Slowing Down To Win The Race

Lessons Learned From Aesop's Fables + Fiona Apple + Looney Tunes

Feb 15, 2025

Since I wrote “Turning My Light Back On” last week, my world has been a whirling dervish of getting shit done and taking care of business, as fast as I can.

In my effort to make up for lost time, I’ve been charging ahead, pushing myself harder—emotionally and physically—than I’ve pushed myself in years.

Long story short, I’ve completely exhausted myself. And/or I’m fighting a cold.

So I’m spending my Studio Saturday relaxing, relating, and releasing.

Naps are also on my to-do list. But probably not much more.

Part of me loves speeding through the rough stuff, stomping on the accelerator and racing toward the finish line, instead of dealing with the stuff I’d rather avoid or ignore.

For me, Aesop’s “The Tortoise and the Hare” is more fact than fable.
And Looney Tunes’s “Tortoise Wins By A Hare” is the best adaptation.

This timeless tale is a great reminder that steady, deliberate progress usually wins the race. While the wascally wabbit might be overconfident and with zoomie energy, the tortoise keeps calm and carries on.

To help me maintain the energy and focus I need to push through the emotional and physical fatigue that comes with DIY life renovations, I’ve decided to slow down and take a step back in a few areas:

COMMENTS + REPLIES = ON SUBSTACK

I’ll continue reading comments and liking those I enjoy on Substack, but I’m going to pause on responding to so many.

The truth is I’m extra sensitive and tender right now, and it’s a little too easy for me to take certain comments personally. Some folks like to noodle out loud, which is totally fine—but I’ve got my own oodles of noodles to work through at the moment.

While I’m taking a break, I would like to encourage more interaction within the community. Because this space is about us, not just me.

That said, please keep it kind, or I’ll help you rewind.

COMMENTS + REPLIES = ON YOUTUBE

YouTube has always been where I’ve encountered the most vitriolic responses. And since a certain orange chaos monster returned to Washington, D.C., the volume of hateful comments has skyrocketed.

So I decided to pause all comments on my channel until further notice.

I don’t have the time, patience, or energy to babysit rude dudes or troubled trolls.

POSTS + VIDEOS = ON SUBSTACK

For the next week or two, I’ll only be posting the daily newsletter and new NSFW montages every other day (or two).

Beyond that, I won’t be posting as much as I have been. I need to catch up on some long-avoided life stuff. My guess is most probably won’t notice the difference.

POSTS + VIDEOS = ON YOUTUBE

YouTube’s algorithm has been an unpredictable rollercoaster, and my channel’s growth has slowed considerably over the past few months.

The more I post, the less effective my posts seem to be.

So, aside from replay streams every other day (or two), I’m switching from posting one or two videos a day to one or two videos a week. I refuse to stress myself out trying to outsmart an algorithm that plays by its own rules.

Turning down the volume on noisy noodles is, for me, an important act of self-care and self-love. It gives me the clarity to listen to my own instincts, not the cacophony of Other People’s ‘Pinions.

Personally, I’m not down with that kind of O.P.P.—yeah, you know me!

In my personal life and career, I’ve had moments where I wished I could be more like Bugs Bunny—quick-witted, always a step ahead, effortlessly navigating challenges.

But if I’m being honest, I know I’m a lot more like the tortoise. I might not be the fastest or flashiest, but I am in it to win it.

As I recalibrate and recuperate today, I’m reminded that most progress doesn’t come from racing ahead—it comes from pausing, reflecting, and savoring the journey.

Here’s to slowing down and winning…at our own pace!
Clint 🌈✌️

P.S. Tortoise and hare are optional.

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ON THIS DAY = FEBRUARY 15

BIRTHDAYS

1564 = Galileo Galilei = Italian astronomer, physicist, and mathematician
1812 = Charles Lewis Tiffany = American businessman and Tiffany & Co. founder
1820 = Susan B. Anthony = American suffragist and activist
1898 = Totò = Italian actor, singer, and screenwriter
1907 = Cesar Romero = American actor 🌈
1918 = Allan Arbus = American actor and photographer
1924 = Robert Drew = American filmmaker
1927 = Harvey Korman = American actor and comedian
1947 = John Adams = American composer
1951 = Jane Seymour = English-American actor and jewelry designer
1952 = Bill T. Jones = American choreographer, director, and dancer 🌈
1953 = Lynn Whitfield = American actor and producer
1954 = Matt Groening = American animator, producer, and screenwriter
1955 = Janice Dickinson = American model, agent, and author
1955 = Christopher McDonald = American actor
1959 = Ali Campbell = English singer-songwriter
1964 = Chris Farley = American comedian and actor
1967 = Jane Child = Canadian singer-songwriter
1970 = Shepard Fairey = American artist and activist
1971 = Alex Borstein = American actor, voice artist, and screenwriter
1974 = Miranda July = American actor, director, and screenwriter
1984 = Matt Duffer + Ross Duffer = American filmmakers
1986 = Amber Riley = American actor and singer
1990 = Callum Turner = English actor

EVENTS

399 BCE = Socrates is sentenced to death by the city of Athens for corrupting the minds of the youth of the city and for impiety
1764 = The city of St. Louis is established in Spanish Louisiana (now Missouri).
1946 = ENIAC, the first electronic general-purpose computer, is formally dedicated at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.
1965 = The maple leaf is adopted as the flag of Canada, replacing the Canadian Red Ensign flag.
1972 = Sound recordings are granted U.S. federal copyright protection for the first time.
1980 = William Friedkin’s Cruising opens nationwide and is blasted by critics (gay and straight) for its depiction of homosexuality, but also, as one critic puts it, “[its] narrative loopholes [and] unconvincing plot twists.”
1985 = The Breakfast Club is released in theaters.
1995 = The Celluloid Closet is released in theaters.