Empty Calories & Male Curiosity, #4

Ernie McCracken, Run-DMC, and the Beatles

QUICK HITTERS:

1. Welcome to a bunch of new subscribers this week! And thanks to those of you that have been forwarding these emails to like-minded folks. Ernie McCracken approves!

   

   

2. Subscribe here if you haven’t already….

3. Song of the week: Clarence Carter’s 1968 Christmas Song, “Backdoor Santa.” Imagine my delight when I found out this song was not an ode to some over sexualized Santa but rather provides the sample for an all-time classic Christmas song (that is featured in one of the all-time classic Christmas movies.

   (Would this song be Argyle approved?)

4. Food of the week: I’m making buffalo chicken dip for a party this weekend. Here is the recipe I’ve been using for the past 20 or so years.

   

   Sub cheddar cheese for bleu. Serve with Snyder’s gluten-free pretzels. (I am currently receiving zero dollars from Frank’s & Snyder’s).

   4. Book recommendation: If you’re a non-fiction fan you’ve undoubtedly heard about David Grann’s new bestseller, The Wager. I’ve read it and it is definitely worth your time. However, I’d like to share a book about a different shipwreck with you. A Land So Strange was written by Andres Resendez, a history professor at UC-Davis. The cover of the book describes it as, “the extraordinary tale of a shipwrecked Spaniard who walked across America in the sixteenth century.” If that sentence didn’t peak your interest - READ IT AGAIN (emphasis on walked across America).

   

   Darla gives it a 😉

   5. First episode of the SilentPunt podcast came out a few days ago. Here’s a short outtake to see what you’re missing, hopefully it makes you chuckle:

   6.

GOING DEEP:

We Are The Walrus: A Lesson From Paul, Ringo, & George

Like many the dad of a teenage daughter, my primary role in my daughter’s life is to embarrass her. Sometimes I do this on purpose, but mostly it’s pretty authentic.

Recently it seems one of the things that embarrasses her is my writing. Ever since I retired from coaching a few years ago she’s been asking me to help coach her high school football team. Why that is less embarrassing to her than writing I have no idea.

I’m not positive, but I think what she finds so embarrassing about me writing is she feels like it will somehow blow back on her and embarrass her. Who knows? I’ve been married to my wife for twenty-two years and I still don’t know what she is thinking half the time, fat chance I’m gonna have a clue what’s going on in a fifteen year old girl’s head. 

Several times she has asked me point blank, “why are you doing this?” As if I’ve taken up abusing puppies as a vocation. I deflected a few times until this past weekend when she pressed me even further (in a fairly perturbed tone I might add), “no seriously, why are you doing this?”

Initially I tried to go metaphorical with my answer: 

Me: Have you ever heard the saying, if a tree falls in the woods and no one is there to hear it, does it make a sound?

Her: Yes.

Me: Well, does it?

Her. Well yes, obviously.

Me: Ok. I agree but that doesn’t prove my point. 

What I tried to express next was two-fold: First and foremost, I enjoy writing. And second, that writing and not letting anyone see what I’ve written defeats the purpose of what I am trying to do. Which is in essence, to get better. And I cannot get better without an audience. An audience holds me accountable. Reins me in. Gives me a deadline. (By the way, if you are reading this - you are my audience. Thank you!)

Not sure if I got my point across to her concisely or not as her only retort was, “whatever.”

Why am I telling you this? Because you are in essence my accountability partner. As I expressed above I very sincerely thank you for that. But also, you most likely need an accountability partner as well. For what I don’t know…but for something. Think about it, what is something you’ve been itching to do but haven’t started? Or have started but are struggling being consistent at?

And if you don’t think an accountability partner is important, just think about the Beatles. They are unquestionably the greatest rock band ever. But they needed each other. The other day I came across the video below. It is an excerpt from a documentary about them. In it, Paul is fooling around on his guitar when “Get Back” comes to him from out of what seems to be thin air. If you don’t have four minutes skip it for now but watch it before you go to bed tonight. It is wondrous.

It is absolutely fascinating to watch arguably the greatest pop artist, in definitely the greatest pop band, create something out of literally nothing. He had no idea where he was going…and four minutes later one of the greatest songs the planet has ever heard was born.

And that wasn’t even the coolest part. Did you happen to notice Ringo and George? (Sidebar, if you know anything about the Beatles it is hilarious and on-point that John was late). When the session begins Ringo and George look bored and disengaged. But gradually their look changes from bored to slightly engaged…with a hint of confusion. Like, ‘we don’t know what is going on but we think it is good.’ And then lastly, as Paul is fully into it, they catch up.

At first it appears that Ringo and George have done nothing. Like they are hangers on and Paul is the superstar. But watch it a few more times and that perspective changes (you don’t literally have to, I did it for you). They are his accountability partner for this session. Without them he is not there. Or, if he is there, there is no pressure. They are there staring at him. They cannot work without him. That creative tension drives him.

Thank you for reading. 

We are not Paul. 

We are not the Walrus. I don’t even know what that means. 

But we can both certainly continue getting better. 

Speaking of the walrus…

See you next week!