Author: Pete Jones

It’s been a week!  Many people who made goals on the first of January have become distracted from them by life or other, more important things.  That’s okay!  We can choose, right now, to recommit, and not make excuses.  Keep going!  Keep reading these goodinthehead Daily Perspective Checks every day and incorporating what you want from them into your life.  Work hard on your own personal, consistent, daily routine.  Try every single day to be the best possible version of yourself you can be!  You’ve got this.  It is NEVER too late, and we can decide at ANY moment to course correct or to begin again.  Every day we wake up is an opportunity to recommit, realign, and conquer the day!  

Each day is a battle to be won in the war of life.

The view from the top is ALWAYS more glorious and beautiful, but the trip along the way is an experience we won’t want to miss.  Stop, periodically, look around, and take it all in.  Appreciate the beauty of the journey, then KEEP GOING.

Some of the best advice I have gotten in my life was from my youngest son, when he was 15.  One day, I was temporarily feeling discouraged, dis-empowered, defeated, and weak.  He looked at me and said the words,

JUST KEEP GOING. 

KEEP DOING WHAT YOU ARE DOING.

Consistency creates a conversion and a convergence of circumstances that will serve and save us.  It will look like synchronicity, serendipity, and will seem like the stars have aligned, but it is actually just the Universe aligning with our consistent level of commitment, dependability, reliability, and predictability.  We get what we earn.

This life is like a race.  For most of us it isn’t a sprint.  It’s a marathon.  The longer we live the more we realize that life could end in the blink of an eye and we never know which moment may be our last.  We can choose to live every day and treat every moment like it could be our last.  Each day is a gift.  I think it is important to remember to treat it as such.

Today I will review my goals, recommit to the necessary actions it will take to achieve them, re-double my efforts, and resolve to do what it will take to create the results I want.  I will work hard to accomplish what I want to, every day.  I will do my best, remain consistent, and ensure my desired actions become habits.

Earl Nightingale created a recording YEARS ago, in 1956, that has empowered MILLIONS to create and manifest the life of their dreams.  I listen to this recording on YouTube, OFTEN, as a part of an intentionally designed morning routine.  It’s called, THE STRANGEST SECRET.  It is a great reminder, and an EXCELLENT tool to motivate, inspire, and empower people to pivot, readjust, and KEEP GOING.

goodinthehead is also on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter.  Follow me there, as well, for daily messages, inspiration, motivation, and reminders.  Please pay it forward, and share this, and ANY message, which may empower someone you love or may care about.  It is through adding value to others by sharing and spreading wisdom, that we become more valuable as individuals, and collectively, as a whole, we all become wiser.  

Remember:  Mindset matters.  Character counts.  That which we choose to consistently focus on is what EXPANDS in our lives.  WE CREATE our realities.

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What better way to start the day than with a perspective check that helps shift our focus towards something we believe is beneficial, and will add to our own personal growth and improvement? Reminders like this have value, especially when reviewed at the start of a day as part of a consistent, daily, morning routine.
Each of these messages are meant to remind us of what we already believe to be important and beneficial in our daily lives, and to aid in the re-focusing process many of us don’t even realize we so desperately need. It has become increasingly more difficult to focus on what truly matters with all the many distractions which are now so prevalent in our lives.
This website was created to remind myself in some small way, each and every day, that Mindset matters, that Character counts, and that FOCUS IS EVERYTHING.
That which we focus upon tends to manifest itself in our lives, more and more. The more intense our focus, the quicker the thing we focus upon manifests.
It is my deepest desire that this website will benefit you as much as it has benefited me.

If this message speaks to you, helps you, or adds value to you in any way, please share it on social media. Help spread the light!

goodinthehead is also on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter! Follow us there, as well, for daily messages, inspiration, motivation, and reminders. Please share this message with someone you love or may care about.

Remember: Mindset matters. Character counts. Focus is everything!

What one accomplishment are you most proud of so far this year?  What kind of work had to go into that accomplishment?  What sacrifices had to be made?   What actions did you have to take to make it all happen?  Has everything begun to flow naturally and easily yet?

Remember to be proud of yourself and your accomplishments.  Think about all of the experiences you have had, all of your accomplishments, all of your talents, skills, and capabilities you have obtained, worked on, and practiced along the way.  Be proud of your hard work and your sacrifices and your ability to take care of yourself and those around you.

