Improvement begins with I

Origins of Fridge Philosophy

Before I start my thoughts on this quote by Arnold Glasow, I want to share how Fridge Philosophy came to be.

This is the first Fridge Philosophy I posted in 2018. This is our old refrigerator. I am so glad that we got rid of that thing. It broke down constantly. Improvement began with buying a new refrigerator. But that’s not the story…

Throughout 2017, I felt the world was celebrating and rewarding behavior that was counter to my own values. It was more important to have a hot take blasting someone rather than taking a beat and listening. Empathy and compassion were less valued than bravado and insult.

But what to do? Joining the angry crowd seemed a great way to focus my frustration. Another option was to ignore it all and just focus forward. Let me tell you, that was a desirable option. In fact, each time I read the news, I still have a strong desire to close the browser window never to open it again.

Instead, I figured the best I could do was to provide my kids with ideas and tools to better navigate the world. These are truths that can help in their decision making. But anyone who has teens can tell you, cornering them and telling them the value of working hard, is often met with an empty stare or an eye roll.

But… what if they couldn’t avoid it? What if they had to see these words of wisdom several times a day? What if I put a quote in front of them every week? They pull the door at least three times a day, seven days a week. That’s 21 views for one quote. And if I do it every week, well at least a handful of those ideas would sink in, right?

Well, I have no empirical evidence this strategy worked. I do have one child in college and another a year away. They are thoughtful, have high grades, and strong work ethics but who knows if this is direct causation of the Fridge Philosophy. But I do know, along the way, I also was influenced by these quotes. I have become more focused with a stronger sense of self and how I can be better in my community. Finding these quotes are a part of my Sunday routine - wake up, Tai Chi, spiritual reading, meditation and finding the quote for the week.

Improvement begins with I, especially when you’re doing it for others.

What about you? What choices did you make that led to improvement?

Side of Mustard

• About Arnold Glasow: Mr. Glasow was an entepreneur and a humorist writer for Readers Digest. Born in 1905 in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, began as a salesman at the start of the Great Depression and became successful because of his wit and humor. In 1935, he opened his own company training salespeople and eventually became a speaker for various events. He wrote books offering his own ideas and philosophies on life. He died in 1998.

• Last weekend my wife and I went to see The Curious Case of the Dog in the Nighttime, a play by Simon Stephens based on the book by Mark Haddon. We both read the book, about an autistic boy who investigates the death of a neighborhood dog and the relationships he has with his parents, his school mentor and the people with whom he comes in contact. While the book is in first person, the play employs numerous devices and visual effects to tell the story. Overall, I thought it was well done, providing a neuro-diverse perspective from the protagonist.

• The play was also a chance for my wife and I to take in theater. In Sacramento, we have touring productions of major Broadway shows come through (Hamilton, Wicked, Pretty Woman is here now), but we have not often attended the smaller productions that play to 200 or less. As the kids leave the roost, a night out attending more plays should be a priority.

• In my opinion, reading can be traditionally looking at letters on the page or screen or listening to the words being read. (More on what I get out of audio books in a later newsletter), but last week I had a very long drive and listened to This Time Tomorrow by Emma Straub. The genre is magical realism and, on the protagonist’s, 40th birthday, she finds a portal that sends her back to her 16th birthday for the day. She experiences what might have been, what she can change and the relationships she cherishes. I have a similar idea for a novel (probably out 2028-9?), was a fun read, and enjoyed the father-daughter relationship. Recommend.

• Last week, I talked about how the TV Show A Million Little Things helped inspire Friends In Low Places. I mentioned it because I thought the season finale was last week. I was wrong. It was this week… and… I think I like the penultimate episode works as the farewell better. No Spoilers but the episode I thought was the last ended on a positive note and my wife and I were glad it didn’t go down the road we thought. However, as we viewed the actual finale, we wished we just left it where it was. Sometimes I wonder if writers should write what they think is the end… then go back and end it the chapter before (Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings anyone?)

  Next week: The CHOW (Clueless Hack on Writing)…