Hello, Mojomaniacs: TexDem's a little tied up today, so I'm clomping around in his way-too-big-for-me boots this week. And some time late today, after this diary falls off the rec list, I'll go down to the basement and cut him loose.
With a brand-spanking-new administration barely over two weeks old, I thought it might be time to have a little conversation about patience.
We've all heard the phrase "Patience is a virtue." But I only recently learned the rest of poet Gerard Manley Hopkins' line:
Patience is a Virtue every where; but it shines with great Lustre in the Men of Government.
How very timely. How very ironic.
Change has been a long time coming. And the last eight years of waiting have seemed more like a couple of decades. In Hell. Right next to the furnace.
Change doesn't happen easily. A wise person once explained to me why, just because you've tried to quit smoking twelve times, there's still hope of quitting on the next attempt. The human organism is designed to resist change, he said. All of nature is. If we weren't resistant to change, we'd be mutating and adapting every time the next season rolled around, thinking the new climate would last forever.
Change doesn't happen with the throw of a switch. Process is slow; progress is slower. And patience -- which has been specifically asked for by this administration, who have inherited a bigger rat's nest of neglected programs, contravened purposes, and constitutional carnage than any in history -- seems in short supply. After all, as TexDem so astutely points out, the previous administration has made us all experts in impatience.
But what is patience? Do we always recognize it when we see it? Do we practice it ourselves?
Common poker wisdom says that if the first three cards in a game of seven card stud don't look promising, fold. Is folding precipitous? Or does it demonstrate the willingness to wait for the right cards?
If you sit very still with sunflower seeds in your hand, sooner or later a chickadee will find his courage and light on your fingers to grab one and fly off with it. Is sitting immobile for as long as that takes indolence? Or the willingness to wait for courage to overcome caution in a small bird?
If Steelers coach Mike Tomlin decides not to go for it on fourth and goal in the first drive of the Super Bowl, is he demonstrating the patience (and confidence) to wait for the next opportunity, or an excess of prudence?
If you're stuck in a bumper-to-bumper traffic jam you know will last an hour, do you rail against the drivers in front of you, taking out on them your rage at the delay? Or do you flip on some music, pitch your seat back a bit, and roll with it?
Just this past Wednesday, President Barack Obama, in a Washington Post op-ed piece said,
[Americans are] patient enough to know that our economic recovery will be measured in years, not months. But they have no patience for the same old partisan gridlock that stands in the way of action while our economy continues to slide.
Yet there's been a rush of pundits all striving to be the first to declare the abject failure of the new administration. Seventeen days, and a failure already?
The Yoruba of Africa say that "work is the medicine for poverty." Well, here in America it is also the medicine for the wretched excess of unscrupulously acquired wealth. We clearly have a lot of work to do.
And work takes time.
And time requires patience.
How patient are you?
What are you good at waiting for?
How quickly do you decide what works and what doesn't?
How did you learn patience?
Take your time answering. We'll be patient.
Mojo Friday Guidelines
- If you comment you have to recommend all comments. (in order to receive mojo you have to give mojo. It's only good mojo manners.)
- Everything you say may be taken as a joke (so if you ask a question, expect a silly answer)
- You must recommend the diary (and pimp it unapologetically)
- You don't have to comment to recommend.
- You can't steal my idea (right, like that ain't goin' to happen)
- Please, no pictures or YouTubes until after 300 comments. Now, after 300, use a little common courtesy and be responsible in the number.
- Mojo mojo mojo mojo, mojo mojo mojo
Mojo Friday Goals
A. at least 300 different commenters and 1000 comments by 1:30 PM EST and 1500 by 5:00 PM EST Friday Night that it's posted.
B. 100 recommends for each comment, at least.
C. Stay on Recommend List at least five hours (this requires some strategic planning by you guys, refer to guideline #3)
D. At least 200 diary recommends. 300 would be better, spread the word.
E. And always, fun fun fun.
F. Have at least 75% average participation rate as seen herein the Mojo Friday Postgame Show by Hedwig.
G. (New) Have at least 30 kossacks over 90% participation (see here for some tips).
H. Overload the servers with recommends, not to mention dominate Top Comments Mojo list. (we do tend to mess with the site with all of our recommends at one time)(also, to dominate the Top Comments Top Mojo we need at least 50 comments with over 200 recommends, see guideline B)
I. That's enough for now. (Have a suggestion? Post it.)
MKinTN posted a diary to help everyone achieve greater success called How to Succeed at Mojo Friday Without Really Trying.
For those of you new to MF (Mojo Friday) we have our own lingo about a few things. Thanks to MF'er Jez (the link will explain) go to this diary for a little more fun and explanation. Official Mojo Friday Snecktionary.
SPECIAL NOTICE
Democrat Unity Conference Call
Would you like to be on the cutting edge of a new concept in Democratic Politics?
I invite you to participate in the Democrat Unity conference calls. Democrat Unity conference calls are the evolution of the November Victory Internet Discussion Group and the Democrat Unity website, www.democratunity.com
Before November Victory, candidates were balkanized and isolated in their respective districts. November Victory gave democratic congressional candidates a chance to share ideas and strategies
There are a few democratic organizations which help only a small number of democratic candidates and what's worse these organizations pit candidates against each other. Democrat Unity welcomes all democrats no matter what office they have run for and where they stand on the political spectrum. Democrat Unity fosters a sense of community and respect.
The crises we face today is to grave to not to seek out, recognize and nurture creative and bright people who are willing to make a difference
We will not only combine the resources and knowledge of past candidates and consultants to give today and tomorrow's candidates the resources they need to run an effective campaign, but we can also heed President Obama's call for Unity and Service by combining our talents in this defining moment in American history and Democratic Politics.
I look forward to your participation in this exciting and creative new way to elect more democrats across the country and to form a network of active and creative democrats.
On our first conference call we will be discussing the Transparency of the Party and what we can do to make it more transparent
The date of our first conference call will be February 3, 2009, 7:15 pm Eastern Time.
Dial 218 339 4600 Access Code 697632#
I look forward to your participation
Cynthia Pooler, Founder
November Victory Listserv
www.democratunity.com
Uniteddems@aol.com