From Coffee Shops to Concerts: Observations on Simplicity, Growth, and Understanding

Things that were on my mind, yesterday.

The Bible Study group that showed up at the coffee shop with a box of donuts, and most of the members are drinking water. The coffee shop may be fine with it, but it strikes me as odd, and a bit selfish.

People who consistently complain and act like they want advice seem to enjoy complaining. I try and fail, occasionally, not to complain about things I don't want advice on or don't want to resolve. Most of the time, my complaints or anger are internal to me, as there is something I did and shouldn't have or something I should have done, and I need to focus on my behavior.  

People assume that because we live in a small town in a red state, we must have small minds. It would help if more blue-state people to spend time occasionally in a red-state. They might be surprised that our differences are not as great as they might think, and it is important to understand people with different perspectives than their own

Frank and I joined two friends on Friday night at a concert fundraiser for the Local Arts Museum in Longview, TX. Local folks joined, brought their dinner, enjoyed each other's company, and then enjoyed a great concert. Before walking in the door, we didn't get scanned for politics, religion, or opinions. We all sat as a community. This could have been anywhere, but this happened to be in a community where 7 out of 10 voters chose Trump in the last election.

If people on every side of an issue took a moment to learn from the other side's point of view, they might surprise themselves.  To be mad and call everyone from the other side ignorant or stupid without understanding why they take the position they do makes their position not wise.  There may be only one truth, but there can be many different answers derived from the same set of facts.  Our opinions and positions are derived from our experiences, family, and community.

People who assume that because they knew me years ago, they know who I am today. I continue to evolve and change as a human being, trying to keep an open mind and be willing to explore new ideas and opportunities.  I thrive on change.  

Work is a great example.  Over the last two years, I have taken numerous classes in B2B marketing and AI, as well as other classes and certifications.  I was curious, and with online classes, I could explore new experiences and gain new skills.

Why peope don't take time to slow down to understand their own lives and whether they are happy. I see so many people busy, going from meeting to meeting to the event, to the gym, and more, without taking a moment to exhale. I have to take a breath, usually early in the morning on my walks, and make sure I like where I am headed. I like my life to be a marathon, seeing new scenery, ideas, and opportunities. If I repeat the same experience, I become bored and even depressed.

These short videos on TikTok, Facebook Reals, or other platforms that have people doing stupid stuff, like silly dances or playing tricks on each other, seem to not only be od,d but people forget they are now going to live forever online.  They make money quickly from online ads, which has created a broad culture where being a celebrity is their only talent.  Imagine a hundred years from now, later generations of their family see these videos of their great uncle doing stupid things and wonder what was the point.  Imagine them reading this blog and wondering about me!

Misplaced arrogance.  There are people that have earned the right to be arrogant.  I don't like Elon Musk, but his arrogance is understandable.  I think his legacy, especially around Starlink and SpaceX, will be remembered for a long time.  Oprah Winfrey has created an empire using her mind and talent, and even though I don't agree with all of her philosophies, she deserves to be arrogant and determined.  

However, very few of us are entitled to be arrogant.  Money alone, or a professional title, doesn't entitle one to be arrogant. Someone could have won hundreds of millions in a Powerball lottery, but did that miraculously change them into some genius?

People assume that because of their past success, their choice of religion, or the self-help books they have read, their perspective is the right one and the only right one. I hate to ask, but I must: If the self-help guru has figured out true happiness and fulfillment, why do they require a series of books, websites, and fee-based events to share that with the world?

Misplaced arrogance causes hatred. People who decide they know best, and there is one correct answer, believe those who disagree with them are bad or worse. 

We live in a time where diversity initiatives, whether at work, in school, or in communities, are under attack but we need them more than ever.  We need to see, hear, and listen to people who don't see life as we do.  Open minds and diverse thoughts are good not only for society but also for ourselves.  It makes us better, can help us see how differences can improve our lives, and may make us open our own minds to new and different possibilities.

OK, I thought I was done, but I have one more.  Smartphones, that don't appear smart nor do they make me feel smarter.  

I had a five-year-old iPhone XR.  While walking through Savannah a few months ago, I slipped and needed a new phone.  The same morning, I ended up with a brand new iPhone 15 Pro.  It looks just like my XR once you add the necessary case.  It has a fantastic camera and can do all kinds of amazing things, including track my steps and monitor my sleep and health.  The problem is, I don't want it to track my steps, sleep, or health.  I also don't need a camera powered by software to improve my pictures. The XR Camera was just fine, and when I shared pics online, people liked them. I also want to avoid software-enhanced photos.  They feel somewhat dishonest, as when I take a picture of what I am looking at, I just want to share what my eyes see. 

I would be happy with a basic iPhone, faster, but I did not need it to do more than the iPhone XR.  I would have been happy if it were smaller.  The challenge was this was an emergency, as I was in Savannah and headed home the next morning.  I needed an airplane boarding pass, an Uber ride to the airport, and with American Airlines, you need a smartphone or tablet for entertainment.  Since this was at the AT&T store, it took less than 30 minutes to get a new phone, and they just added a few dollars a month to the bill, and the problem was solved.  The challenge now is I have this more than capable computer in my hand that retails for $1100. 

Do you wonder what new phones would enter the market if all phones weren't tied to some phone contract that turned the cost of a phone into a simple monthly payment, I bet I would have a basic iPhone in my hand.