Wednesday, December 31, 2008

HappyUP!!! Day 703





HappyUP!!! - nice, toasty buns
Why it happened - my bro/sis-in-law got me a cart cover and heater for Christmas
Why it makes me happy - look in the background of the picture. THAT is heavy, cold fog. You see what Boz is holding....that's the portable heater.....do you see how the cart is covered? Start putting the puzzle together... an enclosed cart, a portable heater....=WARM golfers.
That setup worked like a dream on a very cold morning.
It's supposed to rain lightly on Friday......no reason not to golf with this arrangement.


HappyUP!!! - 6 iron on 7
Why it happened - I stroked it
Why it made me happy - what can I say....it was foggy....another guy had hit it close.....and I stuffed it. This was one of those few PURE shots that come around every few rounds. It doesn't even feel like you hit a ball.
Like buttah....

HappyUP!!! - phone call from an old friend
Why it happened - I had thought to e-mail last night
Why it makes me happy - we had a great conversation....great.....which will lead to getting together soon.

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

HappyUP!!! Day 702

HappyUP!!! - Toastmasters
Why it happened - it was an on week
Why it makes me happy - a new member gave us a check today. I gave a great speech.....a recycled one about the poet Robert Service.

HappyUP!!! - a golf match with the kids and Boz
Why it happened - Boz set it up
Why it makes me happy - Boz and I took on two of the kids from his high school golf team. The battle came down to the last putt when M made a four footer to beat us by 1! I hit two of the best shots of my life in the clutch on 17 and 18...it's a HappyUP!!! when you can turn it on anytime but especially when the chips are down.

HappyUP!!! - my Christmas present came in the mail
Why it happened - my bro and sis-in-law ordered it for me
Why it makes me happy - it's a golf cart cover to go with the portable heater they gave me......and it got really cold out on the course today. I'm riding in a cart tomorrow....enclosed and toasty!

HappyUP!!! - insurance paperwork in
Why it happened - I finally G.O.M.A. (Got off my......)
Why it makes me happy - I have been on Cobra since May. This little move should save me a couple hundred bucks a month....just have to wait to get processed and approved. Hmmmm.....what can a guy do with a couple hundred bucks a month extra? It will be a HappyUP!!! figuring it out!

HappyUP!!! - back to back birdies
Why it happened - I showed some skills
Why it makes me happy - back in the day and on an easier course, this happened a bit more frequently. Since joining Morgan Creek in August, my records indicate this is the first time I have pulled this little trick off. A birdie is always a HappyUP!!! but, when you string them, it's a SuperHappyUP!!!

JollyJottings

Delivering a speech
Remembering Sam Magie
A new member
Only stiff and a touch weak...on Day 5 after workout
A golf match with "the kids"
Teeing it up with Boz
Orange
Insurance paperwork in
Back to back birdies
7 iron on 3...wedge on 4...9 iron on 5....8 iron on 6....6 iron on 7....5 iron on 10....wedge on 12....7 iron on 13 ....hybrid on 17....7 iron on 18
My Xmas present came in the mail

Monday, December 29, 2008

HappyUP!!! Day 701...Last Monday of 2008




HappyUP!!! - supplemental 401k decision
Why it happened - I made a call
Why it makes me happy - I had received correspondence regarding my supplemental 401k ..."must act by 12/31...IRS rules." I had overlooked this. I didn't know what they were talking about...all I have is my 401k... is that the same thing as supplemental 401k? Lump sum or payments? ....what? This is my 401k. I'm not drawing on that for many years! I picked up the phone. It turns out that I did have a small supplemental 401k that was not on any of my statements. Because it was a small amount, I had no decision to make (HappyUP!!!) and I am getting a lump sum of cash in March (HappyUP!!!).

HappyUP!!! - found accident early
Why it happened - the cat missed the box
Why it makes me happy - I think I cleaned up the foul liquid before it left a stench on my floor!

HappyUP!!! - text and e-mail from RV
Why it happened - he was thinking of me
Why it makes me happy - RV is back in Nebraska. He is a gem that I picked up as a friend on this trip. We don't get to chat very often, however. It was fascinating that he contacted me because, just last week, I was trying to find his e-mail address. Anyone heard of Synchronicity?

JollyJottings

Located Camera
Sweater was turned in
Stiff.....not sore
Found "accident" early
NOT going to work on this Monday
Breakfast
Post Office....and the hot chick there
E-mail from RV
E-mail from M
Playing some guitar
Progress on insurance
Cleanup
401k info


Sunday, December 28, 2008

HappyUP!!! Day 700

HappyUP!!! - golf shots
Why they happened - I practice
Why it makes me happy - I hit a flop shot on 13 to get up and down that an extremely large part of the golfing population couldn't hit. I hit a very serious chip shot up for a gimmie on 17. My 5 iron into 18 ended about 6 feet from the hole. My 8 iron on 10 almost flew in the cup. That's pretty good stuff and, while those shots are in the air, they provide a real HappyUP!!!

HappyUP!!! - Wah
Why it happened - he didn't have to work
Why it makes me happy - we get to play with Wah about once a month...maybe more. He's a good guy but I really like it when he loses and has to buy my drink!

HappyUP!!! - getting golf setup for the week
Why it happened - Boz is feeling better and I had some foresight
Why it makes me happy - I decided to check the tee sheet this week.....the course was filling up so I made our times for all week. This includes starting the year off right by golfing on New Year's Day. GOLF!...Covered....all the way through next Sunday. HappyUP!!!

JollyJottings

Golf shots - hole 1....6 iron on 7...drive on 8...6 iron on 9...8 iron on 10...4 iron on 11....flop shot on 13.... hybrid on 14....putt on 16....chip on 17....5 iron on 18

Chargers win
Call from my friend, S
Being joined by Wah
E-mail exchange
Lining up a week of golf

Saturday, December 27, 2008

HappyUP!!! Day 699





HappyUP!!! - birdie on 1
Why it happened - I made a 20 footer
Why it makes me happy - starting with a birdie is a SuperHappyUP!!! You get ahead of the game. Also, though not confirmed, that probably got me a skin and some dough-re-me in the big skins game.

HappyUP!!! - made a 50 foot putt
Why it happened - I hit it and gave it a chance
Why it makes me happy - I was looking at a double bogey if I 3 putted this tough one. Instead, it went in the jar and kept me one under.
HappyUP!!! - wedge on 4
Why it happened - I hit a perfect shot
Why it makes me happy - the guy I was playing with was standing next to me. He doesn't play with us often but he is a good player. Before I hit, he said, "show me something." When I hit it, he said, "you did!"

HappyUP!!! - family gathering
Why it happened - my sis in law has a big family and likes to entertain
Why it makes me happy - it's nice to show up to a huge event. The annual gift exchange is always fun. Kids running around. Lots of conversations. Good family times.

JollyJottings

Tee Shot on 1 Putt on 1 for birdie
Putt on 2 ...50 footer in the jar
Wedge on 4 to 4 feet
Putt on 5
5 iron on 7.....bunker shot on 7
8 iron on 8
Chip shot on 9
8 iron on 10 Chip on 15 Chip on 16 Chip on 18
Family gathering
Gift exchange
Walk in the park

HappyUP!!!...early A.M. edition...

Here is a "quick hit" at 8 in the morning - looking forward to what is going on today.

HappyUP!!! - no frost delay
Why it happened - there was a cloud cover last night
Why it makes me happy - it won't be as cold on the golf course.....and I'll finish earlier

HappyUP!!! - cleaning up the post-Xmas mess
Why it WILL happen - I'll make myself
Why it is going to make me happy - hey, who LOVES living in chaos? Peace in the environment

HappyUP!!! - winning a skin or two
Why it WILL happen - I am going to birdie some holes that others don't
Why it is going to make me happy - a birdie is an automatic HappyUP!!!....all the sweeter when I take the other golfer's dough!

