2000
So I'm watching the Olympics, because
that's what you're supposed to do. And I'm torn. I have the standard
flashbacks to comedy routines and movie scenes where people run tangent on
the "lifelong dedication" premise. 'How wonderful it must be to have
complete focus on one accomplishment. How enjoyable it must be to stay
totally dedicated to achievement. How thrilling it must be to know that you
want to represent your country'. Okay, sure. It's not my particular
springboard out of bed, but I can see the importance. So I keep watching
these physical freaks of nature run, jump, and swim.
And then there's the scandals, the steroid concerns, the canned 5 minute
human-interest story to provoke empathy, the political overtones, the 16
hour time delay, and all of a sudden I realize that these aren't the "best
of the world" Olympics. These are the prime-time, delayed, cut-and-spliced,
infomercial, corporate ratings-quest Olympics. Hollywood, politics, and commercial
sponsorship are what drives these games now. Bob Costas (who I actually
like) should just have a Nike swoosh inked on his forehead.
Final thought: Track and Field star Ben Johnson; remember him? A few years
ago ol' Ben was stripped of other medals and banned from Track and Field for
admitted, obvious steroid abuse. But now Mr. Johnson represents the United
States and is winning gold medals. Really? Is this the same guy? All of
this, but we can't put Pete Rose in
the baseball Hall of Fame? Just checking.
Where was I? Oh yeah; lifelong dedication. Well, or something like 'pure
focus'. Maybe, um, drive and ambition? Yeah, let's start small. Drive and
ambition would be good. Maybe, uh, a long range goal? How about a little
dedication, maybe just some short-term alignment?
I knew this wasn't going to work. I am too jaded. Big business ruined my
poetry and my radio, it's infected the Olympics, and it's putting a negative
twist on an otherwise cool direct sales job. Big business is not our friend.
The ways to win are to either immerse yourself in their system and trick the
rules to your advantage, or to do your own business at home. And, even 20
years later, I STILL want a home business. My mother can cry all she wants,
but it's the truth.
I should wind this up, I guess. It's another (ho-hum) failed attempt at
writing for me. But hey, you know what? I did my part. I sat and held this
clipbpoard for over 2 hours. I wrote quickly, spontaneously, and without
obsession. I redirected 2 dead ends almost effortlessly, and merely used 3
different roads that ended with the same destination. It's not my fault, and
not for a lack of trying that nothing worthwhile was written. In other
words; I did my job-so kiss my ass.
I know other writers who can't even get on a road. As for ending up in the
same place 3 times, well, are not we taught as children that we need to know
where we're going? Well, I knew. If the goal was futility, then I'm a
winner!
Persistence. Sure. Two-thirds of the way through this I wrote, and I quote "I
knew this wasn't going to work." Yet I continued on writing. Did you see
that? Call me a dedicated narcissist. And now, with all this other crap
here, my prediction was more like halfway through. I am
unstoppable.