TIMING IS EVERYTHING
What the *&%#$ am I thinkin? After all this talk about Everyday Earnest Effort what's timing got to do with anything. Not a whole helluva lot actually, but it was definitely on my side last Friday night.
Music as you know has a very special place in my life, and this past week we went to see one of my all-time favorite bands: Bad Company. I dig these guys and have seen em numerous times over the years. But I especially didn't want to miss this opportunity because 1) it'd been awhile since the original lineup performed together, and 2) unlike in their heyday when they were sellin out huge arenas, they were playin at a relatively small venue; a hotel/casino in not so far away Indio CA.
For us it's about a 100 mile drive, one which on a Friday night however can easily take every bit of two hours. We got on the road around 4:30, the concert was scheduled to begin at 8:00. Sure enough the traffic sucked! We finally arrived at about 7:15, checked in and got up to the room just in time to settle in and unwind.
In typical tailgate fashion I brought along a small ice chest with a couple of cold ones. Hey this ain't Vegas, beers are five bucks a pop on the casino floor and twice that inside the show. Anyhow we're in the room, I'm twistin one open and my wife asks me if I would go get some fresh ice for margaritas (OK so it's not that small of an ice chest). I politely tell her that as soon as I finish this first beer I'll go grab some. Beer downed, thirst quenched, I grab the ice bucket and fling open the door. Who walks past at that very instant? Mr. Paul *%^$# Rodgers of Bad Company.
Now I know I said I dig these guys, but Paul in particular is someone I've personally admired from afar for a long long time. Easily top 10 on my list of rock n' roll royalty. So we make eye contact, cordially acknowledge one another, shake hands, and off he goes. "Honey! You'll never guest who I just met, Paul Rodgers!" "Cool" she says, "did ya get the ice?"
In short it was an incredible night. The show was great, the band in top form, and my close friend Paul, well, that rich baritone voice of his is as iconic and soulful as ever. He's still beltin em out after all these years. See ya next time. Till then, keeep it up.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Y3E
So of all the virtues, qualities, and traits commonly associated with pursuing your dreams, why Everyday Earnest Effort? Why not some glorified old mainstay like strength, courage, faith or hope? Why not God given talent or ability? How bout heart, passion and desire?
Well here's the deal. Like many of us I too am fortunate enough to have inherited many of the aforementioned qualities. Ya see for much of my life I (like many of us) have had to muster up the strength and courage to get up each morning and face the days challenges. And ever since flingin papers, flippin burgers, and poundin nails I've had faith in that if I work hard good things will come my way. And yes, throughout all of it I've remained incurably hopeful that, well...you know, maybe someday. Because after all, I'm a pretty talented guy, and deep down I know that I (like many of us) have the ability to do whatever I set my mind to.
So ya see I have been blessed, I am gifted, but I gotta tell ya, these blessings, these gifts as precious as they may be, simply aren't enough when it comes down to the practicalities of pursuing your dreams. I can tell you from decades of experience that all the strength, courage, faith, and hope in the world cannot and will not make me a better drummer if I don't sit my ass down behind the kit and practice. And that talent and ability alone will only take ya so far. Heart, passion, and desire, hell I got truck loads. But again, I can assure you that without a daily dose of some good ol' 3E I might as well kiss my dreams and any other long term goals goodbye.
I can also tell you that since stickin with it, a host of other virtues have begun to come forward in an amazing show of support. Steve Chandler, in his book, Reinventing Yourself, writes, "Most of my life had been wasted waiting for faith and courage to show up, I thought it was something I needed up front, but come to find out I had the whole process reversed. Faith, confidence and courage only come later, they are the rewards, not the requirements for action."
In addition to being a rock hard "requirement," another reason 3E got the nod is because I'm a sucker for the underdog, and in many ways 3E epitomizes that. Author, scholar, and Zen philosopher Alan Watts used to say he hated the word "discipline" because it had so many negative connotations. Yet he also knew the key to fully mastering and enjoying any activity was in the discipline. The same goes for effort. I mean let's be honest, it's never been a fan favorite. Strength, desire, passion, these are typically the decorated players in personal growth and achievement; the "stars" of the show. 3E's not a show horse, it's a plow horse, and that as unfortunate as it may be, is rarely if ever looked upon as a star quality these days.