HappyUP!!! - less sore
Why it WILL happen - time heals
Why it is going to make me happy - as I speak, I still can't pull a shirt on without hurting. Shampooing the hair was a painful exercise in itself. I am thinking that, by tonight, I may still be a little tight but the pain will be gone.

Friday, December 26, 2008

HappyUP!!! Day 698

HappyUP!!! - managing to swing a club
Why it happened - sheer will?
Why it makes me happy - I really wanted to play golf today. Remember my "ouch" post this morning due to that workout last night? SOMEHOW, I managed to put the club on the back of the golf ball decently today even though every swing was stiff and painful

HappyUP!!! - frost delay
Why it happened - it was frosty
Why it makes me happy - my golf buddy and I got to sit in the clubhouse, have a cup of coffee, relax, and chat about our respective Xmas. It was a nice delay.

HappyUP!!! - e-mail
Why it happened - a friend returned my message
Why it makes me happy - I didn't think I would get the info that I did.....or so fast. A loop was closed for the better and sooner....HappyUP!!!

JollyJottings

Chip n putt on 3...Wedge on 4...6 iron on 6....5 iron on 7....6 iron on 10....twelve....6 iron on 13....putt on 16.... sand shot on 18

Able to swing a golf club

E-mail from C

Frost delay

OUCH!

Did you catch my second HappyUP!!! posting yesterday - where I took on a pre-New Year taste of the P90x workout program?

If you have ever started - a workout program when you have been off for a while, the usual deal is that you are very tight the next day and some soreness starts to set in. A lot of times the soreness is on day 2 after the workout.

I did this workout at about 5:30 last night - by the time I went to bed at 10, I was tight. By 2 in the morning, after waking up and rolling around a few times, I decided to get up for a bit. It didn't matter what position I was in...

...my triceps were screaming - as they continue to this morning.

It's a severe soreness - but it isn't an injury. This tells me that 1) it's a good workout and/or 2) I am really out of shape.

I am betting on the "and" - of the "and/or".

I don't think this is going to do - much for my golf game on a very cold morning today.

Who knows? - maybe it will make me swing a little easier...what can I say, I'm looking for the HappyUP!!!

Thursday, December 25, 2008

HappyUP!!! Day 697.5 Xmas Day 2008...Be a HappyUP!!! Animal!


What the heck is this? - a second round of HappyUP!!!s on the same day. Yeah, that's right. You can do them whenever you like...

If you want to do three HappyUP!!!s - in one writing, that is the minimum

If you want to do 4, 5, 6, 10 - at a time...you can do that too

You want to do an entirely different set? - hey, they do that when they workout....just make sure every set has 3 reps of HappyUP!!!s.

I have to laugh - at something I heard today. It was Xmas....there was some HappyUP!!! finery given out for presents. Someone said, "what is that?"

Someone else said - "that is his blog."

Someone else chimed in - "somebody has way too much time on their hands!"

There was a day - when that kind of put down may have effected me. While I heard it today, I had to laugh. I look at how people spend their time....and they kid me about spending 5-10 minutes at the end of the day getting to relive the wonderful moments of my day.

NEVER....EVER....EVER - give anyone the permission to put you down....especially those that don't get it. I'll get that retort again and I will fire back with the same thing I did today, "the 5-10 minutes I spend on that a day are the most life changing minutes I can spend in my life.

The comment inspired me - look at what I have created here......do you want to call it a diary? I'm good with that even though it's not exactly that. I have a detailed record that I can easily reference what I was doing and what was making me feel oh so good on any of the last 690 days....

....and I want the same for you - more badly than I do for myself. I want you to be a HappyUP!!! hunter every single day. Remember what the Constitution of our great country says....

"Dedicated to life, liberty, and THE PURSUIT of Happiness" - it doesn't say "life, liberty, and wait for happiness to come." It says PURSUE.

I won't stop this - because I want you to GOYA (figure out the acronym...I'll give you a hint....Get Off are the first two words.....Your is the third.......grind out word four, Einstein) everyday and start looking for what goes right in your world.

Here is some more HappyUP!!!s

HappyUP!!! - P90X workout
Why it happened - I finally opened the box
Why it makes me happy - I got through the first workout.......and I sucked! I was so weak it wasn't even funny. Do you know what the great thing about being so weak is? I have no where to go but UP! There is no doubt that this program is going to help me build some strength and flexibility.......exactly what I need on the golf course.

HappyUP!!! - my attitude
Why it happened - I "get it"
Why it makes me happy - this one is realted to the P90x and is about my mindset. These folks were doing incline pushups with their feet up on a chair. After some regular push ups, I had to get on my knees to finish the workout....but my arms were burning as much as theirs even though I could only do a fraction on my knees of what the people on the video could do straight up. Pull ups was the same thing....I had to get a chair and put a foot on it to help me do more than one....but I used my arm and pulled to exhaustion. Failure? No
Depressed for being weak? No. What then?....I did my best (which is one of the Four Agreements....a feature we will be walking through soon here at Nutter's Notes). I'm tight right now....I'll be tight tomorrow....and sore the day after that....but a journey of 1000 miles starts with the first step.

HappyUP!!! - starting the workout
Why it happened - I said, "that's it"
Why it makes me happy - I said, "I'll wait until Jan 1." Then I said, "why should I delay.....I've already had this program in the box for 6 months or more." I took some action. We'll see what the follow through looks like but I have a start.

HappyUP!!! Day 697 - Xmas 2008



HappyUP!!! - my nephews and my neice
Why it happened - it's Christmas and I got a picture
Why it makes me happy - I don't have many, if any, pictures of the three of them together. It's funny that they were springing this on me as I was....well...see the third HappyUP!!!









HappyUP!!! - Nibbles the Dog
Why it happened - my nephew got an early Christmas present
Why it makes me happy - it's been awhile since there has been a dog in the family....now we have Nibbles! Nibbles is about 9 weeks old. He's a Rottweiller. I think he is going to get a little bit bigger. He has excellent markings. Now, if I need to borrow-a-pooch, I have a place to go.






HappyUP!!! - my annual surprise gift
Why it happened - I do it every year
Why it makes me happy - I give the kids cash for Xmas. They can always use it. I try to be inventive in where they find the dough. A bowl of macaroni salad, a vat of pudding, inside a block of ice, inside HappyHands, hemmed into a t-shirt, etc. This year, I framed the picture of me you see to the left but I taped a backing hard to the picture. I thought that they would just tear through the 8 1/2 x 11 picture of their uncle to get to the greenbacks. It would be consistent with Xmas' past. Nope....they actually were careful so they could save the picture. Awwwwww.....my old heart was warmed.

HappyUP!!!

JollyJottings

A morning walk
A last minute gift idea
My nephews and niece loving their gifts
Nibbles the Dog
Poker Tournament
Breakfast
Gifts for me
Thanks from a recipient of a doorstep gift

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

HappyUP!!! Day 696


Xmas Eve - some HappyUP!!!s don't need the entire drill. Whether I have been with family, spouse, friends, girlfriend or alone, I have always associated Christmas Eve with two of my best friends...

...Solitude and Reflection - a gentle peace seems to descend on the piece of the world that I find myself in on this particular night.

Later on - after wrapping the presents that I have waited to wrap until the last minute...

....and dropped a present on the doorstep of unsuspecting friends - I'll do what I do every Christmas Eve.

I take a walk - it's usually late...and cold. Tonight, it may be a little wet so the walk won't be as far.....but it will be meaningful and a personal HappyUP!!! that I don't need to put in a journal.

Let's look at today


HappyUP!!! - jeans
Why it happened - my regular jeans got dirty
Why it makes me happy - I slipped on this other pair of jeans I don't wear that often. They were a little snug and I went, "uh oh!" My fear was the holidays had got to me a little more than I had wanted. Then I said, "wait ....let's check something out." I peeled them off and found out they were an inch smaller in the waist than my regular jeans and pants. HappyUP!!!

