kings and Aristocrats that ever walked the earth.
24. That Brazilians make great lovers, but Mexicans make better mothers.
25. That those who fear those who live in the ghetto/barrio need to grow a pair and get a life.
26. That those who live in the ghetto/barrio need to get off their a-s and improve their lives so we don't need to import illegal labor.
27. That folks will always associate and choose to live among those they share common traits with, be they religious or ethnic. Nothing will change this, except for more intermarriage.
28. That assimilation takes three generations.
29. That reality shows are the opiate of the brain dead.
30. That HL Mencken was ahead of his time, while Edward R. Murrow appears to be as dated as a horse and buggy.
31. That your worst enemies will always approach you in friendship when they REALLY want to screw you.
32. That China is no longer Communist.
33. That Australian wine and Brazilian firearms should never be purchased by anyone who cares about quality.
34. That GM and Ford deserve to die due to the stupidity of management that put market share and labor peace above quality.
35. That Boeing is the best run company in the U.S. as we speak.
36. That the Virgin Mary, while a wonderful woman, is NOT a "co-redeemer."
37. That the Ramones are the greatest Rock and Roll band ever.
38. That it is better to be feared than to be loved. Although it is DIVINE to be adored.
39. That those who look to the state to provide internal security will always get it in the neck, often by the state that they had hoped would protect them.
40. That Yankees fans prefer Astroglide to Astroturf, and are more likely than others to see Brokeback Mountain.
41. The the golden age of Hollywood was in the 1970s.
42. That the REAL "Greatest Generation" were the Founding Fathers.
43. That the best years for America are yet to come.
44. That someone with Subpoena power can do more damage to our well-being than all of the greedy capitalists combined.
45. That poverty is cultural and that there is NO NOBILITY IN POVERTY.
46. That just because you have wealth, doesn't prevent you from being a lowlife.
47. That those who are bigoted or envious of anyone else, including "the elite" are doomed to failure in life.
48. That great men can't be ruled but they can be bought off.
49. That nobody can really define American culture, other than the fact that, like a Cyborg, it will assimilate you.
50. That the Interstate Highway System and the Armed Forces are the ONLY two things that the government does well.
51. That women know they have the power over us.
52. That women can never truly dominate the world, due to a lack of testicular fortitude and an inclination to risk taking.
53. That Rudy Giuliani is the most overrated politician in America, and can't be trusted.
54. That Mike Pence and Tom Coburn are the most underrated politicians in America.
55. That Jeb Bush would have been a great President.
56. That the Neocons are great at theory, but do not understand practical politics, but that the Realists don't acknowedge the reality of American values. Moreover, both are preferable to anything that comes out of the state department.
57. That to err is human, to forgive is a Mets fan.
60. That Hamilton had a much better grasp of post-Colonial realities than Jefferson.
61. That the English often manipulate us, and the Indians are underappreciated.
62. That Israel is, at the moment, the only bulwark against savagery in the Middle East.
63. That, in my lifetime, the U.S., China, and the Islamic World will emerge as the main power blocks, as Europe sinks into irrelevency.
64. That the Europhilia of white liberals reveals them to be the racists they truly are.
65. That the judiciary can be both the savior of our Republic, or its destroyer, but that they are ultimatly resposible to an armed and informed citizenry.
66. That the ballot initiative process represents that tyranny of the majority and is a threat to our Republic.
67. That most Californicators are too dense to realize that the reason their state is so f-cked up is because of the Anglo socialists who voted in a generous welfare state since the 1920s.
68. That Florida is the repose for the elderly, the idiotic, and the shallow.
69. That Washington State is actually Canada's southernmost province.
70. That Forest is pronounced FAR-est and Orange pronounced ARE-ange.
71. That a real man will put his life on the line for his family and will take full responsability for his actions.
72. That maturity has nothing to do with age, and that 18 is a rather arbitrary age to assign to adulthood.
73. That a 40 year old woman who knows what she is doing is far preferable to a clumsy 21 year old.
74. That nostaligia for "smokestack America" and "high payin' factory jobs" is the equivalent of those who bemoaned the end of sharecropping.
75. That Reagan was pro-free trade and pro-immigrant, no matter what the revisionists say.
76. That Pat Buchanan is an a-shole.
77. That Jim Robinson is underappreciated.
78. That the only difference between paid sex and free sex is that the latter is more expensive.
79. That while the culture always moves "left" in terms of mores, those of future generations may still be to the Right on everything else.
80. That voting for Republicans will not bring in a reduction in the size of government.
81. That Reagan was wrong: there IS no eleventh commandment.
82. That New York City is where dey has it all, except for low taxes, sensible gun laws, and white Baptists.
83. That the facts of life are all about you.
84. That Political Correctness can only thrive and be the death knell of our society if we allow it to dominate our private life. Nobody will censor you for your thoughts...yet!