Many times, we realize how hard we are being on ourselves by all of the critical things we say to ourselves and by what we think.  It is FAR more useful to look at all of the positive things on a regular basis!  We all mess up and make bad decisions, but regardless of what we have thought, said, or done, we can always start anew and create a better life, each and every day.  Be proud in how far you have come and how amazing you truly are.  Stop being critical of yourself, change the things you know you need to change, and start building yourself up!  Be proud.

MAKE IT A HABIT TO BE KIND TO YOURSELF.

SELF APPRECIATION is the pathway to get out from under the need to be appreciated, noticed, and validated by others.  When we can become separate from the good opinions of others, and no longer needing their approval, acceptance, love, validation, or appreciation, we are on the right path.  We become free through letting go of these needs.

Something useful I learned from Brooke Castillo is to set a daily alarm to go off towards the end of the day that simply says, SELF APPRECIATION.  At the moment it goes off, I review the day and mentally list EVERYTHING I appreciate and love about myself for that day, and all that I said or did that makes me PROUD of myself.  This habitual practice completely altered the quality of the way I see myself and up-leveled my self image in ways that have empowered me to constantly recreate a more beautiful and enjoyable personal reality.

YOU ARE PERFECT EXACTLY AS YOU ARE, AND YOU CAN GET EVEN BETTER!  YOU ARE BOTH A MASTERPIECE AND A WORK IN PROGRESS.  KEEP GOING!  KEEP DOING WHAT YOU ARE DOING!

-The Universe 

Today I will reflect on all of the things in my life I am grateful for and proud of.  I will make it a habit to appreciate myself, and detach myself from the need to be appreciated by others.  I will remember that through letting go of my need for approval, acceptance, validation, love, and appreciation from others, and instead, learn to approve of, accept, validate, love, and appreciate MYSELF, I will be more complete and whole than ever.  I will remember that THE QUALITY OF MY SELF IMAGE will dictate the quality of the personal reality I constantly recreate.

goodinthehead is also on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter.  The goodinthehead Podcast can be found on YouTube.  Follow me there, as well, for daily messages, inspiration, motivation, and reminders.  Please pay it forward, and share this, and ANY message, which may empower someone you love or may care about.  It is through adding value to others by sharing and spreading wisdom, that we become more valuable as individuals, and collectively, as a whole, we all become wiser.

Remember:  Mindset matters.  Character counts.  That which we choose to consistently focus on is what EXPANDS in our lives.  WE CREATE our personal realities.

A few of us in the family once tried some Brazilian Jiu Jitsu lessons.  We trained under Carlos Farias, here in Mesa Arizona.  One our sons is still doing it.  We tried it after watching an Impact Theory interview with the Philosophy Major and BJJ expert Firas Zahabi. 

We only did it for a month.  The little we learned in only a month’s time has served us well, and are moves we were able to practice over and over.

The experience was humbling.  It was fun.  It was challenging.  It was scary.  It was well worth it.  It was bonding and is something I wish I would have discovered much sooner in life.  It is something I want to do with my grandchildren someday.

The purpose of BJJ is NOT to become a bad ass.  That, in my opinion, is the inevitable bi-product of the discipline, training, hard work, characteristics, mindset, and principles we base our beliefs on.

One does not train in BJJ just to get better at BJJ.  One trains in BJJ, TO GET BETTER AT LIFE.

First, as with all things, we can choose to discipline our mind.  EVERYTHING starts with mindset.

YOU decide:

• How disciplined you will be.
• How often you train or study.
• How hard you work.
• Which characteristics you will choose for yourself.
• What mindset you will adopt.
• Which principles you will base your life upon.

Reminder to self:  Your life is YOURS.  The outcome of your life is yours to decide.  Will you build up for yourself a strong foundation upon which to build your dreams or will you take the quick and easy route, build upon a weak foundation, choose to have a weak mentality, and eventually watch everything around you crumble and fall to the ground?

CHARACTER COUNTS.

MINDSET MATTERS.

Today I will look at my goals, remember exactly what I want for myself and those around me, and decide:

• How disciplined I will be.
• How often I train or study.
• How hard I will work.
• Which characteristics I will choose for myself.
• What mindset I will adopt.
• Which principles I will base my life upon.

goodinthehead is also on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter.  Follow me there, as well, for daily messages, inspiration, motivation, and reminders.  Please pay it forward, and share this, and ANY message, which may empower someone you love or may care about.  It is through adding value to others by sharing and spreading wisdom, that we become more valuable as individuals, and collectively, as a whole, we all become wiser.

