Observer--Reflections and Sermons

"This isn't a WRITING Class": Weight Reflections

2012-02-06T07:52:00.000-08:00

Recently at a weight management class, the instructor opened the meeting asking the class whether they had been writing down the foods they ate each day. Some had been religiously writing down and some had not. "Why do we write the foods down?" she asked. " THIS IS NOT A WRITING CLASS" Her words struck me since I thought I had been doing the writing down pretty well, and loving to write an all. "We write the foods down so we can review them, and CHANGE." \ Yes. It's about changing. And more than that it seems a little like budgeting. It is not enough to live the week and then mark down what happened, but to Plan the week so that it comes out with the caloric deficit that was planned. It is kind of like the old pegboard accounting system where the daily cash outflow was posted and the week and month to date was seen instantly----so if one plans a party on Friday night, one has to plan on the austerity the days before to create the caloric deficit for the party.....this is a concept I had never done before. I had just thrown the overeating over my shoulder.....and it showed. So there it it. It is NOT about the WRITING. That is for writers. It is for CHANGING.

"How Much Does Your Cellphone WEIGH?": Weight Reflections

2012-02-06T07:13:00.000-08:00

Recently I have been attending a weight management class as part of a diet management program-the class is at 7am in the morning to fit in with folks who work, and I was running a bit late...as I entered the room, the instructor asked me whether I had my cellphone: "yup...right here I replied." "Here is a weight scale," she replied, "how much does it weigh"----quickly placing it on the little scale, I replied " FOUR OUNCES". As I held the cellphone up high, she said: "Thats your PORTION SIZE". When you have an entre of beef or chicken or fish, simply place the cellphone on it to get the proper amount." What a shock!!!!! Portion Size was a concept that I had never mastered. It was covered in not one class I had ever attended. In fact, I had grown accustomed to the notion that if a little is good...a lot is better.....and that was a concept that I had to discard... So I will just ask you..... "How much does YOUR cellphone weigh?"

"What's in YOUR Trunk?": The Weight Reflections

2012-01-25T13:14:00.000-08:00

Recenly I have been attending a weight management class as part of a planned weight loss over the next year or so. I would like to lose about fifty pounds----I got some new eyes with catarect surgery, some better hearing with some new hearing aids, and I am determined to get back to the youthful look of yesteryear----and January is the month of the year that everybody has the same idea---have you been to the Evansville Health Club lately. There is a "Body Transformation Challenge" with the "Blue Team" and the "Black Team". I take my hats off to these folks----in fact, I am sponsoring a person on the "Black Team". I check in weekly to see how the team competition is coming. Check it out.... Anyway. last week, my instructor started out the class by asking the Question: "What's In Your Trunk?" This headline shocked me a bit. I had just buried my beloved "heavy chey" in Minneapolis that my daughter had been driving, and I know vividly the last review of the trunk----I had it loaded with a spare water pump, starter and lots of other parts that I thought for sure would fail...and I wanted to be prepared. When the problem came, it was diagnosed by the big city folks as "electrical" and I had to put the car out of its misery while I could still afford to.... Right in the middle of my quick mental review of "My trunk", my instructor told us what was in her trunk---some tennis shoes, yaktrax, sweats, some party beverages, some snacks for the road to avoid the drive throughs etc. yes even some wine just in case a party broke out. So, in short, planning for party and fun and health. Then I thought about my own "trunk", my stomach that I had been storing up with candy bars just in case I needed a burst of energy in crisis. I could see that all my "trunks" needed to be revamped. So I will just ask you the question: "What's in YOUR trunk?"

Memories of White Bear Lake: Soucheray

2012-01-01T06:08:00.000-08:00

http://www.twincities.com/soucheray/ci_19648122?source=rss

The water level of White Bear Lake has been sinking. Joe Soucheray gives a description of the changes. His family home was on the Mahtomedi side and near the Eash Shore Dock. Click on the link for Joe's thoughts.

Video: (1 of 3) Fr. Dooley's Christmas Story

2011-12-13T18:56:00.003-08:00

Video: St. Paul's Church: Christmas 2008: A Classic Christmas story by Fr. Kevin Dooley

Video: (2 of 3) Christmas 2008: Fr. Dooley's Christmas Story

2011-12-13T18:56:00.001-08:00

Video: (2 of 3) St. Paul's Church, Evansville, Wi; Fr. Kevin Dooley's Classic Christmas Story.

Video: (3 of 3) Christmas 2008: Fr. Kevin Dooley's Story

2011-12-13T18:55:00.001-08:00

Video: (3 0f 3): St. Paul's Church: Evansville, Wi.; Fr. Kevin Dooley's Classic Christmas Story.

Treasure the Lilacs

2011-12-04T05:15:00.001-08:00

Posted by Evansville Observer at 10:48 AM 1 comments Links to this post Email ThisBlogThis!Share to TwitterShare to Facebook
Treasure the Lilacs
Each spring which I lived during my college years with my grandmother, Nana, in St. Paul, the lilacs that surrounded the house would bloom.

