HappyUP!!! 642......Boo!

HappyUP!!! - goblins
Whyit happened - it's Halloween
Why it makes me happy - I like the entire concept of kids having to step out, dress up, follow orders ("say trick or treat), and be rewarded. It's kind of like training seals! I also like the costumes...they crack me up. I'm always home on Halloween to hand out candy.

HappyUP!!! - errands
Why it happened - I didn't golf today
Why it makes me happy - I had really been putting some things off. Today, I made up some ground. It's a relief to take care of the knicky knackies of life.

HappyUP!!! - an inquiry
Why it happened - they got my number
Why it makes me happy - we'll have a guest...and potential new member....showing up at our Toastmasters meeting on Tuesday. We are in growth mode so this is exactly what we are working toward.

JollyJottings

Call from SK
Call from SC
Help at the golf store
Getting my microphone situation handled
A call from a guest for Toastmasters
A substitute speaker
Birthday dinner
HappyUP!!! buttons packaged
Toastmaster promo package

Halloween Treat Giving Guide

OK.....you're going through the annual dilemma - how many of those little beggars are going to show up at my door this year? How much candy do I buy?

Have no fear - this is why you come to this blog.....for practical ways to live your life.

(NOTE - it's kind of funny....364 days of the year, kids are taught not to talk to strangers....let alone take candy from them. I digress....)

First off - buy lots o candy. You don't want to be one of those dorks who shuts down the lights or leaves out a sign, "sorry....all out of candy...see you next year." If I was a trickster, I'd be seeing your house again LOOOOONG before next year. I'll remember who you were. You would have been better off not playing. Also, as you are buying, think "durables"...I'll explain in a moment.

What if it might rain? - a great question....timely too. We are definitely looking at the possibility of rain in my world this year. This is why it is critical to buy candy that YOU like. A lot of my friends say this is a bad strategy for the waistline so take that into consideration...like I SHOULD but don't.

Go light in the beginning - I know....you are now in front of your first beggars. They are sooo cute. Wait right there, tiger. Before you give a big handful of your precious resources to that little princess, keep in mind that this event is an educational program so you can learn the concept of rationing. If you run out, you run the risk of an eggy house. I just repainted my house.....EGG FREE ZONE. You can't get egged for being a little tight on the treats...

....That's the law - if you only handout a couple of tootsie roll midgets and you get egged for it, the kid that did it can be strung upside down and waterboarded while waiting for sentencing.

Lead with the crap - you know, the caramels, butterscotches, those red and white mint things....these are the items that you bought to stretch your budget. Now, if all you bought were those red and white mint things, just go shoot yourself now. Those are NOT Halloween candies....they are breath mints. They are OK as a supplement to "cut" in with your other treats.

See the picture above - those kids are going to have to come in big numbers before any of them see those Nestle Crunch Bars.

Hold back the durables - see the Smarties? Smarties are the all time great candy. I firmly believe the last Smartie roll was made in 1953. Somewhere, there is a big warehouse full of these. You hold these as backstock because, in the event of a light turnout, you can throw these in the basement or cupboard for next Halloween ....or the Halloween after that....or the one after that. (Yeah, right....like you can lay off those Smarties yourself). Anyway, save the things that can keep for the very end......CHOCOLATE does NOT keep!

Finally - remember that the Nutster is getting screwed in this deal. I don't have kids so Halloween is a total loss for me. When I was a kid, I had to bring back more than my parents bought.....another lesson you can learn with Halloween...foreign trade.

HappyUP!!! Day 641....Vrooooom!

HappyUP!!! - the Brum by Dirt Devil
Why it happened - I saw an ad and said, "that's exactly what I have been looking for."
Why it makes me happy - OK, see that little item on the left. It does the same thing as the item on the right plus something else.....it sucks up the dirt as you go. It's cordless too. It's a broom and a dustbuster built into one. When you have miles of Marmoleum, this is a God's send. Sweeping is a dream! No more of that "line" that the dust pan always leaves either. I got mine at BestBuy...it will set you back $80 but, if you have a sea of laminate, it's a



HappyUP!!! - lunch invite
Why it happened - my friend e-mailed me
Why it makes me happy - I haven't seen this friend in forever. It was so great to get the e-mail and to put a very enjoyable lunch on the calender for next week!

HappyUP!!! - golf
Why it happened - my buddy sprung it on me
Why it makes me happy - we weren't going to play but my buddy changed his mind. It was great to watch him shoot his best round at our course. The bar has been raised (well....lowered...in golf, less is more). I am going to have to shoot a 70 to match his effort today. At the same time, I played OK and got in a solid score. We played in a little rain at the end which was kind of fun. I hit a phenomenal shot from just off the green with my hybrid and chipped in. I knocked a wedge within 3 feet of the pin on another hole. I got up and down from a hazard. There was room for improvement but some very high quality golf shots out there.

JollyJottings

Rain
R shooting 70
Me shooting a good score
Chipping in
Getting a round of golf in
Getting my insurance handled
Timing on the paint job
Timing on the garden
A delicious pastrami sandwich

HappyUP!!! Day 640...It's Hole In One Month..

...if you watch the Golf Channel - (and who doesn't), you would know that October is Hole In One Month.

In honor of that - I did my best today. This is how close I came from about 175 yds in cold morning weather. This leads to my first....

HappyUP!!! - hitting a great shot that DIDN'T go in
Why it happened - I took an extra club because of the cold weather
Why it makes me happy - first, I hit a great shot and it gave me a tap in birdie. Second, I was playing alone. With no witness, the ace wouldn't have counted. I have been playing golf for over 35 years. I have seen about 5 hole-in-ones but have never had one. Because I have a lower handicap, the odds are more in my favor than a lot of people that have had one. With this in mind, it would be worse to have a hole-in-one that nobody saw than to not have one at all.

HappyUP!!! - the painting is done
Why it happened - my painter has been cranking along
Why it makes me happy - the house is looking great now that it has all been put back together. Look for a before and after picture sequence in coming days. The final touch was the new house numbers. You'll see what I am talking about.

HappyUP!!! - three birdies this morning
Why it happened - I hit some good shots
Why it makes me happy - it was cold out there this morning. I had been on a birdie drought. Any day that I get three on the tough course I play on is a good day.....especially when it is cold and the ball isn't going that far. The birdies led to a solid score....another thing that I needed and another reason to be happy.

HappyUP!!! - e-mail from my friend
Why it happened - my friend reads the blog
Why it makes me happy - the info that I got was singled out for me specifically and meaningful.