Remember:  Mindset matters.  Character counts.  That which we choose to consistently focus on is what EXPANDS in our lives.  WE CREATE our personal realities.

“The real value in life, the important value in life, doesn’t come from what we get.  It comes from what we become.” -Jim Rohn

It is important what we become as humans, because what we can give, and how much we can give, is directly correlated to what we choose to become.  Our value is tied to our contributions to others.  When we up-level the vibrational frequency we operate from through inner alignment with Source Energy, we become more capable of true contribution.

This being said, it becomes important for us to find the most effective ways for us to become the best version of ourselves, and to ALWAYS BE UPGRADING.  By doing this we add value not only to our own lives but to those lives of the people around us that we care about.  Adding value to ourselves raises our standard of living and the value we provide others in our relationships at home, church, groups, and work.  Upgrading the SELF optimizes and improves our life experiences, exponentially.

What we put out into the Universe comes back to us.  What we emit and transmit outward returns to us.

When we upgrade and become more valuable through upgrading our contributions, it inspires others to do the same!

Think of the value the people around you add to your life in your personal relationships and at work.  We sometimes spend more time with the people at work than we do our own personal circle of people we actually want to spend time with!  So, how important is it to create a value-added environment at work, allowing and inspiring others to add value as we try to do the same?  Many of us bring the feelings and energy from work home with us.  Why not bring home beneficial, peaceful, compassionate, kind, empowering energies?

Actually trying, and caring enough to try, is the first step.  Actually having the desire to become a better version of our self is so much better than not caring at all and simply wondering what the day has in store for us and being tossed about like a small ship at sea during a violent storm.  Being self aware and intentional about our day, our week, and our life, can be much better and useful for us and those around us.  Knowing exactly what we want, and consistently working towards making it happen, empowers us and everyone around us.

We are in control of creating the life we want.  Our life, our happiness, and our peace is 100% OUR responsibility.  It all begins and ends WITHIN.

Today’s challenge for myself:  Today I will review my goals.  If I have none, I will answer the question:  “What can I do consistently, each day, that will make me a better version of myself, every single day?”  I will commit these goals to writing and get in to the habit of reading them in the morning, and before bed, in order to remind myself of the things that are important to me, and to create a more helpful, effective and empowering mindset and life of greater value for myself and those around me.  I will intentionally create a winning strategy and plan to take consistent actions towards consistently UPGRADING.

goodinthehead is also on Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter.  Follow me there, as well, for daily messages, inspiration, motivation, and reminders.  Please pay it forward, and share this, and ANY message, which may empower someone you love or may care about.  It is through adding value to others by sharing and spreading wisdom, that we become more valuable as individuals, and collectively, as a whole, we all become wiser.

Remember:  Mindset matters.  Character counts.  That which we choose to consistently focus on is what EXPANDS in our lives.  WE CREATE our personal realities.

 

Anger can ruin our lives if we let it.  It can also be used as a powerful motivator for change.

I was raised to believe that ANGER was a “bad” thing-that it was destructive and useless.  I spent my entire life trying to transcend and overcome it, until one day, in 2020, I expressed that idea of transcending it to my dad.  He asked me: “Why would you want to alleviate anger from your life?!  It is a SUPER USEFUL TOOL, when it is needed.  Keep it tucked away for when it IS needed, and choose ONLY to use it THEN.”  This is the first time in 48 years of living that my perspective was shifted about the topic of anger.

I recently heard a neuroscientist on a podcast express how ANGER is better than HOPELESSNESS, and if we can transition from the emotion of hopelessness into anger, we are in a better place-AND we can CONTINUE to upgrade our emotional state!  I had never thought about it quite like that before!  What a USEFUL BELIEF.  What an INCREDIBLE PERSPECTIVE!

Dr. David R. Hawkins wrote the book, THE MAP OF CONSCIOUSNESS EXPLAINED.  In it, he provides a VIBRATIONAL MAP of EMOTIONS, in which he teaches WE vibrate from the emotion of SHAME, at a level of 20, and can UPGRADE our Personal Vibrational Frequency all the way up to ENLIGHTENMENT, at level 1,000.

According to Dr. Hawkins, ANGER is at level 150.  The general public vibrates right around 200, as a collective whole.  ANGER IS NOT A BAD THING.  It is how we USE it that matters.

