Maggie's Farm

We are a commune of inquiring, skeptical, politically centrist, capitalist, anglophile, traditionalist New England Yankee humans, humanoids, and animals with many interests beyond and above politics. Each of us has had a high-school education (or GED), but all had ADD so didn't pay attention very well, especially the dogs. Each one of us does "try my best to be just like I am," and none of us enjoys working for others, including for Maggie, from whom we receive neither a nickel nor a dime. Freedom from nags, cranks, government, do-gooders, control-freaks and idiots is all that we ask for.

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Much Sorry with Delays
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For NYC on 9/11, Sailors' Snug Harbor
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Labor Costs in U.S.
Your "identity"
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Sunday, April 22. 2018

Cures for Self-Confidence


There is nothing healthier than taking on things to dispel our self-esteem despite the ego-protective temptation to hide and avoid them. Into life, outside the comfort zone. Here are some of the things that work well:


- Socializing with high-achieving, highly life-competent witty people
- Taking a calisthenics/fitness class at the gym
- Taking the Great Courses Intro to Calculus or Intro to Immunology Class and discover your IQ limits
- Joining a Bible, or classical music/opera study group and discover your ignorance and lack of insight 
- Accepting the duty of running a small volunteer organization
- Inspecting your naked body carefully in a mirror
- Reflecting on one's mortality and what good one will have left behind
- Taking an advanced yoga class
- Try to get your book published
- Go to a new city or woods without a GPS and make yourself get lost
- Reach out to befriend somebody you feel is smart, fun and interesting, and get the brush-off
- Learn a new sport or skill from scratch
- Go on a job search
- Get into weight-lifting


I welcome your suggestions for deeper humility in the comments - 

Posted by Dr. Joy Bliss in Psychology, and Dr. Bliss, The Culture, "Culture," Pop Culture and Recreation at 12:58 | Comments (16) | Trackbacks (0)

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"- Go to a new city or woods without a GPS and make yourself get lost"

Try not to make the city Oakland, Detroit, Baltimore, Los Angeles, Chicago, or Philadelphia.
#1 sixtyville on 2018-04-22 14:44 (Reply)
These are some good ideas. I hope some other ideas get posted to this.
#2 GoneWithTheWind on 2018-04-22 16:34 (Reply)
Get rich by timing the stock market.
#3 Bird Dog on 2018-04-22 17:42 (Reply)
Woops, I have another: Go on a European hiking tour marked "Moderately difficult" and see how they rate things in Eurolandia.
Sheesh. They have a higher standard. Their "Sometimes Difficult" means ropes.
#3.1 Bird Dog on 2018-04-22 18:16 (Reply)
Another I thought of: Docking a 45' sailboat in a 35-knot breeze without using the engine.

I've done it. Not pretty at all. Will not try that again.
#3.1.1 BD on 2018-04-22 19:09 (Reply)
My final comment on this important topic: Start your own business, if you think you are smart. I dare you.
#3.1.1.1 BD on 2018-04-22 19:19 (Reply)
Managing to get through all the stanzas of your fight song down at the yacht club, solo. On four G&Ts and wearing a lampshade (while actually contemplating getting your own Mercedes from the lot while still tipping the valet). Brings the place to tears, I tell ya, to tears.

A man's gotta have his hardships. You know, like having kids because character.

You people are outstanding. Who knew it actually took the calculated, strenuous rigor of self-reflection-while-ostentatiously-egocentric to make reach enlightenment? Or Jesus, or even the vestibule in order to extend a handshake, smile nicely, and work a twenty in the little hole week after week after week? Imagine the stern fortitude of having to withstand ignorant rhetorical fusillades from plebian clowns like me(h) who've never worn designer hikers or trod the narrow paths to the very tips of the best retail destinations? Because that's gotta raise a welt, down at the yacht club.

PS: Didja know that "investing" in the Wall St casino - some call it timing - is not at all the same thing as gambling because if it were real gambling you'd have had to build the casino yourself? I know, huh. Learned that one right here too...
#3.1.1.1.1 Meh on 2018-04-23 09:30 (Reply)
Own and operate a small business successfully. Draw a picture of someone you know that looks just like them instead of a Mr. Potato Head. Reach out to somebody you feel is dumb and boring and get the brush-off.
#4 fodderwing on 2018-04-22 19:24 (Reply)
Learn two disparate foreign languages at the same time...Arabic and Korean, for example.
#5 Jewel Atkins (Link) on 2018-04-22 20:53 (Reply)
Learn transactional analysis, get in touch with your free child!
#6 Ron Liebermann (Link) on 2018-04-22 21:05 (Reply)
Own and run a farm profitably.
#7 Missy on 2018-04-22 21:48 (Reply)
Try to build up a high traffic blog ...
#8 Adam (Link) on 2018-04-22 23:57 (Reply)
Post comments Web sites that all the readers will find either witty and charming, or truly enlightening.
#9 Mike (Link) on 2018-04-23 09:47 (Reply)
Post comments to Web sites...

Geez
#9.1 Mike (Link) on 2018-04-23 09:49 (Reply)
Try to order somebody else's dog around.
#10 Gwynne on 2018-04-23 10:20 (Reply)
Ask a little kid, "So, how do I look?"
#11 Couper on 2018-04-23 19:01 (Reply)

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