Food For Thought

After holding out for a long time, my neighbor finally wore me down and I started watching the “Ted Lasso” show.  It turns out that I should have listened sooner! It’s a great show and I’m looking forward to watching the rest of the seasons. Most of the series emphasizes positivity in the face of adversity, a message that we all need to be reminded of.

Happy Easter to all who celebrate! Otherwise, happy Spring! This weekend marks the end of the Lenten season of fasting and repentance, with celebrations of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. I am neither a Christian nor a religious person. In fact, for the most part, I avoid conversations about religion other than those with a very good friend. Those conversations are usually over whiskey and cigars.?

We are once again in “award” season and as usual, there is controversy and drama. Let’s set aside conversations about slapping, outrageous outfits, egos and right from wrong. I’ll let smarter people than me sort that out. I like to focus on the moments when truly amazing talent is discovered and awarded.

Earlier this week, I toured the Barnes Museum. If you live in Philadelphia or plan to visit, it’s a tour worth taking. I am not an art aficionado. In fact, I often look at pieces and do not understand them. I do like history, though, so the story of how Dr. Barnes amassed such a large private collection and then left it in his Merion, PA home for the public to enjoy is fascinating. For 90 years (1922-2012), his former neighbors protested the traffic this attraction drew to an otherwise quiet neighborhood until the Barnes Foundation relented and a new home for the collection was built in Philadelphia’s museum district. Imagine leaving such a gift to the public and posthumously annoying your neighbors at the same time—now that is masterful multi-tasking!

One of the members of my cigar club is an expert on everything. No matter the topic, he knows everything and is happy to tell you that you are wrong. He will tell you how wrong you are in your own area of expertise, even if it’s what you’ve done all day, every day, for years. You are wrong; he is right. A casual observer might think he is very smart and well experienced. But in reality, he has never done most of the things he talks “expertly” about. He has never been in the “arena”.