Favorite Quotes

[AndrewJohn 10,412]

[AndrewJohn 10,412]

[Half Life 581]

"Can't, is can too lazy to try." - my Dad

Edited February 27 by Half Life

[Half Life 581]

One of my favorites:

 

"Start with nothing, stop at nothing."

Edited February 27 by Half Life

[Half Life 581]

One more from my Dad:

 

"If a man can hold a shovel, a man can find a job."

 

He taught that to my younger brother and I as we were entering our teens.  It proved to be a good lesson on self-sufficiency and strong work ethic.

[4krow 6,516]

Let neither your successes nor failures ever be due to a lack of effort    Made this one up myself when raising kids.

[AndrewJohn 10,412]

if you look guilty, you likely are guilty.  Avoid situations where you will look guilty.  My Dad.

[AndrewJohn 10,412]

In response to ridiculous rhetoric and claims..., to diffuse the con being played, one of the best people I worked for (CEO) with the track record to prove it, used to say:

 

"That doesn't pass the test of least astonishment."

J. Gibson

 

He now is CEO and Chairman of a publicly traded underwater robotic drone company, turning it around from bankruptcy, they just passed NASDAQ listing requalification rules. I've been blessed to be around a lot of very smart people.  I invest in the companies they lead. 

 

It's a real test, that comes from the Tech and UIX world of software and systems:

 

A "Test of Least Astonishment" refers to a method of evaluating a statement or system-design by assessing how likely it is to surprise or confuse users based on their prior experiences and expectations, essentially checking if the system behaves in a way that aligns with what users would intuitively expect, and to call into question any predisposition statements that might gaslight an audience into low surprise and falling deeper into the con or trap.

[4krow 6,516]

11 minutes ago, AndrewJohn said:

if you look guilty, you likely are guilty.  Avoid situations where you will look guilty.  My Dad.

 

 

 I actually had to tell my own brother to stop acting guilty about something that he did not do. OTOH all you have to do is be accused. 

[The Raven 504]

On 2/27/2025 at 6:13 AM, Half Life said:

"Can't, is can too lazy to try." - my Dad

 

Your dad is a wise soul.

 

There are two words our kids learned really fast not to say - "can't" and "bored" LOL

 

One of my faves is from the wise green guy - "Do or do not, there is no try." ~Yoda

Edited March 1 by The Raven

[AndrewJohn 10,412]

5 hours ago, The Raven said:

There are two words our kids learned really fast not to say - "can't" and "bored" LOL

 

One of my faves is from the wise green guy - "Do or do not, there is no try." ~Yoda

 

My powerlifting coaches (Judy and Roger Gedney - she was a world record holder, now passed away) worked out in the gym in the basement of the Salvation Army where I grew up.  I hung out in the gym..., did a few things, made me feel like I was, you know, "working out", then the lifting team came in at 3:30 each day for practice, and I was still there...,

 

Judy looked over at me and said: "There are DO-ers, and there are TALK-ers..., which one are you."

 

I got under the squat bar as a skinny kid, realizing that I had only shown that I could "talk..."

 

The following year I was competing and winning trophies in the ADFPA (American Drug Free Powerlifting Association).

[AndrewJohn 10,412]

[AndrewJohn 10,412]

[Daddyjt 9,584]

My grandfather:

 

”Never skimp on your shoes, your mattress or your tires…”

[xavionics 2,067]

“ If you say you’re going to do something, do it!

If you’re not gonna do it, don’t say you will.”

 

-my Dad-

 

My siblings and I (and my family) live by this code.

It has served us all well.

 

 

[AndrewJohn 10,412]

On 3/2/2025 at 7:17 AM, xavionics said:

“ If you say you’re going to do something, do it!

If you’re not gonna do it, don’t say you will.”

 

-my Dad-

 

My siblings and I (and my family) live by this code.

It has served us all well.

 

The mathematical converse of this pops into my mind and is also a good axiom to live by.

 

"Don't be surprised when someone does something, they clearly said they were going to do."

Or, "don't act surprised just because it affects you too and you were duped."

 

I recall my dad saying something like the above to me more than once when I was a whiney little kid, and he was teaching me about making good choices and sucking it up and dealing with the consequences when I made a bad choice that I had to learn from my mistake.

 

My maternal grandfather would say this differently...

 

"You made your bed, now you get to lie in it."

[AndrewJohn 10,412]

[AndrewJohn 10,412]

[AndrewJohn 10,412]