In a New York minute, if you’re in the wrong place at the wrong time your ticket gets punched, right?
“The Tau of Steves: What You Don’t Know Could Fill a Book”
“5” Steve Zahn, 51: “Solitary endeavors bring out one side of you; challenges that involve others bring out another. Sometimes you’re amazed at what you learn about yourself — like today.” Scorpio
Hi and welcome to Friday’s Episode 81 in the first season of “My 1-Year Experiment” on this twenty-third day of August in the summer of 2019.
Evidence
Driving north on the 405 freeway I got that wake up call reminder. It was the second time traffic had been held up with a car flipped up on its side and first responding firemen and EMTs and Highway Patrol vehicles surrounded it.
The first jammed traffic on the Ventura freeway just a few hours north, when Emma the Baroness and I planned a quickie vacation to the American Riviera a year and a half ago.
Three of us, like Zahn and Henry Winkler shared the same Holiday Tau.
One of my mentors, Linda, reached out to me and scheduled a coffee meeting at University Town Center — where more than a decade ago I accidentally bumped into a former colleague lunching at an outside table.
One thing led to another. A multi-year consulting retainer lasted a decade.
While in route Jaron Lanier — an early inventor of virtual reality, now a fellow at Microsoft and all round Renaissance musician and artist — regaled Sam Harris on his podcast.
Just before I viewed the second flipped car, I noted how sad Jaron felt about the passing of his great friend. I wrote:
Grateful Dead lyricist John Perry Barlow always had to “sing for supper” every night at the end of life having few assets. Jaron felt awful about his Barlow’s situation and views those circumstances as probable scenarios for other artistic types, like those in the Writers Cooperative.
During an uncharacteristic cool and windy late August morning Linda got me caught up. She invited me to participate in a Leadership Steering Committee which I felt would draw me back in to an advising, teaching and consulting role taking me away from what was on my plate.
By saying “No” politely and receiving a reply “Well, think about it. Doesn’t it fit your book?” she said.
Hmm. My Volume Two “Work” manuscript hadn’t seriously been on my mind as much as my trying to figure out how to convert my LinkedIn followers into supporters.
“5” Steve Zahn, 51: “Solitary endeavors bring out one side of you; challenges that involve others bring out another. Sometimes you’re amazed at what you learn about yourself — like today.” Scorpio
Random ones that make me want change my sign.
WW&C’s Holiday Tau supports how having turned down my participation in the steering committee, which felt uncertain at the time, helped differentiate my newer identity.
“5” Steve Winwood, 71; Stevie Wonder, 69; Stephen Colbert, 56: “You’re not trying to be different from the rest, but you are different. It’s knowing how you’re different that will help you stand out.” Taurus
So, this is exactly what my intent was joining my former mentor for coffee.
“5” Steve Carell, 57; Steve Martin, 74; Steve Wozniak, 69: “Potential clients and customers abound but you feel funny talking yourself up. Come up with a better approach — a soft sell that will have them asking questions.” Leo
And, of course the Holiday Tau of GG&K compliments that of the two comedians and the business founder.
“5” Steve Greene, 34; Steve Guttenberg, 61; Stephen King, 72: “You have what another needs, but don’t offer it too freely. Easy things get devalued. Half the fun is in the process.” Virgo
I’m sure Aoki’s Holiday Tau is valuable, maybe for you, but not as valuable to me today.
“3” Steve Aoki, 41: “Self-control is needed to amass any kind of good result. But in the end, that self-control will be the best thing you’ve amassed.” Sagittarius
So, yes self-control always serves as a check on my passion and creativity and mirrors Aoki’s. Maybe the sum is more valuable than its parts?
“3” Steve Harvey, 62: “Your fortunes will depend on how well you exercise self-control. You will understand what you need to do to get ahold of your financial picture.” Capricorn
Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons
Inspired by Holiday Mathis – Creators Syndicate