Siggy's Blurbs: Siggy's Edge of Country …

Life is always about balance:  you are constantly seeking your equilibrium.  You may go from one extreme to another.  If you make a mistake (and we all do), you correct it, which is one way we have of balancing yourself if you want to call it that.

Sometimes we behave in a way which is going overboard:  we may push too hard with a child (it could a friend) and then take the opposite tack–loosen the reins.  Every action has a reaction and we are constantly having to adjust our behavior with others.

Our physical appetite is a simple example of this.  We don’t eat for awhile eventually we get a message–it is time for a meal (it is called our appetite).  The body is an intricate set of checks and balances.

When we get an infection our white blood cells come to our rescue to fight it.  We have no idea how incredibly complicated our body is until something goes wrong with it.  Then we find out.

Friends make mistakes with others and it is their reactions to our behavior that enable us to modify our behavior.  Life is full of checks and balances.  No one has to ever do any thing alone.  There is always someone to gauge our behavior against.  We don’t live in a vacuum.  No one does.

Tags: adjust our behavior, checks and balances, every action has a reaction, life is about balance, make mistakes, seeking your equilibrium, we don't live in a vacuum, white blood cells
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Isolation is a bad thing.  Sometimes you have to force yourself to go out.  When you mix with others you gain a proper perspective of your life.  You find out others are dealing with problems–some severe.

It is too easy to magnify your own set of problems.  If you don’t talk to others this is an easy thing to do.  When you mix with others, you have an opportunity to learn about others and even find ways to reach out to other people.

Isolation is always a bad thing.  You think the whole universe revolves around you.  Going out frees you from this illusion.  You find out you are not alone and every one has to deal with something.

People get sick, even die and sometimes have almost unbearable difficulties.  You get an opportunity to share your problems with others.  And the reverse is also true.  You get to share your victories with others and they with you.

You never find this out unless you leave your premises.  It is always good to get out, talk to others.  And reach out to others.  ‘No man is an island’ in the words of John Donne.

Tags: everyone has problems, force yourself to go out, gain perspective, isolation, John Donne, mix with others, no man is an island, reach out to other people, share your problems, share your victories, universe revolves around you, you are not alone
Posted in balance, death, God, knowledge&learning, life, relationships, time, wisdom | 1 Comment »

It is never too late to renew an old friendship.  I received an E Mail from someone I lost touch with.  He did a search and found my web site.  We talked on the phone today for an hour and just picked up where we had left off.  It has been a number of years since we last talked.  Old friends never leave you.  They just fade away although when one wants to be my friend again and the connection is still there I never refuse an offer.  It is never too late.  Only when death comes do you lose the final opportunity to rekindle a lost friendship.  It is never too late.  So pick up the phone now.  And call that person you no longer talk to.  If you have to reconcile a broken friendship, do so.  Everyone’s time runs out eventually.  You may regret the lost opportunities.  No one lives forever.

Tags: broken friendship, death, it is never too late, lost friendship, no one lives forever, old friends, renew an old friendship, web site
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I saw my first robin of the year.  I was thrilled.  I was not looking for it.  It appeared under my large pine tree which I can view out of my living room window.  Now I know spring is on its way.  And now I will see if (???) how many I can spot today going into town.

Tags: bird-watching, birds, first robin of the year, pine tree, robin, spring, spring is on its way
Posted in birds, knowledge&learning, local, seasons, time | No Comments »

Sometimes I have to let words my wife say go in my ear and out the other.  I certainly know how absurd I can be at times.  So sometimes I will let her words go out one ear.  If I hold them to her (???), it causes too many problems.  So instead, I will forget them.  Or forgive them for the effect they had on me.  Sometimes the words uttered were there to get a rise out of me.  In any case I will act as if they never occurred.  This is not a blanket statement to always ignore her but just sometimes.

Tags: forgive, let words go, my wife, words
Posted in balance, God, knowledge&learning, life, local, love, marriage, relationships, time, wisdom | No Comments »

It is absolutely gorgeous today.  The sun is shining.  There is not a cloud in the sky and it is warm.  Today is a harbinger of spring.  It is officially less than two weeks away.  One of my dogs was still in the our (???) yard in the right corner.  I called him but he did not want to budge.  He was enjoying himself basking in the sunlight.  It feels great to be alive.

