What you got in the tank?

Ketchup, the condiment, called by radio personality Garrison (born Gary) Keillor, a mellowing agent. I like metaphors and ketchup is my new metaphor for reconnecting.

A few years back I went on the road with Practical Resources, the real estate training specialists. Our objective is to educate Realtors so they can attain Real Estate Owned (REO) properties as listing agents. We provide information and skills in the seminar and sell our back of room (BOR) material.

I am the emcee and learned a valuable lesson in delivering a humorous story, the wisdom of the Meaningful Pause. A pause that lasts long enough to allow everyone to laugh, catch the lingering laughers, and even an extra wave of laughter. It was a new type of attention to me.

We finished Thursday night. Friday I raced from Fresno to Dublin, California where I met my wife, switched cars, suitcases and identities continuing the race to the airport and flew to Portland, Oregon. There I was to vault the ceiling of my son’s new ranch style home. With my carpenter tools, and old clothes I changed into Grandpa Gary, carpenter-engineer.

We cut away trusses, doubled up all the rafters and transformed a flat 8’ ceiling into a 14’ high vault. I worked with my son Zane and oldest friend Jack. We completed a 36’ x 36’ living, dining, and kitchen.

I left 10 pounds of Grandpa Gary there and don’t want them to send them back.

Upon returning home, I happened upon a story of Isaac Perlman, the great violinist, who had polio. It was a struggle for him to come on to stage, remove his leg braces, much less play.

As he began to play, one of the four violin strings broke. The conductor stopped the piece; Perlman examined the string, placed the violin back under his chin, nodded to the conductor and began to play. And play he did, more magnificent than usual.

Upon finishing the concert when the applause died down, he said to the audience -“Sometimes you must find out how much you can make with what you have left.” In the vaulting the ceiling I saw and felt how much I have left as Grandpa Gary, carpenter. It was a lot.

What do you have left?

Take a meaningful pause and ask yourself what you have done, or could do, that would make a difference in your life and those around you?

I hope you find you have got a lot left, and some right too.

Ah Summertime

I had a chance to jump in a lake, and I did. It’s part of my childhood and who I still am. I am the kid who dives off the rocks, runs the rapids and with Tom Sawyer energy, plays with the other kids. I still have my enthusiasm, and I am going to do whatever Ican to keep it alive and thriving.

Ancient Wisdom says to become as the small child has not been lost on me. I shan’t be the one who wishes I spent more time at the office, or wishes I spent more time in the lake. If Earth is a resort as I believe, I am one of its most appreciative tourists.

This is the discipline of freedom, more time in the lake!

The discipline of fun and playing the fool.

This is the free attention to seize the day and build the castle in the sand.

The time to see how many skips that stone will fly.

To hug a tree cause it asked to be hugged.

To toss the stick for the dogs to chase into the lake.

To sing any and all those great SUMMERTIME tunes.

To be a little disciplined to not eat too much watermelon so you can have an ice cream cone on the way back from the lake.

I write to Cure Seriousitis™ to share the wisdoms of life and the thrills of getting your feet wet and being grateful for what you did.

Don’t miss Summer, school starts soon for all Life Long Learners. I write to Cure Seriousitis™ because life is a party when you participate.