Setbacks happen. Failure happens. Each time they happen let’s say thank you for what we learned and for the courage we had not to give up. That’s right, say thank you for the lesson learned. We won’t repeat the same mistake, we’re stronger, tougher, smarter, and we won’t quit. We’re too tough, too ornery, too stubborn to quit. Get inspired to fight on with this brief YouTube video.
Your House is a Dump
The old guy stood in the living room. He looked over at the sofa. An opened pizza box rested on one of the cushions. A half empty bag of chips sat next to the pizza box. He shook his head. He looked at the floor. A dozen empty beer cans were scattered around. He turned to Joey and said, “Your house is a dump.”
“You haven’t seen the kitchen, it’s worse,” said Joey hoping the hold guy would take off.
The old guy maneuvered his way around the beer cans. He turned his cane upside side and swung at a can as it were a golf ball. The can lift off the floor and hit Joey in the stomach.”
“Hey, watch it,” said Joey.
“The next one is coming at your head,” said the old guy.
Joey hustled in front of the old guy and kicked two cans out of the way.”
“You don’t like my crib, you can leave. There’s the door,” said Joey extending his arm and pointing to partially open door.
“No, I not leaving. You are going to clean this up, or …”
Joey interrupted him, “Or what?”
The old man put his left hand to his jaw, thought about what he was going to say. The he said, “I don’t like violence as a first response. So, instead of teaching you a lesson. I have my friend who will be living with me make sure you clean this place.”
Joey looked around. He didn’t see anyone. “What friend.”
“She’ll be living with me. Don’t worry, we’ll share the same room,” said the old guy.
No woman tells me what to do. So, forget about it. I like this place just the way it is,” said Joey with an edge of anger in his voice.
“When is the last time you had a girlfriend, kid? Let’s see you’re almost thirty-four, going nowhere. I’ll guess the senior prom.
“I’m not a kid. That’s what you think. I’m a chick magnet when I go out.”
“I got ten dollars you can’t call a woman and get a date for tonight,” said the old man.
“Can,” said Joey.
“Where’s your ten?” said the old guy.
“I’m saving my money,” said Joey.
“You’re broke and payday isn’t for another four days. I’d call you a loser, but I don’t want to insult losers, kid,” said the old guy.
“I’m not a kid. That does it. Get out,” Joey took a step toward the old guy.
The old guy pivoted forty-five degrees and hollered, “Tina, come on in.”
Who is Tina? Will she straighten Joey out? Who is the old guy? And, why did he come to Joey’s house? Come by tomorrow to find out.
A Small Act of Kindness – Is A Big Deal
A small act of kindness, often makes a big difference in another’s life. It takes awareness on our part of the other person and their situation. It takes courage on our part to act. Our small act of kindness may not seem like much, but to someone struggling, frightened, not knowing what to do, it will make all the difference. The following video shows two acts of kindness, spontaneously give that made a big difference. I want to become more like the women in this short video. Enjoy.
Changes Ahead For Scorpios
Joey Ginarco’s iPhone alarm went off. His room was still dark. He stuck his right hand out feeling around for his iPhone. He accidentally brushed it onto the floor. Joey cursed and turned toward the small table he picked up at garage sale for 75 cents and reached for the lamp. He knocked it over.
“Damn, damn, and triple damn,” Joey shouted.
He opened his eyes. He twisted his body a bit to the side and pushed with his feet. He was making progress. His head hung over the side of the bed. He reached down with his right arm and felt around for his iPhone. He felt the charging cord. Good. Joey grabbed hold of it with his hand. He reeled in the the charging cord the way a fisherman reels in a small mouth bass. He took hold of the iPhone with his left hand. The alarm was driving him nuts. With his right hand, he hit the snooze button. Then he turned on the iPhone’s flashlight and searched for his lamp. It was laying on a pile of his clothes. Right on top of his boxers. The boxers with baseballs, footballs, and basketballs all over them. Under his boxers were the same clothes he worn the day before and the day before that. He reached his right arm over the edge of the bed and reached for the lamp. It was just beyond his reach. He scooted another three inches forward. He stretched his arm out and his fingertips felt the base of the lamp. Joey pushed back with his right foot scooting him closer, and closer until …
“Damn, damn, and triple damn,” Joey shouted. He fell off the bed landing on his shoulder. It hurt like hell.