HappyUP!!! Day 639

HappyUP!!! - Toastmasters
Why it happened - it's Tuesday
Why it makes me happy - this was an "off" week. We had an executive meeting to discuss progress on our club growth initiatives. The club is low on members. This has been the first time in over 20 yrs the club has been in existence that we have had official exec meetings...it's a nice change and an exciting project to work on.

HappyUP!!! - Prop 8 decision
Why it happened - Diane Feinstein weighed in
Why it makes me happy - Prop 8 is the gay marriage initiative. I believe in allowing people to do what they want to do. I have gay friends. This made me want to vote "no." I also believe in the traditional form of marriage and don't believe there is a need to promote the alternative. That would be a "yes." Enter Dianne and her liberal statements and drops the discrimination card. I HATE the discrimination card. It looks like "yes" will win in my household. Sorry, my friends with alternative lifestyles, your advocates hired the wrong spokesperson.

HappyUP!!! - chat with my friend
Why it happened - I shot T a text
Why it makes me happy - we had an open loop. The conversation closed the loop with both of us feeling better. Friendship maintenance...it comes with friendship....and it's a good thing.

JollyJottings

Prop 8 decision
Stock market
Golf
Front door
Chat with my friend
Toastmasters

HappyUP!!! Day 638

HappyUP!!! - only a week away from a grocery store within walking/biking distance of my house
Why it happened - who knows....they actually are running behind
Why it makes me happy -....wait, does it make me happy? Now that Whole Foods is FINALLY opening, does anyone have the dough to shop there? I don't know about you but a seperate trip to the Dollar Store for those "other items" has become cost effective for me. Still, I was very happy when I passed by here today and saw that a full service grocery store would FINALLY be in my neighborhood


HappyUP!!! - lunch with my ex-admin
Why it happened - it was a belated Boss's Day present
Why it makes me happy - I LOVE my ex-admin (in a HEALTHY WAY....get your head out of the gutter). We had such a lovely lunch and chat. Being around her almost makes me want to go back to work (I said ALMOST).

HappyUP!!! - hitting range balls
Why it happened - my best friend's brother called me up
Why it makes me happy - he was looking to me for golf tips. I really do like to help people with their swings...especially people with a clue. This guy has some. He has a few things to go and work on. Additionally, I always swing better when I am explaining the golf swing....it's like the one time when I listen to my own instruction!

HappyUP!!! Day 637

<----gratuitous silly picture (I really hope a miracle happens and we see her for 4 years and not Barry Pelosi)

HappyUP!!! - being out on the course
Why it happened - I went
Why it makes me happy - I have taken it easy and not played due to a back issue....not today. It was absolutely gorgeous out there. The morning chill fading to perfect temperatures....teeing off with a sweater and peeling it off. That is a good day

HappyUP!!! - the "geriatric" swing
Why it happened - see back situation
Why it makes me happy - I have played golf for 36 yrs. "Swing easier to hit farther" is a big "duh." Today, due to my back, I decided to "do pretty swings." These were like bunting.....and, guess what? The driver went about as far as full on effort....yet I had more control. When...when....when? will I learn? It was a HappyUP!!!

HappyUP!!! - great e-mail exchange
Why it happened - I have some great distant friends
Why it makes me happy - I love it when I know things are going well with the people I don't see often.

HappyUP!!! 636

"A heart's image lies within each person. It is what we truly reveal when we fall helplessly in love for then we are opened to display who we most truly are, giving a glimpse of our soul's genius"

-James Hillman, The Soul's Code

HappyUP!!! - James Hillman
Why it happened - I was laid up a bit today and could catch up on some reading
Why it makes me happy - Hillman is a tough read but is heralded as a modern day William James. As my back was hurting a bit, I did some reading that I had put aside. He's tough to read...but worth the work. This HappyUP!!! is about insight into soul.

HappyUP!!! - second story painting
Why it happened - we keep plugging along
Why it makes me happy - we are getting closer and closer to the completion of the project. Two stories of the green and white is looking even better than one. Tomorrow, the garage gets finished and we start working on the accents. Why is this a HappyUP!!!? We all like new stuff......this is like living in a new house.

HappyUP!!! - breakfast with the family
Why it happened - I wasn't golfing today
Why it makes me happy - I hadn't seen my friend and his family (my adopted family) for about a month. It was great to get back together and see them again. I need to adjust my tee times and make this more regularly. Being with people you love is what life is about.

JollyJottings

Breakfast
Talking with my friend
Neighbors weigh in
Phone conversation with a new friend
Lovely day
Poetry forum
Stretching

HappyUP!!! Day 635....Let's all go to...

....the clown museum - doot doot do do do do doot doot do do (work on the cadence and you should start hearing circus theme.....where are those elephants?).

Is this what it would look like - if we did go?

Just wondering

Also wondering - why I was so lucky to have so many reasons to give me periods of happiness today. Just an exceptional day.......and without a golf course involved? Who would have thunk-it? No way to limit it to three today.


HappyUP!!! - paint color
Why it happened - today was the final "D" Day for the body color decision
Why it makes me happy - I made the decision the other day....and then changed at the last minute this morning. It was an AWESOME decision. The new color choice was perfect. My friend, Max, assisted. My painter's wife assisted. It was a committee decision....one time when a committee was actually useful!

HappyUP!!! - the unveiling
Why it happened - the first floor is done except for some accent colors
Why it makes me happy - my painter does a great job...very thorough. He primed the entire house. He sprayed the trim color....and then masked over the trim. The body got sprayed today. Then, this afternoon, the masking came off to unveil the full blend and what the new look for my house will be. I am REALLY going to dig it....and I'm not usually into that sort of thing. Wait until the accents are added!

HappyUP!!! - a present
Why it happened - my buddy bought me something
Why it makes me happy - I have the new Coldplay CD now. I have their last two CD's and I am not sure I would have gotten around to buying this one. There is an excellent groove to this one.

HappyUP!!! - text from a friend
Why it happened - I texted first
Why it makes me happy - I needed to clear something up......and now it is. "Open loops" bug me so, when one is closed and closed positively, it's a definite HappyUP!!! (Have you noticed how many HappyUP!!!s have to do with communication?)

HappyUP!!! - visit from my friend, D
Why it happened - D was on the way home from the golf course
Why it makes me happy - D is into decorating houses and LOVED my new paint. D got the tour of the place and was in wonderment regarding the potential of my home....and offered to help me with some of the decorating if I needed it. I HATE decorating....but like the final outcome so it's good to have this help in the back pocket.

