A few weeks back I watched the Werner Herzog film Fitzcarraldo, starring Klaus Kinski.
At its core, Fitzcarraldo is a story about obsession, ambition, and the pursuit of one's dreams against all odds. Based on a true story, it's about a man so mesmerized by opera that he wants to build an opera house in the jungles of Peru, with the hope of having Enrico Caruso perform there.
Fitzcarraldo is the crazy but true story of Brian Feeney Fitzgerald, and Irishman rubber baron who is determined to bring a steamship 1200 miles up the Amazon into the Peruvian rainforest. This event took place over one hundred years ago while there may have still been cannibalism, a time when native peoples produced shrunken heads to trade to museum collectors.
Herzog's making of this film proved to be as audacious as Fitzcarraldo's efforts, which included transporting their riverboat over a mountain at one point. The film itself became controversial due to the multiple deaths that occured while in the making, as well as two plane crashes and more. (You can find all the behind-the-scenes drama here.)
The real life Fitzcarraldo--Carlos Fitzcarrald--was indeed a rubber baron, but the steamship he transported up the river and over a mountain was 32 tons, and not the 320 ton behemoth in the film.
The movie begins with several minutes of an Enrico Caruso opera which Klaus Kinski and his wife (?) Molly (played by Claudia Cardinale) have travelled 1200 miles to see. During the performance, Caruso points in Fitz's direction, which he takes as a sign to pursue the dream in his head.
The film's breathtaking cinematography stood out to critics, earning praise for Werner Herzog's exceptional skill behind the camera. Herzog's mastery doesn't just capture stunning landscapes, it transports the audience into Fitzcarraldo's world, conveying the immense scale and daring of his ambitious endeavor.
One of the film's themes was the clash between civilization and the wilderness. As Fitzcarraldo ventures deeper into the heart of the jungle, he grapples with the moral and ethical implications of his actions and the impact of his ambition on the indigenous people and the environment, issues that remain unresolved even today.
Just as opera was a central feature of Fitzcarraldo's ambition so, too, it is a thread woven through the film from beginning to end. You don't like opera? I myself found it fascinating the manner in which this music formed a bridge between the "civilized" world and these isolated peoples almost untouched by the world we've created and known.
By contemporary standards the pace of this film is too slow. The glorious vistas are also lost on the small screen. Nevertheless, as a metaphor for audacity, it excels.
Post Script: For younger theater-goers who do not know Herzog, you might recognize him from his appearance as The Zec in the film Jack Reacher. If you saw the film with Tom Cruise and Robert Duvall (among others), then you will recall the extremes to which the Zec had gone to obtain his freedom.
Finally saw Rocketman the other night, the Elton John biopic that is part Broadway musical, part psychiatric study. The film-maker's attempt to create a movie as audacious and over-the-top as the subject himself failed for me, but my appreciation of Elton John's music remains undiminished.
The film begins in a group therapy session with a dozen people seated in chairs in a circle as you might expect to find in an AA meeting. The people are all in ordinary street clothes, and then this guy walks in wearing a bright orange outfit with horns and wings. He begins by listing all his addictions. The, using flashbacks, we learn the story of his life.
Despite my dislike of certain aspects of the film, it triggered a number of thoughts that I kept reflecting on afterwards. First, though I need to clear the air about what I did not like. The choreographed dance numbers.
When the Coen Brothers re-created these over-the-top scenes with dancers or sea-swimmers in Hail Caesar, it felt like it was intended to be a satirical re-creation of those 30's Hollywood musicals, which actually worked in films like The Wizard of Oz and Oklahoma. In this instance it felt out of place. Or maybe it's just that I dislike musicals and the problem is me. I know people who are wowed by this kind of choreography. If you like that kind of thing, I will accept that I am the odd man out. This did not kill my appreciate for the story.
That being said, the film did a fantastic job of revealing the challenges of success and that well-worn adage, "It's lonely at the top."
