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cars
I was reading one of my favorite books, for probably the third time and I came across something that myself along with the Randy Pausch, agree on. Randy’s wife had recently crashed her van into her husbands car on accident in the drive way and was nervous to what her husband reaction would be. She pleaded that she would get up early in the morning and get quotes for their repairs.
” I told her that wasn’t necessary. The dents would be OK. My parents had raised me to recognize that automobiles are there to get you from point A to point B. They are utilitarian devices not expressions of social status. And so I told Jai we didn’t need to do cosmetic repairs. We’d just live with the dents and gashes”
This is just a simple lesson to remember(and yes I feel like Alexander Supertramp saying this). In the grand scheme of things automobiles are tools of transportation… They are not accessories or markers of social status.
if you have some time pick up The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch
Here’s the book
Randy Pausch’s The Last Lecture (Book)
or watch the video of the lecture.
Live a good life. If there are gods and they are just, then they will not care how devout you have been, but will welcome you based on the virtues you have lived by. If there are gods, but unjust, then you should not want to worship them. If there are no gods, then you will be gone, but will have lived a noble life that will live on in the memories of your loved ones. I am not afraid.
Marcus Aurelius
A water bearer in China had two large pots, each hung on the ends of a pole which he carried across his neck. One of the pots had a crack in it, while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water. At the end of the long walk from the stream to the house, the cracked pot arrived only half full. For a full two years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only one and a half pots full of water to his house. Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, perfect for which it was made. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of what it had been made to do. After 2 years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream. “I am ashamed of myself because this crack in my side causes water to leak all the way back to your house.”
The bearer said to the pot, “Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of the path, but not on the other pot’s side? That’s because I have always known about your flaw, and I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back, you’ve watered them. For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate the table. Without you being just the way you are, there would not be this beauty to grace the house.”
Moral: Each of us has our own unique flaws. We’re all cracked pots. But it’s the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding. You’ve just got to take each person for what they are, and look for the good in them.
Blessings to all my crackpot friends
“Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.”
– Antoine de Saint-Exupery
#42 Practice Affirmation
“There is much to celebrate in yourself, your family, your friends and the world around you. Take the time to reflect….”
Write it on your heart that every day is the best day of the year.
-Ralph Waldo Emerson
-Thank you Matt Chmura for my current read (100 Ways to Happiness by Timothy Sharp)
and i flew
“Come to the edge” he said,
“We can’t, we are afraid” they said…
“We can’t, we are afraid” they said…
“Come to the edge”
“We can’t, we will fall”
“Come to the edge”
and they came
and he pushed them
and they flew.
Guillaume Appollinaire
Reading?
I wanted to share a few books I have read recently and something I took away from the read. Feel free to get in touch with me to hear more, or if you want to borrow the book. I’d love to hear a comment about some other peoples opinion on these books.
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How to win friends and influence people Carnegie - Ew this name kills me everytime, I dont want to win friends, I want to make friendships. But I couldn’t put off this read any longer, a friend had just finished reading it for the 10th time and shoved it in my face, “read this.” So I did.
And it was good, just like everyone said. There were a lot of techniques in this book I had already been trying to do with my life… like smile more blah blah blah. One powerful message I did take away was never say anything negative about anyone, EVER. It is so easy to be around friends and want to share something negative that had been ticking you off, but whats to gain? I dont think saying something bad about anyone has ever gotten anyone anywhere. Okay, maybe it has, but thats not the way I want to make it.
Lesson Learned- Never say anything negative about anyone ever.
People say “this may be the only book you ever need to read.” Their argument is this book teaches you about personal relationships, and thats the most important thing… and it is. But the most important relationship a person can have is with them self. This book does have answers , but not all of them
8/10
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The Game/Penetrating the secret society of pickup artists. Straus- Again another book I did not want to read. The name once again, disgusted me. Picking up women is far from the most important thing in my life… But I’ll bite.
4 days later, I had read the whole book, thanks to a 4 hour holiday trip to Cincinatti. I couldn’t put the damn thing down. The adventures these swindlers went on truly were awesome, even though some parts may have been “fish stories.” I was impressed, Style and Mystery had some balls and went after the lives they wanted, and got somewhere close to their goals.COOL, men going after their dreams, no matter how ludicrous, thats cool with me.
I am not interested in being a pickup artist or getting the attention of a lot of women, but I learned a lot about self confidence, and the importance of getting out of your comfort zone. I was good about it for awhile, but it is so easy to fall back into your comfort zone, hanging with the same friends, doing the same things… its so easy. DONT DO THAT.
do something that makes you feel uncomfortable, now.
8/10
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Purple Cow seth godin- Marketing is constantly evolving, thats it.
4/10
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Self Reliance- Ralph Waldo Emerson-Wow, I have tried to read this 3 or 4 times, got completely through it, and didnt understand a damn thing. This shit is deep and thick, you need waders, a rake, and a clear mind to get through it… none of which I have.
It did talk about the importance of being able to be alone and content. Too many people need other people to be happy/satisfied/etc… it is important to know how to be alone, and be happy.
“It is easy in the world to live after the world’s opinion; it is easy in solitude after own own; but the great man is he who in the midst of the crowd keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude.“
?/10
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Fire in the Belly/on being a man keen-If anyone has figured out what it means to be a man, let me know. I’ve been trying to figure this out for awhile. This was a refreshing read. Men, we always thought we needed to be these big strong alpha males, and that what it meant.
We thought that we:
- should have big muscles
- drink busch heavies
- fix shit around the house
- have grease on our clothes
- get with a lot of chicks
- drive fords
- beat up bullies… or nerds
…not really that important.
Are you looking to find yourself, and the things that are really important? Check out this book.
My cousin andrew introduces me to this book and this quote and I am very thankful for that
“”There are two questions a man must ask himself, the first is ” where am I going?” and the second is” Who will go with me” if you ever get this questions in the wrong order, you are in trouble”"
7/10
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I didn’t read through and edit for spelling, grammar, word usage etc(I do know how to, thank you).. this is eddie murphy RAW. If you dont like it, go read a book report, I’ll even send you my country risk analysis on Poland.
Leave some comments of book suggestions.
Godbless
-nick
