ahh curtis. how i love me my curtis mayfield. used to listen to him in college a whole lot more. for today i chose: “move on up.” a great self-empowerment song for the beginning of a new week. an excerpt:
Just move on up
and keep on wishing
Remember your dreams
are your only schemes
So keep on pushing
Take nothing less -
not even second best
And do not obey -
you must have your say
You can past the test
Move on up!
by the way, it’s not a dance party theme at all but the song so in loveslays me. i had it real bad for someone once, and that was the theme song.
I watched Being There last night via Netflix. I loved it! A hilarious story about an illiterate, mentally slow gardener who accidentally stumbles into high power circles. He inadvertently impresses a dying tycoon with his simple ways, and all kinds of doors start opening up for him. A myth forms around his persona … it takes on a life of its own and has little to do with the man himself and his actual capabilities. I’ve seen this happen in the business world quite a bit. A CEO or other top dog takes a shine to a New Dude. People’s instinct is to follow the leader and embrace New Dude. For a time, whatever New Dude says, people hail as “genius.” Experience unfolds and the reality sets in that New Dude is just like many of the older dudes, but with less organizational baggage. They realize he’s NOT the messiah they’d all hoped for. As for Chauncey Gardiner, brilliantly played by Peter Sellers … you’ll have to see it yourself to decide.
Being There is a quiet but important fable about society.
The story line centers on a slow-witted gardener named Chance (Peter Sellers), who knows only gardening and what he sees on television, and what transpires when he is suddenly put out into the world. Because Chance speaks so simply and so directly, his words are mistaken for profundities; everything he says is mistaken for a metaphor by the media-mad society. By film’s end, Chance — who has become an adviser, of sorts, to one of the world’s most wealthy men — is spoken of in glowing terms by men seeking a candidate for the presidency.
The often double-edged fable, scripted by Jerzy Kosinski and based on his 1971 novel, looks at a media obsessed society, and particularly at Chance, a man who has been literally drained by television. He is emotionless; he is unaware of his sexuality; his face forever an empty look.
i’ve always loved the story of the tortoise and the hare. it’s the classic case of authenticity and stick-to-it-tive-ness trumping arrogance and laziness. good things come to those who wait. who hang in, who keep chipping away. who don’t expect quick, cheap, easy solutions. stories like these validate me. i’ve always been one who wins not because i am quicker and more athletic… or because i SELL myself well or slept with someone powerful or kissed the right asses.
i do well because i am dogged, persistent and dedicated to whatever i am focusing on. i am loyal to my purpose. i don’t give up.
does it take me a long ass time to finish my marathons? yes. a LOOONG ass time. but i do it, i get it done. and i don’t hurt myself in the process because i’ve trained and am prepared.
yet sometimes, shit happens that i can’t prepare for. realities that are out of my control. bad weather, bad people, bad luck. at that point, i have to trust my instincts that things are not going to get better — that my purpose may have changed — and have the courage to make a clean break.
i am reading seth godin’s the dip … about strategic quitting. it’s a great little title for people pondering moving on from relationships — whether they’re personal or professional.
a honcho i used to work for at a Fortune 100 financial services company who led a large sales team and dozens of managers around the country said that most people’s downfall is quitting right when they are on the brink of a breakthrough … right when things are about to turn around … most people are scared of their own potential.
mediocrity is the known … it’s what they are used to and they can’t conceive of rising above that.
Had a quick visit to Boston … got there Monday night and left Tuesday after my meeting. Stayed at the Fairmont Copley on St. James St. (Amazing bed). Got to meet Cousin Kate, her Mom (Aunt Peg) and Conor (Kate’s fiance) for drinks and snacks at the Westin before heading back to South Station to catch my train. The Westin is the designated Hotel for Kate & Conor’s wedding weekend next year … President’s Weekend 2009. I am honored to be the maid of honor. They took me to South Street station to catch my 6:45 train. Upon arriving I discovered that there was an accident and my train back to NYC would be delayed (if it left at all). Amazingly, I ran into the same high school friend i ran into a few weeks ago. he was supposed to be on the same train. we ended up flying jet blu together … totally fun and stress free, and got home before the train would have had it been on time. Bonus!
gals game over 2nite. i cooked, made fancy mixers (pat self on back). we tried to go to the rusty knot 4 a nitecap b4 they headed home … it was totes crowded. did not want to wait outside on the west side highway in the blustering cold. we walked back up 11th street towards the good ‘ol reliable, ableit crowded, piggy. saw matt dillon walking in with two other dudes. what a cutie. we lost track of him once we got inside. but it was a nice glimmer of that handsome mug.
i just discovered the 2nd Annual Peeps Diorama Conteston washingtonpost.com. brilliant! i need to enter this contest next year. here’s “Peepator Craig’s Wide Stance,” one of the finalists. click on the image to go straight to the photo gallery:
“Forgiveness is the fragrance that the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed it.” — Mark Twain
“The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.” — Mahatma Gandhi
I try hard to be a forgiving person. It’s not easy.
Forgiving family and friends for hurts both accidental and deliberate. Forgiving bosses and co-workers, ex boyfriends and roommates for “being selfish” and “doing me wrong.” Forgiving the person who carelessly bumped into me on the subway, stole my seat or took my taxi. Forgiving myself for all the dumb, cowardly, weasely stuff I’ve ever done to myself and others.
The alternative: holding on to anger and resentments is a recipe for unhealthiness. It makes me sick – literally and figuratively. Sometimes it feels like it would be easier to move away, move on rather than forgive. But it never works. Moving on and away can be good no doubt, but you have to forgive too in order to be free and open to the good stuff. Without forgiveness there is no peace.
“Forgiveness is not an occasional act. It is a permanent attitude.” ─ Martin Luther King Jr.
i’ve always loved the story of 
“It is also my client’s understanding from the same source that Governor Spitzer did not remove his midcalf-length black socks during the sex act. Perhaps you can use this detail to corroborate Mr. Stone’s information.”
I try hard to be a forgiving person. It’s not easy.
