RicHARD ~The Anointed One~ Makepeace (CCAL30) (2360)

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Seemingly endless appreciation of Appreciation

Posted to: RicHARD ~The Anointed One~ Makepeace (CCAL30) (2360) by RicHARD ~The Anointed One~ Makepeace (CCAL30) (2360), Mon, 12 Feb 2007 16:25:42 PST
Edited: Wed, 14 Feb 2007 15:04:16 PST
Feedback score: 26 (* * * * * * * * * *)
Comments: 78 by 15 members
Viewed: 652 times by 51 members

THIS IS A HALF-EDITTED POST!! IT IS GOOD ENOUGH TO READ AND REPLY TO, BUT IT IS NOT FINISHED YET 14 February 2007 12:30PM

Netscape and Explorer have crashed half a dozen times while I was working hard to edit this drivel. Mayhaps that is a sign from god, but ALL the Gods be damned, I am going to finish this fucking thing. Period. **Let YOUR god be warned!!* AND I do not use the G-word lightly, though the MF word just slip right out. Keep that in mind!! Love, 9th Street RicHie*

Imagine a BIG Disclaimer here!! Is there a lawyer in the house? This is long: 2500+plus words with little or no comic relief.

For those of you, like me, who are completely in the dark even after reading it, this is a conversation between Diane T, of appreciation-fame and me about what to do to be a CO-Leader at the Appreciation Ping-Pong Game.

Diane's appreciation sites are strings that I fully support, even IF folks can't tell my appreciating from my reglar HillBilly-Ebonics, though I might not be able to find the strings again without asking Mike Maranda, or Mark.

My best advice is: SKIP OVER this without reading. I do not write for any particular audience, nor with writing like mine, could I fairly expect an audience. I know that most Web-denizens skip reading my crap and Ii am quite comfortable with personal choice. I take the same route myself many times, though not as often as I’d like.

Those of you who are compassionate enough, masochistic enough, or brave enough to still be here, or simply bored: Read on McDuff:

Diane, I beg your pardon, but I am going to post this to your AppreciationBlog, so you can take it down IF you need to: Up, or down is exactly the same to me.

I did not write it for anyone, yourself included, as I am not interested in changing anyone or anything, except myself and my own behavior. Nor were your comments, directly related to, or the cause of my responses in any manner. I guess that is sort of a disclaimer.

As you can see, my response has very little to do with you, or your comments. In fact, my response appears to follow no logic at all, even one of its own. That's scary.

I do not apologize: Either for appearing irrational, or seeming to be unreasonable. I proudly claim to be both, but not, unfortunately, with any consistency. Oh, to be consistent AND praiseworthy!! “Wouldn’t that be loverly?”

I will also mount this in my Personal News where no one except the nebulous authorities, or myself can remove it! Or maybe Norbert, Mark and Ted.

I know this discussion started out as a PM; I know that Web conventions assume that what is private will stay private, but I do not live by convention.

I have not invited ANY private speech into my life in more than two decades. My life is an open book. I am shooting for complete transparency. I do not think there is anything scandalous, or risqué in your post, or mine, but you may disagree.

I am NOT the final word on what is socially-acceptable: IF ya want good-housekeeping call Martha Stewart. She always seemed honest enough to me.

--- ~Diane T.~ wrote:

(( WOW! You also have a lot of wisdom and practical experience it seems. Is your comfort zone your left-brain or right-brain or integrated ying/yang circle, mind/body/spirit?

Well, I don't know about all of that, but I don’t seem to worry overmuch about anything -- usually. I never have; this used to be very frustrating to my brother when we ran our company. When worry gets on me, it is about like getting cold: When I don’t let myself get cold, I don’t have to shiver my way back to not being cold.

I only plug in my left-brain (logic) when I have to at work, when I am playing around as a volunteer, I prefer to be intuitive, visionary,(illogical) spontaneous, and just say what pops in my mind, without worrying about what people think. So do I have to get back into my left brain and answer logically?

I'm more like the Scarecrow in the Wizard of Oz. My comfort zone is not to think about shit at all. I’m fairly mindless on the whole. I don't worry about what answer will come out. Something will come out, or it won't! Either way, I will have an answer cause basically I'm brainless AND out of my mind.

I only hope that I will learn as much from the answer as I did from the question. I have not worried about LOGICAL answers for many decades. I no longer believe that logic of any kind exists, but please do not tell Lars, or Norbert. Though even Jere Hough might rise to that one! Oddly, I do believe in CommonSense.

