<<< Life Lessons >>>

[Cru Jones]

Great thread Brian.

Originally Posted by Dan Pierce

When I was a kid my dad [who worked w/ metals] made items for me & my sisters [custom go kart and chopper forks for my Stingray bike, solid brass baby bed for my sister] as well as things around the house. He decided to make a pair of lamps for the living room. He cut, lathed, stained, & finished the wood, fabricated a brass wax catcher [for the imitation candlesticks] and 2 sets of round brass feet. The parts were assembled and placed on end tables on each side of the couch. Everything my dad made was [is] first class. No Homer Simpson spice racks here.

A few days later, he was walking thru the living room and stopped while looking at the lamps. The round brass feet were removed and he came back the next day to reinstall them. This time they were shorter and wider. Once installed, he said w/ confidence "now they're done." What a difference that small change made to the overall aesthetics. I learned then & there that it's the smallest details that can make the biggest difference.

I've been sweating the tiny details ever since.
dP

Excellent post Dan.

[Dan Pierce]

Originally Posted by Cru Jones

Great thread Brian.





Excellent post Dan.

Thanks, my friend.
dP

[Easy E]

Originally Posted by Star Ferry

Pleading the fifth, but there’s a reason I don’t drink anymore

[Atone]

My dad always told me "don't eat yellow snow".

[Mifune]

don't take a Rorer 714 before going to your Senior Prom... whew, the 70's was a wild era.

[waterking]

Never play handball in the shower. No matter how good you think you are.

[GB-man]

Don’t take shots. End of story. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve passed on a round of shots. What a waste of a chance to enjoy a drink that doesn’t suck.

[Old Expat Beast]

Never sneeze with a mouth full of fried rice (especially on a first date).

[Beo3]

Never try and light a cigarette from the stove. Especially if you have long hair, as I did in the 80's.

Please don't ask me how I know this.......

[superdog]

It’s all about perspective.

There is always a silver lining. Always. Usually more than one.

Our perspective provides shade and color to our life and it’s either sunny, or it’s not.

The best part, is it’s our choice. It might take practice, but we choose how we react to things.

[White Collar Boy]

Originally Posted by Beo3

Never try and light a cigarette from the stove. Especially if you have long hair, as I did in the 80's.

Please don't ask me how I know this.......

Oh no! Hope hairspray wasn’t in the mix, Eddie…

My one: respect other people’s boundaries, and know the hardest ones to maintain are your own.

[superdog]

Originally Posted by Beo3

Never try and light a cigarette from the stove. Especially if you have long hair, as I did in the 80's.

Please don't ask me how I know this.......

When I had my yoga studios I started, and taught, a class called the Bob Marley flow. As you can imagine, it was all reggae.

We did it right around sunset if we could. Candle light only.

Until one of the girls in class had her hair go on fire. That was one crazy ass class. We used these battery type candies after that night.

[Gab27]

"Think twice, cut once."

Not my quote, but very wise words.

[Atone]

Originally Posted by superdog

When I had my yoga studios I started, and taught, a class called the Bob Marley flow. As you can imagine, it was all reggae.

We did it right around sunset if we could. Candle light only.

Until one of the girls in class had her hair go on fire. That was one crazy ass class. We used these battery type candies after that night.

DOH!

[mmutte]

Originally Posted by superdog

It’s all about perspective.

There is always a silver lining. Always. Usually more than one.

Our perspective provides shade and color to our life and it’s either sunny, or it’s not.

The best part, is it’s our choice. It might take practice, but we choose how we react to things.

Great stuff here.
I do my damndest to always keep my reaction positive but man it’s tough. Something to work on daily.

Something I say daily—perception is reality.

[Slimpee]

Don't have sex with crazy

[Moondoggy]

Originally Posted by Slimpee

Don't have sex with crazy

Impossible, because crazy always turns up later

[daveathall]

My dad always told me, 'you never get a second chance to make a good first impression."

[JasoninDenver]

Don’t let the perfect become the enemy of the good.

Rang true for my OCD self.

[Atone]

Originally Posted by JasoninDenver

Don’t let the perfect become the enemy of the good.

Rang true for my OCD self.

I say this ALL the time (mostly to myself ). Great one sir.

[HERITAGE82]

Originally Posted by Dan Pierce

When I was a kid my dad [who worked w/ metals] made items for me & my sisters [custom go kart and chopper forks for my Stingray bike, solid brass baby bed for my sister] as well as things around the house. He decided to make a pair of lamps for the living room. He cut, lathed, stained, & finished the wood, fabricated a brass wax catcher [for the imitation candlesticks] and 2 sets of round brass feet. The parts were assembled and placed on end tables on each side of the couch. Everything my dad made was [is] first class. No Homer Simpson spice racks here.