On Saturday morning, she would open the back door and the windows and let the smell of the lilacs envelope the house. Each weekday, she would freshen the vase of lilacs on the dining table.

After looking at a picture of Gandpa in the back yard garden they had, and where he died, I realized that they both loved the lilacs and each spring, even almost forty years after he had died, those lilacs reminded her of the wonderful times they shared together.

Treasure the Lilacs.

Nostalgia for Hoover Growing----?

2011-11-29T17:05:00.000-08:00

When FDR took the oath of office as President, there was just a little tension. All of the banks were closed...

It had been the theory of Hoover that it was not the role of government to intervene in the creation of jobs etc...When FDR took office he quickly took the US off the gold standard, and then gradually devalued the dollar to .62. He reopened the strong banks. Created a barrier between the banks and the brokers---that has since been torn down. He had a foreclosure holiday....Added support for farming with AAA. and much, much more.

It's time for folks to go back and read some history of the 30's.

View from the Cliff: appendix

2011-11-27T10:37:00.001-08:00

All institutions, whether religious, political or educational, when they are facing the cliff, become obsessed with irrelevant details. They are not responsive....they just are just in denial about what they see around them.

Travel, Black Friday Specials incl violence, Plus War Top Priorities; Cost Cutting Can Wait till 2027

2011-11-27T10:36:00.000-08:00

It seems that all Americans are taking their lead from the Italians...who just in the last few weeks removed their Prime Minister who planned on legislating reforms, like increasing the retirement age to 67, but making the effective date 2027. Americans seem to be following suit.

Everybody wants to be austere....in 2027, or maybe long after they are dead and gone. Make a note of it. Until then, making war, making violent competitive deals at the mall etc and traveling at whatever cost are the top priorities.

Audio; Communion Hymn: " The Treasure"

2011-11-10T05:54:00.001-08:00

Audio: Musical Bonus; Guitar Unplugged: "The Treasure."

Audio: Fr. Kevin Dooley: 10/9/2011

2011-10-12T14:10:00.001-07:00

Audio: Sermon of the Week: Fr. Kevin Dooley: St. Paul's Church: 10/9/2011

A little Blarney Blog---

2011-09-25T12:07:00.000-07:00

As a young boy, I always reveled in the visit of my uncle, Fr. Ed DeCoursey. He was my grandmothers brother, and the youngest. He had stayed in Ireland in the seminary when his brother and sister came alone on the ship to avoid the famine...

When he visited us on the important holidays, he would always have his stories---my dad explained that this was "the blarney." My parents and their friends found them hilarous...to me they were pretty exaggerated and I did not really understand them...As I grew older, I remembered them and reveled in their wisdom....I learned that ya have to really laugh to get the wisdom.

I have published the short "blarney" stories of Fr. Kevin Dooley in a blog I call "The Blarney Blog". The feed of audio for this is on the right side of the Reflections blog. Remember---this is exaggerated and.....blarney. Ya have to laugh to get the wisdom.

Click on the post for one episode.

Audio: Fr. Kevin Dooley: 9/25/2011

2011-09-25T11:32:00.001-07:00

Audio: Sermon Of the Week: St. Paul's Church: Fr. Kevin Dooley.

The "Tough Question" Rule

2011-09-21T13:11:00.001-07:00

Back in 1971 I worked in Personnel at American Family----I did interviewing, and once did over 50 interviews in one day----

In EVERY interview, if the company is SERIOUS about the applicant---there will be a TOUGH QUESTION. Normally it goes to a perceived weakness of the applicant, but more than that, it tests the applicants composure under fire......SO

WELCOME the TOUGH QUESTION. Prepare for it---when you hear it SMILE and then hit the ball out of the ballpark.

I well remember the interview for my job at EF Hutton----I drove to Chicago on gas fumes and stayed with my cousin Peggy. Then I drove downton for the interview, with a burly guy who managed the whole Midwest.

In the middle of the interview, he said:
"Well, your resume seems impressive, but it seems you never made any money in your life so far"

I smiled and said: " I have created and sold two businesses of my own as going concerns--very few Americans can say that, and I have learned from it...and that is the experience that I bring to EF HUtton.

I got the job. It was the right answer.

Prepare for the question...Be ready....If you get only smiles and compliments on your hair...that means they are not interested in you....

Remember Machievelli-----the real world requires difficult questions...It is prudent to show your stuff when the questions come.

Itunes Features Sermons of Fr. Kevin Dooley FREE.

2011-08-01T12:42:00.000-07:00

Click on the post to browse and download.

Buying the Tear Gas; Selling the Peace:

2011-06-28T09:57:00.000-07:00

Well today the news is all filled with the riots in the streets of Greece. It seems that Wall Street this morning is very optimistic that a deal can be reached by the Greek legislature so that minimum wage earners have their wages cut---its called the new austerity. It seems that the IMF and Wall Steet is real excited about this prospect for Greece....and who knows maybe for the United States too....just wait a few months or years....

