I met with a friend from high school today. We were going to meet over lunch but things came up and I could not leave the property.
Consequently, he came to over to my house and stayed for three hours.
He is a sharp guy and he lives life pedal-to-the-metal...and he has the scars to prove it.
The conversation went in a million different directions. My friend noted that our generation was trained in formal debate. We were trained to consider both sides of the argument to be better at anticipating the approaches our opponents were likely to take. He believes that fully understanding your opponent's world-view, constraints and inclinations gives you an empathy that creates mutual respect...and sometimes can allow synthesis of a way forward that results in a mutual-win.
Sadly, opposing sides are now so locked up by ideology and team-loyalty that mutual respect and the possibility of a win-win is almost impossible.
Compared to him, I am a total piker. We both found fulfillment and contentment. His life was more of a pinball-machine, roll-the-dice affair while mine was more the gentle arc of a ballistic missile.
Ticks and fleas
We will be trying a new product on Zeus called Bravecto Chewables. Merck claims that a single tablet can protect for up to three months. They are pricey but shopping around on-line can reduce the prices by about 35% from MSRP.
Brutal year for ticks down here in EastTN.... got one on the collar, one on a chewable. Gets pricey allright.
ReplyDeleteBravecto works great on Kate the Wonder Dog. Seresto collar was no good, since she goes swimming in the pond multiple times every day, and all day long when we're at the lake. I wish they made a Bravecto-like product for humans... I'd sure take it... ticks have been eating me alive this year.
ReplyDeleteI don’t notice the difference, took two off my leg yesterday. Going back to soaking my lower pants in permethrin.
ReplyDeleteMF
Worst year in last five.
You can buy Bravecto, any pet med really, from Canadian or Australian companies for a significant cost savings.
ReplyDeleteHorrors, you actually TALKED to each other? How...daring... ;-)
ReplyDeleteReasoned debate is no longer considered a generally positive thing, ERJ - TB
ReplyDeleteJust got a puppy; the vet gave her a chewable at the "well-puppy visit." What we've learned the hard way is that it does kill ticks and fleas *but only after they've bitten the dog.* We're going to go back to something applied to the skin with which we had excellent luck on previous dogs.
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