You might also be wonderin why we chose 3E over persistence, perseverance, and/or diligence. Determination and tenacity may also come to mind, and so they should. After all they too are plow horse type qualities. Yet if you think about it not only does each one imply a steady application of ongoing effort, but in order to be effective, requires it.
All in all there's a long list of reasons why we chose 3E to be our unofficial motto. It's from the heart and to the point, straight forward tried and true. It's pure and simple, black and white. Unmistakably down to earth, yet ultimately up to you. It's understandable, recognizable, easily accessible and definitely doable. It's joyful, painful, and at times quite a handful. It's low key, yet highly effective. It isn't about havin it or not havin it (i.e. faith, courage, strength, passion or talent). It's about rollin up your sleeves and doin it! It's not about ability, it's about accountability. It's slow yet steady, and like a good friend there whenever you're ready. It makes sense and costs nothing. In essence, it's everything. Or shall I say, more than you could ever possibly hope for. See ya next time. Till then, keeep it up.
So of all the virtues, qualities, and traits commonly associated with pursuing your dreams, why Everyday Earnest Effort? Why not some glorified old mainstay like strength, courage, faith or hope? Why not God given talent or ability? How bout heart, passion and desire?
Well here's the deal. Like many of us I too am fortunate enough to have inherited many of the aforementioned qualities. Ya see for much of my life I (like many of us) have had to muster up the strength and courage to get up each morning and face the days challenges. And ever since flingin papers, flippin burgers, and poundin nails I've had faith in that if I work hard good things will come my way. And yes, throughout all of it I've remained incurably hopeful that, well...you know, maybe someday. Because after all, I'm a pretty talented guy, and deep down I know that I (like many of us) have the ability to do whatever I set my mind to.
So ya see I have been blessed, I am gifted, but I gotta tell ya, these blessings, these gifts as precious as they may be, simply aren't enough when it comes down to the practicalities of pursuing your dreams. I can tell you from decades of experience that all the strength, courage, faith, and hope in the world cannot and will not make me a better drummer if I don't sit my ass down behind the kit and practice. And that talent and ability alone will only take ya so far. Heart, passion, and desire, hell I got truck loads. But again, I can assure you that without a daily dose of some good ol' 3E I might as well kiss my dreams and any other long term goals goodbye.
I can also tell you that since stickin with it, a host of other virtues have begun to come forward in an amazing show of support. Steve Chandler, in his book, Reinventing Yourself, writes, "Most of my life had been wasted waiting for faith and courage to show up, I thought it was something I needed up front, but come to find out I had the whole process reversed. Faith, confidence and courage only come later, they are the rewards, not the requirements for action."
In addition to being a rock hard "requirement," another reason 3E got the nod is because I'm a sucker for the underdog, and in many ways 3E epitomizes that. Author, scholar, and Zen philosopher Alan Watts used to say he hated the word "discipline" because it had so many negative connotations. Yet he also knew the key to fully mastering and enjoying any activity was in the discipline. The same goes for effort. I mean let's be honest, it's never been a fan favorite. Strength, desire, passion, these are typically the decorated players in personal growth and achievement; the "stars" of the show. 3E's not a show horse, it's a plow horse, and that as unfortunate as it may be, is rarely if ever looked upon as a star quality these days.
You might also be wonderin why we chose 3E over persistence, perseverance, and/or diligence. Determination and tenacity may also come to mind, and so they should. After all they too are plow horse type qualities. Yet if you think about it not only does each one imply a steady application of ongoing effort, but in order to be effective, requires it.