HappyUP!!! - dropping off gifts
Why it happened - I do this sometimes
Why it makes me happy - the people that got some presents weren't expecting them. They hadn't gotten anything for me......and that is as it should be. These were just small gifts but I know they will like them.

HappyUP!!! - the leaf patrol
Why it happened - I was perceptive
Why it makes me happy - I was heading out the door to do a couple of pre-Christmas errands. I noticed that the city crew had made a HUUUGE pile of leaves in front of my house. I was a "staging area" for the neighborhood leaves today. Even though it was sprinkling, I grabbed my rake and got all of my leaves and some of my two neighbors into the pile. An hour later, the big truck came and carried away the debris. A feeling of clean swept over me.

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

HappyUP!!! Day 695





Remember - there is no rule that you have to stop at three HappyUP!!!s....especially when you are on a roll.
Today was rolling...rolling....rolling....Rawhide! Yippppppeeeee!

<----Happy is looking good after joining the Royal Order of the Buffaloes.....yabbadabbadooo
HappyUP!!! -
golf
Why it happened - it was supposed to rain today......but it didn't. It was beautiful.
Why it makes me happy - you know me....golf is my thang. A long sleeve T-shirt and a golf shirt was all that was required to golf in the 50 degree weather today. And, no, just because my brethren in some of the colder parts of the country are hunkered down and travelers are stranded doesn't mean I can't dig my weather.

HappyUP!!!
- 11, 12, 15th and 18th holes
Why it happened - I got in some unexpected golf....no rain
Why it makes me happy - I put together some STELLAR shots which yielded two birdies and should have been four if the other two putts wouldn't have lipped out. Birdies are a given HappyUP!!!
HappyUP!!! - a day trade
Why it happened - I bought some stock at the close yesterday
Why it makes me happy - the stock was up today, I sold it, and then the stock came back down. A nice, quick profit is always going to be a HappyUP!!!

HappyUP!!! - breakfast with the Toastmasters
Why it happened - we planned it
Why it makes me happy - excellent fellowship with some people that I really like....and good food too.

HappyUP!!! - my order came in
Why it happened - my guy came through
Why it makes me happy - I have Xmas presents to give! Whew....nothing like cutting it close!

HappyUP!!! - homemade tamales
Why it happened - I have a Mexican friend whose wife churns these puppies out
Why it makes me happy - when I get any gift, I'm happy.......these treats are special!

HappyUP!!! - English Toffee
Why it happened - my friend from Tamaletown came back with more gifts
Why it makes me happy - English toffee.....c'mon....who doesn't love English Toffee. Toffeelady.net is the place to go if you want some gooooooood English Toffee.
HappyUP!!! - a new book
Why it happened - my financial guy sent me a present
Why it makes me happy - see the above....I love presents! This is going to be a good book for holiday reading.

JollyJottings

Breakfast with a group
An unexpected golf day
Day trade - got out just in time
Tacos
Life
Que Jong
My order arrived
11th hole
18th hole
Putt on 2
12th hole

Monday, December 22, 2008

World's Greatest Eggnog Recipe

Yes....you can buy it premade - but maybe that is why I never cared for eggnog.

If you want to take the time - SEVEN days, and whip up a batch of a truly magical elixir for your friends and self, go see my buddy's, Glen, post right here

Just reading about the process - was a HappyUP!!! for me......and I don't even drink!

While I am not sure how you'll feel the next day - I am sure the consumption will be a temporal HappyUP!!!

HappyUP!!! Day 694



HappyUP!!! - a phone call from a friend
Why it happened - my friend got some good news
Why it makes me happy - c'mon....don't you love it when someone that is not a relative calls YOU because something really good has happened to them and they just need to share. They get to share....and you know that you are so well thought of that you get to be the beneficiary of their joy.

<--"The Fez" HappyUP!!! - "In the Deep"
Why it happened - I was watching an old episode of "House"
Why it makes me happy - I only heard this song during the movie, "Crash." When I heard the first strains of the song again tonight, I went, "man, I love this song." It's one of those songs that grips you to the core...or it does it for me. It was good to be gripped that hard.

HappyUP!!! - breakfast with the Boz
Why it happened - Boz is off work this week
Why it makes me happy - Boz and I have golfed and played tennis....today we broke bread for the first time. I love the holidays...not for the presents...but for the slower pace that it brings at times.

JollyJottings

Breakfast with the Boz
Talking with a friend via phone
Sunshine after rain...and before more
Getting home last night

Sunday, December 21, 2008

HappyUP!!! Day 693




HappyUP!!! - My friend's Loft Cooling
Why it happened - he's moving
Why it makes me happy - it was only a few years ago that I went to his Loft Warming. It is good to see that he is moving onward and upward with a new job out of state. I am sad to see him move the miles away but happy for him. I also got to see another friend of his that I met due to this relationship.

<----picture of a message in his loft. He is a teacher of creativity. HappyUP!!! - Grant wins the State Championship
Why it happened - they got picked to represent Nor Cal in the CIF Open High School football championship game
Why it makes me happy - they are from my town as well as being the only NorCal team to beat Southern Cal in the championships. There were 5 different divisions and SoCal won them all....except the big one! Grant was a bit of the underdog. Don't we love to see the underdogs win

HappyUP!!! - a rainy morning of movies
Why it happened - it was raining...no golf
Why it makes me happy - there are so many movies that I haven't seen that it is almost shameful. The upside is that, if I ever want to see a movie, I don't have far to go. "Into the Blue," "Something About Polly," "Swordfish," and "Mr Deeds" are all flicks that I caught a piece of this morning.

JollyJottings

Grant wins State Championship
Loft Cooling Party

An Overlooked HappyUP



I went to my refrigerator this morning - because I was a little bit thirsty.

I took my water bottle - and filled it with some cold, filtered water.

If you are being perceptive - you know how good a nice, cold drink of water feels on a hot day when you are really, really thirsty.

One could argue - that the feeling of ingesting that liquid is one of the BEST feelings in life. Close your eyes and imagine it. The feeling is so good you can almost recall it from memory.

On this morning - I was happy for living in a place where having drinkable water is a given.

I read an article not too long ago - I forget the statistic but the percentage of people in the world that do not have his privilege (NO...it is not a right) astonished me.

What did I do to be so privileged? - I was born in a place where this is provided.

....and it made me happy - what was the cost of this moment of elevated pleasure? That's right...absolutely nothing.

Live the HappyUP!!! mentality - make it a part of your mental construct.

Trust me - you'll be better off for the effort.


If the thought of people not having water moves you to want to take action, go to WaterForPeople.

Saturday, December 20, 2008

HappyUP!!! Day 692




HappyUP!!! - see Smiley over here on the left
Why it happened - the wind came up and Smiley a hair short of the green...buried on a 60 degree incline just under the lip of the trap
Why it makes me happy - I could barely stand to get a club on Smiley....let alone apply enough force to muscle him out and up. Smiley shot straight up in the air, came down in front of the hole, nearly went in, and finished about 8 feet from the hole. I managed to make the putt. This had double bogey written all over it but par was salvaged.....and THIS is why I play golf.
NOTE: it won't be many more years that I won't be able to play this shot!

HappyUP!!! - breakfast
Why it happened - we had a frost delay
Why it makes me happy - I play golf on Saturday mornings so I don't get to have breakfast with what I call my adopted family. It was great to be there and get caught up again. I got to see my best friend's China pictures.

HappyUP!!! - birdies
Why it happened - made some great shots
Why it makes me happy - a birdie is a HappyUP!!! any day of the week. On Saturdays, we have a skins game. I didn't get the final results but at least I am in the running to make some dough this week.

JollyJottings

Seeing my adopted family
Seeing my best friend and his China pictures
Getting to the golf course just in time
Saving par on the first hole
Birdies on 6 and 12
A tremendous par save on 13
A creative par save on 10
My 7 iron on 16
New shoes
A couple of good e-mails

Late




(A special post for my friends over at SundayScribblings)


"Oh God....I'm late" - when I think of this malaise that drifts upon us from time to time, I think about the state that puts most people in.
Then, I think about the HappyUP!!! concept - that I promote here.
When running late - we seem to go into a trance. All we notice are things that will now make us more late.

