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Tom Toll
USA
154 Posts |
 Posted - 01/19/2003 : 23:22:05
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As we begin our new year, perhaps we should all try to memorize this thought.
Regrets can never be fully erased, yet they can be prevented. One day soon you'll look back on today. Whether you look back with regret or with satisfaction depends entirely on what you do right now. This moment right now is in your hands. Though there are plenty of circumstances beyond your control, those things do not matter nearly so much as the things you can control. Though the future is uncertain, one thing about it is abundantly clear. The more positively and completely you make full use of the present, the more positive options you'll create for yourself no matter what the future brings. Imagine yourself looking back on today from some point in the future. What will you wish you had done? Now is your one and only opportunity to do it. What will you regret? Now is the time to prevent those regrets. Rather than setting yourself up to wonder "why didn't I"? work to put yourself in the position to say "I'm glad I did"!
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Newt
USA
657 Posts |
Posted - 01/24/2003 : 09:38:53
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I have a positive idea, we could all go up to Claytons and go fishing with him. I'll bring the dynamite. I don,t mind lighting but Clayton will have to hold it.
It was four degrees here at the foot of Hog Mountain this morning.
This is where the Gold mines were in Alabama until about five years ago. Also the battle of Horseshoe Bend was fought here. Jackson was defeated the first time by the Creeks, the next time he won, with the help of the Chickasaw.circa 1812. My GGG grandfather was Chickasaw, a Capt in the Army. He was also a district chief and mediator for the Chicasaw Nation. He retired, at the age of about 87 and lived to the age of 108. He was buried at Eagle Town, Oklahoma (IT) He is pictured on the Oklahoma State Flag with his whip. Thats history, a cancelled check, tomorrow is a promisary note, and today is all we got, make the most of it.
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CCarr
Canada
1200 Posts |
Posted - 01/24/2003 : 10:21:02
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As I wallow here with the lethargy of a possum, the result of a wretched flu, a faint sparkle flashed in my eye when I saw 'fishing'. It is, give or take a few days or a week, only 3 months to 'ice out' at my private piece of God's nowhere. It is little things like that, that sometimes make pretty bleak days seem shorter; as we wait and know there are better tomorrows.
I had to get my calculator out to convert our temp into real degrees, so here in the lowlands of the former Mississaugan Indians along the banks of the gracious Credit River and near the shores of Lake Ontario; after two terrible days of blowing snow - it is a bright and very windy minus 12F.
All I can do today is keep the birds well fed, and wonder how to better bait fish. |
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Newt
USA
657 Posts |
Posted - 01/24/2003 : 10:53:31
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My birds eat more than several horses. I feed them about two and a half gallons a day and they still run out. I have a grape arbor with two alum. screens on the top. I dump the feed on there and if it rains it runs right through. I can see them from the dining table.
Yep, I love fishing, however I haven't been in a while. I will take a trip to Missouri in March and camp out for several days to get caught up. I like a tent for camping, and thats the way I usually go, even though I had a travel trailer its just not nature.
I have a stocked pond here on this place, I never fish in it, I like rivers, streams, and big bodies of water. My wife fishes a while every day in the summer. She is the catch and release person in the family. I like to eat what I catch. |
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TomToll
USA
87 Posts |
Posted - 03/18/2003 : 09:38:26
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In these time of mortal fear, the following will help!
Positive Mental Thought: by Norman Vincent Peale
1. Formulate and stamp indelibly on your mind a mental picture of yourself succeeding. And hold this picture tenaciously. You can’t ever permit it to fade. Over time, your mind will develop this picture and brighten the detail. Never doubt the reality of the mental image, because doing so is dangerous. The mind also tries to complete what it pictures. So, always picture “success” no matter how badly things seem to be going at the moment.
2. Whenever a negative thought concerning your personal powers comes into mind, deliberately voice a positive thought to cancel it out.
3. Do not build up obstacles in your imagination. Minimize every so-called obstacle. Difficulties must be studied and dealt with efficiently in order to eliminate them. However, they must also be seen only for what they are. They must not be inflated by fear thoughts.
