I’ve been thinking a lot this week, about many things.
Mostly Godzilla, though.
Not the new Godzilla movies, cool as they are. I mean the original run of movies that started back in 1945 (!) and ran for, well, pretty much ever. As a kid, they were staples of the afternoon and/or late night movie shows on local tv. As a young boy, I loved tuning in to see the monster mayhem. As an adult, however, I find myself more interested in Godzilla as a character and the overarching story and lore connecting the many, many films.
It’s interesting to me, because in Godzilla’s first appearance he was a fearsome monster. In the original story, Godzilla basically served as a stand in for the atomic bomb that devastated Hiroshima and brought not only destruction at levels hitherto unseen, but a new level of fear to Japan and the world at large.
Godzilla was the cinematic embodiment of fear and senseless destruction. He was truly a monster, in every sense of the word.
Then, something happened. The filmmakers began to add more creatures and violence and mayhem into the mix. Over time, Godzilla transformed into a hero. The people of Japan (both in the movies and in real life) began to see him as a hero.
But here’s the thing, he was still a monster. Quite definitely so. He was still capable of mass destruction, but people didn’t care. In time, they even called upon Godzilla to save them.
So, from about 1964-1975 Godzilla was portrayed as the hero that the people needed. Then, in 1984, things shifted. Suddenly, Godzilla was a bad guy again. The monster came back, in all his ranging, fire-breathing glory. Fear, destruction, and chaos followed.
Because that’s what happens with monsters. They lay dormant for a while. They may even show their friendly side. In the end, though, a monster is a monster and it will do what monsters do the best.
Fear, destruction, and chaos.
Godzilla was always a monster. Even when the people didn’t see it. When they didn’t care.
I’ve been super busy lately, hardly having time to turn around. I figure a lot of you can say the same. Tired. Run down. A touch overwhelmed. Bombarded by negativity from all directions, be it social media, the news, or just, like, every other conversation these days.
I know. I get it. I feel it too.
That’s why I wanted to just pop on here real quick and say the following:
You’re doing it. The big hard thing. You know the thing. You’re doing it. You are getting there. Maybe not as fast as you’d like. Maybe not as efficiently. Maybe the thing feels like A LOT. It is. But you’re doing it.
You’re also doing the little things. The things that keep you going. The things that have to be done. The things that make all the difference in the world, whether you know it or not.
You’re doing all the things. You are making progress. You’re killing it. Slowly, maybe, but you are.
You are unique. Nobody else has what you as an individual have to offer. Your perspective. Your skill set. Your…well…YOUnes. Therefore, you are needed.
People like you. We are all our own worst critic, and it can be hard to see ourselves in a positive light sometimes. Somebody does see you, though. Maybe they don’t verbalize it the way you’d like. Maybe it’s hard to tell. That’s okay. It doesn’t mean that it’s not true.
Don’t you have people in your life you really like and look up to, but maybe haven’t really articulated that fact? Well, someone else thinks of you in that same way.
You are important, and you matter.
It could be that it’s been a while since you’ve had a compliment. Most people don’t get enough of them, and studies show that men receive considerably less. So I wanted to give you a compliment just in case you needed one.
Okay, so maybe I don’t know you. It doesn’t matter, really, because I believe that the above statements apply to all of us.
I hope this cheers you up a little. I hope it gives you a nice feeling to take into the rest of your week and beyond. I hope you’re getting the compliments and affirmations you need. If ever you’re not, come back and read this again.
Even better, share these words with a friend or family member who needs to hear them. You don’t have to share this exact post, but maybe use it as a starting point to bring some compliments to others.
I’ve been a little busy here lately and haven’t had much time to get the blog together.
Well, that’s only partly true. The busy thi g i mean. Lets take it week by week.
Last Monday I went to a concert with my old friend Jim whom I haven’t hung out with for years. It was a good time. We saw Dweezil Zappa play 3 hours (!) of his father Frank’s music-without a break. It was goofy in places (as it should be), musically enthralling, exhilarating, and exhausting. Got home super late and decided I’d catch up on the blog later.
This week, though, we are dealing with a leak in our basement. There’s been a slow leak in the pipes feeding our utility sink for some time, apparently. The problem with the slow leak is that you don’t notice it until the damage has been done.
