
Life has a funny way of playing āThe Facts Of Lifeā on repeat.
Whether I want to learn, listen, or watch. Or not.
Yesterday, I was bopping along, minding my own business, playing in the studio, rewatching the classic sitcom while I sorted through a new treasure trove of vintage photos. I was also feeling happy and grateful for some generous support and kind words of encouragement from patrons.
Thatās when āMr. Horton Donāt Give A Who!ā decided to do his best to ruin my day.
While I do my best to provide customer support and de-escalate any subscriber problems, he didnāt like my suggestion and POPPED OFF again.
Long story short, Mr. Horton not only got unsubscribed and refunded, he got blocked. I also responded to his series of whiny-ass emails by putting him on blast. In case you werenāt aware, The No Asshole Rule, is in fullāand foolāeffect here at Collide Press.
Mr. Horton isnāt the only asshole to have fucked around.
He also isnāt the only one to find out the hard way:
CLINT IS NICEā¦UNTIL HEāS NOT.
I get being frustrated with tech problems, but Iām not the one to take it out on.
I did my best not to let the childish online behavior of an entitled asshole ruin my day, but I will admit it pissed me off to the highest of pisstivity. So I decided to rewatch a few more episodes of āThe Facts Of Lifeā to chill out. I also thought it wise to revisit a few of āThe Facts Of Lifeā that have come up for me recently.
Consider these a reminderāto myself, if no one else.
THE 80/20 RULE = IT'S EVERYWHERE!
The Pareto Principle, or the 80/20 rule, shows up in more places than I thought.
Whether itās the fact that 20% of my work accounts for 80% of my revenue or that 20% of viewers donāt like me or my work but 80% do, it reminds me to focus on what worksā¦and do my best to forget the rest.
Everythingās a bit of a numbers game.
Yes, math can be hard, but Lady Luck can be one fickle bitch.
ART ISN'T FOR EVERYONEā¦BY DEFINITION
Creating something you love doesnāt guarantee everyone else will. In fact, the more personal and authentic it is, the narrower your audience might be.
āIf it is art, it is not for all, and if it is for all, it is not art.ā
Arnold Schoenberg
Art, by its nature, is divisive. The trick is not taking it personally when people donāt "get it." If it connects with the right people, then itās done its job.
IDIOTS + "SMART TVS" = āTHE IDIOT BOXESā
Once upon a time, many referred to television as āthe idiot box."
Today, too many expect "Smart TVs" to do everything for them, preferring to be willfully dependent and willfully ignorant at the same time. Not smart.
Yes, our tech devices are capable of delivering more information, entertainment, and distractions than ever before. But shouldnāt we at least consider upgrading our own operating systems in order to use them?
NOT EVERYONE WILL CLAP
Thereās an idea that if you put in the effort, the world will applaud. Spoiler: it wonāt.
As long as Iāve been alive, some of what I consider my best work has gone unnoticed. And some of the work I consider my easiest, most obvious has gone viral.
āNobody knows anything...... Not one person in the entire motion picture field knows for a certainty what's going to work. Every time out it's a guess and, if you're lucky, an educated one.ā
William Goldman, Adventures in the Screen Trade
Personally, what matters isnāt the applause, but staying true to what I want to do.
TAKING THE GOOD WITH THE BAD
Being a creative online means facing the good and bad head-on.
Online spaces amplify the bestāand worstāof humankind.
Social media is a funhouse mirror that isnāt always so fun.
Kind words from subscribers and supporters keep me going.
Unkind comments from haters and trolls make me question humanity.
But lifeālike art and assholesāgoes on. It isnāt about perfection. Itās about showing up, embracing the chaos, and creating something that feels true. Something worth fighting to defend and protect.
So here I am, showing up again. If youāve made it this far, thanks for reading.
What truths have you been learningāor relearningālately?
Thanks for reading!
Clint
FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION
The Awful Truth About Youtube's Biggest Influencers (Abroad In Japan) šŗ
Francesca Fiorentini Confronts TYTās Cenk Uygur (The Vanguard) šŗ
I've Been Demonetised: The Saga So Far (Jill Bearup) šŗ
We Are Back: It's A Christmas Miracle! (Jill Bearup) šŗ
ON THIS DAY = DECEMBER 29
BIRTHDAYS
1898 = Elsa Gidlow = Canadian-American poet š
1914 = Billy Tipton = American musician and bandleader š
1936 = Mary Tyler Moore = American actor and producer
1938 = Jon Voight = American actor and producer
1946 = Marianne Faithfull = English singer-songwriter and actor
1947 = Ted Danson = American actor and producer
1957 = Brad Grey = American screenwriter and producer
1957 = Paul Rudnick = American writer š
1959 = Patricia Clarkson = American actor
1959 = Paula Poundstone = American comedian and author š
1966 = Jason Gould = American actor and singer
1967 = Lilly Wachowski = American filmmaker š
1972 = Jude Law = English actor
1974 = Mekhi Phifer = American actor
1976 = Katherine Moennig = American actor š
1979 = Diego Luna = Mexican actor,director, and producer
1985 = Alexa Ray Joel = American singer-songwriter
1995 = Ross Lynch = American singer and actor
1996 = Dylan Mulvaney = American actor and social media personality š
HOLIDAYS + OBSERVANCES
EVENTS
1845 = The United States annexes the Republic of Texas and admits it as the 28th state.
1902 = Scott Joplin copyrights "The Entertainer" and several other piano rag compositions with the US Copyright Office.
1913 = Cecil B. DeMille begins production on The Squaw Man, Hollywood's first feature film.
1913 = The Adventures of Kathlyn, the first ācliffhangerā serial premieres.
1967 = The Good, the Bad and the Ugly is released in the US.
PHOTO + QUOTE OF THE DAY
āI believe in a benevolent God not because He created the Grand Canyon or Michelangelo, but because He gave us snacks.ā
Paul Rudnick
NEW + FEATURED
Men In Motion #1 (NSFW)
Straight Guys (NSFW Doc)
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+ Storefront + Threadless + YouTube
While older and frailer than I ever hoped to be, I am glad to be here and ready to do my best to return us to a more civilized and loving blended society.
PS Clint, appreciated you final response.
Big thumbs up for 'You are rude' ššæš