When the movie was over, a haunting line from Hendrix reverberated through me: "Loneliness is such a drag." Along with that came the chorus of Eleanor Rigby: "Ah look at all the lonely people." Followed by a remark that Kurt Vonnegut made to me when I said how much I liked Hesse: "You must be lonely."
* * * *
In show business people frequently assume a stage name for various reasons. I'd always assumed it was to protect their families, which is a noble motive, or to put on a more glamorous identity. Thus, Henry John Deutschendorf Jr. became John Denver and Frances Ethel Gumm became Judy Garland. For Elton John his name change emerged from an ice cold childhood that he simply felt compelled to escape, and a self-hate that bound him in chains.
In becoming Elton John, he could become anything he wanted. Elton was someone quite different from Reginald Dwight, and he would keep it that way.
The new thought I had about audacity, though, is this. It's not audacity alone that makes greatness. Instead, audacity only works when the thing you are drawing attention is golden to begin with.
What I mean here is this. Muhammed Ali recited poetry and made outrageous claims, but he delivered the goods in the ring, taking out Sonny Liston in two successive fights and become a legendary boxer. Bob Dylan likewise was audacious, but he backed it up with incomparable songwriting.
In Rocketman we early on get a glimpse of how remarkably talented young Elton John was as a pianist. Had he been an average talent who dressed in over-the-top attire show after show all those years, he would not have captured the audiences he captured in concerts. Nor would he have sold over 300 million records.
The Real Elton John & Bernie Taupin
Bernie Taupin
I first heard of Elton John in the spring of 1970. Your Song was getting air time and when I saw his album at the Farmer's Market in Bound Brook, NJ I purchased it instantly. These were the days when you absorbed liner notes, and this was the first time I saw the name Bernie Taupin. I vaguely recall someone commenting that Elton John was a homosexual and Bernie Taupin his partner, as if this were a negative against their music. "So what?" I remember thinking. The songs were great. The music was great.
As it turns out Taupin was a lyricist, and in Elton John he found the perfect vehicle for what he'd been writing. Theirs was a mutual admiration society type of thing. A gifted writer meets a gifted song-score creator who is likewise a compelling performer. Each proved to be impossibly valuable to the other. Rodgers and Hammerstein come to mind here.
"Take Me To The Pilot" and "Border Song" and "The King Must Die" on that first album I bought showed that Elton John was going to be more than a one hit wonder. The hits kept coming.
Taron Egerton as Elton.
Taron Egerton
One of the bright spots in this film had to be the acting of Taron Egerton, who played the Elton John character. He not only acted the role, he sang the songs. Many reviewers at imdb.com said Egerton deserved an Academy Award for the role, and even though he didn't grab the Oscar there, he did receive the nod at the Golden Globes for Best Performance as an Actor.
The Magic of His Music
As noted earlier, Elton John's tunes, the music with which he clothed Taupin's lyrics, we so often effective because it channeled his inner loneliness with an ethereal quality you just can't capture in words alone. Hence the power behind "I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues." And again, that loneliness theme leaps out with these aching lines:
Loneliness was tough The toughest role you ever played Hollywood created a superstar And pain was the price you paid
The power isn't simply the lyrics, but the haunting melody that carries these words on wings. Along with a delivery that comes from someone intimately acquainted with the emotion.
When all is said and done, it's a "big" film about a man who has been a very big star, one of many whose careers were birthed in the Sixties.
I met Stacy Johnston through the Twin Ports Social Media Breakfast, a local social media networking group organized by social media marketing consultant Molly Solberg several years ago. I was unaware of the name of her company, only that she was in the HR profession. At the November meeting I learned that the name of her company was Audacity HR, a name which really jumped for me because I had been reading a book about Muhammed Ali and just completed a chapter regarding the influence of wrestler Gorgeous George on his early career. (A week later I turned this notion of audacity into a blog post.)
