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August 10, 2007

Friday

Failure.

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One of my very favorite quotes has been attributed to John Wayne (The Duke).

Maybe he really said it. I don’t know. I hope he did.

“Life’s tough,
But it’s tougher when you’re stupid.”

I used to use it to belittle people.

And, to make myself feel smart, superior.

When someone did something remarkably stupid, I’d pointedly spit out my quote and chuckle.

“Life’s tough,
But it’s tougher when you’re stupid!”

Now that I can’t find work, my wife left, and I drink a little too much, I sit and I wonder…

Is my life tough?

Or is it tougher?

Posted by: kipp at August 10, 2007 11:30 AM · Permalink

"So Nick, what's today's topic?"

"Failure. I've been thinking of something to write about involving failure all day, and so far I've got nothing."

"Really? You fail all the time. How can you not have one idea?"

"Gee thanks."

"Oh come on. You know what I mean. Everybody fails. Just think a little longer. Something will come to you."

"I hate writer's block. I feel like the idea is right on the front of my forehead, but no matter how many times I bang my forehead against the desk, it doesn't move."

"So now what?"

"I guess I failed today."

Posted by: Nick at August 10, 2007 4:13 PM · Permalink

I will be forgotten.

We needed to succeed. We needed to win. We have failed. We may win another day, but not today.

And so, I will be forgotten. I will be erased from history, and I will have never existed. All my accomplishments, all for nothing. My wife -- my widow -- never married, my children Immaculate Conceptions. My training, my service, all mean nothing how.

Another will come after me. Perhaps he will fail as well; perhaps he too will die and have never existed. Then, maybe, one day we succeed.

We need to win... and never to have failed.

Posted by: Liam Smith at August 12, 2007 1:44 AM · Permalink