Smartie's Bar & Grill #68

Right now it is her balcony, she is paying big bucks to say, "MY BALCONY."

 

See the person in the lower right hand corner of the second picture...do they have clothes on? They look nude..

 

Are you acting in the capacity of her attorney or drinking buddy.

 

Probably a thong.....but I like the way you think!

 

Max, have you seen the Reagan? It was pointed out to me across the water, and I couldn't find it even though it was right in front of me. Too big to see.

 

Not nude, although I see why you might think that. This is Texas, not California.

Lovely afternoon at the pool. Wish y'all were here!

 

So it takes special or uniqueness to think " nude ".?
I wonder if Harvey Weinstein could use that defense.

 

Sorry, no. Haven't been aboard any of the modern carriers. Just the Sara and, for a few months, the Independence.

 

i live vicariously through your happy life, thank you for the pictures.

 

Tonight's dinner... blackened Texas redfish over creole rice with grilled veggies. Yum.

 

Nah, not with Ashley Judd. You do remember what she said about herself don't you?

 

Looks good, was it delish?

 

Her mom used to be considered in Kentucky as if a Queen.
But eventually it became known that them Judds were very driven
and also kinda uppity.Mom { Naomi } always appeared well mannered
and also full of makeup. Daughter Wynonna { country hit singer } broke
that mold and acted more like a female version of Hank Williams jr.
Then along came little miss smarty pants Ashley.Got WAY Too cute
Too often for her own good.Considered running for both the Senate
and also the Governorship.
She was at best a B+ Actress.Could not carry a movie on her own
performance of any note.I always saw thru her performances.
Like her Mom,it was contrived.You would think they coulda taken a page
from true Country Music legends like a June Carter Cash or Loretta
Lynn.But no ... Ashley had to make a statement.She was above all that.
Now them Judds just wish they played it like Country cutey pie
Taylor Swift.
But she is mostly marketing.
Go Figger

 

Yep, redfish is my fav and it was cooked perfectly. Love vacation food. Lol

 

Yeah ... righto Ringo.The exact same plate of eat's.
Like a normal American would spend time cell-phoning
what their Din-din looks like.
What has society come to ?
I mean,I can see that kinda thing when a chickie pooh
auditions different bras at like Neiman Marcus.
But Fish & Chips ! ?

 

HEY, I asked for pictures Smartie is giving pictures. Be nice.

 

Can't get much better than redfish.

 

Being nice comes easy to some people, but less so to miserable/unhappy people. I've been studying what makes people tick for over 40 years now. This link sums up very nicely why some people are perpetually unhappy:

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/think-well/201612/three-expectations-typical-unhappy-people
....Ellis identified three irrational expectations or unreasonable demands that underlie most "neurotic" functioning and needless unhappiness.

The first demand: “I must do well” - is referred to as an “ego mandate.” Simply stated, this means that:

• people often place unduly high expectations on themselves.

They insist that they must always live up to their ideals. “I must do well. I must be successful. I must be competent. I must achieve whatever I am capable of accomplishing. If I do not attain these goals, if I fail to live up to my expectations, I am a miserable failure and deserve the worst.” This kind of thinking is the basis of self-denigration, self-hatred, self-downing and self-abnegation.

The second demand: “Others must treat me well” - shows itself when:

• people hold the unreasonable expectation that others must always treat them respectfully, fairly, considerately and decently.

When this fails to occur, or when others are less than kind, courteous and respectful, the person’s upset becomes extreme and the basic sentiment is that the perpetrators deserve nothing but the worst. Such attitudes are behind hatred, anger, hostility and rage.

The third "neurotic" demand is that “I should never have to deal with hardships or difficulties.”

• People drive themselves bonkers believing that other people, circumstances, or the world at large should not disappoint or inconvenience them.

They insist that mother earth should provide them with what they want quickly and easily. Such individuals suffer from low frustration tolerance and tend to magnify any setbacks into major catastrophes.

You can easily see how unrealistic and self-defeating these demands and expectations are. While it takes hard and diligent work to let go of them, the results fully justify the effort.....

 

For those interested, another article on why some people are perpetually unhappy: https://www.psychologytoday.com/blo...the-steps/201403/are-you-addicted-unhappiness

A basic assumption of human behavior is that people pursue pleasure and seek to avoid pain. Then why is it that some people seem content to wallow in their misery, even boasting about it as some sort of badge of honor? Even when given steps to improve their lives, they prefer to continue complaining. Is there a certain comfortable familiarity with being dissatisfied that becomes an obstacle to change? After getting a glimpse of joy, why do some people immediately shift back to what doesn't work?

