Something Better Might Come Along

Something Better Might Come Along

Movers & Shakers.  I hate that phrase.  Mostly because I don’t think a “mover” & a “shaker” are the same thing.  They often get grouped together.  But a “mover” to me, is a person who is in a deliberate motion.  They know what they want, even if they aren’t sure how to get it.  They put their head down and bully ahead.  A “shaker” seems to be someone who has no direction in every sense of the word.  They might be in motion, but their feet are planted to the ground.

I was once a shaker.  But I have worked hard to turn myself into a mover.  Both creatively & socially, I have put an awful lot of miles on my car and my body in recent years.  I might not be the guy who jumps in his car and treks to New York to see a band  I have only heard a song or two from, but I did take Julie to see Belle & Sebastian in D.C. this Autumn (I only know 1 or 2 of their songs).

At some point I realized the only way I will do things in this life is if “I” do things.  I have appointed myself the “head of fun and games” in my life.  And, whether they like it or not, my friends lives too.  I try to include others.  Too many others, which is usually the death knell for a good time occurring in the first place.  Not to say my friends aren’t awesome, they absolutely are!  It’s just sometimes they are unmotivated cunts. 

And again, not all of them (like the ones reading this blog…tee hee!).  It’s just hard to get people to commit.

It’s what I call the “something better might come along” mentality.

If you send an Evite out to 100 people, 10 will undoubtedly answer within the first 24 hours.  Even if their answer is “no,” they at least let on their intentions.  Even a “maybe” or two indicates a personal message of “you are on my radar.”  That’s nice.  I can buy food and alcohol around that mentality.  After 2 days you’ll likely have another 5 answers.  2 days after that maybe another 5…this where things start to fall off.  After a week, if you’re lucky, you might have the intentions of 25% of your invitees.  So, what’s with the other 75%?

It’s possible a large percentage of them might have simply forgot, but 75% of them? 

It’s also possible a large percentage of them haven’t checked their email, but again, 75% in a technologically controlled world?  Seems a bit…skewed.

More than likely they are thinking, “something better might come along.” 

But it won’t.  How do I know?  Because you’re a loser.  Don’t believe me?  Let’s look back at the last month, hell even the last year!  What did you do that was noteworthy?

“I went to the beach.”

Great!  Have fun with that skin cancer buddy!  And it’s the dead of winter, so unless you’re hopping a Cessna, I think you’re shit out of luck there fella.

“I saw a movie.”

Really?  Which one?

“I don’t remember…you were there…it was Christmas Day.”

Right.  It was My Girl and that was in the 90s.

“Well, I would have to get a babysitter.”

Wow.  What a drag.  But this is a party.  It’s not like you need a sitter so you can go to the doctor to treat the previously mentioned skin cancer.

“We’ll see.”

Sweet, our very own peek-a-boo!  You do remember how to have fun right?  I mean I assume so seeing as you have a kid you need to get a sitter for in the first place.

“I don’t like you.”

Hey, fair enough.  Honesty is great.  So why couldn’t you have checked “no” in the first place?  I don’t even need a reason, just give me an answer.

When I was in High School, I used to film stuff with my video camera.  Skits & the such.  Word (and videos) got around school (not those types of videos).  People started coming up to me and saying, “Let me know if you ever need someone to film.”  I would call on them a week later.  They were busy.  Again another week later.  Busy.  A month later.  Can’t do it.  So you don’t actually want to put forth effort, you just want the end result, is that it?  I’m down with that dude.  It’s why I’ve stopped eating all together and have taken up just throwing food directly into the shitter.  Eff that middle mad crud.

So my new year’s resolution is to do more with less.  Rather than try and plan the big outings, I’ll just plan for 2.

-I have been trying to get a group to go out and ride a mechanical bull for the past 5 years.  2011 – I’ll do it and Julie can tell the tale.

-I was thinking about putting together a big bowling tournament similar to one my brother Erick did right out of High School.  2011 – I’ll go bowling with Erick.

-I always talk about getting a bunch of people to do something I have NEVER done before, visit the Statue of Liberty.  2011 – I’ll conquer the stone faced bitch!

Normally at this time of year, I’d send an email to around 10 people about going to see the Phillies opening day.  But rather than deal with the “no answer ‘no’s’”, the odd “no answer ‘yes’s’”, the “let me get back to you when tickets are impossible to come by’s” and the “probably, but you front the money and I’ll let you know’s,” I have told the wife to take off and acquired a mere 2 tickets. 

If you’re interested in going, I say GREAT!  Go ahead and buy yourself a ticket.  I hope to see you all there…

…But I’ll forgive you if something better comes along.