Your Valuable Treasures

Although precious metals like gold retain their value, and the lira may earn top dollar at an auction, those currencies won’t buy beverages from a soda machine. Soda machines are designed to accept quarters, not gold or lira. Many times, we calculate an item’s value based on the box we create for it. Over time, as our needs and perspectives change, our ideas of what’s valuable change also.   

Maybe you’ve noticed how drivers slow down, swerve around, or completely stop traffic to let a goose cross the road. On the other hand, if a squirrel tries crossing the road, it’s a risky and potentially fatal adventure. Somehow, geese grew in value. Maybe this collection’s value will rise, too:

                                         https://youtu.be/bO2SjCtmB_Q

That’s brave. My only comment is this modified, popular saying: one person’s horror is another person’s treasure. While we wonder if these treasures will ever warrant any monetary value, they certainly bring joy to their owner. What things, regardless of your age or life stage, will always be valuable to you?   

Erasing the Imprint

Nothing indicates a good night’s sleep like waking up with zigzaggy lines across your face. Here’s what happens: you sleep in the same position with a bunched-up part of sheet on your pillow for a few hours and—wham—you spend half the morning with imprints decorating your face. They’ll disappear eventually, but until then that’s the face you’re forced to show. Imagine living with something that’s not disappearing anytime soon. Something like this:   

                                         https://youtu.be/PGow1NqNA00

We forget that every situation, whether it’s where we lay our heads or how we choose to present ourselves to the world, creates ripple effects. Ripples shock us when they create scars either on ourselves or on family members and friends. Unfortunately, scar removal always comes with a price. Thinking about your personal scars, what’s it going to cost to make them disappear?

Stepping Into It

These days no one behaves in ways you expect. My cat acts like a canine that almost plays Fetch. Whenever we throw a toy, she sprints across the floor like a dog, but there’s where the similarity ends. Instead of retrieving the toy, she walks away from it, faking us out. When her feline attitude kicks in, it’s clear she only acts like a dog, but  thinks like a cat. Similar to the movie, “Freaky Friday” where the mother and daughter swap places, switching is happening all around us. In addition to cats acting like dogs, there are kids acting like adults and adults…well you get the idea. Check out this switch: 

                                         https://youtu.be/MovG8WvYonY

People will push boundaries to figure out if animals can communicate with us. One lady spent years training a gorilla to understand sign language. Switching positions usually helps us understand someone else’s point of view, so think about your toughest critic. If you stepped into their shoes and saw their perspective, what things would you better understand about you?

Looming Tower of Rights

The moment you think everybody’s on the same page about a subject—bam—someone pops up with a totally different viewpoint that would have never crossed your mind. For instance, thousands of students across the country walked out of school protesting gun laws and a school shooting, but not every student walked out.

Some students held indoor vigils, and in one school, students traveled the hallways, posting encouraging notes on one another’s lockers. It sounded like a creative twist on an unfortunate incident. Unfortunately, not everyone agreed with that decision. They thought the idea oversimplified the issue and placed responsibility on the students to modify questionable behaviors in schools.

We’re great at arguing about issues and picking apart other people’s opinions. Sort of like what I’m doing and what you’ll see here:

                                         https://youtu.be/654YMP971ao  

Granted, some arguments are simply dumb, and it’s fine to disagree with an opposing viewpoint. How about if we do it by reinforcing our key points instead of taking a bat to someone else’s position? Maybe one day we’ll all share the same perspective on an issue. Which one do you wish everyone believed in and supported?    

Getting Salty

Last week, I couldn’t believe the amount of salt someone had deposited on a sidewalk. It looked like they wanted to skip salting the next storm and all the ones to follow. How much is too much? Granted, salt melts ice on slippery sidewalks, but you don’t need a cupful dumped in one spot to do the job. That’s called overkill. Too much salt can be bad for the body and it kills your concrete by pitting it with divots and pockets.

On the other hand, thousands of years ago salt offered tremendous benefits by preserving foods, and then there’s this phenomena: 

                                         https://youtu.be/kY41fenRU9A

Depending on the circumstances, too much of a good thing can be detrimental. Where can you exercise greater balance and better judgement? 

In the Headlights

How often do we ask ourselves that age-old question: How common is common sense? I believe that it’s not as common as you might think. Granted, a driver’s level of patience is tested when another driver is in the left lane and going the speed limit. But when a turning lane lies ahead speedy drivers should exercise patience.

I’m still trying to understand why, while driving in the left lane, I saw the windshield of the car behind me, but no headlights. I bet you’re wondering what happened to the headlights. Oh, the car had headlights, but the driver tailgated so close that I couldn’t see them. Talk about a lack of common sense. Who drives like that? It’s probably the same type of person who does this:

                                         https://youtu.be/ZN1jUXMHo5U

In most cases, tailgaters don’t drive like maniacs because they’re heading to the emergency room. The top two tailgating excuses are probably, “I was going out for coffee” and “I don’t know.” It’s helpful, but not pleasant, for someone to tell us we’re not being sensible. It’s better when we discover it in ourselves. What situations have you discovered in yourself?   

Dropping In, But Not Out

By now, the cold, wet, freezing weather helped introduce you to at least one of these dreaded things. Those insidious, little destroyers lurk where you least expect them ready to disrupt your vehicle, your day, and your mood. When you’re zooming along, thinking all’s well—bam! A pothole attacks! What’s worse than a pothole? Maybe it’s this, and be glad you’re not him:

                                         https://youtu.be/7CIOWh1JNTs

And you thought these situations only appeared in adventure stories. As you can see, it’s real and getting stuck is possible. People rarely have good things to say about getting stuck in holes. In fact, when someone complains about being in the hole, it often means they’re in debt. Again, not a good place to be. When you feel like you’re in a hole or a bad spot, what helps you wriggle free?