Create a List of Joyful Moments to Relieve Stress

Posted on 24/11/2025 by Grumpa Joe

Every once in awhile a moment occurs that is special. One of my motivational teachers put me onto  keeping a list called “Warm and Fuzzy Moments.”  Moments come along that make us feel good. The moments are special.  Sometimes it is an unexpected card from a friend, or a “thank you” for something you did for someone. By recording the moment one can occasionally review it and feel good all over again. This technique is especially helpful when I am stressed out and not feeling good about myself. I can remember all the times when I received something unexpectedly for a positive action I took unconsciously.

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Recently, one such moment occurred while I was walking on the path near my house. I was totally zoned saying the rosary and listening to the songs of the birds. I felt a presence near me, but kept walking. Sometimes it is another walker or a runner who silently approaches from the rear. Many times I never hear or see the person until they are next to me. This morning it was a deer. Not a fawn, nor an adult mature deer, but a teenager. It sported the beautiful honey brown color of a springtime deer without the baby spots of a fawn, or the antlers of a buck. He/she stood just above my waist in height.

I was totally surprised and amazed that this beautiful animal should come so close to me and walk along my side for a few steps. She finally picked up the pace and trotted out ahead of me and off into the brush along the side of the trail. The encounter lasted only a few seconds, but it is etched into my mind as a “warm and fuzzy” moment. It is written on my list.

My deceased wife Barbara loved deer. Could this magnificent animal been sent by her to tell me that she is well? Did God chose to let this creature wander into my path to make my day? What ever the reason it happened, a freak of nature, a coincidence, a sign, it made my day.

I recommend to all goal achieving people on this earth to keep a log of their “warm and fuzzy” moments. The moments relived will pick you up, and help you through the times you are low and not feeling good about yourself.

Filed under: family, Funk, grief, Memories, Motivation | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

Being Positive is Fun, Being Negative is Funk

Posted on 30/08/2025 by Grumpa Joe

Wow! It seems like forever since I last posted. So much has transpired. The baby steps that I used to tick off have stopped and that sent me into a sunk feeling. I like to say I am in a funk when I am feeling depressed. In spite of all the positive activity toward my goals I have been stricken with a slight case of depression. My self-esteem is low, and that always is a sign of depression. Some little thing triggered me into a funk. The funk is over, I’ve survived and now it’s time to BLOG again. How did I get myself out of the funk? Well first there is work. Good hard physical work. Thank God, I can still do physical work. That meant that doing my physical therapy exercises religiously and without complaint.

I drove to Pets Mart last week and bought ten good size goldfish for the pond. We can now see fish from our kitchen window, whereas before, the little guys were invisible. Everyday, Lovely and I throw a handful of fish pellets into the water to feed them. I want to train the fish to come to us when we approach the edge of the water.

Another powerful tool for getting out of the funk is to pray. I pray every night before retiring. I coax my sub-conscious into bringing me only good health, great stories, and abundance. Included is a request to help a bunch of people who need it. In the morning, when I walk, it is  another opportunity to pray and speak to God. I can’t walk without praying. It’s a habit I developed over the last twenty-two years.

Slowly, ever so slowly, the endorphins begin to kick in and the funk begins to disappear.

Today, I remembered signing up for writing school twenty years ago. I had hoped to improve my writing to become as good as the really fluid writers on the blogs I visit. Man are they good. I admire people who can write their thoughts clearly, concisely, and in a completely understandable way . They amaze me. How can some writers be so descriptive with their words and others like me are complete klutzes. Do you believe this, I’m writing myself into a funk just by giving someone unknown to anyone an “atta boy.”

I am not a klutzy writer, I do well. Even though others can write rings around me, I must concentrate on the positive in my life and not dwell on the negative. The negative, “or dark side,” can quickly envelop the “id” and predominate. We have to learn and practice being positive every moment of our lives. Being positive is much more fun than being negative. Funk rules the negative person.

