October 29, 2025

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BG’s Positively Speaking

Time Will Tell…

As a young man, I had some unproductive, self-destructive statements that I made frequently. When asked, “What are you doing?”, I would respond, “I’m just killing time” or “Nothing much”,  or “Just hangin’ out, stayin’ loose”. Many other phrases are used to convey the message to the world that there is nothing worthwhile we choose to spend our time on. As I grew older and ”more sophisticated!!!” I would say, “Nothing of any significance (consequence).” It seemed to sound a little more grown-up. No doubt many of you use these phrases or similar ones yourselves. It took “Time” to learn some of the principles of ”Time”. I was not only killing time but also my future. Here are some of the ”Principles” that I have learned.

TIME:  Is a ”use it or lose it” asset. It cannot be ”banked” for use in the future, nor can we work overtime tomorrow to make up what we missed today.

TIME:  Cannot be managed. We can only manage the things we spend our time doing.

TIME:  Can be costly. I have written previously about the Pareto Principle(the 80/20 rule). If we spend 80% of our time on activities that only produce 20% of the results, we will have a costly, expensive experience over time.

TIME:   Can be measured. Not in the traditional sense of minutes and hours, but in how much of it we use productively, to advance our own lives and those around us.

We are all given the same amount of time; it is what we do with it that matters. We need to prioritize our use of time because, if we give it the priority it deserves, we can achieve all kinds of things we never thought possible. Are you making the best use of your time?

Only Time Will Tell!

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Editors Quote Book

  “In the book of life the answers aren’t all in the Back.”

— Charlie Brown

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The Truth Is Out There?

Many thought that the X-Files was fiction? However, it appears that NASA doesn’t think it is. They created a new job position, the Planetary Protection Officer. In the job description they say that the position entails protecting Earth from alien forms. They will also be involved in preventing alien contamination during missions and keeping Earth free of foreign microorganisms. Isn’t that what Mulder & Sculley were doing. By the way. The pay starts at $156,700 Canadian.

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The Female Rodney Dangerfield

She was a master in the art of self-deprecation. She was a frequent guest on the Johnny Carson Tonight Show, and 50 years later she can still make us laugh. This weeks video clip is from one of her appearances with Carson.

 

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Education, What The Experts Say

Strange as it seems, no amount of learning can cure stupidity, and higher education positively fortifies it.

—Stephen Vizinczey

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Education is what survives when what has been learned has been forgotten.

—BF Skinner

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America believes in education: the average professor earns more money in a year than a professional athlete earns in a whole week.

—Evan Esar

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Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world.

—Nelson Mandela

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Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself.

—John Dewey

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If little else, the brain is an educational toy.

—Tom Robbins

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Smart Alec

Mum: Alec, how did you find school today?

Alec: I hopped off the bus, and there it was.

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A New Teacher

Mia: We need a new teacher.

Mum: Why is that?

Mia: Our teacher doesn’t know anything; she keeps asking us for the answers.

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Trivia Quiz

(Click Question For Answer)

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Your Horoscope

For Amusement Only

Aries March 21 – April 19:  When you make appointments, keep them. Treat others the way you expect to be treated. Look for romance on Friday.

Taurus April 20 – May 20:  Travel plans are a go. Enjoy exploring new places and meeting new people. Expect it to be life-changing.

Gemini May 21 – June 20:    Take care of what you say, more importantly, who you say it to. You may be stepping onto thin ice.

Cancer June 21 – July 22:   You say one thing, then do another. This is making it difficult for an admirer to get closer to you.

Leo July 23 – August 22:    Your significant other is learning to cope with your erratic behaviour. Make changes to save yourself from future problems.

Virgo August 23 – September 22:     Make peace with your in-laws this week. Carrying old grudges will have a bad outcome. Be the peacemaker.

Libra September 23 – October 22:  Maintain your discipline and focus this week, and you will make great strides. Keep your eyes on the goal.

Scorpio October 23 – November 21:  If you are as smart as you say you are, then you won’t let a golden opportunity slip by you. Be resourceful.

Sagittarius, November 22 – December 21:    New information comes your way, which means you can complete a slow-moving project. Jump in with both feet.

Capricorn December 22 – January 19:   Challenges are part of life. Look at them as opportunities. Meet them head-on, learn and grow stronger from them.

Aquarius January 20 – February 18:  Younger people want your time and attention. Feed off their energy and enthusiasm. You will find yourself becoming re-energized.

