IS IT TRUE WHAT THEY SAY......?

DISTORTION

"Get your facts first, then you can distort them as you please." Mark Twain (1835-1910


After an AA meeting this morning I found a guy admiring my scooter (Bergman 650).  He asked me, "How many times have the cops stopped you on this thing?" He sounded resentful of something--what? He obviously resented "cops" and maybe even the fact that I owned a nice, large, fast scooter, and he did not?

Anyway, under his questioning, I told him that I had owned the bike for nearly two years, 20,000 miles register on the odometer, and I have a tendency to go slightly over--well, wayyyy over--the speed limit. Also, I have not been stopped one time on my scooter, for any reason/violations, real or trumped up.

His claim was that police officers randomly stop bikers under suspicion they "might be" carrying some of the so-popular contraband--drugs, baby!  I told him I thought it ridiculous that I'd be stopped, just because I'm "riding".  It was no use to remind him of the "number one offender" (resentment) at that moment, especially since he did not ask. But he sounded like the former me...everyone was "out to get me".

But it did get me thinking about this line I read on someone's blog this morning:

"Get your facts first, then you can distort them as you please." Mark Twain (1835-1910).  So I figured this fellow (a bi-monthly in-and-out alkie) might be now in "distortion mode".  How frequently I distort fact--more frequently I wrongfully notice how others do so--not my business--grin! Fact is fact. Truth IS truth. It is not necessarily "what I believe", nor what you think. How quickly I jump to be the one who "knows" everything....

Does anyone have facts about police anywhere who stop, harass,  and sometimes even arrest peeps because they are riding a motorcycle or scooter, and for no other visible, viable reason?  I have all my life heard of this behavior being practiced, but just have never encountered it.

God, I'm glad I am not a cop.

I have enough problem being ME! UGH!

I'm Still SOBER today!
You, too? GOOD!

DEVIANT ART "Distortion"_by_DeMaulwurfn.png.jpg

THE TRUTH

As a human, I have contrived on occasion to concurrently tell a lie and a truth. As an alcoholic, I became expert in that endeavor. A glance to throw you off, a few choice wordings, expressions, was my method, and I lied truthfully...regularly. This behavior led me to perform refined manipulations of whole groups of people. We now call that 'directing', and I was real good at that.
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Story illustrates the "lie/truth technique":

Ezekiel was arrested and taken to court on the charge that he was stuffing horsemeat into the chicken cutlets he served at his restaurant.

Before passing sentence the judge wanted to know in what proportion he was mixing the horsemeat with chicken flesh. Ezekiel said, on oath, "It was fifty-fifty, Your Honor."

After the trial, a friend asked exactly what "fifty-fifty" meant. Said Ezekiel, "One horse to one chicken."
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After being sober in Alcoholics Anonymous for a number of years, I find myself telling the truth with more and more regularity. And I have found that it is true (truth?) what is written in our Big Book, " We lied, when even the truth would have sufficed." And how true!

Here is an example of truth

...and Self-Centeredness (thanks MC)

Mother: What does your girlfriend like in you?"

Son: "She thinks I'm handsome, talented, clever, and a good dancer."

Mother: "And what do you like about her?"

Son: "She thinks I'm handsome, talented, clever, and a good dancer."

And if writing this blog does nothing else, it may help me to be more aware of that thick line between being honest--or not. I am in a habit of honesty for many years now, but to slip back would--like a drink--only take one lie, which would lead to another, and before time goes by, it is a chaotic life again, and soon--oblivion! I just do not need that any more. It's hard for older guys to lie, because their memories have lost some retentive power. I just cannot get away with it any more.

I think I'm going back to writing Sponsoring, Step Working, Gratitude and Love blogs again. I can put my heart into those topics. Besides that is where I AM these years!

Peace and LOVE to you, my Blogger Peeps!
Sincerely,
Steve E

Two "stories" above taken from A. De Mello "TAKING FLIGHT"