We’re in!

My wife and I enjoyed the Winter Olympics so much, we’re joining the Denver Curling Club.  Their Spring “Intro to Curling” program is only $250 per person for 5 sessions. 

Can’t wait!  We’re not alone.  According to The Curling News: 

Curling’s popularity in the U.S. has risen exponentially, ignited by Team Shuster’s improbable gold medal performance at the PyeongChang 2018 Olympics. New fans were captivated thanks to five-time Olympian John Shuster and his colorful cast of characters – Tyler George (now retired) and front-ender Matt Hamilton among them. 

Well, we’re hopping on the band wagon.  Truthfully, until the recent 2026 Winter Olympics, we didn’t know much about curling.  Didn’t care much either.  Just seems like a game of shuffle board on ice.  So, we started doing a little research.  According to WorldCurling.org: 

The first written evidence of ‘curling’ appeared in Latin, when in 1540, John McQuhin, a notary in Paisley, Scotland, recorded in his protocol book a challenge between John Sclater, a monk in Paisley Abbey and Gavin Hamilton, a representative of the Abbot. 

Who knew? 

We also discovered our new-found recreational interest is going to require a bit of an “investment” beyond the $500 for lessons.  We need the right gear: 

Goldline Fiberlite Impact Broom $149.99 x 2 = $ 299.98

Goldline Broom Head Cover $ 11.99 x 2 = $  23.98

Hardline Tru-Grip Gloves $ 44.99 x 2 = $  89.98

Men's Momentum Rush Gen 2 Curling Shoes $ 219.99

Women's Momentum Ultra Shoes $ 239.99

Scepter Curling Delivery Stabilizer $  76.50

Remanufactured Ailsa Craig Granite Curling Stones

from Canada Curling Stone Co. $7,200.00

Grand Total $8,073.92  (Plus tax and shipping)

Again - Who knew? 

Thankfully, we have a home equity line of credit so we can spread our investments out over 5 years.  It’s just $172.96 at our 10.75% interest.  We’ll be 78 when the loan is paid.  Not sure how many 78 year olds play curling, but we’ll find out. 

When we called Mom to share the exciting news, can you believe she didn’t believe us?  Something about someone named Penny: 

Captain Penny's Law 

You can fool all of the people some of the time, and some of the people all of the time, but you can't fool Mom. 

                   Unknown Sage 

And yes… April Fools! 

GAP 

When life gets tough we could get a helmet… or… we could leverage the peace and share the power of a positive perspective.

 

God love the farmer…

It takes exceptional courage to make a living as a farmer.  Agriculture in general is tough; beef, hogs, chickens, fruit, fishing, and such.  But planting seeds in the ground and having your income dependent on what comes up?  That’s toughness!

In the face of drought, flood, wild fire, insects, farmers continue to plant year in and year out.  Even when their seeds yield a crop they’re still faced with the risks of labor availability, speculative-driven market prices, fuel costs, and even bee shortages. 

I was chatting with an elder farmer recently.  I asked him how he did it?  How did he make a living at the mercy of Mother Nature, commodity futures, and God?  He just shrugged and said he never gave it much thought.  His philosophy was simple: 

Every day put the plow in the ground and open up the throttle. 

We can all, “put the plow in the ground and open up the throttle”, true?  Who knows?  Maybe AI and the “machines” will wind up sending humans out of the office and back to the farm.  If and when they do, don’t worry.  There must be great satisfaction in seeing the seeds you sow grow into a living. 

God bless the American farmer.  Amen! 

GAP 

When life gets tough we could get a helmet… or… we could leverage the peace and share the power of a positive perspective.

 

Day by day…

Happy Anniversary Debbie! 

Tomorrow marks 53 years.  That’s 19,345 days.  A significant amount of time to be with one’s significant other, true? 

In reality it’s actually more when I add in the days we were engaged and the days we dated, all the way back to before our high school prom in 1970:

Many of you are in a long-lasting relationship; many have been married longer than we.  A Mile High Salute to you!  Maybe our relationship thrived because I was a “Road Warrior” for several years?  A colleague of mine once said:           

The secret to a long marriage is a husband that travels. 

Lisa Kwiecien 

I like to write about my wife frequently.  Like any couple, we have our good days and our not-so-good days.  Like many couples, we’ve also had some of those relationship-testing; foundation-rattling; we’re-not-going-to-make-it; kind of days.  When those days occur we follow James P. Owen’s advice: 

When you’re riding through hell… keep riding. 

Any meaningful journey is like that, don’t you think?  Even one of America’s most famous sweethearts offered this guidance on life’s journey: 

Pain nourishes courage.  You can’t be brave if you’ve only had wonderful things happen to you. 

Mary Tyler Moore 

Throughout our relationship we’ve had more than our share of wonderful things happen; all driven by love.  In fact, 53 years ago this month the #1 song on the Billboard Hot 100 was “Love Train” by the O’Jays.  According to Wikipedia: 

The word 'train' comes from the Old French trahiner, from the Latin trahere meaning pull, or draw. 

My wife has pulled us along on that love train for 53 years!  I’ve tried to pay attention to the little things that make a difference day by day; lighten her load a bit; smooth the tracks.  Rob Gilbert made a list: 

How to have a Winning Day: 

You have to listen more than you talk…

You have to smile more than you frown…

You have to be fascinated more than you're frustrated…

You have to believe in yourself more than you doubt yourself.

