Topic: Point(s) To Ponder

So, Let’s consider: You Start Dying Slowly 0



So, Let’s consider: You Start Dying Slowly

You Start Dying Slowly

You start dying slowly
if you do not travel,
if you do not read,
If you do not listen to the sounds of life,
If you do not appreciate yourself.

You start dying slowly
When you kill your self-esteem;
When you do not let others help you.

You start dying slowly
If you become a slave of your habits,
Walking everyday on the same paths…
If you do not change your routine,
If you do not wear different colours
Or you do not speak to those you don’t know.

You start dying slowly
If you avoid to feel passion
And their turbulent emotions;
Those which make your eyes glisten
And your heart beat fast.

You start dying slowly
If you do not change your life when you are not satisfied with your job, or with your love,
If you do not risk what is safe for the uncertain,
If you do not go after a dream,
If you do not allow yourself,

At least once in your lifetime,

To run away from sensible advice…
So start living….my dear.

Start living.

–Martha Medeiros (in “A Morte Devagar”)

I’m Don Rima and that’s the view From Where I Stand.


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So, Let's consider: Why does it take 30 minutes to get your prescription ready? 0





So, Let’s consider: Why does it take 30 minutes to get your prescription ready?

OK, so lucky me picks up the broncho bug du jour this weekend. In between coughing my head off today I wandered into the doc in a box down the street. I figured they’d give me a shot and write me a script for some eye of newt and I’d be on my way. Why they want to give me a shot in my butt for a problem in my head and chest is something I didn’t really understand, but then, I really wasn’t well enough to get into a long debate on the subject.
Alas, they called in one med and gave me a hard copy script for the cough syrup since it contains some good stuff…and off to my local Walmart across the street I go.
Upon presenting my paperwork I’m told it’s going to be 30 minutes before my script is ready. Why it take 30 minutes to count out a few pills and pour up a potion every time I visit there I’ll never really understand. However, putting my MBA to use it’s clear to me that they want to me meander around the store, and hopefully in my sick stupified state I’ll find some other items they have for sale that I just gotta buy. Sorry, you got the wrong guy for this marketing scheme.
I’m a normal guy. I don’t like shopping. I really hate it more when they move stuff in a store in order to encourage me to meander through many additional aisles to not only reorient myself as to where what I want is, but in the hopes I’ll find something I don’t need and buy it. Generally pisses me off more than anything. If it takes me longer to find what I want and hit the cash register line than it does to walk from my truck to the front door, I’m wasting time. And the topic of only one lane open at a Walmart is a topic for another time.
SO, I’m stuck at Walmart for 30 minutes while the chemist counts out the pills…what to do.
Using my calibrated eyeball, I estimated that the inner perimeter of the store is about 1/5th to 1/4th of a mile. So, if I walked 4 or so laps around the inside of the store I’d have walked my daily mile while waiting for my pills and potions. And since we’re talking Walmart, you never know what you’re going to see that’s not on sale…some of which I’m sure you’re going to regret seeing.
So, that’s what I do. When I have a script to pickup, I have my saw bones send the script to Walmart. I could use any of several smaller local chemists, but the inside diameter of their stores isn’t big enough for me to be able to enjoy my walk…and yes, I know I could do additional laps to make up for the length distance…but why? I’d only be seeing the same stuff I don’t want to buy more frequently.
By the way, grab a grocery cart to take with you and throw something in it so you look like an official shopper…and good luck dodging all those huge carts being filled with stuff for other patrons to come in and pickup that are just too damn lazy to do their own shopping…or maybe their lives are just so super packed with incredibly important stuff, like curing the common cold without having to wait 30 minutes for your pills to be counted…

I’m Don Rima and that’s the view From Where I Stand.


