Like Getting a Cow’s Rear End Through Customs.

Uh, yeah, I know what you’re thinking. But allow me to backtrack a bit before explaining my heading choice for today’s post. Several months ago, I was scouring the internet for interesting, soul-searchy, creative, random bits, and I happened upon a little site entitled Your Life Crisis. Immediately, I knew something promising had to be around the corner, and I’m happy to report that it did not disappoint. The site, brainchild of Aussie, Jarrod Pickford, is an exploration of the quarter-life crisis phenomenon told through video clips and interviews with twenty-somethings from around the world. It was like water to my dry, overworked root system, and after soaking in a bit of nourishment, I wrote Jarrod a letter, praising his efforts and thanking him for the inspirational oasis, making sure to note that if he should ever make it to Seattle, I’d certainly be ripe for a chat.

Well, this past Spring, Jarrod and I met face to face, and following friendly introductions, our chat began, and it would continue for four solid hours. It makes sense that, in times of uncertainty and struggle, camaraderie becomes increasingly important, but I had been charging forth by myself for so long that this fact somehow escaped me. Certainly, friends, neighbors and co-workers have rallied around my business effort, but being at the helm is inherently lonely, and at the end of the day, you feel the weight of that loneliness. And while the solitude is not a bad thing, it’s nice to occasionally look up and see your fears, frustrations and realizations reflected in the eyes of a fellow traveler.

This can be particularly true when you are attempting to sell a more conceptual idea, something that people may be cynical about or unfamiliar with. You have to care deeply and believe strongly in a ‘product’ that isn’t easily packaged. A product resembling, perhaps, a cow’s rear end. Yes, that’s right, we’ve arrived back, well, at the back. See, it turns out Jarrod’s recent jaunt around the globe was possible, in part because his brother is also traveling the world over with an artificial cow’s behind. Something to do with training farmers on proper insemination techniques. We won’t get into that here, but Jarrod jokingly stated that getting through customs had been an interesting experience.

With my peculiar brain, which draws parallels between the most random things, I thought the image a fitting metaphor for efforts like mine and Jarrod’s. Just as the customs officers stare curiously at the device, ask questions, poke, gawk and raise their eyebrows, the public responds in a similar way to new ideas. That said, it is rarely the case that these discerning observers want to discourage you or keep you from moving forward, they just need time to make sense of what you’ve laid out before them. But, with a good once over and pat down for concealed bovine weapons of mass destruction, you will typically get a friendly wave to continue on your way.

So, if you are attempting to create something different, strange, novel or groundbreaking, just take a deep breath and let the world get a good long look at your rear end. And you never know, you might glance over at the airport one day and see a fellow cow getting his backside examined too, and suddenly realize that awkwardness can bring people together like nothing else. More often than not, you’ll arrive at your gate on time, rendering these types of delays udderly (that’s right, I went there) forgettable in the larger scheme of things.

To learn more about Jarrod or Your Life Crisis, click here.

Filed under Blackbird Diary, Trust Your Blackbird |