A Collection of Some Things I Found, Some Thoughts I Had This Week
Wading through the dog days of summer, before September brings on a whole new set of problems and opportunities to solve them. Or avoid them...
In the meantime, here are two inspiring videos, and two informative ones. Anyone should be able to find some value in watching the first two, even the one directed at artists. The last two are more specific in scope, but nonetheless illuminating for a general audience. I also love following their YouTube channels: their work is entertaining, but also insightful.
Enjoy!
(One of my favorite scenes from the movie Fiddler on the Roof. Looking through photos from the movie, I began thinking about which of the men in these young women's lives I most like. I am definitely not as handsome and forward as Fyedka, and I am no longer as idealistic as Perchik. So, I guess that leaves... Motel?)
(Click here to see a video clip of the scene pictured below.)
Do you want to be happy? Well, start by learning how to be miserable! Seriously. Then do the opposite. It is not a guarantee that you will always be happy, but you will create more opportunities to not be miserable. Didn't follow any of that? Watch the video. It's only six minutes. And if you still want to be miserable (or want to learn more ways to avoid the things that definitely cause misery), here is a great book: How to be Miserable: 40 Strategies You Already Use by Randy J. Paterson.
Yes. This video is directed at artists. And, yes, it sounds like clickbait. However, having watched all ten minutes of it several times, I can tell you that it is worth the time. Especially for anyone struggling to create anything in life, or finding it difficult to change an aspect of their life. I found great life advice through this video, one of which is "action comes BEFORE motivation". The other is "thinking about stuff is NOT doing stuff"; it's just another form of procrastination. And he delivers it all with an accent.
(Interestingly enough, it has been nearly three months since I first discovered this video, and I have not viewed any of his other stuff. Also, at some point I need to write up how I applied this advice, and why it works for me.)
This next video is geared towards writers, specifically unpublished authors dreaming of entering the marketplace (Lindsay Ellis, the creator, also discuses movies in her other videos--I find her intelligent and entertaining, so I have subscribed to her channel). In this video, she talks about her efforts to publish a book she wrote. I do hope to write several novels before I die (including a graphic novel). So I have found her experiences pertinent. However, I think most people would find what she has to say about the publishing industry and the struggles of a writer interesting. Too many people believe too many myths about getting published. Even if you are not looking to become an author, what Lindsay Ellis has to say about the process will give you a better perspective on it. And we can all use a good amount of myth busting in our lives.
(And, like I said, I think she is entertaining to watch.)
With this last video, is not for everyone. In fact, I can think of only one person among the five people who read my blog on a regular basis that would find this video interesting. But I would remiss if I did not include. I discovered this guy about a month into the pandemic, while researching various workout routines. I don't know if it was the sincerity with which he delivered his thoughts and advice, his focus on science and data to drive his approach to diet and exercise, or his passion and sense of humor for his craft, but something has me returning to his channel each time he posts a new video. I have no intention of being a bodybuilder, but I do find his knowledge and advice on nutrition and exercise useful and inspiring. The video I chose will be of some interest to people who are sick and tired of listening to a certain kind of diet advice.
In the end, I love seeing other people be passionate about something, analyze it, and then make a genuine effort to teach it to other people.
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