"The Facts Of Life" Revisited

We Take The Good, We Take The Bad

Life has a funny way of playing “The Facts Of Life” 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.

That’s when “Mr. Horton Don’t Give A Who!” 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 didn’t 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 weren’t aware, The No Asshole Rule, is in full—and fool—effect here at Collide Press.

Mr. Horton isn’t the only asshole to have fucked around.
He also isn’t the only one to find out the hard way:
CLINT IS NICE…UNTIL HE’S NOT.

I get being frustrated with tech problems, but I’m 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 “The Facts Of Life” to chill out. I also thought it wise to revisit a few of “The Facts Of Life” that have come up for me recently.

Consider these a reminder—to 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 it’s the fact that 20% of my work accounts for 80% of my revenue or that 20% of viewers don’t like me or my work but 80% do, it reminds me to focus on what works…and do my best to forget the rest.

Everything’s a bit of a numbers game.
Yes, math can be hard, but Lady Luck can be one fickle bitch.

ART ISN'T FOR EVERYONE…BY DEFINITION

Creating something you love doesn’t guarantee everyone else will. In fact, the more personal and authentic it is, the narrower your audience might be.

“If it is art, it is not for all, and if it is for all, it is not art.”
Arnold Schoenberg

Art, by its nature, is divisive. The trick is not taking it personally when people don’t "get it." If it connects with the right people, then it’s done its job.

IDIOTS + "SMART TVS" = “THE IDIOT BOXES”

Once upon a time, many referred to television as “the 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 shouldn’t we at least consider upgrading our own operating systems in order to use them?

NOT EVERYONE WILL CLAP

There’s an idea that if you put in the effort, the world will applaud. Spoiler: it won’t.

As long as I’ve 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.

“Nobody 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.”
William Goldman, Adventures in the Screen Trade

Personally, what matters isn’t 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 best—and worst—of humankind.
Social media is a funhouse mirror that isn’t always so fun.

Kind words from subscribers and supporters keep me going.
Unkind comments from haters and trolls make me question humanity.

But life—like art and assholes—goes on. It isn’t about perfection. It’s 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 you’ve made it this far, thanks for reading.

What truths have you been learning—or relearning—lately?

Thanks for reading!
Clint

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FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION

• The Awful Truth About Youtube's Biggest Influencers (Abroad In Japan) 📺

• Francesca Fiorentini Confronts TYT’s Cenk Uygur (The Vanguard) 📺

• I've Been Demonetised: The Saga So Far (Jill Bearup) 📺

• We Are Back: It's A Christmas Miracle! (Jill Bearup) 📺

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ON THIS DAY = DECEMBER 29

BIRTHDAYS

• 1898 = Elsa Gidlow = Canadian-American poet 🌈

• 1914 = Billy Tipton = American musician and bandleader 🌈

• 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 🌈

• 1959 = Patricia Clarkson = American actor

• 1959 = Paula Poundstone = American comedian and author 🌈

• 1966 = Jason Gould = American actor and singer

• 1967 = Lilly Wachowski = American filmmaker 🌈

• 1972 = Jude Law = English actor

• 1974 = Mekhi Phifer = American actor

• 1976 = Katherine Moennig = American actor 🌈

• 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 🌈

HOLIDAYS + OBSERVANCES

• Tick Tock Day

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 “cliffhanger” serial premieres.

• 1967 = The Good, the Bad and the Ugly is released in the US.

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PHOTO + QUOTE OF THE DAY

“I believe in a benevolent God not because He created the Grand Canyon or Michelangelo, but because He gave us snacks.”
Paul Rudnick

NEW + FEATURED

• Men In Motion #1 (NSFW)

• Straight Guys (NSFW Doc)

• So Many Men…So Little Time #4 (NSFW)

• 2024 = A Tale Of Two Platforms

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