Monday Morning

May 10th, 2021

I don’t want my MTV!

MTV isn’t for us anymore, as I discovered this weekend when I came across the channel. I guess by, “us”, I mean those of us in our 40s and 50s.

The MTV of my teenage years has almost no resemblance to what we see on the network today. Long gone are the music videos we used to anxiously await; now we can watch any video we want, when we want, on YouTube.

Gone, too, are the original VJs: Martha Quinn, Nina Blackwood, Alan Hunter, Mark Goodman, and J.J. Jackson, who passed away in 2004. The on-air personalities you see today weren’t even born when MTV was first launched and made its indelible mark on how we experience music.

But it’s all part of aging, really. A changing of the guard. And honestly, I’m ok with it.

Having been a teenager in the 80s, I typically don’t find myself listening much to the music from that time period. That said, I do enjoy some of the songs and when it comes to nostalgia, I suppose I’m as susceptible as anyone.

Nostalgia has a place in all of our lives and it can serve a valuable purpose; lessons learned, experiences had, and a reminder of just how far we’ve come since we thought we knew it all.

Still, I don’t spend too much time in that space because those days are long gone. As is the person who lived there.

Instead, I focus on what’s happening today and what I’m working towards in the future; much like the original VJs who’ve moved on to other opportunities and challenges, having secured their place in music history.

A simple life

If you spend any time on YouTube, let me suggest a unique channel. Part ASMR, part inspiration on living the simple life, Green Renaissance takes a look at people who have a story to tell, always centered around gratitude and simplicity.

The videos are typically less than 10 minutes long so they don’t require a big time commitment but they have the potential to make a big impact. Anytime you feel stressed, overwhelmed, or just frustrated with modern day life, this channel will help. Give it a view.

A quote for the new week

“If, “if”, were a fifth, we’d all be drunk.” – Don Meredith, Dallas Cowboys quarterback…I think.

Anyway, it’s a great quote and one that reinforces the idea that, “ifs”, don’t really matter. “If I had only invested in Amazon when it first went public, I’d be rich”

Well, you didn’t so spending time wishing you had is pointless; it’s not going to change the outcome. Instead, focus on the present and what you can do now. There will always be plenty of new opportunities.

It’s a new day and a new week. Time to get after it.

See you next Monday,

Rick