4. This might be the most astute piece of advice. Do not be awestruck by other people and try to copy them. Nobody can be you as efficiently as YOU can. Remember also that most people, despite their confident appearance and demeanor, are often as scared as you are and as doubtful of themselves.
5. Dr. Peale advised readers to repeat ten times a day -- starting this minute -- the following words from the bible. And, while they refer to God, you could substitute your own belief system: “If God be for us, who can be against us?”
6. Gain self-knowledge. Learn the origin of your thoughts of inferiority and self-doubts, which often begin in childhood. If necessary, get a competent counselor to help you understand why you do what you do.
7. Another affirmation, also from the bible, also to be repeated ten times daily, was advised as a powerful antidote to inferiority thoughts: “I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me.” Again, you can alter the wording to suit your personal beliefs; it’s the thought that counts.
8. Another gem of wisdom: Make a true estimate of your own ability -- then raise it 10 percent. Do not become egotistical, but develop a wholesome self-respect. Believe in your own powers.
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Tom Toll |
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TomToll
USA
87 Posts |
Posted - 04/08/2003 : 10:47:38
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I was pleasantly surprised that the comedian George Carlin wrote this. It appears initially to be negative, but its end result is positive. It also makes you think of the path that today's society is on, which is not good.
"The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints.
We spend more, but have less. We buy more, but enjoy less.
We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time.
We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.
We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom.
We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values.
We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.
We've learned how to make a living, but not a life.
We've added years to life not life to years.
We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor.
We conquered outer space but not inner space.
We've done larger things, but not better things. We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice.
We write more, but learn less.
We accomplish less. We've learned to rush, but not to wait.
We build more computers to hold more to get information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.
These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships.
These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes.
These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill..
It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom.
A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when
you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete.
Remember, spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever. Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side.
Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn't cost a cent.
Remember, to say, "I love you" to your partner and you loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.
Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again. Give time to love, give time to speak and give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind."
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Tom Toll |
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TomToll
USA
87 Posts |
Posted - 04/21/2003 : 22:08:12
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There once was a little girl who had a bad temper. Her mother gave her a bag of nails and told her that every time she lost her temper, she must hammer a nail into the back of the fence.
The first day the girl had driven 37 nails into the fence. Over the next few weeks, as she learned to control her anger, the number of nails hammered daily gradually dwindled down. She discovered it was easier to hold her
temper than to drive those nails into the fence.
Finally the day came when the girl didn't lose her temper at all. She told her mother about it and the mother suggested that the girl now pull out one nail for each day that she was able to hold her temper. The days passed and the young girl was finally able to tell her mother that all the nails were gone. The mother took her daughter by the hand and led her to the fence.
She said, "You have done well, my daughter, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one." You can put a knife in a person and draw it out. It won't matter how many times you say "I'm sorry," the wound is still there. A verbal wound is as bad as a physical one.
Friends are very rare jewels, indeed. They make you smile and encourage you to succeed. They lend an ear, they share words of praise and they always want to open their hearts to us. |
Tom Toll |
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Reddog
USA
24 Posts |
Posted - 04/26/2003 : 08:31:13
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Two men met on the beach..
"Good evening Friend, what are you doing?"
"I'm throwing these starfish back in the ocean. If I don't they'll die up here."
"There must be thousands of starfish on this beach. You can't possibly get to them all. You can't possibly make a difference."
He smiled, picked up yet another starfish and threw it into the sea.
"Made a difference."
I thought of all of you when I read this, have a precious day! REDDOG,
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Tom Toll
USA
154 Posts |
Posted - 05/07/2003 : 09:36:53
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----- Original Message -----
We rarely get a chance to see another country's editorial about the
USA.
Read this excerpt from a Romanian Newspaper. The article was written
by Mr. Cornel Nistorescu and published under the title "C"ntarea
Americii" (meaning "Ode To America") on September 24, 2002 in the
Romanian
newspaper Evenimentul zilei ("The Daily Event" or "News of the Day").
An Ode to America~
Why are Americans so united? They would not resemble one another even
if you painted them all one color! They speak all the languages of the
world and
form an astonishing mixture of civilizations and religious beliefs.
