20 years and a few months

My dang shoulder hasn't magically gotten better after months of waiting patiently for the pain to go away. I don't know what I did to it exactly but it feels like it starts coming out of its socket when I reach a certain way. It's obnoxious. I went to an orthopedic specialist and had it x-rayed last week. Looks like I have a little arthritis starting up from the wear and tear - 800 mg ibuprofen 3 x day for a month along with physical therapy. I think the chub needs work too. The thinner I am the less work my shoulder has to perform in the first place. I was hoping to make it to 50 before I landed in a power chair. It may be sooner.

What I REALLY want is for Ale to learn how to perform liposuction. Then all my problems would be solved! Eat as much as I want, whenever, stay thin and light as a feather, forever!

20 years

I broke my neck 20 years ago. My face and body are starting to show the years but it is hard to believe. Top 5 lessons from the past 20 years:

5. "Repetition is the mother of learning". Hard things take more repetitions.

4. Balance is critical, literally and figuratively.

3. Surround yourself with good people. The people in your life are the most important.

2. Always stay positive and smile as much as possible. Smiles are contagious.

1. Don't dive into shallow water.

Sayings

As I work my way through school there are a few sayings that I remember to keep me going for various reasons. This is one my mother clipped for me years ago that I have not forgotten.

Nothing in the world can take the place of Persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan 'Press On' has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.

- Calvin Coolidge

Another message about persistence I liked was from a book my brother recommended, Outliers. In the book they studied student performance and found students who do the best in school are those who spend the most time studying/working on their coursework. What a surprise!

The next message is one I remembered and looked up the other day as I observed several people working toward an almost identical goal each claiming it was their idea (important in academics), a situation I have encountered myself. Just when I think I have come with something innovative or new I find that it has already been done.

Ecclesiastes 1:9-14

9 The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no ^anew thing under the sun.

10 Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us.

11 There is no ^aremembrance of former things; neither shall there be any remembrance of things that are to come with those that shall come after.

12 ¶ I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem.

13 And I gave my heart to seek and search out by ^awisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven: this ^bsore travail hath God given to the sons of man to be exercised therewith.

14 I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is ^avanity and ^bvexation of spirit.

And finally, I find it amusing when people criticize the work of others because it does not match up to their imagination. To these people I say:

Ecclesiastes 9:4

...a living dog is better than a dead lion.

Uuuuhh, kind of works...