Now, it wasn’t a terrible leak, and damage was minimal. Still, some drywall will need to ne replaced, the carpet cleaned (and hopefully not replaced, but time will tell), and I may need to replace some cds and dvd/blu-rays from my collection. I also left my mountain dulcimer in the path of the leak, but I think the instrument may still be playable. The case, though, is toast.
Anyway, it could have been a lot worse, all things considered. Fortunately, my wife’s sister and brother in law are both DIY experts, and they (along with a friend of theirs) helped us get everything under control right away. Big thanks to Mike, Elizabeth, and Sandy.
Well, there’s your update, folks. I hope to be back next week with a more normal type MonDaves post. Whatever that is. See you then!
P.S.-Oh, and I also had to replace the battery in my car during all this. Not a big deal, really, just something else to mention, I guess.
This is one of my favorite T-shirts. Sure, it’s a fun, pop culture item, but there’s a little more to it than that.
I’ve actually had a few Bob Ross based shirts over the years, but I like this one best. It’s in constant rotation for me. Partially because I look good in it, and it matches a lot of my button down shirts, but also because of what it means.
Unless you’ve been living under a rock since the late 1980s, you’re sure to have stumbled onto an episode of “The Joy Of Painting” and seen Bob Ross painting his happy little trees and clouds and what not. You’ve probably watched in amazement as he creates a masterpiece in 30 minutes (and then wrecks it by putting in a giant tree that covers up like a third of the painting), and giggled at some of his expressions. This particular saying, though, is pretty good.
Bob says that, on the canvas, we don’t make mistakes. We have happy accidents. It means that when you do make a mistake while painting, you learn to use whatever happens in the painting and make it work for you. Sometimes, a mistake can make you look at the painting (or whatever it is you are working on) in a whole new way. Finding a fix can often lead not just to a cover-up or a “band-aid” type remedy but a whole new idea that improves the project as a whole.
This is a great lesson to learn, not only for the arts but for project works of any kind, from your occupation to chores around the house. It’s an easy philosophy to embrace but can be hard to put into practice.
We all make mistakes. It’s part of human nature. Sometimes, mistakes are small, easy to catch, and can be rectified quickly with little or no fallout. Other times, you’re not so lucky, and you’ve gotta take your lumps. Still, unless you’ve caused a total disaster, you can still make it through and try again next time.
One thing I have learned is to try to keep mistakes in perspective. Not easy to do, of course, I’ve had plenty of sleepless nights worrying about something that didn’t go as planned. More often than not, though, the mistakes I have made have seemed bigger and more devastating to me than to anyone else involved.
It’s easy to obsess over mistakes and to beat yourself up. Trust me, I’m good at it. What needs to be kept in mind, though, is that you are not alone. I’ve found that by and large, there are more people willing to help you succeed than waiting to watch you fail. It doesn’t always seem that way, especially at the time, but I think it’s mostly true.
Often, I have heard it said that mistakes are okay if you learn from them. Undoubtedly true, but learning from your mistakes doesn’t always mean that you won’t make the same mistake again or that you’ll ever be perfect at whatever it is you’re doing. I mean, ideally, it would, yeah. More important, though, is how you deal with your mistakes whenever they occur.
Here’s where the “happy accidents” thing comes back into play. Make the mistakes work for you. Mistakes allow us to learn about not only the job at hand but also the process involved, our own role in that process, and even learn a little about ourselves too.
Okay. Not sure how this became a TED Talk, but here we are. Anyway.
These are the reasons why this is one of my favorite shirts. Sometimes, I wear it when I’m having a bad week to help remind me of these ideas. Sometimes, I wear it at the start of the week to help set my mood and my attitude up right. Sometimes, I just wear it out and about and hope somebody compliments me on the shirt.
All right, that’s enough of my yapping. I hope you all have an amazing week with as few mistakes as possible. Sorry. Not mistakes. Happy accidents.
See you mext time.
EDIT:
Next time.
See? I just learned to make sure I remember to run spellchecker on these things.
I love Cracker Barrel. Does that surprise you at all? It shouldn’t.
As modern as my tastes are in art and culture, I’m a bit of an old soul. I love “down home”and “old-timey” kitschy stuff. I also love eating copious amounts of food that is probably okay if you’re out working in the fields all day, but pretty bad for the rest of us. So Cracker Barrel is right up my street.
