SENDING THE RIGHT MESSAGE TO WHO?

I’ve heard the right message all of my life:

Do this and this; don’t do that.

Sometimes the right message comes from the right place.

Other times?

I met a guy in the Army, a sturdy looking guy who said he ran seven miles a day.

Why seven?

He said he smoked seven packs of cigarettes a day.

Me: That’s a lot of cigarettes. How do you find the time?

Guy: I smoke while I run.

I hadn’t thought of that, would never think of that.

The running park? Yes.

Smoking while running? Nooooooo.

It’s weird enough seeing people riding a bike and smoking.

Trying to stay in some kind of shape is admirable and sends the right message. Skip the other part.

If it were me lighting up the chain I’d never tell anyone. I wouldn’t have to, you’d smell me. You can’t hear it and think other than ‘what’s wrong with this person.’

But he was forty and fit and had command of his appetite with cigarettes. Who’s to say it’s wrong?

I’ll start:

It’s wrong to do and wrong to tell anyone about because soon enough, sooner than you think, the guy smoking seven packs a day while running seven miles a day will be on the ground either dead, or looking dead, while they wait for help to save them in their moment of need so they can go back to what they were doing before they collapsed, which was running and smoking.

Don’t do that.

 

Who’s An Old Scold

People have not grown a better traction surface on their bare feet, and swimming pools are still wet, so no running along the side of a swimming pool.

Besides, no one wants to see some kid go feet up on a slippery surface when we all know it’s so much funnier watching some dad in loose hockey skates glide on Sun River ice that hasn’t seen a Zamboni all year and go feet up in the first thirty seconds.

Yeah boy, feet up, arms up, and flat-backed on the ice is the kind of entertainment we don’t get enough of.

Safety is important, but now and then it’s important to take a chance.

Instead of skydiving, jaywalk downtown. Check for traffic and briskly walk across the street in the middle of the block.

You don’t need no crosswalk or ‘don’t walk’ sign when you unleash your inner-renegade.

If you’re one to challenge your health and prove you’ve got a superior immune system, don’t drink toilet water.

For a real challenge take a swim in the Willamette River after prolonged rain.

 

Maybe start with the jaywalk and see if that’s enough?

 

This Is The Right Message In Portland

I like the elk more than Portlandia, but that’s just me.

If you don’t like the elk, don’t like Portland, and you want to send a message, don’t trash the elk and leave.

 

 

This is how people get themselves in trouble.

You go to a protest and find yourself surrounded by lunatics instead of the committed citizens of the community.

A bunch of people get too revved up and start fires and destroy property and there you are with them.

You start with them on a peaceful march, stay with them as they give in to their primal instincts, and sit with them when the police arrest everyone.

These are your people whether you want them or not.

What’s the right message to send instead?

 

You’ve heard it, I’ve heard it: people feel helpless, out of touch, alone.

But if you remember to vote, if you look at that envelope on the table, look at that voter pamphlet, and you mark it up, then you are joining the long tradition of speaking up for what matters to you.

Vote and you’re not helpless, nor out of touch, and not alone.

Elections are like that. You think about what you’d do if you made all the decisions and look for people with the same mindset.

Send your candidate to work with your vote and you’ve got investment, a buddy, someone to hold accountable.

You are the boss and that’s who to vote for, someone who understands your power.

 

PS:

Being at your best means challenging yourself to not take the shortcut, to not skip the hard part, because you want a good measure of your current standing.

 

PSS:

Challenge yourself often enough and fail, as you should, you begin to notice progress.

This is when you notice how well you’re doing compared to where you started, and wonder why anyone would say, “Good job, you’re all done,” when you know better.

You know you’re not done no matter how many ‘attaboys’ you get.

This is also when you notice the people who stop thinking for themselves after the first attaboy.

As if that’s all it takes? All it takes to make you feel like somebody is some broken down old slob unloading their special brand of BS just for you?

Before you jump ship and ditch all you’ve worked for, your personal pride, your self-esteem, your dignity, to walk in the shadow of a vertically oriented shit-pile, ask if they say what they will do, then if they do what they say.

Use your findings to make your best decisions, and send the right message.