Well, I must say I was flattered by the friendly plug I received from my colleague’s blog (here’s the URL, because I don’t yet know how to make the text a direct link, and, quite honestly, don’t yet care either: http://writethingsworthreading.blogspot.com/).
I assure you it is more than mere obligation that drives me to urge you to visit the above blog. Why? Well, in all honesty, as the sidebar on the right says somewhat wishy-washily, if you like this column then you will love Matt’s.
Believe me when I say that this is true. Matt’s blog is, on the whole, far more interesting and far more interactive than this one. Whereas this blog is hardly even a blog (its contents could easily be hammered out on an antique typewriter and retain the same general effect that they have here on your screen), being made of mere text, that is, Matt’s is unequivocally a high-tech marvel of a website, chock full all sorts of novel links and curiosities.
You should consider yourself lucky if you get to see a new picture of Donkey Kong posted up here every few months or so. If you ever see just a picture of Donkey Kong on Matt’s blog, and not at the very least a live video of him, if not a hologram, you should write Matt an angry letter (or e-mail, perhaps, would be more appropriate).
With every new blog post from Matt, you can expect to see a video from the deepest darkest corners of the Web retrieved by space-age sorcery, a link to some newfangled website that serves some bizarre yet appealing purpose, or even just a really good picture corresponding to what he wrote. Because, yes, in addition to what I’ve just gone on and on about, he writes. And he writes jolly well! In short, what he writes, is worth reading.
So that’s that, folks. Go to http://writethingsworthreading.blogspot.com/. Go there now.
And if you actually found here through there, keep going there – but from now on always come here first!
That’s right, Matthew. My plugs only go so far. They will not get past the locked doors that exist in my own mercenary heart.
Have a great one!
It’s been real,
nice.
That was a sentence. It’s been real nice. Did you think I was saying “It’s been real”? I wasn’t; I’m no fan of that expression for the precise reason I just illustrated: It can be misleading. It sounds unresolved. Which reminds me of a great book called Blue Like Jazz. But that’s a whole ‘nother story.
It’s been real nice,
Joezilla
20080117
20080114
Rational Security
“It is always the secure who are humble.”
G.K. Chesterton’s words always require a complex routine of mental gymnastics to decipher fully, and the above quote is no exception.
I take it to mean that in order to be a truly humble person, one first must achieve a level of self-confidence that could be called being “secure.” This, of course, would be the opposite of “insecure.” But can we ever really, completely stop being insecure?
In our best moments, yes, I say we can. When the circumstances are right, and we feel that irresistible Force pushing us to be at our best (because we all have times like that, don’t we?), we can completely transcend the immature boundaries that our society has conditioned us to have:
“Oh, no, I’ve got to walk up the aisle of this auditorium full of people, everyone’s going to look at me! Are my shoes tied? Is my fly open? Is there a booger hanging out of my nose?”
We’ve probably all had moments like that. Or maybe not. Anyway…
I think that the only way we stop feeling insecure is to stop acting insecure. Even if we feel completely self-conscious walking up the aisle in that crowded auditorium, we still have the choice, it is still completely within our realm of capability, to put our shoulders back and walk up confidently. We all have a right to be here, and there is never a reason to feel ashamed, unsure, or even just a little awkward. You know what you’re doing, even if no one else does. And in the end, no one really cares anyway. They’re not even going to be looking at your nostrils, trust me.
So let’s move on to humility. Doesn’t humility mean stepping out of the spotlight, shrugging off compliments, and ascribing your successes to other people, events, or to God? Well, yes, I think so, but that’s not all of it. You see, I recently had an experience where I was playing music in front of a group. But it wasn’t a performance, really, at all.
I was at church. The whole idea was to be in the background, to add to the atmosphere, not absorb it into my spotlight. So you see, I had a lot of power in my hands. I could play for the right reasons, to add to the spiritual experiences of everyone at church, or I could take steps to highlight my own playing, my own skills. I could dwell on what people were thinking of me as I played my heart out in front of them all.
Well, luckily for me, I knew that I would be a pathetic and arrogant failure in the humility department if I practiced the latter. I’ve never really been an overtly egotistical person (unless I’m blind to it, in which case I could be right now!). That kind of thing doesn’t work for me.
