Tag Archives: philosophy

Breakthrough

j-r-practix-with-border-2

Breakthrough: (n) a sudden, dramatic, and important discovery or development.

You don’t get rich by telling the truth.Dictionary B

You can’t even make your grits and gravy if your message is pointed.

Everyone is looking for confirmation that they’re doing great. You must formulate a philosophy that confirms that people are victims of circumstance, and therefore, the best way to overcome the “haters” is through positive thinking and self-esteem.

Put that in a book and you’ll make the best-sellers list.

But if you insist that personal responsibility, self-evaluation and productive effort are the keys to growing and expanding, your book will probably end up in the 50-cent bin at Barnes & Noble.

Why?

Because everyone wants a breakthrough instead of a realization.

Matter of fact, ministers receive millions of dollars by preaching to folks that if they give a “seed donation,” God will give them even more money.

It’s amazing how ridiculous this notion sounds.

But the technique works–mainly because people have a tendency to want pie in the sky… never discerning if pie is actually good for them.

 Donate ButtonThank you for enjoying Words from Dic(tionary) —  J.R. Practix 

 Don’t let another Christmas season go by without owning Jonathan’s book of Christmas stories

Mr. Kringle’s Tales …26 Stories ‘Til Christmas

Only $5.99 plus $1.25 shipping and handling!

An advent calendar of stories, designed to enchant readers of all ages

“Quite literally the best Christmas stories I have ever read.” — Arthur Holland, Shelby, North Carolina

Only $5.99 plus $1.25 shipping and handling.

"Buy

 

 

 

Borrow

Borrow: (v) to take and use something that belongs to someone else with the intention of returning it.

I have an inkling that determining whether people are getting older can be evaluated by judging the shows they watch on television.Dictionary B

For instance, when I was younger I would never have watched “Wheel of Fortune.” And even though I would not call myself an avid viewer now, it is occasionally on in the background while I do other things.

Likewise, I would have made fun of myself for watching the judge shows like “People’s Court.”

I bring this up because on these court TV shows, each case finishes up with an interview in the outside hall, where the announcer asks the litigants what they learned from the experience. Universally, the eternal truth that falls from their lips is, “Don’t trust anybody.”

Benjamin Franklin intoned, in his pseudo-intellectual way, “Neither a lender nor a borrower be.”

It is a wonderful philosophy–if you are never in need.

But since my life has been bespeckled with all varieties of poverty and prosperity, I can appreciate the fact that every once in a while … you are one cup of milk and one bowl of cereal short of breakfast.

Donate ButtonThank you for enjoying Words from Dic(tionary) —  J.R. Practix 

Jonathan’s Latest Book Release!

PoHymn: A Rustling in the Stagnant

Click here to get your copy now!

PoHymn cover jon

 

 

Bold

Bold: (adj) showing an ability to take risks; confident and courageous.

Bold sucks.Dictionary B

Well, perhaps that’s too simply stated.

Maybe I should phrase it this way: where we choose to be bold sucks.

If I were comparing “bold” to moving into a new house, I would parallel it with hanging pictures.

Once you remove all the old paint on the walls, wash them, let them dry, repaint and make sure you’re satisfied with the trim, then you can have the joy of hanging pictures.

But you do not hang pictures on a filthy, paint-peeled wall.

And you do not act bold when what surrounds your boldness fails to confirm it.

There are too many people with opinions who are walking contradictions to their own philosophy. They become hypocrites–not because they’re faulty human beings, but mainly because they insist on being bold about it.

Humility is the joyful wisdom that leaps onto the back of bold…always reminding us that we can be wrong.

Donate ButtonThank you for enjoying Words from Dic(tionary) —  J.R. Practix 

Jonathan’s Latest Book Release!

PoHymn: A Rustling in the Stagnant

Click here to get your copy now!

PoHymn cover jon

 

 

Blurb

Blurb: (n) a short description for promotional purposes

Dictionary B　Production bigger, promotion smaller.

It is the philosophy of Hollywood.

The explosions, action, mayhem and murder need to be huge–nearly beyond comprehension. But the title, description of the plot and dialogue should be as tiny as possible.

