Archive for August, 2010
Seriously How Old Are You? Really?
Aug 31st
Some people claim there is a scientific way to establish how old you “really” are. To provide this service they ask you questions about how often you have sex, drink alcoholic beverages, ride a bicycle or go for a walk. They’re also likely to inquire about your relatives, how frequently you read and whether you still eat red meat. From all of this they claim to determine whether you are actually younger or older than your birth date indicates. Unfortunately they don’t look at the most reliable factors, like how loudly you groan when getting out of the recliner or how many reruns of The Andy Griffith Show you know by heart or whether you believe a rocking chair to be exercise equipment.
But the real honest to goodness truth is you can pretty much tell what age group you’re in by the television commercials you watch. When is the last time you saw an ad for Chuck E’ Cheese? Trust me when I say that if you see Betty White or James Garner hawking a product you are not watching Music Television (MTV). Advertising is not what it used to be. They don’t just put up ads and hope the right folks see them. They know whose watching what. That’s a little scary isn’t it?
In doing research for this article (don’t laugh) I switched to a program called “Jackass.” If you haven’t heard about this program, let me briefly explain it is about people doing incredibly stupid things. Things like trying to jump over a car traveling 30 miles per hour and headed right toward you. In your wildest teenage stupid period you wouldn’t have been able to dream up these stunts. I’m betting Robert Wagner is not extolling the virtues of a reverse mortgage on this show.
What did surprise me, however, was an advertisement by a major insurance company which we’ll call All City. Why would an insurance company advertise on a program where gross stupidity is celebrated? Not only would I not want my insurance company insuring the show’s participants, I wouldn’t even want them insuring anybody who watches. Sure we’ve all done stupid things, but we mostly thought they seemed like a good idea at the time.
If you see two or more advertisements for Viagra and related products during any one television episode, the show you are watching has been designated for the more mature audience. Speaking of Viagra, do you think it ironic they now come in soft tablets? Have you ever noticed how happy the actors pushing dentures always seem to be? I don’t know about you, but the idea of keeping my teeth in a glass overnight doesn’t make me smile. Oops, that’s not a mental picture I wanted.
Speaking of happy, I also can’t help but comment on the fact that all those women wearing Depends seem pretty darn pleased with themselves. Again, not something to wish for, but better safe than sorry I suppose. Whatever you are watching when you see these ads, it’s clear the advertisers are not assuming you will be returning to college for another year.
Lately I seem to catch the aforementioned Robert Wagner bragging on the merits of a “Reverse Mortgage” with great frequency. Just another way to spend the kids’ inheritance I guess. An old southern comedian (Brother Dave Garner) said they ought to have insurance that pays you now, and your kids have to pay it back. He thought maybe you would have a very quiet funeral.
So switch off the news or oldies and see what the younger folks are watching and note when diapers are advertised there’s generally a child crawling around. The best advice about aging that I’ve ever seen goes something like, “Do as much as you can as long as you can.” So get out there and do something.
The Way to Happiness
Aug 31st
Most people have at least heard the song hit single ‘Don’t Worry, Be Happy’ by Bobby McFerrin. It’s sort of a catchy tune with words we all should live by, “Don’t worry and Be Happy”.
Living an optimistic life style is good for your health. It keeps you mentally balanced so you can remain calm in almost any crises and bounce back quickly. Flexible and open to new ideas and eager to create what you want in your life.
One of the better things ever said is – “The only thing in life that will always remain the same is change”. When you are happy, change is an easier transition. Starting new things is more of an adventure. If it didn’t turn out the way you thought, or it was a mistake, it’s no big deal. You know you have the power to change it.
The way to happiness is to decide to be a happy person. Abraham Lincoln observed that people for most of the time can choose how happy or stressed, how relaxed or troubled, how bright or dull their outlook to be. The choice is really simple, choose to be happy.
There are several ways by which you can do this. Being grateful for what you have is a great attitude. Not just the big stuff but for all the special little things we often take for granted. Like the people in your life that care about you and the things they do for you out of love. And let’s not forget our pet that loves us no matter what
A religious connection is also the way to happiness. Being part of a religious group with its singing, sacraments, chanting, prayers and meditations foster inner peace.
Laugh and laugh heartily everyday. Heard a good joke? Tell your friends or family about it. As they also say -’Laughter is the best medicine’.
Start your day off right with something positive and not the morning news. News is stressful. Get less of it. Some people just can’t start their day without their daily dose of news. Think about it, 99% of the news we hear or read is bad news. Starting the day with bad news does not seem to be a sensible thing to do.
The way to happiness is to manage your time well. Time is invaluable and too important to waste. Time management can be viewed as a list of rules that involves scheduling, setting goals, planning, creating lists of things to do and prioritizing. Please do not use it as something to feel guilty about if you don’t accomplish everything on your list. The way to happiness is to give yourself credit for what you accomplish, make that your focus.
Accomplishments are necessary for all of us, they give us a sense of value. Work on things that you feel are worthy of your time. Learning is a joyful exercise. Try and learn something new everyday. Learning also makes us expand and broaden our horizons. This keeps the mind sharp and your life doesn’t become stagnate.
It’s a good idea to run, jog, walk and do other things that get your body moving and feel alive. As much as possible avoid exposure to negative people and toxic environments.
These are the few simple things you can do everyday to be happy.
And always remember the quote from Abraham Lincoln, he says that, “Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.”
In this article I have given you some great tips on becoming a happier person but if you want to find out what is really holding you back from your true happiness in life check out the resources area included with this article.
