Earlier this morning, I noticed that my typical dry-erase window writing was showing up particularly well. Fog, I noted, is even better than blue sky, for blue-skying on a window.
Since our family is now proudly represented on “The Mountain” by Knight, I’m happy to pass along this essay by Jon Meacham, editor of Newsweek and the current Pulitzer Prize winner for non-fiction.
“I love Sewanee, an Episcopal university tucked away on 13,000 rural acres of the Cumberland Plateau. It is a place where students and faculty wear academic gowns to class, where the vice chancellor also serves as mayor, and where I spent four years without having a key to my room, much less locking it. Modernity intrudes with a single full-time traffic light on campus, but for years that incursion was ameliorated by the sight of a professor of religion’s cat taking a daily nap on the street directly beneath the light. People knew to steer clear.”
1. Having two college students at home for the holidays (unless graduate school happens, this is the only year this will happen at the Hammock household) means there’s an extra week (or in our case, two) of vacation for some people (kids), but not other people (parents). My son (who will be called Knight from this point forward) and daughter (who will be called Ann-Parker from this point forward) are both working, however, so they’d argue with the label “vacation” as in holiday.
2. I’m two sessions into a four session commitment (to Ann-Parker) to attend hot yoga with her. It has made me discover two things: A. I have absolutely no balance — I’m amazed I can ride a bike as I find it difficult even to stand on one lege. B. Hot yoga is not mentioned in the works of Dante, but its certainly a ring of hell. My third session is tonight. I must admit, the second session was better than the first. Developing.
3. I am writing a rather detailed post explaining my 2010 ‘blogging” strategy (a first) that includes making this blog my personal blog, while focusing on professional stuff on RexBlog and Hammock.com.
For a team to start out 0-6 and then end the season 8-8, it takes some amazing things. Like a new - and renewed quarterback. And hurt players to get back on the field. And an amazing running back to run 2,000 yards in one season. This was the worst Titans team I’ve ever seen play — and it turned into one of the best Titans teams I’ve ever seen play. That’s not quite as good as getting into the playoffs. But it’s more memorable. And as a sports metaphor for life, it doesn’t get any better.
"One of the most common things I hear is, “I’d like to do something remarkable like that, but my xyz won’t let me.” Where xyz = my boss, my publisher, my partner, my licensor, my franchisor, etc. Well, you can fail by going along with that and not doing it, or you can do it, cause a ruckus and work things out later. In my experience, once it’s clear you’re willing (not just willing, but itching, moving, and yes, implementing) without them, things start to happen. People are rarely willing to step up and stop you, and often just waiting to follow someone crazy enough to actually do something. I’m going. Come along if you like."