Anyone who is trying to interact with the American public must comprehend that the first step to being able to connect with the populace is to realize that they don’t want to read. An argument could be made that they don’t want to think. But certainly, limiting the number of words on a piece of paper to describe a massive idea is considered to be “Madison Avenue genius.”

I’m not even going to speculate on what these words should be, because as each week passes in this great country, which touts the value of education, we actually surrender more and more to a common stupidity.

  • Don’t use big words.
  • Don’t use unknown words.
  • Matter of fact, don’t use any words that were conceived before ten years ago.

In doing this, you will be able to write a blurb which explains your intentions to those who are intentionally acting dumbfounded by anything that isn’t recently posted on Facebook, Instagram or can be discerned through watching a YouTube.

 

Donate ButtonThank you for enjoying Words from Dic(tionary) —  J.R. Practix 

Jonathan’s Latest Book Release!

PoHymn: A Rustling in the Stagnant

Click here to get your copy now!

PoHymn cover jon

 

 

Bassoon

Bassoon: (n) a bass instrument of the oboe family with a double reed.Dictionary B

If the goal of every endeavor is to gain fame or money, then we will end up doing very little in our lives–for fear of ending up with something that fails to deliver the goods.

I learned this early.

I made a decision to pursue things that made me happy, giggle or feel inspired. Whether other people found them to be equally as inspirational or entertaining was only secondary to my deep-rooted concern for entertaining myself.

In the process of chasing that philosophy, I found myself in Tennessee working with a partner to begin a symphony in a town that probably was completely uninterested in even learning how to spell the word.

Intelligently, we held our first concert very near Christmas and because of that and the basic human nature to be curious, we had a huge attendance, which seemed to bode well for the project.

I was so excited about the event that I wrote a special composition called Christmas. This particular piece of music began with a sprightly bassoon solo, establishing a bouncy, joyous melody which to me personified the uncontrollable anticipation of a child at Christmas.

We hired a bassoon player who just happened to really love playing the instrument. He didn’t get to perform very often in Tennessee, since there isn’t a high calling for bassoonists among the populace. So when he discovered he was going to get to play this delightful ditty, he practiced and practiced–and by the time of the concert, he literally exploded the musical magic off of his double reed.

When the audience heard the tune being played, they giggled like school children because it was such a pleasant representation of childhood memories.

I love the bassoon because it cannot hide its true personality. It is a growly, jubilant tone foretelling of grandfatherly wisdom … with just enough mischief.

 

Donate Button

Thank you for enjoying Words from Dic(tionary) —  J.R. Practix

*******************
Don’t let another Christmas go by without purchasing Jonathan’s bestselling Christmas book!

Mr. Kringle’s Tales … 26 Stories ‘Til Christmas

Click here to read all about Mr. Kringle's Tales...26 Stories Til Christmas! Only $5.99 plus $1.25 shipping and handling.

Click here to read all about Mr. Kringle’s Tales…26 Stories Til Christmas! Only $5.99 plus $1.25 shipping and handling.

 

“The best Christmas stories I’ve ever read!”

From the toy shop to the manger, an advent calendar of Christmas stories, beginning on November 30th and ending on Christmas morning.

We need a good Christmas this year.

Mr. Kringle’s Tales will help you make it so.

Buy today.

"Buy

 

 

 

Bargain

Bargain: (n) a thing bought or offered for sale more cheaply than is usualDictionary B

It is generally reported among the human race that any time we’ve saved a buck we’ve made a “dear” bargain.

I have to admit, I am susceptible to that philosophy but I also have enough memories of failed bargains to be a little leery of continuing to pursue the prospect with great vigor.

After all, nothing is a bargain if it ends up sucking.

There are two things we want in life, and two things only:

  1. We want what we desire
  2. We want it to work

Anything less than that will leave us disgruntled, even if it was less expensive.

I have often seen my fellow-travelers show me a product they purchased, touting the great deal they got, only to lament their dissatisfaction over its lack of quality.

So is it better to spend a bit more for what you desire, to plug it in and have it work?

