I'm Lucky To Not Be At Work

Apparently American Airlines has had 1000 flights cancelled, leaving thousands of passengers stranded. My hotel takes distressed passengers in a limited way - - we have no airport shuttle, so everyone arriving from and returning to the airport has to take cabs (the airline vouchers the cab companies for payment). Because of the lack of a shuttle we only take a limited number of distressed passenger rooms - - typically ten per night. We've taken as many as 30 per night, but there just aren't enough cabs to service all those passengers, and the passengers tend to take out their frustrations on hotel staff for the lack of cabs.

"To Learn and Labor Truly To Get Our Living."

Sci-fi novelist Sarah Hoyt writes a wonderful essay emphasizing the Protestant work ethic that made the US great, and can make it great again.

In that one precept is the cure for the lack of “meaning” in modern life. You don’t need to be striving for the pinnacle, and you don’t need to create anything astounding. The only thing you owe your “neighbors” is to do the best you can and not be a burden.

And in that precept is the cure for the illusions of our would-be aristos who think that to whom they were born, their contacts, the colleges they entered by virtue of influence and contacts, make them special. Since it’s less likely they’re learning and laboring TRULY, they’re worthy of less respect than those who attend humbler schools or work manual jobs but give it their all.

In this is the cure for the continuously extended hand and the whine of the would be artist. “I am making good art. People just don’t pay me.” Well, fine, then learn and labor to get your own living and do your art on the side. In this is the cure to the entire inversion where people expect society to provide for them, instead of trying to do their duty.

Click the link to read the rest of this wonderful essay.