Joey held the lamp with no lamp shade. What’d he expect for 25 cents at the garage sale. He turned the lamp on. The lamp turned on, it didn’t short out. It was the first thing that went right for him this morning. He stood the lamp on it’s base and reached for his t-shirt. The T-shirt with a huge hamburger with cheese dripping over the sides and the meat too great for the bun to contain. On the other side of his T-Shirt was emblazoned, Tommy’s Tough, But His Hamburgers Are Tender. He pulled the armpits up to his nose and sniff. It had an odor, but not overwhelming to Joey. It passed the sniff test. He clothes were clean enough to wear another day.
Joey rose from the floor, iPhone in hand, set the lamp on the table, and walked to the bathroom. He turned on the radio. The sultry voice of Amy Brown greeted him, “Hey Scorpios, today is your day. You’re going to meet someone who is going to change your life. Keep your eyes open.”
Joey’s first thought, “I hope it’s you Amy.”
Joey’s shoulder was still sore. Not sore enough to go to work at the warehouse, but it was sore enough to call in sick. He deserved a sick day after all. That’s what Joey did, he called in sick, said he had a fever of one oh two.
Joey showered, cleaned up, put on the clothes laying on the floor. He sat on the side of his bed and pulled one athletic white sock on his right foot, then he pulled the other sock on the left foot. He looked at his feet, The big toe on his left foot stuck out through a hole in his sock. He slipped on a pair of Nike’s dirty enough that the N for Nike was only partially visible. He left the shoes untied and walked into the kitchen. He walked over to the sink to get a glass of water. All of his glasses were dirty and in the sink embedded with four days’ worth of dirty dishes. He gave a thought to putting them all in the trash and buying paper plates. It was a big decision, he had to think about it. He opened the cabinet door to the left of the sink and pulled out a box of Frosted Flakes. Since there were no clean bowls, he reached into a drawer and looked for a spoon. There were no clean spoons. He walked over to the sink, moved plates, glasses, and pans around, and found the cereal bowl he used two days ago. He ran water in it and set it on the counter. He found a spoon, wiped it off on his shirt and carried the cereal, bowl and spoon to his table.
Joey sat down, poured Frosted Flakes into his bowl, then stopped. He needed milk. He needed coffee. Why does life have to be so complicated he thought. He pushed his chair back, stood and walked over to the fridge. He opened it, he saw two bottles of beer. An opened jar of dill pickles. A wedge of cheese with blue stuff growing on it. And a piece of pizza. He couldn’t remember when he put the pizza in the fridge. No milk. He grabbed a bottle of beer.
He’d get his coffee later at the coffee shop.
He walked back to the table, sat down, opened the beer and poured some onto his cereal and some into his mouth. He his chest and belched. Joey dug his spoon into his cereal and took his first bite. He liked the taste. He made a mental note to write to Kellogg’s and tell them to push beer with cereal for a new taste. He might make some money. Before he took his second bite, the doorbell rang. And rang. And rang. Whoever was ringing the doorbell wouldn’t stop ringing it.
Joey carried his bowl of beer and cereal and spoon to the front door. He opened it, and standing in front of him stood a small stalky, fireplug looking guy with a gray burr cut. His cube shaped head was topped by a short crew cut. Age spots sprinkled across the man’s face. To Joey the guy looked ready for the mortuary, at least 80, maybe older. Joey looked at the guy’s faded black and silver muscle shirt, a tattoo of a clenched fist on his right bicep, a long nasty scar on his left bicep. The pockets on his cargo pants bulged.
