9.26.2023 Brain Candy

Thanks for keeping up with the McDermott Mantras; the words, phrase and ideologies that get me through my days - and which make up a big part of the daily broadcast.

Once you've owned who you are; dismissing all other definitions, faces, perceptions of your life, then you are ready to DRIVE.

It's a scary proposition - remember getting your Driver Permit? Oy. It's a lot of pressure, discomfort and responsibility. Eventually we get the license for Freedom and, of course, along comes aa ticket or two or perhaps a dented fender. Oops.

"It wasn't MY fault!", we'd cry to our parents. The weather, the traffic, the lights, your horoscope .. whatever .. all good fodder for deflecting the blame that should, and ultimately did, fall upon your shoulders.

Victimhood is popular.  “It’s not my fault ..” .. sure, why not? I get it. We used to grow up & leave home, stake our claim & OWN our lives. What happened? Victimhood via the playing of every possible socio-political card out there: age, political, religious, economic & race.

Who gets you out of bed every day? Who sets your mood? How do you get to work? Are you magically dressed & fed? No. And yet people are all about “me”; selfies reign and everything is viewed with “self” at the Center - until you want to either hold people accountable OR attempt to help make their lives “better”.

"Better". There's a great word. Who doesn’t want that? Everyone uses the word, but few seem to know what it means or how it works! “Better” demands change. DEMANDS it. Nothing just happens; it's not a whisper but a DEMAND. Boom.

The Left touts “being the agent of change you want to see in the world” while at the same time, telling their minions that they control nothing and that there is a massive system in place set up against them - with no hope, no way out. Unless they get your votes & money, of course.

But then Pride rears its ugly head. Everyone is SO proud. SO SO SO very proud. Well .. which is it? Is it ALL about you OR totally devoid of you? Why so proud IF IF IF you are nothing but a victim? On the other hand, if you are legitimately bold in your pride, then you OWN it - you drive that bus, yes? SO let’s get to it.

If you hate your job .. if you loathe being ignorant about politics, economics, religion etc .. if you find yourself being angry most of the time .. then start driving YOUR bus.

I chose to use “bus” as a metaphor because we pick up & drop off people all the time. Some stay for quite a bit. Sadly we let a few of them drive for a while as well. You let that happen. You chose your job. Your look. Your attitude. Your diet and exercise program. Your belief system. Your Work Ethic. YOU. You did that.

Obama got it wrong: YOU DID BUILD THAT.

YOU DID. All by yourself.

Own it. Drive it. Make things better in your sphere of influence .. no one else will. They only make it better for themselves. You may get a lucky side-effect of some positive whatever, but ultimately, no. You’ll be used up and tossed away - after losing time, money and personal worth and resources.

You get older, more bitter and looking for someone, or something, to blame. But there’s no one there but: YOU. Drive it like ya stole it .. like ya stole it BACK!

You’ll eventually learn to Control What You Can for Small Victories ..
What’s that all about? That’s for tomorrow (Wednesday 9/27).

- McDermott