Quotes

“Don’t explain your philosophy. Embody it.”

I love this quote, which I came across in a list of ancient stoic quotes (with some pretty good visuals).

Don’t explain your philosophy. Embody it.
Epicteus

This quote reminds me of a series on Confucius, Buddha, Jesus, and Muhammad.

This series noted the one thing these leaders had in common: sure, they all had interesting ideas, but more importantly, they lived by their ideas. If they had just talked a lot, they would not have had the real-world impact that they had. Their actions were inspiring.

So if you want to be a pretty cool and impactful person, in whatever form that takes, then figure out what you stand for and live it.

I know, I know… that’s easier said than done.

But what else are you going to do that could be any better?

Besides, it’s fun to do stuff, and talking gets old.

“I wasn’t making any waves, so l made a decision.”

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I always love a good story of transformation.

The documentary STEVE (martin) tells the story of a really awkward, out-of-place aspiring comedian who wants to do something genuinely new but was initially failing badly.

It is cringe-worthy at times. What is this guy doing?

But Steve keeps relentlessly trying things, observing, and changing. It goes something like this (so far)…

Is there a future for me as a magician?

-> No, that looks like a dead end. Let’s try comedy.

Should I follow the classic comedy conventions like using “indicators” to signal when the punch line happened?

-> Nope. Let the awkward tensions build naturally and see what happens.

Should I open for other acts and perform for 1000 people who are there to see someone else?

-> Nope. This is getting me nowhere. I’d rather headline for 50 people who actually want to see me.

And finally, this long-haired comedian who looked he was “trying to be the Eagles” decided to change his whole look and attitude. I just like the clarity he finds.

I wasn’t making any waves, so l made a decision.

Instead of being at the tail end of an old movement, I’ll be at the front end of a new one.

And he follows it up with action.

And so l decided, “Okay, I’m putting on a suit, I’m putting on a tie and I’m cutting my hair.”

Instead of looking like a hippie from the ’60s, I’ll look like somebody new from the ’70s.

And of course kind of a punch line.

Or like someone from the future.

Someone from the future indeed. He was about to become the biggest comedian in the world.

Photos · Quotes

Invincible summer (pic) 🌱

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A while back, I blogged one of my favorite quotes.

In the depths of Winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer.
Albert Camus

Today I found myself looking right at this phenomenon in my little garden.

You see, this winter’s cold snap savagely killed almost all the plants . As a memorial, I left a sad, dead, spiky blackberry stalk sticking high out of the ground.

Now that dead stalk is getting overrun by new green growth. Blackberry sprouts are shooting up in other parts of the garden as well. The plant is even flowering, meaning fresh blackberries are on the way.

Life is resilient. 💪

Just don’t touch that dead stalk. That thing is not kidding around – ouch!

Quotes

“Think lightly of yourself and deeply of the world.”

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I like this quote from a Mr. Miyamoto Musashi, “a 17th-century Japanese samurai, artist, and writer known for his undefeated fighting record and philosophical work.” Wow, talk about #goals. 🤯

Think lightly of yourself and deeply of the world.
Miyamoto Musashi

He must have been onto something. Yes, the world matters; everything matters. But don’t weigh yourself down personally with it. You are definitely not going to win a lot of sword fights if you do.

This description goes on to say that “After retiring from dueling, the swordsman turned to his community, mentoring students and sharing wisdom through his writing.”

Okay, I have a new hero ✔️ and a new retirement plan ✔️.

Quotes

“He believed in us, in our power, in our future and that we deserved better.”

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Within days of his death in a Siberian prison, Russian pro-democracy leader Aleksei Navalny’s previously quiet wife, Yulia Navalnayax, is out there giving a rousing speech. She vows to carry on his fight and gives an inspiring vision of what a free Russia could be like.

I mostly try to stay out of current news and politics, but this speech is notable for a couple of reasons.

First, unlike the current management, she shows courage, grace, and dignified leadership. 💪

Secondly, she’s showing us that being a actual patriot rather than, say, a selfish dictator, is good or everyone – no matter what country you are from. 🇺🇸🇷🇺

Aleksei more than anything else on earth loved Russia, loved our country and you all. He believed in us, in our power, in our future and that we deserved better.

And finally… wow, what a thing for a wife to do while mourning her husband’s death. Carry on the fight. Amazing.