The name of her company intrigued me enough to want to know more and I invited her to be share here about the human resources business in general and her own views specifically.
EN:What does the expression "Bold Solutions" mean when it comes to HR?
Stacy Johnston:Employees are the driving force behind organizational success. Savvy employers recognize this and foster an inclusive workplace culture where employees feel welcome and appreciated and have the opportunity to utilize their talents and skills.
In organizations, as in life, there are struggles, complications and barriers to success. HR is in a unique position to be a problem solver and create solutions. HR decisions impact every facet of an employee's work experience, from how they are treated during the recruiting and hiring stage, to providing competitive compensation, to encouraging growth and development, providing ongoing coaching and performance feedback, to how employees are treated as they leave the organization.
EN:Where did the statement "There is no growth in the comfort zone and no comfort in the growth zone" (which appears on your website) come from? It is quite profound and has broad implications.
SJ: A close colleague, Joan Sargent (certified coach), would often recite this slogan. It really resonated with me.
One of the exciting things about working in HR is that it is constantly evolving. Laws change, technology morphs and best practices evolve. This is also one of the challenging aspects of HR, as the only constant is CHANGE! HR leaders are often in the position to stretch their comfort zone. This of course leads to personal, professional and organizational growth... but it can also be scary, humbling and intimidating.
EN: What do your ideal clients look like?
SJ: On the HR solutions side, I work with small organizations that don't have an internal HR department. They have employees, so it is important to have solid HR practices. I work with these organizations to create HR practices that are practical, scalable and reflect their core values, from employee handbooks to solutions-orientated procedures.
On the HR Learning Lab side, I work with organizations and individuals to provide training on key HR topics: from recruiting, hiring and onboarding to nonharassment/nondiscrimination, constructive conflict resolution and much more! I also provide online training for busy professionals that are interested in building their HR skills but require schedule flexibility.
EN: What prompts a business to reach out to a firm like AudacityHR?
SJ: I enjoy working with organizations that are interested in creating a sustainable, competitive advantage by appreciating and utilizing the skills and talents of their employees. I also enjoy providing training and development opportunities, such as HR Bootcamp!
EN:Is there an association of HR professionals in Duluth as there is an "Ad Club" for example?
SJ: Yes! Duluth boasts an active SHRM (Society of Human Resource Management) chapter: the NHRA (Northland Human Resource Association), AND an active ATD (Association for Talent Development) chapter: Lake Superior ATD.
I am a member of all four (SHRM, NHRA, ATD and Lake Superior ATD).
EN:What other affiliations do you have?
SJ: Professional License/Credentials include:
• State of Minnesota – License to Practice Law
• SHRM-CP – SHRM Certified Professional through Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)
• PHR – Professional in Human Resources through Human Resources Certification Institute (HRCI)
• HR Generalist Certificate through University of Wisconsin Superior (UWS)
• IDI (Intercultural Development Inventory) Qualified Administrator through IDI, LLC
• RYT 200 – Registered Yoga Teacher through Yoga Alliance (YA)
I teach yoga classes and am passionate about health and wellness. I am also an adjunct instructor at the Labovitz School of Business and Economics (LSBE) at the University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD).
EN:How does Audacity promote its business?
SJ: Primary source is referrals. HR is incredibly important... but it can also feel very personal. Many organizations will reach out to a trusted colleague to make a referral, i.e. another business owner, Executive Director, etc. Therefore, much of my work is generated by referrals from existing clients and colleagues.
EN: Where did the name Audacity come from? Were you "audacious" growing up or did you adopt this as a life approach later?
SJ: The name is inspired by my experience working in HR and a reminder to be audacious and creative in the pursuit of excellence.
