Are You a Square Peg in a Round Hole?

Sometimes the world is a lonely place. © Lloyd Lemons

Thinking back to our school days (and this could include junior high through college), we enjoyed fun times, fretted through stressful days, and survived episodes we’d like to forget. Students earned reputations as the cool kids, the groupies, the brainiacs, the stoners, the loners, and others.

Did you have a label? In school, I didn’t fit in. Anywhere. I was quiet but friendly. I was often accused of not smiling enough. Today, we would call that the "Resting Bitch Face." Other students seemed to like me, but I never had a best friend or a steady girlfriend. And, I was athletic but never played on the school team -- much to the chagrin of the coaches. Did that make me weird? I don't think so. I never felt that vibe, but then, I was mostly unconcerned about things such as popularity.

Here's something to think about. As a student body member, how did you mesh with your peers? Did you blend in? We're you an outlier? Or, were you a square peg trying to fit into a round hole? 

And how did that influence your life today?

I think it's important to teach our young people that square pegs turn out to be some of the happiest, smartest, nicest people around. Superficial popularity is overrated. 

Today, I am what I am. I’ve been married for 47 years to my best friend, Diane. We have a great family, real friends and I’m happy with that.

Pets Can Improve Your Life

My Mom and Dad with their dog, Suzy, circa 1950.

Wolfgang was perfect in my eyes

He was slightly apprehensive around strangers but loving around family. He would accompany my little brother, a toddler at the time, as he wandered around in the grass and among the bushes in our big backyard of rolling hills. He was my brother’s unofficial guard dog — and he did it instinctively.
...

Owning a pet, however, can be quite a responsibility — depending on what kind of pet you choose; ...

Read the full post here. 

"You're As Old As Dirt!"

Me, before I hit 70.

What does it mean to be 70?

It can mean the difference between life and death ...

One good thing about being 70 is that I'm not 40 anymore. And I don't have the drudgery that came with being 40, such as working at a soul-sucking job, career stagnation, or making yet another desperate sales pitch to convince some unappreciative employer of my worth. As a bonus, I'm not required to maintain "friendships" to benefit me or my career. I choose my friends carefully.

I've given up the exhausting expectation that people will eventually grow up and change for the better, but most won't, and I have resolved to accept that ...

Read the full post here.

Not the party we hoped for?

Friendship fountain along the St. Johns River in Jacksonville.

It's not over till it's over

I recently saw the following poster on the street. It came at a moment when I was alarmed and ashamed by the random craziness in my country.

Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we're here, we should dance.

And I'd like to add ... I may have lost faith in our "leaders" to resolve the many obstacles before us. However, one of the best things about getting older is realizing how much I don't know while still having the opportunity to keep learning and better understand people, places, and things. I haven't lost that intrigue, so I still have hope.

Things We Have Now That We Didn’t Have Then

When you have the time, cycling is a great stress reducer.

We’re all getting older, and with age comes some unpleasant things, like aches, pains, and loss. But we also have things we enjoy now that we didn’t have when we were younger. Material things are perhaps the obvious example, but the things that truly fulfill us are more important.

Speaking for myself, I am more selfless and compassionate. I’m no longer in the corporate arena, and I like that. No, I love that! I have more time to reflect, write, ride (I’m a cyclist), and pull weeds (I like to grow things). I do take on the occasional commercial project to keep my thinking sharp, and I enjoy the challenge.

What have you discovered as you’ve gotten older? What has become the shiny new object, the ultimate keeper of your happiness and contentment? Could it be a new career or business? Grandchildren? A renewed relationship? Life experiences? Self-confidence?

Please, share your ideas in the comments below.

I Quit My 13 Year Obsession!

 

Me, not so happy about quitting.

I'm not happy about it! I've spent countless hours over the past 13 years trying to gain traction in the vacillating world of social media.

And I just quit. I mean, I left everything: Facebook (hated it), Twitter (loved it), Instagram, Linkedin, Reddit, Pinterest, and Typepad.

Elon Musk was the catalyst. His botched purchase of, and impulsive, toxic, and cruel management of Twitter, precipitated the beginning of my exit from social media. First, I quit Twitter, which was a difficult decision. Then, I had to pause and ask myself, what benefit have I gotten from all the time and effort I've put into my social media memberships over the years?

The answer was very damn little!

So, I decided to quit all of these corporate-owned media platforms. Instead of wasting time among haters, fake news, and empty-headed drivel, I decided to spend my time writing messages that matter.

I will now spend all of my time writing here, on Medium, and I will soon return to the Substack platform with a brand new newsletter.

I am, however, involved with one social media platform - Mastodon. Mastodon is different. It's not corporate-owned. It's a Democratic, decentralized platform that is quite different than anything I've experienced. No advertising, no hate (at least not yet), conversations with intelligent people, and an opportunity to operate your own server, if that's your thing.

If you'd like to try a social media platform different from any of the big ones, you own it to yourself to check it out. I'm hoping it will scratch my itch for community.

My handle on Mastodon is: @lloyd@mindly.social

Sign up and come visit me.

Keep Moving: Fitness is Easier Than You Think

 

Walking is the best movement! Thanks, © Mark Timberlake!

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor or trained fitness practitioner. Before undertaking any fitness regimen, get your physician's approval and know your physical limitations.