Life and Random Thinking

Keeping it all in Perspective

Posted on January 29, 2012 by dfolstad58

Day 633: One of those days | Good Deed A Day.

I think in the future I would like to provide links to other blogs on a regular basis. This link (above) has a simple message; but one worth remembering.

I liked this blog post and hope you do too, the message is not “watch your step” although that it always a good idea.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Speaking of “good ideas-I received this email today ~ will post it for the gals especially.

As a bagpiper, I play many gigs. Recently I was asked by a funeral director to play at a graveside service for a homeless man. He had no family or friends, so the service was to be at a pauper’s cemetery in the Kentucky back country.As I was not familiar with the backwoods, I got lost and, being a typical man, I didn’t stop for directions.

I finally arrived an hour late and saw the funeral guy had evidently gone and the hearse was nowhere in sight. There were only the diggers and crew left and they were eating lunch.

I felt badly and apologized to the men for being late. I went to the side of the grave and looked down and the vault lid was already in place. I didn’t know what else to do, so I started to play.

The workers put down their lunches and began to gather around. I played out my heart and soul for this man with no family and friends.And as I played ‘Amazing Grace,’ the workers began to weep. They wept, I wept, we all wept together. When I finished I packed up my bagpipes and started for my car. As I opened the door to my car, I heard one of the workers say, “I never seen nothin’ like that before and I’ve been putting in septic tanks for twenty years.”

Apparently I’m still lost…. it’s a man thing

Posted in humor, Thinking Out loud, Uncategorized | Tagged asking directions, bagpipes, racoon, typical man | Leave a comment

Knocking Heads

Posted on January 29, 2012 by dfolstad58

How is that for a title?

What does it make you think of? Perhaps you are thinking of someone that you don’t get along with…someone that you always seem to be battling against. That person you disagree with without trying.

It is possible to see it that way; but when I thought of this post it was caused by a totally different inspiration.

My inspiration was more of “head bump” so the title is misleading. I was inspired by the little “head bump” I often receive when I climb into bed to hug my wife, Sue, before I go to sleep.

In the dark there seems to be the inevitable “head bump” which always makes me laugh. Chuckling I guess because we both have hard heads. Chuckling, because after nearly 32 years; little things like that about us still makes me smile.

I hope you “knock heads” with someone like I do; and it makes you chuckle also. It’s a good way to go to sleep at night; …..rubbing your forehead; and …. grinning.

I hope you “like” this post.

Posted in family, humor, Thinking Out loud | Tagged heart medicine, hug | Leave a comment

Sometimes When We Write

Posted on January 23, 2012 by dfolstad58

Back at the keyboard again and I have a great idea based on some photographs. But what do I do when people see a blog post that seems philosophical and then think that I am depressed or at least thoughtful. Worry not- I am just blogging! Look ahead soon for some cool pictures on paths ~ but don’t worry I am not depressed, just trying to be “provoking”.

BTW – there are lots of different blogs out there to discover (do you have one?) and here is one creative Winnipeg blog that you may like! He seems to like one of my favorite tv shows- can you guess?

His blog is called Eye Opening Design ~ click and check his blog.

http://stevendownie.wordpress.com/

What next?

The above picture is in Rome, we had a great vacation and we were posing while waiting at the Coliseum to do a tour. It was a wonderful holiday because it was family all together and I will never forget sharing it with my family. I never thought I would visit Rome and so it was pretty amazing the whole experience of being there with Sue, Mandy & Dave. I am sure glad we went.

This youtube link is thanks to Mandy! Thanks Mandy for making me smile, and so much more.Love your proud Dad

This animated cat had us laughing at Christmas this year, and the video meow made Africa (the world’s best cat ever!) look around the house trying to find the other cat.

Posted in humor, Thinking Out loud, Uncategorized | Tagged animated cat, meow | Leave a comment

2012 – New Year, New Post

Posted on January 21, 2012 by dfolstad58

2012 is a new year but today is January 21 already so I obviously haven’t rushed to provide any insights or thoughts to boldly inspire anyone. Frankly, inspiration is tough work, and often short lived. I have a done a few speeches for Toastmasters in which my goal was to be inspiring. I was successful, or at least I was told that I was; but except for the general gist of those speeches; I can’t remember those speeches at all. The motto is not that I can’t be inspiring, or that you can’t either; more likely that words get forgotten. People and inspiring actions are more powerful and provoking.

I suspect that there is a little bit of “Calvin” in all of us. That is the genius of this comic strip. Calvin is boisterous, outspoken, and has a best friend who is a tiger. How cool is that?

Back to being “inspiring” ~ what is most inspiring is actions, not words. I suspect only a fraction know who Gandhi was, or where Mother Teresa lived (Calcutta); but most would identify them as “ inspiring”.

I am inspired regularly, and I admit it. Regular people inspire me. Hard working moms who balance home, marriage, meals, and a career while trying to hug and guide “budding adults”; the paper deliverer who delivers my paper into my mailbox every day ~ it is cold and dark out there! He is doing a great job, and it isn’t easy. Nurses inspire me; especially those who care for the aged with such patience. The patients I meet in hospitals are invariably inspiring to me also.

I don’t think it is just that I am inspired easily; I think it is that around me I see actions, and behaviors that are admirable and worth noting; worth appreciating; worth valuing.

Life is like a ten-speed bicycle. Most of us have gears we never use.
– Charles Schulz

So here is the new year of 2012. I hope it will be a kind one to you; and me. I trust that I improve myself a little bit from last year; I hope I can inspire myself by my actions, by saying “yes” to opportunities; and by being positive.

I hope I can make some blog posts that I enjoy, and others do too. Some funny, some cute; and some thoughtful. What the heck, I can always delete them, right !

To my family, and friends. Thanks for encouraging me to keep on.