Living your life in fear.

[camslam]

Tourist: With all due respect, I guess the rest of us will just have to keep living our sorry lives until we reach the 9th level of living that your currently reside at, in other words, Nirvana. Reading your posts, I'm not sure I am even cool enough to be participating in this discussion.

However, I think you might be just a bit confused if you think that the rest of us can't care about our gun rights and the direction our country is headed, and still live a fulfilling, enjoyable life at the same time.

You may be comfortable with the gun laws that govern your state, I think most of us would probably have a problem with them, but it wouldn't keep us from living our lives.

On the other hand, many of us take our freedoms seriously and understand that with those freedoms comes responsibility. We are responsible to uphold and protect those freedoms. And as I mentioned in an earlier post, it is usually the few who make the effort in time, energy, passion, and money, that allow the many to enjoy the freedoms.

But I'm all for your laid back, relaxed approach to life. Live it up, life is too short not to. I only ask that you not be so naive as to assume because people aren't living exactly the way you do, that something must be amiss.

 

[The Tourist]

Why? Why fear anything? If I could magically take away all of your fears with a magic wand, how much would you pay me? Is that worth more than gold?

(Do you have any idea how much time I spent worrying. It was years.)

If there's an election, vote. If there's a fight, fight. If you see a pretty girl, say hi, the most she can say is "no."

Why would you wish any pain on a friend? Look at how much we spend on toys, liquor and vacations to simply relax. Just decide to stop worrying.

I've reached a point in life to look back. There's nothing there to fear.

 

[The Unknown User]

The AWB came and went?

Last time I checked, I can't buy an AR with any safety features on it. Came and went my !@#.

 

[The Tourist]

Rob, but adrenaline won't make of it better or worse.

Let's suppose that you, me and camslam are the most ardent, articulate members here at THR. We decide to work against any anti-firearm legislation Obama's think-tank throws at the country.

Exactly how does fear and a hissy fit enhance our effectiveness?

And more to the point, what is it doing to you as a person? This is more than a gun issue, it's a THR issue to help folks.

I'm not saying 'don't work,' I'm saying worry and fear play no part in favorable outcomes.

(BTW, when you want to kick someone's butt, get 'em angry.)

 

[DRYHUMOR]

There's much to be said for not worrying or being fearful. It's far less stressful.

Want to worry, get out of school, go to work, and realize... you've got to work for 50 or more years. Feel the stress?

There are too many weapons in the US to worry about laws that may change.

Now, concern. Yes I do have a few concerns. Primarily because people that don't know any better make a lot of decisions that affect far too many of us. Do I fear that? No, what many propose is undoable.

But fear and worry, nah, not me. I've still got about 20-25 years left to work. I've got half of it licked.

So... just how pretty are these girls up there Tourist?

 

[camslam]

That's enough playing with tourist for the day, for me at least. His Jedi Mind tricks are throwing me in circles.

I guess I haven't seen enough of the "fear and hissy fit" posts that he keeps referring to, but I'll keep my eyes and ears open.

I think my sig line states it best. Words are fun, but at the end of the day harmless and meaningless unless there is action to back them.

 

[The Tourist]

Camslam, I had a middle-aged poetry teacher in high school who once opined that 85% of the things we worry about never happen. I thought the old boy had lost it. In point of fact he was trying to impart some of the most important info I was to learn that year.

But he figured way too low. It's 95%, easy.

And now I'm middle-aged, and plus that. There is never a need to worry or fear. Don't waste time in senseless pursuits.

 

[blackcash88]

Take anything "The Tourist" says with a grain of salt. He's admitted to being bi-polar here and seems to go off his meds from time to time.

 

[wuluf]

Tourist, I wanted to respond to your post, but i wanted to think about it first. So the wife and I took the Dyna out on the Sacramento River Delta. Beautiful day, curvy levee roads, riding with the river on one side, pecan orchards, vineyards and cornfields on the other. Stopped and ate a crab sandwich on a riverboat with a decent blues band covering Stevie Ray in the background. The ultimate don't worry, be happy California day!

Except,

I can't carry on these rambles because my county sheriff doesn't consider "the mere fear of victimization" sufficient grounds to issue a permit. I can't buy the Ruger I want, because the DOJ doesn't think the design is "safe" enough to "import" into CA. The people responsible for this act incrementally, and like Nancy Pelosi, are now on the national stage. They control the media and the methods of influencing public opinion. The day after Heller was announced, my local paper interviewed a wheelchair bound victim of a gang drive-by as to how she felt about the decision. (Duh, she was against it)

I agree that worry won't solve these issues, but we can't take our eyes off the ball either. Otherwise in 8 years or so, it's possible that WI will look like CA does today, and by then CA will look like the UK..and they'll be coming for my knives!

