Trees Which Drop Thousands of Tiny Leaves
For strangest of reasons, I was almost certain there'd be snow on the ground this morning, but instead, there was a light mist which had me wondering if it would later turn into sleet, but thankfully it didn't. Just about everyone I spoke with today, had something to say about the coming snow, and the last I heard, we're likely going to be getting a good eight inches before it's over. Ugh!
It was a semi-quiet day at the office after I finished-up on the little project I was handed yesterday, so at least that little paying-it-forward was off my plate. I did learn a few more things about creating templates out of it, which I'll certainly be using in the future, so it wasn't all for naught.
One of my sellers called later this morning, and asked if I would have time to go out and look at the home they've been working at getting readied for the market, and since I was free, I headed right over to their home that's evolving into quite the showplace, and when walking in, I was stunned by the amount of work they'd done since I was there last. After I was given the full tour, I couldn't have complimented them enough for the exceptional work they've done, and by the looks of it, they should have it ready for the open market sometime in February. It would've been completed months ago, but they had some unfortunate health issues they needed to get resolved, and thankfully all is now well with them. You can be sure I'll be taking more photos than I normally do, just so the buyers can get the full picture of it while online.
There was a showing today on my condo listing over at Penn Place, which is telling me the buyers are now beginning to emerge from their winter slumber. That's another listing of mine which has been under the radar since it was listed shortly after Thanksgiving. In my mind's eye, I can still see the original owner of that unit, seated near the front window, playing his grand piano. I'm not sure if he was a retired teacher, but I did have an opportunity to hear him play a very many years ago when I was at a try-out for a musical that was being put on by our Community Theatre. For whatever reason, I decided to audition for the main role, and after I sang one of the songs for him, he quietly whispered, "After hearing your voice, I have to tell you if it were up to me, I'd be offering you the role right now."
Well, as part of my learning-curve of how our little pockets of culture and government works in this City, I discovered that it wasn't because I didn't have the voice, but rather due to my not being in the circle of their regular players. I'll not forget the night I was called by the director telling me how pleased he was to offer me a lesser singing role. It came as quite the shock to him when I bluntly said, "Thanks but no thanks, because the only role I tried out for, was the lead role, and since I didn't get it, I'm not interested."?Oh, you should have heard him back-pedaling, and then almost pleading with me, but I wouldn't budge. He actually called me two more times before he finally got the message I wasn't interested. You likely now think I was being a bit pompous, but really not because I heard the "lead role" sing the night of those auditions, and believe me, I was not one bit impressed.
That incident was one of a number which created a hard and fast confirmation that nearly always, it has nothing to do with what your gifts are, but rather who you know, so if you have any hopes of getting on the inside track with those in charge, you'd better be a very good "greaser", or you'll be left waiting at the doorsteps of success while the "greasers" are stepping over your body. Now if you think I'm being too black and white about the subject, start paying a little more attention to who gets what, and how fast.
It was possibly about ten years ago when a music director from an inner circle, started to chastise me in a string of emails regarding a celebration I played for the previous week. Unfortunately for her, she didn't realize I wasn't going to back down from my core beliefs, so I began kicking-back at her in between her emails, until I finally had enough and said something like, "If you want me to take this conversation to the next level, I will, so let's just leave it alone." It wasn't but a month or two later, I began to discover she was very slowly and deliberately, working at getting me to the point where I would just walk away from it all, and that's exactly what I did.
The two examples I've given, were only two of many I'll not forget, but at the end of the day, I can definitely say I graduated with honors from the school of understanding tribalism with those spiritual and temporal circles which are part of every community. Now I pose the question, "If you have to agree with every action and idea coming out of the mouths of the dogs leading spiritual or temporal circles, then why are you even a part of it?", as I'd rather be out doing my own thing instead of following a lead-goat.
Another example on the subject I'll give, and then leave it be. You likely didn't know that I was on a committee that was supposed to offer input on the re-vamping of Federal Avenue in our Downtown back about 12 years ago. Well, I gave them hard and fast suggestions and my reasons why, which went in one ear and out the other. I told them those pavers wouldn't last, and they didn't, and also rejected the idea of planting those vile Locust trees which drop thousands of tiny leaves and get blown into buildings, which they planted anyway, and my list goes one. Now wouldn't you believe my time spent was just another big waste of energy? Rest assured, it's happening on a regular basis, so the next time you see something that looks out of place or style, you'll be reminded of my words. I still can't believe how ugly that bridge to no-where looks, and especially that out-of-style bump-out addition they added to the Music Man Square.
Tonight's One-liner is: I really wonder what gives us the right to wreck this poor planet of ours.