Today feels like there is less on, though we will be busy this morning.
Yesterday we started with a Market.  There were items that had been donated to us.  We had them on display.  We actually had four tables plus two with free clothing.  My thinking is it is Christmas time and most stuff is good quality, so it could be a very inexpensive way of purchasing quality fillers as Christmas presents.
We are having one more stall before Christmas.  Normally it would be two but the day we would normally have it we are having a dinner for the community.  They are great meals.
We are also having a Christmas dinner on Christmas day at church person’s place.  That again is for the community.  We held one at N3C last year.  Merril and I went to it.  It was well attended and a great feed.
After the market we went up to the Table Tennis club.  They were having their breakup and award night.  I have not been playing much but it is always good to go up and catch up with people. 
One couple we had not seen in ages.  She is from Japan and he from Ghana.  They had recently spent time in Japan.  I was fascinated to know that she has taken an alternative route with her health.  She has a form of cancer.  They both stayed at a health place in Japan.  There she learned that many in Japan have that type of ailment.  She was put on a 21 day fast.  He did 14 days water only fast.  They rave about the results.  I guess the fact that people live so long in Japan says something.  She was saying over there, health is very much in mind for the population.  No wonder they seem to live so long.
It was interesting she was told over there the particular cancer once contained is a “live with” thing rather than a “get rid of” thing.  Over here they wanted to operate and remove which in itself was fraught.  For me it is what ever works.  Their methodology has done wonders for them.
We were given club pins as life members and founding members.  They were 20 year pins.  Incredible to think the club has been going 20 years.  I still remember saying to the guy that started it (that attended the church I went to) “if you start it I will support you.”  So started a great adventure.
The rest of the day was not so adventurous but it was good.

No wonder it is said the pen is mightier than the sword.  My personal view is that it may be so in the long term but short term if all other things are equal, a bigger, stronger brute will overpower.  Once the dust settles reason may prevail, but I am starting to think the age of reason has past and the age of brute force is making hay.
Anyway I read something Leo Tolstoy said that rang a bell with me. “Everybody thinks of changing humanity and nobody thinks of changing himself.”
The cry I hear a lot of these days is “we need to make the word a better place.”  I do not think anyone would disagree with that.  The methodology differs though.  What gets me is I see people so angry.  People ready to force change on another.  People who believe they know best with potential catastrophic consequences for others.  People who promote something with a seemingly “hang the consequences” attitude.  Those consequences see people killed, towns destroyed (world wars 1 & 2 showed us that sometimes destruction is necessary to halt the march of evil) and hard earned stolen.  To me so often the cure is as bad as the disease.
I must admit I have trouble with the double standards I see at play.  There seems to be a real willingness to make me comply with certain beliefs but those propagating and promoting them often do not do them unless under a spotlight.
What Tolstoy said is to me what needs to happen.  Changes that last are internal rather than just external.  Internal changes invariably work their way out to external.  What I am is who I am while what I say can differ radically from who I am.
In our system there comes a time when I make a decision concerning who I want in power.  In the meantime, I want to be what I proclaim.  I may espouse treating others with dignity and respect, but the proof of the pudding is in the eating.  If that is who I am then circumstances will not make me otherwise.  If on the other hand treating others with dignity and respect will not get me what I want, then who I am will come to the fore.
I am a part of humanity so I reckon me changing is a good place to start.

It is that time of the week again.  The day I get a James Clear email.  I feel there is pretty well always something to write about in those emails, and today is no exception.
Something he said was something Merril and I mentioned to each other yesterday. “"You draw out of the world what you put into it.  Want to attract reliable people? Be reliable.  Want to attract trustworthy people? Be trustworthy. Want to attract welcoming people? Be welcoming. Want to attract exceptional people? Be exceptional."
We have things going on at our place at the moment.  They include getting a new kitchen and having a granny flat (“The Cabin”) built.  We got some quotes concerning the Cabin and went with someone who at the time we had decided had a good attitude.  We could have gone a bit cheaper but we felt we were just a number reached in giving out quotes.  There was not the same interest, time or effort put into seeing what we wanted.
We felt the guy we went with was welcoming and trustworthy.  It has been interesting to me that they say “you can tell a bit about a person by their friends.”  I do not know if others he has had here in his employment are his friends, or just who he gets to do particular things, but this I know.  Every one of them I have liked.  I even had my bro visiting from the sunshine coast who met the person doing the Cabin, voluntarily comment how friendly the one doing the work was.
I am totally on board when I hear things like “like attracts like.”  I could add to the above “if you want to have friends show yourself friendly.”  To me that is a real key to attracting those of like mind.  The thing is, even when I don’t attract those of like mind, those who want to be that way are included in being attracted.
I consider myself to be a friendly person but any good qualities I have arise out of a new nature.  I know no matter how much I may pretend to be otherwise, the way I am will come out.  The more I try to change the more I don’t.  So for me it has been replacement of the old with the new.  Change has been an inside job.
We have found the kitchen people, the plumber, the electrician all to be friendly.  When we treat people the way we would like to be treated, there is a giving and working together response.