Churchill, Popovich and Redemption

My Dad loves telling that Winston Churchill quote about measuring a person's success not by "how high he climbs but how high he bounces when he hits bottom."  To put that quote in a noun, I think it'll be called "redemption."

This week, in a defeat of my prognosticating skills, the San Antonio Spurs shocked the two-time defending champs, Miami Heat, by winning this year's NBA Championship in a very convincing manner.  



It definitely made up - redeemed them - for last year's oh so close call.  Sometimes, sports goes beyond just being about sports and this is that rare occasion.  

They'd been written of after last year's defeat - that they were too old, players should be changed, etc. - and to come back in a manner they did demonstrated that oh so rare ability to get up and make a go at things again.

The irony, of course, is that had they actually won last year, there'd be no beautiful redemption story.  Sometimes one wonders if things happen to us to allow us to inspire others - more on this later.  More of God's mysterious ways, perhaps?

A few final thoughts on the Spurs' victory:

- The coach, Gregg Popovich, has been coaching 17 years but his success partly comes from the fact that he adjusts to his players and adjusted to the game.  He's understood that those things evolve and he has not pushed his own agenda...style of play.  

- He values his players as human beings - once stopping a coaching session to honor the passage of a law honoring native Australians in a nod to one of his players, Patty Mills, being of Aboriginal descent. 

Written June 19, 2014

Everything you needed to know about us....Part 1

Thought it'd be a great day to impart the wisdom of the late Bill Hicks.  Presenting, the human being in a few words.  I paraphrase here his "It's just a ride.":

The world is like a ride at an amusement park, and when you choose to go on it, you think it's real, because that's how powerful our minds are. And the ride goes up and down and round and round and it has thrills and chills and it's very brightly colored and it's very loud. And it's fun, for a while.

Some people have been on the ride for a long time, and they begin to question: 'Is this real? Or is this just a ride?' And other people have remembered, and they come back to us and they say 'Hey! Don't worry, don't be afraid -- ever -- because... this is just a ride.' 

And we kill those people.

We tell others:  'Shut him up! We have a lot invested in this ride! Shut him up! Look at my furrows of worry; look at my big bank account, and my family. This has to be real.' 

But, we forget that it's just a ride. 

But we always kill those good guys who try and tell us that -- ever notice that? -- and we let the demons run amok. 

But it doesn't matter, because... it's just a ride, and we can change it any time we want. It's only a choice. No effort. No worry. No job. No savings and money. Just a choice, right now, between fear and love. The eyes of fear want you to put bigger locks on your door, buy bigger guns, close yourself off. The eyes of love, instead, see all of us as one.

Here's what we can do to change the world, right now, into a better ride. Take all that money we spend on weapons and defense each year and, instead, spend it feeding, clothing and educating the poor of the world, which it would do many times over -- not one human being excluded -- and we can explore space together, both inner and outer, forever. In peace.

Bill Hicks hadn't been a religious person and, in fact, had been known to ridicule that from time to time, but, I think one can see a spiritual slant in that above piece.  

I suppose I'd been inspired to share this piece after a week that saw Carlo share a great speech, I'd understood the human being a little bit more and other things.  

We may have doubts with the things we do - especially if others don't see the wisdom in what we do, but, I suppose you can rest easy knowing that you're doing them because you've a sense of purpose.  Hopefully, it's one that's out of love.  

If you want to watch the piece, check it here.  

Written April 6, 2014

"Do it right, people...."

Too often we've great items out there that don't get to see light because those behind them don't understand the importance of branding and marketing.  

They'll spend time and money developing and then.....

Case in point is this one from "Clark Land."  Not heard of them?  Then, that's your fault because they've done everything to get known including coming up with this really hilarious website ("Dinosaurs Island is  a animatronic theme park and museum that  is designed to  offer visitors a unique interactive learning experience of the dinosaurs ere with life size creatures") that was apparently put together from someone in China whose previous masterpiece is this.

By the way, don't forget to visit their "Dinosaurs Skeliton Museo."

Now, it looks like a fun place - do watch their atrociously done video as there's always, always something endearing about men in dino suits - and I'll most probably take the kids to it, but, am afraid it's not going to bring in tourists.  

I'm not being mean here, but, I'm just saying if you're going to do something, do it great and don't skimp on branding.  Would it have hurt had they set aside a few million Pesos for it?  

For theme parks here, I think Enchanted Kingdom is still the gold standard.  They're saying, "You don't have to be an international brand to do great in the Philippines."

Written December 18, 2013

Black Friday, the Pope, and St Francis

Noticed this year that we didn’t celebrate that grand American tradition involving turkey that happens last week of November  – yup, am talking about “Black Friday” – the day that American retailers start seeing black ink in their books and, yup, when the official nuttiness begins (make sure you watch both videos.  Hilarious!).

Yup, under extreme circumstances - after a super typhoon and during a 50% off sale - we revert to being animals.  

  

This week also saw the Pope officially declare himself as nutty for coming out with his declaration against consumerism, inequality and greed.  I know the Catholic Church has been accused of holding on to the past, but, this is absurd.  Observe:

"We've created new idols.  The worship of the ancient golden calf...has returned in a new and ruthless guise in the idolatry of money...."

"Just as the commandment 'Thou not kill' sets a clear limit in order to safeguard the value of human life...we also have to say 'thou shalt not' to an economy of exclusion and inequality.  Such an economy kills.  How can it be that it is not a news item when an elderly homeless person dies of exposure, but it is news when the stock market loses two points."

"Money must serve not rule!  The Pope loves everyone, rich and poor alike, but he is obliged in the name of Christ to remind all that the rich must help, respect and promote the poor."

The guy wants us to really go way, way, "way back Thursday" by…gasp…going all the way to Jesus who talked about pretty much the same things.  Ironically, that's a breath of fresh air.  

To me, there seemed to be too much focus in recent past on homosexuality, contraceptives and reproduction and just made one, well....very horny. 

The Pope named himself after St. Francis of Assisi – another throwback kind of nutty guy.  Let’s call him the original anti-consumerist – the rich son of a merchant who gave up worldly possessions and started an order after hearing God’s voice.

This just in:  There is no truth to the rumor that with Paul Walker's death the Pope will be in "Fast and Furious 8."  

Incidentally, been watching a 1961 film on St. Francis on YouTube which you can catch here if you’ve time off from your shopping chores.  Though now found to be wrongly attributed to him, the prayer named for him is a great reminder for 'tis season (you can check out a gorgeous Sinead O’Connor version here):

Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace;

Where there is hatred, let me sow love;

Where there is injury, pardon;

Where there is error, truth;

Where there is doubt, faith;

Where there is despair, hope;

Where there is darkness, light;

And where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, Grant that I may not so much seek

To be consoled as to console;

To be understood as to understand;

To be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive;

It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;

And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Written December 1, 2013