Pisces February 19 – March 20:   Tackling your to-do list requires more time and effort than you realized. Put your heart into it and get it done.

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All Hallows’ Eve

Every year as October’s crisp leaves begin their slow dance to the ground, many of us slip into the costume-ritual of trick-or-treating, pumpkin carving and haunted fun. But if you pause for a moment and reflect, the roots of the holiday we call Halloween run deep and surprisingly intertwined with tradition, faith, and folklore.

It all traces back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, held at the end of the harvest season, when the boundary between the everyday and the “otherworld” was considered thin. The Celts believed that on this night spirits could cross into our realm, so they lit bonfires and wore costumes to ward them off or perhaps to blend in. As the centuries turned, and the Roman empire extended into Celtic lands, two Roman festivals with somewhat similar timing and practices (one honoring the dead, one celebrating the tree goddess) merged with Samhain-observances.

Fast forward to Europe – the Church established All Saints’ Day on November 1 and All Souls’ Day on November 2 as a way of remembering the faithful departed. The evening before, October 31, gradually became “All Hallows’ Eve”, which later morphed into Halloween. And with migration, especially Irish and Scottish immigrants bringing their customs to North America, the tradition evolved again.  Jack-o’-lanterns made from turnips or pumpkins, community “guising” (costume dressing and asking for treats), and the somewhat spooky entertainment elements we associate today.

Here in our communities, whether in a small Ontario town or a city street the modern Halloween blends playfulness with that ancient nod to mystery. On one level it’s just fun! Costumes, candy, laughter under streetlamps and porch lights. But if you look a little closer, you’ll find echoes of Samhain’s bonfire flicker, ancient dress-up practices and the gentle remembering of those who walked before. So, as you carve that pumpkin, light that jack-o’-lantern, and step out into the crisp night, you’ll be tapping into a tradition that’s both timeless and ever-changing. And that, I’d say, is part of the charm.

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It’s A Walk In The Cemetery

It was already dark when I started to walk home. after finishing work later than usual. I decided to shave 5 minutes off my time getting home, by cutting through the cemetery, in order to get the candy in the bowl and ready for all the children making their Halloween treks throughout our little town of Gravenhurst.  A group of three girls standing at the entrance of the cemetery were debating about doing much the same.  But one was just too terrified to walk through there in the dark. So, I said here, hold my hand and I’ll walk you through. I’m going in the same direction.  She thanked me and started talking about how terrified she was of ghosts and such, so I calmed her down by saying “Don’t worry, I was just as afraid of going in there in the dark myself, when I was alive”

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A Lightning Strike

Steve, Bob, and Jeff are out golfing on a cloudy day, when it starts raining furiously. Suddenly, Steve is struck by lightning and is killed instantaneously. After the ambulance leaves with Steve’s body, Bob and Jeff realize they’ll have to inform his wife. Bob says he’s good at this sort of sensitive stuff, so he volunteers to do the job. After two hours, he returns, carrying a six-pack of beer. ”So, did you tell her?” asks Jeff. “Yep”, replies Bob. Then Jeff asked, “Say, where did you get the six-pack?” Bob informs Jeff, “She gave it to me.” “WHAT??” exclaims Jeff, “You just told her that her husband died and she gave you a six pack?” “Sure,” Bob says. “WHY?” asks Jeff. “Well,” Bob continues, “when she answered the door, I asked her, ‘Are you Steve’s widow?’  ‘Widow?’ she said, ‘No, no, you’re mistaken, I’m not a widow!’

So I said: “I’ll bet you a six-pack you ARE!”

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Filling The Gap

In Green Bay, Wisconsin, a driver crossing the Walnut Street Bridge disregarded the traffic arm and drove around it onto the drawbridge as it was opening. His van ascended the opening span, but then rolled back down into the gap between the stationary bridge and the movable span. Green Bay Metro firefighters, concerned that the van might slip through the gap, cut a hole in its roof to rescue the driver.

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I’ll Be Back

Police in Dearborn, Michigan, are hoping a thief’s unusual loot may draw him back to the scene of the crime. Surveillance video at a Walgreens store captured a bald man making off with seven boxes of Rogaine, a hair-growth product. “While this is not the most hair-raising crime, it is suspected he will continue committing this type of crime, as 12 to 14 months of consistent use is needed to see results,” Police Chief Ronald Haddad said.

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The Last Word

An Expert is a person who can tell you exactly how it can’t be done.

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