Ride Safe..

 

[yokel]

Perhaps the OP will lead THR in a singalong of the charming ditty "Don't Worry, Be Happy" by Bobby McFerrin:

Here is a little song I wrote
You might want to sing it note for note
Don't worry be happy
In every life we have some trouble
When you worry you make it double
Don't worry, be happy......

Ain't got no place to lay your head
Somebody came and took your bed
Don't worry, be happy
The land lord say your rent is late
He may have to litigate
Don't worry, be happy
Lood at me I am happy
Don't worry, be happy
Here I give you my phone number
When you worry call me
I make you happy
Don't worry, be happy
Ain't got no cash, ain't got no style
Ain't got not girl to make you smile
But don't worry be happy
Cause when you worry
Your face will frown
And that will bring everybody down
So don't worry, be happy (now).....

There is this little song I wrote
I hope you learn it note for note
Like good little children
Don't worry, be happy
Listen to what I say
In your life expect some trouble
But when you worry
You make it double
Don't worry, be happy......
Don't worry don't do it, be happy
Put a smile on your face
Don't bring everybody down like this
Don't worry, it will soon past
Whatever it is
Don't worry, be happy


Has it really been two decades since DWBH was first released?

 

[tpaw]

Obama's chances to become the Fouth Reich,

If there's anything to worry about.......We will all suffer. I don't care how liberal your states gun laws are. This guy is the

 

[loneviking]

Thanks for the post, Tourist, I know where you are coming from. I don't worry as the future is full of surprises. Yes, I plan; yes, I'm involved in the RKBA fights; but no, I don't tie myself in knots and get ulcers over what 'might' happen. I take the dogs down to the river and collect a bunch of crawdads. Take 'em home and boil 'em up to eat with some dirty rice out on the porch with the fire pit going. Talk to the kids out there in the cool of the evening and play Halo 2 with my little son for a while. Live in the moment, plan for the future as best you can, and then don't worry---enjoy the simple pleasures of life.

 

[Green Lantern]

Well now...

Well, let's suppose that everything does go to hell. How is my worrying myself into a tizzy make my actions any better, more thoughtful or effective?

This isn't my first rodeo. I was 22 years ago during the first of the serious helmet law action in Wisconsin. There are still citizens jumping up and down to a brisk lather telling me how brain-dead bikers inflate insurance rates. I ask them to show me this hospital wing with all of the brain dead bikers, and the argument sort of trails off...

And it will be the same over our firearms. Be it Doyle, or Shumer, or Obama or the next empty suit, our actions will derive success from care, not carelessness.

But look at the bigger picture. We're called "The High Road." Being vigilant doesn't imply we should work our brothers' lives into a dither.

You know the old expression, "Living well is the best revenge."

And while Chuckie and Sarah and Hillary chewed their fingernails down to the quick last night, I went out for a ride. Took the pups, went to bed a tad early, slept like a brick.

If you ever see Chuckie Shumer, tell him The Tourist thinks he's such light work that the old biker drifts off. He's liable to blow an embolism. Is that a life worth living?

Street crime? I go to the gym, sharpen a Razel and then go find a first class cheeseburger. The streets don't belong to thugs, they belong to me. Does wringing your hands make it better if you do have to fight?

Of course, show up for work, do a good job. If there's a vote, make sure you go. I write letters to the editor--another one got published about ten days ago. Make sure you exercize your freedoms. Don't back down from a fight worth having.

But then, turn it off. I got home late today from the gym. As I stepped down from my truck, I saw Black Betty. Beautiful. I didn't worry about helmet laws or HBO's secret agenda. If those fights come, I'll be ready.

Oh, and I just had four tollhouse cookies.

When you put it like THAT...

I've REALLY gotten myself worked up into the proverbial tizzy over some stress at work before. For me, roughly 48 hours of stress = at least a WEEK of feeling like CRAP afterwards. Only took that one time to realize that crap like that is TOTALLY not worth it.

Mmm...cookie. I like me some chocolate chip cookies topped with peanut butter myself. Nom nom nom...

 

[bnkrazy]

My wife does enough worrying for the both of us. It's just who she is. I'm pretty laid back about most things. However, not worrying doesn't get you off the hook for being proactive regarding the RKBA either.