Some friendly advice and thoughtful observations | Life in Ludlow

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Several friends of mine seem more than glad to share quotes, sayings, advice, and observation with me on a regular basis.

I do collect those I find of interest in a file named “Leader” as I am cautiously optimistic these could or should be shared with you folks who read this column. 

Several years have passed since the last time I shared any of them but this week seems to be a good opportunity to provide them to you because, well, unless you are into the pandemic, Ukraine, inflation, politics, etc., the news ain’t particularly fun. You may have seen these from another source before so just know that repetition is a benefit. 

Skip Owen is a friend and former resident of Tala Shore who has moved to Arizona. He provides regular correspondence, typically related to automotive topics. 

In a recent email on the subject of my upcoming hip surgery, he offered this perspective on what my doctor probably said. “The old Saw-Bones probably said I needed the operation because I injured it a long time ago, on my honeymoon.” Nice thought.

Stan Jablonski from Kansas City sends a “One a Day” with pithy observations almost every day, many times related to accountability for a person’s actions. 

A recent one attributed to Teddy Roosevelt was, “If you could kick the person in the pants responsible for most of your troubles, you wouldn’t be able to sit down for a month.” 

Another one from Stan is by Henry David Thoreau. “The language of friendship is not words but meanings.” 

Stan also sent an observation by Samuel Johnson. He who has so little knowledge of human nature as to seek happiness by changing anything but his (or her) own disposition will have wasted his (or her) life in fruitless efforts. 

Finally, Robert Powell notes: “I have found that a smile and a stick will carry you through all right, and in 99 cases out of a hundred it is the smile that does the trick.“

“Seedy Andersen” is an old friend from my days in the Navy. He regularly sends content for my file of witticisms. 

He sent me a little historical note a few months ago noting the early bottles of Coca-Cola contained 3.5 grams of cocaine. A fact which explains how our grandparents, and maybe you, were able to walk to school uphill, both ways. BJ notes that another fact provided by Seedy is that it takes 14 muscles to open a bottle of wine. She is so into fitness!

Another random thought in these days of so much political bitterness is a quote from Edward G. Bulwer-Lytton. “A fool flatters himself, a wise man flatters the fool.” 

In addition, don’t we all miss the ‘90s when bread was good for you and no one knew what kale was. Ralph Waldo Emerson observed that “What lies behind you and what lies in front of you pales in comparison to what is inside of you.” 

OK, enough of all that. 

In the sports world I am pleased to report that the Mariners won a nail-biter last Sunday and hence took two out of three from the very capable New York Mets. 

In addition, I note that the Boston Celtics beat the Milwaukee Bucks in the continuing epic known as the NBA playoffs. 

The Seattle Storm, the women’s NBA basketball team had a tougher weekend, understandable because star player Breanna Stewart was in the COVID protocol. 

Finally, in the event you want more of the sage advice and gentle observations from my friends, just drop me an email and I will gladly forward them on. If not, I appreciate you getting this far in this week’s column and I join you in anticipating the drier weather surely in our near future which will provide better opportunities for my column’s content.

Love a curmudgeon and have a great week. 

(Ned Luce is a retired IBM executive and Port Ludlow resident who seldom rides other people’s quote trails. Contact Ned at ned@ptleader.com.)