Musing

today’s Musing written and published from south Calgary, near Fish Creek Park

10C/50F (22C), sunny, light breeze; garbage day in the neighbourhood so Gusta enjoyed the smell-smorgasbord and attention of guys riding the back of the garbage truck; we walked through the mini-park (better described, lap-dog lane), no encounters – fresh morning air is the best air of the day

some people prove they are less than you thought, others prove they are far more; sometimes we get opportunities, sometimes we give them; what matters most I think is what we do with them . . not for the ultimate result, or lack of one, but because of what it reveals in ourselves and some great (or not so great) things we get to observe in others

I find it interesting, when I offer someone exactly what they asked for; results can involve surprise, ‘deer in the headlights’, sputtering . . or sometimes complete obliviousness (or the fake version of that)

opportunities for communication experiments riddled my day yesterday – missed messages, mixed messages and one person who went beyond being a jerk by simply going overboard (off with their head!); I tossed out some invitations, some ideas, some sweet thoughts, some barbs – I got some things started, nipped some in the bud, stopped someone in their tracks and went right over the head of another (what can I say, she’s an engineer)

to fence, or not to fence? . . . a good question worth asking often; thrust and parry, poke, prod, build or tear down

good fences really make good neighbours?

fencing – sport, white clad athletes attempt to score points poking others with a sharp stick

fencing – work, marking territory, putting a fence around something, establish boundaries

I don’t play poker well, I’m not good at cards - I don’t hide my feelings well, don’t have one good clue about how to fake expressions disguising my happiness, my disgust, my fears, my confusion, my hopes or my anxiety

it riled me; it passed, then came back; someone wrote with a comment that bit me, not so much for its volume or its observations on my previous writing on the subject, but because the writer elected to take a shot at my mother, not at me, but at someone they’ve never known; I could have ignored it or written back saying ‘bite me!’

I replied indicating the comment stung in hopes a kind person with some thoughtfulness might recognize that it did - I got a rebuke (longer than the initial note) going on about how wrong I was, right they were; the note lectured that because I put myself ‘out there’ I should expect it, in fact that I invite it – perhaps I do, but at least in football people who do get a penalty for piling on

go ahead, anyone - ask me how I feel, ask me anything – but if you want to fight, fight fair and bring a point, but if you want to poke me unfairly, better bring a sharp stick

some good chat yesterday with BP, BS & AH – thank you for your support; BS, get better please – my thoughts are with you and your family

Mark Kolke
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Musings need not be a monologue, but rather a dialogue opportunity to discuss issues that touch a nerve or a heart-string, a sore point or a point of view that will contribute to the discussion. Your responses are welcomed, use your reply button – please give me your feedback/comments.

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