I think that’s the definition of maturity.

It’s why I spend a little more time deciding to shop, and much less time actually shopping. Because once I do go, I know what I want and the price tag is secondary to my preference.

With that in mind, let us understand that politics is no bargain. It does not give us what we want, and honest to God, it does not work.

Entertainment is often no bargain. I need to be inspired and energized, but often walk out at the mercy of the director’s dementia.

Religion is no bargain. I desire happiness now and ecstasy in heaven–and they give me present misery and a “maybe” on the afterlife.

So for all you bargain hunters or people who spend three hours clipping out $18 worth of coupons (that’s $6 an hour in labor) let me tell you that I am reluctant to join your club.

My heart’s desire is too important to me, and making sure something actually works is too necessary to my well-being.

 

Donate Button

Thank you for enjoying Words from Dic(tionary) —  J.R. Practix

*******************
Don’t let another Christmas go by without purchasing Jonathan’s bestselling Christmas book!

Mr. Kringle’s Tales … 26 Stories ‘Til Christmas

Click here to read all about Mr. Kringle's Tales...26 Stories Til Christmas! Only $5.99 plus $1.25 shipping and handling.

Click here to read all about Mr. Kringle’s Tales…26 Stories Til Christmas! Only $5.99 plus $1.25 shipping and handling.

 

“The best Christmas stories I’ve ever read!”

From the toy shop to the manger, an advent calendar of Christmas stories, beginning on November 30th and ending on Christmas morning.

We need a good Christmas this year.

Mr. Kringle’s Tales will help you make it so.

Buy today.

"Buy

 

 

 

Bad-mouth

Bad-mouth: (v) to criticize (someone or something); speak disloyally of.Dictionary B

  • Tongue-in-cheek
  • Satire
  • Sarcasm
  • Cynical
  • Jaded

Now, each one of these words is probably considered to be its own entity, but I would contend that what we have here is a descending process toward losing one’s faith.

Because somewhere along the line, joking about the need for change and beginning to just bad-mouth humanity because you’ve abandoned all passion for the race are two quite different things.

Maybe in my own simple way, I could clarify my meaning by giving you definitions for each of these steps in this decline:

  1. Tongue-in-cheek: humorously pointing out a contradiction in our philosophy which shows a need for change.
  2. Satire: comparing that little piece of hypocrisy to previous hypocrisies in a jocular way.
  3. Sarcasm: similar to satire, except accompanied by more of a sneer, a jeer or even a leer.
  4. Cynical: sharing an angry humor over the futility of human effort to achieve anything of quality, while portraying a nasty edge
  5. Jaded: a loss of love for fellow-humans, which also causes one to feel unloved.

When you live in the monkey cage, it is alright to joke about the odor or maybe even the over-dependence on bananas–as long as you freely admit that you are contributing to the stink, and certainly possess the same addiction to the fruit.

 

Donate Button

Thank you for enjoying Words from Dic(tionary) —  J.R. Practix

*******************

NEW BOOK RELEASE BY JONATHAN RICHARD CRING

WITHIN

A meeting place for folks who know they’re human

 $3.99 plus $2.00 S&H

$3.99 plus $2.00 Shipping & Handling

$3.99 plus $2.00 Shipping & Handling

Buy Now Button

 

Awash

Awash: (adj) containing large numbers or amounts of someone or something.dictionary with letter A

The debate about good and evil is both good and bad:

  • Good in the sense that we might actually begin to differentiate between things that work and things that don’t.
  • And certainly bad in the context that we bring out the more picky parts of our human character which make us belligerent instead of benevolent.

But I think it’s impossible to understand good until you realize that evil is simply stupidity that demands respect.

If we actually had the intelligence to declare our failures stupid, then we could walk away from them and allow them to be memories instead of little pieces of defensive tantrums which we sprout whenever it is suggested that we have failed to be excellent.

Right now our country is awash in stupidity. It is turning into evil because insightful human beings are not able to make fun of the ridiculous nature of the situation without coming across as mean or intolerant.

I guess I should provide you with a definition of stupidity: stupidity is any action or any philosophy that is anti-human.

