Owl And Fred Jones (1959)

this picture is about an owl that's me and a fell named Fred Jones no that's not Fred that's his house Fred is inside sleeping now I'm not just an ordinary owl oh by the way this picture sort of different wait a minute not that different that's better still better even better yet hey here here I am up here well as I was saying I'm not just an ordinary owl I'm a student of habit and sort of observing people's habits for years now when I say habits I mean all kinds of habits helpful habits in between habits and not so helpful habits fact is most people live by habit you take Fred Jones fell lives in the house down there good honest citizen head of the family just about everything Fred does is by habit even the way he sleeps now some of his habits help him some of them don't see what I mean let's have a look downstairs would you look at that breakfast table's even been set the night before hat on the chair letters to be mailed all there right by the front door and the umbrella in case it rains Mighty orderly I'd say oh oh what's this somebody forgot to put away the vacuum oh well say Fred's supposed to be at work by 8:30 shouldn't he be up by now day in day out the routine never varies it isn't that Louise hasn't tried to have breakfast ready but somehow there just isn't time for much more than a fast cup of coffee you know Fred's got some good health habits he always brushes his teeth after meals then he's on his way hold it he forgot something let's take a quick look at Fred's day up till [Music] [Applause] [Music] now [Music] from the time the alarm goes off life at the Joneses is mostly a bunch of habits strung together another thing Fred has made a habit of is walking part way to work every day in fact his routine is so firmly established he hasn't been late to work for 15 years of course he hasn't eaten any breakfast for 15 years either that's uh become sort of a habit too which is maybe why long about 10:30 he feels sort of all in coffee breaks a great thing for Fred not just because of the coffee but because those nearby goodies somehow taste so scrumptious when 12:30 rolls around punctual Fred Jones always leads his Pals to the regular E3 here Fred can add to the blue plate with his favorite beverage a strawberry frosted on the way out he invariably lingers at the cashier's desk so he can pick up a little something extra sort of a dessert snack maybe he'd better make it too just in case the pangs of hunger overcome him during the afternoon but let's take another look back even after Fred leaves for the office it's habit habit habit on the way back from lunch Fred as usual indulges in his harmless little habit of admiring his reflection in the store Windows a mighty handsome figure of a man for a guy his age especially if you overlook that little bulge at the waistline just now Fred happens to remember that today the day he goes to see his doctor he finds it a helpful Habit to see him regularly he always feels better for having done it every every once in a while Fred's Good Wife Louise prepares some special treat for dinner tonight it's one of Fred's super duper favorites french fried onion rings despite the two helpings of meat and potatoes that he's already tucked away Fred still manages to find room for those ever loving onion rings with notable consequences including [Music] drowsiness well it's 11:00 p.m. and all the lights are out right on schedule oh just another routine day in the life of Fred Jones wait a minute that's odd Fred's not in the habit of going for midnight strolls something wrong pal oh nothing really I guess you went to your doctor today what did he have to say well he said there's nothing wrong with me a change of eating habits wouldn't fix well then what's bothering you well I've eaten the same way for years uhhuh you know my systems used to a certain intake it just couldn't stand any change is that what your doctor said well not exactly what he said was I don't need as much to eat as I used to you know I'm not as active a guy as I used used to be well then what's your problem oh you know you can't teach an old dog new tricks a habits a habit you can't change it oh I've seen lots of people do it now wait a minute from my observations I've noticed that most habits can be changed even eating habits if if what if you know how if you want to and if you're willing to work at it sounds impossible but go on the most important thing is you got to be sure you want to I'm listening now most people who succeed in changing their habits devote some time to thinking about it takes a little time to find out whether you really want to change a habit or not cuz it's not going to be easy uhhuh and the list is very helpful a list sure many people make themselves a list on one side it's got what they like about the Habit they trying to change and on the other side the things they don't like about it this list uh what are they doing do with it they carry it around with them keep looking at it and thinking about it until s day s day sure s day start day that's the day you pick to start the Habit change why a special day oh that's important people find it best to start their campaign when the time is Rip for it picking a start day get you underway with more momentum you know what I mean seems to make sense certainly no harm in just thinking about it oh hey I'm not in the habit of staying up this late I got to be going well see you later so long Fred see you on S day I don't know maybe he will make up his mind and then again maybe he won't well Fred did think about it and he talked it over with Louise soon afterwards he decided to make a little list of the things he liked about overeating and the things he didn't like after a few days of adding to the lists and thinking them over he came to realize how much more important the don't likes were to him than the do likes he thought about it so much he even remembered where he had hidden that diet plan his doctor had given him and he tacked up a weighing schedule near the bathroom scales the more he thought about it the reer he became for S day Monday the 8th 7 [Music] a.m. wait a minute what in Sam Hill is Fred up to better see if I can help what's the trouble Fred oh I don't know this isn't as easy as I thought oh I meant to tell you about that Fred one thing at a time don't try to change your entire way of living all at once I never saw anybody finish yet who started out that way relax Fred it's eating habit you're trying to change nothing else uh maybe you're right when coffee break time came at the office that day Fred brought his coffee back to the desk even though he'd had breakfast a part of his new campaign he was staying a safe distance from the goodies but then quite unexpectedly the goodies came to him oh it was a tough situation and Fred was sort of looking around for help no exceptions Fred no exceptions that's probably the most important thing to remember about changing habits you're just kidding yourself when you say oh just this once won't matter because it does every time you resist you're not only helping to defeat the the old habit you're forming a new one what if I uh um make an occasional slip yeah well all is not lost but it prolongs the process makes the whole thing a little tougher on you after a week of lunches without strawberry frosted Fred really felt he was making progress but he wondered what further steps he could take yep coming along pretty good Fred fact is when most people get this far they find they're ready for a little onp purpose self testing self testing what do you mean by that you know Fred tempt yourself oh I know it sounds silly but it helps prepare you for future Temptations after Fred thought it over he tried it out [Music] as each day of his campaign goes by Fred notices he's feeling better and looking better strangely he finds it takes less food to satisfy him yes sir that new habit is working for him and Louise has been a big help throughout Fred's campaign he's come a long way uh-oh look who's arriving in the fancy car totally unexpected it's Louise's brother Ernie her eaten brother just drove in from the big city hungry as a bear well Ernie's not going to put anybody out no sir the whole family's going out to dinner on him and guess where he's going to take him gourmet's gr where calerie is cing now a few months ago Fred couldn't have passed up Pedra the world's biggest Caesar salad french fried onion rings and French pastry but tonight he's almost enjoying himself on half the calories he used to want even with Big Hearted Ernie picking up the check he just doesn't seem to want the fanciest items on the menu tonight Fred's have an orange sherbet for dessert and lyen it yep Fred's on pretty Solid Ground now and he can be proud of him done but he still got to stay on guard he'll need to keep up the momentum that got him off to such a wonderful start on s day for some time still he's going to keep on using that list in his wallet he'll probably add some things to it too even though he suspects it wouldn't do any harm he won't allow a single exception to occur he'll keep testing himself with small new Temptations from time to time and he'll enjoy the satisfaction of overcoming each one and he'll concentrate on one habit change at a time till he's sure he's ready for another [Music] one the other members of the family are impressed with the way Fred has carried this thing through and they may have learned something that will be helpful to them personally like [Music] don't like like you know what I'm starting one of those lists myself yes sir [Music]