Category: Fourre-tout

Comme un invité qui abuse de son séjour, comme une diva en tournée, la pluie prend ses aises. Elle est arrivée en grande pompe et sera encore avec nous pour un temps indéterminé (avec ses sautes d’humeur naturellement).

Cette pluie qui aurait été tellement utile lors des incendies catastrophiques de l’été dernier, cette pluie est finalement arrivée… avec le ban et l’arrière-ban.

Après des semaines de pluies torrentielles, la sècheresse qui a sévi pendant des années a disparu pour faire place à de nouveaux problèmes. La Californie est maintenant en proie à des inondations et des glissements de terrain spectaculaires. Boue et rochers obstruent les routes, et un grand nombre de voitures et de maisons sont submergées par l’eau.

Quelques petites villes isolées ne sont maintenant accessibles que par bateau. Guerneville entre autres est présentement une ile.
La « Russian River » a atteint un niveau de 14 mètres, ce qui constitue un record pour les dernières 25 années.

Affaiblis par l’eau, de grands arbres se sont abattus sur des demeures, des voitures ou des poteaux électriques causant d’importants dégâts.

Les égarés qui doutent encore du changement climatique, doivent probablement être en train de réviser leurs opinions… sur le toit de leurs maisons ou sur des radeaux de fortune.

A l’encontre du fameux « Mur », la situation en Californie constitue une véritable « urgence » qui demande l’aide fédérale. Il faut espérer que malgré ses déboires politiques et son aversion pour la Californie, le résident de la Maison Blanche fournira sans délais les fonds nécessaires à la reconstruction de l’état le plus progressif de l’Union.

“Being soaked alone is cold. Being soaked with your best friend is an adventure.” Emily Wing

 Alain

Afterthought

“When people try to rain on your parade, poke them in the eye with your umbrella.”

Enjoy life now. This is not a rehearsal.

 Did you ever catch yourself saying “one of these days”? If you did (be honest), you are a confounded procrastinator.  Pro-cras-ti-na-tor… (sounds like a Russian insult).
You would rather do later, tomorrow, next week, next year, what you should be doing NOW.

“Procrastination is like masturbation. At first it feels good, but in the end, you’re only screwing yourself.”– Author unknown

Time flies. It is an old saying but it is still highly relevant today. Unbeknownst to you, time goes by at the speed of a galloping horse.

I booked a cruise in 2018 thinking that I had plenty of time to prepare, but it is now banging on my door and I am still in my pajamas. It has become a matter of days and I better start panicking… I usually leave this occupation to my wife, but this time I have to morph into “action man”

Don’t wait for Father Time to shake your tree. Do now what you have always wanted to do. Like my friend Daniel, jump (repeatedly) with a parachute. Ride a motorcycle, go bungee jumping, tango in Argentina, get married, get divorced…

Don’t wait. Do it now. The future is promised to no one.

I am prompted to emphasize this because recently a member of our pétanque family had a cardiac mishap that could have been fatal. A quick trip to emergency prevented a tragedy, but it is a warning shot across the bow.

You need to listen to your body and see a plumber immediately when your pipes get clogged.

The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse can be on you in a minute. Unlike our mythical WALL, they are real and they don’t take no for an answer.

Moral of the story

Enjoy yourself while you can for there is no guaranteed tomorrow.

Alain

“Speech is power: speech is to persuade, to convert, to compel.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

One of my (many) pet peeves is the way some people speak… or misspeak. Many fail to express themselves clearly or accurately and I often have to ask them to repeat themselves.
Is my hearing deficient or is their speech inadequate? I prefer to opt for the second possibility.

Elocution (the skill of clear and expressive speech) is one of the most valuable talents an individual can master. For a well-spoken person, the world is his oyster. With good oratory skills, a man/woman is always a preferred candidate.

And you don’t have to shout. A quiet speech is often more effective than a thunderous one. If you want to be heard, speak softly (and preferably, carry a big money bag).

The question is: How do you know if you are expressing yourself properly if you can easily be understood?

If you are a bit curious, try to dictate the following sentence to any recording device:

“Merry Mary married hairy Harry.”

It sounds easy, but it is not. Despite repeated attempts, I failed miserably.  My (slow-witted) computer could only register the following:

“Mary Mary Mary Harry Harry.”

I am obviously a mediocre speaker and I could certainly use Professor’s Henry Higgins expertise.

“The rain in Spain stays mainly in the plains.”

I had no problem with this sentence. Thank goodness, I am not a totally lost cause.

Speech is important. Much more important than good looks. Beauty is fleeting, speech is enduring. You can be a potent orator at any age but a nice caboose can only carry you so far.
Besides being “une fine lame” (an expert swordsman) Cyrano de Bergerac was an even better wordsmith. It is only through his flowery prose that Christian won Roxanne’s love.

So, my friends, cultivate your ambulatory vocabulary and oratory. It can take you much farther than a nose or a boob job.

Alain

“Give me a tinkle on the blower” when you get a chance.