HappyUP!!! - breakfast with my guys
Why it happened - we needed to get together
Why it makes me happy - these guys are former co-workers. They mean a lot to me. I am thankful that I all of my relationships of so many years aren't just washing down the stream.....it's easy to happen. We had a great breakfast.

HappyUP!!! Day 634

HappyUP!!! - morning golf shots
Why it happened - I got out there before the herd
Why it makes me happy - it's a little tougher to play when it is chilly...makes for a tough start at our tract. Hole number 12 was a bit off track until I stuck a wedge 3 ft...HappyUP!!! Pulled a tee shot on 13....and hit a miraculous flop shot and saved par....HappyUP!!! 14 was playing long and tough.....used the hybrid to put my second shot just short and then used it again for a "chip" that I rolled up into gimme range for an easy par. .. HappyUP!!! On 16, I flushed a 6 iron....HapppyUP!!! when you consider the last 5 times I played this hole I hit it in the pond!

HappyUP!!! - tee shot on 9 (pictured to the left)
Why it happened - I took notice
Why it makes me happy - this was different than the above. I hit a drive but I couldn't see where it landed. It looked like it was headed for the sandtrap which would be an almost certain bogey at best. When I got up to the trap, I saw that the ball had carried the trap....I savored and celebrated the moment. I play with a lot of guys who would just let that pass. I enjoyed enjoying it....and hit a second shot within 10 ft of the pin.

HappyUP!!! - beginning of a new song
Why it happened - I used a recent experience
Why it makes me happy - it reminded me where my creativity comes from....taking my experiences and then exaggerating them. The next thing you know, a story is created....and a song is written.

JollyJottings

Drive on 9 this morning...and second shot
Hole number 12...birdie
Par saves on 13 and 14
Making a putting discovery
6 iron on 16 this morning
E-mail from a friend

HappyUP!!! Day 633

HappyUP!!! - choosing the paint
Why it happened - deadline
Why it makes me happy - it's OVER! See yesterday's post.

HappyUP!!! - dropping in on a meeting
Why it happened - I made it happen
Why it makes me happy - I think I'll end up playing a couple of rounds of golf with a guy I haven't teed it up with in forever.

HappyUP!!! - brekko on Friday
Why it happened - I got an e-mail
Why it makes me happy - I love these guys and really look forward to breaking bread (slammin pancakes) with them.

JollyJottings

Choosing paint
Dropping in on a meeting
Coffee with my friend
Setting up brekko for Friday
Confirming golf for the next 4 days
E-mail from a friend
Conversing with my painter

Marmoleum

"What the heck is Marmoleum?" - is a question that I frequently get when people ask me about my flooring.


When people are at my house - they usually dig the flooring and ask what it is.

Usually, when this discussion takes place - we aren't at my house.

The subject came up again the other night - and I thought, "we aren't usually at my house but we usually have access to a computer."


I thought I would throw this post up - so, in the future, I take all of my feeble attempts at describing what Marmoleum is out of the game....because, well, it's not a fun game.....

....OK....I end up stumbling on my tongue.

Marmoleum is usually found - in commercial applications. It comes in planks like I had installed but comes in large sheets as well (which are really good for commercial installation).

It comes in different colors - I like the grey because I not only like grey but I find that it hides the dirt and, hence, does not need to be mopped as often as a different color (which definitely fits my lifestyle...c'mon...do you really
think the Nutster is a mopster? I didn't think so)

You can see - that Marmoleum tucks nicely into the walls with some trim nailed over it. It also blends into contrasting floor coverings.

Marmoleum - there it is.

HappyUP!!! Day 632...Peppers & Paintchips

I had a bittersweet moment today - which can be a HappyUP!!! if you look at it correctly.

I started pulling up a few plants from the garden - I don't talk to other vegetable gardeners but I have to think that it's generally a sad moment when you have to pull up the plants that have provided such wonderful sustenance over the past months. Which leads to...

HappyUP!!! - appreciation of sustenance
Why it happened - I did some light gardening
Why it makes me happy - I took a moment to realize how lucky I am to have a patch of ground with good soil and to be able to grow such wonderful food. I didn't pull up
the peppers. God bless them, they are still going strong. I picked some sweets, bells, and hot fresno's. I chopped them up, added a little broccoli (from the store) and melted some cheese over them in the wok in celebration of a wonderful summer of sustenance.

HappyUP!!! - Toastmasters
Why it happened - it was an "on" week
Why it makes me happy - I heard two great speeches. Our new member gave his first evaluation and did a solid job out in critiquing a speaker who is pretty darn good. I am already seeing his growth....which is richly satisfying.



HappyUP!!! - putting the bio and obligatory headshot together
Why it happened - I volunteered to scare myself to death
Why it makes me happy - as I put together the items for the person running the comedy night I got roped into, it reminded me that it is a good thing to stick yourself out there on occasion. I can see that it is very easy to get a touch complacent about things once one is retired. It may be why everyone keeps saying, "you'll be back to work." While I am not so sure of that, I am sure that I am going to be finding new things to stretch myself.
(..and, no, this probably won't be the headshot but I cracked myself "gooning off" with my camera)



HappyUP!!! - lunch at the Blue Nami
Why it happened - I took one of my ex-admins to lunch
Why it makes me happy - I hadn't had sushi at this place before.....and it was pretty darn good. More importantly, it was nice to visit with one of "my girls" (yes, I know that is so "not-PC".....but it is a title that they gave themselves and still wish they had). I hadn't seen this one in months and it was nice to catch up on what has changed in her life....and it all sounds for the better.

HappyUP!!! - drinks with a long time acquaintenance
Why it happened - we made it happen
Why it makes me happy - I have probably known this person for 20 years but never had the chance to sit down and chat a bit....and I learned a lot. It builds the relationship (duh!) and works towards solidifying another long term friendship for the books

Last Minute Painting Help....

Here is a reach out - to any friends and regular readers who have more of a taste for exterior design than I

As you can see - I am all primed and almost ready to go.

The question is - what colors do I paint my old craftsman home?

