Ball and Chain...
Monterey Pop Festival 1967
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhBFRNBxT_o
10/9/10
Quote of the Day: William Somerset Maugham
Never settle for less...
"It's a funny thing about life; if you refuse to accept anything but the best, you very often get it."
William Somerset Maugham
Playwright, novelist and short story writer
"It's a funny thing about life; if you refuse to accept anything but the best, you very often get it."
William Somerset Maugham
Playwright, novelist and short story writer
Boomers
We overwhelm in sheer numbers...
In my lifetime, things seemed a whole lot more real and simpler to me before Disco and the TV show "Dallas" came out in the late seventies. After that, the rapidity with which my generation went from counter-establishment cotton wearers to tacky consumerists in polyester, alienated me for decades. Now I'm rather dumbfounded by how my generation seems stuck in a time warp. It's easy to understand why the generations in front and back of us are overwhelmed by our ubiquity.
We can be very boring, in spite of the energy spent by so many into looking and acting young, to stay "relevant." It's a delusion. We don't accept age well, yet we don't age very well because aging gracefully is just not in the repertoire. It's "buy now, pay later" coming home in a very personal way.
There are so many of us, yet I wonder what happened to a lot of my generation. The strongest traits, optimism and enthusiasm for the future, seems to be fading. Many boomers seemed to have disappeared to me, blipped off the radar screen, slipping into lookalike, cookie cutter living oblivion. I think it's because so many didn't change after the age of thirtysomething, reliving their daily lives over and over again in some comfort zone I don't understand. I never could stand still and seem to relate better to people of all ages who don't either.
You're either "in" or you're "out" and I don't mean that in the fashion or sexual preference sense. Rather to me it infers that life is a continuum that you keep learning, growing, moving on and challenging yourself to other things, which changes you as you go along. A lot of boomers are "in" the sense of change and have kept growing and moving on but I don't sense we're the majority. Many boomers are unfortunately "out" now in this era of economic instability and social disruption and I wonder what's going to happen to them as the world moves on to a new way of living.
In my lifetime, things seemed a whole lot more real and simpler to me before Disco and the TV show "Dallas" came out in the late seventies. After that, the rapidity with which my generation went from counter-establishment cotton wearers to tacky consumerists in polyester, alienated me for decades. Now I'm rather dumbfounded by how my generation seems stuck in a time warp. It's easy to understand why the generations in front and back of us are overwhelmed by our ubiquity.
We can be very boring, in spite of the energy spent by so many into looking and acting young, to stay "relevant." It's a delusion. We don't accept age well, yet we don't age very well because aging gracefully is just not in the repertoire. It's "buy now, pay later" coming home in a very personal way.
There are so many of us, yet I wonder what happened to a lot of my generation. The strongest traits, optimism and enthusiasm for the future, seems to be fading. Many boomers seemed to have disappeared to me, blipped off the radar screen, slipping into lookalike, cookie cutter living oblivion. I think it's because so many didn't change after the age of thirtysomething, reliving their daily lives over and over again in some comfort zone I don't understand. I never could stand still and seem to relate better to people of all ages who don't either.
You're either "in" or you're "out" and I don't mean that in the fashion or sexual preference sense. Rather to me it infers that life is a continuum that you keep learning, growing, moving on and challenging yourself to other things, which changes you as you go along. A lot of boomers are "in" the sense of change and have kept growing and moving on but I don't sense we're the majority. Many boomers are unfortunately "out" now in this era of economic instability and social disruption and I wonder what's going to happen to them as the world moves on to a new way of living.
10/8/10
Quote of the Day: Michael Caine
On growing up during WWII in England...
He is unsentimental about the war. "I benefited from it. For a start I ate nothing but organic food for six years. We had no sugar, no biscuits [cookies], fizzy drinks [soda pop]."
Michael Caine
"Tea with the FT: Michael Caine"
FT.com
He is unsentimental about the war. "I benefited from it. For a start I ate nothing but organic food for six years. We had no sugar, no biscuits [cookies], fizzy drinks [soda pop]."
Michael Caine
"Tea with the FT: Michael Caine"
FT.com
The Sharpest Tongue
Is usually honed by fear...
Most likely someone who treats other people with disrespect by being abrupt, sarcastic or rude and speaking as if everyone else is an idiot, is in fear of being discovered an idiot themselves. They live in constant angst of their insecurities being discovered and their actions are a defense mechanism to cover up how they really feel about themselves. Which is contrary to the external image and actually an internal hell, a trap they feel they can't get out of.
Generally they are to be avoided if possible, especially on a social level, because they inject nothing but negative energy into any situation and sap useful energy. Sometimes though, such as in work or other groups, they can't be avoided. It's important not to let them intimidate you and buy into their behavior. One approach is to pick one piece of their negative commentary that can be turned neutral or positive, and turning the conversation around to a more positive level to redirect them. Also consistently treating them in small, subtle ways with respect and reinforcement of their good traits, will signal to them that you're not "going to play."
In that manner you have avoided the counterproductive bombardment in an unavoidable situation, particularly if it's work where it's ongoing, and set the tone for future interaction on a higher plain. It also may open the door a crack for them to feel less trapped and possibly work their way out of their insecurities. This takes a lot work and reinforcement, especially since it's easy to unwittingly fall into the trap yourself.
Most likely someone who treats other people with disrespect by being abrupt, sarcastic or rude and speaking as if everyone else is an idiot, is in fear of being discovered an idiot themselves. They live in constant angst of their insecurities being discovered and their actions are a defense mechanism to cover up how they really feel about themselves. Which is contrary to the external image and actually an internal hell, a trap they feel they can't get out of.
Generally they are to be avoided if possible, especially on a social level, because they inject nothing but negative energy into any situation and sap useful energy. Sometimes though, such as in work or other groups, they can't be avoided. It's important not to let them intimidate you and buy into their behavior. One approach is to pick one piece of their negative commentary that can be turned neutral or positive, and turning the conversation around to a more positive level to redirect them. Also consistently treating them in small, subtle ways with respect and reinforcement of their good traits, will signal to them that you're not "going to play."
In that manner you have avoided the counterproductive bombardment in an unavoidable situation, particularly if it's work where it's ongoing, and set the tone for future interaction on a higher plain. It also may open the door a crack for them to feel less trapped and possibly work their way out of their insecurities. This takes a lot work and reinforcement, especially since it's easy to unwittingly fall into the trap yourself.
10/7/10
Quote of the Day: Andy Warhol
Times change because we change them...
"They always say time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself."
Andy Warhol
The Philosophy of Andy Warhol (From A to B & Back Again)
1975
"They always say time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself."
Andy Warhol
The Philosophy of Andy Warhol (From A to B & Back Again)
1975
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