"Where are my keys" - "dang it, I snagged my nylons.....another red light....what is going to happen? I'm going to be in trouble, etc......"

Go there - right now. Imagine that you are late. Get that sense of chaos....a total lack of peace. Can you feel the anxiety?

What are the odds that you will notice a HappyUP!!! - during that funk.

And a funk is all it is - and a very dangerous one at that. You don't think well....drive well....function well. It is just a funk brought on, not by being late, but by yourself. Doubt me? Go back a couple of lines....you weren't late. You artificially put yourself there.

What do you do? - a couple of things to remember

First - the easiest way to run out of time is to have too much of it. How many times have you had an appointment to go to, looked at your watch, and then said, "oh, I still have a half an hour." DANGER, Will Robinson! You will go on to something else and the next thing you know it is FORTY minutes later. Be careful whenever you get yourself in this position and be vigilant to your clock if you MUST be on time.

Second - call ahead. "Sorry....I just ran out of morning. It looks like I need to push back fifteen minutes." You say fifteen minutes when you KNOW you will only run FIVE minutes late. Guess what you just did? You took being late, turned it around, and now you will run early from the time you renegotiated the agreement. NO need to stress.
"Honey, guess what.....my monthly blessing is running late" - guys, I am usually a lot of help and can dispense a lot of wisdom. When this kind of late happens, I don't know what to tell you! Go buy some cigars?

Want to experience more happiness in your life? - go here and find out what HappyUP!!! is all about. Give me 21 days and you will change your life.

A Gratitude Moment

Long time followers here - know all about what a HappyUP!!! is. It's something that happens during the day that gives you a momentary feeling of happiness.

Apparently - there are some smart people out there that have written about instances that are a little bigger. One individual calls it The Gratitude Moment. (Wow...how considerate of me to give you that link so you can go there directly.....what a giver I am!)

In the article - the author talks about getting a letter that says, "we have the results of your cancer test and they were negative." Would that be a HappyUP!!! ?

Uh.....DUUUHHHHH! - but I don't mean to be flip about it. The author goes on to say how he viewed the world differently upon receiving that news.

That would be what I call - a SuperHappyUP!!! and I am not going to discount the values of those one bit.

You don't experience those everyday - however. Upon reading that article, I thought it would be a good time to remind all of my readership that Gratitude Moments (aka-HappyUP!!!s) do not have to be large earth shattering events.

As a matter of fact - they rarely are. The key to changing your life with the HappyUP!!! intervention is to get in the habit of actively looking for those things that go your way...those things that could have gone another way.

We have a bad habit - of expecting things to go right. We take the fact that we caught every traffic light being green as the way the world is supposed to work. We don't notice. Yet, take a day when you are in any kind of hurry and miss two out of five lights....you are stressing out!

I'm not suggesting that you don't stress out - well, actually, I would like you to work to that place. In the meantime, not noticing the bad would be a form of denial.

What I am suggesting - is that by noticing more of the things that go well, you will naturally crowd out the amount of attention you have to spend on the things that go poorly. It WILL just naturally happen.

Keep practicing - your HappyUP!!!s. While I suggest that you capture three everyday and write about them, you will want to record 5...10...15 possibilities when you first get started.

You want to get up everyday - and ACTIVELY be looking for the good things that are happening for you.

I know - "Nutster, I don't want to be some Pollyanna." I hear you. Of course, my first response that I want to say is, "Uh.....why?" but I'll refrain. If you don't want to be Pollyanna, you won't. The HappyUP!!! will not eradicate your inner cynic/critic. He/she is much too powerful.....at least for now.

Friday, December 19, 2008

HappyUP!!! Day 691




Here's another view - of "Happy" as he gets in the season and starts to think about going Xmas shopping....

....and, believe it or not, - he actually looks happy about it!.....and he is a guy!

HappyUP!!! - golf
Why it happened - the rain stopped
Why it makes me happy - I didn't play yesterday...or Monday....or Tuesday. It looks like the weather will hold up tomorrow and then steady rain for a week. C'mon...4 days of golf is about the minimum I can survive on and I will barely have gotten that in next week! What will I do next week?....oh....I know....Christmas shop?

HappyUP!!! - day trading
Why it happened - I thought the conditions were right
Why it makes me happy - I really have lost my stomach for the market.....not nerve...more out of disgust for the lack of regulation or enforcement thereof. This morning, with the market heading up, I decided to make a few buys......that I wasn't going to hold for very long. Day trading isn't my thing but it was fun this morning ....and I made some dough!

HappyUP!!! - seeing a friend
Why it happened - my friend stopped by
Why it makes me happy - I ended up doing a small favor when I thought it was going to be a big favor. I would have done the big favor but a small one is easier.

JollyJottings

Day Trading
Seeing a friend
An idea re:HappyUP!!!
Embroidery
Golf

Thursday, December 18, 2008

HappyUP!!! Day 690



What do you see off to the left?
- it's "Happy,"....the official mascot of Nutter's Notes.

I was doing a little work - on the logo today and thought, "hey, how come I never post this to the website?"

....so there you have it - in subsequent days when I have no picture, look forward to seeing the haberdashery that Happy likes to sport. He has quite the array of headgear.



HappyUP!!! - breakfast with a friend
Why it happened - I was invited
Why it makes me happy - my friend paid! ......OK....that's not the real reason....funny though. You can thank me for giving you a HappyUP!!! on that one. We had an enjoyable discussion about many things.

HappyUP!!! - helping another friend
Why it happened - my friend called me
Why it makes me happy - I am glad that I am in the position to have helped today. I also got to visit with my friend briefly.

HappyUP!!! - rubber boots
Why it happened - I was over near a WalMart running an errand......
Why it makes me happy -....when I said, "I wonder if WalMart would have rubber boots." I popped in.....and in just a few minutes, I owned a pair of rubber boots. This is going to allow me to trudge along out in the garden this winter without bringing too much winter into the house.....or getting any of it on my socks.

JollyJottings

Breakfast
Seeing a friend
Doing a favor for a friend
Rubber boots
Getting something ordered
Stock I bought yesterday
Hearing from my old friend, C

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

HappyUP!!! Day 689

HappyUP!!! - golf invitation
Why it happened - the assistant pro called me
Why it makes me happy - it was a little cold today...I wasn't thinking about playing golf....didn't have a game set up with anyone. THEN, I got a phone call from our assistant pro that there was a big game going on in half an hour........talk about fast movement!....and HappyingUP!!! all the way to the course

HappyUP!!! - pairing in the golf game
Why it happened - we had two groups...somebody had to play with somebody
Why it makes me happy - I got a chance to play with E. I had never played with him. He just got back from tour qualifying. No, he didn't get his touring card but he played OK. He was hanging around fourth place after day 1. I also played with V....a guy that plays in some mini-tour type events. I can't say it raised my game today but it was great to watch some guys make it look easy.

HappyUP!!! - coffee with my friend
Why it happened - it's a weekly appointment
Why it makes me happy - we had a good chat today.....just getting caught up. I also ran into three other guys that I don't see nearly enough and got to spend time with them. Fellowship is always a HappyUP!!!

JollyJottings

Coffee
Flop practice
Pairing with pros
Hybrid chip on 1.....bunker shot on 4.....driver/3wood/wedge on 5....chip on 11...putt on 12....4 iron on 13 ...8 iron on 16....3 wood on 17......4 iron on 18
Golf invitation
E-mail from A
Productivity eZine

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

HappyUP!!! Day 688

HappyUP!!! - phone calls from ex-employees
Why it happened - they were thinking of me
Why it makes me happy - I always love hearing from my old work chums

HappyUP!!! - Toastmasters
Why it happened - it was an on week
Why it makes me happy - we had a guest return....two great speeches....people filling in for people that weren't there....no issues.....and a decision that we would all have breakfast next week

HappyUP!!! - being IN when it was cold and rainy OUT
Why it happened - I'm retired
Why it makes me happy - I had memories today...and yesterday...of dragging my fanny to the office on terrible weather days. Umbrellas....fighting trenchcoats.....being wet.........it was no trip down memory lane but a tremendous appreciation for being at home.

