dogs, boats & everything

one Know that I didn't write these rules, they just are what they are. You will be judged by the company you keep. If you lay down with dogs you probably will wake up with fleas (especially when you're laying down with dogs whose owners don't subscribe to flea treatments.) Should you ever find yourself wondering what you're doing hanging out with people who do things that constantly embarrass you, you probably need to re-evaluate. It may always be more comfortable to hang with people who have no expectations (of themselves and you) but it's a lot more rewarding to hang with those who make you try to be a better a person. I'd do that instead.

two Try not to buy big ol' expensive toys that exceed your skill set. If, for instance, you think you need a motor boat - you'd best learn how to start and stop it before you put it in the water. There is great responsibility attached to the privilege of ownership. In the case of owning a boat: You'll also need some rope, extra life jackets, buoys, a fire extinguisher and a whole bunch of other stuff too. These big ol' toys require pretty constant cash infusions and a whole pantload of common sense. Boats also require gasoline, lots and lots of gasoline. Just know that the bigger and more expensive the toys: The more you'll be required to put into 'em. It just makes you look silly when you have big expensive toys and you don't know how to use them properly.

three There may come a day when you think you know everything, not about everything, necessarily, but about something. It's going to be hard, but you need to remember that you probably don't know everything and are probably not qualified to be the end-all resource on what ever topic it is that you think you know every single thing about. Hedge your bets, baby. Leave room for there to be addendums or additions to what you are pontificating about. You may know a lot, but you probably don't know everything. And, this is not an indictment, it's just fact. You are still brilliant, baby, and way above average.

copyright 2011 moemasters thesethreethings

Guest Blogger: Travis Bailey

one Be extremely selective of the company you keep. Be friendly to everyone but friends with less. It's not arrogant or stuck-up. Be nice to everyone but don't be pulled down by people you should never be hanging out with.

two Always wish everyone the best. The person that just messed up your food order, be polite and don't make it a big deal. The person who always has negative comments whenever you tell them something, wish them the best and smile and hope they find a more positive outlook. The person who just ran into your brand new car, don't be mad, be kind and ask them to lunch after its all sorted out. Don't let how others treat you be any influence on how you should treat others. Don't let people walk all over you, but beyond that, wish everyone the best, even ones that most people feel don't deserve it. No matter how impolite or mean or selfish a person is, remember that that is their problem, don't let it influence who you want to be, how you want to act.

three "Don't raise your voice. Improve your argument." - Desmond Tutu. Obviously, that's not my quote - but I feel the same. You'll never see me curse, yell, get angry... ever. It might be the Mennonite upbringing, I'm very logic driven, or how I was raised at home...or a combination of those.

I have not yet met Travis in person, but have grown to admire both him and his work. The picture below is his work, his art and what comes out of the end of his fingers. This is not a photograph and this is exactly what my friend Rachel (his wife) looks like. 

copyright 2010 moemasters/travisbailey

Youth and Beauty

primeiro Do not let your youth and beauty be wasted on you. Look at you! For real! You are fantastically beautiful (inside and out) and you're brave and strong and funny and smart. Never forget these things. Your youth is not measured by years and months, but by joy and curiosity. And, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, baby - your inner sunshine speaks volumes about who you are - never forget this. You are exactly as young as you want to be (or as old) and your beauty is far greater than you may ever know.

seguinte Empty the litter box before the house smells bad. I recommend this ONLY if you have a cat. If you don't have a cat, but you do have a litter box, well... that's just plain weird. Don't have litter boxes hanging around for no reason. If you have a cat who uses a litter box - don't expect the cat to deal with it. Seriously, that is simply not in their little cat contracts and they don't have thumbs. They would make an awful mess of it, anyways.
That aroma de gato can be a nasty slice of life that you may not notice, but I can guarantee that somebody else walking in your home will make note of.

pasado Always allow for the possibility that you may be wrong. About anything. About everything. There is just a chance you are not always right and the sooner you know this, the sooner you can avoid looking like an arrogant self-righteous weenie. You may think you know something or everything about something, but you probably don't, so exercise a little humility and learn to use the little governor in your head before you say things out loud.

copyright 2010 moemasters

Birthdays, Self-Esteem and Sweat Busting

uno When you care enough about someone to know when their birthday is: Drop into their world somehow and let them know that you are glad they were born. If you don't know their birthday, and would like to - just ask or do a little research, everything is right here on this screen, some place. 

dos It is not enough to understand and appreciate the differences between arrogance and confidence without having a solid rooting in your own self-esteem. This could be one of the most difficult high-wire acts to walk successfully and may take a minute or two to master. I have not been blowing smoke up your skirt when I tell you: You are brave and funny and smart and strong (not to mention, a total eye treat.) Do NOT devalue yourself and sell yourself short. You have skills and fingerprints and joy that nobody else on this earth has - don't be just giving it all away willy nilly. Expect just compensation for jobs you do well and then do your job well. No jacking around on this one.

tres Burn some calories every day. Bust a sweat, for real. I mean it. You'll sleep better if you do, it releases some crazy great chemicals in your brain and it makes you remember that you can do it. Whatever "it" is - you can do it and are lucky to be able to do so. I would like it best if you helped make the world a better place through your sweat-busting, but I would also really like you to get your heart rate up and make your body a better place. Basically, this will involve getting up off your bum and hoping you have some sore muscles tomorrow.

copyright 2010 thesethreethings

*no times for edit these days, almost no connection. gotta run fast. Email if there are glaring errors, thanks.

prvý There is a very fine (but completely distinguishable) line that separates arrogance from confidence. Learn to love yourself because you rock out loud, and don't ever think that you're better than anybody. You are not better than anyone else. You also don't suck out loud, no matter what anybody tells you. 

druhý If there are still ice trays by the time you are old enough to read this: Refill the ice trays. Don't take the last of the ice and put the trays back in empty. Or, worse yet: Don't put them back in with two ice cubes left. That is a total buzz-kill for the person behind you who wants a cold beverage.

tretí Don't kill the spiders that accidentally drop into your home. They probably don't want to be there just as much as you don't want them to be there. The Spider Relocation Program works out best for the entire universe. Every little bit of biology has a job to do and you don't need to kill it. Seriously.

copyright 2010 thesethreethings