Cracker Barrel is often thought of as a restaurant only for senior citizens, and while that is their largest demographic, it’s certainly not an exclusive thing. Many families go to Cracker Barrel for extended family meals. Some go while on vacation just to have a bite somewhere familiar because it brings a feeling of homey-ness, which is a word I’m pretty sure I just invented. You’re welcome.
We regulars go to Cracker Barrel because we want to eat chicken and dumplings, biscuits and gravy, have breakfast at night, and get a mess of okra on the side. We want to wander around the general store looking at products and clothing we don’t need but, ehh, we may pick up something anyway if it’s unique enough, or would make a good last minute Christmas gift. We’d also like a few of those old timey candies and sodas, too, as long as we’re at it. Basically, Cracker Barrel is a vibe that lets us feel connected somewhat to the past (fabricated though that feeling may be), and puts us in touch, ever so slightly, with an idyllic, small town America that, for the majority, no longer exists.
And they’re going to take it away from us.
Yep. Rebranding. Ugh.
It seems that the corporate yahoos over at the CB offices have noticed a bit of a decline in business. That’s pretty much true with restaurants across the board since Covid, of course, but there you are.
According to the brand’s new CEO, the chain “isn’t as relevant” as it once was. Umm…okay. Has Cracker Barrel ever been relevant? Depends on your definition, I suppose, but I would tend to say “no” to that one. Which is okay. It’s not supposed to be hip and relevant. It’s supposed to be kitschy and uncool. That’s why we love it!
The aim, of course, is that the chain will appeal to new customers while continuing to please the current base. Seldom does this work. Sure, there’s usually an uptick in business when the new changes roll out, but that’s mostly due to curiosity. Once the sheen wears off, many businesses find themselves in trouble just like they were in before. Which tends to start the cycle all over again.
It has also been stated that the chain will focus on better tasting items. This is good. However, that generally means that the chain will be simplifying the menu (throwing out your favorites). That could go either way.
Basically, what the company is trying to do is to modernize while still keeping the nostalgia factor. That’s going to be hard. No doubt there will be an overhaul inside the restaurant, probably removing most of the crazy crap on the walls and painting them in a muted shade of beige. They’ll probably try to bring in some sort of technology aspect as well, which could be anything from replacing the waitstaff with tablets for ordering (shudder) to an electronic version of the peg game. No good can come of this.
They’ll probably even redesign the logo. Every other restaurant on the planet has adopted streamlined, soulless logos, so why wouldn’t Cracker Barrel follow suit?
The logo we all know and love. I may or may not have bought this tee shirt exclusively for this post.
Okay, I know I sound like a grumpy old man here, but, I mean, honestly. Nobody wants this. Other than the guys in the suits, I mean.
Do you wanna turn things around Cracker Barrel? Here’s what we want:
– Better tasting food. It’s not that the food is bad as is, but there is room for improvement on some of your dinner items. Okay, sure, the food is gummable which helps the seniors out, but not everything needs to taste like it was boiled. The menu doesn’t need changing as much as the recipes do, and even then, you don’t need to CHANGE. Just tweak a little. Except for your breakfast items. They rule. All of ’em. Leave them be.
– Lower prices. This is difficult in these times when food is overpriced across the board, I know. Maybe run more specials? Discounted prices for smaller meals? Themed specials, perhaps, like “Okrafest”, or “Dumplin’ Days” maybe? There are lots of possibilities here.
– Better connection with customers. How about some big community outreach programs? Maybe partner up with some local charities to get people in the door to spend money and donate to causes that affect their neighbors and friends. Perhaps this is already done, I don’t know, but if so, I’m not aware of it. So if there is a charitable arm of Cracler Barrel, make some noise about it. Involve yourselves in your customer’s lives, and people will notice.
Now. What we don’t want is the standard, boring, lifeless makeover. We also don’t want these changes to come at the cost of people. Please find a way to avoid the “minimize choice and minimize workforce” system that so many other restaurants have followed in the past. This idea may help the bottom line, but it usually results in longer wait times and grumpy employees. Which leads to grumpy customers. Certainly, this is not the change you are looking for.
Alright, rant over. I’ve complained about this sort of thing before, and no CEOs have listened to me yet (rude!), but I still feel obligated to raise a ruckus.
You’re one of the few consistent, reliable, comfortable, “happy place” restaurants left, Cracker Barrel. Don’t let us down.
MonDAVEs with Dave Brink 