We have to decide - 1) a body color 2) trim color (the eves....possibly the bricks) 3) an accent color for miscellaneous 4) the door will probably end up being a shade of red

The only other factor - is that the body has to to be a light color due to heat absorption. I also can't do light grey because my neighbor that I share a driveway with already took that color and I don't want things to look like the family compound.
<------check out that intricate woodwork in the window














From one side of the front












From the other side of the front as you walk up to the digs

HappyUP!!! Day 631

HappyUP!!! - phone call from my buddy
Why it happened - he was checking in with me
Why it makes me happy - it's good to know that you have someone that calls just to see how you are. It also is a reminder that I could do a bit more of that myself.

HappyUP!!! - sleep
Why it happened - no alarm clock today
Why it makes me happy - I don't want to be lazy.....but I also love it when I get a BIG night's sleep. I must have gotten almost 9 uninterrupted hours last night. From someone that has had insomnia issues (hopefully in the forever past), a full night's sleep is something to be grateful for.

HappyUP!!! - paint choice
Why it happened - I put some grinding to it
Why it makes me happy - I am heading to crunch time to get this done. The house is almost entirely prepped. I had spent some time on it....usually leading to frustration. Today, I saw something I liked. I showed it to my painter....he agreed as well. I think it's DONE! (Of course, tomorrow is another day!...LOL)

HappyUP!!! - Toastmasters materials arrived
Why it happened - I ordered them
Why it makes me happy - this will help us in our club building....these couldn't get here too soon.

HappyUP!!! Day 630

HappyUP!!! - morning golf
Why it happened - I golf....constantly....intentionally
Why it makes me happy - I've played too many days in a row so this morning really wasn't about a great score. It was just about being out with the guys and cutting up a bit. THAT definitely got accomplished in the first 9 holes ....then Boz dropped out and took the cart with him. It was great to walk 9 holes on a glorious morning. I stood on one tee and just soaked in the scenery like it was the first time I was out there....and thought about how lucky I am. I also had an EXTREMELY delicate little chip/pitch shot end up right next to the hole....I gave myself a few attaboys for that one.

HappyUP!!! - golfing bingo is over
Why it happened - Rickster birdied the last hole that he hadn't birdied
Why it makes me happy - the game was to see who could birdie all of the holes first. Rickster had 1 left and I had 3. Quite frankly, I was tired of playing those three holes as many times as I have and reminding myself that I have never birdied them. Watch me birdie them all in the next week!

HappyUP!!! - drive time
Why it happened - I decided it was a good day for a Sunday drive (it was Sunday, after all)
Why it makes me happy - I haven't been playing a lot of music around the house. I found some CD's in the car that I took that I haven't heard in awhile. Good music...gorgeous weather....grabbed some dinner....just driving....it was a sweet way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

HappyUP!!! Day 629

HappyUP!!! - getting my stuff back
Why it happened - I left my stuff behind
Why it makes me happy - ever left important stuff behind? Like a camera and your cell phone? You know that sinking feeling you get when you realize that the stuff is no longer in your possession? I got that today. I made a phone call to my "stuff leaving place"....stuff was found...and I went back and got it. In that moment when I got it back, it was a HappyUP!!! of relief.

HappyUP!!! - competitive golf
Why it happened - my club was short handed
Why it makes me happy - I played in the Scratch League today. No handicaps. Just go out and play on the team. While this wasn't a major tournament, I didn't see me progressing to this stage until next spring. I held my own.

HappyUP!!! - the first hole
Why it happened - see "competitive golf"
Why it makes me happy - even in casual golf, the first tee brings on some nervousness. I definitely felt them on the initial tee up today......and blasted a drive straight down the middle. I then hit a wedge within 10 ft of the hole. I hit a lot of great shots today but the start was what I remembered the most.

HappyUP!!! Day 628....Here comes the bride...

May I introduce you to the new Mr and Mrs - uh.... hmmm...well....

I'd love to - but I have no idea who these people are

While we used one of our other golf partners - to snap these pictures with my camera....

I did notice that the wedding photographer - took a couple of pictures of me and my buddy, R, along with the newlyweds.

Just think - years from now, this young couple will be thumbing through their wedding album and fondly say, "who the hell were those two guys....and why did they take pictures with us?"

You know - it cost me so little to be part of a couple's lifetime of memories. It makes me wonder why I don't share myself more.

HappyUP!!! - the wedding photo
Why it happened - they were on the bridge at our club when we were making the turn between nines.....and I was prepared with my camera and devious mind
Why it makes me happy - I cracked myself up.....and my golfing partners....I even think the bride and groom were relieved to get a little break from the photo shoot. I wish my photographer would have told me to take my earpiece for my phone off however. That's it! He's fired....sure, he can still play golf but he can no longer be my dresser.
(I really hope that the sweaty smell I detected when this was taken was coming off my golf buddy)

HappyUP!!! - hitting the chip of all chips
Why it happened - I hit the ball where I shouldn't have....
Why it makes me happy - .......then I had to figure out how to get myself out of this little jam. This is the beauty of golf. You have improvise sometimes. I was sitting in a very difficult situation. Then, I thought, "what if I take my wedge, drag it back along the ground, don't set the club with my wrists like usual, sweep through, make the ball rake up the clubface, fly the trouble spot, and then stop really quickly due to the weird backspin this stroke is going to create?" This isn't a shot I practice (...but will now). I hit it perfectly. The ball cleared the trouble, bit, and rolled up to the cup and rested with the ball HANGING on the lip BEHIND the hole (that means that this impossible shot that I was only trying to get within 6 feet SHOULD have fallen in). The round of golf was far from spectacular but this shot was a keeper....and a learning experience.....and why I play golf.

HappyUP!!! - phone call from a friend
Why it happened - we traded messages
Why it makes me happy - we had a great chat....so much so that we agreed that we should get together to exchange more meaningful conversation. I love meaningful conversations and now I have one coming up.

I'm a Flippin Genius! I'm a Flippin Genius!

"Genius means little more than the faculty of perceiving in an unhabitual way"

-William James

There you have it - right from the mouth of the father of modern psychology.

Go to the people that know me - and ask, "hey, you know the Nutster pretty well. Do you think he observes and perceives things in ways that are unhabitual?"

You WOULD - get a resounding, "Yes!"

OK...to be fair - I think you would have to substitute the word "unhabitual" with the word "different" for the crowd that I hang out with. I like the word "different" better anyway.

So....there you have it - like it or not....I'm a Certified Genius.

Don't worry about it getting to my head - it's really no news flash to me....but I have never flaunted this status upon anyone. I just do what I do.

The more important aspect of this post - are you a genius? Are you holding back your genius to "fit in"?

