Working On A Quirky Graph

Life is rarely stagnant. Those that wish for the good old days always confuse me. I recognize the comfort in actions, items or even feelings that have been experienced before. An article came out recently that suggested that those with anxiety often rewatch television shows because they already know what is going to happen and they find it soothing. As someone who reads a lot, I can confirm there is something comforting about rereading a book where I already know about the happy ending. I can look forward to the parts that will bring me joy, skip over any passages where I find the information tedious or slow moving and still revel in the satisfying ending.

Politicians often try to capitalize on that feeling of familiarity. Trump was elected the 45th President of the United States by ‘Make America Great Again’. Enough people were scared or threatened by the direction the country had been taking to look for comfort from a habitual liar. Trump often reminded me of a traveling salesman, or the traveling minister who sold snake oil and false miracles to the desperate and infirm. Large tents would be set up almost overnight and townsfolk would flock, ostensibly to hear bible verses quoted and perhaps twisted to blame their sorrows on anyone different than they were; with the ability to purchase blessings, miracles and, perhaps, even their way into heaven, but only through the revivalist passing through town. While not all revivalists were grifters, there were more than a fair share of grifters who used religion as a reliable way to hustle those looking for salvation or direction. Not only were they unable to provide the answers or penance their flock had been looking for, they often left the faithful and the town in worse shape than when they had arrived with the duped poorer for the effort.

Movies are remade, songs are reworked and themes from books are revisited time and time again to capitalize, remaster or find that one aspect that no one else has been able to twist into something unique. People spend an inordinate amount of time debating the merits of one version to another, the impact on the arts that has been made by the newer version that had been missed by the last version. The opportunities are endless so long as individuals have imagination. Just because one person saw the actions from the narrative headed in one direction doesn’t mean no one else saw that or that it couldn’t have been expounded on. There are those who are building new ideas on old concepts, and those that are just rebooting the same old concept, but aimed at and using a younger group.

I’m starting a new job on Monday. Something new built on something old. I will be doing a new job for a start up but relying on my customer service skills and management skills to get me through. I don’t want to continually retread on my old jobs and my old life. I want to do something new, I’m just lucky enough to have the skills to be able to incorporate what knowledge I have to be successful (hopefully). Don’t long for the past. Don’t try to relive it over and over. Learn from what happened and make a better future.