There are a number of possible explanations for this “addiction” to unhappiness:

• Deep-rooted insecurity or lack of self-esteem may cause some people to feel undeserving of happiness.
• People who grew up with a parenting style characterized by excessive discipline and unrealistic expectations may have learned to equate unhappiness with love and success.
• Lifelong struggles with trauma or other negative experiences may fuel an unconscious desire to continually return to the status quo of unhappiness.
• Some people who seem comfortable in their misery actually may be suffering from an underlying mental health disorder.
• Some people pride themselves on realism, believing that being practical or realistic also means focusing on the negative.
• Because of decisions or experiences in their past, some people are consumed by guilt or regret that they cannot overcome. Instead, they choose to punish themselves and/or others.
• Some people are afraid to feel joy since positive feelings might be a “setup” for disappointment.
• The prospect of happiness strikes fear of the unknown for those who have never felt anything but unhappiness.
• Dissatisfaction becomes a motivator to work harder, change jobs, eat healthier, spend more time with friends and family, or prevent unwanted behaviors or situations.
• Some people make it a personal mission to take on the world’s problems as their own. While noble in some respects, these individuals cannot allow themselves to feel happiness when, for example, people are starving or global warming is damaging the planet.

Then there’s the theory that people like negative feelings. A study by Eduardo Andrade and Joel Cohen, which evaluated why people enjoy horror movies, concluded that some viewers are happy to be unhappy. The researchers found that people experience both negative and positive emotions at the same time, meaning they not only enjoy the relief they feel when the threat is removed but also enjoy being scared. This same theory, they argued, may help explain why humans are drawn to extreme sports and other risky activities that elicit terror or disgust.

Characteristics of the Chronically Unhappy

How do you know if you’re one of these people who live in a perpetual state of unhappiness? People who are addicted to unhappiness tend to:

• Find reasons to be miserable when life gets “too good.”
• Prefer to play the victim role and blame others rather than take personal responsibility for their choices.
• Compete with friends and colleagues to see who has it the hardest.
• Have difficulty setting and achieving goals, or conversely achieve goals only to find that they can’t enjoy their success.
• Struggle to bounce back when things don’t go their way.
• Distract, escape or cope by using drugs, alcohol, sex, food, or other addictive or compulsive behaviors.
• Stop taking care of their basic needs, such as a healthy diet, regular exercise, and adequate sleep.
• Feel enslaved to their emotions and powerless to change.
• Feel dissatisfied even when life is going well.
• Have dramatic, unfulfilling relationships.

Is Happiness a Choice?

It is often said that “happiness is a choice.” But then why aren’t more people happy?

In my experience, happiness is complicated. Some people find happiness even in situations that would challenge the most optimistic person; some are unhappy despite having it all. For some, happiness is fleeting and depends on their present circumstances, whereas others seem to be generally happy or generally unhappy no matter what is happening in their lives. Then there’s the issue of how to define happiness — by outward success, inward satisfaction, or something else?

In many cases, it may be true that happiness is a choice. To some extent, we choose our own thoughts and reactions, which impact the way we feel, and can improve our happiness quotient by taking steps to change our thinking (e.g., keeping a gratitudejournal, staying mindful of the present moment, accepting what is or developing healthier coping mechanisms). We can view our emotions as a signal that some aspect of life needs to change and take action to return to a better state of mind.

But for about 20 percent of American adults, mental health disorders such as depressionor anxiety may mean that happiness is always just out of reach. They do not choose to be depressed or anxious; they do not know another way of being. While choosing to be happy, in these cases, is more complicated than making a choice to think positively, there is one important choice that can be made: the decision to get help, such as cognitive behavioral therapy.

The unfortunate reality is that most chronically unhappy people refuse to get help. Nearly half of those with mental illness never seek treatment. Whether it’s fear, comfort, lack of awareness or something else, we can’t be sure. What we do know is that unhappiness does not have to be terminal. With counseling and treatment, there is hope for happiness becoming the new norm.

 

Good morning landlubbers.

Interesting articles, Max. Ive 'known' Foolie for at least 15 years and hes always been the same ray of sunshine he is today. Its just who he is.

Cloudy here today. Good time to visit the new aquarium at Moody Gardens. More fish pics will follow.

 

As a newcomer to this establishment, relatively speaking, I've observed that this is one strange bar & grill. The conversation careens wildly from the trivial to dissertations on the human condition (could we please have an executive summary the next time?).

For what it's worth, a real bar & grill has a jar of pickled pig's feet that hasn't been opened in three years . . . maybe longer.

 

Florida City in 1974. Then Key Largo. A few others off and on vacations from mid 1970s to 1986 our last stay there. Things changed in so many ways after early 80s. Fish population really died down for one thing. Reefs started looking pitiful and diving and snorkling wasn't the same. Plus crime once the culture changed.

Most of the beautiful homes in Miami were owned by well to do from Hollywood stars and rich Americans. Once crime got bad they all moved. Miami is now Little Havana where most of the money is from cartels.

 

Welcome, newbie! Agreed, you never know which way the wind will blow in this joint. We had a jar of pickled eggs one time, but Falena kept drinking the juice and they finally dried up.

Coffee?

 

So true!

 

A Balcony bill.? I've heard tell about some Hosting overdue bills.
Gee I wonder where.Maybe if there was a " Hosting Balcony Bill ".
For all you hosts out there.
My Mom was a pretty good host. It helps to be a good cook,also.
Her Beef Stroganoff was a favorite at dinner parties.
That was Edie Sedgewicks favorite meal also.When she did manage
to eat.I wonder if'n her Trust Fund had to pay Hosting bills.?