We have enough "habitual" people - I need you to be....the world needs you to be....YOU need you to be....the genius that you really are.

"Everyone is born a genius, but the process of living de-geniuses them"

-Buckminster Fuller

If you are short of HappyUP!!!s - at the end of today. Consider recording the discovery, re-discovery, or reminder of your genius that you have just been provided.

HappyUP!!! Day 627...Dedicated to the Ladies of CNBC

HappyUP!!! - a stock market rally (and why you see a picture of Erin Burnett and Melissa Lee...a couple of HappyUP!!!'s any day).
Why it happened - because it was way down yesterday?
Why it makes me happy - after a butt whipping yesterday (that is a Wall Street term), it was good to get a little bit back today....especially when we were 400 down on the Dow until it reversed 800 points to finish 400 to the good. For today, it puts a little extra money in everyones pocket.....something that the country needs.
NOTE: I did say "for today"

HappyUP!!! - scratch league invitation
Why it happened - I was hanging around...and our pro shop was desperate
Why it makes me happy - competitive golf.....with no handicaps.....straight up....mano y mano....against guys I don't know.....team counting on you.....lots of gut churning. I got the nod today for Saturday's match against three other clubs. Each club is taking their best 5 guys (or, better put, the best 5 guys they could get) and their pro and having it out. I'm really not quite ready for this type of event but, hey, when is someone ever ready. This is similar to the type of competitions I played in a quarter century ago.

HappyUP!!! - my ex-admin
Why it happened - today was Bosses Day
Why it makes me happy - she e-mailed me and wants to take me to lunch. How sweet is she? How good did I feel? HappyUP!!! to the max.....and lunch on Monday!

HappyUP!!! - meeting with an old friend next week
Why it happened - we finally got it together
Why it makes me happy - this is an old industry friend. We are going to get together for a drink and trade some war stories Tuesday. You can't beat that....something to look forward to.

JollyJottings

Talked with RH
Early golf
Stock Market
Playing with Wah
Scratch League
The Girls of CNBC
My ex-admin
Meeting next week

HappyUP!!! Day 626

HappyUP!!! - back 9 blitz
Why it happened - I hung in there
Why it makes me happy - I hit the first 8 greens on the back 9. If I hadn't skulled my pitching wedge after a massive drive on 18, I would have hit that green too. I made no putts so it was 9 pars on the back 9 after a lackluster front 9. The HappyUP!!! was the number of PURE irons I hit on the back side. You see the product of a shot from 200 yards on number 11 to the left (as well as Boz chipping up in the background). It was scary how well I hit the irons......when will the putts start to drop (No...I didn't make the one you see here).


HappyUP!!! - visit from Max
Why it happened - he was in the area
Why it makes me happy - I haven't seen Max in awhile. He wanted to check out my floors and my kitchen tiles for some remodeling he was doing. We had a nice little chat. It was a cool drop in.

HappyUP!!! - advisors
Why it happened - I lined them up today
Why it makes me happy - I had standing coffee with my spiritual friend....breakfast with the guy that manages my long term finances.....and then went to my chiropractor to adjust my back issue from last week. I got a lot done in one morning....all with people that I really enjoy interacting with. Good conversation....and spinal adjustment.....put me on top of the world.


JollyJottings

Coffee with my spiritual advisor
Breakfast with my financial advisor
Adjustment from my spinal advisor
Ticket free
Visit from Max
Back 9 Blitz

HappyUP!!! Day 625

Another target on the driving range - and it is a darn big one.

Enjoy the gorgeous - Harvest Moon

HappyUP!!! - TM exec meeting
Why it happened - I showed up
Why it makes me happy - we weren't really scheduled to have a regular meeting because we meet every other week. We have been having ad hoc exec meetings on the "off" weeks to discuss strategy on rebuilding our membership. We didn't firm up today but I thought, "you know, I better go up there in case any guests might have gotten confused." I have the key to the building. All the members were waiting for me! We had a great meeting and we all have action items that will take us where we need to be.

HappyUP!!! - golf...weather...etc
Why it happened - do I need to even say why
Why it makes me happy - the score wasn't there. I have a putter that is malfunctioning (OK....there could be operator error). I am making nothing...nothing. But I am hitting some incredible shots. One particular HappyUP!!! was a tricky little pitch that I hit all the way over a trap and across about 30 yards of putting green to 3 feet from the hole. I hit it EXACTLY like I wanted to and my instincts were perfect. I also hit a couple of 8 irons that were just stellar. I hit 12 greens in regulation which is only two off my record. I would have gotten 2 more but some unfortunate breaks prevented that. If the putter starts working today, I could have had a run at my best round. Oh well...that is what they make tomorrow for.

HappyUP!!! - info from a friend
Why it happened - my friend e-mailed it to me
Why it makes me happy - the information was excellent....better than hoped for.

HappyUP!!! Day 624

What a gorgeous day - to be out and just sucking it in. Eventually, we probably broke 80 degrees but for the morning and early afternoon, I am sure we were in that perfect mid-70's. No wind...no clouds.

This combination - will dominate my HappyUP!!!'s today.

HappyUP!!! - watching the geese
Why it makes me happy - they were all over the place today
Why it makes me happy - this set flew over my head ...way over. They went off in the distance, banked, and circled back. Much like an airplane approaching an airport, they were circling so they could bring it in on
the "runway." All 50 passengers landed right next to me next to the 9th green at Morgan Creek. Now, these geese are NOT a HappyUP!!! to the greenskeeper. They are quite distructive in digging up the grass...as well as a bit indiscriminate about where they "drop their payloads" (like right on the greens). But, the spectacle was just that spectacular.

HappyUP!!! - no wind
Why it happened - we had four days of wind...time for a break?
Why it makes me happy - as you all know, my goal is to improve my golf game. It's good to challenge yourself in the wind now and then. Right now, however, it was a distraction. October will be the last month of warm weather. I want to see how low I can go while we still have a solid golf season. Though I continually improve, I can do a lot better in the next 30 days. One specific goal will most likely be reached by the end of the month......6 months ahead of time.

HappyUP!!! - the stock market
Why it happened - who knows....I don't trust it
Why it makes me happy - though I have gone to a substantial cash position for my short term holdings, I still had enough in to get some benefit of a day that saw the Dow up over 900 points. I even SOLD one stock in the middle of the rally after it had gone up $4 a share. It ended up finishing the day lower. I was ready to sell this stock this morning...even if it had gone down some more. It just feels good to see things go in the correct direction after a couple of weeks of slaughter.

