Jump to content

Recommended Posts

Posted
On 3/1/2025 at 3:17 PM, cactusflinthead said:

Good to hear. It's a little annoying when I have to pay the same  for a Dr. Pepper as I would for a beer.

I can remember going to the strip club with my friends, 30 years ago. I never drank, so I'd just order a coke. "Sure thing, Hon", then I get a slightly colder than room temp can. "That'll be $3.50". Meanwhile, the bros are getting pitchers of bud light for like $7. 

  • Hook 'Em 1
  • 4 weeks later...
Posted
4 minutes ago, cactusflinthead said:

img_1_1742991112263.jpg

My wife’s Facebook background … an early indication that my love for her was well deserved and well placed. 

IMG_6213.jpeg

  • Hook 'Em 2
  • Haha 1
  • 2 weeks later...
  • 1 month later...
Posted
On 4/5/2025 at 10:07 AM, Dbeasy said:

I hope everyone that follows this thread can find a path to a more content life. A highly accomplished VC friend I’ve known for almost thirty years passed away at 59 in the last week after not being able to deal effectively with his challenges. Find the positives in life if you can. 

We get just a blip of time here on this rock and then we're gone. Make a positive impact upon those you meet. Leave behind good memories for people and maybe some of them will wind up doing some good for others as well.

  • Hook 'Em 2
  • 2 weeks later...
Posted

I spent a bit of time in the last week sharing some of what I know about history with a couple of younger people. It was kinda cool to see the light go on for each of them in learning some things they did not really know anything about. 
 

I think that all of you are really intelligent folks. If you are not having a great day find someone else that is not as well and teach them something they know very little about. It’ll make you feel better and you will have made someone else’s day better by educating them about something new. There are days where I’d just assume not leave my apartment or talk to anyone. I’ll do it because I do not know who I will meet or what I may learn about this great big world from someone else.

Posted
2 hours ago, UpperWestside said:

I spent a bit of time in the last week sharing some of what I know about history with a couple of younger people. It was kinda cool to see the light go on for each of them in learning some things they did not really know anything about. 
 

I think that all of you are really intelligent folks. If you are not having a great day find someone else that is not as well and teach them something they know very little about. It’ll make you feel better and you will have made someone else’s day better by educating them about something new. There are days where I’d just assume not leave my apartment or talk to anyone. I’ll do it because I do not know who I will meet or what I may learn about this great big world from someone else.

image.png.d7d021b31df64e0ecc3a4f90642d0b17.png

  • Haha 2
  • 3 weeks later...
Posted

The amount of homelessness I see on a daily basis is astounding and it makes me feel for those who do not have a place to live. I will add that there are a few that I do find to be intriguing because of things I notice. One guy is at the same bus stop and he's always laying under the canopy reading books. Another one I say on the bus last week and he was being his usual loud and obnoxious self. Definitely a former New Yorker in his younger days. Three Australian women were trying to get to a place here and he would not leave them alone on the bus. I gave a knowing look to one of the women and they kinda laughed and just ignored him. 

Every single time I see someone though I always wonder what was the breaking point in their life that led to being permanently homeless. I feel like we should be doing more to help folks out, especially the mental health part of the equation.

  • Hook 'Em 1
  • Like 2
  • 2 weeks later...
Posted
On 6/5/2025 at 12:58 PM, Kennythetiger said:

Some of them are quite happy right there. 

Oh absolutely. I just always wonder what it was that was their breaking point that they could not get back up from. I spent a pretty good amount of time just watching folks and trying to learn more about the world around me. I feel like there just has to be a better way in a society as abundantly blessed as we are. Seeing people give up on whatever their hopes and dreams were in life and descend down the path of homelessness just gets to me.

  • 4 weeks later...
Posted

The amount of grief and heartache which are coming out of the floods cannot be understated.

If you see someone in pain, reach out. If nothing more than to give them a hug.

And tell your kids you love them.

  • Hook 'Em 3
Posted (edited)
On 6/17/2025 at 5:13 AM, UpperWestside said:

Oh absolutely. I just always wonder what it was that was their breaking point that they could not get back up from. I spent a pretty good amount of time just watching folks and trying to learn more about the world around me. I feel like there just has to be a better way in a society as abundantly blessed as we are. Seeing people give up on whatever their hopes and dreams were in life and descend down the path of homelessness just gets to me.

The one that comes to mind most recently for me is my latest halfway house project - he unraveled when his grandfather died. Everyone else in the family was irresponsible and crazy - but his grandfather was his pillar of sobriety and support.

I've mentioned that we recently constructed a new residential building to house 20+ guys. One cool thing our executive director did was install plaques with the names of notable people, such as past board members, donors, or impactful citizens, who contributed to our mission over the years.  Last time I was there, I noticed that this guy I'm helping lives in a room with his grandfather's name engraved on a brass plaque above the door to his room. Just a little detail that helps keep his feet in sober living. 

@Lidig8r - re: how a formerly homeless gent helped out in the flood.

  • Around 15 years ago, a homeless guy named Eric entered the H.O.W. Center (halfway house). I have no qualms sharing his name because he would run me over to get in front of a news camera to tell the story himself.
  • His mentor is a guy named Steve, and Eric credits him with saving his life. Unfortunately, several years later, Steve dies, and Eric enters a dark place. I offer a hand, he accepts, and we become very close.
  • Relevant - Steve leaves behind a younger wife and growing family. Several years later, his widow marries another good friend of mine, a match made in heaven. Unfortunately, one of the children is lost to the 4th of July flood.
  • Eric not only flourishes in business and life, but also becomes a single dad when his infant's mom dies from addiction. He eventually marries a delightful woman and builds a family.
  • Eric decides his life's mission is to help the homeless, and he does so very loudly for a decade. On a slow news day, send a reporter and camera to Eric, and he will provide your lead story on the 6 o'clock news.
  • Eric told me his pastor had asked him to start a church. Over lunch at Luby's, I asked Eric if perhaps his pastor was politely ejecting him from his church. He misses the joke. He buys a dilapidated 15 passenger van and leases a former restaurant.
  • The Guadalupe floods. Eric and his church/ministry "Warm Hands, Warm Hearts" descend on the Hill Country to help find the missing girl and provide disaster relief. Photo below.

I'm a cynical, suspicious skeptic, but I'll be damned if Eric isn't living his life precisely as prescribed in the New Testament.

(I just texted him to tell him how much I love and admire the man he's become, and we'll be eating lunch at Luby's again this week.)

The Flood relief crew

 

 

517401412_1275040537626479_6667060028690331057_n.jpg

Edited by BearSchlong
  • Hook 'Em 1
  • Like 2

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.



×
×
  • Create New...