JollyJottings

Toastmasters
Talking with P
Talking with N
Looking out at a cold, rainy morning
Leaves...again
Financial advisor
Conf Call
TJ's vegetable stock

Monday, December 15, 2008

HappyUP!!! Day 687

HappyUP!!! - raking
Why it happened - I took action
Why it makes me happy - I love that my city comes around and picks up the leaves. On Saturday, knowing that dried leaves are easier to rake than wet ones, I raked and piled my leaves out front even though I knew rain was going to knock a whole bunch more down the next day. This morning, my lawn was covered with leaves again...but the pile I had made Sat was gone. I then noticed the city had created a staging area dumping all the collected leaves down the street. I quickly made another pile...the guy in the tractor came and scooped them up. Then, I looked at my neighbor's yard and made another pass on my yard. I made another pile and went to breakfast. When I came home, the third pile of leaves I had made was gone. These leaves would have been hanging around for a week....blowing all over the place. They came down...I shipped them out for the city to make compost out of them. I got some exercise and felt super efficient.

HappyUP!!! - golf tip
Why it happened - I was watching the Golf Channel
Why it makes me happy - I have been working on my flop shot.....and I got a great tip tonight. I went out in the dark and tried it out......WOW! I can't wait to do some work on it this week.

HappyUP!!! - Getting Things Done
Why it happened - I opened an old book by the title above
Why it makes me happy - I have gotten a little behind on some things that I need to do. I got some great ideas as I revisited this tome. I have a couple of weeks to bring the year to a good close. WHEN I make progress on a bunch of projects, I am going to feel really good about 2008 and have a headstart on 2009.

JollyJottings

Breakfast
Getting Things Done
Enjoying the rain
Raking

Sunday, December 14, 2008

HappyUP!!! Day 686


HappyUP!!! - water shots
Why it makes me happy - they were funny...both of them
Why it makes me happy - hey, sometimes comedy is enough for a HappyUP!!!...especially when a golfer goes into the water.......TWICE...in the same round. I've never seen that. This is my golf buddy, R, gouging it out of the duck soup on 18. His first attempt on 9 was funnier.

HappyUP!!! - finishing golf
Why it happened - we perservered
Why it makes me happy - wet...wind...cold...NOT my idea of a good time. But, don't you feel great when you come in, peel off the wet clothes, warming up and drying off? It's an incredible feeling...you know what I am talking about.



HappyUP!!! - my hybrid into 18
Why it happened - I put a can of concentration into it
Why it makes me happy - the weather had long before ballooned the score. I was ready to pack it in after 9 but the weather seemed to have broken......for about 3 holes. I had nothing going for me after hitting a crappy drive on 18 after my hand slipped off the club. Usually, I would be hitting a 7 iron to a 9 iron into the last hole. Now, I had a hybrid....from the left rough.....all carry over water. I caught that thing right on the button, it soared up to the right, banked back to the left with a draw, and left me with a 25 foot birdie putt back down the hill. Nope...didn't make it. The HappyUP!!! was just having the opportunity!

JollyJottings

Hybrid into 18
Chip on 2
Bunker shot on 4
9 iron into 6
Pitch on 7
Hybrid from bunker on 9
6 iron into 10
5 iron into 11
Hybrid on 12
Getting back home
Breakfast
The return of the Boz
Pictures

Saturday, December 13, 2008

HappyUP!!! Day 685

HappyUP!!! - 36 holes of golf
Why it happened - I take advantage of my golf club
Why it makes me happy - it's good to take an 18 hole walk with 30 pounds on my back....and ride 18 in the afternoon.

HappyUP!!! - playing with new guys
Why it happened - a big game got organized in the afternoon
Why it makes me happy - I met two nice guys who have some game at the club. The more people you know, the more games you end up with. Pleasant company with decent players makes the golf more enjoyable

HappyUP!!! - a skin in the morning big game
Why it happened - I hit a great 7 iron and a better curling putt
Why it makes me happy - I got one of the 5 skins and pocketed a couple of bucks!

JollyJottings

Birdie and a skin
French fries
Great weather
Great second shot on 17
Shots...bunker on 2...8 iron on 3....9 iron on 6...bunker on 7....9 iron on 8...drive on 10...wedge on 10.... drive on 12....flop shot on 12...8 iron on 13....4 iron on 14...7 iron on 16...putt on 16....7 iron on 17...drive on 1...wedge on 2....4 iron on 3...8 iron on 4...drive on 6....drive on 9...9 iron on 10...8 iron on 11...wedge on 12...5 iron on 12 ...hybrid on 14...drive on 15...3 wood on 15....drive on 18...flop on 18
36 holes of golf

Friday, December 12, 2008

HappyUP!!! Day 684

HappyUP!!! - golf MATCH
Why it happened - my buddy, R, and I were shot for shot
Why it makes me happy - R is better than I am. He didn't play well today...but he didn't play terribly either. I didn't play bad...but I couldn't call it great. There we stood on the 17th tee...with the same score. We both missed birdie putts on 17. On to the 18th, all square. On the final green, R misses a 30 footer for birdie...there I am with a 10 footer with a foot or two of break to win. I hit a good putt......that didn't go in. It was a match that should have finished all square.

HappyUP!!! - breakfast
Why it happened - I needed some brekko
Why it makes me happy - I love those pancakes and sausage. I also had a great exchange with my friend at the restaurant. It's a benefit of being a regular.

HappyUP!!! - invitation for "a game" tomorrow
Why it happened - my partner and I are getting a name for ourselves
Why it makes me happy - it's the assistant pro that asked us if we wanted to play. We had played with two of his buddies...plus, we played in scratch league. We are getting a rep as good guys to play with. Tomorrow, after we play 18 early, we'll be teeing it up in a bigger game around noon. Yes...8 hours + straight...of golfing...tomorrow. Make sure you pray for my endurance! Hey...I'm not a kid anymore

JollyJottings

Breakfast
Gorgeous Day for golf
Meeting new guys
Playing my buddy, R, straight up
Invited to play in a game 2morrow
5 iron on 2
Wedge/putt on 4
8 iron to 6
Putt on 8
9 iron out of divot
7 iron into 13
wedge into 15
6 iron into 17
drive and 8 iron into 18

Thursday, December 11, 2008

HappyUP!!! Day 683


HappyUP!!! - golf cancelled for the weekend
Why it happened - a lack of interest
Why it makes me happy -...what? Did I say I was happy because golf was cancelled? It's not what you think. The tournament I was going to play in was cancelled due to a thin field. After a moment of disappointment, I quickly said, "you know, my game is not where it needs to be at the moment. They'll hold this same tourney next month.....I'll play then." Oh...don't worry....there will be regular golf this weekend.

HappyUP!!! - reunion
Why it happened - one of my friends is thoughtful
Why it makes me happy - appetizers and drinks with two of my old co-workers....one that I haven't seen in forever. I don't need to go into much detail on that, do I?

HappyUP!!! - double kitties
Why it happened - I found the other one
Why it makes me happy - I mentioned that I let one of the outside cats in the other night. Last night, both of them got to come in......and they were both PLANTED on that bed last night....on a cold night. Very warming in literal and figurative ways.

JollyJottings

Golf cancelled
Finding Verizon
Reading
Two kitty night
Outback meeting
Jeweler find


Wednesday, December 10, 2008

HappyUP!!! Day 682

HappyUP!!!- green waste
Why it happened - my city has a program
Why it makes me happy - I noticed that this was a "pick up" week because my can was empty. This happens every other week. This is a HappyUP!!! because I have a pile of green waste that needs to go.

