SOLVING PROBLEMS THAT AREN’T YOURS

Solving problems makes you one thing: A Problem Solver.

You’ve had trouble searching for your purpose?

Not anymore with the right solutions.

But what if you can’t find any problems to solve?

No problem, just give yourself a gentle review and something will present itself.

Let’s say you’ve always been a forward thinker with your own ideas.

What do you do when you see a sign asking politely that you don’t sit on those steps.

What did I do? Took a picture with the thought of who would want to sit on those steps?

The front yard:

A door sits between each set of pillars, a front door to either a house, or a converted hotel.

We had a room in South Kensington so small we had to crawl over each other to get out of bed.

This time it was bigger room in Notting Hill, just big enough to slide sideways against the wall to get into bed from either side.

The steps:

Who is sitting there? Not me, but I’m old fashioned like that.

I don’t enjoy strangers sitting on my steps or lolling around my front yard so call it mutual respect.

The sign is a promise of harsh treatment with both “Polite” and “Please.”

‘We were polite and asked nicely, but you didn’t care.’

The ‘Thank You’ at the end is the ultimate gesture in solving problems.

It sounds like a ‘Thank you in advance,’ like you’re making the most obvious request for anyone to follow.

What are other signs with the same message? Private Property? Keep Out? Fuck Off?

In terms of problem solving, being polite is the best move.

No one needs another shit-talking baby boomer saying things like, “I don’t know what he just said, and I don’t think he knows either.”

In the normal world you walk past a sign asking you to not sit on the steps and think ‘Why would I sit on those steps?’

The shit-talking man says, “I can sit anywhere I want to sit and I’m going to prove it right here.”

That’s when a Drama Queen man is in his element, answering questions not asked, questioning answers not given.

 

Solving Car Crash Problems That Weren’t Your Fault

In the old days a crash like this would need a new fender, bumper, hood and you’re good to go.

The old cars had more room inside the engine compartment, but kids today can’t believe that.

Well, believe it:

The Toyota Hybrid Highlander Platinum was a total loss from a crash. Instead of a fender, a bumper, and a hood, boom, totaled.

Why? Because the engine compartment is packed with electronics and batteries and computer chips.

And don’t forget the ‘crumple zone.’

Except the crumple zone includes electronics, chips, and batteries.

When I asked about the crash performance, I heard, “the crumple zone did what the crumple zone is supposed to do.”

Which is to absorb the energy of the crash instead of the driver.

I was the driver in this accident, smacked sideways by a driver who didn’t stop at a stop sign.

The agent for their insurance company called about closing the case. I agreed.

They asked for a number, so I gave them a number and how I came to it.

They said they had a limited amount of money to spread between five people with injury claims.

I said I was the driver and most injured in the car struck by their driver, noting that my airbags didn’t go off.

They said there’s always a question about the severity of the injuries in a crash with no airbags deployed.

I said Toyota had an airbag recall I missed for a sensor in the seats and that why the airbags didn’t go off when I was struck hard enough to spin my car a quarter turn.

 

In the affected vehicles, the spiral cable assembly in the steering column may lose its electrical connection on the circuit controlling the driver’s airbag.

If this occurs, the airbag warning light will illuminate, and the driver’s airbag may not deploy in a crash. As a result, the vehicle will not comply with certain federal motor vehicle safety requirements and may increase the risk of injury to the driver in the event of a crash.

 

The wife and I took the brunt of the accident, not a glancing blow.

He said that sounded like a class action suit against Toyota.

What does Toyota say?

 

Stick Your Head In There For Solving Problems

Playing high school football in the early seventies we were encouraged to ‘stick your head in there’ by coaches who had stuck their heads in there.

This was the early days of head trauma and concussion awareness.

Larry Csonka was testing a new helmet.

Getting your ‘bell rung’ was expected.

I had my bell rung in the Highlander crash and couldn’t even remember my home address.

Now I’m back to solving problems that aren’t mine, or yours, like how to keep our moral up as we age.

I do it by looking for inspiration and doing something with it.

My kids inspire me when we’re together and when we’re apart. And by kids I mean the whole family of sons and daughters in-law and babies.

We gathered up for an afternoon at the Oregon Zoo, which is inspiring enough.

Without getting into the details, we spent hours of harmony with the zoo crowd, which wasn’t much of a crowd.

I like to wrap up the good will in that group as a lens to see the world, which is what granddads are supposed to do.

I want them to be able to share times like that with their kids and grandkids.

For that to happen we need to vote for the folks who share that value.

Start at the top and pick your best representatives down the ballot.

One guy acknowledges science, respects the will of the people, and after all legal challenges has still won the 2020 Presidential election.

The other guy knows more science than even science knows, respects people who do his bidding before abandoning them, and after four years is beginning to understand that he lost the 2020 Presidential election.

One guy wants you to know he can sit anyplace he wants at any time he wants; he can drive through stop signs and you’ll just have to deal with it; he’s too busy working for you to keep track of his kids and grandkids.

The other guy wants your vote so he can do the work presidents do without the extra stink of  a defective personality.