April 17 47/365 – "It is what it is"
Originally uploaded by bp6316

It is what it is. I hate the phrase. When I hear someone say it, I hear them saying, “Oh well.” I overheard someone say it at work this morning. Within minutes I had this post written nearly word for word in my head.

The sports world generally takes the blame for introducing the phrase into the mainstream. It’s often used by athletes and coaches alike to sum up difficulties they may be having. It’s a clue to sports reporters to drop it and move on because, well, it is what it is.

Have I mentioned that I hate that phrase? Here’s a few reasons why:

• It provides no consideration for any alternative.
• It gives no room for a differing opinion.
• It offers no other options or solutions.
• It invites mediocrity and discourages excellence.
• It permits a problem or issue to continue.
• It is saying, in essence, “Oh well.”

After all, it is what it is.

Let’s consider a few more ideas.

• What if Thomas Edison, after attempting to invent a light bulb some 10,000 times, had thrown up his hands and simply said, “It is what it is”?
• Abraham Lincoln did not sit back and watch as one state after another seceded from the Union, joining the Confederate States, and say, “It is what it is”.
• After witnessing and even experiencing some of the cruel acts the British Empire was exercising on the Indian people, Mohandas Gandhi did not simply shake his head and say, “It is what it is.”
• Orville and Wilbur Wright had failed at their own attempts to fly. They had witnessed others fail to be able to control flight, beyond that of a little gliding, yet they did not turn away and say, “It is what it is.”
• By the late 1930′s Winston Churchill had suffered political isolation. His reputation was tarnished in the British Parliament and England as a whole. Largely because of his unpopular opposition to the rise of Nazi Germany. He did not resign to the life of a private citizen and simply say, “It is what it is.”
• Though blind and deaf, Helen Keller, graduated from college, was an author, activist, and lecturer. She did not simply accept the handicaps she had been born with and say, “It is what it is.”

In short, great people do not say, “It is what it is.” They provide solutions. They triumph over tragedy. They succeed in spite of failures. They inspire while defeating adversity. Because sometimes, it is not what it is.

Wallpaper
Originally uploaded by Luís Vieira

I was ready to mow the lawn. As I put on my old shoes for the task, I ventured into the bedroom to get my iPod. I found it, but there were no headphones to be found. I searched every place I could think of, but to no avail. So I sent a text to my wife, Rachael asking her if she knew where they were.

I’ll be the first to admit I have an irrational connection with my iPod, or more correctly stated the music my iPod plays. Before the iPod it was my stereo, my Walkman, or my XM Radio. I’m a music lover. I’ve been this way for as long as I can remember. If I was doing my homework, I was listening to music. If I am driving down the road, I’m listening to music. If I am sitting at work, I’m listening to music. If I’m hammering out yet another blog post on my computer, I’m listening to music (currently listening to Daisychains by Youth Group).

When it boils right down to the heart of the matter that’s our collective problem isn’t it? As Congress, the President, and American citizens all debate a $700 billion bailout this very evening we’re enjoying those things we really needed.

• Can a teen be popular without designer clothing?
• Can a man be happy without his tricked out car?
• Can a woman be happy without 100 pairs of shoes in the closet?
• Can we truly live the American Dream without the largest house on the block?

I say we can. Even I can mow the lawn without my iPod. It’s different, but not impossible. Life is still moving right along.

Benjamin Franklin, Statue at the Old Post Office, Washington DC, by Jacques Jouvenal
Originally uploaded by solostandfound

This month: Spotlighting Benjamin Franklin

Someone once said, “People will accept your ideas much more readily if you tell them Benjamin Franklin said it first.” It’s a valid observation. Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) was more than just a founding father of the United States of America. Known for his wit and wisdom he was a successful author, inventor, politician, scientist, ambassador, satirist, and much more. In our world today, networking is seen as a key to success. Especially now that the Internet is at the forefront of most new ideas, business, and marketing. In Benjamin Franklin’s world there was no Internet, no television, and no radio. Yet, he became so well known that he could go to most countries and be recognized because of his achievements. Thankfully, he also had a great deal to say. Much of which we’re still repeating to this day. If you’ve read very much at all, the odds are pretty good you’ve stumbled across a Benjamin Franklin quote. Here are a few for the taking:

“Wise men don’t need advice. Fools won’t take it.”

“At twenty years of age the will reigns; at thirty, the wit; and at forty, the judgment.”

“An old young man, will be a young old man.”

“Rather go to bed with out dinner than to rise in debt.”

“It is easier to prevent bad habits than to break them.”

“Write your injuries in dust, your benefits in marble.”

“Glass, china, and reputation are easily cracked, and never mended well.”

“Three can keep a secret if two are dead.”

“We are all born ignorant, but one must work hard to remain stupid.”

“Words may show a man’s wit but actions his meaning.”

Abandoned Chin Tiki Restaurant-Detroit ( featured in the movie 8 Mile )
Originally uploaded by Derek Farr ( DetroitDerek )

John Moore has an ongoing series where he asks some simple questions about some very familiar brands. It’s interesting to me because many times I have not thought about doing without many of them. Many have been such fixtures in our culture (Dairy Queen, UPS, and the NHL to name a select few) that we cannot imagine being without them.

That’s the kind of change I was referring to in my previous post. There’s not much we would be able to do if Dairy Queen or some other fixture in the fast-food culture were to suddenly disappear. Would it really mean that much to us if it did disappear? Of course you can take it one step further and ask the same thing about historical fixtures in this life. The Leaning Tower of Pisa, the Pyramids of Egypt, and so on. Would it really mean that much to us if they were to fade away? Then of course, we could go one step further. What about a loved one? All of us have lost loved ones and know the pain that comes from that loss. Of all these changes, which is really the most important to us? Which of these do we get upset about? Which of these should we get upset about?