HappyUP!!! - postponement of door hanging
Why it happened - I think my bro had something else to do
Why it makes me happy - by moving this to tomorrow, I got to play golf with my buddy today. He can't play tomorrow....which makes tomorrow a good day for door hanging.

HappyUP!!! - short game
Why it happened - I've been working on it a bit
Why it makes me happy - the long part of my golf game has been suffering for a bit. When this happens, the short game has to pull through and cover the slack. Today, I got the putter working a bit.....and the wedge was getting it on as well. I actually had multiple "gimme" pitch shots....tough pitch shots.

JollyJottings

Coffee with buddy
Postponing door hanging
Golfing with my friend
Sand shot....putts....

Tuesday, December 09, 2008

HappyUP!!! Day 681




HappyUP!!! - a partial day "at the office"
Why it happened - I decided to get some practice time in this afternoon

<--------How do you like my office Why it makes me happy - it was a gorgeous December afternoon. You can see the cloud situation....there wasn't one. Low-mid 50's. Stunning. I had some people in front of me so I dropped a few balls and played some extra shots from different places on the course. It was good to get some sand practice in.....very productive. HappyUP!!! - my bro called, volunteered, and stopped by
Why it happened - I asked him for help last week
Why it makes me happy - he is going to help me install a door tomorrow. He is the brains when it comes to this stuff.....I suck!

HappyUP!!! - a cool new "beanie"
Why it happened - I was in a different pro shop today
Why it makes me happy - beanies look dorkie....but, when you want to keep your ears warm when the temps are low, form follows function. You wear the beanie. The Titleist headban/beanie is really a big headband in a warm material that has a large part for covering the ears. Much more attractive than the beanie!

JollyJottings

Bro volunteered time
Spots available in tournament
Good weather forecast
Helping bro chip better
A good practice 9 holes

Monday, December 08, 2008

HappyUP!!! Day 680





(Action photos from yesterday's ciopinno feed)

HappyUP!!! - a warm kitty
Why it happened - I let Shadow in last night
Why it makes me happy - I don't usually let the outdoor kitties in. It was cold last night so I took a chance. Shadow burrowed right in and provided an extra blanket for the Nutster. She was great....no excess kneading or licking. Ever had a warm kitty sleep on you on a cold night.......there is something about that purr

HappyUP!!! - golfing with my E & J
Why it happened - E hooked it up
Why it makes me happy - it was free!...at a different golf course. It was chilly teeing off but turned into a very nice day. I hit a lot of quality shots.....including a driver and 8 iron into the par 5 18th to about 15 feet. Nope, didn't make the eagle but it was an easy birdie. Lots of reasons to be happy

HappyUP!!! - breakfast out
Why it happened - it was a pre-golf meal
Why it makes me happy - I love eating at my breakfast place....just love it. I met E there before we took off to the golf course. Good conversation....and anticipation.

JollyJottings

Breakfast
Free golf
Drive 1, 2, 4
5 iron from sand
Wedge on 8
Wedge on 12
Driver...8 iron on 18
6 iron
A beautiful day...after being cold
A warm kitty

Baby On Board

me


OK...I am stating it officially - I don't get it. I have never understood why people hang this placard in their window.

I also thought - this craze was done but THIS was parked next to me the other day.

What are these people trying to say?

1) "We know how to have sex and have the equipment to produce offspring"

2) "Hey, black market baby kidnappers.....we have potential inventory....right here....ON BOARD!"

3) "Hey, drivers. You should drive more carefully around us because of what we are carrying."

My guess? - is that it is number 3..............to which I scoff.....and probably drive more risky and tailgate around this buggy.

Think about it - these people think that I should care more about the safety of their spitting/pooping machine than I do for my own. YES....that is what they are saying. They want me to drive safer when their hatchling is in my presence than when I am just driving on my own.

......it's a degree of arrogance - that really has no place in society. These people actually think that OTHER drivers care more about the byproduct of their horizontal activities than the driver cares about themselves.

If caution is what they want - I suggest these people (I don't like the term sub-humans) post "Huge Explosive Propane Tanks ON BOARD".....

..................THAT will get my attention and keep me on my toes.

ThinkUP!!!



Practice Flattery
and Encouragement

.....TODAY

(You will encounter plenty of people in the
next 24 hours that desperately need both)

Sunday, December 07, 2008

HappyUP!!! Day 679




HappyUP!!! - Ciopinno Feed
Why it happened - my bro and sis in law are good hosts
Why it makes me happy - what's better than ciopinno on a cold winter night....along with about 60 friends? A good time had by all!

HappyUP!!! - upcoming golf tournament
Why it happened - a guy at the feed told me about it
Why it makes me happy - I used to play in this tournament 25+ years ago. I can get my buddy who is really good and tee it up next weekend.

HappyUP!!! - having a golf match today
Why it happened - there was another twosome looking for a game
Why it makes me happy - we won money! I played like a dog....my partner held me up. I came on at the very end with the pressure on, however, and struck some of the best shots I have hit in a long time. That makes me feel good about my game.



JollyJottings

6 iron on 16
Drive on 17
8 iron on 17
Drive on 18
7 iron on 18
Ciopinno Feed
A golf match
Finding out about a tournament

Special Sunday Morning HappyUP!!!

It's Sunday morning - so I get to play golf with both of my working friends that I don't get to play with during the week.

It's cold outside - I would say high 30's, low 40's with fog. In Sacramento, we call it a "wet cold."

And I can't wait to get out there - and feel my nose running...my hands chilling....and kicking some butt.

HappyUP!!! - upon anything you do on this Sunday morning

Saturday, December 06, 2008

HappyUP!!! Day 678





HappyUP!!! - the picture to your left
Why it happened - one of my favorite people in the world had eyes open and was thinking about me
Why it makes me happy - when I got the e-mail, it reminded me of this person.....and, who wouldn't like their name memorialized until repaving?

HappyUP!!! - getting to golf
Why it happened - we persevered despite the heavy fog
Why it makes me happy - I got to play not only with my buddy, R, but with W and RC. I don't get to play with them very often and they are good players....and good guys.

HappyUP!!! - chipping in
Why it happened - once was skill and once was luck
Why it makes me happy - the lucky one probably one me a "skin" which means some dough! Plus, the chip in's happened back to back right after joining RC & W so that was fun.

HappyUP!!! - finding new golf shirts
Why it happened - I was going through some boxes in the basement
Why it makes me happy - are you kidding? THAT was like finding about $60-70 bucks.....HappyUP!!!
NOTE: any time you come across a severe cost savings, HappyUP!!! about it. Live it in the moment.....and relive it tonight when you do the HappyUP!!!s. In this case, I'll relive it several times when I wear these shirts!

JollyJottings

RC &Wah
Getting to golf
Chipping in
Hybriding in
Finding new golf shirts
Finding remote control car
Finding missing CD...Stillness Speaks

Friday, December 05, 2008

HappYUP!!! Day 677

HappyUP!!! - upcoming fun
Why it happened - people put these things together
Why it makes me happy - today, I confirmed that a ciopinno feed is Sunday, got invited to breakfast/golf on Monday, and booked a evening down memory lane with friends for next Thursday. That's a big day.

HappyUP!!! - painter finished
Why it happened - it takes a couple of days
Why it makes me happy - the kitchen is done....OK....there are still those pesky pendant lights to pick out but let's call it close enough. It's nice to finish something around the house. AND...I like my painter...he's a buddy.

HappyUP!!! - hitting balls
Why it happened - I forced myself to go out and practice....just practice.
Why it makes me happy - I hit about two pyramids of balls....that's a lot for me. We'll see how I feel in the morning but I am feeling pretty good tonight. It was a beautiful afternoon. I hit the ball crappy....which makes it that more impressive that I could keep hitting balls.