So even things that we consider to be religious, righteous or patriotic are often just blatantly stupid because they’re contrary to the betterment of mankind.

You will find yourself awash with pressure from the society around you if you try to follow the mob. Since human beings are slightly bent toward self-destruction, they will occasionally come up with ways to snuff themselves while insisting that it’s just an issue of “freedom of choice.”

Be aware. Do not allow yourself to be overwhelmed.

If it seems to be anti-human and it does not increase the generosity of the human spirit but instead makes us self-centered or mean, you might just want to walk away from it.

And if you can’t tell the difference, just make sure you don’t sign too many petitions … that you will have to later explain to your grandchildren.

 

Donate Button

Thank you for enjoying Words from Dic(tionary) —  J.R. Practix

*******************

NEW BOOK RELEASE BY JONATHAN RICHARD CRING

WITHIN

A meeting place for folks who know they’re human

 $3.99 plus $2.00 S&H

$3.99 plus $2.00 Shipping & Handling

$3.99 plus $2.00 Shipping & Handling

Buy Now Button

 

Attain

Attain: (v) to succeed in achieving something that one desires and has worked for.dictionary with letter A

About two decades ago, everyone in America was persistent on finding out what my 5-year goal plan was. What did I want to attain?

Matter of fact, it reached almost cult proportions. People felt it was essential to have a vision for one’s life that spanned the next 5 years.

Honestly, I was greatly amused by the concept.

Considering the fact that I was fully aware that what would happen to me in the next 5 months, 5 weeks, 5 days and even 5 minutes was somewhat beyond my control, I found it a bit foolish to presumptuously plan 60 months in advance.

Yet in that time period, I was considered odd–perhaps irresponsible to not mix the Kool-Aid.

There were three things that happened to those individuals who followed the “strait and narrow” of the 5-year goal plan:

  1. Life immediately objected to their format.

(Apparently they didn’t include life in the meeting to draft the proposal, and life was rather gleeful about dashing their dreams.)

  1. 5-year goal plans often contradict other 5-year goal plans, creating conflict and confusion.

Yes, what I want to accomplish in 5 years may rob you of a couple of years of satisfaction.

  1. Those who persisted in this philosophy also found they had to make a choice: do I evolve with life, or do I dig my heels in and insist on requiring my demands?

It was messy business, and I will tell you that fortunately, only a small handful of ardent followers still remain.

But if you run across one, and he or she asks you what your 5-year goal plan is, respond this way:

“I plan on taking the next 5 years to feverishly work on my 10-year goal plan.”

Donate Button

Thank you for enjoying Words from Dic(tionary) —  J.R. Practix

Arterior

Arterior: (adj) nearer to the back, especially situated near the back of the body or to the rear.dictionary with letter A

I did not know this word.

Candidly, there are many words I write about that I did not know the definition for until I went through the exercise of reading about their verbal personality.

But this definition immediately popped a piece of philosophy in mind, that I adhere to all the time, even though others might find it counter-productive.

It is a spiritual principle which has great emotional application in the practical world: “Take the arterior seat.”

Yeah.

  • Sit in the back.
  • Don’t push so hard.
  • Don’t thrust yourself forward.

The truth is, the squeaky wheel gets the grease once and then is replaced with a new tire. We are fatigued of those who are self-promoting, only to discover that in most cases they have too much “self” and not that much to promote.

When the Good Book tells us to take the lower seat, the writings do not stop there, making us believe that we just did this to be humble. No, it is very clear that the reason we take this arterior seat is so we can be called up by the desire of other people instead of the strength of our own ego.

It is also a warning–if you place yourself too high on the totem pole, somebody more worthy comes along and bumps you down.

It explains that the greatest danger in life is humiliation–not being ignored–humiliation by being forced to a lower seat instead of choosing one for ourselves.

I have worked this principle so many times that I can boldly guarantee it to you.

It’s not so much that pride goes before the fall. It’s more like pride is the fall that leaves us suspended in mid-air, unable to gain any footing.

 

Donate Button

Thank you for enjoying Words from Dic(tionary) —  J.R. Practix