HappyUP!!! - golfing with my golf partners
Why it happened - the course was open on a Monday
Why it makes me happy - I could play with these guys every day. We were on the 10th green. The weather was brilliant. The greens were rolling as well as I had ever seen them roll. NOBODY was on the golf course because most people didn't get the memo that the course was open today due to Columbus Day. My golf could have been substantially better...even though I shot two solid scores today....but the day was perfect.

JollyJottings

Learning about shafts
My painter showing up on schedule

HappyUP!!! Day 623...

HappyUP!!! - the morning
Why it happened - I was on the golf course
Why it makes me happy - it was chilly this morning. It was windy too. Then, my golf partner, the Boz, says, "can you believe how lucky we are to be out here?" First, he was right. Second, it was good to know I was hanging with someone who got what I get all the time when I am out there. I don't know what this picture means to you. There are times when I am out there, alone, and the golf course isn't crowded. I stop at this pond and watch the ducks with their offspring.....the flocks of geese...etc.

HappyUP!!! - a great e-mail
Why it happened - my out of town friend got back to me
Why it makes me happy - I need to go and see this person.....and it is about time for a road trip. I should get this one on the books and go.

HappyUP!!! - the club is open tomorrow
Why it happened - it's Columbus Day
Why it makes me happy - GOLF.....ON A MONDAY....no golfless day this week! I am dying to get back out there on a day when there is no wind. I have had 4 poor scores in a row...but I hit the ball well. Time to get out and post a low one again!

A Rocky Prospect

There may be a HappyUP!!! - long after this pile of rocks disappears...

...but there is nothing fun - about what has to happen in the meantime.

Which obviously means there is only one - HappyUP!!! to this.......that this isn't parked in front of my house!

HappyUP!!! Day 622

HappyUP!!! - coffee with my friend
Why it happened - festivities caused a venue change
Why it makes me happy - I don't get much one on one with this guy. He is my best friend's brother...someone that lives closeby and will be a friend for life. He is getting into golf and was looking for some help

HappyUP!!! - festivites/fun run
Why it happened - it was a breast cancer deal
Why it makes me happy - the runners went right by my house so I got to check them out going by. I also walked down to the start line. There is something about people coming out for community events that is just fun. The cause makes it solid as well.

HappyUP!!! - a hole in 3
Why it happened - my playing partner shanked his first shot OB
Why it makes me happy - though it didn't count as an ace, I got to see a ball hit from the tee go into the hole! I'm also glad that wasn't me. I have never had a hole in one and knocking in a second attempt would be worse than never having one.

HappyUP!!! - a near ace
Why it happened - I hit one right at the hole
Why it makes me happy - it's exciting when you hit a shot, thinks it has a chance, see it hit the green, roll near the hole, and think it is going in. It's even better when someone in your group has already hit one so close that it doesn't look like he can be outdone. In my case today, it was an optical illusion. It was right at the hole, looked like it had a chance, but it was 5 ft short. Still, hitting a shot that pure is a HappyUP!!! I hit A TON of pure shots today...it's why I play golf....and a HappyUP!!! everytime I strike one like that.

JollyJottings

Festivities
Coffee with my friend
A Lot of great golf shots
Trimming the bushes
Chatting with neighbors
Golf with two guys I will play with again
Manageable wind
Hole in Three
A possible hole in one

HappyUP!!! Day 621.....

<----Check this out - this is an exciting picture of my TV remote. I know...you are going, "Wow...that's pretty exciting stuff, Nutster!"

Hey, it is - my previous digital camera couldn't touch this. My new Canon cost what?...two hundred bucks?

Do I really need to go out and spend $1000 - on an SLR? (I think that is what those cameras are called that you would have to change lenses on). Of course, if I had an SLR, I could wear one of those super cool camera cases around my neck and be THAT guy. (<-----facetious statement alert) I think this is pretty cool - and, once I really figure this camera out, should put me in a position to have too much fun screwing around.

HappyUP!!! - Toastmasters Contest
Why it happened - I went to support my club contestants
Why it makes me happy - our club sent representatives in the two contests, Table Topics and Humorous Speech, to the area level. Both of our members won. Tonight was the NEXT level after that at the division. We didn't advance but I dig watching these guys grow....and seeing their guts churn! Plus, there were some pretty funny speeches there.

HappyUP!!! - an opportunity to make myself a nervous wreck
Why it happened - I did an outstanding job
Why it makes me happy - let's face it....we can be lazy and pass up things. Tonight, at the Division Contest, I was asked to be a humorist. This is a little filler part of the program where you go up and tell a joke. I had put off figuring out a good joke.....mainly because, at Toastmasters, it has to be a clean joke. Most of the clean jokes I know are short. I strung together 4-5 of them, personalized them and made myself the butt/sufferer in the joke, and busted people up. It was a little Rodney Dangerfield meets Johnny Carson kind of thing. Afterward, a lady came up and said, "Are you a comedian? I need a comedian for Friday Night Fun Night." I told her I wasn't.....she said I was.....and I took the gig. Now, I get to fret for about a month in putting together an act. I am sure, in the end, I will be glad that I did it which is the HappyUP!!! Gotta stretch

HappyUP!!! - a couple of good birdies
Why it happened - I pulled off some magic
Why it makes me happy - the wind howled today. I wouldn't have gone to the course if I knew how hard the wind was going to be blowing. Despite this, I birdied the hardest hole on the golf course and another one that gives me fits. We won't talk about the rest of the day....or my messed up hair!

JollyJottings

E-mail exchange with T.H.
Playing golf with an old friend and really nice guy I hadn't seen in forever
The painter showed up
Breakfast and banter with my favorite waitress
Finding an old earpiece...a Eureka!!! moment

HappyUP!!! Day 620....

HappyUP!!! - the lie you see pictured
Why it happened - that is where the ball ended up
Why it makes me happy - how in the world could this lie make me happy? That's easy....it wasn't mine! Nah, this wasn't really a HappyUP!!! because it was my buddy, R's, lie. We weren't playing against each other so I didn't benefit from this terrible situation. OK...this HappyUP!!! doesn't count. I'll still deliver three for you.

HappyUP!!! - chicken
Why it happened - I took some initiative
Why it makes me happy - this little marinade that I put together yielded some of the best chicken I have ever tasted! I'm not kidding. It's always great when you put together an awesome taste experience.

