Dear Readers,
There are so many things to write about, and there is so little time. Also, as you may know, the way to write readable articles is is to make sure your 11 year old cousin understands it... you better test.
I don’t have anyone 11 year old in my immediate surroundings, and my topic is normally a little too mature for an 11 year old... so I haven’t tested my writing that way for a few years now. So I have a reason to wonder how many of you actually read this article, that often lays my soul bare in front of club-going crowds and the dancers themselves.
Anyway, I have been spending some time with a guy, who is a talented DJ, has a lot going for him, and against him. He helps me get to clubs to deliver magazines, we do it together, he is pleasant to have around, so you got the picture.
As I am listening to him it is becoming more and more clear to me, how come most people are miserable. You don’t want me to write a list of all the people that I know who are miserable. Do you? It would be a long list. Especially because I know a lot of ambitious people, and believe it or not, they are more miserable than those of you who are not up to anything other than passing the day or the night.
The “secret” to their misery is goalsetting or their ambition. How is that possible, you may ask. Goalsetting has been the secret weapon of high achievers, what happened that now you say it is a source of misery?
Well, you know me by now, I always come up with unusual insights into the nature of human beings. I have identified that the moment you set a goal in the regular way, what you create is a sudden “this isn’t it” experience. The entire world, everything that was quite fine, just moments before this act, become “this isn’t it.” Life becomes about the goal, attainable or not, and what you have, until you attain it, is “not the real thing.” And that is the secret, that is what makes people miserable. They get into a “getting there” mode, and that makes what they do, what they have, who they are with, not the one.
This DJ friend of mine would like to be a famous DJ some day, and I believe he has what it takes. Except that the road there is quite filled with frustration, anger, dissatisfaction. A dancer told him the other day: “You are so good, you should be working in a big New York club.” “I know,” he answered. Pay attention here! Just minutes before this conversation he was having fun at this club, the customers loved him, and his voice was great. Life was super. But the moment of “I know” the club became “not New York”. Bitterly not, regrettably not.
You know that I like learn a lot from the cartoon figure, Ziggy. He’s had a cartoon the other day, saying that “happiness is not what you have but loving what you have.” What he is saying, that happiness is moment to moment to moment loving what you have, where you are in life, what you do, who you have with you. When you manage to do that, and I don’t say it is easy! then you may even be able to put in some changes for the better. But as long as there is something wrong with how it is... all you do is scramble, fume, try to change, but don’t seem to ever get anywhere. You don’t like your current partner, you switch to another one, who turns out to be just as rotten/boring/money hungry/... fill in the blank as the one before.
So please try to fall in love with how it is.
Turn completely towards it, take it in, appreciate it, observe it, have the feelings that come up, just, please, try to imagine, that this is how it should be. Then you’ll have some power and happiness in your life.
You know, I have been publishing Mentertainment for almost 10 years, and I haven’t made a regular paycheck yet. People ask how I can be with that. I always tell them that I have a dream. “But how come you are not bitter?” I have been, once, last year, and life became miserable. But G-d has been nice to me, and has returned me to my ability to be happy with what I have. My readers, your love, my customers loyalty, and my unfaltering dream of a work that works for everyone, with no one left out.
Now that I have said all that, let’s see what is going on in the industry in the Tri-State area.
Nothing great, nothing easy to fall in love with. Lots of clubs have been raided and closed in both New York and New Jersey. In addition to that, lots of newspapers have quoted or reported about prostitution in these clubs, as if they were facts. It seems that the law doesn’t put the burden of proof on the states/authorities any longer, and that until proved guilty one is only allegedly guilty, even if one got caught red-handed.
I am not arguing the findings, I could, but I won’t. I am arguing the attitude. Because folks, it seems to me, that your rights as free citizens of this country are being taken away, and they are first taken away in the area of recreation. If we don’t stand up for all our rights, starting this arena, don’t be surprised if you find yourself one day called names, guilty in the newspapers, and they can imprison you, maybe even with just a quickie trial, because your guilt has already been established.
You remember that great quote from that German priest or clergyman? He didn’t speak up when they took the Jews, because he wasn’t a Jew. He didn’t speak up when they took the foreigners, because he wasn’t a foreigner. He didn’t speak up when they took the communists, because he wasn’t a communist. When they came to take him, there was no one to speak up for him.
With this I wish you a happy month, I assume that you wish me well, that none of you is the one who calls clubs to ask if they knew that I’d died. I assume that you want me well, and come out with this bits of wisdom, for a long long time.
Love you, and appreciate you.
Sophie
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