Monday, October 20, 2014

The Philosphy Quiz


DEBORAH CROMBIE: (Tales from the Road, Part 1) 

As some of you may know, I've been on tour for TO DWELL IN DARKNESS for a month now (today I'm waving at you from Baltimore,) and while it hasn't exactly been On the Road, it's been fun and I've had some lovely and interesting--and surprising--experiences. Here's one I thought I'd share with you.

If you're a writer on tour in a bigger city and your publisher is very nice to you, you might have a media escort. A media escort picks you up at airports, gets you settled in your hotel, takes you to your book signings and media interviews and generally takes great care of you. Over the years, getting to know my media escorts, and often seeing them on subsequent tours, has been one of the real treats of touring. And on this tour, something unusual happened.

As one of my media escorts delivered me to the airport, she handed me a bound journal and opened it to a blank page, then gave me a pen. "Write down your life philosophy," she said. "Don't think about it for more than a few seconds, and don't look at the other entries before you do it. Just a sentence or two."

I wrote the first thing that came to mind, added the date and signed my name.

Only then was I allowed to look back through the other entries, and some of them were pretty amazing. I'm still thinking about what I wrote and what I read.

So here's my challenge, dear REDS: Write the first thing that comes into your mind. Don't think about it for more than a minute. Don't read anyone else's entries until you've written your own, and I won't add mine until everyone else has chimed in. It will, I think, be very enlightening to see what we come up with, and to challenge our readers to do the same.

LUCY BURDETTE: Work like a fiend and keep learning. Surround yourself with kind, generous, funny people. And fur-coated creatures. Eat what you love but exercise accordingly. Give as much back as you can afford.

RHYS BOWEN: My life philosophy is actually John's family motto. Inter Utrumque tene--steer a middle course. Everything in moderation--that means bacon on Sundays, a little chocolate, one glass of wine. As I've aged I'd add two other thoughts. Take time to smell the roses and only do what gives you joy.

HALLIE EPHRON: My philosophy - Of course you can. And (can I have two?) What goes around comes around.

HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: You never know. 


JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: Money doesn't matter. Not that it isn't very good to have some. But all my best experiences and most worthwhile decisions have happened when I push the concept of money - getting it, keeping it, spending it - to one side.



DEBS:  So what did I write in the book?  Give what you would like to receive. A version of the Golden Rule, I suppose, and of Hallie's "What goes around, comes around," but so interesting what first pops into our heads.
 
I don't know that I always live up to my motto, but it's a nice reminder to try. And I LOVE all of our philosophies.  

So, readers, what about you? You'll have read ours, but without too much deliberation, give us yours, in a nutshell, and we'll see what gems you have to share.


 

39 comments:

  1. Life philosophy? Do the right thing, be the best person you can possibly be, and always give something back . . . .

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  2. Carpe diem - live life to its fullest, and don't assume you'll have a tomorrow. Which applies to all kinds of things, including telling and showing those you love how you feel about them.

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  3. You can survive this.

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  4. Don!t look for what you can get, but instead look for what and where you can do the most good.

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  5. Be fully present in everything you do.

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  6. these are lovely--thanks for sharing...

    and what a wonderful notebook your escort kept. Maybe you can tell us about a few more entried Debs?

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  7. These are so wonderful..what a perfect way to start the day!

    So interesting what a theme there is..

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  8. Don't hold back - be afraid then do it anyway.

    I love Ellen Kozak's.

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  9. Carpe diem, seize the day, have a productive writing session, walk the dogs (while plotting), pull some weeds (practicing dialogue), and make dinner (planning tomorrow's writing). At the end of the day, celebrate progress.

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  10. Just added mine - late - and realized the life philosophy I most consistently practice is "Oh, sure, I'll get to it. Soon. Ish."

    Oh, and, "I know I can fit in ONE MORE thing before I have to leave. I'm sure I'll still make it on time!"

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  11. Treat people the way you want to be treated.

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  12. Treat people the way you want to be treated.

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  13. Well, capcha told me I typed the code incorrectly and made me do it again -- and apparently really DID take it the first time. (I'll be nice to capcha today, and tell myself how hard that poor capcha device must be working today.)

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  14. First, do no harm. Everything else can be worked from there.

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  15. Ha, Julia, too funny. That's one I try hard to break:-)

    You are all terrific. What a nice way not just to start a day, but a week!

    I'm going to keep rereading these!

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  16. Be kind. That's what popped out of allergy clogged brain.

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  17. Cor ad Cor Loquitur—Speaking Heart to Heart

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  18. Say Yes more than No. Stay curious and be open. Read and listen more than talk. Be loyal and kind.

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  19. I like the physician's mantra that you gave us: First do no harm! Yes!

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  20. The Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

    This precept is the key to all the world's religions, in some form, and I think it's the key to living peacefully with the rest of humanity. If everyone followed this very simple rule, we wouldn't have wars, or any kind of violence at all.

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  21. Debs, when I met you in Dayton, I was surprised about the media escort. I had no idea we had such a person in Cincinnati, and hope Kathy wasn't offended that I offered you a ride back. I had assumed she was from Dayton, and thought to save her a long drive.

    What a lovely idea, to have authors' life philosophies written down. That's a valuable book, right there.

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  22. Do no harm. Love always, laugh often, smile hugely, hug warmly, and try to leave people feeling better than when you encountered them.

    After I typed the above, I looked through the comments, and I saw that "do no harm" was not just my first thought.

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  23. Another principle that has gotten me through life:
    Someday I'll be able to laugh at this.

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  24. Mine's a quote from Joseph Campbell: Never underestimate the value to the Universe of a fully realized life.

    IOW, every person matters, whether they cure cancer or "simply" grow the prettiest calendula patch you ever saw.

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  25. I knew there had to be a reason why I so enjoy you guys! Debs, this was such an interesting topic.

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  26. I want my Latin Cor ad Cor Loquitur to say Speak Heart to Heart, because that's how I've always understood John Henry Newman's message. But I got an F in 9th grade Latin, so no one will listen to me. Who can blame them?

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  27. Be kind. (Maybe Brenda Buchanan and I were separated at birth?)

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  28. Try to be in harmony with myself, with others and with God

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  29. Nothing is more important than love.

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  30. Just read these all again. Thank you!

    xoox

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  31. Do and say only that of which you can be proud. Be kind, be generous it will all be returned in time.

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  32. Chiming in late here. Why not? Some of my most interesting experiences have come from that reply to a question/suggestion.

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  33. I stole mine from my hero Rikki Tikki Tavi: Run and find out.

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  34. I stole mine from my hero Rikki Tikki Tavi: Run and find out.

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