Most of us like status quo. We like the existing state of affairs. The way things are.
But time and time again, we are reminded in life that change is “good.” People will say, “Sometimes, change is hard, but in the end, it is good.”
Yeah. Well. The jury is still out on that one, as far as I am concerned. I rail against change. I am such a creature of comfort, and I find comfort in my routines. I am at the very far end of the spectrum from the adventurer. That’s not to say, either, that all adventurer’s enjoy change. Again, I reiterate. As they say, change can be hard.
And other times, it can be plain stupid.
Like back in 1897. In Indiana. The state legislators there, tried to pass a bill, that would have legally redefined the value of pi as 3.2. I am not sure why. But we all know, that would have been a breach of truth. I like a good Hoosier, and all. But Pi is Pi. Any way you slice it.
Or what about changing Dr. Seuss. Seuss’s Editor, Bennett Cerf had something of a change in mind. Apparently, he didn’t like the way the books were going. So, he challenged Dr. Seuss to write a book using no more than 50 different words.
Actually, this change resulted in a good thing. Seuss came up with his next book, Green Eggs and Ham. One of my favorites, for obvious reasons. I could not be Sam-I-Am. Because I like Green Eggs and Ham.
Change. O-Change-O. Of course, it always happens in War and in conflict, when people suggest ridiculous changes. Like when we were at war on terror during President W Bush’s crusade. It seems France was a little apprehensive about the whole thing. So America changed French Fries to Freedom Fries. Anything French, became Freedom. It is a darn good thing I didn’t own a French Bulldog back then. Oh wait, I still would have owned a French Bulldog.
Anyway, it happened during WWI also. German measles were called “Liberty Measles” and dachshunds became “Liberty Hounds.” I don’t know what happened with German Chocolate Cake with German Chocolate Icing. My favorite.
And then there are times when we have a lifelong dream. Our “thing” we simple know at the very core of us. Our drive. Our goal. Like Ben & Jerry. Ice-cream, right? Well, not so fast. They originally wanted to start a bagel company. But those two couldn’t afford the big bagel machine. So, they changed their minds and their dreams. To ice cream. Chubby Hubby.
The whole change thing can spin off anyway, really. But sometimes it takes convincing. Like when Alexander Graham Bell suggested answering telephone calls with “ahoy.” For his new invention back in 1876. The people around him thought “Hello” might make for a better intro, than “Ahoy.”
I think the people at the Chocolate Chip Cookie Company snatched it up instead.
Change. Again. I know it has its benefits. Or so they say. But they tell us that change is hard because your brain is wired to do the same thing over and over. And that change causes us to be pushed out of your comfort zone.
Well. I’m sticking with that. My brain is definitely hard-wired. And personally, I don’t like to be pushed out of anywhere. So yes, Old Polly here, will probably keep doing the same things, over and over.
I guess that’s all for now. See you tomorrow. Same time. Same place.
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“Nothing is so painful to the human mind as a great and sudden change.”
― Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, Frankenstein
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“Do I contradict myself? Very well, then, I contradict myself; I am large — I contain multitudes.”
― Walt Whitman
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“You cannot change what you are, only what you do.”
― Philip Pullman, The Golden Compass
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