HappyUP!!! - my new camera
Why it happened - I bought it yesterday
Why it makes me happy - I am getting some great pictures. This is just a little Canon Powershot Elph but I can get some closeups that I couldn't get before. It's a HappyUP!!! for you to because, my extensive studies show, you love pictures with my posts much better.

HappyUP!!! - a windy round
Why it happened - uh....the wind blew?
Why it makes me happy - I didn't score as well as I would have liked but I did manage to hit a lot of quality shots that cheated the wind.....and didn't end up in lies like you see to the left. You have to know how to hit the ball low when the wind comes up. This was good practice.

EatUP!!!! BBQ chicken to the max

"It tastes like chicken" - is an old joke for describing anything that we eat that is kind of weird.

I think the joke is funny - because it means that the item is OK...but nothing special.

Eat some of this - and you'll never say that again.

Get yourself three boneless chicken boobs - put them in a cannister. Add:

Olive Oil........some
Soy Sauce.....not a bunch but some
Garlic powder.....how much do you like garlic
Freshly chopped basil....I like basil...fresh...from the garden
Freshly chopped fresno pepper (jalapeno's would work too)

Put the cannister in the fridge overnight - turn em and shake em occasionally

Throw those bird boobs on the grill - and take them off while still moist.

That, my friends - is some good eatin'

HappyUP!!! Day 619....TODAY is why I live in Nor Cal

How nice does this look? - teed off at 3:50 with the Boz, never saw another golfer all day (no waiting), and were done by 6:30. I guess the only downside to playing that fast is that we didn't get to enjoy the weather long enough!

HappyUP!!! - new camera
Why it happened - I got off my fanny (finally) after my old one gave up the ghost
Why it makes me happy - 1) I am back in business snapping photos. 2) I have not read the owner's manual and I have the basics figured out 3) The editing software that came with the camera lets me type in captions (see next photo).....that's trouble!....fun trouble! 4) This camera will let me take extreme closeups.


HappyUP!!! - today's round
Why it happened - I make it happen...everyday
Why it makes me happy - I tied my lowest round...a 74 on a 73.9 course rating course. I had a shot at breaking par of 72 today....and I didn't get much help in the way of breaks. I did hole out a bunker shot....that's a HappyUP!!! It's the first one since I started playing seriously again...and it was a great little shot.

HappyUP!!! - the service at Wide World of Golf
Why it happened - I needed a wedge
Why it makes me happy - I needed a specific wedge. I thought I got the right one yesterday. When I got it home, I realized that it was the wrong one. I went back today and they said they could have the right one by Monday or Tuesday. That's pretty good. Then, the guy said, "here is a Volkey which is real similar to the one you ordered. You can use it until your new one comes in." Wow. I try to support my pro shop at the club whenever possible but, when it comes to these sorts of things, you have to deal with a bigger chain. The bigger chain went the extra mile today....for sure.

Decision

(A Special Post for the good folks over at Sunday Scribblings )

Decide - to cut off all other possibilities

HappyUP!!! Day 618

HappyUP!!! - Toastmasters
Why it happened - we had a meeting scheduled
Why it makes me happy - I gave a speech. Our new member gave his first speech. We had members out so it was a skeleton crew...but we got the meeting done.

HappyUP!!! - being able to swing a club
Why it happened - I went to the chiropractor yesterday
Why it makes me happy - my back was tender....I tried to go easy on it. Tomorrow will tell if I may have overdid things. In the meantime, I was thrilled to be able to go out and make some contact with the golf ball today....any contact. I actually had a pretty good round. The driver was working very well today...that makes me happy because I am not having to work my way out of tough situations on the course.

HappyUP!!! - friends
Why it happened - I ran into an old one and got info from a new one
Why it makes me happy - my circle of acquaintances is bigger than I appreciate....many of these people are really more than that.....they really are friends that I don't get to see very often. The stumbling across these two different people reminded me of that today....and that made me happy.

JollyJottings

Spiritual discussion
Toastmasters
Speech
Finding a club
Finding a camera
Being able to swing a club
Solid round of golf
Hearing from a friend

HappyUP!!! Day 617

HappyUP!!! - breakfast with E
Why it happened - we set it up
Why it makes me happy - E's one of my buddies. We really enjoy breaking bread on a regular basis. We had a productive business discussion. We even got to chat with one of our favorite waitress friends.

HappyUP!!! - a market rally
Why it happened - who the heck knows
Why it makes me happy - yes, I know we were down 370 points for the day...but it was 800! Hopefully, the "rally" will continue tomorrow. If it does, it will be time to take some more cash out of the markets for now. This is not about "timing the market" as your financial advisor warns. I still have skin in the game. It's time to increase my cash position from 39% to about 50-60%.

HappyUP!!! - my adjustment
Why it happened - my back tweaked yesterday....and was no better this morning
Why it makes me happy - I only go to a chiro about once a year on an as needed basis. Today's adjustment had to be an all time record for the total number of pops. My chiro said, "dude, what are you doing for exercise.... besides golf? You were all locked up." THAT was all I needed. As soon as the back heals up (like by tomorrow...hey, I gotta play golf), it is time to kick in the core work and stretching that I was going to take up to hit the ball farther. Now, I have DOUBLE motivation.....avoid the pain and whip the ball.
JollyJottings

My CPA
My Chiropractor
My adjustment
Breakfast with E
A market rally
Talking with my appraiser buddy
Boz
Ice Cream
Call from my buddy, SC
Dar Williams CD
Info from V

HappyUP!!! Day 616...

HappyUP!!! - Golf
Why it happened - it didn't rain...so I golf
Why it makes me happy - almost holed a wedge. Almost holed a 6 iron. Pured a 5 iron. Made 2 birdies (I average about 1 a round). Also, a single joined us who is a really nice guy. It was nice to meet him. I have seen him around the club but never had a chance to chat.

HappyUP!!! - 20 more yards
Why it happened - demo days on the range
Why it makes me happy - PING brought out there computer. I hit my driver against one of their's that had a bit of customization for me. The PING may have gone 20 yards farther.....that's hard to ignore. I will be conducting a comprehensive driver search in the next month...that was already scheduled. This was good information....longer drives means MORE birdies.

HappyUP!!! - my convertible and glorious weather
Why it happened - I insist on keeping my convertible
Why it makes me happy - if you haven't driven around on a 70 degree day with the top down lately, may I make a suggestion...go try it. I'm not even going to verbalize why this is a HappyUP!!!
JollyJottings

Golf with a new guy
2 Birdies
20 more yards
Watching some baseball
Glorious weather
My convertible
Weight
E-mailing with an out of town friend

HappyUP!!! Day 615

While I don't think it was sunny enough to bring out the Mexican hats - it ended up being nice enough to squeeze in 36 holes of golf.

