Conference quark::human_relations-v1

    
    	Hi Gail!           
    
    	A lot of what's said can be summed up by "I would have lightened
    up just a bit". Guess it's fair to say that people take themselves
    and life's "trivials" perhaps too seriously - as exemplified by
    giving up getting to spend some time with your children - in their
    space - because of "grass stains" and maybe having to go buy some
    "Era" to get them out.
    
    	>I would never buy anything just because it was practical,
    	>wouldn't show soil or was guaranteed to last a lifetime.
    
    	I guess I dont understand this sentance however; it seems downright
    stupid. "I'll always buy the car that's the worst possible value
    for the money and the one I know is the biggest "flash in the pan".
    C'mon... While I understand the spirit of this part, I have to say
    that being somewhat practical and getting a good value for your
    money shows intelligence on your part.
    
    	I think they're talking about an outta balance situation, where
    someone *never* buys anything unless it's...To counteract, they
    state the completely opposite viewpoint - something I do often myself.
    Both ends are "as bad", taken alone.
    
    	Joe Jas

Certainly, if I had to live it all over again, I would do it
differently. And, given a third chance, I would do it differently
still. 

To say that I would do it exactly the same assumes that I never made
a mistake, that all my decisions were always perfect. Well, as hard
to believe it as it is  :-), they were not. 

Why would anyone want to repeat the same mistakes the second time
around? 

-- Ron 

    	What I've run into is that people are much more likely to say these
    things than to actually do them.  I'm not saying no one ever does them!
    Just that talking about it is easer than actually living it.  I can
    remember times when the mood came over *me*, and I'd try to get people
    to "live a little", and it seemed that no one else was up for being a
    little adventurous, a little crazy, or perhaps just not worrying so
    much about things.  I try to live life by *really* living it -- trying
    to squeeze the most you can out of each moment.  I admit though, I
    probably don't do it as much as I'd like.  Uhh, I should point out that
    there *are* times when I like to rest from all this "living"!  ;-)


    	I've certainly made my share of mistakes -- sometimes I think more
    than my share!  But overall, I think I've done okay so far -- looking
    on the bright side, I'd like to think I could have made *worse*
    mistakes.  In a sense, I view life as a large set of experiences (this
    is oversimplifying a bit), and I hope to experience as much as I can
    from what Life has to offer.  I know I won't be able to get in all of
    them, but if I can get in a good chunk of them, and feel that I got the
    most out of them that I could, I'll be happy (I hope!) with how I lived
    my life.  At least in this sense -- there are naturally other things I
    want to accomplish too.


    	I guess it's like they say:  "Youth is wasted on the young"!!  ;-)


    Brian

    My brother, when we were both very young kids, picked up my parents
    values in one regard:  He was CHEAP!  He used to get battery powered
    toys and screamed bloody murder if anyone ever turned them on, "Don't
    do that!  Save the batteries!"  Hell, some things in life are meant
    to be enjoyed.  The flip side is that there are a lot of unused
    toys, still in their original boxes that are collectors items. 
    It is sad, in a way, that a thing that is meant to be enjoyed is
    left unused.  My older brother picked up a different set of values
    from my Grandfather, I guess, with whom he was very close.  His
    values were to work you buns off, strive to the top and keep on
    hacking away and not letting any one get the better of him.  Now
    in his late 40's, his kids on drugs, he has a lot of prestige and
    a lot of possessions but what price?  Before anyone gets the impression
    I am gonna come out as the fair haired person let me just say that
    I have none of the practical values.  Impulsive buyer, impulsive
    in all aspects.  I'm generally broke.  I'm allways going to have
    to work.  It helps a little to have as much fun working as I do,
    while I struggle to get my plastic paid off.
    
    What the base note's original writer was trying to say, I think,
    is that we should try every day to work a little, play a little
    learn a little;  every thing in moderation.  There is beauty
    in this world if we look for it.  Smell the flowers.  Do something
    impractical now and again as your budget allows.

    I have heard a couple of sayings that are similar to the base note.
    Regarding challenges ....
    
    	"I never turn away from a good challenge.  That would
    	 be like insulting life..."
    
    Some people might not like this one, but I think that moderation is the
    key to some things in life
    
    	"Don't drink, don't smoke, die anyway"
    
    The following is printed without permission from Readers Digest,
    condensed from "The Station" by Robert J. Hastings.  I think it is in
    sinc with the base note:
    
    "Tucked away in our subconscious is an idyllic vision.  We see
    ourselves spanning the continent.  Through the windows we drink in the
    passing scene ofcars on nearby highways, of children waving at us from
    a crossing, of cattle grazing on a hillside, of smoke pouring from a
    power plant, of row upon row of corn and wheat, of moutains and
    valleys, of city skylines and village halls.
    
    But, uppermost in our minds is our destination.  On a certain day at a
    certain hour we will pull into the station.  Then wonderful dreams will
    come true, and the pieces of our lives will fit together like a jigsaw
    puzzle.  How restlessly we pace the aisles, damning the loitering
    minutes - waiting, waiting....
    
    Sooner or later we realize there is not station, no place to arrive at
    once and for all.  The true joy of life is  the trip.  The station is
    only a dream that constantly outdistances us.....
    
    So, stop pacing the aisles and counting the miles.  Instead, climb more
    mountains, eat more ice cream, go barefoot more often, swim more
    rivers, watch more sunsets, laugh more.  *Live* life as you go along.

      Or as ee cummings said

      you shall above all things be glad and young.
      For if you're young,whatever life you wear

      it will become you;and if you are glad
      whatever's living will yourself become

      ...

      I'd rather learn from one bird how to sing
      than teach ten thousand stars how not to dance