The value of pespective

One of the things I am continually amazed at is the value of perspective. This is one thing that having good friends is especially good for. There have been a number of times recently where friends of mine have been able to see things in a way that I have not been able to. Some were so simple that it is almost embarrassing to admit, others were quite insightful and deep. In all of the cases I have seen that without their perspective, I would have been ill-equipped to make a wise decision or would have continued in a foul mood, etc.

This thought causes two responses within me. One, I want to be the kind of friend who others say “Thanks for helping me see things from your perspective. That was helpful.” Two, it makes me want to be more careful to seek the perspective of others more often, to keep me from being a total moron at least occasionally.

Perspective – it’s a good thing!

Weird Dream

So I had a weird dream some time ago. It was about me going hunting. I am not a hunter. Know nothing about hunting, which will be obvious to those of you who do hunt. Don’t want to be a hunter either, really.

So here is the 100 mile an hour version of the dream: I was out hunting for bear and for deer at the same time. No, I have no idea if those two seasons are any where near each other on the calendar, but they were in my dream. Anyway, so I am wandering around the woods when a big, huge deer, who happened to be feeling quite frisky apparently, decides to chase me. In my haste to escape this mad creature, I decide to shinny up a big ol’ tree, and accidentally drop my gun (a pistol, btw) on the way up. Once half way up the tree, I realize that I have bigger issues than the frisky deer below me. Above me there is a very scared and rapidly becoming very angry bear that had been chased up there by another hunter’s dogs. I am now caught between the two, neither of whom are happy with me. My situation turns worse when the deer begins thrashing around and begins kicking my pistol laying on the ground. Suddenly, BANG!!!! The gun goes off, the bullet whizzes past my head, burying itself into the bear above me, who begins falling out of the tree. I turn and look down and see the deer below me, now scared out of its wits, turn and begin running full steam, WHACK!!! Right into a tree, head first, killing it instantly. As I climb down from the tree, I realize I now have both my deer and my bear to take home, and I myself have not fired a shot. In fact only one bullet has been fired in the whole incident.

So, those of you who feel that dreams have meanings, care to explain this one to me?

Top Ten Ways to Get Kicked Off a Flight

Came across the following list sometime ago in an article on the web. The writer says they all really happened. The items with an '*' after them resulted in jail time as well, btw.

1. Board a flight drunk and put your face directly into the chest of a well endowed flight attendant while yelling the words “Blobby, blobby, blobbly.”
2. Snatch a man’s toupee and play “Keep Away” during boarding.
3. Take a swing at me and then at the pilot. He missed on both tries but did land in prison for six months.
4. Smoke marijuana in the lavatory and then insist it is for medicinal purposes. *
5. Openly read a book on how to make bombs, underlining parts of the chapter on commercial aviation.
6. Charge the cockpit, shouting “Allah be praised,” and then upon reaching the front say, “just kidding.” *
7. Be a well endowed female, take off all your clothes, and start your collection of Mardi Gras beads on your way to New Orleans.
8. Open an exit before takeoff to see if the emergency slide really works. *
9. Have such incredibly bad gas that it makes everyone around you sick. (This has happened twice.)
10. Pull out a realistic looking gun, aim it at a flight attendant and start squirting.

Design flaw?

Some time ago I came across something that I found so funny that I kept a sample as proof that I was not making it up.

While on a flight within Asia (on a major Asian carrier who will remain nameless), I was rummaging through the seat pocket in front of me and noticed the 'barf bag'. I took it out and quickly realized that this one had what I would call a major design flaw. It had a perforated tab at the top that needed to be removed before using said barf bag.

I don't know about you, but by the time I finally concede defeat and admit that I am about to 'yawn in technicolor', there is precious little time between that admission and the commencement of said yawning. If I were to discover this need for removing the perforated tab only at this time, I fear it would be too late. You can imagine the scene . . . "Oh boy! I can't stop this thing. Better get out the barf bag. Hey!! What the heck!! Oh crud!! (insert puking sounds here)". Not a pretty picture.

A perforated tab on a barf bag? Major design flaw in my book.

beginning a new thing . . .

As I think about a beginning to my new blog, I have all kinds of random thoughts that need some place to go. Some funny, some deep, some not so deep at all, and maybe a serious one now and then too. Hopefully this will be a place to not only record, but to share some of these thoughts. Let me know your thoughts on any of the ideas presented, or on other ideas as well.

Let the blogging begin!