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So, Let's consider: Is there an alternative to banks that charge those high ATM fee$ 0





So, Let’s consider: Is there an alternative to banks that charge those high ATM fee$

OK, so I’m scanning through last Friday’s (October 4, ’19) USA Today’s Money section and there on page one is an article by Paul Davidson lamenting how much more people are going to get hit with bank higher ATM fees and increased fees. And, he’s right!
Face it, a bank already HAS your money so they can keep as much of it via new and improved, at least for them, fees that syphon money from your pocket to theirs as fast as their computers will let them! Monthly “maintenance fees”, “imaging fees”, ATM fees, statement fees…hell, I’m waiting for them to have a fee for charging you all those fees!
It amazes me just how many people will WILLINGLY pay a bank a fee to get their money out of the bank! Think about that for a moment! Is that a racket or what?
But, there is an alternative. Frankly one that I was really annoyed and surprised that Davidson’s ignorance totally missed in his article. But, then, considering how many ads for banks his paper runs it would probably get censored by the sales department.
I’m talking about good old Credit Unions. With my Credit Union I don’t have those ripoff ATM fees (provided I use one of their ATM’s). I don’t have minimum balance ripoff fees that continue to drain my balance until there’s nothing left to drain. I don’t have those “maintenance fees”. In fact, I don’t have any fees at all, and I don’t have a minimum balance issue either! TAKE THAT BANK DuJour!
So, if you’re tired of being ripped off by all those banking fees, CLOSE YOUR BANK ACCOUNT, and open an account at a credit union! There’s plenty to be found! And, there’s no reason not to!
But then, if you’re as dumb as Davidson seems to be, you can just go right on with your bank…and pay all those fee$ and make your bank really happy to take your money as fast as you’ll let them.
After all, it’s only money…YOUR MONEY!

I’m Don Rima and that’s the view From Where I Stand.


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So, Let’s consider: What makes water "Smart" ?? 0





So, Let’s consider: What makes water “Smart” ??

OK, since the beginning of time, water has been just that – good ole H2O! It was wet, cold, hot, cool, refreshing, running down the creek, but it’s always been water…just WATER.

But all that was before the age of marketing where some advertising agency is paid big bucko$ to blast us with all kinds of misinformation about what they think we should be eating, doing, being and yes even drinking.

So, let’s think about this a bit. I’m sure you’ve seen the bottles. They’re almost everywhere, in ads, people drinking them on TV, highly visible presence in stores, bars, etc., but just what makes “Smart Water” any more beneficial than the much cheaper stuff you find right next to it on the shelf or in your store’s coolers? The short answer in all likelihood is NOTHING!. In fact, I would suggest that the only “smart” ones are the marketing guys that are actually able to get all the gullible people out there to pay so much more for the same stuff in the cheaper bottles right next to it.

If about now you’re feeling really stupid about all that extra money you spent thinking that what was in your bottle was smarter than the regular stuff on the shelf and how you’ve just made the smarter people richer through your stupidity and at your expense, then congratulations, you’re gullible and you need to start thinking. Frankly, you’ve been snookered by someone’s marketing department that’s much smarter than you.

Once again it comes down to actually THINKING (which is a smart thing to do!) and reading the labels on products that you buy.

I’m Don Rima and that’s the view From Where I Stand.



So, you need to sell something. 0





So, you need to sell something.

OK, so, you’re finally getting around to all that fall/spring cleaning that you told yourself for the last several life times that you were going to do.
Now, you have a pile of stuff you need to get rid of, but you think there’s a few buck$ in it and you don’t want to throw it out.
What to do? Well, here’s a few ideas to consider:
eBay and Craigslist: Granted you will pay a fee and you may want to give serious consideration to meeting the prospective buyers in a neutral location like post office parking lot of police station, but eveyone knows they exist and looks there.
5Miles (www.5miles.com): In theory they attempt to weed out potential theives and you should be able to verify the potential buyers by phone, facebook, etc. By the way, ALWAYS use your cell phone – NEVER use your land line.
Varagesale (www.varagesale.com): Safety is a primary priority on this site and buyers and sellers contact each other via facebook prior to meeting.
Poshmark (www.poshmark.com): Touts itself as the venu to buy and sell fashion. Be careful for the fees they charge and like all sites, make sure you read the fine print before using them.
The Trove Market Place (www.usetrove.com): If you want to unload things like furniture, artwork, antiques, etc., then this may be a place to look at. They charge a fee for using credit cards and you, like Amazon, you have a way of reviewing the seller’s ratings before buying.
Amazon (www.amazon.com): If you can’t find it or sell it on amazon, it doesn’t exit. It’s an easy place to unload books or if you want to start an online junk store then you’ve possibly found your nirvana.
Kiiboo (www.kiiboo.com): you can find more tech centric items here. Also, cameras, laptops, and other things many of which you’d find on ebay, amazon, craigslist, etc. It’s always nice to have options.
As always, buyer and seller beware. There’s a crook born every minute and it’s up to you to protect yourself and your best interests.
Good luck and good shopping…

