Be Worthy
Posted by delta on May 8th, 2020
Mr Joe Blow has always kinda looked at me and “sank” into themselves. Maybe it’s my eyes (just one of those guys born with “Mean Eyes”), maybe it’s that I’ve always been built (like a Brick Outhouse – even at 51 years old), maybe it’s that I don’t like sitting (they have no idea that it’s simply because after 5 minutes it’s just too hard to get out of a chair for me) or maybe it’s just the way I move from side to side while standing (as if I’m always ready to “GO” – which I am, truth be told)…
As a business owner, if the first person I see on site is male, I’ve always tried to smile first to relieve the tension before it began (I have a rather large smile) and say/do something to get them to laugh at me (not with me, at me) as quickly as I can. Charm goes a long way…
I have never liked that I intimidated people for no other reason than walking into a room. I like to watch people and it’s hard to watch them if they are watching you – they don’t act the way they would normally act, so I get a revision of their normal behavior…
For these reasons I thoroughly enjoy “watching” folks online. They can’t see me or anyone else. You can get more “intel” on how an individual thinks/feels about almost anything. Someone who cowers in front of you in person, or simply stays out of the conversation to be PC, will “let er rip” on Facebook or Twitter or…
What have I been seeing lately? The reason I got out…
I got out of the military because they made a mistake. Their mistake was that they sent me home for a few weeks…
While home, I was in a bar listening to a group of individuals talking about something they had no knowledge of and slamming that which they did not understand – they were simply regurgitating what they saw/heard on the news. That was it. I’m not going to protect this anymore, I actually wanted the “bad guys” to take these people out. I was one of the few standing between the “bad guys” and these idiots. I’m defending this? Defending these people who would go out of their way to offend me at the drop of a hat. Wasted my youth defending these people…
I got out and went to school. First thing I realized about college was that I was a rarity – I showed up on time (even after a harsh night), did my work and helped others (tutored calc and stats for free). I know that sounds extraordinary, but it’s not. I was surrounded by lazy people who were completely into themselves. It’s not that I was awesome or good, it’s just that they were so bad that it made me look good…
As an Audio/Visual Freelancer on an island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, I was everyones first call. I was a rigger, audio tech, video tech, lighting tech, GRFX op, tape op, playback op, camera op, spotlight op – you name it. I was all those things (and pretty good at each individual thing), not because I had to be (I could have been any ONE of those things and gotten by), because I loved the industry and loved to work. It was an addiction for me…
Most folks think it’s really cool to have a jack of all trades on their crew for that “special something” that inevitably pops up in the course of setup or a few days into the run of the show. All you have to do is show up on time, ready to work, ask the right questions beforehand so you would know what tools to bring, don’t worry about a break, be able to do any position the show required and be willing to stay after to reset anything that needed it. I have always thought it was crazy how rare it was – I wasn’t, and am not, that awesome.
When I became a technical director, project manager and producer I quickly realized how rare it was. To find someone who shows up on time, ready to work, ready to learn, is willing to ask questions, works instead of complains, doesn’t look at their watch or phone all day – it is indeed a rarity…
My biggest problem is that I have a brain. To realize that you are rare simply because you don’t suck, well, that sucks… I can’t even take a compliment because, in my brain, a compliment is not a compliment to me it is a jab at the incompetence of everyone else… To me, I have never done anything extraordinary – it’s just what I do and/or how I do it…
A few years ago I got out of the A/V business and bought a carpet cleaning company from my in-laws. Tell you what, finding employees…? Forget it… Someone who wants to work? Forget it… Someone who shows up on time? Forget it… Someone who doesn’t constantly call in sick? Forget it? Someone who can take their eyes off their phone to pay attention to what they are doing? Forget it…
When it comes to “Friending” or “Following” folks online I have chosen folks from all gambits – I like to know what my friends are thinking about things but I also like to know what other folks are thinking. I have a thing for thinking. I do not like to just read that which perpetuates my own prejudice – I like to look at the whole picture – I like to try to change my mind with other view points… I don’t care if it’s too far to the right or left, too republican or democrat, fear or hate – I want to read it…
The few things I can say with complete certainty right now is that I’m glad I’m not defending you anymore and that YOU SUCK… I want to ask of you, please, stop it – please make a point to stop sucking, please make it a point to try to be worthy. I was out of the military before starting a family – didn’t realize it until we started having kids that everything I did was for them – not for you, for them…
I am saying this simply because my daughter, my oldest, the beam of light straight from GOD who came into our family 17 years ago is leaving for the Naval Academy in two months. When she gets there she will take an oath to “support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic”. She is going to become an indentured slave who is going to be putting everything she has on the line for you… Be worthy of that – please stop, think, repent and be worthy of that…
These kids she will soon be serving with: In this day… at this time… under these conditions… These are kids who have the choice of any college in America… These are kids who do not have to join the military to get what they want out of life… This is their choice – BE WORTHY OF THAT