Over my time in this life I have determined that all of my resentment/bitterness had its' roots in ego. So, whenever I feel that heat rising I examine the situation as coolly as possible. If I'm able to reduce the situation to ego I just let it go.

It took a long time to get here but it's very easy for me now and it saves a lot of energy.

I learned of this several years ago and it stuck with me:

Autobiography in 5 Short Chapters by Portia Nelson

"Autobiography in Five Short Chapters
I.
I walk down the street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I fall in. I am lost. I am helpless.
It isn't my fault.
It takes forever to find a way out.
II.
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I still don't see it. I fall in again.
I can't believe I am in the same place.
It isn't my fault.
It still takes a long time to get out.
III.
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I see it there, I still fall in.
It's habit. It's my fault. I know where I am.
I get out immediately.
IV.
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I walk around it.
V.
I walk down a different street.



I am a believer in Chapter 5 - When I get stuck, I find different street

When am I not? :D

It is the political system which has devolved into 2 extremes over the years. Nothing positive gets done and nobody can discuss anything. I've realized over the last several years as a moderate R I have no seat at the table any longer and just ignore it. In the words of Lucas Nelson, I turned off the TV and planted a garden. Well, not a garden, but I putter on my cars or walk the dog more and ignore social media other than the Porsche 914 and 356 groups on FB.

My Grandpa always told me: Get a lot while you are young!


someday you may want to build a house on it

I dont post anywhere near like I used to on here. For one I'm not around a computer like I used to be. Secondly this place has been going downhill more and more. Some on here have been getting more ornery and nasty . I dont get it? Even the most innocent of threads turns into a bulls##&t pissing match. Some of you ALWAYS have to be right, no matter what the subject is. For some reason, every topic turns into a political issue. Why?? :confused:

You have a few obvious trolls that are allowed to continue without a ban. I know the mods have enough to worry about, but dump these idiots and move on.
One of the problems, here and on other forums, is the "keyboard tough guy syndrome". I'm sure most of the big mouths on here wouldn't say what they say on here, to someones face. We have one guy on here that constantly bashes and makes fun of a certain type of motorcyclist. If he was ever to voice his opinion to one of them in real life, he would end up in the ER with his jaw wired.

Iv'e met a lot of fellow Pelicans on here in the real world. All are great guys. Even the ones I may disagree with politically and on other stuff. It means nothing to me. you are a good person, that's all I care about.

As I'm getting older, (56 now..). I'm finding less tolerence for arguments. I have more important crap in life to worry about. I have tons of hobbies and interests. I want to enjoy life. Not stew over crap constantly. For what? what am I going to gain?

So yeah I let a ton of stuff go.


.

1. I believe 100% this statement is correct

2. A lot of people here are so invested in their stance that they no longer consider the opposing viewpoint.

3. This division is making the USA ungovernable.

4. It's also detrimental to PPOT.

If there was ever a wolf in sheep's clothing topic- covid is it.
Important outcomes, having to make very important political, health, and public policy decisions with limited data make it an immediate posterchild of dissent in an ongoing bar brawl that travels from one thread to the next. Literally, and figuratively, people have skin in the game.

I followed the threads here about a year / year and a half ago in the great mask debates of the spring of 2020. From time to time I click on them, and quite honestly, I couldn't even tell you which posters are on which side any more. From what I can see, it's a disagreement waiting for a thread to happen in.

Medicine and science are not political in most places around the world....and yet it's something that is argued about endlessly here.

When the ‘science’ is contradictory, of course it becomes political.

I don't think that's the norm outside of the USA. Maybe some others can chime in. Science is supposed to be fact based. But in the US facts have been turned into more politics...

I do know that anyone around me who politicizes their choices does so on the basis of American politics.

As you get older, "In 50 years neither you nor I will care about this. " becomes "In 50 minutes neither you nor I will care about this. "

In 50 minutes I will probably not even remember this!

My favorite is: when you’re in a hole…stop digging.

I think it started with the "fake news" thing.
People can fight over anything no matter the facts (or non facts).
It's not just here. I see it on all forums.
Such a shame to see people divided over BS.

I have a simple rule: Don’t put anything in writing that isn’t factual or polite. Best to be both factual and polite, but at least one or the other or don’t write it.

I erase a lot of emails and posts after proof reading them and most importantly before sending or posting.

I wouldn’t be surprised if over half the people in prison are there because they lost control of their emotions.

I must be a lot older than you...

5 minutes tops... if that long.

....and I like to start drinkin' early in the day too!

Helps me understand those late night posts from the west coast :D

Life would be less interesting if we just hung out with friends and people we agree with. We need a few a-holes around for our friends and people we agree with to make fun of.

I stayed a night under a tarp on the side of a highway in Indian Himalayas. My innkeeper was a 70 year old Tibetan lady. At about 5am the Indian tourists started barging in demanding snowsuits. I’d never seen such behavior, treated her like… I mean who flicks a 1/4 full paper cup of hot tea at someone you’ve just paid money to?

In evening it was even worse because the tourists were tired and cranky. I wanted to kick their asses I was so mad but host handled it all with serenity. Walking Buddha or something. I was so mad. She’s done it season after season, says it’s unpleasant but not really harmful to her, it’s a living.

I talked to one of these awful people, of course excellent English and very well spoken, college in the USA. he said oh these people are terrible, lying thieves, we must protect ourselves.

I let a lot of insults slide but seeing her done wrong was very difficult to watch.