Therein lies my point. Sometimes we grow upset, we protest, or we do everything in our power to fight changes that in the end do not matter. Instead of adapting and accepting them, we get up in arms. I’ve seen it time and again over some of the most minute of things.

• A new dress code policy at work.
• A renewed focus on attitude at work.
• A new strategy at work.

Should we really have such an emotional bond to any of these things? Are they worth the headaches we incur by fighting them? If you have an improved solution, then by all means go for it, but in the grand scheme of things are the changes worth protesting?

Just some things to think about.

Originally uploaded by Aggtastic

Tonight, New York City says goodbye to the house that Ruth built. 85 years of baseball history will be torn down at the conclusion of this season and a new stadium will take its place. I’ll be the first to admit that I am not a Yankees fan, and yet a part of me hates to see it go. All for selfish reasons of course. I would have liked to have watched a game there. That’s the primary reason I have for wishing the stadium could have hung around just a little while longer.

Life does this to us from time to time. If I may use a baseball reference, life deals us a change-up ever so often.

Very rarely do things stay the same, no matter how much we may want them to. Until May of this year, the Leaning Tower of Pisa was leaning just a little bit more each year. Though we’ve done what we can to stall its demise, one day it will most likely collapse. On an even more serious note, at some point someone very special to us in our life will pass away. How will we deal with the change?

This past weekend my wife and I visited my brother, sister-in-law, and their new baby. Their new son has brought on change in everyone’s life around him. No matter our reaction to it.

The trip required I take a trip back to my old hometown. Although I have been there occasionally over the years since I’ve left, for some reason this time I took note of many changes. New buildings were being built. New roads were being laid. New changes were afoot all over the place. They’re altering the landscape of my memories. There’s not much I can do (nor would I want to) to combat the changes going on either. It’s just the way life is. It throws us change-ups.

How do you deal with change? I’m talking about the change that is completely out of your control. Do you become upset, do you protest, or do you accept it?

what do i do now?
Originally uploaded by scottelbot

Indulge me for a moment if you will.

As you are aware I enjoy great photography. I have dabbled in the art for a while now. It has always been recreational. At the behest of several good friends and my wife I’ve been seriously considering taking things to the next level. I’ve recently purchased a new camera, a better editing program, and have been working on ideas for projects. All the while I was waiting for that day that I knew I was ready to start working professionally (I know, not even taking my own advice).

Last night I was thrown into the fire. A bride to be who lost her photographer only a month before her wedding was pointed in my direction. I appreciate Chris’ kind word of mouth. Suddenly I find myself surfing wedding blogs, wedding photos, and so on. I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure this new experience is top quality.

I guess I am blogging about it here because I am a little nervous about things. I had been telling myself I wasn’t ready yet, it would take some time, I needed more practice, etc. Now here I am diving head first into my first project. A full fledged wedding…

I must give credit to an inspiration of mine, Alisha Hurt. She’s not only been a good friend, photographer at my own wedding, but a great help in preparing me for this jump. Check out her great work. You will not be disappointed. Some of her work was recently featured on The Bride’s Cafe as well.

Into the fire I go.

VW Bus at Sossusvlei
Originally uploaded by chrisch

“We should be too big to take offense and too noble to give it.” ~ Abraham Lincoln

Just something to consider the next time you have the urge to get up in arms about something trivial. Is it worth your time and mental energy? I think it can be said that in most cases it is not.

Originally uploaded by matty franklin

Patience is difficult to learn. It’s a fact for most of us. Especially in today’s world of instant gratification. How can something be worth any wait?

We’ve been groomed by society to throw patience aside. It’s rarely considered a virtue. For example, we’re told we deserve fast service when we go out to eat (not that we don’t), so most places have a drive-thru. Even banks, liquor stores, and some pharmacies feature them. The message is, “We know you’re busy and don’t have time to get out of your car.” But are we really that busy? Do we really have so little time that we are incapable of stopping for a moment and getting out of our car? Will it ruin our day?

There’s nothing inherently wrong with these things. They’re a convenience that the business offers its customers. They’re nice and do make things easier. But I think because so much in America is about, “Now, now, now!” we have a tendency to forget the value of patience. Some results are truly worth a little bit of a wait. If we rush everything, we lose a great deal of quality in our lives.

• Parents with children understand the value of patience. Patience that I do not have right now, but maybe someday.
• Being a teacher requires patience. If you don’t have it before you become one, you will learn it quickly.
• Higher education requires a form of patience. While in school we want those 4 years to go by quickly and some days are faced with dread. In time, however, we’ll be able to look back and be thankful we got through those years of studying. In fact, college will seem like a breeze when compared to some of the things the real world can throw at you.

I could go on, but I think you get the drift.

One should not confuse patience with waiting. Sometimes we wait for things to come to us and call it patience. We wait for that promotion to come to us, while doing very little to achieve it. We wait for recognition, instead of doing the things to earn the recognition we believe we deserve. We wait for the pretty girl in class (or wherever) to notice us, instead of just asking her out to dinner.

Patience should never be confused for waiting. When we wait for things to happen, they may never occur. The promotion or girl will most likely pass us by. When we’re patient while working towards a goal, we almost always receive a valuable reward.

It’s time to wrap up this post. I thank you for your patience.

“Patience is power; with time and patience the mulberry leaf becomes a silk gown.” ~ Chinese Proverb