OK, if you ask me, first, read the vision at the AppreciationBlog(tm) in Omidyar. Then share with me what comes into your mind, ask Higher Power ("HP" or God or the Buddha within you), how can you be truly helpful to realize your highest potential within the context of that vision. Then let me know what you heard.

I will go and “read the vision at the AppreciationBlog(tm).” I hope it is vision as in vision statement and not a vision as in vision from on High. In any event, I will share what comes into my mind, though I don't have much communication with HP, Higher Power, God or Buddha; I'm kinda okay if They All just leave me alone. I kinda deal with Them Cats on the They-don’t-bother-ME-and-Ii-won’t bother-Them system. The Gods seem to have accepted that arrangement: And I do not use the G-word lightly. Except in sublime moments of rapture . . .

I don't know quite what you mean about realizing my "highest potential within the context of that vision," but I'm sure that I will get an answer, or I won't, but either way that will be the answer. That's a fair tough question about being helpful, even the idea of being helpful is questionable to me. I'm not sure whether any of US are all that helpful.

Second, think of people who made a positive difference in your life, and acknowledge them so you are in peace since no one guarantees we will be around tomorrow, even though we probably will be around many decades. Best to share your appreciation while you can and you will have no regrets no matter what.

I've already done this. Ii am at peace. Ii want for nothing. Ii have no regrets. Ii have no resentment, or animosity toward anyone. In a proper TwelveStep program, this is called “doing the Steps,” but I’ve had more therapy than Woody Allen as well.

My friends think I over do it with the appreciation thing. And with the apology thing, which TwelveSteppers call, “making amends.” Strangers sometimes think I’m mocking, or insincere when I “shower” them with love and affection, but I don’t care much what strangers think either. I work very hard at being civil, and polite though.

I was reading one of Gandhi's later books and I heard him say something like what I wrote above about being at peace. I was eighteen or nineteen at the time and I thought, What nonsense?! How could you not be angry at someone?

It took me another twenty years to understand what Gandhi meant, but loving acceptance isn't really all that difficult.

Whenever I am uneasy, I deal with it in exactly that moment, assuming I realize my immediate stupidity. When I do not realize it in the moment, for some breach of attention, or compassion, I go back and fix it the very next moment that I am conscious of missing it the first time. One cannot be attentive and compassionate every moment, except for weird priests of one kind or another. Usually, my little issues are pretty minor in the Grand Scheme of things anyway.

Third, think of all the people in Omidyar who have make this such an interesting website. One person at a time, sincerely appreciate Pierre and Pam Omidyar, their staff, the active members, and all the members, one at a time. Find something you can sincerely appreciate, taking nothing for granted.

Many of the people that I appreciate from omidyar have been shouted down or run off for one reason or another. Appreciating THEM would probably just open old wounds.

I was gonna write here that I don't really appreciate Pierre and Pam Omidyar that much, but my hand sorta stopped me, because that's not exactly what I meant, and it is plainly not true in its particulars. I do appreciate the Omidyars a lot, in the same way that I appreciate Andrew Carnegie.

I love eBay, though I never get the deal I think I will and I really really love omidyar – although that love is tempered by an abiding frustration, much of the time. There are people here that I deeply and truly love, who I consider part of my family, my community, my tribe: Everything that I have is theirs. I’ll make a list for you one day: I promise.

I wish the Omidyars well. They are doing good work everywhere and rightfully getting the kudos for that work.

I wish for the Omidyars, everything that I wish for myself, or for those who I love; everything that I wish for all of US and not in any abstract way. I wish for the Omidyars, exactly what I wish for you, Miz Diane.

I wish them love, freedom, and the on-going care and comfort of those around them. I pray that their family and friends and communities are safe and happy every minute of every day – every instance when happy-safety is possible for any of US and I do not use the P-word lightly. I wish the Omidyars joyous interesting fun lives filled with peace and success in everything they do.

I admire what the Omidyars have attempted what little I know about them. I respect the Omidyars as fellow humyn beings. I would freely give them whatever aid and comfort were available to me. I understand exchanging aid and comfort, to be the basic obligation of community, as well as the minimum expression of one’s humynity. I work hard not to judge Others by those same standards.

On the other hand, I have never interacted with Pam and Pierre very much. I once saw Pam on a quotations string, but even then we didn't interact. I don't have anything against the Omidyars. I don't have anything against anyone here and having spent more than a year at O-net, that is quite a statement.