The old man leaned a bit on a wooden cane held in his right hand. He stared at Joey through black plastic rimmed glasses. “Well?” he said.
“Well, what? I don’t have any money,” said Joey taking another bite of his beer and cereal.
“I’m renting a room in your house. I want to see it first,” said the old guy.
“I not renting a room, what are you talking about?” asked Joey.
The old guy dug into on of his cargo pants pockets, fished around, and pulled out and torn paper with newsprint. “Says here you do. Now move aside and we’ll talk about it,” the old said motion Joey with his cane.
Joey, even without perfect posture stood a bit over six feet. He looked down at the five feet five inch man, “If you don’t leave, I’m going to kick you in the ass and toss you out in the street. Beat it.”
The old guy took a half step toward Joey and said, “You want this across your head?”
The old guy waved his wooden can at Joey. Joey instinctively stepped back. The old guy stepped into Joey’s living room.
Joey thought about it. He could charge the old guy. Make him clean the house. He might be better than having a dog. Joey said, “Okay, but leave my beer alone.”
Who is this guy? What is going to say to Joey? Is it Joey’s lucky day?
The Greatest Defeat Can Be Turned Into Victory
Every once in a while, a hero knocks on my door. Today it happened when I searched for an inspiring video to post on this blog. No pity parties, no feeling sorry for himself, not this hero. He has a a tank full of courage. A heart bursting with gratitude, and an attitude I want to emulate. He was knocked down but not knocked out. He is an inspiration to all who watch the following Vimeo video. I know you will be inspired as much as me.
TOUCH THE SKY from tim hahne on Vimeo.
Have You Had Your Flute Shot?
La Flor’s eating the omelet LC prepared for her. LC is working on leftover pizza heated in the microwave. Lil Carlo is having a difficult time chewing his Pop Tart with his uppers and lowers sitting on a plate on the table. Me? I wish a cable network would pick up this reality show and add to my cash flow. Instead, a knock on the door. At this hour? Who could it be? The answer comes quickly, too quickly. Ready on to find out.
“Open up, it’s da police. I mean da cops? I means do use have donuts?”
I walked to the front door. I didn’t bother to ask for ID. I know who it is. It’s O’Leary. The donut eating, crappy coffee chuggy, portly Irish defective. Oops, I mean detective.
“Hey, O’Leary, what’s up?” I said.
Before O’Leary can step foot in the door. I heard LC’s voice from the breakfast bar, “How they hanging O’Leary?”
I hollered back, “LC, it’s a family blog! Knock it off?”
“Get a life, Ray,” said a protective La Flor.
Those two are deep into each other. I didn’t see it coming. It was the Francine Peony that fused their emotions and lit a five alarm fire.
O’Leary hollers to LC, “I’ll let use know after I has a jelly donuts. I’m going off my diet. Life’s too short not to enjoy da finer tings of life.”
A jelly donut is a finer thing of life? Go figure.
O’Leary and I walked to the kitchen, dining room area, which fused together in what used to be my cozy, just the right size open space home. I said, “What was so tough about the glazed donut diet?”
“Use don’t wants to know. But I will tells use anyhow.”
He’s right, I don’t want to know.
“Foist, use wouldn’t tink so, but the glaze on the glazed donuts increased my appeals to the opposite sex I was fighting them off wit both hands. At foist, I taught it was my poisonality (this is how O’Leary talks, no grammar police, por favor).”
“It wasn’t?” I said to move the conversation along. We reached the breakfast bar.
“I gots admit, I has a poisonality women that attracts women.”
He’s delusional.
Before O’Leary continued, he saw Lil Carlo, known to O’Leary as Dr. Funguli, “Good morning Doc. Use making a house call?”
Lil Carlo looks at O’Leary. He slipped his teeth in, and said, “It’s da flute season. I’m here to give flute shots. Use had yours?”