I’m Don Rima and that’s the view From Where I Stand…



So, Let's consider: The art of listening 0






So, Let’s consider: The art of listening
“Can you hear me now?” We’ve all seen that annoying advert with the guy wondering around with a cell phone to his head, wanting to make sure that he’s being heard. Granted this video clip is pure propaganda for a cell phone vendor, but let’s think about this concept a bit further and deeper.
Everyone wants to be heard and understood. It’s not only part of good communication it’s also part of accepting and feeling accepted. And, with good mutual acceptance and communication comes trust and the development of many other good things not only in personal lives but in business as well.
So, let’s look at how we can develop our listening skills a bit.
Pay attention
Nobody likes to feel like they’re being ignored while they’re trying to say something they feel is important and relevant to someone else. So, if you find yourself in an environment filled with distractions, noises or anything else that takes your attention from someone trying to talk with you, simply move to a different room or a quieter place of the room you’re in. If it’s bad timing, simply state so and suggest a better time and place where you both can meet to give the speaker and the subject the attention it deserves.
Engage the speaker and ask questions
Many times it’s a good idea to ask a few clarifying questions just to make sure you’re both thinking along the same lines. It also helps to show interest in the speaker and topic and aids in building rapport with the person(s) you’re talking with. And, when you may need a little time to think about what’s being presented and what your responses might be, it helps to buy you that time.
Let your body show you’re listening
Face the speaker directly and establish eye contact. Facing them and looking at them helps establish that you’re not just there physically, but also mentally. If you need to take a few notes, do so. Sometimes I find that writing notes on the back of their business card helps me not only remember what I was talking about, but where I may want to take the conversation at a later time, and it’s always nice to have the person’s contact info on the other side. Also, avoid looking around while you’re talking, this is not only distracting to them but discourteouse as well.
Listening is a skill that takes time and practice to develop. Yet, it’s an important building block in communication and business. People will really know and understand that what they say matters when you listen, and listening is a very worthwhile investment in the development and maintenance of any relationship.
So, now, go forth, and listen.
I’m Don Rima and that’s the view From Where I Stand.


Thought Of The Day – For The Week Of For The Week Of December 31, 2017 0





Thought Of The Day – For The Week Of For The Week Of December 31, 2017

December 31, 2017

Do not disregard your mistakes. Learn from them.

January 1, 2018

Money is not meant to be served. Make it work for YOU.

January 2, 2018

Appreciate the many things that make your life so valueable. Especially the small things and things close to you.

January 3, 2018

Act the part and you will become the part. If you act like you belong others will think that you do.

January 4, 2018

Don’t criticize others when you are angry with yourself. You will lose the battle because you have lost your proper perspective.

January 5, 2018

Don’t wait for the ideal time to begin something. You’ll wait your whole lifetime.

January 6, 2018

Stay on a clear course. And, plan it.



F*E*A*R* 0





F*E*A*R*

I ran into an interesting lecture from Jack Canfield today. He refers to the word “fear” as an acronym.

He defines FEAR as Fantasized Experiences Appearing Real.

This reminds of me of Winston Churchill’s “the only thing we have to fear, is fear itself”…. Add to this Henry Ford’s “If you think you can’t do something, you probably can’t….”

Just a few thoughts to ponder.

Go forth and conquer!

I’m Don Rima and that’s the view From Where I Stand.