ANGER can ignite within us a flame that motivates and empowers us, but we must be careful with ANGER, for if used TOO MUCH, it will burn us down to the ground, along with everything and everyone around us.

Sometimes, though, it is NECESSARY to burn it all to the ground, and experience this life as though we are a PHOENIX.  Starting completely over isn’t a bad thing.

Melody Beattie, in the book, “The Language of Letting Go,” wrote:

“It’s okay to be angry, but it isn’t healthy to be resentful.  Regardless of what we learned as children, no matter what we saw role-modeled, we can learn to deal with our anger in ways that are healthy for us and for those around us.  We can have our angry feelings.  We can connect with them, own them, feel them, express them, release them, and be done with them.
We can learn to listen to what anger is telling us about what we want and need in order to take care of ourselves.

Sometimes we can even indulge in angry feelings that AREN’T justified.  Feelings are just feelings: there is no morality in the feeling, only in our behavior.  We can feel angry without hurting or abusing others or ourselves.  We can learn to deal with anger in ways that benefit our relationships instead of ways that harm them.
If we don’t feel our angry feelings today, we will need to face them tomorrow.”

IF WE DON’T FEEL OUR ANGRY FEELINGS TODAY, WE WILL NEED TO FACE THEM TOMORROW.

This is genius.  It is gold.  There is so much truth said here.  I know from experience all of these things to be true for me.

Jay Shetty has an incredibly well researched YouTube video about anger:

Wayne Dyer gives a BEAUTIFUL metaphor of THE ORANGE.  He asks what comes out of an orange when it is squeezed.  ONLY orange juice.  No mistakes.  Never mango, pineapple, or apple juice-ONLY orange juice.  Why?  Because that is what is INSIDE.

Then, he extends the metaphor to humans.  What comes out of US when WE are squeezed?  How do we react or respond when people laugh at us, tease us, or bully us?  How do we behave when our boss or spouse abuses us in a moment of weakness or frustration, or when our children cause us stress?  The ONLY thing that comes out of US, when we are squeezed, is what is inside.

Dr. Leary shares insights and perspective-shifting opportunities about over-reacting, and how to think about things in healthier ways:

Today’s challenge for myself:  Today I will feel and deal with my anger if I need to, then change my focus back to the thoughts, words, and actions that will lead me to accomplish my goals and help me be the best possible version of myself I can possibly be.  I will use my anger as a TOOL, and remember that experiencing anger is a normal part of life.  I will hold no judgement towards myself or others for expressing emotions.

goodinthehead is also on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter.  Follow me there, as well, for daily messages, inspiration, motivation, and reminders.  Please pay it forward, and share this, and ANY message, which may empower someone you love or may care about.  It is through adding value to others by sharing and spreading wisdom, that we become more valuable as individuals, and collectively, as a whole, we all become wiser.

Remember:  Mindset matters.  Character counts.  That which we choose to consistently focus on is what EXPANDS in our lives.  WE CREATE our personal realities.

I once attended a funeral for a guy I went to Junior High and High School with.  I wanted to share a few things I remember about him:

The last time I actually saw Kent was years ago when I was working at Superstition Springs mall.  It had been a couple of years since we had all graduated High School.  He came up to me with a big smile on his face and we spoke together of the good old days.

When we were kids he was full of jokes, usually of the inappropriate persuasion.  He was full of energy and always joking around.  I remember that at that difficult, awkward, and sometimes uncomfortable stage we all lived through called being a teenager, he was one of the few that seemed so unconditionally accepting.  I remember he made me feel okay being just me.  I remember him as being accepting and inclusive.
My wife told me an embarrassing story that happened with him.  I won’t share the story, but I’ll share what she said about Kent:  “He had every right and opportunity to embarrass me, but he never told anyone what happened.  That made him cool in my eyes.”

Kent was worth knowing and he will be missed by many.  We didn’t know each other as well as we could have, but what I remember about Kent is the way he made me feel.  I’m grateful to have good memories of him.  The more good people we have in our lives, the better.

It may seem a bit morbid or inappropriate to say something like, “I enjoy going to funerals,” but let me explain:

The only parts I enjoy about funerals are the people that come together to celebrate the life of a loved one and reminders that are bound to come along with any funeral such as the fact that we are all mortal, time is short, and that from here on out I must remember and constantly remind myself that every second counts.  Every minute matters.  It begs the questions: “How am I going to live today to benefit myself and others?  How do I want to be remembered when I die?  How can I leave others each day feeling better than when I found them?”