JollyJottings

Painter
Breakfast
Hitting balls
Clean Kitchen

The Oppostie of Poverty Is Not Wealth



"The oppostite of poverty is not wealth. The opposite of poverty is enough."

-Compassion International President Wes Stafford

I love this comment - as I tire of people wanting more...more.... more.

It is almost as if - "ENOUGH" is the sign of a loser in Western culture. You have enough.

This holiday season - or anytime of the year, actually, you have the opportunity to sponsor a child in poverty. It is unbelievably inexpensive to do.

This organization does a great job - you even get the opportunity to correspond with "your" child.

You can give the gift of sponsorship - to someone else if you want to add meaning to two lives....the sponsored child and the recipient of your generosity.

This is going to be a tough Christmas - making everyone want their gift giving dollars to go farther...and have more meaning. If you fall under this category, take a trip over to Compassion International and see just how easy and inexpensive this is.

The Artist in You - Improve your PowerPoint Presentations





I hear it all the time - "I can't draw."....."I'm not an artist."

Well, neither can I - but it has never stopped me from doing it.

One of my favorite things to draw - is ants. Why?

Uh...hmmm...duh! - take a look at them. Are you telling me that you couldn't draw an ant?

Ants are industrious - it is their only redeeming characteristic....unless you count them getting into all your stuff and ruining your picnic. Ants can do anything...

...and, as such - you can have them doing anything...which includes walking a hire wire that was built by an ant operating a crane.

"I can't even draw a square" - OK...that's a challenging statement which I highly doubt but I have heard it. Don't worry about it. With "Paint," it has a square tool....a circle tool...an elliptical tool...etc

Get out there and draw something - put it in your next PowerPoint presentation....oh, god, am I sick of slick, fancy Powerpoint presentations of statistics or having the powerpoint show me all the words the speaker is saying.

Customize your presentations - the world will thank you for it!


Calligraphy....The Art of Elegant Writing




Playing around today - I came across a website where a person was doing calligraphy using the basic "paint" feature that you get with Windows.

I quickly scrawled out what you see - to your left

The first pass is a little clunky - but, as with most things, using the media will improve with time.

There are a lot of advantages to doing this with "Paint" - you can work in colors easily. You have no clean up. It is easy to draw guidelines and erase them. You can change the colors with a couple of clicks. The computer will also "hold your brush" at a constant angle...the key to calligraphy.

While a far cry - from actually dipping the nib and applying to paper, I see some uses for this....

....hey, I already received one - a blog posting

Time to start - brushing up on my "Paint" skills

Thursday, December 04, 2008

HappyUP!!! Day 676

HappyUP!!! - Got my cell phone back
Why it happened - someone found it
Why it makes me happy - are you kidding? Look at the loss I described yesterday before I accepted losing it. All avoided now.

HappyUP!!! - getting my door
Why it happened - I got off the fanny finally
Why it makes me happy - I had procrastinated driving to the door store to pick up the door I ordered. I went down to get it today. As it was being loaded, my buddy at the store said, "wait....you ordered this with a different insert." He sent me on my way without the door. In the meantime, they fixed it and he brought the door to me. Sweet!

HappyUP!!! - golf with my buddy
Why it happened - he was able to get away today
Why it makes me happy - midweek...I often end up teeing it up by myself at the club. I thought that would be the case today. I am fine playing by myself...it's just always nice to tee it up with someone else. Today was an unexpected round with a buddy.

JollyJottings

Getting my door
My on-line AT&T archive
Golf at noon with my friend
Finding my cell phone
Helping out my other friend
Hitting the driver....only one drive out of the fairway out of 14
Gimme wedge on 5...wedge on 7...wedge on 1...
Hybrid chips
7 iron on 6
My buddy catching the mistake on the door
Pastrami dog
Getting the painting done in kitchen
Golf invite on Monday

Wednesday, December 03, 2008

HappyUP!!! Day 675....the Lost Cell Phone

"Alright, Nutster, how are you going to make a HappyUP!!! out of this?" - wow, that is a great question.

Somehow, on the golf course, I lost my cell phone today - THAT is not a happy event. Remember, the HappyUP!!! process is not about denial. "Stuff" happens. Let's go through the process of loss first

The phone is gone...and the SIM card is gone - and, no, though I thought about it the other day, I did not write down all the numbers of the people in my directory. THAT is the loss....sure, I'm out whatever a Motorola Razor phone costs but those things happen.

I'll also have to go through the mind numbing - decision of what kind of phone to get now. NOT my favorite thing to do.

On the plus side - in all likelihood, the phone I get this time is going to synch up with my computer at home. This is something that was on the project list....I'll just need to do it sooner than later. PLUS, Blackberry just came out with their new offering if I want to go in that direction. OR...I can go get the iPhone which will probably lead to me getting the Apple laptop I have been thinking about.

I also left a message for my friends - "call me at home" so I didn't miss any important calls.

While I lost some numbers I would prefer not to - I also got rid of a bunch that were cluttering up my system.

Because I was playing a "members only" private course - the liklihood of someone finding my phone and turning it in to the pro shop is higher. The maintenance guys have also been asked to keep an eye out for it.

At the same time - a call to AT&T will halt any unwanted usage in this interim period.

Yeah, it's an inconvenience - but it's just not worth dwelling upon. As a matter of fact, I'm done because now I want to focus on what we are here for.

HappyUP!!! - golfing with R
Why it happened - he's back from vacation
Why it makes me happy - R is one of my golf buddies. We haven't played in almost three weeks due to an extended vacation. This guy can play.

HappyUP!!! - great shots
Why it happened - I got out of my way
Why it makes me happy - the score wasn't there today....like many recent days. The ball striking is getting closer, however. A couple of good wedges...a pure 7 iron....a pure 4 iron...a flushed 6 iron (which was only a foot from being a hole-in-one)....another flushed 6 iron....and an 8 iron hit on the button. That's a lot of good iron shots....now, I just need to clean up the bad ones! THEN, the score may come.

HappyUP!!! - a hose bib
Why it happened - I was looking around
Why it makes me happy - I noticed a hose bib on the side of the house that I hadn't seen before. This may partially be due to cutting back a bush recently. I don't know how I missed this. Anyway, this is going to save me some trouble when I landscape in the spring.



JollyJottings

A nice walk
A lot of great shots
A near ace!
My painter
Playing golf with my buddy who has been gone

Tuesday, December 02, 2008

HappyUP!!! Day 674

HappyUP!!! - found out my friend got a job
Why it happened - he e-mailed me
Why it makes me happy - I have a very talented and unique friend. He has been trying to find a place for his special talents for over a year. Things were getting scary. He has found a spot with an organization that does great things. I am thrilled because this guy could have ended up homeless.

HappyUP!!! - Toastmasters
Why it happened - it was an on week and I am a member
Why it makes me happy - I saw our new banner on the website....I heard a great speech....we had a lot of camaraderie today.

HappyUP!!! - striking it better on the golf course
Why it happened - I am taking the club back straighter and longer WITH a turn
Why it makes me happy - my scoring wasn't there but I FLUSHED (that's a good thing in golf) three irons and I had the driver nicely in play all nine holes. November was an off month. While it will now get colder and more difficult to score, there is no reason not to hit quality shots. I think I'm back on track.

JollyJottings

Toastmasters
Seeing our website
Hitting some range balls
Thumping the driver
Wedge....6 iron...wedge....4 iron....7 iron
Cancellation tomorrow
Good news for a friend
Phone call from S

Monday, December 01, 2008

HappyUP!!! Day 673

HappyUP!!! - breakfast with my friend
Why it happened - he was paying me back
Why it makes me happy - anytime I am breaking bread with a friend, it is going to be a HappyUP!!! PLUS, our favorite waitress was taking care of us which is cool too.

HappyUP!!! - a returned call
Why it happened - I placed a call
Why it makes me happy - this guy used to work at the same place I did. He never worked for me but I did interview him. Neither of us work in the previous place. When he called me back, he remembered me well. He had some great information for me...as well as respect. He also said he would get more info for me.