But the most dangerous wolf is the one in sheep’s clothing; he can get close to the herd, make friends with the other sheep, before going for their throat. Likewise, the most insidious of vices are the ones that paint themselves as virtues or harmless pleasures, or that make us think they're not really there. Those are the ones that can really get us. And that’s where I fell a little short that day. You see, I was concentrating so much on being humble, that I wasn’t practicing real humility, the ultimate humility that we strive for. I was overthinking it.
But wait. Can you really overthink being humble? You know, if you think more about it, you’ll just get more and more humble. Is that a bad thing?
Well, yes it is, if it takes our mind off our priorities. I was being so humble that day at church that I was mentally patting myself on the back for it:
“Yeah, Joe, that was a pretty humble job. I loved the way you humbly deflected that compliment back at that guy. Well done.”
Yeah, that’s almost word for word.
Now I shouldn’t forget that what matters is that I was humble during the Mass. I didn’t let the demons of ego take control. But the next step, then, is to really jump into the cold water and stop worrying about being humble.
So real humility, I think, is being supremely humble, and not thinking about it.
If we have faith, we don’t need to consciously practice humility. If we go into everything with the right attitude, then all the pieces fall into place. Humility becomes a part of our character. And that’s about it.
Now the real question is, should I even publish this essay here on the blog, or would it be more humble to keep it offline?
There I go again!
Securely but humbly,
Joezilla
G.K. Chesterton’s words always require a complex routine of mental gymnastics to decipher fully, and the above quote is no exception.
I take it to mean that in order to be a truly humble person, one first must achieve a level of self-confidence that could be called being “secure.” This, of course, would be the opposite of “insecure.” But can we ever really, completely stop being insecure?
In our best moments, yes, I say we can. When the circumstances are right, and we feel that irresistible Force pushing us to be at our best (because we all have times like that, don’t we?), we can completely transcend the immature boundaries that our society has conditioned us to have:
“Oh, no, I’ve got to walk up the aisle of this auditorium full of people, everyone’s going to look at me! Are my shoes tied? Is my fly open? Is there a booger hanging out of my nose?”
We’ve probably all had moments like that. Or maybe not. Anyway…
I think that the only way we stop feeling insecure is to stop acting insecure. Even if we feel completely self-conscious walking up the aisle in that crowded auditorium, we still have the choice, it is still completely within our realm of capability, to put our shoulders back and walk up confidently. We all have a right to be here, and there is never a reason to feel ashamed, unsure, or even just a little awkward. You know what you’re doing, even if no one else does. And in the end, no one really cares anyway. They’re not even going to be looking at your nostrils, trust me.
So let’s move on to humility. Doesn’t humility mean stepping out of the spotlight, shrugging off compliments, and ascribing your successes to other people, events, or to God? Well, yes, I think so, but that’s not all of it. You see, I recently had an experience where I was playing music in front of a group. But it wasn’t a performance, really, at all.
I was at church. The whole idea was to be in the background, to add to the atmosphere, not absorb it into my spotlight. So you see, I had a lot of power in my hands. I could play for the right reasons, to add to the spiritual experiences of everyone at church, or I could take steps to highlight my own playing, my own skills. I could dwell on what people were thinking of me as I played my heart out in front of them all.
Well, luckily for me, I knew that I would be a pathetic and arrogant failure in the humility department if I practiced the latter. I’ve never really been an overtly egotistical person (unless I’m blind to it, in which case I could be right now!). That kind of thing doesn’t work for me.
But the most dangerous wolf is the one in sheep’s clothing; he can get close to the herd, make friends with the other sheep, before going for their throat. Likewise, the most insidious of vices are the ones that paint themselves as virtues or harmless pleasures, or that make us think they're not really there. Those are the ones that can really get us. And that’s where I fell a little short that day. You see, I was concentrating so much on being humble, that I wasn’t practicing real humility, the ultimate humility that we strive for. I was overthinking it.
But wait. Can you really overthink being humble? You know, if you think more about it, you’ll just get more and more humble. Is that a bad thing?
Well, yes it is, if it takes our mind off our priorities. I was being so humble that day at church that I was mentally patting myself on the back for it:
“Yeah, Joe, that was a pretty humble job. I loved the way you humbly deflected that compliment back at that guy. Well done.”
Yeah, that’s almost word for word.
Now I shouldn’t forget that what matters is that I was humble during the Mass. I didn’t let the demons of ego take control. But the next step, then, is to really jump into the cold water and stop worrying about being humble.
So real humility, I think, is being supremely humble, and not thinking about it.