Tags: basking in the sunlight, dogs, feels great to be alive, gorgeous day, harbinger of Spring, pets, spring, sun is shining
Posted in beauty, God, local, nature, pets, seasons, time | No Comments »

The subconscious is 9/10 of your perception.  Another way of saying that is the conscious is only the tip of the iceberg.  Last night I was watching a film by Tom Hanks called “The Green Mile”.  He is a prison guard in charge of the section of prisoners who are on death row.

My wife was on the computer twenty five feet away not paying a whole lot of attention to the movie.  The next morning she told me she had nightmares.

The movie was about the evil in this world.  One of the prison guards and particularly one of the prisoners in that section were depicted as being evil. We absorb around (???) thing around us.

Although my wife was not listening to the dialogue of the movie, she caught its evil tone and it swirled in her subconscious during her sleep.  So be careful of the company you keep or what you do or see.  It matters.

Tags: "The Green Mile", be careful what you do or see, evil, my wife, nightmares, subconscious, Tom Hanks, we absorb things around us
Posted in balance, God, health, knowledge&learning, life, local, mental health, time, wisdom | No Comments »

All I wanted to do was watch the birds and listen to music with the volume pumped up but not unbearably so.  My wife would be gone several hours.  I had just come back from shopping.

I had a dinner planned–a new recipe-macaroni and broccoli but I would not have to start it for several hours.  I was tickled pink to see a house sparrow briefly.  I had not seen one in awhile.

The snow birds (slate-covered juncos) were feeding on the ground around our large white pine tree in flocks.  I glanced out the back window:  the bare patches were getting bigger.  It was in the forties.

It felt great to be alive.  I just wanted to be, sit back, stand it does not matter.  It was my time.  I was listening to a fine anthology I put together by the Hollies.  It was much played over the years which is a good sign I did my job of mixing the tunes well.

Another anthology by Steeleye Span (an old British folk-rock band) was next.  I do not play that tape too often but I still like it.  And an old (all my music is old) Thin Lizzy album “Jailbreak” was next.

I had no concerns and will rest a little better when my wife get back from her appointments.  Meanwhile I will occasionally glance out my large living room window and see what birds come along.  Maybe even smoke a stogy while life passes me by.

Tags: "Jailbreak", bird feeding, bird-watching, birds, British folk-rock band, felt great to be alive, house sparrow, life, listen to music, music, music anthology, my time, my wife, record album, slate covered juncos, smoke a stogy, snow birds, Steeleye Span, the Hollies, Thin Lizzy, white pine tree
Posted in beauty, birds, life, local, marriage, music, nature, seasons, time | No Comments »

I absolutely love black capped chickadees.  I can’t even tell you why.  Of course, they are cute and are almost fearless.  They will let you go pretty close to them.  Some of them are really tiny birds.  I just love watching them come to and fro our feeders.  And try to get as close to them as I can.  Their antics amuse me.  I get a steady stream of them.  I love watching them.

Tags: bird feeding, bird-watching, birds, black capped chickadees, love watching birds
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Spring was less than a hair away–less than three weeks. Perhaps by then all the snow will have melted. The snow seems as if it was on the ground forever. Though it was only February and now the bare spots are bigger.

In fact, the daffodils have already poked their their heads through the ground. I checked today. The primrose can’t be too far behind.

I know the temperatures will rise gradually. Before I know it, spring will arrive and all this cold weather will just be a memory.

In ten weeks I will take my annual camping trip with Chuck. Maybe even catch some more trout on the lake. Who knows?

Though, I am still bundling up–even in the house. I don’t like to be cold. Winter is still a reality but I am now anticipating spring already and the warmer weather. I know it will have arrived for good when I start wearing my tee shirts again.

Tags: camping trip, cold weather just a memory, daffodils, February, fishing, flowers, primrose, snow, spring, tee shirts, trout, warmer weather, winter
Posted in flowers, God, local, nature, seasons, time | No Comments »