All in all there's a long list of reasons why we chose 3E to be our unofficial motto. It's from the heart and to the point, straight forward tried and true. It's pure and simple, black and white. Unmistakably down to earth, yet ultimately up to you. It's understandable, recognizable, easily accessible and definitely doable. It's joyful, painful, and at times quite a handful. It's low key, yet highly effective. It isn't about havin it or not havin it (i.e. faith, courage, strength, passion or talent). It's about rollin up your sleeves and doin it! It's not about ability, it's about accountability. It's slow yet steady, and like a good friend there whenever you're ready. It makes sense and costs nothing. In essence, it's everything. Or shall I say, more than you could ever possibly hope for. See ya next time. Till then, keeep it up.
Sunday, July 4, 2010
THE HORN SECTION
Charlie "Yard bird" Parker, jazz legend and saxophone extraordinaire once said, "If you don't live it, it won't come outta your horn."
By now I'm sure you have some idea of just how much I admire people who, like Yard bird, dedicate their entire lives to doin what they love. As far back as I can remember it's something I've looked up to. Unfortunately it's also something I've far from lived up to.
So why in the world then when it comes to bulldogged persistence would you listen to an ill-suited windbag like me? Well, for starters, I too, like those teary-eyed newspapermen in Terry Hills story last post, have wept for the winner in all of us. I too know firsthand the aching and ailing effects of untapped greatness. For nearly four decades inconsistency has gnawed away at any seemingly valid attempt I've made at realizing my own dreams, leaving behind little more than a legacy of good intentions. So you see from that standpoint I have lived it. I've lived it to the very fullest, and I'd like nothin better than to encourage you to live it differently.
From the beginning as the idea of Ingzig began to take shape I'd often talk to my brother Ron about my eagerness to help others, and during one of our early conversations he said, "Well, you know what they say, 'if ya wanna lift people up ya gotta get to higher ground.'" Until then I'd honestly never heard anyone say that, nevertheless, it hit home. It got me to realize that if I'm gonna do this I really gotta do this. If I'm gonna talk the talk, I gotta walk the walk.
And so it's been for the past seven years that I've done my best to perfect the art of Everyday Earnest Effort. Have I succeeded? Not entirely, I still falter now and again (old habits are a bitch). But I do feel I've made some significant strides in the right direction, and I've done so one small and consistent step at a time.
In the words of Dr. Robert Maurer, "While the steps may be small, what we're reaching for is not." Stuff that in your horn and blow it. Happy 4th, see ya next time. Till then, keeep it up.
Charlie "Yard bird" Parker, jazz legend and saxophone extraordinaire once said, "If you don't live it, it won't come outta your horn."
By now I'm sure you have some idea of just how much I admire people who, like Yard bird, dedicate their entire lives to doin what they love. As far back as I can remember it's something I've looked up to. Unfortunately it's also something I've far from lived up to.
So why in the world then when it comes to bulldogged persistence would you listen to an ill-suited windbag like me? Well, for starters, I too, like those teary-eyed newspapermen in Terry Hills story last post, have wept for the winner in all of us. I too know firsthand the aching and ailing effects of untapped greatness. For nearly four decades inconsistency has gnawed away at any seemingly valid attempt I've made at realizing my own dreams, leaving behind little more than a legacy of good intentions. So you see from that standpoint I have lived it. I've lived it to the very fullest, and I'd like nothin better than to encourage you to live it differently.
From the beginning as the idea of Ingzig began to take shape I'd often talk to my brother Ron about my eagerness to help others, and during one of our early conversations he said, "Well, you know what they say, 'if ya wanna lift people up ya gotta get to higher ground.'" Until then I'd honestly never heard anyone say that, nevertheless, it hit home. It got me to realize that if I'm gonna do this I really gotta do this. If I'm gonna talk the talk, I gotta walk the walk.
And so it's been for the past seven years that I've done my best to perfect the art of Everyday Earnest Effort. Have I succeeded? Not entirely, I still falter now and again (old habits are a bitch). But I do feel I've made some significant strides in the right direction, and I've done so one small and consistent step at a time.
In the words of Dr. Robert Maurer, "While the steps may be small, what we're reaching for is not." Stuff that in your horn and blow it. Happy 4th, see ya next time. Till then, keeep it up.
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