If we have faith, we don’t need to consciously practice humility. If we go into everything with the right attitude, then all the pieces fall into place. Humility becomes a part of our character. And that’s about it.
Now the real question is, should I even publish this essay here on the blog, or would it be more humble to keep it offline?
There I go again!
Securely but humbly,
Joezilla
20080113
The Power of One (sounds cool, has no actual bearing on the text)
"Train up a fig tree in the way it should go, and when you are old sit under the shade of it."
A wonderful quote from Charles Dickens, fitting for the day I find myself in. It is also fitting that I should begin this blog with a quote, as quotes are one of my favorite forms of wisdom. Like bars of candy, the quote or aphorism gives a “Fun Size” bit of wisdom that can often come at just the right time. But enough about candy. Let’s get on to the meat and potatoes.
This, as you most likely know, is a blog. That is a funny word, and though I am usually partial to funny words there is something inherently repulsive in this particular one. I much prefer sasquatch or blubber, but I did not invent the idea, so I claim no right to naming it. Onward!
Why am I doing this? My reasons for writing this blog are threefold: Firstly, it is a wonderful way to pass the time when I have exhausted other more pressing or inviting options. In other words, I have a lot of time to spend and I need a somewhat constructive way in which to spend it. Also, I need an alternative to homework in case that ever becomes too boring. Secondly, writing about something I am interested in, or about nothing in particular, as I am right now, in addition to being a tremendously enjoyable experience, keeps my mental faculties sharpened. This will no doubt be a blessing to me as I sojourn further into the land of Huge Essays and eventually stumble blearily into the territory of the dreaded Double Digit Paper Beast. I have heard that certain specimens of these can reach lengths of 20 or more pages. Though I still shudder at the thought of facing such fiendish brutes, I am quite sure that keeping my rhetorical wits about me by writing this blog will only serve to help me in my encounters with them. Thirdly, I hope to share some small glimmer of happiness, insight, or entertainment with you, my dear reader (even if I am talking only to myself). There is much to be said for the sharing of deeper thoughts, as well as lighter ones, and this blog will serve as a resource for both.
I am not, as one might expect, writing this blog in order to share bits and pieces of my humanity with an audience of readers. I have nothing to prove; I know I am a human, and I assume most everyone else does, as well. If anyone doubts my humanity, either they are crazy or they know something that I don’t. If the latter is true, please do not alert me—ignorance is bliss, at least in this case. Further, I am not writing this blog as a replacement for a journal; I already keep a journal (albeit rather sporadically), right next to my bedside, and said journal is for personal thoughts and ideas that are not to be shared in this essentially public forum. Thus, you are not reading my innermost thoughts and feelings, you are reading the thoughts and feelings that I felt would best contribute to an effective blog entry (if, in fact, you are reading this at all).
All right! With that out of the way, I can actually get to the business of this inaugural entry, which will not be extremely lengthy. Let us return to the aforementioned Charles Dickens quote. “Train up a fig tree in the way it should go, and when you are old sit under the shade of it.” This is, of course, a takeoff on the popular Bible verse “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6). That said, it is easy to see the meaning behind both sayings. They speak of the rewards of patient diligence focused toward a specific goal. Great deeds are often accomplished by Herculean effort over a short period of time; Wikipedia tells me the Empire State Building was built in just over a year, from excavation to ribbon-cutting. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empire_State_building However, there is something to be said for a comparatively minimal effort over a great period of time. I’ve seen the benefit a small amount of daily practice does for my saxophonic abilities. And a daily donation of just $1 will help to support that wonderful programming you’ve come to expect from PBS (and at the end of the year, you’ll realize they’ve conned you into making a $365 donation—luckily, I’m not speaking from experience).
Why am I saying this? Well, Dickens’ wonderful adaptation of Proverbs came to my mind this morning as I brushed my teeth. You see, through the sheer Providence of God, complemented—or perhaps implemented!—by clever scheduling, I managed to procure for the Winter term a Friday completely free of classes. It occurred to me that I could assign myself the duty of self-improvement on this weekly free day. I could commit to a specific exercise regimen for that specific day, different from the other days’ exercise. I could choose a specific jazz chord progression to practice improvising over. I could implement any number of edifying activities that would produce a more quality product (and by that I mean person) by the spring. All day I thought on these things.
It is now 9:39, and I have neither practiced nor exercised. I have, in fact, spent the day playing video games, watching movies, and eating. Perhaps the next entry should center around human nature and how to control it.
