Games

Daily writing prompt
What’s the most fun way to exercise?

Specifically, basketball. Specifically, pick-up basketball. No refs. No timeouts. No fouls. Just running up and down the court and putting the ball in the hoop. Let me tell you, if the NBA played that way, most of the pros would never be able to keep up. That was the way we played when I was in high school and it was the fittest I ever was.

Temporary Solutions

Straying slightly from the core topic, I recall sage wisdom from my time as a junior enlisted Marine: Temporary fixes often become unintended permanent solutions. Avoid makeshift repairs that can calcify into long-term problems.

Temporary fixes often linger on a to-do-list, perpetually postponing proper and better solutions. This is especially true when the temporary solutions work well enough to postpone until the temporary fix fails.

Baseball & Football

From age six, I loved playing baseball. The problem is, now I am far too old. As for football, I use it for napping. Fifteen minutes, and I’m out like a light. I suppose I could record games for the summer, but so far, it just takes a bit longer for me to fall asleep.

My passion for ping pong remains strong, though opportunities to play have become increasingly rare. The sport demands a controlled environment, as even a slight wind can disrupt the delicate balance of the game. While I’m confident in my initial skills and believe I could hold my own against casual players, my age suggests that sustained, intense play might challenge my endurance. I’m eager to find a suitable venue and a worthy opponent to reignite my love for table tennis.

Too, Too Late

I’ve always had an interest in trains. I haven’t a clue why. As I approached seventy, it came to me that I chose the wrong profession. I also like to travel. It is very possible I might have been happy as truck driver. However, thinking back over it, I think I would have been happy with most anything on a train.

But alas, I really don’t think any railroad is looking for anyone to do anything who is eighty.

Honesty & Courage

As a Marine, I’ve seen leadership from both sides, though more as a follower. Nonetheless, one thing driven into our minds almost day one is that even a private can find himself as a leader. And so we are taught leadership from the beginning. Certainly when I started, I never figured I would be a leader.

They gave us a long list of things a leader needs, and it all seemed logical to me. However, from experience as well as plain logic, honesty and courage seem most important. As for all the rest, they all somewhat hang on these two.

For instance, knowledge is highly important, but it can be acquired. Honesty and courage are things you either have or do not. They can be improved upon, but there must first be a good foundation. While tact can be practiced, it is useless without honesty.

I found it interesting that we considered good leaders by examining which traits they possessed. Two things came to mind as we went through the examples. I simply couldn’t think of any really good leaders who didn’t have courage and honesty.

It brings to mind the statement I heard: if you look behind you and no one is following, then you’re likely not a leader. I guess it says, ultimately, if you can’t get people to follow you, you likely aren’t much of a leader.

Still, the leader who has a willing following is mostly a better leader than those who are followed just because of their stripes or brass. I have noticed this to be true in civilian life as well.

This brings up the question: Do you prefer an honest or a dishonest leader? Would you rather your leader be courageous or a wimp? Is he a person who owns his mistakes or blames others?

What I’m saying is, would you choose a leader who is honest and courageous or one that fibs and is a wimp? I know what my choice would be.

By the way, I did say there were two things I noticed when considering good leaders. The second thing I noticed was that Jesus had all these characteristics. He also has quite a voluntary following.

Daily writing prompt
What makes a good leader?