The Willie Way

Dirty minds, keep moving on. I'm not talking about that "willie." I'm talking about the important Willie, as in Nelson, as in the Red Headed Stranger, as in The Night Life Ain't No Good Life, But It's My Life. I've been reading "The Tao Of Willie" lately, and I have to say, I've been pleasantly surprised and pleased. No, I haven't really gained any new insight into the way of the Tao from Texas' favorite son, and I'm not even sure I favor the Tao of Willie to the Tao of Steve, but I have gained insight in how living a meaningful existence has benefited Willie. And that's worth the price of turning the pages alone. I used to just think Willie was charmed. Smoke pot every day. Play 36 holes. Play some music. Get on a slick-ass bus and travel the countryside. Be revered by the entire world. But I'm starting to realize Willie wasn't touched by God (well, maybe he was; how would I know?); he's just got his damn act together. Get your act together, live right, treat people right, and good things will happen to you. But you have to open your eyes first. You have to put ego aside. You have to realize you're not the most important person in the room, and the only way you can learn, experience, and gain real wisdom and enlightenment is to shut the hell up and just be. Just flippin' be. Sounds so easy, but it's oh so damn hard. But the motivation, oh . . . it's all there waiting. Need proof of reincarnation? Just stare a while at Willie, friends. The proof is wrapped in a bandanna.

You know what I'm tired of?

 Slacker

Richard Linklater's "Slacker" is one of my favorite movies ever. As much as it always amuses me for all the right reasons, I'm finding with age that the slacker mentality is annoying me more and more often these days. I've found that I'm really tired of certain people expecting a pat on the back for pulling off something they should have been doing all along anyway. I'm really tired of people expecting congratulations for doing the ordinary. For barely pulling off the ordinary. For barely attempting the ordinary. I've found I've really become annoyed with lack of foresight. Lack of vision. Lack of even taking a glance at what's ahead. I've found that possessing an honest, solid work ethic is very appealing in a person. Seeing someone work without an immense amount of hand-holding is becoming the equivalent of laying eyes on the Holy Grail itself. I'm beginning to think that exhibiting initiative is a lost art. That taking the logical next step is a gift of god only to be doled out to the very special. The rest of the unfortunate have evidently been left without the ability to think two steps ahead, let alone three. And forget about eyes in the back of their heads. They're too busy laying on their asses to need them. Why so bitter? I guess because I'm tired of excuses. Excuses are tiresome. Tired. Decayed. Graying. Worn out. Exhausted.