Here we are, in one of two months where we are actually supposed to work. Funny, right?
No. Not really. This is the true month of our discontent. We have nothing getting in the way of us accomplishing all the goals we have set in front of our faces.
Think about this: All the other months (except June, strangely) have something that gets in the way of actually getting something done. You have a holiday here (January, February, March, April, May...), a slowdown here (July, late November to January 1) an urgently "deserved" week away (August) and then the malaise of September when Labor Day seems to be an excuse to wonder whether labor makes sense at all. We used to call that daydreaming.
But October, ah the sweet smell of October. That wonderful odor is sweat! It's what happens when "workers" (me and you) start to buckle down... Hey, who came up with that buckle down saying? What an ass! But I can't digress per usual because I actually have some work to do and this essay is getting in the way.
Remember to accomplish a ton during these 31 days because there are no reasons for us to be anything but working, all the time, every single day, with all our might and with no excuse to stop, no whining, no away days, not a single solitary day of the week that will get in our way.
While I have your attention can I have a second to discuss inherent laziness?
Lazy is not when you don't show up for work and instead hang on the couch watching Jeffersons reruns. It's also found in the language ("Sounds good" is simply stupid) that we use sparingly. After nearly 20 years of cell phone tech I am headshakingly bewildered by a growing number of people who still use speakerphones to have complete and information-filled conversations while standing on line at Coffee Beans, Peets or Starbucks. Is a headset really expensive? Or have we all turned into exhibitionists?
I'm back. Let's remember you now have six-and-a-half glorious weeks until the next four day weekend! Time to work! Have you noticed how much people do little (yes, I see the bad grammar) when what looks like a vacation rears its fabulous head.... I know I sure slow down.
I want to take this opportunity to remind those of us who actually work for a living that there is no time like the present to stop volleying the emails back and forth--yes you are popular, fine--and live your life in the style of Comcast NBC Universal GE Microwave's Brian Roberts.
Here's a conversation he had with a confused colleague who just wanted to know....
Friend: "How come you are so successful?"
Roberts: "Ah. My secret? On those days when I am not into work, and I could just respond to emails all day long, that's when I make myself get on the phone."
Lovely.
We do a lot of emailing that accomplishes nothing and a ton of IM-ing that doesn't say anything that we should have just said to ourselves. Don't even start with the constant stream of bubbles rising up on our phones --texting--that was what Orwell was sure would crop up to stop us from getting anything done! If we texted one third of the time we'd all be Einsteins. Life is about ATD. Attention to detail is the way to make it in the gibberish-filled marketing industries. That's why months like October are crucial! You get a whole month to do something without interruption. Start, then finish. Ahhh.
Surely someone once said what my Dad told me when I was a whiny kid: "You are where the work ends. Don't believe anyone will take the time to cover up your mistakes or make it better for you."
Meaning, the work has to be yours and you need to take responsibility for all of it. That's why I love October, discontentment and all. Work, work, work. You get to spend a full month completing tasks, not depending on grammar check or a supervisor or the guy in the next cube who is nice enough to not tell you how you are making the same mistake over and over.
Wonderful, wonderful October.
Wait a minute Hold on. I just realized something super fantastic! Monday is Columbus Day--and didn't he "discover the new world" and shouldn't we give him a day off to consider what he did for us?
I won't be here Monday the 11th. Maybe Friday the 8th too! I'm exhausted this rant got to me. I need a rest.
So don't forget. October is about work and getting it done. Please update me with your results.
Suckers!