Still, the American tragedy turned three hundred million people into a
hand put on the heart. Nobody rushed to accuse the White House, the
army,
and the secret services that they are only a bunch of losers. Nobody
rushed
to empty their bank accounts. Nobody rushed out onto the streets
nearby to
gape about. The Americans volunteered to donate blood and to give a
helping hand.
After the first moments of panic, they raised their flag over the
smoking
ruins, putting on T-shirts, caps and ties in the colors of the national
flag. They placed flags on buildings and cars as if in every place and
on every car a government official or the president was passing. On
every occasion they started singing their traditional song:
"God Bless America!"
I watched the live broadcast and rerun after rerun for hours, listening
to
the story of the guy who went down one hundred floors with a woman in
a wheelchair without knowing who she was, or of the Californian hockey
player, who gave his life fighting with the terrorists and prevented
the plane from hitting a target that could have killed other hundreds
thousands of
people.
How on earth were they able to respond united as one human being?
Imperceptibly, with every word and musical note, the memory of some
turned into a modern myth of tragic heroes. And with every phone call,
millions and millions of dollars were put in a collection aimed at
rewarding not a man or a family, but a spirit, which no money can buy.
What on earth can unite the Americans in such a way? Their land?
Their galloping history? Their economic Power? Money? I tried for
hours to find an answer, humming songs and murmuring phrases with the
risk
of
sounding commonplace.
I thought things over, but I reached only one conclusion:
Only freedom can work such miracles!
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tomgriffin56
USA
88 Posts |
Posted - 05/07/2003 : 16:38:13
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| Excellent, Tom!!! |
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fivedaily
USA
258 Posts |
Posted - 05/07/2003 : 21:25:14
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Since I am the suspicious type... and I remembered the similiar letter circulating from the Canadian, I verified that this indeed was true. And it is. Read more about it at:
http://www.snopes.com/rumors/romania.htm
Jennifer, somewhat of a skeptic |
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Tom Toll
USA
154 Posts |
Posted - 08/12/2003 : 20:23:08
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READ THIS CAREFULLY, LET IT SINK IN!!
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Michael is the kind of guy you love to hate. He is always in a good mood and always has something positive to say. When someone would ask him how he was doing, would reply, "If I were any better, I would be twins!"
He was a natural motivator. If an employee was having a bad day, Michael was there telling the employee how to look on the positive side of the situation.
Seeing this style really made me curious, so one day I went up to Michael and asked him, "I don't get it! You can't be a positive person all of the time. How do you do it?" Michael replied, "Each morning I wake up and say to myself, you have two choices today. You can choose to be in a good mood or ... you can choose to be in a bad mood. I choose to be in a good mood. Each time something bad happens, I can choose to be a victim or...I can choose to learn from it. I choose to learn from it. Every time someone comes to me complaining, I can choose to accept their complaining or... I can point out the positive side of life. choose the positive side of life.
"Yeah, right, it's not that easy," I protested. "Yes, it is," Michael said. "Life is all about choices. When you cut away all the junk, every situation is a choice. You choose how you react to situations. You choose how people affect your mood. You choose to be in a good mood or bad mood. The bottom line: It's your choice how you live your life."
I reflected on what Michael said. Soon thereafter, I left the Tower Industry to start my own business. We lost touch, but I often thought about him when I made a choice about life instead of reacting to it. Several years later, I heard that Michael was involved in a serious accident, falling some 60 feet from a communications tower. After 18 hours of surgery and weeks of intensive care, Michael was released from the hospital with rods
placed in his back.
I saw Michael about six months after the accident. When I asked him how he was, he replied. "If I were any better, I'd be twins. Wanna see my scars?" I declined to see his wounds, but I did ask him what had gone through his mind as the accident took place.
"The first thing that went through my mind was the well-being of my soon to be born daughter," Michael replied. "Then, as I lay on the ground, I remembered that I had two choices: I could choose to live or... I could choose to die. I chose to live. Weren't you scared? Did you lose consciousness?" I asked. Michael continued, "..the paramedics were great. They kept telling me I was going to be fine. But when they wheeled me into the ER and I saw the expressions on the faces of the doctors and nurses, I got really scared. In their eyes, I read "he's a dead man. I knew I needed to take action."
