Did ya’ll know that Chris, my beloved hubby, does not like playing chess with me, his beloved wife? D’ya know why? It’s not because he doesn’t usually beat me (because he does).
It’s because I don’t play “right.”
You see, according to Chris, there is a right way to play chess. There are certain moves that you’re supposed to lead off with. And certain strategies you’re supposed to follow once the game starts. And I don’t do that.
“Why did you do that?” he’ll ask, completely confused by my first move. I have no idea how to answer this question. Because I could? I don’t know. I have no strategy. I just move the dang pieces in the way they’re allowed to move, look for opportunities to take his pieces and try to avoid the obvious moves that will get my pieces taken. Apparently, this is not playing chess “right.”
When Chris plays his dad or his brother, he knows from the outset what moves they will make. Like, for the whole dang game.  This seems to me to be a bit loony. But whatever.
And it occurs to me that this is like life, and like the enneagram.  People get stuck in that same set of strategies, and they think they have no choices. But they do. There’s always a choice. It may not be obvious, it may not even make any sense to anyone else. But there’s always an alternative choice. And sometimes even if you lose the game, you win because dammit, you played your game. You made a conscious choice for every move. You didn’t just fall back into the game you believed you had to play.
Okay, now I’m just getting goofy. Moving on.
I am completely, totally stoked about the return of LOST this week. Because everything I’ve heard is that the game is back on. LOST is back on track, as of this week’s episode. True believers, your faith is justified. That’s what I’m hearing, anyway.
And I keep thinking over the last few days about a quote from one of my favorite fictional Fours, John Locke. “Don’t tell me what I can’t do.”
Did you know, I’m probably still married because someone, two someones actually, told me I couldn’t stay married? “Give up, you can’t” is probably the most motivational thing you can say to me, maybe to most Fours. Because once something becomes a truly lost cause, a St. Jude case, then that’s when we become committed. I think our faith begins where other people’s faith ends. Part of being the outcast misfit, I guess.
And oddly, miraculously sometimes, that’s when we manage to get our collective crap together and accomplish great things.
Yesterday was Groundhog Day. I am currently pondering the following question. What would happen if the groundhog came out, saw his shadow, was scared, and didn’t go back into his hole? What would that mean? Six more weeks of winter, and early Spring, or a whole new world?
In case you’re wondering, yes, that’s a metaphor.
5 Comments
February 5, 2007 at 3:31 pm
It’s funny that with some people motivation is saying that they can’t do something. I tend to be that way also.
February 5, 2007 at 5:09 pm
Often, that’s the one thing that will actually, effectively motivate me. I wish it wasn’t so, but there you have it: being told to give up because you can’t do it is my surefire motivation.
February 7, 2007 at 6:39 pm
I gotta tell ya, Kat, this whole “take several months off” crap is getting old and I’m willing to bet the fans won’t forgive this round. hell, even I’m recording it and watching Idol.
February 7, 2007 at 9:36 pm
Um, dude, you realize they bumped it back an hour so that you can watch both, right?
As far as the fans go, you should read some of Doc Jensen’s recent articles on EW.com. He actually polled people. http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20006484,00.html
I think moreso than alot of shows, LOST has LEVELS of fandom.
Like Star Trek and Star Wars.
February 8, 2007 at 2:37 pm
Lost started off great, in my opinion. But now it has that “painted in a corner” feel and worse, it’s really just not that interesting anymore. I guess when you start showing what’s behind the funhouse mirrors, it can be disappointing.