I feel that I need a big sign, "HELP ME" as I sit in front of the endless interviews.
The unfolding disaster of Hurricane Katrina has transfixed me and I've been at times
amazed, saddened, horrified and angry.
Amazed that an entire city can be gone in a matter of minutes. As helicopters drop 3,000 pound sand bags by broken levy, I can't help but think that these look like croutons dropped into a soup bowl.
Saddened that lives are gone for too much water and for not enough.
Horrified that a place I visited as early as January (I walked from the convention center to my hotel, eating at Emeril's and visiting the Southern Art museum) is now completely gone.
But I am angry that some would believe that because they are black or poor that they are being neglected or ignored based upon the facts that they are "not white or rich". I find that accusation mean-spirited and lacking in reason. Which is fine -- I wouldn't be reasonable if I hadn't eaten for five days.
The idea that government on any level -- local, state or federal -- can be the end all for people in times such as this is simply unrealistic.
For all the strategic planning, for all the programs, meetings and official people cannot legisilate human kindness, caring, love, hope.
What I find reassuring is where government, the cold, sometimes heartless entity, may have failed it has given opportunity for the human touch -- the soul of any city -- to rally.
Disasters of this magnitude cannot be fixed, strategized, made right by the likes of military and programs. It can only be cushioned by those who have the willingness and the boldness to venture forward.
Friday, September 02, 2005
Thursday, September 01, 2005
"I am not in need" --- Carbonleaf
I awakened with the days usual thoughts -- what would we have for dinner tonight? What times would the kids' practices be over? How many phone messages need to be returned and how will I get them done? How can I get the house cleaned?
Ad infinitum, a magnifying glass on the trivialities of my life.
My house isn't under water, so what if it is dirty? My cell phone works as does my home phone. Clean water flows from my plumbing, I have a shower that works. There are 3 grocery stores within a five mile radius of my home, not to mention a squillion eating establishments, so eating is clearly not a problem.
Most importantly, I am not in a hospital sick and I can work and provide for my family.
As my favorite rock band says, "I am not in need.." I clearly am not. Isn't it strange how I lose sight of such simple, everyday blessings.
I am working on some ideas to donate to charities for the hurricane relief effort. www.networkforgood.org through my own sales.
Ad infinitum, a magnifying glass on the trivialities of my life.
My house isn't under water, so what if it is dirty? My cell phone works as does my home phone. Clean water flows from my plumbing, I have a shower that works. There are 3 grocery stores within a five mile radius of my home, not to mention a squillion eating establishments, so eating is clearly not a problem.
Most importantly, I am not in a hospital sick and I can work and provide for my family.
As my favorite rock band says, "I am not in need.." I clearly am not. Isn't it strange how I lose sight of such simple, everyday blessings.
I am working on some ideas to donate to charities for the hurricane relief effort. www.networkforgood.org through my own sales.
Wednesday, August 31, 2005
Adrenaline Junkies Unite
It's the proverbial "month end", which in the sales industry means that we're all huddled over laptops, with phones in ear, reaching for that elusive scoreboard that will confirm our commission checks.
After 13 years, I am now firmly a recovering adrenaline junkie. I have ceased to find my "hit" by waiting until the last minute to try to work one month of effort into a 3 hour, no sleep, nail-biting day.
My recovery has had moments worthy of any addict who goes "off the wagon". The sleepless nights, the anxiety, the worry. All those things that give the appearance of importance dissolve into the meaningless abyss once you figure out that you don't have to live by the clock. You don't have to give your soul to chasing numbers and figures. In fact, when you do, you cease to exist in any measureable way and you lose whatever ground you've fought so hard to find.
The funny thing is, that once you realize that your life isn't about the scoreboard any more (and in reality, never was) you begin to loosen up and actually enjoy what you are doing. It's one of those life ironies -- the more you loosen up, the more you do better.
For me personally, I've discovered that I can keep a workable (translation -- functional) schedule, doling out my activity in bite size pieces and actually enjoy my work and the people in which I lead.