O’Leary said, “No tanks, I gots my flute shot wit a piccolo booster last month.”
Are they all nuts?
LC got off his bar stool went to the counter and brought over a tray of assorted donuts for O’Leary. LC said, “I gots use the finest donut buffet Joey can make.”
“O’Leary’s eyes glazed over, just like the donuts. Whatever his next thought was, it left him. He pulled two breakfast bar stools together and sat on them. Yes, he need two stools, one for each cheek. O’Leary took a strawberry powdered sugar donut in his right and a cream filled, powdered sugar donut in his left. He alternated bites.
Over at the table, Lil Carlo was playing with his gun. His teeth were back out.
La Flor quit eating her breakfast. A mild look of nausea on her face.
“What’s wrong, La Flor?” I whispered.
La Flor whispered back, “O’Leary is making me sick. Look at the strawberry jelly dripping out of his mouth. He rubbed his hair with the powdered sugar all over his hands, now he’s gray. We’ve got to do something.”
“What?” I asked.
“I don’t know. You’re the blog writer,” said La Flor.
At that moment door crashed against the wall, my reinforced hinges snapped off. I heard a large ka thump on the floor. It could mean only one thing …
“Hey, Ray. It’s me, Big Carmen.
“Daddy!” shouted LC
“The second most handsome man on the planet,” exclaimed La Flor.
“Boss,” said Lil Carlo.
“Doc, you works for Big Carmen?” said O’Leary.
Lil Carlo said, “I’m da official company physician.. Today I’m giving physics. Use wants one?”
“No tanks, Dr. Funguli,” said O’Leary stuffing another filled donut into his mouth.
“I’ve come wit exciting news,” said Big Carmen.
I can hardly wait to hear it. What bank are they going to knock over? What warehouse are they going to hit?
Everyone but O’Leary who was busy eating looked at Big Carmen, “Tomorrow, not tonight, we is all heading to Sicily for a family reunion and extended vacation, while the heat blows over if use knows whats I mean.”
O’Leary’s ears perked up, “Use guys are so lucky. Dis hot spell is a killer. Makes sures use guys takes sunscreen.”
“I’ll sends use a postcard O’Leary from da boss of bosses,” said LC.
“Gives him my best, he must own a big pizza chain,” said O’Leary.
“Use could say dat,” said Big Carmen.
La Flor turned to LC, “Take me shopping my handsome stallion.”
The next day La Flor, LC, Big Carmen, Carmela, TT, and Lil Carlo all boarded a private jet and took off for Rome for a connection to Sicily. La Flor asked me to leave her alone for a few weeks – will do. A new and exciting story begins tomorrow.
You Have The Right Stuff
We all want to be successful. It’s what healthy people want to do regardless of their endeavor. Not everyone, however, wants to pay the price to be successful. It takes hard work. It takes facing down discouragement. It takes the courage to struggle against the pain and press on. You have the right stuff inside you to be successful. YES, you do. Call on it. Fight on. Fight on. Enjoy this brief Vimeo video to inspire you.
SUCCESS comes with ATTITUDE – "Motivational Video" from Attitude on Vimeo.
I Can’t Give Up Coffee
Lil Carlo is still playing with his gun. His false teeth sit in a plate on the table next to a plate with a half eaten Pop Tart. An open can of Coors sits next to the Pop Tart. It’s breakfast. La Flor and LC are still sleeping. I’m on my fourth cup of coffee. I haven’t tasted the first three. I’ve got to figure a way to stop La Flor’s headlong rush into the Witness Protection Program. Let’s see how it plays out.
Lil Carlo has one eye on his gun, the other on me. This does not make me feel comfortable. Lil Carlo shakes his gun at me, “Take a seat, Ray.”
I sit. He has the gun.
“Use may not likes what I gots to say, but I’m gonna says it no ways,” said Lil Carlo.
