Mr. Oscar, Welcome to the Real World

I find it quite amusing all the hubbub about the Oscar night and the mix up with the best picture nomination.  Hasn’t any one of those involved had a snafu?  Why do they act like it is the biggest disaster since the Titanic? 

It made me think about those involved- privileged, pampered, “perfect” people.  People who have “my people” who do everything for them; dress them, style them, give them the words to speak and how to move and behave.  After all they are actors. Professional fakers.  When things do not go right in their professional worlds, they just “cut and re- do”.  

Sunday night there was no reshoot.  No do-over.  

And it is okay.  The world won’t fall off the axis.  It should make the rest of us feel pretty good about ourselves. Sometimes things happen that just happen.  It is not intentional.  It was not deliberate. When it does, we just have to keep the incident in perspective, find the humor in it and then move on.  

I am sure each one of you can recount incidences, snafus and general faux pas. Whether it is the inappropriate bodily sound that accidentally “slipped” in public, an inadvertently sent email to the wrong recipient, or a physical trip during a solemn event it is all okay.  

It is what makes us human.  No one is perfect.  We shouldn’t demand perfection of ourselves nor of others.  There is the difference between perfection and striving for excellence.  While we should strive for excellence and strive to do and be the best we can, we shouldn’t get so hung up on not being perfect. 

So Mr. Oscar and Ms. Hollywood- welcome to reality.  In the real world, people don’t wear gold lame in the afternoon. They don’t have hair, makeup and clothing stylists tending and fawning over them before they go out in public. They don’t have designers fighting over the clothes they wear. Their opinions, politically or otherwise are not tweeted and taken as gospel. 

In the real world, people tend to themselves.  They strive to look the best they can within their means.  They worry about kids, colds, food, money and job security.  When they do have to do public speaking (possibly at a funeral or wedding), what is not seen as “polish” is spoken with sincerity and heartfelt meaning. 

What about you?  Do you have an embarrassing public story?  What happened?  Were you ever able to move on from it?  If not, why not? 

For the real world, it is time that Mr. Oscar caught up. When we experience an embarrassing moment, we just need to laugh, shake it off and realize that even professionals have things happen too.

Room For Improvement

 I love playing tennis.  I have always loved it but it wasn't until my adult years (and a couple of lessons) that I really started enjoying it. It is definitely my exercise of choice.  I think I like it because I am finally  at a point where I am a decent enough player.  Not superb but at least I am at a point where I can enjoy playing the game and not fret over every shot and, I hope, my opponent can enjoy having a good game too.  I think I also enjoy it because, as some of my tennis friends attest, when and where else can women of a certain age wear short skirts and not look too ridiculous. 

Once when walking onto the court I heard a comment from the group walking off, "Well", said the older gentleman, "I left room for improvement."  

I loved it.  I felt he captured so much more than a tennis philosophy.  What a great lesson for life: Leaving room for improvement.

Do I leave room for improvement for myself and for others?  Or, do I unrealistically expect perfection?  Leaving room for improvement implies that there is more to the action- that there is time and space given before moving forward.  It implies that everything can be improved. Perhaps respite is needed  before continuing but there is still work to be done.  

I like the idea that one has a choice about how we improve.  We can be frenzied and overworked in trying to immediately hit the mark or we can be systematic, paced and timely in our striving.  It is a philosophy that is humbling and freeing at the same time.  It is a philosophy that gives me permission to freely strive for improvement without having to be bound to unattainable goals. 

What about you?  Have you left room for improvement?  If so, in what?