INDY :: Home
No matter what you choose to do here, remember one thing: VITRIOL! It is within ourselves that we discover the greatest wonders of the universe.
-= indy =-
:: INDY Blog ::
Groundhog Day 2024: What are you going to do today?
Good morning!
It's Groundhog Day... again... and soon I'll be rewatching Phil Connors repetitive journey through a day. After a very, very long journey through "a very long day", but in living that "day" Phil, will reshape his life in a new and better way.
I'm writing and posting this article early today because I want to start it with a variation of Phil's question at the end of the film: "Is there anything I can do for [me/]you, today?"
I hope that question can be a catalyst for reflecting "forward" in order to make today a great day to repeat.
Good morning!
It's Groundhog Day... again... and soon I'll be rewatching Phil Connors repetitive journey through a day. After a very, very long journey through "a very long day", but in living that "day" Phil, will reshape his life in a new and better way.
I'm writing and posting this article early today because I want to start it with a variation of Phil's question at the end of the film: "Is there anything I can do for [me/]you, today?"
I hope that question can be a catalyst for reflecting "forward" in order to make today a great day to repeat.
Groundhog Day 2023: Better next time
Well, it's Groundhog Day... again.
And it's amazing to think a year has passed since my last Groundhog Day reflection. I guess after one watches a film many many times through the years, things start to blend together in memory. In fact, I find these writings have also become a review of what I've written before, if at least so I don't repeat something I've already pondered before.
This year I had a topic in mind before that alarm clock hit 06:00, but that's not what I ended up reflecting on today nor what I'm writing about now. Before I even saw the sun rising this morning, my thoughts wandered in another philosophical Groundhog Day direction.
As we all often do in our days, I had a number of things go not so well today. Of the many minor things which occurred, I'll list three events which are most prominent and useful for discussion.
The first was that I hit my head pretty hard while hurrying to catch a bus... I can still feel the bump more than 15 hours later. The second I'll mention was when I dropped a cupcake that I was looking forward to snacking on. The third and last event I'll mention was a bus ride at the end of the day that ended up being caught in traffic, having the exit for my stop closed, and therefore reaching my stop almost an hour after its scheduled time.
Each of these events were certainly unfortunate, but felt different today thanks to a small bit of Groundhog Day perspective.
After the first event, when I hit my head, I was quite upset. It hurt really bad -- and honestly still is quite tender to the touch. Even so, the circumstances for the occurrence were completely understandable. It just happened to be that I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Thanks to my thoughts being philosophical today, I found myself thinking, "I'll remember to avoid this occurrence 'next time around'." The idea being as if the day would repeat and I could simply avoid the mistake altogether. That shift in perspective allowed me to laugh at the silliness of the mistake and move on with my day with an added smile. Still a bump on my head, but at least not dwelling on negative thoughts.
Later, during/after some other minor similar unfortunate experiences, I kept a similar perspective. Carrying on "knowing" that I'll just do better next time. By the time I dropped the cupcake which I was very excited to eat, I had internalized that perspective and laughed aloud at the dropped cupcake. I recovered and ate what I still could, then said aloud, "OK. No hitting my head. No [makes motions with hands] while attempting to eat cupcake."
And, finally, after the diverted and delayed bus ride, I departed the bus, smiled and said, "No hitting head, no dropping cupcake, taking [alternate bus route] instead of [delayed bus route]."
I knew none of these notes would be directly applicable, as the day is unlikely to repeat as it does for Phil Connors in the film Groundhog Day [TMDB]. However, I have found this mindset to be freeing today and perhaps something I'll carry forward into the future.
As I think back on my day today and the bumps (literally) along the way, I feel lighter in mindset about the permanence of the choices and experiences we make in our one brief life. Mistakes happen; it's our reaction and recovery from those mistakes which define us, not the mistakes themselves. So, maybe, the next time I hit my head and wish I hadn't, I'll remember that I can still do better next time. And I will. As long as we keep trying, we will each do better next time.
Well, it's Groundhog Day... again.
And it's amazing to think a year has passed since my last Groundhog Day reflection. I guess after one watches a film many many times through the years, things start to blend together in memory. In fact, I find these writings have also become a review of what I've written before, if at least so I don't repeat something I've already pondered before.
