It’s Them!!!

It just struck me in the shower recently that we seem to be living in two distinctively different worlds today that are weirdly occupying the same space in time. That phenomenon is not terribly unusual in the overall scheme of things, but the intensity of it is almost freakish now. The “Us vs Them” mentality seems to have caused a VERY deep chasm between too many of us. That is what this unusually long post a about.

This phenomenon has several different faces. Let’s look at some of them.

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Seeking a Joyous Journey Rule No 11 – Don’t Get Hung Up On Stuff…

Capitalism in America demands that we buy more and more stuff each year. Without that insatiable drive we simply couldn’t grow as a society today. I think that needs to be basically changed to match the successes of the rest of the world. Instead of requiring us to buy more this year that last, maybe we should spend it on our infrastructure or, here’s a wild thought, maybe making healthcare a right instead of a privilege! Ok, enought soapboxing for now, let’s get back to the point of this post.

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Now Let Me Explain…

I know the general impression of the last post probably was that I am not very happy with my marriage of 33 years. While that is true to a degree, I don’t really regret the choices I made in life. I take my vows seriously and would not think about quitting my marriage, especially now. Even though we might not agree on things, we simply need each during these final years. I think the crux of Monday’s post was that I was looking at today’s world and whether I would still marry if I were a 2019 college graduate just … Continue reading Now Let Me Explain…

Joyous Journey Rule #8 – Take the Dark Side In Small Doses

The dark side of life is kind of like a black hole, or maybe a Venus fly trap, it can suck you into its depths. and won’t let you go. If that happens there is no way for you to even fully dream of a joyous life. I must admit that much of the news from the world today is “dark side material”. Especially when it comes to politics. There just seems to be nothing good happening there recently. We shouldn’t drop out entirely from our political processes, but instead we need to take them in small doses. Kinda like … Continue reading Joyous Journey Rule #8 – Take the Dark Side In Small Doses

Seeking a Joyous Journey – Find Something

I’m going to let you in on my secret of life.  It has taken me seven decades of continuous searching to discover this secret. Find something you might enjoy and then do it. But maybe the real secret is to find the things you don’t enjoy and get rid of them as soon as possible. Personally looking at the back end of the process, I have found that the most freeing time in life starts with your retirement from the working world. This is a time you are no longer shackled to that 9 – 5 job. You can do whatever … Continue reading Seeking a Joyous Journey – Find Something

Seeking a Joyous Journey – It’s Never Too Late

I want to let you in on one of my dark secrets I have learned in life and that is, I waited way too long before I sought, or even realized, what a joyous journey could be like. Some people, and I am totally envious of them, figure it out much earlier than I did. I went through much of my life afraid of change. Out of college, I thought I had a good job that provided me with the security I thought I needed. But in reality that was a cop out. While I didn’t hate my job I … Continue reading Seeking a Joyous Journey – It’s Never Too Late

The Rise of “Mom & Pop” Businesses

I know one of the ranting points of many folks is how the “mom & pop” business have almost disappeared from America. But according to an article I recently read they are mounting a very striking comeback. Thanks to Amazon! Several of the items I have purchased recently are obviously from small and medium sized business. Amazon encourages small businesses to engage with them. They are not like brick and mortar stores who have only so much shelf space. Customers don’t have to roam down isle after isle to try to find what they are looking for. Amazon is an … Continue reading The Rise of “Mom & Pop” Businesses

Seeking a Joyous Journey – Joyful??

With this post, I am introducing yet another new special project here on RJsCorner. It is entitled Seeking a “Joyous Journey” Through Our Retirement Years. This project will hopefully become a major part of this blog in the coming months. I have also redesigned the header above to reflect a new direction for RJsCorner. Joyful is often a very misunderstood word, especially in today’s hectic world. Some think that being joyful and being happy are the same thing, but I am finding that couldn’t be further from the truth. What is joy?  Joy is a state of being, whereas happiness … Continue reading Seeking a Joyous Journey – Joyful??

Transitions

Life is about transitions. We start out with a total dependence on our parents, and then, except for the homeschooled, we start interacting with others in a school environment.  Our teenage years are a tumultuous period where we are supposed to grow from being a kid to an adult. This period is the first trimester of our life. The second trimester is mainly about our work and social world.  We choose an occupation that hopefully gives us a purpose and enough income to have a comfortable life and to be able to save for our retirement years. The third trimester … Continue reading Transitions