That Escalated Quickly

A very smart person I went to HS with posted this on FB today:

This guy actually gets that gun control is a losing issue, politically, for the Dems, and he's pretty leftie (and a gun owner).

Soooooooooo, I looked up how many deaths are attributable to Hitler (who I assume is number 1), and as he started WW2, I'm putting them ALL ON HIM.

Yup, I can totally see how you'd want to kill baby Trump second, makes total sense. 

Y'all are going insane. For the record, I'm not replying to him, no way. FB is lost. That's why I write here.

Your New Happiness Guru...and It Ain't Me!

I get a bazillion emails. I have unlimited storage on Yahoo email (everyone does, right?) so I sign up for giveaways and they're like "do you want to receive emails from Fender?" and I'm like "Sure? why not?" and suddenly I have a bazillion emails.

One I get is from an outfit called Shift, they usually start with a pretty girl in an instagram link, then blurbs about articles and links...

Today's noteworthy article was:

Lots of good stuff in there. Lots of good links in there. Lots of other good stuff....and the morning is gone, including listening in on 2 different work meetings (while working from home). 

Here are several articles, https://www.bakadesuyo.com/2018/05/morning-ritual-2/ , https://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/09/be-more-successful/, https://www.bakadesuyo.com/2018/06/harsh-truths/, https://www.bakadesuyo.com/2015/09/make-you-happy-2/, https://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/08/10-happier/, https://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/01/get-smarter/

and here is the one line I've been looking for literally for years. I found it once and have never been able to retrace my internet steps to find it again as I have written and talked about how to increase your happiness, even a little, every day. Let me state for the record, I agree with what this guy is saying, pretty much all of it. You aren't going to always be happy, so let that idea go and ENJOY THE LIFE YOU HAVE. Smile at yourself in the mirror a bunch in the morning = a better day, guaranteed.

Anyway, here it is. 

This staggeringly complex technique consists of determining which activities are pleasant, and doing them more often.

So, I'll not clog the page here with more jabber. Read the links, click on more of them. Learn. But most importantly, find out what energizes you and do that more often. That's all, to start. 

Gru is OK WIth Me (and not Despicable)

Did anyone ask the actor what was going on?

You may have seen the story, and I actually hope that you haven't: Gru get fired for symbol.

I have so much to say, but am too lazy to type it all out here. Let's start with 4chan, shall we? As has been documented, some 4chan trolls punked the media by suggesting that the OK symbol has white supremacist meaning. The media believed it (as did some white power guys), but most of us didn't even hear about it because we have lives.

A story or two appeared and they were debunked.

Not for this one couple, though, who after apparently NOT PAYING ATTENTION TO THEIR KIDS during a photo opp with Gru and a Minion, didn't notice the Circle game was being played. Later, months later, they saw the "offensive gesture" and did what anyone would do: alerted the media, somehow.

Seriously, I know people that work for local media, and it would never have occurred to me to call them.

Universal fired the character actor, and I have to wonder if they even asked him or her what was up? "Hey, we got this complaint, uh, what was that about? Are you a stupid racist ruining photos, or?" "Wait, what's the circle game? You mean "made you look?"?" "Who would believe a playful cartoon character would play a kids game with some kids...that's ridiculous!"

I mean, Occam's Razor, right?

The best part is the edited photo that doesn't show the little toddler brother also making the circle. Because, narrative, right?

And just in time the trailer for Richard Jewell dropped. Perfect timing.