This year I had a topic in mind before that alarm clock hit 06:00, but that's not what I ended up reflecting on today nor what I'm writing about now. Before I even saw the sun rising this morning, my thoughts wandered in another philosophical Groundhog Day direction.
As we all often do in our days, I had a number of things go not so well today. Of the many minor things which occurred, I'll list three events which are most prominent and useful for discussion.
The first was that I hit my head pretty hard while hurrying to catch a bus... I can still feel the bump more than 15 hours later. The second I'll mention was when I dropped a cupcake that I was looking forward to snacking on. The third and last event I'll mention was a bus ride at the end of the day that ended up being caught in traffic, having the exit for my stop closed, and therefore reaching my stop almost an hour after its scheduled time.
Each of these events were certainly unfortunate, but felt different today thanks to a small bit of Groundhog Day perspective.
After the first event, when I hit my head, I was quite upset. It hurt really bad -- and honestly still is quite tender to the touch. Even so, the circumstances for the occurrence were completely understandable. It just happened to be that I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Thanks to my thoughts being philosophical today, I found myself thinking, "I'll remember to avoid this occurrence 'next time around'." The idea being as if the day would repeat and I could simply avoid the mistake altogether. That shift in perspective allowed me to laugh at the silliness of the mistake and move on with my day with an added smile. Still a bump on my head, but at least not dwelling on negative thoughts.
Later, during/after some other minor similar unfortunate experiences, I kept a similar perspective. Carrying on "knowing" that I'll just do better next time. By the time I dropped the cupcake which I was very excited to eat, I had internalized that perspective and laughed aloud at the dropped cupcake. I recovered and ate what I still could, then said aloud, "OK. No hitting my head. No [makes motions with hands] while attempting to eat cupcake."
And, finally, after the diverted and delayed bus ride, I departed the bus, smiled and said, "No hitting head, no dropping cupcake, taking [alternate bus route] instead of [delayed bus route]."
I knew none of these notes would be directly applicable, as the day is unlikely to repeat as it does for Phil Connors in the film Groundhog Day [TMDB]. However, I have found this mindset to be freeing today and perhaps something I'll carry forward into the future.
As I think back on my day today and the bumps (literally) along the way, I feel lighter in mindset about the permanence of the choices and experiences we make in our one brief life. Mistakes happen; it's our reaction and recovery from those mistakes which define us, not the mistakes themselves. So, maybe, the next time I hit my head and wish I hadn't, I'll remember that I can still do better next time. And I will. As long as we keep trying, we will each do better next time.
Groundhog Day 2022: Where would you like to be?
I wrote my first Groundhog Day blog fifteen years ago. Since then, I've enjoyed the intentional tradition of meditating on my various PHILosophies in life through the viewing of the 1993 film Groundhog Day [IMDB].
Usually when I choose a direction for my Groundhog Day articles, it's because some theme jumps out to me on my viewing of the film. Typically, I'll watch the film and feel drawn to a certain interpretation. I then use subsequent viewings to hone in on the theme and form my thoughts on it completely. Today was pleasantly different.
The first line of the film caught me immediately upon my initial viewing and I knew what I would write about this year:
I briefly mentioned being mindful of the present in my 2013 Groundhog Day reflection. That sense of mindfulness can help us value our actions now as we form our future. I find it important to ask myself every now and the same sort of question that Phil mentions. If the answer to that question is, "Probably right here", then I can take a moment to find contentment with the path that's led to this place in life. If the answer is to a place elsewhere in space or time, then I'll know what to adjust to get where I want to be.
I hope you're feeling happy with where you are in life or at least hopeful for the path you have ahead to get there. Take care in this year ahead, we're not through this strange "winter" just yet.
I wrote my first Groundhog Day blog fifteen years ago. Since then, I've enjoyed the intentional tradition of meditating on my various PHILosophies in life through the viewing of the 1993 film Groundhog Day [IMDB].
Usually when I choose a direction for my Groundhog Day articles, it's because some theme jumps out to me on my viewing of the film. Typically, I'll watch the film and feel drawn to a certain interpretation. I then use subsequent viewings to hone in on the theme and form my thoughts on it completely. Today was pleasantly different.