HappyUP!!! - our first real rain
Why it happened - who knows....it's way early
Why it makes me happy - it's the firs it rain of the year. It's radically different from anything we have felt for awhile. Hopefully, it is a harbinger of things to come. We really could use some good rainfall this winter...yes, even if it does screw up golf. (Did I really just say, "even if it screws up golf?)


HappyUP!!! - four 5 irons
Why it happened - I made some good swings
Why it makes me happy - in golf, you have shots that end up in a good place....shots that you hit good....and then you have PURITY. You can go rounds between hitting a pure shot. On four seperate par 3's today, I hit PURE 5-irons. One of them HAD to have scraped the flagstick for a near hole-in-one. The feeling that you get through your hands is better than s.....uh......spreading peanut butter on toast. The ball flight is perfect. Yes, we play golf for score but we also play for these shots. I snuck a 4 iron in off a bad lie that wasn't bad either.

HappyUP!!! - the text inviting me for the second 18
Why it happened - my buddy couldn't make it for the morning round
Why it makes me happy - I was going to leave it at 18 holes today....but I did learn a few things in the morning round that I wanted to apply. When I got the opportunity, it was a HappyUP!!! While the round didn't lead to a fantastic score, it did lead to more learning. Anyway, getting the call was the HappyUP!!!

HappyUP!!! Day 614

Yes...that's my golf ball - buried in the face of the sandtrap next to the 18th green at Morgan Creek

NOT a HappyUP!!! - but wait a minute! Look closer at the drawing on the golf ball.
What's looking up at me? - how can you get mad at something that looks like that. I have to tell you...
...it cracked me up! - and I promptly made an excellent extraction from this predicament.


HappyUP!!! - PH's e-mail
Why it happened - it was a followup to a phone conversation
Why it makes me happy - PH gave me a call via the weirdest of wrong number coincidences yesterday. We had a great conversation....forgot to mention it as a HappyUP!!! yesterday. When I saw the e-mail today, it reminded me that I was reacquainted with a new friend. Huh? "Reacquainted with a new friend"....if you knew the whole story, it would be rather funny

HappyUP!!! - swingin in the rain
Why it happened - it was raining for the first time of the year...and we still wanted to play golf
Why it makes me happy - it was more of an off and on sprinkle to sprinkle plus. We were all wearing shorts. The golf was less than stellar...that's for sure. It was kind of fun to be out there not knowing if, all of a sudden, we were going to get drenched. I'm glad we played

HappyUP!!! - breakfast
Why it happened - I went out for breakfast
Why it makes me happy - I went to "my place" for brekko. The pancakes had a sour taste...that was actually really, really good. They weren't like usual. I also had a nice chat with my waitress buddy regarding literature.

HappyUP!!! Day 613

HappyUP!!! - my morning round of golf
Why it happened - I decided I needed a round to myself
Why it makes me happy - see the post directly below this one

HappyUP!!! - visit from my painter
Why it happened - we had an appointment
Why it makes me happy - choosing colors is NOT a HappyUP!!! for the Nutster. It's not a strong point either. Oh sure, I can mix and match colors.....gave up the GurAnimals long ago. The base color that I wanted, grey, was taken by my neighbor. This threw everything into a tizzy. My painter and his wife came up with a scheme that I think is going to work very nicely......a HappyUP!!!

HappyUP!!! - the VP Debate
Why it happened - I guess they need to do these silly things
Why it makes me happy - our girl, Sarah, did more than hold her own. This lady is a winner......and I hope for the sake of not having the Pelosi-Reed puppet in the White House....that her ticket is a winner. If Palin had a bad night this evening, I think the McCain ticket was doomed.

You Must Learn One Thing

"You must learn one thing
The world was made to be free in
Give up all the other worlds
Except the one to which you belong"

-from the poem, Sweet Darkness,
by David Whyte

It would have been hard to imagine - being in any place in the world this morning that was more peaceful to me than at my home golf course, Morgan Creek.

I teed off on my own - at 7:15. There was an overcast that gave the fall morning a different feel. It wasn't summer. It wasn't spring. Nor
winter or fall.

As I headed to the tee - I heard the geese flying overhead and looked up to see that harmonious V they form as they work together to make their long journey possible.

By the time I had reached the 4th hole - I noticed the sun having to do a little extra work to rise over the magnificent cloud cover.

...and I gave myself a pinch - before I smited my next tee shot. I grew up playing golf. I abandoned it to go and play in the business/corporate world for twenty years. Perhaps "abandoned" is a strong word.


"Neglected" my golf game - may be a more apt description. I have spent the last two months becoming reacquainted with the game that I used to play so much in my youth. Over the years, I had become jaded that I would never again reach the skill level that I once had.

I hoped that - perhaps by next Spring and with some hard work, I would approach levels seen earlier in my life. Recent rounds have demonstrated that I may already be there.....possibly even better than my earlier days.

Golf is a wicked game - this may just be a hot streak that I am on. Golf will humble you. This is part of it's charm. Time will tell.

One thing that time will not change - the golf course is where I belong. While I enjoy the company of my friends that I play with and they are an enhancement to my life, one of my real joys is to take in the surroundings in solitude uninterrupted by any sort of banter.

Someone said - "life is not measured by the number of breaths you take but by the number of moments that take your breath away." My breath was abated this morning....

....and it made me wonder - how many breaths do we all hold in each and every day as we live in worlds that we don't belong....but have been led to due the influence of society?

People say that I am a strange cat - and they are correct. I am strange. On the golf course or off, I spend more time in the world in which I belong as I can.

What thing do you need to give up today - that is not really your world....your essence? What is the cost to give it up? What will you gain by being able to spend more time in the world that you do belong in? What is stopping you? What can you do to change your direction....your path?

Society will do it's best - to normal-ize you. It is like a gravitational pull. You don't necessarily feel it...but it's there if you stop, drop an apple, and notice it. The pull may exist but it doesn't mean that you need to be sucked in by it. Materialism.....vanity......conforming over concern of what others might thing....reaching for a shot of booze/adrenalin/overproviding for kids/pick your addiction.......they can all feel normal after awhile.

But are any of these things really - "your world" or have you made them an obligation......that has nothing to do with you?