PegLegs and Me

  Yes, it’s me. I’m back (for now anyway). Once again, my amazing wife saved me from the clutches of death, and for now I’m back in the ring, ready for another fight. I do, however, know that I’ll be knocked out eventually, and then that will be the end of me. The only thing in life that is constant is change. The only thing in life that is certain is death. Death is the only certain thing, and despite this being the absolute truth (with only the timing varying from person to person) we never seem to be prepared for it. Religion has long been thought to be a solution to the problem of death. Notions of an afterlife are nearly universal, though there is great diversity in the details. Given this close association between religion and death, researchers have long supposed that religion somehow manages to lessen the fear of death. There is, however, one fear that is on par with death and it’s called old age . Some people fear aging so much that it becomes as pathological c...

  Countless movies have been made about time travel, going into the future or the past, and I find them captivating. Yes, if only we could gaze into the future somehow, or even go back and change a few things.  There are many ways that people have tried to see what the future holds for them in order to make the best decisions, but sadly, I don’t believe it to be possible. Crystal gazing was a popular pastime in the Victorian era, and was claimed to work best when the Sun is at its northernmost declination. Immediately before the appearance of a vision, the ball was said to mist up from within. The use of crystal balls for divination also has a long history with the Romani people. Fortune tellers, known as Drabardi, traditionally use crystal balls as well as cards to seek knowledge about future events. According to me, it’s a total sham. If the future hasn’t happened yet, how can it exist anywhere? I still find it a fascinating concept though. Looking into a crystal ball ...

  As mentioned before, Danie and I have tried many things on our life's journey. We became especially innovative when we lost our business a few short years ago due to the Covid plandemic, and also because of Danie's health challenges. Abilities changed, priorities changed, everything changed. Remaining positive through transition was not always the easiest thing to do, however, giving up wouldn't get us anywhere either.  One of Danie's health challenges was severe joint pain in his hands. It became so bad that he had difficulty grasping and holding onto his walking sticks. He also suffers with neck and shoulder pain from injuries in his younger days. Danie's brother (from another mother) told us about a remedy for joint pain which was all over the internet and people were raving about it. His wife had made it for him and his life had drastically changed as a result. We decided to give it a try and, lo and behold, it worked. Within a few days Danie's hands becam...

  Whenever I hear the phrase “don’t rain on my parade,” I always think of that Robin Williams movie Mrs. Doubtfire where he’s doing a montage with his brother to find the right look, and they sing the Barbara Streisand song. But here’s a little history: It was first created by songwriter Bob Merrill and then composed by the famous Jule Styne back in 1964 when they birthed the song “Don’t Rain on My Parade.” But most people wouldn’t know that or those names because it gained widespread popularity after Barbara Streisand sang it in the 1964 musical “Funny Girl.” I’m quite aware of the fact that the original words are “don’t rain on my parade”, but it somehow lacks a real punch. It’s a far more extreme emotional experience than the phrase lets onto. Let’s say, for example, you’re having a conversation with a (so-called) bestie about a life-altering experience. You’re super excited and share this new joy in your life with your friend, but for some reason you can’t help but feel lik...

  Everyone knows the old adage: If at first you don’t succeed, try and try again. It reminds me of one of those kiddie animated movies we used to watch with our children when they were small - The Rescuers Down Under - where the seagull has to fly two little mice (the rescuers) to Australia to save a kidnapped boy. The poor bird has to take off in a horrible storm and asks the little mouse to read him the pre-flight checklist. The last item says: If at first you don’t succeed, try and try again. There’s psychology behind perseverance. Take, for example, concepts like grit, resilience, and the growth mindset, and how they contribute to success in various aspects of life. People can’t always accept the importance of embracing failure as a natural part of the learning process. Each failure brings valuable lessons and brings us one step closer to eventual success. There are times when you have to go look for strategies for staying motivated and persistent when faced with obstac...