Tuesday, June 21, 2011

The Beauty of a Smile..

I just completed a critique of a chapter of of a draft of Leigh Harris' upcoming book, “Metaphysical Mom”, and it completely piqued my brain.

During the chapter, she speaks of the power of a smile. This naturally slapped a smile upon my fugly, bearded face, but also reminded me just how underrated smiles truly are.

When was the last time you smiled at a stranger? Seriously, can you think back to a time you smiled at a stranger? I hope it has been recent. If not, do it, do it soon, do it often, and note the reaction. Let the record state that I smiled and thanked the pleasant old lady who handed me my to-go pizza for dinner tonight. She returned the smile..always a beautiful thing. And the pizza looked good, and its texture was sublime..Anyways..

Smiles are sincere. Even when I'm having a bad day, a smile from a stranger can completely lighten my mood. And spreading smiles can certainly lighten others' moods as well (and you don't even have to worry about STD's with smiles; whore yourself out and smile at everyone...Women, men, the elderly, children, kittens, goats..anything. Smiles are always free to give, and often priceless to receive.

So in the great words of Forrest Gump, “Have a Nice Day”, and smile away..

Friday, March 25, 2011

I say, Bring Back the Arts!!

© 2011 Frederick Doot

Americans, you disappoint me..Charlie Sheen lands millions of followers via twitter in a couple days, Chris Brown album sales skyrocket after his recent tantrum (after being questioned about his temper, go figure!), the abomination that is the Jersey Shore remains enormously popular, and trainwreck entertainers fill the news - who, in their defense, report what will score them ratings (Tiger Woods, Lindsay Lohan, etc..the list goes on..)

We've become a nation of enablers. The popular entertainers, ones we seem to follow and support most, are simply not good people.

What ever happened to supporting the arts? While we cut library funding (at least in NJ), throw teachers under the bus and try to cut their "exuberant" salaries (on a national level), and threaten to cut NPR and PBS funding (which embrace, highlight and encourage educational programs and higher arts), we, as a nation, continue to stay fans (truly fanatics) of the crap we continually see atop the NYT Best Sellers List, Billboard Top whatever.., Neilsen Ratings, and Box Office earnings..and that's where the money rolls..

I say, Bring Back the Arts!!

Dear Modern Family,

© 2011 Frederick Doot



Dear Modern Family,

It should go without saying, but your sophomore season has been..well...a typical sophomoric season, riddled with errors and mediocre (at best) performances. But last night, you redeemed yourself (for now..) Your batting average on the season had dropped below the Mendoza line (non-baseball fans, look it up), but with this sudden surge, I have hope you can become an All-Star again. Keep hitting multiple homeruns and keep your average up around .800 like you accomplished last night (and every night like you had done until the dreadful double header to end last season), and you can redeem yourself this season..and give us hope for a promising career. You're one of only two sitcoms I follow (and I'm still a season behind on HIMYM, but catching up), so keep me a fan.

Yours Truly,

Doot