APHORISMS

This is my second blog on the subject of aphorisms.  But these pithy sayings sometimes don't go where you expect.  One of my personal favorites:

You can pick your friends and you can pick your nose, but you can't wipe your friends on the couch!

A friend sent me these:

It's not whether you win or lose, but how you place the blame.

We have enough "youth". How about a fountain of "smart"? The original point and click interface was a Smith & Wesson. A Fool and his money can throw one heck of a party. When blondes have more fun, do they know it? LEARN FROM YOUR PARENTS' MISTAKES USE BIRTH CONTROL Money isn't everything, but it sure keeps the kids in touch. If at first you don't succeed skydiving is not for you. We are born naked, wet and hungry. Then things get worse. Red meat is not bad for you.  Fuzzy green meat is bad for you. Ninety-nine percent of all lawyers give the rest a bad name. Xerox and Wurlitzer will merge to produce reproductive organs. Alabama state motto: At least we're not Mississippi . ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IS NO MATCH FOR NATURAL STUPIDITY. The latest survey shows that three out of four people make up 75% of the population. "You know why a banana is like a politician?" "He comes in and first he is green, then he turns yellow and then he's rotten." "I think Congressmen should wear uniforms, you know, like NASCAR drivers, so we could identify their corporate sponsors .."

LESS IS MORE, MORE OR LESS

"Kathy, when you write, edit yourself. Use fewer words. Never send adjectives on a verb's journey."  Jack Williams is both a wonderful writer and excellent editor.  He was also my mentor when I began writing years ago.

Beyond writing, however, sometimes less is more in other areas of life.  As we age, ladies, I submit we should use less 

* perfume

* jewelry

* red lipstick

* make-up in general

When I moved this shot to the trash bin, it felt very appropriate.

* hair length

* dark nail polish

* cloches

* words (both written and spoken)  I'm working on this one!

I love make-up, jewelry, decorating our home and words. I've also noticed the tendency to use more, perhaps because we have more at this age.  But that's also the very reason I suggest LESS. Aging gracefully may include editing, decluttering our lives. 

Trying to dress and look young actually makes us look old, somewhat pathetic. Yet we can be current without aiming for hipster trendy. . .translated = ridiculous.  Now I love seeing my daughter, Kimberly, in her blood red lipstick. She does glam and drama well!  She's young. On me, it would just be scary, clown-like!  

Buying more stuff to display in our homes, collecting more toys or games to play can tend towards hoarding. Perhaps not displaying it all at once is a form of editing. Even when rearing our kids we saw excess at Christmas so we stored half of their gifts away until June then rotated toys.

Holes in our hearts can not be filled with more things.  Stop the flow but fill the hole with God. 

It's elegant, uncluttered, simpler, classier and more age appropriate to use less. When is enough enough?   

Kathy's two cents' worth here.  And you just got it for free!  More for less!

FOR MUSICIANS ONLY

The title warned you to read this only if you're a musician.  We may or may not be venting a bit here.  We're not so much criticizing, as vomiting.  Some things tend to upset us, stomachs included. 

On the appreciative side, however, we sometimes don't fully credit our sound technicians for cleaning us up.  This video gives a pretty accurate picture of what they do the keep musicians literally on track!






Recently my friend and fellow musician, Keith Hammerick, posted this video on facebook. Another friend, Kirk Slaughenhoupt, who plays trumpet, spotted it and the dialog ensued. I've played with both these guys in a jazz band. 

• 3 people like this.
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  Kurt W Slaughenhoupt I may or may not have been on both sides at some point!

  1 hr · Like
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  Kathy Tippett Henderson You were and may or may not have even known it at the time. Which of you 2 were playing with me at the capitol in Columbia, got totally lost for a full page or more, faking it? I think I mouthed to Keith, "I'm lost." Craig walked backwards, still playing and finally said, "Measure 23!"

  45 mins · Like · 1
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  Kurt W Slaughenhoupt There is a certain look to somebody that is lost!!! Helpless.....and often quite colorful.......ahemmm\

  25 mins · Like
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  Kathy Tippett Henderson Ahhhh yes. That deer in the headlights look. I know it well. I've been both too--the stunned deer and the high beams going wide open fortissimo!

  Just now · Like

My cousin , Waylan Goddin, is a wonderful pianist.  When I found this little cartoon video, we recognized ourselves. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IV1RiOFziFU&feature=youtube_gdata

But then we went on to indict leaders who don't actually lead.

• 

  Waylan Goddin Well.... admittedly a little embellishment can go a long way but think about how many times someone says, "Just follow me" and then they do all they can to follow YOU... and you know, you gotta keep it flowing.... so the "battle" ensues! I'll follow ya, doggone it, but that means you gotta lead it! You know what I'm talking about. .. haha

  November 3 at 9:29pm · Like
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  Kathy Tippett Henderson I know exactly what you mean and instantly know I have to drive it. Worse than that singer though, is the person leading congregational singing who doesn't actually direct or lead. I really work with my students to teach them how to accompany. But for sure there has to be someone to FOLLOW! I miss you and hearing you play, cuz! Think we can block out some jam time in heaven?

  Yesterday at 1:07am · Like
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  Waylan Goddin Yes, for sure.... maybe we'll have our own family music room for endless fun... but I think we'll manage to work in a few more sessions here before we move on.. family gatherings/funerals, if nothing else 

  Yesterday at 7:21am · Unlike · 1
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  Kathy Tippett Henderson Oh what a foretaste of glory divine.

  Yesterday at 9:59am · Like · 1

That's the slipperly slope that transports accompanists to keyboard soloists. If you leave a hole, we tend to fill it!

Share your similar experiences in comments or on facebook.  We'll moan in unison!

WHATEVER!

We know, as Christians, we are to pray.  But many don't.  Those who do, may be erratic about it. Why is it so hard to pray?

Maybe we make it more complicated than it truly is.  Prayer is quite simple.  We make it difficult imposing postures, steps, patterns and methods on how to pray, when and where. Just climb into your Father's lap and say, "Papa."  That's prayer.

Recently a friend was facing a tough time and said, "I can't pray right now.  There are no words."

I still have this mug to remind me of the simplicity of prayer.

I immediately remembered feeling much the same.  That valley may be where I learned a profound lesson about prayer. My tears He kept in a bottle.  My groanings were interpreted for me by the Holy Spirit. One word utterances of, "Whatever" were my ultimate sacrifice of praise. Not in a sarcastic way, but I prayed "whatever" to His plan, not mine. I reminded my friend of that.

No guilt. No formulas. No cleverly crafted phrases. No studies on prayer. Just honesty, raw honest to God utterances. He hears and understands our thoughts, even without words.

Jesus praised the 7 word prayer of the sinner, "God, be merciful to me a sinner" over the publican's 34 word prayer.

I'M OK!

Motivational speakers may be overrated and perhaps some are overpaid.  I offer you FREE inspiration today by two children!  Whatever you may be going through. . .listen and learn how to keep on keeping on.









Doctors suggested an abortion to the mother of this next little guy.  She said no because of her faith. Soon after birth his physical problems made it necessary to remove his leg.  Even as an amputee, learning to walk, he is a motivational speaker!  Underrated and underpaid!

                            http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPCRs-Cn1zA

Even a child shall lead them!