* * * * To contact Stacy or learn more about Audacity HR
Check out our website: www.audacityhr.com
Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AudacityHRSolutions/
Or send an email: stacy@audacityhr.com
Audacity 1.
the willingness to take bold risks.
synonyms: boldness, daring, fearlessness, intrepidity, bravery, courage, heroism, pluck, grit; 2. rude or disrespectful behavior; impudence.
synonyms: impudence, impertinence, insolence, presumption, cheek, bad manners, effrontery, nerve, gall, defiance, temerity;
This week I've been reading a biography of Muhammad Ali by Jonathan Eig, a rich, in-depth look at the life of one of the 20th century's major sports figures. (Ali: A Life) The book is filled with details, anecdotes and stories, as well as life lessons for everyone from the street to the C-suite.
At this point in the story the young Cassius Clay, a Louisville slugger, has been fighting his way up the ladder in order to achieve his dream, a title fight with the World Boxing Champion Sonny Liston, and the right to be called "The Greatest."
The author does a superb job of guiding readers through Cassius Clay's formative years, thus showing how the boy became the man we all came to know as Ali. Eig conducted more than 500 interviews with all of the key people in Ali's life, and its apparent he's produced a monumental story about a complex man who came through a complex period of history.
The trigger for this blog post is an incident that occurs early in Clay's pro career as a boxer. He's pulled off a victory (Gold Medal) in the 1960 Olympics and is now determined to climb through the pro ranks as quickly as possible in order to become the youngest ever heavyweight champion. It's a tough job to get consideration for a title fight, but a fateful encounter with the pro wrestler Gorgeous George made an impact on the young boxer, adding a dimension to his character that propelled him more quickly through the ranks.
"The Human Orchid"
Who was Gorgeous George? He was a pro wrestler of the 1940s and 50s who was rich, famous and charismatic. My dad saw him once in Cincinnati back in the 50s. He had wavy platinum blonde curls, entered the ring wearing a hairnet and gold hairpins, and preened while drawing excessive quantities of boos from audiences that paid money to see him beat. My dad says at one point someone threw an empty liquor bottle into the ring that hit his forehead and cut him so that he was bleeding. He sometimes painted his nails and always wore outrageous attire.
According to Wikipedia, "In addition to his grandiose theatrics, Gorgeous George was an accomplished wrestler. While many may have considered him a mere gimmick wrestler, he was actually a very competent freestyle wrestler, having started learning the sport in amateur wrestling as a teenager, and he could handle himself quite well if it came to a legitimate contest."
Serendipity played a role in his success as well as his audacity. Though he'd been "performing" throughout the 40s, by the time television began piping into American homes in 1947, his antics had been fine-tuned and "pro wrestling" became one of the big drawing cards of the new medium, on a scale comparable to Bob Hope and Lucille Ball.
It proved fortuitous for Cassius Clay when he unexpectedly met Gorgeous George while promoting one of his fights in Las Vegas, June 1961. George was in Vegas for a match as was Clay. While making the rounds, each hyping their own separate events to the media, they crossed paths and the young boxer found the missing ingredient in his career: audacity. Clay's goal was to fill arenas with spectators who would pay to see him fight. In Gorgeous George he found something of a role model, a compelling mix of arrogance, mouthiness and wit.. a persona that fit the young boxer like a glove. Dylan Meets George
Photo by Ted Russell, 1962, courtesy Bill Pagel
As I was reading about Ali's meeting with Gorgeous George I recalled how Dylan, too, cited his own encounter during the wrestler's visit to Hibbing in 1957. The intersection of their two lives occurred while young Robert Zimmerman was playing in the lobby of the National Guard Armory of the Veteran's Memorial Building. George entered the room with his entourage of performers, which was easy for me to imagine because near 30 years ago I was seated in a small restaurant in the Indianapolis Airport when 25 or more WWF wrestlers walked in to catch an early flight, many of them attired in costumed plumage. Everything seemed to stop as people gaped, taking it, the wrestlers in return gauging the effect of their presence.
Dylan says Gorgeous George flicked him a wink and said, or seemed to say, "You're making it come alive."