The first line of the film caught me immediately upon my initial viewing and I knew what I would write about this year:
"Somebody asked me today, 'Phil, if you could be anywhere in the world, where would you like to be?' And I said to 'em, 'Probably right here...'"Admittedly, that line continues and Phil identifies a physical location where he'd like to be, based on its current weather forecast. However, the pause after he states "Probably right here" was just long enough for me to think of the question as if regarding a state of being or place in life.
I briefly mentioned being mindful of the present in my 2013 Groundhog Day reflection. That sense of mindfulness can help us value our actions now as we form our future. I find it important to ask myself every now and the same sort of question that Phil mentions. If the answer to that question is, "Probably right here", then I can take a moment to find contentment with the path that's led to this place in life. If the answer is to a place elsewhere in space or time, then I'll know what to adjust to get where I want to be.
I hope you're feeling happy with where you are in life or at least hopeful for the path you have ahead to get there. Take care in this year ahead, we're not through this strange "winter" just yet.
Groundhog Day 2021: Empathy
There are few words which can describe how significant the last 12 months have been in all our lives. We (human society) have been deeply affected by a global pandemic which has changed the way we work, play, learn, interact, and, well, live. And while 2020 contained some wonderous events for me personally, such as my wonderfully personal and connective wedding, the events of the past year have also laid bare some of society's darkness as well. (For more on those sorts of topics though, I'd refer you to my Guy Fawkes Day articles.) Being Groundhog Day, I prefer to pause with internal reflection not outward commentary and evaluation.
When viewing the Groundhog Day film in my usual way today, I looked at it through the lens of this last year. When we watch films, we tend to focus on the experiences and perspective of a specific individual or group. Much of the film's background is therefore filled with people who are "extras" or side-characters. Similarly, we humans tend to view our lives in the same way. We see ourselves as protagonists in our own story and therefore see others as side-characters in it.
Groundhog Day, the film, centers the story around Phil Connors' experiences of repeating the day over and over again. Today, in my viewing, I found myself focusing not on Phil, but on the people around him. I imagined how his actions or words may impact them. Notice the impact of Phil's choice to bribe the piano teacher to oust a young piano student mid-lesson. Or imagine the impact of Phil's degrading comments toward Larry early on in the film. Now, imagine if these experiences are repeated for eternity for those individuals. Meaning, what if Phil's actions in these moments become the moments that these people have to relive with him everyday, the way he relives everyday in the film.
My point in bringing up these observations isn't to condemn Phil. In fact, later in the film, Phil is shown to be quite different as a person. We can envision how this new kind person might have patiently allowed the young piano student to finish her lesson. We also can see when Phil makes an effort to genuinely connect, or at least befriend, Larry by asking him about his life. My point is to prompt that previously mentioned thought exercise: imagine the story these "side-characters" experience through their interaction(s) with Phil. We, as the audience, see the transformation of Phil from "wretch" (to quote Rita's quote) to hero. Each character in that film would likely have a very different view of Phil. "Yesterday, he treated me like trash, but today he wants to be my friend? Will tomorrow be trash again?"
In our lives, we present ourselves to others and share with them a piece of our selves. We give them pieces of our story with which they try to build their own understanding. Now, that understanding is built through their own perspective, bias, and life-experience, but it forms a story in their minds about us. We do the same thing with them. We receive pieces of their story and form those pieces into a story that we tell ourselves about them.
I don't want to delve to deeply in this reflection, so I'll conclude here by saying the following:
Use care when building a story in your head about other people. They live rich full lives and have had wonderful and horrible experiences. Those people aren't simply side-characters in your story.
Lastly, be kind in the way you share your story with others. Your actions and your words will be the story they repeat to themselves about you.
There are few words which can describe how significant the last 12 months have been in all our lives. We (human society) have been deeply affected by a global pandemic which has changed the way we work, play, learn, interact, and, well, live. And while 2020 contained some wonderous events for me personally, such as my wonderfully personal and connective wedding, the events of the past year have also laid bare some of society's darkness as well. (For more on those sorts of topics though, I'd refer you to my Guy Fawkes Day articles.) Being Groundhog Day, I prefer to pause with internal reflection not outward commentary and evaluation.
When viewing the Groundhog Day film in my usual way today, I looked at it through the lens of this last year. When we watch films, we tend to focus on the experiences and perspective of a specific individual or group. Much of the film's background is therefore filled with people who are "extras" or side-characters. Similarly, we humans tend to view our lives in the same way. We see ourselves as protagonists in our own story and therefore see others as side-characters in it.
