Head-dibs

"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."

“We must all either wear out or rust out, every one of us. My choice is to wear out.” —Theodore Roosevelt This last weekend was perhaps one of the most restful weekends had in a very long time. Saturday began slowly and progressed at the speed of two very long naps and culminated in a 3 mile run just as the sun was setting. At first I felt guilty for not being up and doing, but then that’s all I seem to do. It was a day of rest. The next day was not much different. Nothing was pressing, nothing urgent--so why not rest, recharge? But one cannot stay in “recharge” mode. Theodore Roosevelt did not have a promising beginning. He was a weak, sick, asthmatic until he made a decision to do something different, be someone different. His father installed a home gym where he built up his body strength. Not long after he took to a variety of outdoor sports and excursions, even creating a museum of natural history in his own home. He grew to be a soldier, a fighter, a hunter, an explorer and...

Some read just enough to keep themselves misinformed. (Amish proverb) The man is sure to go wrong in his thinking whose aim is to get for himself. (possibly H.L. Mencken) Merely having an open mind is nothing. The object of opening the mind, as of opening the mouth, is to shut it again on something solid. (G.K. Chesterton) There is no worse error than to seek intellectual remedy for moral grief. (Gaston Frommel) Beat not out thy brains to fathom the un-revealed. (Harold Will) It is not honking your horn that keeps you out of trouble as much as steering wisely. (Headline in the "Butter, Cheese & Egg Journal" July 12, 1922) Knowledge is power under three conditions: if it is knowledge of things worth knowing; if it is known by a person worthy of using it; if it be used. (anon) A brain is as strong as its weakest think. (Thomas Masson) Hell hath no fury like a zealot trying to prove a theory. (anon) True wisdom is seldom gained without suffering. (Sir Arthur Help...

"It seemed to Kunta that older people always could remember something worse." (Haley, Alex. Roots . New York: Doubleday, 1976).

" . . . not as chance will have it, but with prudence and foresight. Without amusements it is wearisome, like a long journey where there are no inns: manifold knowledge gives manifold pleasure. The first day's journey of a noble life should be passed in conversing with the dead: we live to know and to know our-selves: hence true books make us truly men. The second day should be spent with the living, seeing and noticing all the good in the world. Everything is not to be found in a single country. The Universal Father has divided His gifts, and at times has given the richest dower to the ugliest. The third day is entirely for oneself. The last felicity is to be a philosopher." (Balthasar Gracian, 1601-1658)

"They are not many. There is one Phœnix in the whole world, one great general, one perfect orator, one true philosopher in a century, a really illustrious king in several. Mediocrities are as numerous as they are worth-less: eminent greatness is rare in every respect, since it needs complete perfection, and the higher the species the more difficult is the highest rank in it. Many have claimed the title "Great," like Cæsar and Alexander, but in vain, for without great deeds the title is a mere breath of air. There have been few Senecas, and fame records but one Apelles." ( Balthasar Gracian )

“ From barbarism to civilization requires a century; from civilization to barbarism needs but a day .”  (Will Durant) “A little science estranges a man from God. A lot of science brings him back.”  (Francis Bacon) A Letter to the Country from an Emergency Physician . Entitlement vs. Real Need. Gas Rationing: 1979 or 2012-- can you tell the difference ? Go paperless with Crowder Family Living. Beatrix Potter pictured with her rabbits . Who knew? Happy to be a Bearded Gospel Man.