Tuesday, June 10, 2008

A is for..



A-hole.

Which is basically what I've become lately.

It's not news. It's been happening for quite some time. In the name of work, procrastination or "everybody does it" I've blown off people, not returned calls or emails and basically been that guy. But in woman form.

It's been creeping at the edges for months. I've talked less to certain friends. I've blown off invitations and commitments because I didn't want to deal with the sacrifices and repercussions.

No surprise: I've been kinda down. And boozing like a guy who lost his dog/wife/job/truck/left testicle.

Then, through not-so benign neglect, I really treated an old friend badly.
Humiliatingly badly.
Like, blow off a commitment and not realize her dad's dead badly.

I damn near lost it when I found it.
Then I continued to do nothing for 4 days.

Finally, I sat my ass down and wrote an email that was difficult. Embarrassing. And totally freeing.

Then, once that was over, I sent another and left a voicemail for 2 others I suspected might be a little less than pleased with me.

Then I waited. I smoked a scrounged cigarette on the front steps at 2:30 am. I waited.

And, scared but thrilled, opened the inbox.

There was a text. Two emails. Responses.

Scarier yet: opening the above.

No lightning bolts. I'm still alive. One was totally forgiving, jovial and more than a little insincere. The other two seemed a bit more honest, and not quite as lovebug.

It's not over. But it's started.

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Pass the Office Treats


I get slipped into my email box every Tuesday, when Tiny Showcase updates me on this week's affordably priced, highly limited print from a cool artist.

Today they also released a fantastic email full of inspiration. Here's a taste:

To being dumb enough to try it, to being crazy enough that it just might work, to being crazy enough that there's no way it's going to work, to being crazy like a fox, to being crazy like a fax....

To the willpower to resist office treats, and nothing else.

To skating on thin ice, to spilling your guts, to caving in, to secret handshakes, to secret plans, to sailors who don't keep secrets....

And then, on a more personal note.
... To all the girls who would rather wait in the car, to all the boys who would rather watch youtube, to getting too old to have the appropriate number of birthday candles on your cake anymore, to wearing your best friend's sweatshirt, and to unexpected letters in the mail (the for real mail)....

Sign up, buy, behold.

Sunday, April 20, 2008

All or Nothing

Trail Mix time: slow.
1:14:24
9:36 miles

Root of All Evil


No matter how I try, Rip-L-Chips do me in every time.

It's time for WW + SouthBeach, starting now.

Thursday, April 17, 2008

Insomnia

4:20 AM

My insomnialarm goes off at this time, all the time.

What is it about 4:20.

Now that I no longer resist the insomnia as much but use it has made me think maybe it's a creative gift.

Sunday, March 23, 2008

2 Bite Philosophy


Apparently, being a fortune cookie author is as stressful as being an ad copywriter. Probably fewer open-tab happy hours, though.

surprise - the trend is that America wants all good news, not necessarily wisdom and definitely nothing ambiguous or negative. Asians accept the good and the bad. Wonder if another generation of happy meals will change that along with their pant sizes.

Apparently, it's quite a task to continuously crank out quick wisdom out in a way doesn't depress patrons -- which could go bad-karma on the server's tips.

The pivotal fortune cookie writer had two major impacts on his craft. First he dropped s"confucious say" out of respect for the philosopher. Then, he added the smiley face. Always know your audience.

The Power of (not quite) Now


If the Times is right, I guess the power of now might best be finding yourself in ye olde right-place, right-time to be the moment's spiritual leader. At least so portray Mr. Tolle.

The publishers exhibit a hard-nosed marketers truth on most self-help new age writing - same story, different wrapper. Maybe it's the contact high theory - if I'm around it, maybe it'll rub off on me without me actually haven't to do anything. Hence, my subscription to three fitness magazines and my current workout once a week schedule.

Is that a bad thing? If reading about change and purpose makes you feel better for a while and that's the only change it brings, isn't that better than nothing at all? Or is an excuse/a delusion?