All in all, though, it’s been a great day, and it’s not over yet. I can still practice and exercise. Maybe the next entry should instead focus on the process of how to have one’s cake, and eat it too.
With confidence,
Joezilla
A wonderful quote from Charles Dickens, fitting for the day I find myself in. It is also fitting that I should begin this blog with a quote, as quotes are one of my favorite forms of wisdom. Like bars of candy, the quote or aphorism gives a “Fun Size” bit of wisdom that can often come at just the right time. But enough about candy. Let’s get on to the meat and potatoes.
This, as you most likely know, is a blog. That is a funny word, and though I am usually partial to funny words there is something inherently repulsive in this particular one. I much prefer sasquatch or blubber, but I did not invent the idea, so I claim no right to naming it. Onward!
Why am I doing this? My reasons for writing this blog are threefold: Firstly, it is a wonderful way to pass the time when I have exhausted other more pressing or inviting options. In other words, I have a lot of time to spend and I need a somewhat constructive way in which to spend it. Also, I need an alternative to homework in case that ever becomes too boring. Secondly, writing about something I am interested in, or about nothing in particular, as I am right now, in addition to being a tremendously enjoyable experience, keeps my mental faculties sharpened. This will no doubt be a blessing to me as I sojourn further into the land of Huge Essays and eventually stumble blearily into the territory of the dreaded Double Digit Paper Beast. I have heard that certain specimens of these can reach lengths of 20 or more pages. Though I still shudder at the thought of facing such fiendish brutes, I am quite sure that keeping my rhetorical wits about me by writing this blog will only serve to help me in my encounters with them. Thirdly, I hope to share some small glimmer of happiness, insight, or entertainment with you, my dear reader (even if I am talking only to myself). There is much to be said for the sharing of deeper thoughts, as well as lighter ones, and this blog will serve as a resource for both.
I am not, as one might expect, writing this blog in order to share bits and pieces of my humanity with an audience of readers. I have nothing to prove; I know I am a human, and I assume most everyone else does, as well. If anyone doubts my humanity, either they are crazy or they know something that I don’t. If the latter is true, please do not alert me—ignorance is bliss, at least in this case. Further, I am not writing this blog as a replacement for a journal; I already keep a journal (albeit rather sporadically), right next to my bedside, and said journal is for personal thoughts and ideas that are not to be shared in this essentially public forum. Thus, you are not reading my innermost thoughts and feelings, you are reading the thoughts and feelings that I felt would best contribute to an effective blog entry (if, in fact, you are reading this at all).
All right! With that out of the way, I can actually get to the business of this inaugural entry, which will not be extremely lengthy. Let us return to the aforementioned Charles Dickens quote. “Train up a fig tree in the way it should go, and when you are old sit under the shade of it.” This is, of course, a takeoff on the popular Bible verse “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6). That said, it is easy to see the meaning behind both sayings. They speak of the rewards of patient diligence focused toward a specific goal. Great deeds are often accomplished by Herculean effort over a short period of time; Wikipedia tells me the Empire State Building was built in just over a year, from excavation to ribbon-cutting. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empire_State_building However, there is something to be said for a comparatively minimal effort over a great period of time. I’ve seen the benefit a small amount of daily practice does for my saxophonic abilities. And a daily donation of just $1 will help to support that wonderful programming you’ve come to expect from PBS (and at the end of the year, you’ll realize they’ve conned you into making a $365 donation—luckily, I’m not speaking from experience).
Why am I saying this? Well, Dickens’ wonderful adaptation of Proverbs came to my mind this morning as I brushed my teeth. You see, through the sheer Providence of God, complemented—or perhaps implemented!—by clever scheduling, I managed to procure for the Winter term a Friday completely free of classes. It occurred to me that I could assign myself the duty of self-improvement on this weekly free day. I could commit to a specific exercise regimen for that specific day, different from the other days’ exercise. I could choose a specific jazz chord progression to practice improvising over. I could implement any number of edifying activities that would produce a more quality product (and by that I mean person) by the spring. All day I thought on these things.
It is now 9:39, and I have neither practiced nor exercised. I have, in fact, spent the day playing video games, watching movies, and eating. Perhaps the next entry should center around human nature and how to control it.
All in all, though, it’s been a great day, and it’s not over yet. I can still practice and exercise. Maybe the next entry should instead focus on the process of how to have one’s cake, and eat it too.
With confidence,
Joezilla
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