The No Thank You Bite

“A man of genius makes no mistakes. His errors are volitional and are the portals of discovery.”

— James Joyce 

Good morning, how are you? I trust you slept well; we did; I’m sitting in FL for our last morning before going back to IN. It’s been a great few days of relaxation, but we are ready to head home and see our pup. We had a lovely meal last night; we met Cousin and our friend Whitney again. That’s twice we got to dine with this dream team of friends. We laughed, spoke about inappropriate stuff, and celebrated the new year.

We sat on the beach yesterday, day two of sunshine and a little wind. We enjoyed some drinks made by our new friend Stephanie. We got lunch, took a short nap before heading out for dinner. We have a certain rhythm we follow while on vacation,  walk, shower, grapple, beach, lunch, nap, shower, dinner, sleep, rinse, and repeat.  It’s a good recipe we have been using for years; you may steal it if you like.

Today is a travel day, we never have a layover, preferring to go direct, but this time due to our late decision of getting away, there were no direct flights. I think we fly through Hotlanta; it’s the only way home, so we will simply enjoy the journey. I believe that is something that I want to focus on this year is enjoying the journey. I wrote a book a few years ago titled Enjoy the Fu@king Journey. You can find it on Amazon; it’s a sexy little black book of stories about the simple things in life.

I’ll publish my next book this first quarter of 2021. It’s done, it’s been done, it’s been held up at the publisher, and I don’t know why, but I will crack that code. I simply could not muster up the energy to get it done last year; I don’t have deadlines, I let the universe dictate my moves, and the universe is telling me it’s time the world gets to read The Rule of 8%.

I got a call from an old friend the other day. He has been having a rough go of life; he fell and broke both his feet, not being able to walk for a couple of months. It sounded like his marriage was in shambles, he reached out after reading something I had written, and he wanted to tell me he appreciated the thoughts and ideas.  He seemed in good spirits, but it was a reminder that I never know who is consuming this soup, this collection of words that I feel compelled to share.

Cousin asked where I got my ideas, and I shared I wake up with maybe a line or concept. He was confused about my conversation with 2021 yesterday, and I used that soup as an example. I woke up with the idea that 2021 was rapping on the door. Actually, the idea was 2021 rapt on the door, but in Googling the term rapt, it was not what I thought, so instead of showing my ignorance, I used rap instead.

I’m sure I often show my ignorance, maybe daily, but I’m an ignorant fellow with a penchant for sharing my thoughts and ideas.  My Queen was sharing something I wrote the other day that caused a stir on social media. I laughed, “Which one?” She shared, “The one about six of our local businesses being shuddered.”  I no longer see the comments people make about my “art.” I just let the chips fall where they may. 

Do I mean to push buttons? Is that my intent? Well, maybe a little; getting those with thin skin to see a different perspective is one of my reasons for existence. You might not like what I write, but I’ll get you to think, and that is not a bad thing. I have many people share they don’t agree with everything I write, and I always smile, imagine agreeing with everything someone says or does; it’s a statistical impossibility.  

I’ve stated before if you don’t like something, don’t consume it. We have a no thank you bite rule in our family; if you have never tried something, you take a bite, and if you don’t like it, you say “no thank you,” and you don’t have to eat it again. If you don’t like what I or others have to say, say “no thank you” and move on. The people that continually get triggered by my work provide a daily dose of humor for this aging white man.

Well, two days into a new year, have you changed, modified your behavior, or are you still doing 2020 activities. I’m still living like it’s 2020, but I have a plan to make some small adjustments to my life to make it a little better. I hope you, too, take some time to review your life and do a couple of things that might make your time on this spinning blue ball a little more enjoyable.

Our friends are moving to Bend, OR. A new spot to travel and enjoy, we’ve got CO covered. My sister has a place in FL, as do our friends Bill and Esta. We will travel to see our friends and family in 2021 once the world returns to semi-normal, and I believe we are on that path as of the writing of these words. We didn’t change our behavior in 2020; I don’t see us deviating from our lifestyle in 2021; I guess we’re not the best “rule” followers.

Well, there you have it, soup two of this new year. I don’t think I said anything that will cause a stir, but I rarely think these words are controversial. If you are harmed, triggered, or upset, I’m sorry, but maybe getting your feathers ruffled is a good thing. Maybe reading another perspective that deviates from your own might be food for your mind. I’m not asking you to read this collection of words; you do so from your own volition.

“A man of genius makes no mistakes. His errors are volitional and are the portals of discovery.”

— James Joyce