“And now you gotta get it back, and the way to get it back is to go back to the beginning.” [Eye of The Tiger Pt. 2]

Five-thirty on a Labor Day weekend Friday night. I’m sitting with the dogs outside the Otis Cafe in Otis, OR, while Bruer goes in and has dinner with his brother, brother’s wife, and newborn. Uncle Blaise surprise visit.

I volunteered to stay with my dogs so they could eat and catch up. The dogs weren’t permitted inside and the “patio is closed,” because closing your most popular feature at peak hours is what you do during a peak Holiday weekend. Profits are overrated.

…back to the beginning.

While I wait for Bruer to surprise me with a dinner that won’t consist of cheese, sour cream or tartar sauce, I sit here in the passenger’s seat of my wife’s car, wiped & worn from travel & sleeplessness, yet too wired from the Oceanside ride up the 101 to have any excuses left which could to prevent me from beginning to take inventory on the projects at hand coupled with what yet needs to be done.

Besides, Lily inhaled the last of the water and there’s no data reception out here amongst the forest dwellings.

Remembering where I want to go by looking back at what inspired me in my life

As I’ve been going back through all the things in my life that have inspired me, I continue to back to that quote from Rocky III, aka “the title of this update.” For those too lazy to scroll up:

“And now you gotta get it back, and the way to get it back is to go back to the beginning.” – Apollo Creed. _{Rocky III. United Artists. 1983. Eye of The Tiger speech scene.}

What? You haven’t seen the movie?

Change that. Here’s what Rocky III and The Eye of The Tiger scene is about.

Sidenote: Some say, “forget the past.” Others say, “learn from the past.” Some “let it go.” Others, “never forget.” Both sides are probably right. Both sides are probably wrong. I say, “It’s okay to use more than 4 words to write a catchy slogan if the words are needed to actually get the point across.” The quote above is 21 words, and it’s spot on. The point is: if it hits home and gets you moving quickly in a positive direction, it’s probably a good thing. Probably.

Why this quote?

Rocky III was one of those first movies that on HBO when we first got cable TV at the OldOld Man’s pool house. I think I saw it 135 times that year. I remember it being the movie that was on when the great tornados tore through back home. The power went out twice before we were forced to go downstairs. My sister and I ended up sleeping on an aerobic trampoline in order to stay off the damp basement floor.

Apollo’s quote continues to be dear to me.

The quote always seems to be the one that comes back into my head when I’m about to start a new endeavor. It’s been that way since I was a kid. Before Gag, Grmmbo, and I started getting heavier into Doctor Who and I got into the Cubs, Rocky III was one of my first inspirations. No matter how the movie franchise endures the cruelty of time, Rocky III will always bring a tear to my eye and make me feel as if I am throwing the last punch with Rocky, knocking out Clubber Lang, as if I helped him get back to the top.

“Maybe we can win it back together.” – Apollo Creed. _{Same movie. Same scene.}

With all the books from writers, theologians, philosophers, and musicians I have in my brain, it’s a Sylvester Stallone-penned line that gets me going.

“Things stick with you that way.” – Dan Rydell (Josh Charles). _{“Eli’s Coming.” Season 1, Episode 19. Sports Night. 1998-2000. Writer: Aaron Sorkin w/ Josh Binder Weiss. Director: Robert Berlinger. Production: Imagine Television w/ Touchstone Television}

The productivity tools are allowing us to collaborate, track tasks, time track with Toggl – if we choose to -, write comments, share files… We even made sure to remember the Chicago concert we’re going to see at Mountain Winery as well as remembering that both Doctor Who and Sherlock’s Christmas special’s will probably air when we’re getting ready to fly back to Portland from Chicago.

Wow. I can’t believe you tasked watching Doctor Who. Every. Single. Episode. Really?! That’s awesome.” – Katie

Now, what to do first…

Update: Bruer got me an awesome sandwich

The isolated wait in the car with the dogs in this iconic forest clearing of a town off the 101 was worth it. Come to find out, the Otis Cafe is all about comfort food. BLT on thick bread with chips and a Diet Coke. That should hold us the last 50 miles to my mother-in-law’s.

Remind me to put a task in Asana to eat it and track the time in Toggl to make sure I inhale it properly.

A note from Katie while proofreading – *facepalm* [on the task for eating / tracking / inhaling]

Title’s Quote Source

Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) from the movie Rocky III. 1983. United Artists: Writer Director: Sylvester Stallone.

To the blogging purists: Yes, I know that:

1. One should never start a post with a quote
2. One should most assuredly use the same quote more than once
3. And, by all things Metta, one should never, ever, under any situation, circumstance, and happenstance, never-fucking-ever use the same quote in consecutive posts

My reply is in two parts:

1. Blame Fear and Trembling. And if you haven’t read Søren Aabye Kierkegaard’s Fear and Trembling, then:
   1. Read Fear and Trembling, twice
   2. Blame Fear and Trembling. Then, promptly, resolutely, and within and without all subtle conditions, pretexts, & unconditional satisfactions:
2. Get Fucked.

Last updated by Finn at August 3, 2020.