I believe that when people die, their energy or spirit or soul, or whatever else you want to call it, lives on.  I believe our energies are all interconnected and intertwined.  I believe we are all a part of this life experience together, as a part of the ONE WHOLE.  I think that whenever we think of our lost ones, they are present.  The idea comforts me and maybe that is why I believe it, but when I think of the loved ones I’ve lost so far I don’t mourn their loss.  Rather, I am grateful to have known them, and I try to only focus on the positive, memorable experiences I remember having with them.   I focus on how knowing them blessed my life and made mine better, and it makes me want to do the same for others.

Death is inevitable.  It will happen to all of us, and in the eternal scheme of things, death is coming soon.  What are you going to do today to live well while you are still here?  Who are you going to reach out to and love and help with the realization that you just won’t be around that much longer?

Death is a reminder for us all that puts everything back into perspective.  Tell your people you love them.  Be more patient.  Be more loving.  Turn off the tv and put the phone down and interact with the people that are most important to you now, while you still can.

Reminder to self:  Be the best possible version of yourself you can be every day.  Make every second count.  Make every minute matter.  Be the person today you want to be remembered as, when you are gone.

Each morning we wake up, the “reset button” has been pushed.  Yesterday is gone.  We can do nothing about it.  We cannot change it.  All we have control of is the here and now.  Today.

We are now living in the residual vibrations, effects, and consequences of choices we have made in the past.  We created the life we are currently living, no matter how good or bad it may seem.  Unhappy with the current circumstances?  We made it this way and it is our responsibility to change it.  It’s not someone else’s job to come along and save us, though we will be blessed with people in our life who will reach us, help us, and empower us if we are seeking it.

We can start now with this new day creating the life we want.  It sounds simple, and it is, but it is also a lot of work involving self-control, creating new habits, and consistent, daily routines.  Each day we wake up, the reset button has been pushed again.  It is a new opportunity to start again.  It’s a miracle we are still alive this day.  We can now choose to show appreciation for it by being the best we can be and by doing the best we can do.  When we make this our new purpose and goal in our lives, and when we make personal progress and alignment with Source a habitual, daily practice, we will never regret it.  Everyone around us will benefit from our presence in their lives.

We are an impatient generation.  We want everything right now.  We don’t want to have to wait for it and we don’t want to have to work for it, but the hard truth is this:  Our life is OUR responsibility and it is entirely up to US to make it exactly as we want it.  If we are not happy, it is our own fault.  Either we will choose to continue to think, say, and do the things that created our current circumstances and absolutely nothing will change, or we will realize we want something different and we will make the necessary changes.

IT ALL BEGINS IN THE MIND.  Our thoughts are creations.  What we focus on and pay attention to most, WE ENERGIZE.  What we think we RENDER.

Is what you have been thinking, saying, and doing working for you?  Then keep doing it.  Remember this, though:  There is ALWAYS room for improvement.  There will ALWAYS be something we can optimize.  We can do, be, or have, anything we want, and this life is like a lab through which we experiment with everything and enjoy the constant results of experiential learning.

The reset button will be pushed again and again, every morning, until one day we just don’t wake up.  We can choose to live every day like it is our last, with a sense of urgency, appreciation, gratitude, need for fulfillment and improvement, and a sense of purpose.

Reminder to self:  Today very well may be the last day of your life.  Look around!  People die every day, from freak accidents to natural causes.  Love your people-tell them and show them every minute!  Go to bed exhausted each night, knowing you thought, said, and did the things for yourself and those around you that you needed to, in order to create the life you want in the near future.  Make the changes you want to and decide now to stop being distracted by all of the unimportant things in your life like the television, addictions, drama, social media on your phone or iPad, and the “friends” you have that would drop you in an instant if something better came along.  Replace these things with reading to children, volunteering at an old folks’ home to pass out lunch trays, spending a small amount of your time helping others in some small way, or calling your relatives just to let them know you are thinking about them.

Your life is yours.  Take back control of it.  Hit that reset button extra early tomorrow-just 15 minutes earlier, and start your day in the shower thinking of everything you have to be grateful for.  Listen to something that inspires and motivates you while you prepare for the day and get dressed, eat, and pack a healthy lunch.  Make a few small changes in your morning routine, do them for a month, and see if your life hasn’t changed or improved at all.  Add something small or change that daily routine in some small way to make it the best routine for you, and miracles will happen in your life.  Do something for yourself that will benefit you and by so doing you will benefit the lives of those around you.  You will help them and they will gain something positive from you.