"What did you do?" I asked. "Well, there was a big burly nurse shouting questions at me," said Michael. "She asked if I was allergic to anything. "Yes, I replied." The doctors and nurses stopped working as they waited for my reply. I took a deep breath and yelled, "Gravity." Over their laughter, I told them, "I am choosing to live. Operate on
me as if I am alive, not dead."Michael lived, thanks to the skill of his doctors, but also because of his amazing attitude. I learned from him that every day we have the choice to live fully. Attitude, after all, is everything. "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." After all today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday.
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Tom Toll
USA
154 Posts |
Posted - 08/16/2003 : 22:44:49
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This kind of stuff happens everyday. A little ingenuinity is all it takes. It can also happen as an adjuster.
The Tomato Company
An unemployed man is desperate to support his family of a wife and three kids. He applies for a janitor's job at a large firm and easily passes an aptitude test. The human resources manager tells him, "You will be hired at minimum wage of $5.15 an hour. Let me have your e-mail address so that we can get you in the loop. Our system will automatically e-mail you all the forms and advise you when to start and where to report on your first day. Taken back, the man protests that he is poor and has neither a computer nor an e-mail address. To this the manager replies, "You must understand that to a company like ours that means that you virtually do not exist. Without an e-mail address you can hardly expect to be employed by a high-tech firm. Good day."
Stunned, the man leaves. Not knowing where to turn and having $10 in his wallet, he walks past a farmers' market and sees a stand selling 25lb crates of beautiful red tomatoes. He buys a crate, carries it to busy corner and displays the tomatoes. In less than 2 hours he sells all the tomatoes and makes 100% profit. Repeating the process several times more that day, he ends up with almost $100 and arrives home that night with several bags of groceries for his family.
During the night he decides to repeat the tomato business the next day. By the end of the week he is getting up early every day and working into the night. He multiplies his profits quickly. Early in the second week he acquires a cart to transport several boxes of tomatoes at a time, but before a month is up he sells the cart to buy a broken-down pickup truck. At the end of a year he owns three old trucks. His two sons have left
their neighborhood gangs to help him with the tomato business, his wife is buying the tomatoes, and his daughter is taking night courses at the community college so she can keep books for him. By the end of the second year he has a dozen very nice used trucks
and employs fifteen previously unemployed people, all selling tomatoes. He continues to work hard.
Time passes and at the end of the fifth year he owns a fleet of nice trucks and a warehouse that his wife supervises, plus two tomato farms that the boys manage. The tomato company's payroll has put hundreds of homeless and jobless people to work. His daughter reports that the business grossed a million dollars. Planning for the future, he decides to buy some life insurance. Consulting with an insurance adviser, he picks an insurance plan to fit his new circumstances. Then the adviser asks him for his e-mail
address in order to send the final documents electronically.When the man replies that he doesn't have time to mess with a computer and has no e-mail address, the insurance man is stunned, "What, you don't have e-mail? No computer? No Internet? Just think where you would be today if you 'd had all of that five years ago!" "Ha!" snorts the man. "If I'd had e-mail five years ago I would be sweeping floors at Microsoft and making $5.15 an hour."
Which brings us to the moral: ..........................
Since you got this story by e-mail, you're probably closer to being
A janitor than a millionaire.
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LarryW
USA
126 Posts |
Posted - 08/17/2003 : 12:01:20
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| Very encouraging story Tom. Perhaps we can sweep floors for a living between the cat assignments which seem farther apart and shorter in duration than those in times past. |
Larry Wright |
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Gale
USA
231 Posts |
Posted - 08/18/2003 : 14:38:38
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| Tom that is a very good story with a very good point. Technology may make life easier but does not insure our bank accounts will be larger. The sad part is each year we Americans are slipping closer to third world living standards than we we are moving third world standards up to our former standards. More people are locked out of business because of the high entrance cost where it be farming, adjusting or software development. While waiting for that first check to arrive a Cat Adjuster can burn through a lot of money on the road plus keeping the home fires burning. |
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