Carpe Jugulum

“Opportunities multiply as they are seized.”

— Sun Tzu

I wrote something on Facebook yesterday that I firmly believe in - and it definitely seemed to resonate with a lot of people. I didn't write it for any reason other than the need to express what a 'Don't Stop Believing' kind of day I was having, but it was interesting to see the response. Below is what I had to say:

Good things may come to those who wait. They also come to those who seize life by the throat and say 'I'm grabbing this while the opportunity exists'.

I know the importance of patience and forbearance, and realising that not everything can magically occur at once; but I also know from experience that usually the only way things happen for us is if we get off our backsides and make them happen.

Opportunities are just that - opportunities. They are not a gift, nor are they a right. They are a privilege, and they don't come around every day. Sitting back and expecting to have things handed to one on a silver platter, with added lollipops and rainbows, is not just unrealistic, it's lazy in body and mind.

There have been a lot of times over the past decade when my body hasn't wanted to co-operate with my mind in terms of taking up chances. For someone with a busy brain and a lot of ambition, this is possibly the ultimate frustration. So for me, at present, despite a few challenges to face in the short-term, I am determined to throttle the bejeebers out of every chance that comes my way.

And to be enormously grateful for what I am grabbing with both hands and holding onto tightly.

If you are lucky enough to be sound in body and spirit, and there is something out there you want, take a chance. You may well get knocked back. I have been. But you may also succeed beyond your wildest dreams; and if you're anything like me, said dreams will be pretty wild.

Carpe jugulum. Seize the throat. Grab your life and give it a massive shake up. Rattle that brain pan and find out what adventure ride in life you really want to be on - and then hop on board.

And be grateful that you have the energy, strength and ability to purchase a ticket to ride.

Strange Fruit

““For the sun to rot, for the trees to drop,
Here is a strange and bitter crop.””

— Billie Holiday, Strange Fruit

This is going to seem like an odd kind of gratitude post at first. But it is to do with being grateful, so this is where it belongs.

I was in Sydney during the week for work, and most of the experience was ace. Also, awesome. I was not only productive, but I got to hang out with the woman I am rapidly beginning to think is going to take over the world within the next six months, and of course my dearest Hurricane Henry (more on this later).

However.

One thing really stood out for me in terms of how far we have to go - as Australians, and as a species.

I was walking down Pitt Street to my next meeting and was going across the pedestrian crossing, when a young girl of Asian descent stumbled and accidentally knocked into another - well, I'll use the word Causcasian - girl in her early 20s. She apologised profusely but the 'victim' was having none of it. Next thing, I actually heard the words which I honestly thought were a cliché - 'go back to your own country you effing gook, we're full up'.

I was appalled; not so much by the words, but by the venom behind them. It was real and it was obvious and it was frightening. What was almost more frightening was the other girl's reaction.

Resignation.

Having just come from holidays in South East Asia, where I was treated with kindness and respect and occasionally good-natured laughter at my language abilities, I was scared; both by the fact that someone in their twenties, who has grown up in mulitcultural Australia, not the world of the 50s or even the 70s, had this attitude - and also by the fact that the girl she attacked almost seemed to expect it.

Again, you may be questioning where the gratitude may be in this.

I am grateful that my parents raised me without prejudice. I am grateful for my friends of all nationalities, especially those who put up with me speaking their languages poorly whilst their English is amazing. I am grateful that I am, I would like to think, able to see past race to the person. And I am very, very grateful that despite the way this repulsive girl represented our country, in the main, Australians are seen as good eggs. Because most of us are good people, and I hope would still be horrified by such casual vindictiveness - not accepting of it.

I am also grateful to the young girl, whom I went up to and asked if she was alright.

'Yeah' she said in a very broad Aussie accent.

'I'm used to it. But thank you for asking. It means a lot. In fact, you've made my day'. And she grinned and we both went onwards.

Gratitude works both ways it seems.

Because she made my day too.

Carpe Jugulum

““Opportunities multiply as they are seized””

— Sun Tzu

I wrote something on Facebook yesterday that I firmly believe in - and it definitely seemed to resonate with a lot of people. I didn't write it for any reason other than the need to express what a 'Don't Stop Believing' kind of day I was having, but it was interesting to see the response. Below is what I had to say:

Good things may come to those who wait. They also come to those who seize life by the throat and say 'I'm grabbing this while the opportunity exists'.

I know the importance of patience and forbearance, and realising that not everything can magically occur at once; but I also know from experience that usually the only way things happen for us is if we get off our backsides and make them happen.

Opportunities are just that - opportunities. They are not a gift, nor are they a right. They are a privilege, and they don't come around every day. Sitting back and expecting to have things handed to one on a silver platter, with added lollipops and rainbows, is not just unrealistic, it's lazy in body and mind.

There have been a lot of times over the past decade when my body hasn't wanted to co-operate with my mind in terms of taking up chances. For someone with a busy brain and a lot of ambition, this is possibly the ultimate frustration. So for me, at present, despite a few challenges to face in the short-term, I am determined to throttle the bejeebers out of every chance that comes my way.

And to be enormously grateful for what I am grabbing with both hands and holding onto tightly.

If you are lucky enough to be sound in body and spirit, and there is something out there you want, take a chance. You may well get knocked back. I have been. But you may also succeed beyond your wildest dreams; and if you're anything like me, said dreams will be pretty wild.

Carpe jugulum. Seize the throat. Grab your life and give it a massive shake up. Rattle that brain pan and find out what adventure ride in life you really want to be on - and then hop on board.

And be grateful that you have the energy, strength and ability to purchase a ticket to ride.