85. That Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms are the other Holy Trinity.
86. That second hand smoke has not killed enough of the right people.
87. That the biggest excuse for taking away our freedoms these days is "public health."
88. That Anglo California has not strong cultural identity, unlike New Yorkers or Texans.
89. That unions are un-American, especially when they lead to a closed shop.
90. That teachers ARE NOT underpaid and overworked!
91. That blue collar labor is not more noble than white collar labor.
92. That every saint has a past, and every sinner has a future.
93. That wild seafood is far preferable to farm raised.
94. That a man must walk at least 12 roads before you can call him a man.
95. That nonscientists should keep their noses out of the hard sciences.
96. That every man needs a woman, even if they are gay.
97. That liberals really hate sex.
98. That Fellini really was a better director than Pasolini.
99. That all looters should be shot on site.
100. That the American people are the most innovative, creative, and productive people on the planet, and that we must continually fight to preserve the society that allows us to thrive.
As a father, I've learned that many key features of human language are built into the human mind, and are not learned.
As a Flyers and Eagles fan, and later as a Virginia Tech Hokies fan, I've learned that there is no "next season".
I was in the Navy. I "joined the Navy to see the world." I learned that 3/4 of the world is covered with water, and that WHEN YOU'VE SEEN ONE SEA, YOU'VE SEEN THEM ALL!!
1. That after you get out of high school, being "popular" only matters to your mother... but it will matter to her until the day you die, even if you are 75 and she is 95.
2. That when a 'girlfriend' thinks she is hurling the worst insult she knows, she will tell you that you 'argue like a man.'
3. That most people think that the world would be a much better place if everyone else was exactly like them, and that they will be relentless in trying to convince me that my life is a failure because I'm not like they are.
4. That you have passed middle age when people stop saying "Why DON'T you get married" and start saying "Why DIDN'T you get married."
5. That you are an adult when children stop calling you Miss and start calling you Ma'am.
6. That no matter what experience you have or what intelligence, sense of humour or good contacts you may have, the only thing a man is interested in is the size and visibility of your breasts.
7. That you can't do anything about No. 6 so you may as well either get a boob job or move on.
8. That the best pickup line a woman can have in her arsenal is "I have a Platinum Visa card and a Lamborghini."
9. That when your son comes home with the announcement "I'm not going to be a meal ticket for any woman," he got it from an embittered man who has left his wife for a 'trophy girl' and doesn't want to support his children -- and when you explain to your son that when you give birth to it you are responsible for it, he gets it.
10. That the best way to teach your child not to curse is to slap him off his chair when he does it the first three times. (And to remind him that you very nearly slapped Jacques Villeneuve off his paddock bike for the same offence, lest he think you hate the sinner and not the sin.)
11. That there's not a thing wrong with "Yes ma'am" and "Yes sir", and your child ought to know that by the time he starts school.
12. That you should not wait "until you have the money" to do what you want to do. You will never have the money. Do it now.
13. That when you are in an expensive restaurant or a theatre, the way to deal with the screaming, struggling toddler or the bawling baby is to summon management, who will have them removed. Be sure to tip well in appreciation.
14. That it doesn't matter a hair whether the parents of the brats think you are a heinous evil savage; they don't know you and you don't know them.
15. That many timid people in the venue will be cheering for you in their hearts.
16. That you should never make a promise to your kids that you don't intend to carry out.
17. That you don't take a poll to find out what you think, so it doesn't matter if you're the only one in the room who thinks handing people $100 bills for each child under 6 they have produced is a rotten idea.
18. That if your daddy is a stock car driver, when you are taking your driving ed. class in school you should listen to the instructor long enough to pass your driving test.
19. That scaring the daylights out of the driving instructor is worth the ride, even if you fail the test.
20. That NA$CAR was a lot more fun when they ran production cars.
21. That the ALMS is superior to GARRA.
22. That anything beginning with the words "Hey hey! Ho ho!" is not worth hanging around for.
23. That whining ought to be a crime. Preferably a felony.
24. That even if you can get all your work done by noon, make sure you have plenty of other things you can do.
25. That your parents are probably not as sure of themselves as they might seem -- and they need to know when you are all grown up, that they did a pretty good job. (My parents have several of our friends who sign their Christmas cards "Your sixth daughter" or "Your honorary son" -- and I tell them that people don't want to join your family unless they think you are doing right.)
From the root word "Theo" it looks like a fear of God, though I've never heard it before.
I have learned that loading the dishwasher and a bottle of wine have nothing in common.
When you're working and supporting the bills of a 90k job, if that 90k job disappears, the 90k bills, don't.
I've learned that now I'm going to have to spend the rest of the day coming up with more suitably pithy lessons. *sigh*
Pshaw. I never graduated college yet make more money (and am likely more happy) than 95% of those who chose the traditional course and got their degrees.
Ping to #106. What are your "life lessons."
How to use a computer.
That when it comes down to it, women spend far more of their lives being ruled by their reproductive equipment than do men.
I've learned that there is a fine line between wit and sarcasm, and that crossing that line is sure to get oneself in trouble. I've learned that a 14 year old body is full of potential, but a 39 year old mind (sharpened daily) is a much more formidable weapon against the world.
Oh - and I've learned that women don't have to understand men to "play" us. After all, one doesn't have to understand the piano to render a ditty, does one? ;-P
now that you've said that, you don't anymore...
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