You're The One

Yes, you're The Chosen One.

You have tremendous power over yourself, over others and over your environment. Mind you, nothing supernatural like in TV or movies, but amazing and substantial power nevertheless. All you've got to do is think positive... believe it... and work at it responsibly.

I can choose to be whatever I want to be, and do pretty much whatever I want to do... within laws and maybe within physics. Norman Vincent Peale was the first to teach me that, but there are a multitude of others that say the same thing. Don't wait for Godot... quit waiting for somebody to help you or for somebody to help.

A self-reminder: Just do it.

- © 2008 by Willy,
one of The Chosen Ones
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Past and Future

I did not perceive it the same way my parents did, when, as a kid of 10, my family left Cuba for Miami in 1960, a year after Fidel Castro took over.

Like many other countries, Cuba had been governed by one dictator after another and many people were poor and ready for a change.

A young leader came out of nowhere promising change. A young leader that spoke eloquently and passionately. Compared to previous despot, he was the knight in shining armor that would literally take us away from all this. Everybody was in love with him.

Nobody questioned who put him there... where he got his money, who his friends were or what he really believed in. He said he would bring justice and equality to all. He said he would help the poor, bring universal free medical care, and clean up our tarnished reputation.

Everybody wanted change but nobody thought exactly what these changes would be, do and cost. So by the time the opposition went silent, the people's guns had been taken away and there was no liberty left for any. Disagreement ended against bullet-ridden walls in local neighborhood "street court." Everyone was equally poor and hungry, except for Fidel and his committee. Free health care had no doctors and thus was worthless. There was no free press to publish anything but propaganda. There was no real church left either, just a facade. Cuba had been knocked down even below Third-World status, a million were killed and millions left.

Our election-year rhetoric in this country has reminded me much of what happened in Cuba.


Would we in this marvelous country fall for young charismatic leaders with unknown backers who promised change? Would we think about it and ask what kinds of changes? How will they be carried out? What will it cost us? What would they do to us?

Would we?

We have. Two years ago we went for change and elected a Democrat majority congress. Have the last couple of years been good for you? And for the country? Vote for more change this November and we're REALLY going to get it!

We’re not a Third-World country, you say? It happened in Germany, too.

- text © 2008 by Willy
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Working Versus Being There

Why work hard versus just going to work? Why do-the-right-thing and "upset" others instead of just being a buddy and not caring if things get done? Why contribute if you can just do a minimum, chitchat and blow off the day?

I don't know.

That is, I don't know otherwise. Although the word fraud comes to mind as well as irresponsible, immature, useless, and other.

I quit a professional organization three years ago, after 34 years of very active volunteer work because the board was choked down with old deadbeats that didn't do much but get in the way. I got annoyed, recommended that they yield their seats to up-and-coming young 'uns, and quit them.

Deadbeats thrive at work. I always thought the true purpose of a deadbeat is to have a somebody to lay off when layoffs came (but this may not be true, since deadbeats are very friendly good ol' boys). Or maybe their function is to have somebody available for the boss to grade lower than me and thus enable a Gaussian distribution, albeit skewed.

I got rid of a very nice deadbeat a few years ago after three years of no work output. It is frustrating sometimes to work in a place with deadbeats who come in at 9 or 10, take a couple of hours for lunch, then leave early... if they show up at all... be they high-up muckety-mucks or entry level. They can't be avoided, since they permeate society. Personally, I want them away from me, as far as possible. After all, I became an engineer to build machines, not to have to deal with [shudder] people problems. Machines work.

Similarly, I got rid of my deadbeat fiance, "The Ex," last year after 4 years of living together... about 4 years too late. I found great relief when she finally left.

Although there is no training class on how to deal with deadbeats, one thing to consider is that we have been entrusted to be good stewards of our company's money or God's talents, entrusted to you to do a specific job. Another is that we must exercise due diligence in the process. There must be the right work ethic.

If you don't understand these concepts, then please quit and go be homeless on Florida beaches... you'll fit better there. Lead, follow or get out of my way.

- text © 2008 by Willy
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Why Do It?

Have you thought it out? Asked yourself why you do what you do... and gotten a clearly-defined answer?

If so, congratulations! You are part of a very small minority.

(Let's exclude money, sex and power, which, according to Sigmund Freud, are the answers to everything.)

Most of us answer with a generic answer because we really don't know ourselves and don't know why we do things... haven't figured out what drives us, what the emotional needs are, or what is it that makes us feel good.

No matter what the question is specifically, the answers are always the same... for the fun, enjoyment, excitement, feelings, relaxation, fitness, curiosity, being outside close to nature, and (lately) saving gas.

Fun being #1 by far.

The question may be why work, why play, why bike commmute, why hike, why feed the ducks, why landscape, why bike solo, or why a beer with friends.

Why date a floozy?

But it doesn't matter what the question is, the answers are always the same, and it's always a combination of answers. One fellow says he bike commutes for fun, not for the gas savings. I argued that whether he wanted to or not, he was savings gas. Can't but.

The world has no simple answers to simple questions... unless you're 5 and still believe in Santa and the Tooth Fairy.

- © 2008 by Willy
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