To any who have ever tried hard,  you are lazy.

Just to let you know, I do not try hard at all.  I try hard-er.  Why?  Because trying hard is not good enough.  Not in this world that we live in.  To just try hard is doing the bare minimum.  Although it shows some initiative, it falls short of being effective.

This is especially the case in the non-existent job market.  You can try hard for the interview, but you probably won’t get it.  Now if you try hard-er, you might have a chance of getting it.  Just remember.  For every job that’s posted, there are over 100 people trying for the same one.  Land of opportunity?  Healthy economy?  This is natural selection.  Survival of the fittest.  And if you can’t find a job, take our free handouts.  Let us destroy your incentive by enrolling you in our welfare program.  Did we mention that there’s a free cell-phone involved?  That’s right.  A free cell-phone!  And it’s yours once you sign a few papers.

I don’t know about you, but that’s the government paying people to be lazy.  Oh, we don’t have to try hard because the government will take care of us!  It will take care of our kids, too!  Even though it’s the mother’s job to do that!  But the mother can’t do that, since she’s working hard to pay off her debt, and her boyfriend is nowhere to be found.

As far as I’m concerned, I don’t want that kind of life.  A life where I just do nothing and get paid for it.  For one thing, I can’t be idle.  It drives me crazy.  I must be doing something all the time.  I must not try hard, as trying hard is not good enough.  I must try harder.  I must work harder than everyone else.  Harder than anyone who could ever give me credit.  I must, I must….

Ambition.  Just look at that ambition!  Give the boy a prize.  Throw the dog a bone.  He deserves some kind of prize for trying….”hard-er”.  Certainly, he does.  But we don’t have anything for him right now.  We wish that we could help but we don’t know how we could….

Busy workaholics shoveling coffee down their throat, pushing nine to fives Monday through Friday.  Forcefed empathy by beggars and outcasts.  Dreadfully busy.  Practice pity. Wearing make-shift smiles practiced just for them. Oh, how we would love to help!  If only we had the time!  Phone hangs up.  It’s back to the desk, returning to our selfish lives.  Running a race that we cannot win.  Earning a paycheck that is never enough.  Sinking deeper in debt to enjoy the American dream.

Human resources cast their nets, and tactfully decide whose lives they’ll ruin next.  Make a few layoffs to cut the fat.  Increase the bottom line and maximize the profit.  There are many losers but a few winners.  But even the winners are miserable, corralled into a cubicle farm.  Do twice the work in half the time.  While the CEO complains about his slightly reduced salary.  There goes that trip to Hawaii.

Meanwhile, the underemployed have too much time on their hands, inventing new coping mechanisms to grind through their meager hours.  Low paychecks and broke.  Minimum wage is a joke.  Optimism comes and goes. Information overload.  Search engines generating idealistic jobs that fall short of their passions.  Job descriptions listing lofty requirements that cannot be matched.  Confidence is killed, until they find the next best thing.  Resume.  Cover letter.  We have a real go-getter.  A delusional goal setter practicing his optimistic smile.  Interview.  Pick a few.  Creating a false sense of security for the hopeful.  Your rejection letter is on the way.

Back at the office.  Energy is draining.  Strength is waning.  Afternoon coffee.  Take another aspirin.  Meet those deadlines. Check those emails.  Fill those reports.  They’re all due at the end of the day.  Jokes are made about the new hire.  Stand up and defend.  Sit down and let the headache begin.  Empathy sets in.  A couple friends drowning in self-pity, hoping that it will end.  Reverie snaps.  Back to work.  Four o’ clock.  We must hurry.  It’s almost time for that daily failure.  Deadlines will be moved and assignments will be changed.  The machine of commerce continues.  The busy workaholics return home, groaning about their bad days at work.  Perspective doesn’t change.  Attitude remains the same.

The beggars and outcasts slip into denial, consciously fighting self-pity at their part-time jobs.  Fake smiles are seen and served to customers.  Denial is much more fun.  Swift movements are made, hands move quickly, to meet the demands of the dinner rush.  Music and hushed gossip fill the room, to drown out the negativity that we thought was left at home.

The workaholics are restless and always planning. Miserable about their next day.

The beggars and outcasts are whining and are always trying.  Thinking about what jobs they are going to look for the next day.

Two slices of life that never cross or intersect.  Both are wanting but are miserable.  Both try to see the other side but are blinded by reality.  If the two ever meet, I will be the first to applaud.  The cynic would be proven wrong.  His perception would be turned upside down.  Being content with what he has, and not dissatisfied with what he lacks.  His efforts would finally pay off and the reward that was there the whole time would be bursting at the seams.

 

Now stop.  Just think about that for a couple of minutes.  Did I try hard or did I try hard-er?  If it’s the first option, I want you to go and re-read it.  Re-read it until you arrive at the second option.  I tried hard-er.  And part of doing that comes from digging deep in your heart and pouring out everything that is inside it.  Jealousy, cynicism, hope, optimism and everything else.  It all comes out.  And when it does, something amazing happens.  Our true selves are revealed and hearts are touched to the core.  The truth shatters the facade that we all portray in our daily lives.

So everyone, that is why.  I don’t try hard.  That is for lazy bums.  I try hard-er because that is what changes everything.  And if you can change everything, you can change the world.

 

Ghost Muse:  That piece was very nice and moving.  But the world is changed, but not by you.  Look!

Muse:  *yawn*  That was a nice nap!  Tee hee!  Servants, change me now!  And I’m gonna grow while you do it.  Wheeeeee!

Her playground is starting to cover the outer space!  Pretty soon, the universe won’t have any room….

Remedy:  And her mansion is growing immensely.  Pretty soon, there will be no more parallel dimensions left….

Her playground just exceeded the size of the universe!  That leaves….the parallel universes….

Ghost Muse:  Hurry!

Remedy:  I’m almost done!  I just need a little more time….

Ghost Muse:  I just hope you’re done in time.  I don’t want to be enslaved to her….Back to my book.  Anything to take my mind off of this….

 

It doesn’t look like this story arc is going to end well, unless Remedy makes it in time.

Looking at reality, I’m trying harder.  And that includes looking for work and writing.  If there’s any time left, I will do this.  Otherwise, I will wait until after tonight’s Open House.

Today’s high is going to be 55 degrees and the silver lining is being almost done with this week.

To those of you who want to try hard-er, I hope that you all have a fantastic day.

 

Muse:  My playground and pretty mansion is still not big enough!  Make it bigger, now!  Tee hee hee hee hee!  Wheeeeeeee!!!!