Ode to Sir Charles Bell

Ding Dong Hell
Gremmy's got the Bell.
Now she can't Pout
With this new Bout.
Only half a grin
From forehead to her chin.
What a freaky thing was that
When one side of her face fell flat.
The doctor says there is no harm
She says "Good, but goshdamndarn!"


123

A Thin Line Rant

There is a thin line between a positive attitude and denial.  I am seeing the difference right now in several people.  If someone has a "positive attitude", I'm all for it.  But too often the positive attitude crosses over into denial.  As in: if we just pretend everything is fine, everything will be fine.  Granted I'm not an optimist, nor am I a pessimist.  (Even though I may call myself one just for fun.)  I guess that makes me a realist?

Question:  Is the water glass half empty or half full?
My answer:  It's a glass of water, get over it already.

If you don't acknowledge the problems, how the hell are you ever going to fix them?  Especially if you are in a position of leadership and you tell people they are doing everything perfectly, you are doing them a dis-service.  How can they improve or grow or expand or learn?  You are telling them everything is perfect as is.  Sooner or later, reality is going to hit them with a bump and they will be shocked or worse embarassed.  (Okay, all this is contingent on IF the people involved want to fix/improve/grow.  If they don't then the point is moot, isn't it?)
Now here is my HUGE "but".....BUT this only applies to someone who is in that position of guideance, leadership or direction.  Nothing more annoying than someone who feels it necessary to correct everyone at liberty.  Appropriate behavior is a foreign term to them anyway.
"Cheerleaders" have their time and place (yay, go team!), but it shouldn't be a blanket approach.  And just because you say everything is fine, doesn't magically MAKE everything fine. 
(Cranky me sez:  It's no "Secret", it's not enough to imagine yourself a better person, you actually have to BE a better person.)

Rah Rah Sis Boom Bah...

123

Old Dog

I carved a stamp for someone today.  Well okay, I finished it today.  This it the 4th time I've carved for someone else using a theme I did not choose myself.  But it was different this time.  This was a very specific stamp and while I loved carving it, it was most certainly not in my usual genre.  It is very architectual, I had to have my nephew help me with the perspective as I am a very 2D carver still.  I would have never done something like that on my own and as I sat carving those little straight (ish) lines I was happy.  Happy to be pushed to try something new.  Happy to see it form up fairly well.  Happy to learn.  I think I am a perpetual student at heart, I love learning new things when I can.  I would hope to think that I am one of those old dogs who CAN learn new tricks.  I am not the person I was 10 years ago, not the person I was 20 years ago, for better or for worse I have changed, I hope it continues.

Non sum qualis eram.

123