Little by little goes a long way

The week that was

Good afternoon, faithful readers - my apologies if Stalking the Job has seen one or two days go by without an update, however I'm pleased to report that my one-man, QR code-based guerrilla marketing initiative would appear to be bearing (or at least showing the first signs of bearing) some fruit. Of course it's early days yet, but this week I have:

a) made several contacts that are worthwhile following up on,
b) arranged a meeting with an interested party for early next week, and
c) been in talks with several people with regards to short-term/one-off projects currently in the offing.

As well, my talented niece Emma and her art school friends have had a chance to see how her mograph designer uncle could be a valuable resource, as they're now well into the thick of things with a music video project of their very own.

The weather turned foul after Wednesday's first taste of spring, but the cold windy damp outdoors provided me with the chance not just to rest and regroup (walking around town six or seven hours a day five days a week in the cold can tire even the most irrepressible of souls), but to continue pursuing opportunities online. I've posted applications to several organizations in need of my skillsets and experience this week, but it's not enough - it's never enough  - to content oneself with putting in the least amount of effort (and subsequently expecting the world to sit up and take notice).

Laughing in the face of Adversity

Several times in these pages I've alluded to the idea of smiling (or even laughing) in the face of adversity. I'll be honest; there was a time when I would have found it difficult or even impossible to do so, even in recent years. The time is ripe to now reveal to you all the source of this inner strength, this resolve that has made it possible for me to keep soldiering on - even while the naysayers might instead have expected me to quietly curl up and die. My ongoing inspiration is owed directly to the life lessons I've learned from none other than William Shatner - not just in his most-famous role, that of Captain Kirk on Star Trek - but from the life of Shatner himself.

Sure, Captain Kirk was able to stare down insurmountable odds but admittedly, the deck was always stacked in his favour, seeing as he was really only ever a character on a fictional TV program. It was Shatner's portrayal - his presence as Kirk that made me a lifelong fan of Trek and of Shatner himself. But after his star turn for Desilu (and subsequently Paramount), Shatner went through a bad patch... dark days spent trying to re-establish himself as a valued player in his field. In the 70s, he starred in a string of forgettable, 'B' movies and made guest appearances on TV programs like 'The Six Million Dollar Man' - hardly the stuff of dreams. No doubt there are those who would have expected him to give up (or even enjoyed seeing him do so, indulging themselves in celebrity schadenfreude). But did Bill flinch in the face of despair? Did he curl up and die? Nope, not Bill. Instead he marshaled his energies and came back - and he came back with a vengeance.

To simply say "I can relate to that" would be the understatement of a lifetime. Of all the Hollywood personalities who've ever existed, none have been the target of more rolled eyes, clucked tongues and open derision as Bill. For years - heck, for most of his career - armchair quarterbacks have sneered at his acting, scoffed at the books he's written, laughed at his spoken-word projects and moaned about his efforts behind the camera. And yet, he has not just persevered - he's enjoyed success in each and every field he's laid his hands to.

Bill himself (directly, if tongue-in-cheek) addressed his detractors in the spoken-word piece "Has Been" from his 2004 album of the same name:

 

Charting destiny through choice

It's important to bear in mind that our lives boil down to choices, and that the choices we make chart the course of our destinies. Over the duration of this campaign, I've overheard the snarky comments people sometimes make - seen the occasional upturned nose - even read a few less-than-flattering, would-be anonymous judgements made about me via Twitter - and still I choose to meet derision with determination. If I'd let myself be swayed by the opinions of jaded, cynical passersby I might have given up hope my very first day. But as one CBC exec told me on Wellington Street mid-way through February, "persistence is king". And I am nothing if not persistent.

What does the future hold in store? It's an open-ended question, and it's far from certain... but this much is clear, clear in fact as a Swarovski crystal: the only key to certainty is inaction. Were I not to seize the metaphorical bull by the horns, were I not to actively focus my energies on achieving my goal - my future would be a foregone conclusion. Had Bill not redoubled his efforts in the face of adversity, he might never have become the legend he is today. Thanks to Bill, I don't just hope for a better future; deep down inside, I know that I can achieve it.

Before I go, to those who've been writing in to ask - yes, the next few days should see the publication of part six of The Adventures of That QR Code Guy, so keep your eyes peeled and your ears to the ground, folks. For Stalking the Job, this is John Currie wishing you all a good weekend... and I'll see you around.