Sun 7 Jun 2009
The Pessimist is winning in the battle for my soul
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[12] Comments
I’m telling you…over the last month I’ve tried to, as they sing in “The Life of Brian” Look on the Bright side of Life. (whiiiwhoo…whoo whoo whoo whoo)…but when a crazy lady in a custody battle threw her kids off the Sellwood Bridge in Portland a few weeks back and a father pulled the same exit strategy to parenthood and life a week later, I moved swiftly back into the People Innately Suck camp again. Can we somehow convince these people to exit first and leave the innocent behind, please?
I’m on a desperate search for people and information that contributes to a greater good. You are out there. Bring me something uplifting and real to share that isn’t a Twitter tip, a video of your cat, or a marketing trick to get me to buy something that we both know I don’t need.
Knock me on my ass with value. Get me to say, wow, this makes me smarter and empowers me to help others. Introduce me to people, causes and stories of gut-level inspiration.
Until then…I remain a reluctant pessimist, mystified by shitty behavior that lives at the DNA-level in some, is well-coached in others or so masked in self-absorption that it goes unrecognized. I’m confident that fear, ignorance and weakness of mind and spirit are at the root of this.
Let’s turn the tide together with ways to quell the concern, smarten up the masses and feed the soul with something that sustains. Here’s a little something to start the ball rolling.
Bob Dylan
Shelter From the Storm
Cheers, Ev. T.C.P.
June 8th, 2009 at 4:54 pm
When the going gets tough–the weird turn Pro. (Hunter) Love you and go see something funny or UP. Your b card and Amy’s card are in the mail.
June 8th, 2009 at 5:20 pm
Hey, nice post, very well written. You should blog more about this.
June 8th, 2009 at 9:46 pm
Agree with the Good Doctor on that one. Love you too and UP is awesome. Owen’s first movie and he was riveted. A rush of optimism, for sure! Cheers.
M
June 8th, 2009 at 9:47 pm
Thanks…and trust me, I will. Hey and do something positive with all that money.
June 11th, 2009 at 10:24 am
Thanks for the useful info. It’s so interesting
June 12th, 2009 at 8:51 pm
James….glad you found it helpful in some way. From time to time, I take a hard left, counter to advice and logic, to vent. I’ll work harder on giving you a lifeline out of the abyss next time.
Mark
June 16th, 2009 at 2:20 pm
“I’m on a desperate search for people and information that contributes to a greater good. You are out there. Bring me something uplifting and real to share that isn’t a Twitter tip, a video of your cat, or a marketing trick to get me to buy something that we both know I don’t need.” – Hey…. there are no heroes… Go be that person you’re desperate to find.
“Knock me on my ass with value. “… Get it | Share it =#getoffbutt… those doing such work don’t have time to convince you that they are
“Until then…I remain a reluctant pessimist, mystified by shitty behavior that lives at the DNA-level..” – that’s *your* DNA, too… if you’re part of the same species.
June 16th, 2009 at 2:55 pm
Hey Teresa,
I’ll take my lumps for the rant, but I’m not looking for heroes, just like minds, of which, I think you are. Also, I am an avid practitioner of the Get it | Share it | #Get off butt approach. The more I read your comments, I think you might be missing the point of my post. I was ringing the bell to clear the assholes out and let them know I was on to them. And being a dick isn’t a part of my DNA. I exited out that gene pool for good. I want that species to be extinct. Only cool people on my boat.
Pessimism seems to be a sore spot for you, but I think if fosters discussion and enlightenment. Let’s both enjoy the cruise. Keep calling me on my shit and I’ll either rationalize it or defend it.
Your pal,
Mark
June 16th, 2009 at 6:13 pm
Thanks, Mark… they call me Tess in F2F
June 16th, 2009 at 8:00 pm
Tess it is! Cheers.
Mark
August 24th, 2009 at 9:44 pm
I just stumbled on this post, and had to say it reminds me of a t-shirt that my wife and I always say we are going to get printed, whenever we come across a story like the ones you mentioned. The t-shirt will plainly display the phrase “we don’t support fucks” on the front. I believe the joke started in the height of the election season.
I don’t know if this world is getting smarter or dumber. There is a lot of evidence supporting either claim. The idiots certainly do make for a better story though. While the sane, intelligent folk going about their daily lives are only too happy to stay under the radar.
I relate in a lot of ways to the “reluctant pessimistic” phrase you coined. I try hard to see the brighter side of things, but too often seem to be confronted with reality. For instance, I thought I had found someone who was as excited as I am about reconnecting people to the amazing amount of literary activity happening within their communities. After a couple meetings we had a solid plan for seeing what has begun as Reading Local through to bigger and better things. Two weeks later, this presumed partner is MIA, and I’m back to banging my head against the wall trying to live out my dreams in the few hours a day I can scrape together in between my one year olds naps. The optimist in me though, says that the brighter side of things is yet to come if only I continue to plug away. Because it is what I feel will be my “contribution to the greater good.”
Best of luck in your continued struggle to clear the assholes out, let me know how it goes.
August 25th, 2009 at 8:21 am
Gabe..what an awesome response and yes, we are brothers from another mother, for sure. I think my approach now is to quit trying to move the rock up the hill of assholes and just find another route to the top. I just landed a new job for an organization that going to allow me to put the “contribution to the greater good into practice,” so…stay tuned. But yeah, you’ll always have a sympathetic ear from me on those who join you on the battle front and leave you at the first sign of trouble. That’s the kind of stuff that kills a man…or a woman inside. You ever need anything from me, and I can help…reach out. How that for a little hope for mankind? We’re not all dicks! Cheers. Mark http://www.linkedin.com/in/markevertz