In reviewing the news last week, it seemed that every day the financial markets were switching emotions faster than a love sick teenager---one might surmise that this was all rational behavior. From my perspective it was just one planted story by the bulls who owned calls or the bears who owned puts, and all just in time for option expiration. In short, most of what we have been reading is just bought and paid for by the commercial gamblers on Wall Street----and while I revel in the new freedom of online publishing, with blogs etc, I mourn the chaos that has produced mostly the tower of babel in real time.

Thats how I see it. And you?

Audio: Sermon: Fr. Kevin Dooley: Pentacost Sunday: 6/12/2011

2011-06-12T10:23:00.001-07:00

Audio: Sermons of Fr. Kevin Dooley: 6/12/2011: Pentacost Sunday: "Fired Up"

Audio: Fr. Dooley's Easter Sermon: 4/24/2011

2011-04-24T14:29:00.001-07:00

Audio; Fr. Kevin Dooley; Easter Sunday; St. Paul's Church; Evansville, Wisconisn 4/24/2011

Audio: Fr. Kevin Dooley: July 19, 2009

2011-04-22T07:38:00.001-07:00

Ed.note: Almost 3000 people have downloaded this sermon in two years...seems this is on the top ten most popular sermons. )

Audio; Sermon of the Week: Fr. Kevin Dooley, St. Paul's Church: July 19, 2009----"What is "Want"?

Sermon of the Week: "Tempt"

2011-03-14T13:04:00.001-07:00

Audio; Sermon of the Week: Fr. Kevin Dooley: March 13, 2011: On Temptation

I Escaped to Rockford, Illinois and Was Saved

2011-02-18T08:47:00.001-08:00

I love action movies...but these days I need a shorter film version each night....and I have begun watching the "Rockford Files." Yes...the ones that I used to watch when I was a lot younger...These shows seem to have just the right mix of action, romance and suspense that I need.

It was a shock to note yesterday that in Madison, Wisconsin our legislators, in order to save the democratic process itself...had to escape to Rockford, Illinois in order for rational democratic process to survive. Just the thought of leaving everything and escaping to Rockford, Illinois is a terrifying thought itself.

"Sacrifice" and "Slavery" are different

2011-02-18T08:33:00.000-08:00

With the demonstrations in progress in Madison this week, the politicos have been busy spinning away----

There was and is a budget crisis. There will be sacrifice and cuts. Slavery or Union Busting is not required..

After every election, the politicos emerge....you know...the ones that claim that their narrow victory was a "mandate". The rush of victory seems to confuse leaders between what a "Governor" means, and what a "King" looks like.

Democratic process matters.

On Plenty, On Satisfaction, On Much, Much More

2011-02-13T16:02:00.001-08:00

On Plenty; Or, Why a lot of a little is a little and a little of a lot is a lot; Or, a thought on parables

Phil Laut was a new age author that I had the pleasure of meeting in 1984 just after he had published his first book, “Money is my Friend.” In the beginning of this book, Phil examines the nature of “satisfaction.” In real life it is clear that some folks cannot be satisfied by the amount of money they have. Their life is a constant quest followed by the feeling of being disappointed. The question is whether the feeling or the fact comes first? According to Phil Laut, the sense of having plenty comes before the plenty itself, and also the sense of scarcity always comes before the scarcity itself. The feeling comes before the fact. Anyway, this was a pretty striking thought for me back in 1984. Being a man of action. Who would have thought that feeling had anything to do with it. Anyway.

Phil Laut's whole discussion makes me think back on the parable of the loaves and fishes. The verse goes that the crowd was fed and was “ satisfied. ‘ Now was it that the loaves and fishes were so much multiplied, or was it that in the state of peace their anxiety was reduced and hunger was taken away? From the story, one cannot say for sure. Was the multiplication of the loaves and fishes all about the feeling or the fact ? The reason I point this out is that the parables tell a story to make a point. Might the point have been lost? Lost right in the midst of doing the math.

Along with the concept of plenty, is the concept of what a “ little” is. And what a “lot” is. We often see people that want to dominate every transaction but in their enthusiasm to get every dime, make sure they fail.. The effort to dominate does not result in huge success. Thus comes the saying, "a lot of a little is a little."

On the other hand, there is the rule that “ a little of a lot is a lot.” A good example of this is the computer programmer that comes up with a novel idea of how to handle text that can be used worldwide. However, it is just a part of a larger program, a fact he recognizes. In working for the larger program success, his element gets worldwide sales and he becomes rich.

The key thing that makes this happen is an attitude of allowing others to participate in a large idea and just keep a little for oneself. The attitude comes before the reality. Feeling before fact.

I still do really like those action movies. This all does make me wonder about those loaves and fishes though.