The Fine Art Of Finishing A Salad

This afternoon I was reminded that accolades are not showered upon people who think of great ideas, jot them down in a notebook, and then forget about them. 

Accolades are showered upon people who think of great ideas, jot them down in a notebook, and then proceed to work out very detailed plans that lead to the actual physical realization of the ideas.

Having lunch with Captain Obvious is a pain in the tookus. I looked her dead in the eyes after she made the quip (which was difficult, because she was wearing a low cut top and has cleavage to spare) and thanked her for the insight.

Failing to follow up on great ideas, or at least very good ideas (Whoa Ego, whoa. Settle down) is the curse of my existence. I do not possess the Edison-esque ability to patiently and methodically work on a project until I complete it. I'm more like Leonardo da Vinci in that I get all ambitious about something, do a little work on it, then abandon it for something else.

Right now, the ghost of some 15th century Italian is saying, "I knew Leonardo da Vinci. I worked with Leonardo da Vinci. You sir are no Leonardo da Vinci."

I know that - I was using an exaggerated example to make a point for Jimminy Cricket's sake.

There are thousands of self-help books available that promise to show explicitly how anyone can learn to harness their inner drive and release the creative, productive person trapped inside them.

So far, I'm 0 for a thousand with those books.  

I keep plugging away though, because if there is one thing I have learned that has proven itself time and time again, it's this:

Never, ever give up. Keep trying, trudge on. Eventually, you'll find what you're looking for, you'll get to where you want to be, you'll find the perfect tie to compliment that chartreuse shirt (okay, that might be stretching it).

That's pretty much what my reply was to my friend Captain Obvious. To further stress my point, when she said she couldn't possibly finish her salad, I took her plate and told her to watch how it was done.

And so I finished her salad, one bite at a time. Persistence wins again!