Filed under: Funk, Garden, Motivation, Writer | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments »

Time to Eat A Sandwich

Posted on 12/10/2024 by Grumpa Joe

I gazed out the window to look at my once beautiful garden, which I was so proud of, and thought, eh. Winter is coming, and all the weeds and flowers will die, and the wind will sweep them away. Unfortunately, all of my weeds will be swept away, but my neighbors will be swept in. The bottom line is equal part ugly. I often wondered how long it would take for nature to reclaim a manicured garden. I’d say about three years because right now, it has been neglected for two years and it is almost natural. My idea is to hire a bulldozer to come and scrape the entire yard clean. That would give me about three months of pleasure until the weeds take over again. Guys like me belong in senior homes where there are no gardens to look after. If I were to go there, I would probably sit in regret for having left my independence and my weedy garden. My brother is in that situation. He sits in his retirement community in the heart of the city watching cars and busses flow past his window and dreams about escaping to his summer home in Michigan. He sits with as many pots of flowers as will fit on his window sill to substitute for the fabulous garden he gave up. His kids removed his driving privileges and car keys two years ago and he is left to cruise the hallways with his walker while leading a conga line of seniors shuffling after. He spends his hours spreading cheer and doing good deeds for his fellow senior neighbors. At ninety-three he still dreams of traveling except he is left to the mercy of his kids who still lead active lives.

Most of us have the small problem of a money shortage. If we had money, we could hire a full-time caretaker or two to drive us wherever we wanted. They would also manage our pill boxes, pack our clothing, and provide an occasional meal. All we would have to do is wake up, brush our teeth, dress, climb into the car, and instruct “Westward ho James.”

During the garden season, we would sit in a wheelchair and direct the caretaker to pull this weed, cut that branch, and plant the rose bush here. There are many people who live like that. My problem is finding caretakers who know the difference between a flower and a weed and, of course, finding the $300 plus per day to make it happen. Instead, I sit and watch YouTube videos and feel my muscles melting away. My fingers and hands begin to develop tendonitis from overuse of the keyboard, and I wonder what my options will be when I reach the next stage.

Reading fiction novels is an excellent way to waste my years, and I read at least one book per week. Once in a while, I’ll pick a political science book or some other non-fiction genre, and it’ll take me two weeks to finish because I fall asleep too often with the boredom of facts, figures, and theories of how to improve the world. After reading so many murder mysteries, I avoid them because they romanticize killing. The next more popular genre is love stories, they bore me to tears. What I do find interesting a is a good love story salted with many erotic scenes. They remind me of my ‘good old days.’ Biographies are good. They are intriguing, and I love to know how people spent their lives as compared to my own.

After twelve years of blogging, even this hobby is becoming tiresome. I overthink what to write, but my life is the same every day, and it seems I have nothing interesting to say anymore. Politics has been a fun topic, but hundreds of political people are writing about every political speech, tactic, lie, and activity of candidates. Who cares what I have to say? So why waste valuable time saying it.

In my younger years, I would take a bike ride to get my juices flowing again, but this year, I finally sold my trusty recumbent bicycle and have already spent the money I got for it. I’m running out of options to discuss here, which prompts me to go and eat a sandwich.

Filed under: Aging, family, Funk | Tagged: , , | 3 Comments »

My Ass Is Dragging 10 Feet Behind Me

Posted on 31/08/2024 by Grumpa Joe

Today my ass is dragging ten feet behind me. That means I’m tired as hell. What did I do to get that tired? Nothing. That is my usual routine: do nothing. That is until it is time to eat; then, I eat.

My sleep last night was broken by four trips to the commode, each one, two hours after the last. I can even tell I am tired when I have to stop typing to make corrections too many times in one sentence. The lack of energy I experience may be related to the beer I drank at the Wurstfest on Thursday night. If I had stuck with hard liquor I might feel better.

I am so tired that I have no desire to bash Kamala Harris, who is running for president. How much worse can she screw the country than what she has done already? At my age, It won’t matter that she turns us into a communist state because I won’t be here to hate it.

Yesterday, I tried sending my daughter a copy of my book, “BAC-British American Colonies, A World Without the United States.” It was too large a file to transmit, so, being the good father that I am, I printed it single-spaced on two sides and bound it with a cover. It came out so nice that I’ll make another copy to pass around to my friends for review. Their comments will help me decide whether to pursue finding a local (USA) publisher or Kindle Books at Amazon.

Right now, I ditching this post to take a nap.

Filed under: Aging, Biography, Funk | Tagged: , | Leave a comment »

Feeling Cold

Posted on 28/03/2024 by Grumpa Joe

Nature has a funny way of waking a person up. Lately, like yesterday and today, I have been cold. My hands are freezing, and my shoulders and neck feel like they are in an icy atmosphere. I’m sure this signals me to challenge my heart with cardio exercises to get blood moving. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. In my case, I think it is the other way around, the flesh is willing, but the spirit is weak. The honest truth is that neither the spirit nor the flesh are willing. What I need is a good dose of inspiration and motivation to move from my chairs and to force the blood in my veins to flow. Now, if you will excuse me, I have to take a short walk.

Filed under: Aging, Funk | Tagged: , , | 3 Comments »

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