Groundhog Day, the film, centers the story around Phil Connors' experiences of repeating the day over and over again. Today, in my viewing, I found myself focusing not on Phil, but on the people around him. I imagined how his actions or words may impact them. Notice the impact of Phil's choice to bribe the piano teacher to oust a young piano student mid-lesson. Or imagine the impact of Phil's degrading comments toward Larry early on in the film. Now, imagine if these experiences are repeated for eternity for those individuals. Meaning, what if Phil's actions in these moments become the moments that these people have to relive with him everyday, the way he relives everyday in the film.
My point in bringing up these observations isn't to condemn Phil. In fact, later in the film, Phil is shown to be quite different as a person. We can envision how this new kind person might have patiently allowed the young piano student to finish her lesson. We also can see when Phil makes an effort to genuinely connect, or at least befriend, Larry by asking him about his life. My point is to prompt that previously mentioned thought exercise: imagine the story these "side-characters" experience through their interaction(s) with Phil. We, as the audience, see the transformation of Phil from "wretch" (to quote Rita's quote) to hero. Each character in that film would likely have a very different view of Phil. "Yesterday, he treated me like trash, but today he wants to be my friend? Will tomorrow be trash again?"
In our lives, we present ourselves to others and share with them a piece of our selves. We give them pieces of our story with which they try to build their own understanding. Now, that understanding is built through their own perspective, bias, and life-experience, but it forms a story in their minds about us. We do the same thing with them. We receive pieces of their story and form those pieces into a story that we tell ourselves about them.
I don't want to delve to deeply in this reflection, so I'll conclude here by saying the following:
Use care when building a story in your head about other people. They live rich full lives and have had wonderful and horrible experiences. Those people aren't simply side-characters in your story.
Lastly, be kind in the way you share your story with others. Your actions and your words will be the story they repeat to themselves about you.
Groundhog Day 2020: Hope
It's Groundhog Day!
If you're reading this I'm sure you're well aware of my Groundhog Day reflections, so I'll jump right into it....
In the film Groundhog Day [IMDB], when Phil Connors begins his long long day, we watch him first experience confusion, then panic, then he tries to indulge his ego and distract himself from his own shallow existence. Those indulgences and distractions are only temporary and eventually reality hits him with a slap to the face. He crashes into despair and hopelessness. Time and time again, he tries to end his empty experience, even attempting to kill himself in various ways. Eventually, we see him seated with Rita as he confides in her his belief that he is a god, an immortal being, bound to endless torture in a single day.
While amazed at his knowledge of the townspeople, Rita is undaunted in her patience. As they spend the day together, Rita displays her general optimism which is quite contrary to how Phil approaches life at that point in the film. Earlier, Phil was the subject of a spot on observation by Gus in the bowling alley: "You know, some people would see this glass and say it's half full. Other people would say it's half empty. I'm thinking you're a half-empty kind of guy." Gus is right about Phil in at least two ways. Not only is Phil a pessimist -- seeing the glass as half empty, he's also a half-empty person. Phil is so wrapped up in himself that he doesn't see the world around him.
Rita casually mentions how she would use the opportunity to repeat a day. Her optimistic idea nudges Phil to take a new perspective on his experience: "I don't know, Phil. Maybe it's not a curse. It depends on how you look at it." The next morning, he is fresh and excited to embrace his journey as a whole. He leaps out of bed and begins treating every person he can with kindness. Each day is a new day. One new morning, we see him leave his room and answer his fellow hotel guest with the words, "Winter slumbering in the open air, wears on his smiling face a dream of Spring!"
That line is from the 19th century poem, I've included here:
I've written before about the importance of connection and creating purpose for yourself. Those fundamentals are certainly important, but beneath those fundamentals is a foundation of hope. Phil's hopeless pessimism is what destroys his dreams time and time again. He tries to get what he wants, but he never really buys into the journey. He only reaches for the destination. Once Phil embraces his experiences with hope, we see him begin to change as a person. Phil's daily work becomes full of hope, not empty like the result of attempting to catch nectar in a sieve.
Think of this while you pass these last minutes before midnight or while you embrace your new day. What is your Spring? What hope is in your dreams? Will you endure winter in the open air, keeping warm with a dream of Spring?
