Obligation to Learn

Once again I am enthralled with Penelope Trunk's Brazen Careerist blog post today, 5 Reasons to stop trying to be happy.

Her logic boils down to either you can be interested in the world around you, constantly questioning it and its values or you can be happy. The two do not coexist nor mix with each other.

Interesting to me even more so because I finished reading an article, "What Would Jack Do?" in the December issue of FAST COMPANY. The article is about Willow Creek, a large Evangelical church leading through learning from the business world's best teachers.

One of the speakers at their Global Leadership Summit, Jim Collins, not to be confused with me, told an anecdote about a college professor who told Collins that "instead of spending so much time trying to being interesting, he should try being interested." in what he was talking about.

Today I am interested in so many different subjects I realize I will not live long enough to explore then all. My zealousness for happiness though never ceases. Maybe the reason I am so unsuccessful in following my dreams to fruition is I expect the two to intersect creating happiness and joy because at last I have succeeded in some endeavor that actually supports me financially. 

In my mind anything that supports my need for food, clothing and shelter
would instantly make me happy. I am very interested in finding out where the two ideas intersect and support the reason both can exist at the same time.
My days are filled with exciting ideas. I can hardly stay in my chair because of the possibilities of any number of projects materializing in my mind at any given time of day or night. I reach a certain number of ideas, overload kicks in, then I slide back into pitifully unhappy and uninteresting reality. Unable to finish any of the projects I selected for the day, most always because the big three, (food, clothing, shelter) require attention instead of me expending
valuable funds in the direction of feeding an idea or dream.

Since I am an undiscovered blogger, it seems to matter little what subject I attack here now or even later. I discovered a writing web site posting writing opportunities for those close to starvation. Such as, write 100 blog articles in 2 weeks and receive $1.50 for each one, after they have determined you are a not a plagiarizer. The person keeps your piddly piece of pay in an escrow account in case they actually decide to transfer it to you. The 21st century's version of slave labor has arrived.

Have you seen any of these writing sites?

I don't want to plug any of them for fear someone might actually agree to their terms for submissions, not that anyone might actually be reading this. There was indication that writers had actually signed on for past projects. They had received $30, $40 some as high as $50 for writing an entire week for
some foreign entity trying to appear as if they were a state side blogger.

Maybe writing a blog for a foreign readership has possibilities? I have a feeling I will be hanging sheet rock soon.

The one listing appealing to my own needs asked for someone to periodically post something positive to a blog site using a different moniker each time. You would be paid of course, another $1.50 to $5.00 depending upon your skill to attract other readers to the blog. You might not be paid if this backdoor SEO is not effective in drawing masses of new visitors through higher search engine rankings because of your comment writing effort.

I was once a restaurateur in the 90's in a very small town. I asked my employees to move their cars to the front of the building to make it look as if we were busy with customers. It made sense because who would want to patronize an empty restaurant? Who wants to be the first to take the risk of eating in an establishment apparently with no loyal clientele. Red flags go up everywhere especially if it is the dinner hour and the parking lot is empty.

Who wants to read a blog appearing to have no readers? No one, that's who. Brazen Careerist has over 57,000 readers. You think Penelope might have something valuable to say to her readers? You dang Skippy she does! Even if she doesn't the numbers are high enough to warrant her penning an off-beat article occasionally even if it alienates a portion of those big number of readers she has corralled. 

They will forgive her and come back to see what outrageousness she is into now. Those liking the off beat nature of her blog will tell others about it and Voila, new recruits show up even if she sent some running for the hills.

I write everyday, well almost everyday to keep my juices flowing. If only every few days a comment would come my way to validate my existence, my creative juices would flow like the River Jordan, at least for a few days more.
 
Happiness is only in love stories experienced for the first time. Today I will settle for being interesting.

Sailing into Thankfulness

A woman who treats me special has always been my goal.

There is a myriad of things I want to do. We know not what the next day may bring. I like to quote one of my favorite movies, DUNE, the one directed by David Lynch back in the 80's. It was pure corn but I still love it.

The Celestial Navigator, an alien transported in a big black box with the ability to see into the future, stated emphatically: "I see plans within plans...I was not here." He looked similar to a large living anus.

I too, see plans within plans. It reminds me of columnist, Sidney Harris, he was always discovering pieces of interesting information about a completely different subject, searching for information on a topic he was writing about for his daily column, STRICTLY PERSONAL for the Chicago Daily News. He would ultimately write about the discovery of whatever, instead of the original subject of the piece under investigation.

When it comes to being thankful there is no limit to the enormity of the subject. I am thankful for the heroes decorating the edges of my small world. My UPS guy, the man behind the counter at my local wine shop, the lady who tells me to have a nice day where I get my morning cup of java and she means it, the dude at the dumpsters (recycling center) who says what a beautiful day it is, all make my daily life a whole lot better. I am very thankful for their thoughtfulness. I actually detour to one of those places when I am having a not so great day.

FAST COMPANY has an article, Two Little Words, in their most recent issue that got me thinking about this subject. Saying "Thank You" even when not exactly called for, changes the quality of the air around us. Attitude has a way of painting the color of us all a brighter shade.There are many of these people in our lives deserving of our gratitude throughout the year, every day. Though each is forgotten with an encounter with the very next person you meet.

How true!

There is a woman in my life who always treats me special. I can enjoy wine and even whine about most anything when I am with her. She seems to see inside my soul. She is a soothing balm of electric loveliness to my heart and my very being. I am completely undeserving of her attentiveness. I am a better person because she is in my life. There is not enough room in this blog to write my love letter to her here today.When it comes to being thankful for the joys in my life, her face fills every position in my album.

Those people I mentioned a few moments ago, are important beyond even what they represent. Taking the time to be kind is a trait I should spend more time cultivating. These folks do it in such a way that it makes every day a little bit better.

I am thankful for those in my life that love me. I am thankful I have so many to love.

This time of year when some how it seems easier to express love and admiration for those around us is not lost on us as a people. At least this time of year it is more excepted to give a damn, expected to lead to kinder words and deeds to strengthen us as human beings. When we argue and disagree more than we love, it is time to declare the Christmas Season has arrived, if only to ask ourselves to look deeper into relationships as a goal for living.

I have become a fan of  "Penelope Trunk's Brazen Careerist". I love her originality and her way with words. She writes like someone sitting next to me when I need a friend for loving conversation. Her column is a constant heads up for the joy of thankfulness. Even when she seems to be whining about something, there is a thread of hope in her every brazen word. Her critics say it is mere acrobatics to attract readership numbers. With over 57,000 readers I see little reason for her to stir the quagmire to gain a larger fan base.  I am thankful for her dedication to her readers. Thanks Penelope!

My plans within plans are to see more of what I hide from my own eyes. I want to know why we care so much about what has so little importance to our growth as a species. Waves of huge emotional response are available to us all. We need only add a piece of the tsunami we preach, then tone it down to the soothing sounds of a Walden pond to attract the beauty and love of others.

This may be corn personified; but I have a positive sense for the future and I'm sticking to it.

Happy Thanksgiving!