The reset button is getting pushed again tomorrow morning.  Hopefully.  What are you going to do about it?

Today’s challenge for myself:  Today I will commit to creating a better morning routine which will empower me to live the best life I can possibly live for myself and others.

If you haven’t already, I highly recommend the interview on Impact Theory with Hal Elrod on YouTube, who is the author of, THE MIRACLE MORNING.  He explains six easy things to do each morning that really will make all the difference.

goodinthehead is also on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter.  Follow me there, as well, for daily messages, inspiration, motivation, and reminders.  Please pay it forward, and share this, and ANY message, which may empower someone you love or may care about.  It is through adding value to others by sharing and spreading wisdom, that we become more valuable as individuals, and collectively, as a whole, we all become wiser.

Remember:  Mindset matters.  Character counts.  That which we choose to consistently focus on is what EXPANDS in our lives.  WE CREATE our personal realities.

Last night we had the opportunity to see some old friends we have known since grade school and Junior High and High School.  It was great to see everyone and spend some time with such fun people.  Sometimes this life, which is so full of distractions, leaves us with little time for the important things like spending time with our people, and last night reminded me of the importance of it.

As we all sat around after dinner for a few hours and talked and laughed I began to realize that there were some similarities to all the people at the table.  At this point in our lives we are all in our mid forties.  We have all been kicked around by some pretty horrendous life experiences, raised kids, worked our asses off, and learned a lot along the way, yet here we were laughing and joking and talking and sharing a great moment in time.  It is the presence of other, certain people in my life that reminds me and helps me focus on how quickly time flies, how fleeting time is, and how abruptly it can stop at any moment without notice or warning.

The women in the group, especially, are all such incredible women.  They are all strong, outspoken, opinionated, and no longer care what others think of them They say what they mean and mean what they say, and will tell you to your face exactly what they think of you.

My kind of people.

It gives a certain sense of comfort to me to be around women like these.  My mother and sisters are the same way and I tend to gravitate to people with these attributes.  All of us at the table last night spending those precious moments together have a similar set of beliefs and values and principles and that is why after all these years we still talk.  We are connected and bonded like family.  We may not always agree with one another or like what is said or what is going on at times, but we know where we stand.  We know what is expected and it offers comfort to belong to or be a part of such a group.

I love outspoken people.  They say what’s on their mind with no thought to repercussions or consequences and though it may be uncomfortable you never stand on shaky ground with them.  It’s one of the reasons I love my wife so much.  The nice thing about her is she knows I can be a bit sensitive and my feelings may get hurt every once in a while and she is so sweet and caring and thoughtful.  She isn’t always gentle with my feelings, however.

The very first time she met my mother we were sitting on my mom’s couches in her little condo, which had just been refinished and was beautifully done.  Crystal tiles, gorgeous new windows, exquisite cabinetry, and perfect lighting adorning some nice pieces of art and family photos all pointed to the fact that my mother was in a nice home, educated, a little fancy, and well put together.  Some people would have been intimidated by the surroundings or meeting a strong woman like my mother for the first time, but not my Carla.  Ten minutes into the conversation, first time ever meeting my mother remember, and she tells my mom: “I love being with Pete.  He is the perfect man for me.  It’s like having a really good girlfriend with a penis.”

My mother, who raised me properly and very religiously, took in this bit of completely inappropriate information and they both burst out laughing at me.  They didn’t laugh with me.  They laughed at me.  Jerks.

My mom instantly fell in love with Carla, knowing that she is a woman who will say it like it is without a care in the world.  She is honest, up front, dependable, good, kind, inappropriate, and funny.  The people at the dinner last night are the same caliper of person, like they were all cut from the same cloth.  Ever heard of the saying, “Birds of a feather flock together”?  Like-minded people do, too, and I enjoy my people.

Even if we are tired, beaten down by life, keys getting locked in the car, waking up at 3:30 for work the next day, busy with cares of the world, and burdened by loss and sorrow and dealing with all kinds of distractions, we make time to spend with one another.   That’s what we do.  Family isn’t always blood.

Thanks for the good times.  You know who you are.  We look forward to doing it again.