You have to work more than you whine.

You have to do more than you don't.

I have also paid attention to my boundaries: 

Men ordering custom colors must first bring in a note from their wife. 

Guiry Paint Store 

It’s OK; she writes the notes; I run the errands; we make a great team.  And on those occasional occasions where disagreement looms, we heed Harlan Miller’s advice: 

Often the difference between a successful marriage and a mediocre one consists of leaving three or four things a day unsaid.

19,345 days and still rolling strong.  No matter our future course; no matter the challenges we face; the trials that will test us; not even the weather we may encounter; our love train will continue – pulled along by my high school sweetheart.  Even if an icy wind blows hard in our face, Etheridge Knight’s words will continue to guide us: 

Love is a rock against the wind. 

Happy 53^rd  Anniversary Dear!  You’re my rock and I love you. 

GAP 

When life gets tough we could get a helmet… or… we could leverage the peace and share the power of a positive perspective.

Cluelessness…

I mentioned before I’m enrolled in Metro State University of Denver’s Meritus Scholars program.  Spring term, I took an 8-week, men’s health care course, “Aging Warriors”.  It focuses on what makes older men tick; designed for undergraduates to learn about men like me.  Good luck! 

I attended a related lecture on campus about the decline of men in health care careers.  Classroom #230 is located in the “West Building”.  I entered under the overhead walkway that connects the West Building to the Arts Building.  Inside, I discovered the stairways in the West Building were blocked due to construction.  I walked the entire first floor halls and even went out a side door to see if there was some other way to get to the second floor.  I double checked the invitation email to ensure I had the right building and room number.  After wandering for some 30 minutes, I started to leave. 

Going back the way I came in and standing under that overhead walkway, I paused to get my bearings.  That’s when … you got it: 

I (finally) went into the Arts building.  Took the stairs to the second floor.  I crossed the walkway from the Arts Building to the West Building bypassing the construction.  I arrived in time for the lecture because, thankfully, I had left early.  I always leave early.  I get lost a lot. 

I’m clueless about many things.  When Lisa DiCarlo was writing this, I think she had a man (maybe me) in mind: 

The Know-Nothing: 

This is that clueless user who looks in vain for the “Any Key” when his computer prompts him to “Hit Any Key." 

Following the lecture, I paused in the second floor hallway to get my bearings.  A young man from the Aging Warriors class came up, he was a bit confused on exiting.  (So it’s not just we Q Tips!)  He mentioned it took him a half hour to find the second floor classroom, too. We chuckled at our cluelessness.  Of course, being men we didn’t stop anyone and ask for directions.  Nope, that’s not what men do.  Men align with Murphy: 

Murphy's Paradox: 

Doing it the hard way is always easier. 

Unknown Sage 

We both found our way out of the building and went our separate ways.  I was early for my next class, so I stopped in the library cafeteria for a snack.  Reflecting on yet another bout of cluelessness, I smiled remembering this mantra I picked up years ago (from a man, no doubt): 

I’m lost, but I’m making good time. 

I was with that same young man in the afternoon’s men’s health class.  When he arrived we made eye contact and smiled.  Yep, he was learning what makes Aging Warriors like me tick.  Careful what you ask for! 

GAP 

When life gets tough we could get a helmet… or… we could leverage the peace and share the power of a positive perspective.

 

Have you been tested?

There’s a provocative question in today’s world, true?  You can relax, it’s not that kind of testing I’m referring to. My context today is about something else, something more important. 

I’m participating in a Men’s Health class at MSU Denver this spring term titled, “Aging Warriors”.  The Professor (Doc R) invited a few of us elderly men to attend so his undergraduates could get a feel for what we’re like.  He knows at our age, many of us have been tested: 

Aging is not for the weak. 

Dr. Steven Rissman  

Although this class is focused on men, many of the topics apply to women equally.  And yes, in the business world many women feel they’ve been tested.  There’s even a math expression for it: 

Woman's Equation 

Whatever women do, they must do twice as well as men to be thought half as good. Luckily, this is not difficult. 

Unknown (Female) Sage 

One of the many topics covered in class has to do with having a, “Strong inner self”.  That’s not something we can just say we have and be credible.  It’s like the sailing analogy: 

In calm waters, every ship has a good captain. 

Swedish Proverb 

Captains are tested in rough waters, true?  What about you?  What rough waters have you been tested by?  Do you believe in your skills and abilities? 

Doc R further presented in class that: 

If you believe in your own skills and ability to manage and master stressful events you gain a sense of security. 

“Stressful events” you say?  Why I bet in the business world you believe you’re bathed in stressful events, surrounded by pressure, faced with continuous deadlines.  That’s the American Way isn’t it?  I’m sure you are dealing with business stress.  However, there’s more to life than business, our work, the size of our W-2, the next promotion.  

Life’s stressful events are different.  They are the worse types of events that are almost indescribable.  They’re the events even the sturdiest of us wonder if we will be able to stand up under the weight.  They’re the events that take our mind completely off of work. They're Herculean:

Having confidence and believing in oneself is one thing.  But take it from an Aging Warrior, to have a strong inner self - it must be tested.  It will be tested. 

GAP 

When life gets tough we could get a helmet… or… we could leverage the peace and share the power of a positive perspective.