On the other hand, I do not hate Osama bin Laden, or George Bush. Reagan came as close as anyone ever has, to really annoying me, but I got over it with a little help from my friends. Then he died. I didn’t shed any tears, but I do believe that I was diminished by his death, just as the brutal murder of Saddam Hussein, diminished all people who love freedom and who cherish life and liberty.

I'm not sure whether ponying up the money for this site is such a big thing. I think the entire web should be free, phones and televisions and radios too for that matter. I think the few pennies, comparatively speaking, the Omidyars put toward this site is more than returned by the positive value they receive in publicity and goodwill. There are plenty of free sites around the web that work just as well, are equally socially-concerned, and where one is not constantly bombarded with how generous the hosts are.

I think everybody ought to give everything away; once someone has enough to live on, AND their needs met, the rest needs to be shared. I think most philanthropists could give away more, and give it away quicker.

I don’t mean to minimize the Omidyar’s contribution; I bless people who put a nickel in the beggar’s cup. I’m the guy who passes the hat for the kitchen help and the band. I know the value of a dollar, as well as anyone who will ever read this.

I am very grateful for this site and for the chance this site, not the Omidyars, have given me to develop deep emotional and social bonds.

But . . . IF I weren’t at this site, I’d be somewhere else doing exactly the same thing. I do think that O-net is better than many other places that I have been on the Web FOR ME because early on a majority of folks here spoke up and defended my First Amendment rights that I was going to exercise anyway. People here also, very quickly got used to, the odd mixture of hillbilly-Ebonics, which I sometimes mistake for speech.

This site has given me the opportunity to meet a lot of great people, yourself included, but there are thousands of free sites where I could have done the same thing. This site wasn’t a success simply because the Omidyars gave a small fortune to set it up and to maintain it. Folks inside and outside of this site made this site a success. The money that the Omidyars have, buys them much better access to a soapbox in the public square, but many others have helped this site along and are responsible for the soapbox and the square being available to ALL of US.

When eBay and the Omidyars started out, they had the same chances of success and failure as everybody else. Those dot.coms were go, go, go and then they were goners; I think everyone from that background knows that their success was largely trial and error; things coulda gone the other way just as easily. All entrepreneurs know what a dice toss starting and running a business is. I’ve never spoken with one small business owner who didn’t thank their lucky stars for at least part of their success. That the Omidyar’s small business, grew to be so large was a lucky blessing in addition to their effort.

WE are all blessed to be wherever WE are. Where WE are though, is a delicate balance, strengthened once an idea takes hold; but once an idea takes hold, that idea gives the people more access to all the tools and venues that the expression of success needs.

WE, who consider ourselves successful, are then increasingly LUCKY.

George Bush, who isn’t nearly as righteous, clever, or honest as most of my immediate friends, has a much better chance of being on the six o’clock news than THEY do even though he very probably doesn’t deserve either the attention, or the access. The world is neither fair nor sane. But some of US are extremely lucky.

I do admire Thomas and Haney and the rest of the omidyar staff that I have interacted with here. I think they work hard and that they are knowledgeable and friendly. I think omidyar is a well-run, constantly improving site. I love it here and I am glad that Mark and Ted and Norbert permit me to stay here. I wish the Omidyars and even Dubya continued success of every kind, but I know that any kind of success, is but one small measure of worth and value. I believe that Pierre and Pam work hard, that they are sincere generous loving people, and that they deserve their success but hell, I think that of almost everyone. On those rare occasions when I am thoughtful.

And I am working on thinking better about the rest. Because thought and love are in me, not floating around the Universe without rhyme or reason. WE don’t fall in love just because love occasionally falls on US. I can begin to think better of Others, at just about ANY moment. Thank god for that: And I do not use the G-word lightly.

Study their profile, see what interests you share, see how they are contributing, see how active they are which reflects how much time they are contributing to this site, etc. This is appreciation-conditioning exercises for you to shape you as a co-leader.

I already take these actions. I spread my points and goodwill around as much as I can, probably much more than desired or warranted by my tiny skill-set. I leave people little notes and pick-me-ups, as I call ‘em everywhere on this site. I work hard to do this in my day-to-day life as well. I send cards. I open doors. I kneel down and help the crying child, lost soul, or the old lady with the untied shoe. Again: I see these things to be the basic obligations of community, as well as the minimum expression my humanity. I give openly and freely whatever aid and comfort is available to me.

I will continue to do what I have always done at omidyar: Wander around like a lost child, crying in the wilderness, and sticking my nose in where it don’t belong. I’m good at that sort of wandering, only because it is my nature. And I do not agree that activity levels, here or anywhere else, are any indicator of how much someone contributes. I’ve known lots and lots of carpenters who worked like hell and didn’t get nothing done with the whole day. Showing up, and wearing buttons, isn’t enough, although it is the core.