HappyUP!!! - reaching my old buddy, GM
Why it happened - I mailed him some stuff...and called him
Why it makes me happy - he gave me some great info as we build our Toastmaster's group....I can't wait to act on the info!

JollyJottings

Breakfast with my friend
Chipping
Repayment
A walk through the open mall
A returned call
Reaching my old buddy, GM

HappyUP!!! We've Been in a Recession


"Speaking of the slowdown, it's official: We're in a recession. And have been for a year. The National Bureau of Economic Research officially declared today that the U.S. economy slipped into recession in December 2007. "

I clipped the above - from a website today.

"What's so HappyUP!!!ish about that news? - hey, we all knew that we were in one or heading into one. It's good to know that we already have a year behind us.

Recessions can last awhile - I am absolutely GIDDY that we alreay have 12 months in the rear view mirror.

....and, of course - the sarcastic side of me (that I have been trying to suppress over the years) can't let the opportunity go by to say........Duh! Thanks for the newsflash!


Sunday, November 30, 2008

HappyUP!!! Day 672

HappyUP!!! - lunch with my friend
Why it happened - my friend was in town and called me
Why it makes me happy - breaking bread with a friend is great anytime for all the reasons you know....in this case, it was sushi as well...another HappyUP!!!

HappyUP!!! - extraordinary weather
Why it happened - God does those things
Why it makes me happy - I had sweat pants on when I teed off.....but I stripped down to shorts...on Nov 30... before you knew it. What part of that wouldn't be a HappyUP!!!?

HappyUP!!! - practice
Why it happened - I made myself
Why it makes me happy - I didn't play well today....but I went out to that driving range afterward and figured a few things out. Tomorrow will be another day (...without golf).....and future rounds will be better because I am putting the time in.

JollyJottings

Lunch with my friend
Practice session
Practice round
Extraordinary weather
Cleaning up the lawn
Putt on 1...15
Chip on 15....7

Saturday, November 29, 2008

HappyUP!!! Day 671

HappyUP!!! - seeing my friend, RC, and getting some tips
Why it happened - he was at the club and I went out of my way to pick his brain
Why it makes me happy - RC is a good player. He knows how to hit a shot that I need to hit. He also likes to share his golfing knowledge. I immediately practiced what he was talking about. Give me a little time..I'll get there. RC also thanked me for playing in Scratch League and helping our club get to the playoffs. I won't be there for the finals as I must defer to the better players at our club. He was encouraging about me getting my game where it needs to be. He also made a subtle comment that I will remember regarding mental attitude.

HappyUP!!! - a lot of good shots
Why it happened - we had a money game going on, my partner wasn't playing well, and I needed to step up
Why it makes me happy - I held my own with one of the better players at the club. I could have played a bit better...I'll get there.

HappyUP!!! - walk in the dark
Why it happened - I got up early and took a 5 a.m. walk
Why it makes me happy - Thoreau liked to walk and think....that came to my mind this morning. There is something about walking in the quiet that promotes thinking. No, Roseville is no Walden Pond but, at 5 a.m. in the dark, everywhere looks the same.

JollyJottings

Our five man game
Drive and 2nd shot on 1
Drive on 2...4...5...8....9...11...18
Sand shot on 12....7
Hybid chip 10
Chip on 11
Two putt on 12
Birdie putt on 15
8 iron on 15
Hack out of the rough on 16...putt on 16
9 iron into 18
Tip from R.C......and a comment
Sunshine afternoon
Practice session after round
E-mail from E....S
Call from Boz

Friday, November 28, 2008

HappyUP!!! Day 670

HappyUP!!! - breakfast with my buddy
Why it happened - he called me
Why it makes me happy - I was going to grab pancakes this morning. It was nice to eat with my friend and chat a bit.

HappyUP!!! - golf
Why it happened - we had a match
Why it makes me happy - I've been in a slump. You can look at the JollyJottings to see all the reason why today was a HappyUP!!! I hit a lot of good shots and seem to have corrected an iron issue that I have had. I got some tremendous height to my shots....which tells me that I am on to something.

HappyUP!!! - golf in shorts...after Thanksgiving
Why it happened - it was brisk...but nice
Why it makes me happy - it won't be long until it will be time to bundle up. There was a high fog but there was a crispness that made today a great day to be outside.

JollyJottings

Hitting 12 greens Hybrid on 7
Birdie putt on 15 5 iron on 9
Greenie on 16 3 wood on 12
4 iron on 17 5 iron on 13
Driver/6 iron on 2 Hybrid on 14
Hybrid chip on 3 Wedge on 15
Drive on 4
Drive/3 wood on 5
Breakfast with my buddy
My golf book
Playing golf in shorts...after Thanksgiving
Chicken sandwich

QuoteUP!!! 10 ......Guru Maharaj Ji





"If I always want an experience in life, first I must find a constant source of experience"


-Guru Maharaj Ji


What does one say - when he is in the presence of such great wisdom?

"Golf" - may be as good a thing to say as anything else!

Thursday, November 27, 2008

HappyUP!!! Day 669...HappyThanksgiving



HappyUP!!! - hitting range balls
Why it happened - I played like crap...again
Why it makes me happy - it takes a bit of dedication to hit balls after you play a crappy round of golf.....which is why I rarely do it! I went out there today, however, and had a pretty productive session. We'll see as tomorrow is another day.

HappyUP!!! - being joined
Why it happened - we had an opening
Why it makes me happy - Boz and I were only a twosome tomorrow. It appears that the club champ and his buddy have signed up to play with us......again. We played them last Saturday and managed to squeak a few dollars out of them....Boz and I need the challenge to play well 2morrow as we have both played like crap all week.

HappyUP!!! - lovely weather
Why it happened - who knows
Why it makes me happy - we were the first group off today....and it was cool and foggy. It stayed overcast/foggy all day....but it was perfect. The sun did come out as we finished but, even without the sun, we had a lovely outing.



JollyJottings

Nice weather for 7 a.m.
Hitting some range balls
Gorgeous afternoon
Marinated chicken
Shot from hook lie....and fade lie
3 wood on 12
Hybrid on 13
Chip on 16
Convertible drive home
Thanksgiving TV

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

HappyUP!!! Day 668

HappyUP!!! - teeing off early
Why it happened - my buddy and I were ready and the tee was open
Why it makes me happy - we weren't supposed to get to golf yesterday....rain was in the forecast. We
teed off about an hour before we were going to. The rain came down lightly on our last few holes. If we
hadn't gotten out early, we would have been out of luck!

HappyUP!!! - "stuffin it" when playing through
Why it happened - who knows
Why it makes me happy - one of the assistant pros and another guy that worked in the shop had a foursome that snuck in front of us by teeing it up on the 10th hole. When my buddy and I made the turn, these guys were impeding our progress. They immediately waved us to hit up and play through so all was cool. I ended up hitting a big drive and then, with all of them on the green, stuffing a 9 iron within 8 feet. Yes, this is a form of showing off but it does put a memory into those guys craniums that, "hey, that guy can play a little bit."

HappyUP!!! - visit from a friend
Why it happened - I got a "Happy Thanksgiving" call
Why it makes me happy - it's nice to have a quick lunch with a friend. I don't need to go out to eat.....just stop on by. A meal and some conversation in the middle of the day....nice.

HappyUP!!! - stock market
Why it happened - another good day
Why it makes me happy - I had pretty much pulled out between 2 months and 1 month ago. I decided yesterday to add to a couple of small positions I maintained......and both of the purchases gained by the end of the day. Yes....I fully realize they could tank on Friday but I'm good with these purchases for now. I hadn't bought any stocks in about 2 months due to my disillusionment with how things are run. It made me happy to know I still had a little faith in the system.

JollyJottings

Teeing off earlier than scheduled
Good weather...when it was supposed to be bad
The "Hot Tamale" Shot
Phone call from a friend
Visit from a buddy
Sleep