A few days later, he was walking thru the living room and stopped while looking at the lamps. The round brass feet were removed and he came back the next day to reinstall them. This time they were shorter and wider. Once installed, he said w/ confidence "now they're done." What a difference that small change made to the overall aesthetics. I learned then & there that it's the smallest details that can make the biggest difference.

I've been sweating the tiny details ever since.
dP

I absolutely LOVE this! Thank you for sharing

[Easy E]

I have another. This is one that I choose to use often, I tell the story to almost every employee we have messes something real good.

"Own the wreck."

Ultimately the story is a bit long winded for here and now, but this is the just add water version. A couple of years ago I had chance to do a NASA track day at Road Atlanta in my brothers track prepped Acura. Early in the session my ride along instructor had me back way off another car heading into turn 10, right after I backed off the guy spun out, my instructor said "yep, I saw that coming." Later in the session, I ran up on slow traffic and wound up leaving the track and hit the tire barrier - very little damage to the car, tremendous damage to my ego.

In the debrief the lead instructor made the comment "own the wreck." You are always responsible for what happens out there. You have to learn your limits, the cars limits, traffic conditions, etc. Otherwise you gain nothing.

For the rest of the day, and longer really, I played my event back trying to understand exactly the point of failure. All damn day long all I heard out of the other guy that spun out in front of me was how he was "killing it." except his tires were too cold. I indicated that that's still on him, he never got it. You have to own it or you will never learn from it.

[superdog]

A story about perspective, and a great life lesson for me:

I was in Tulum, Mexico. This was well before it became a hot spot and the lodgings were rickety and very simple. It was sublime with no ice, no A/C and lumpy beds due to the humidity.

I was just relaxing on the beach and there was a bit of commotion. I naturally went to investigate.

There was a baby sea turtle that just hatched and was making its way to the sea. I was beside myself. My spirit was signing. I can recall how happy I was, as it was a magical moment for me.

I followed the little guy to the sea. I even helped him (or her), without touching, flip over back onto his belly when he got stuck on his back. Then he got to the water and swam off. I swam with him until I lost him.

I was "higher" than any bit of alcohol or drug had ever made me.

Later that night I was retelling the story again and again. Someone then told me that the rest of the eggs hatched the night prior and there was a migration of the little cuties that went to the sea.

I was absolutely gutted that I missed it. It ruined everything for me, until....

I realized my perspective was all wrong.

It was not about what I had missed, but rather what I had experienced. Finding out that there was another great experience that I missed in no way took anything away from the amazing experience that I had.

It is all about perspective.

[brandrea]

Originally Posted by Cru Jones

Great thread Brian.





Excellent post Dan.

my friend

[brandrea]

Originally Posted by GB-man

Don’t take shots. End of story. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve passed on a round of shots. What a waste of a chance to enjoy a drink that doesn’t suck.

Funny, I’m not a shot guy either Tom

[brandrea]

Originally Posted by Old Expat Beast

Never sneeze with a mouth full of fried rice (especially on a first date).

I gotta ask … did this really happen?

[brandrea]

Originally Posted by Beo3

Never try and light a cigarette from the stove. Especially if you have long hair, as I did in the 80's.

Please don't ask me how I know this.......

I can only imagine

[brandrea]

Originally Posted by superdog

When I had my yoga studios I started, and taught, a class called the Bob Marley flow. As you can imagine, it was all reggae.

We did it right around sunset if we could. Candle light only.

Until one of the girls in class had her hair go on fire. That was one crazy ass class. We used these battery type candies after that night.

Wow, that’s crazy and funny all at the same time

[brandrea]

Originally Posted by daveathall

My dad always told me, 'you never get a second chance to make a good first impression."

My Mom always instilled this in me as well Dave

Originally Posted by JasoninDenver

Don’t let the perfect become the enemy of the good.

Rang true for my OCD self.

I’ve read this one a few times Jason … is it meant to say don’t be too hard on yourself? Sorry, I’ve never heard the expression before.

[superdog]

Originally Posted by brandrea

Wow, that’s crazy and funny all at the same time

Brother, it was crazy. Thank goodness she was a regular and nothing extreme happened. But you can imagine the shocking change of energy in the room from reggae and zen to panic and fire whilst running around the room in an erratic moment.

She was fine. Clearly. But holy cow. It was a crazy moment in time. And yes, very funny.