I think I will. Colorado has a "big blue thing" on its way tonight, so I HOPE I can stay warm with a dream of my Spring, both literal and metaphorical.
Ciao!
-----------
By the way, this year's Groundhog Day has TWO special bonuses!
First, today's date is a palindrome whether you write it 2020-02-02 (yyyy-mm-dd), 02-02-2020 (dd-mm-yyyy), or 02-02-2020 (mm-dd-yyyy).
Second, Bill Murray was in an ad today which played a bit with his role in Groundhog Day:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AnhzGUcENWo
His day sure does look full of hope.
It's Groundhog Day!
If you're reading this I'm sure you're well aware of my Groundhog Day reflections, so I'll jump right into it....
In the film Groundhog Day [IMDB], when Phil Connors begins his long long day, we watch him first experience confusion, then panic, then he tries to indulge his ego and distract himself from his own shallow existence. Those indulgences and distractions are only temporary and eventually reality hits him with a slap to the face. He crashes into despair and hopelessness. Time and time again, he tries to end his empty experience, even attempting to kill himself in various ways. Eventually, we see him seated with Rita as he confides in her his belief that he is a god, an immortal being, bound to endless torture in a single day.
While amazed at his knowledge of the townspeople, Rita is undaunted in her patience. As they spend the day together, Rita displays her general optimism which is quite contrary to how Phil approaches life at that point in the film. Earlier, Phil was the subject of a spot on observation by Gus in the bowling alley: "You know, some people would see this glass and say it's half full. Other people would say it's half empty. I'm thinking you're a half-empty kind of guy." Gus is right about Phil in at least two ways. Not only is Phil a pessimist -- seeing the glass as half empty, he's also a half-empty person. Phil is so wrapped up in himself that he doesn't see the world around him.
Rita casually mentions how she would use the opportunity to repeat a day. Her optimistic idea nudges Phil to take a new perspective on his experience: "I don't know, Phil. Maybe it's not a curse. It depends on how you look at it." The next morning, he is fresh and excited to embrace his journey as a whole. He leaps out of bed and begins treating every person he can with kindness. Each day is a new day. One new morning, we see him leave his room and answer his fellow hotel guest with the words, "Winter slumbering in the open air, wears on his smiling face a dream of Spring!"
That line is from the 19th century poem, I've included here:
Work without Hope
by Samuel Taylor Coleridge
February 1825
All Nature seems at work. Slugs leave their lair.
The bees are stirring, birds are on the wing.
And Winter slumbering in the open air,
Wears on his smiling face a dream of Spring!
And I the while, the sole unbusy thing,
Nor honey make, nor pair, nor build, nor sing.
Yet well I ken the banks where amaranths blow,
Have traced the fount whence streams of nectar flow.
Bloom, O ye amaranths! bloom for whom ye may,
For me ye bloom not! Glide, rich streams, away!
With lips unbrightened, wreathless brow, I stroll:
And would you learn the spells that drowse my soul?
Work without Hope draws nectar in a sieve,
And Hope without an object cannot live.
I've written before about the importance of connection and creating purpose for yourself. Those fundamentals are certainly important, but beneath those fundamentals is a foundation of hope. Phil's hopeless pessimism is what destroys his dreams time and time again. He tries to get what he wants, but he never really buys into the journey. He only reaches for the destination. Once Phil embraces his experiences with hope, we see him begin to change as a person. Phil's daily work becomes full of hope, not empty like the result of attempting to catch nectar in a sieve.
Think of this while you pass these last minutes before midnight or while you embrace your new day. What is your Spring? What hope is in your dreams? Will you endure winter in the open air, keeping warm with a dream of Spring?
I think I will. Colorado has a "big blue thing" on its way tonight, so I HOPE I can stay warm with a dream of my Spring, both literal and metaphorical.
Ciao!
-----------
By the way, this year's Groundhog Day has TWO special bonuses!
First, today's date is a palindrome whether you write it 2020-02-02 (yyyy-mm-dd), 02-02-2020 (dd-mm-yyyy), or 02-02-2020 (mm-dd-yyyy).
Second, Bill Murray was in an ad today which played a bit with his role in Groundhog Day:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AnhzGUcENWo
His day sure does look full of hope.
connect with me:
|
|
|
|