As you know, one of the responsibilities of a co-leader is to make sure the energy and people environment are safe, creative, positive and foster productivity, good morale and prosperity. We help other leaders do this providing positive energy, interest and support for its users, staff, others.

I firmly believe that safety, creativity, and positive insights “foster productivity, good morale and prosperity.” I also believe that the falsely positive outlook that hides issues rather than explores them, is worse than negativity and complaining. I think that people who use their positive or negative points to cut off discussion that they do not wish to hear are the worst sorts of cowards and despots. Bribery and force are not positive, creative, or productive; they are pernicious and cowardly.

I think it is a leader’s job to give the smallest voices a chance, to listen to the loudest voices and bring the two views to the table fairly. I think it is a leader’s duty to be a whistle-blower and to support whistle-blowers. I think it is a leader’s job to take ALL complaints, and compliments for that matter, seriously and to investigate anything that bothers a team member.

I think it is a leader’s job to model the behavior that they wish to see from their team or their families.

I don’t think manipulating others into using the approved language is any sort of leadership; Attempting to fix other people’s language, or their views is a gentle form of fascist tyranny used by those whose ideas won’t make it in the marketplace on their own. Attempting to place one form of language over another is a despotism, only different from truncheons and gas chambers in its method, not in its ends.

After we complete these items and have fun doing it, then we are ready to appreciate others in the nation and world. Pick the people, situations, actions which are easiest for you to appreciate first. Have fun at this, it is good for everyone! You can do what you wish, but I believe we can't go too far wrong by keeping the above directions in mind as a way to give back and contribute to a beautiful community.

I actually have a different view of this idea as well. No surprise, eh? I start with those most difficult to appreciate and give love to. THEY are the best teachers. The folks out there already “doing good,” for lack of a better term, are surrounded by those who uplift them and worship them. It is “the least among these” who WE need to sit next to at the dinner table of community. WE need to learn to become like THEM, not to have THEM become like US. It seems a good idea to stick always to the good and the positive, but it is the most unlikely who have the most to contribute. This has ever been true.

I took a very long time in answering your mail and I hope that I did justice to OUR discussion, but I very much want you to know that I sense no harm from you, or from anyone at this site. I am a First Amendment Absolutist; I believe in free speech. I know how much MY free speech costs.

I also believe that conflict and controversy are not negative, even when they frighten me the most. I admire what you have been doing here and I wish you well. I will, of course, keep appreciating folks and things, but not because of them.

I do not love others for themselves. I love others for myself because loving beats every alternative that I have tried. When Ii love Others, I am filled with a feeling of loving.

Those of YOU from other planets may substitute the Spirit of Love, Christ’s Love, the Breath of a Living God, Sweet Baby Jesus, romantic love, or Beelzebub IF you need to, I only beg YOU, allow me to use MY own language.

Diane, good luck to you here. Once again I say that I will do anything I can to help your project(s) succeed here. Love hope and deep respect to you, RicH

Also, PLEASE help us to thank each person who has already contributed to the Appreciation Board(tm) to acknowledge them and thank them for their contribution and support! You know how to do this, just click the "reply" button and speak from your heart about how much all of us appreciate their comments. Thanks again for your kind assistance!

Two circumstances contribute to my replying to a post: I must be moved and I must have points to give to the person who started the string. It has been my habit to pay for ALL of my posts here at omidyar. I haven’t been rigid in this habit, but I have been fairly consistent as I am in most things.

I give my appreciation openly: I wear my heart on my sleeve.

I also wear my guns out where everybody can see them, I will not hesitate to respond to an appreciation, or ANY action at O-net, that I believe is out of line, or that falls from my good graces.

I will exercise, and zealously guard, both my right to speak positively and my right to speak negatively.

With appreciation,

Diane

With love,

The ever-long-winded RicH

Comments « prev page [1] 2 3 4 next page »page 1

By Brad Byrne (CCAL30) (1378), Mon, 12 Feb 2007 17:42:45 PST
Edited: Mon, 12 Feb 2007 17:44:21 PST
Comment feedback score: 0

hehehe!! Some Rich guy, a real 'Rich Guy' not RicH :) is missing the boat here, he could 'make a zillion' by giving our own beloved 'real RicH' his own 'talk show'!!

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RicHARD ~The Anointed One~ Makepeace (CCAL30) (2360)

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Seemingly endless appreciation of Appreciation

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