There's a lot more I can say about this but as any recovering junkie I'm still learning how to much to show, how much to tell. Since trust is a big issue for many of us, whatever "trash" we're into, I'm learning how much I can safely say. As with any dependency, just admitting that you're hooked is more than half the battle. For me, I was hooked on the sense that I was actually doing something, when in reality I was procrastinating, doing sloppy, careless work, all for the rush of going into motion and doing a yeoman's work in a matter of hours.
It's not been an easy recovery. Is any recovery easy? I find myself in my daily walks (for now, I have a daily schedule that includes walking (alone), eating (oh my gosh!) and spending time with those that I care about and actually seeing them sitting in front of me, instead of the haze of my ragged agenda floating somewhere in the bubble above my head.
For what is this journey to recovery anyway than simply trying to find significance. For the adrenaline junkie, it's the significant in doing..."if I can just do ____" then surely I will find (security, relationships, meaning). It's the constant doing, doing, doing until the fire slowly ebbs out of you, frying your brain, your life, your very soul.
I don't anticipate an easy road ahead. There's always the illusion of adding heaps of stuff to my schedule in the anticipation of getting more of "whatever" it is that I think that will be accomplished.
Now, accomplishing nothing is the greatest feeling of all.
After 13 years, I am now firmly a recovering adrenaline junkie. I have ceased to find my "hit" by waiting until the last minute to try to work one month of effort into a 3 hour, no sleep, nail-biting day.
My recovery has had moments worthy of any addict who goes "off the wagon". The sleepless nights, the anxiety, the worry. All those things that give the appearance of importance dissolve into the meaningless abyss once you figure out that you don't have to live by the clock. You don't have to give your soul to chasing numbers and figures. In fact, when you do, you cease to exist in any measureable way and you lose whatever ground you've fought so hard to find.
The funny thing is, that once you realize that your life isn't about the scoreboard any more (and in reality, never was) you begin to loosen up and actually enjoy what you are doing. It's one of those life ironies -- the more you loosen up, the more you do better.
For me personally, I've discovered that I can keep a workable (translation -- functional) schedule, doling out my activity in bite size pieces and actually enjoy my work and the people in which I lead.
There's a lot more I can say about this but as any recovering junkie I'm still learning how to much to show, how much to tell. Since trust is a big issue for many of us, whatever "trash" we're into, I'm learning how much I can safely say. As with any dependency, just admitting that you're hooked is more than half the battle. For me, I was hooked on the sense that I was actually doing something, when in reality I was procrastinating, doing sloppy, careless work, all for the rush of going into motion and doing a yeoman's work in a matter of hours.
It's not been an easy recovery. Is any recovery easy? I find myself in my daily walks (for now, I have a daily schedule that includes walking (alone), eating (oh my gosh!) and spending time with those that I care about and actually seeing them sitting in front of me, instead of the haze of my ragged agenda floating somewhere in the bubble above my head.
For what is this journey to recovery anyway than simply trying to find significance. For the adrenaline junkie, it's the significant in doing..."if I can just do ____" then surely I will find (security, relationships, meaning). It's the constant doing, doing, doing until the fire slowly ebbs out of you, frying your brain, your life, your very soul.
I don't anticipate an easy road ahead. There's always the illusion of adding heaps of stuff to my schedule in the anticipation of getting more of "whatever" it is that I think that will be accomplished.
Now, accomplishing nothing is the greatest feeling of all.
New Orleans
I've been to New Orleans too many times. I was there in January of this year in fact. As I watch the footage on CNN I see some of the places where I've stayed and visited and it makes the disaster a bit more personal.
Some pundits are predicting, now with the levy breaking, that New Orleans will be something we study about in history classes. Some are blaming the erosion of the "wetlands", some are blaming the president. Seems everybody has a comment.
I don't have my profundity to share. Just the realization that my life is suddenly less complicated when I see the families who have lost everything. I wonder what I can do -- besides some hallowed prayer -- for those that have lost so much.
Some pundits are predicting, now with the levy breaking, that New Orleans will be something we study about in history classes. Some are blaming the erosion of the "wetlands", some are blaming the president. Seems everybody has a comment.
I don't have my profundity to share. Just the realization that my life is suddenly less complicated when I see the families who have lost everything. I wonder what I can do -- besides some hallowed prayer -- for those that have lost so much.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)