Simplicity

Today is National Popcorn Day

“They think I’m simpleminded because I seem to be happy. Why shouldn’t I be happy? I have everything I ever wanted and more. Maybe I am simpleminded. Maybe that’s the key: simple.”

Dolly Parton, Dolly: My Life and Other Unfinished Business

Dolly Parton, American singer-songwriter and actress, Dolly Parton, was born on this day in 1946.

I have memories of watching Dolly Parton on The Porter Waggoner Show way back from my childhood. If I’m remembering things correctly it came on on Saturday afternoons from the NBC station in nearby Bluefield, West Virginia.

Where I lived in the mountains, we got three stations. NBC and CBS out of Roanoke, and another NBC station out of Bluefield. We didn’t get ABC until I was in middle school. So I didn’t see The Brady Bunch until it was mostly in reruns.

If I ever run for public office that will be a part of my overcoming childhood adversity speech.

NARRATOR: He is never running for public office.

Available in The Write Side Shop (click the pic).

It wasn’t my choice to watch Porter and Dolly. It was what my Dad wanted to watch. This was the 60s. We had one black and white television and I was the remote control.

My Dad’s been gone for almost forty-four years now. I’d love to be able to change the channel for him once again.

I’ve tried for a while to embrace Dolly’s idea of simplicity.

I want to eliminate the stuff.

I want to eliminate the busy-work that doesn’t really matter.

I did some of that during last Summer’s Great Unpleasantness (TM). But I need to eliminate more.

The problem is that life happens. I’m in my early sixties and the responsibilities, the problems, the bills, and the aches and pains all add up.

But I’m working to be more simpleminded.

Your mileage and daily dosage of Ibuprofen may vary.

Photo by Corina Rainer on Unsplash


 

ALSO BORN ON THIS DAY

Photo: Creative Dog Media

American general and academic, Robert E. Lee, 1807-1870

American writer, poet, and critic, Edgar Allan Poe, 1809- 1849

French painter, Paul Cézanne, 1839-1906

American actress and singer, Jean Stapleton, 1926-2013

American model, actress, and animal rights-welfare activist, Tippi Hedren, born 1930

American singer-songwriter, Janis Joplin, American singer-songwriter, 1943-1970

American actress and singer, Shelley Fabares, born 1944

American chef and author, Paula Deen, born 1947

American actor and singer, Desi Arnaz, Jr., born 1953

THINGS YOU SHOULD READ

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Boycott the Beijing Olympics
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Oh Bother

“Later on, when they had all said “Good-bye” and “Thank-you” to Christopher Robin, Pooh and Piglet walked home thoughtfully together in the golden evening, and for a long time they were silent.

“When you wake up in the morning, Pooh,” said Piglet at last, “what’s the first thing you say to yourself?”

“What’s for breakfast?” said Pooh. “What do you say, Piglet?”

“I say, I wonder what’s going to happen exciting to-day?” said Piglet.

Pooh nodded thoughtfully. “It’s the same thing,” he said.”

A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh

English author, poet, and playwright, A.A. Milne, was born on this day in 1882. (died 1956).

Today is also National Winnie the Pooh Day.

I’ve always liked Pooh’s outlook on life.

After all, they say breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Whoever they are.

Unless I guess, you’re doing intermittent fasting which I’m trying again.

Still, you can’t beat a good breakfast.

Our problem, however, is that we don’t always have the luxury of deciding what we’re going to do each day.

I mean sure, we make lots of decisions. But those are often directed by that to-do list or the bothersome day job.

Although it’s true that my day job is becoming a bit less bothersome. If you know, you know. If you don’t

The Write Side Shop

know, well just be patient.

No doubt some decisions will be involved. And if not there, then the spring always presents new opportunities, new decisions.

I just hope there’s breakfast.

There hasn’t been yet today and I’m a bit late in writing this. You’ve already read my laments about the less than stellar beginnings of 2022.

So I won’t bore you with how I’ve injured my shoulder again, or how I spent this morning fighting with a printer jam and empty ink cartridge.

Also, I’m out of paper.

But what I’ll share with you is the passage I read this morning. I’m working my way through the Bible, this time Eugene Petersen’s The Message.

Here’s what I read today from II Corinthians 4:16-18

So, we’re not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. There’s far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can’t see now will last forever.

That’s some breakfast buffet.

Photo by Steven Kamenar on Unsplash


 

ALSO BORN ON THIS DAY

American actor and comedian, Oliver Hardy, 1982-1957

English-American actor Cary Grant, 1904-1986

American actor, singer, and dancer, Danny Kaye, 1911-1987

American actor, director, and producer Kevin Costner, born 1955

THINGS YOU SHOULD READ

Inauguration Remarks of Gov. Glenn Youngkin
via Bearing Drift

Meritocracy Against the Wokes
Progressive Democrats are awfully riled up about the term “meritocracy” in Youngkin’s EO 1 — and they ought to be.
Shaun Kenney at The Republican Standard

47,705 migrants released with instructions to report to ICE have gone missing under Biden
The Washington Examiner

Gov. Glenn Youngkin Begins Showdown With Arlington County Public Schools Over Masks
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Biden’s epic failures
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