I’m not quite sure how to interpret what he is saying, but he has the gun. My mind plays three-hundred forty-five scenarios in two seconds. Not one plays out the way I want it to play out. “What?” I said.
“How many cups of java joe use drunk today?”
“I’m working on my fourth, why?”
All of a sudden I feel the sudden urge to laugh. The kind of uncontrollable belly laugh that arrives unexpectedly. You ever sit across from an old guy with his teeth on the table, holding a gun, and talking to you. His lips are curled around his gums. I didn’t think so. Take my word, it’s hysterical.
“What’s use smiling at?” said Lil Carlo.
I don’t like the tone in his voice. I reach out, anywhere for an answer, “I was thinking of O’Leary and his glazed donuts. He said he was on a diet.”
“Dats what use tinks. Da factoid is, glazed donuts is a metabolism booster. Check out the Mayonnaise Clinic if use don’t believes me. But don’t change the subject. How can use be counted on if use is drinking coffee likes it beer? See, coffee goes straight from da mouth to da kidneys to da toilet, there’s no stop in between. Use is going to go pee pee, wee wee, number 1, whiz or whatever use wants to call it every fifteen minutes.”
“I guess I can’t go with you guys tonight. I can’t give up coffee. I’m going to get another cup when we’re through,” I said believing I had a way out of the trap I’d found myself in.
“Me and my friend says use gives it up. We is shutting use off,” said Lil Carlo.
“Who’s your friend?” I asked.
“Dis,” said Lil Carlo pointing the gun at me.
“I’m giving up caffeine for the rest of the day. Thanks for the suggestion.”
“Dats better.”
La Flor and LC come out of the bedroom, both still in pajamas. LC with only the bottoms on. La Flor riding piggyback with her arms around his neck.
“Take me to the refrigerator. Easy big boy, not too fast,” said La Flor as if she’s riding a real horse.
LC trots to the fridge, he opens it. Turns his head slightly, “Use see anyting use wants, use names it beautiful, tough, and edgy make my day woman.”
“Take me to the breakfast bar, I want a fresh cup of coffee, bowl of fruit, and a veggie omelet with no cheese. Don’t forget my sourdough toast, toasted to a golden brown.”
“Can I suggests a side of salsa to goes wit da omelet. Chef Vigeli said it makes an omelet better.”
“You are so brilliant, kiss me,” said La Flor.
Five minutes later she’s at the breakfast bar. LC is at the stove whistling and working on an omelet. Me? I’m hiding in the bathroom with a cup of coffee. Please don’t tell Lil Carlo. It might upset his friend. I finish, stuff toilet paper in the cup, put it the trash. And, flush the toilet for the sound effect.
Lil Carlo’s cell phone chirps. He answers it. “Yah.”
“My teeth ift on da table.”
“Okay.”
“Where?”
“What time?”
“What’s da plan?”
“It’s a good one. I’ll tell them.”
“One more ting, if use never tried Pop Tarts wit Coors, use is missing a treat.”
“Don’t mention it.”
Who’s Lil Carlo speaking to? What plans? Did La Flor’s omelet turn out perfect? Are we going out on a job tonight? I want more coffee. Come by tomorrow and find out.
A Life GPS
Do you rely on your GPS when you travel? I do if I’m not familiar with the address. It’s a helpful way of getting me to where I need to go without worrying about where or when to turn. It’s the same way in life. Using a “life GPS” can help us find our way, especially when we are stressed. The following Vimeo video shares 7 Life Rules – They’re common sense, but commonly forgotten. They may get you to where you want to go.
Simple Truths: Attitude is Everything Inspirational Movie from Sourcebooks Inc on Vimeo.
You Are Good
It’s not who others think you are. It’s not what others think you should be. It’s not what others think of you. it’s what you think about your self. See the best in yourself. See a human being worthy of giving love and being loved. The following YouTube video will make you think about these questions.