Maybe George wasn't a necessary component of Dylan's audacity. It's possible, though, that the famous wrestler cast a catalytic spark his way. His performance in the Hibbing Auditorium was audacious enough to have the principal pull the plug. While still living at home Dylan made an attempt to join Bobby Vee's band in Fargo, audaciously claiming that he was a pro piano player named Elston Gunnn.
Dylan's gamesmanship with journalists was legendary. But most outrageous was his return to that nerve-jangling electric sound, after several years of being a folk singer/songwriter of major importance (while still so very young, like Cassius Clay.) That first world tour with The Band was so disrupted by boos and catcalls that Levon Helm couldn't take it and left the group before it left the country. Helm wrote in his autobiographical This Wheel's On Fire that the more they booed the more Dylan seemed to enjoy it, a very different emotional response from his own.
When Dylan was announced as winner of the Nobel Prize last year his initial silence was considered by many an audacious, outrageous act of affront to decency. Alas. His detractors may have rolled their eyes, but not his fans who shrugged it off as Dylan just being Dylan.
All this to say that I found it interesting that somewhat forgotten golden-locks wrestler made an impact on two of the most significant men of the last half-century. Here's a YouTube clip you may find amusing, followed by another if you're up for it.
In one of my files of notes and quotes I found this poem by Rumi and it spoke to me this morning. Its title is "These Spiritual Window Shoppers."
These spiritual window-shoppers, who idly ask, 'How much is that?' Oh, I'm just looking. They handle a hundred items and put them down, shadows with no capital. What is spent is love and two eyes wet with weeping. But these walk into a shop, and their whole lives pass suddenly in that moment, in that shop.
Where did you go? "Nowhere." What did you have to eat? "Nothing much."
Even if you don't know what you want, buy something, to be part of the exchanging flow.
Start a huge, foolish project, like Noah.
It makes absolutely no difference what people think of you.
--Rumi
I like the instruction here, "Start a huge, foolish project..." Why not? Why puddle around in the glum fog of nothingness when you have so much stirring inside of you that you don't know where to begin? Isn't it true that we concern ourselves too much with what others will think?
The poem makes me think of our Red Interactive project and the attempt by John Heino and myself to use an abstract concept, like the color red, to spark the imaginations of a whole world... engaging hearts and minds and cultures by spreading the red.
I think, too, of my effort to publish four books in two months. What a crazy notion when six months ago I had never published a one, though I did sell a book as part of a series that never was completed. Alas, this weekend my second book was published on Amazon.com as a Kindle edition. If all goes well, by mid-October -- and maybe next week! -- there will be a third, with the fourth to be available by November 11, two months after the launch of the first.
How about you? Where lies the dream that you are passionate about, but have been afraid to share for fear of what another will say. Treasure it. Nurture it. Feed it. And maybe one day your ark will save a world.
* * * * 15 September 2017
Booklovers: SATURDAY is the Zenith Bookstore Grand Opening in Spirit Valley on Central Avenue, West Duluth. Zenith carries my first volume of short stories,Unremembered Histories.
We dropped the price and there's no shipping expenses like when you buy from Amazon. The store is located across the parking lot from Beaners in the old Wild West. Any excuse is a good excuse to visit a bookstore. Grand Openings only make it that much sweeter.
This month's Popular Mechanics has a cover story featuring Casey Neistat, a high school dropout who achieved fame and fortune despite his unconventional path to the limelight. Here's the magazine:
We're living in the Social Media stage of the Internet Age and Neistat, an upstart startup, is one of its surprising stars. Check out this video (Rated PG-13 for Language.)
Wow!
Love the soundtrack. The message? It's the classic motivational tune... dance to your own music. March to your own beat. Sing your song. Find your own path. Don't be afraid to COLOR OUTSIDE THE LINES.
When all is said and done, what is Neitsat selling? Dreams? Audacity? Himself? If it were just "himself" he would not have gone viral. And there's plenty of audacity on the web, so that's not really his product either. You can read more about Casey Neistat here and here.
