Wah! I'm getting older...

Today is my birthday: my 55th. Wow. Time flies when you're having fun.

Many people complain about their birthdays: I don't. I know people who didn't get to turn 50. When people ask me to wear a black arm-band for someone turning ____ (whatever the number), I decline. I say, "Getting older? Have you considered the alternative? When you quit having birthdays, you're dead. Hmmm. I'll take the birthdays."

There's a Bible verse that says, "A gray head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of wisdom." If you're a life-long learner, birthdays aren't so bad.

I wouldn't want to be 20, or 30, or anything again. I enjoyed the years, learned the lessons, but I'm not ready to repeat a decade anymore than I'd want to do high school again. That was then, this is now.

So whatever your age, enjoy it. All we really have is today. Live it well.

As my grandpa used to say, "Happiness is not a destination, it's a way of travel."

Just for fun -- Balboa Pier in October

This post is just for fun and to share some photos of an October trip to beach. This post shows off some of the palms of Southern California, plus the beach. One of my favorite beaches is Balboa Peninsula. It’s part of Newport Beach. This is where Arrested Development is supposed to take place. Balboa is more of a family oriented beach, but in October, it’s a bit sparse. That’s why we like to go there. And it’s pretty.

How pretty?

Well, take a look…

The pictures show:

The sand, some kids, and the pier.


The pier entrance…






A bird of paradise flower against the sky…






Patriotic palms…


Green grass in October!








A rare grey sky with palms…








And…

A surprise, “Hello!”


Happy Friday!

Haiku -- St. Patrick's Rose

The St. Patrick's Rose:
green budded, golden blossomed,
metaphor of growth.

Haiku -- Astronomic Harbinger

Gazing at the moon
I am reminded again
the sun is shining.

Haiku -- Pink Tabebuia Tree

Pink tabebuia
teeming with blossoms and bees
demonstrates the spring.

Favorite sayings: Behold the turtle...

he only makes progress when he sticks his neck out.

This was another gem gleaned from a friend's bedroom poster in the 70's.This simple poster encouraged me to take risks. (But when you take risks, it sometimes gets messy.)

Decades later I read a proverb, "Where no oxen are, the crib is clean, but much increase is gotten by the strength of an ox."

Simply put, oxen make messes, but they get a lot done.

I've heard it put this way, "The only people not making mistakes are those who are doing nothing."

The Chinese have a story about an apprentice who is instructed that it takes 10,000 mistakes in making a tea cup before you are a true artisan.

I say, if you want to get good at something, you're going to make a lot of mistakes, so get busy! Stick your neck out!

Very little damage is done by a turtle anyway. Live large!

Favorite sayings: If you solve your number one problem...

... number two gets promoted.

Life is full of problems. Get used to it. In fact, have fun with it. Those who learn to problem solve effectively are able to navigate the sea of life more successfully.

No problems? Not likely.

Problems are often like puzzles: some easy, some hard, some fun, some not-so-much. The nice thing is that sometimes you solve a problem and get to move on to a new one.

You won't run out. You can even go look for them! You'll never be bored.

If you don't like problems, or if you think you'll one day solve all your problems: then you have a problem. Oops!

Ponder that!