I’ve been remiss in posting here because I like to wait for the right spark to strike before I start slamming away at the keys. In general, I like to have something to say before I blog, and current events have trumped overall sci-fi discussions. I’m keeping busy; still tinkering away at the Battle of Victoria Crater, turning a stale story concept into something fresh for myself and for you, the reader.
Other than what I read in the papers, I paid no attention to the Oscars. La La Land won Best Picture, right? Yes it did … for one brief moment. Then life went on and the Oscars was exposed for being yet another institution full of imperfect humans and all the frailty that this implies. If something like this ever happens to me, I hope I can be as classy as Ryan Gosling:
Ryan Gosling reacts as the true winner of best picture “Moonlight” is announced at the #Oscars. pic.twitter.com/QBRso3yHNJ
— AP Images (@AP_Images) February 27, 2017
Gosling’s reaction got me to thinking. Not about movies, but about the journey each creator or creative person faces. If we’re really honest with ourselves, we recognize that we’re all innovators and entrepreneurs in our own right. Ignoring the people who innovate by declaration (‘I posted an article about Richard Branson on Linkedin, I’m an entrepreneur!’), we know the nuts and bolts of really going out there and doing it. It’s not fun, it’s not comfortable; true innovation means facing risk and defeat on a daily basis.
It’s important to say this, not just for myself but for anyone else considering the journey. Everyone is going to have their Gosling moment. Everyone is going to reach that mountain top only to find out that the victory wasn’t theirs to have. Who are we going to be when that happens? Are we going to accept our fortunes with quiet dignity or are we going to melt down, scream and demand to see the manager? No one really knows the answer until they’re at that moment.
Ryan Gosling got it right. May we be as tough, classy and professional to do the same when it’s our turn.