Wisdom (Andrew Zuckerman)

(I originally posted this in December 2008 through Facebook notes. Still relevantly inspiring until now)

After a series of up and down(s), hours of working, and fighting the silly Sydney weather, I awarded myself with a book. Yes, a book, that's how I indulge myself, a book, a bar of 600 gram cadbury milk chocolate (or a pack of wedges oven-cooked in exactly 14 minutes at 230 degrees, which ever my stomach calls for), and a nice cuddly bean bag. So, long story short, I got the latest and the hippest book by Andrew Zuckerman.

The idea is that the best thing a generation can give to the next generation is wisdom. So Mr.Zuckerman here, take the initiatives to go around the world meeting some the most prominent over-65-years-old, took photos, have a chat around the topic of wisdom, environment, conflict resolution, and love. Then the book is the result for us (as the next generation) to enjoy and learn from it. I love the idea of it, so yeah, I bought it (at a bargain price, 40% of the market price, don't ask how) and I'd like to share some of the wisdoms. See which one speaks to you the most. For me, Jacques Pepin's and Frank Gehry's. But overall, they are all great reminders and they're not just quotes. Why? Cause they've lived it out through their 60 years of life. They've fought the fight. And they're sharing the essence with us the younger generation. And we should listen. Why? Check Desmond Tutu's quote and you'll get it =p.

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Anyday that you dont do anything is a totally loss day
Anyday that you do just a little something, all those little something add up
Chuck Close

Most of us give up too early,
Failure is absolute essential in life
If we never fail, how can we possibly succeed
Cause we can only extend ourself to the limit of what we know
Failure teaches us what we dont know
Of course you gonna fall down,
but its your way, and when you reach the end, you'll get something
Bryce Courtenay

I never ever done a play in 50 years that has come easy to me,
I'd like to push myself on the fear level,
there is something about the fear that's absolutely wonderful
Judi Dench

Acting has that little futality in it,
you could fail horribly, there's a lil death
It it doesnt scare you then dont do it, cause you wont do any good
and embracing that uncertainty is actually the creative process
That's what give you the juice to go
Nick Nolte

Your best work is the expression of yourself
you may not be the greatest at it
but when you do it, you're the only expert in it
Frank Gehry

I hate to say this, some young people look for quick fit
If you gonna be a write its like you gonna be like being an opera singer
An opera singer is born with a special vocal chord
You can have so many singing lessons for the rest of your life and you'll never be a opera singer
You'll never be a writer if you are not born with certain qualities
Nadine Gordimer

You can't get to wonderful without passing 'alright'
There are times when i would like to be somebody else, i just don't have any other options
you know, the only choice we really have is to be us,
some of the most frustrating lives are people who can't come to grip with who they are
Bill Withers

There's no way that we can escape ourselves,
If i give you a recipe and i give another five people the same recipe
i will have five different dishes to taste with
If i give five people the same music score,
i'm gonna hear five different sounds
Jacques Pepin

My work is an outgrow of who I am, rather than the reason of who i am.
Alan Arkin

The moment we were gifted with words we simultaneoulsy receive imagination
we can ask a single sentence which is called 'what if'. That's what it's all about.
Bryce Courtenay

Most times we human beings can be quite silly
getting to make mistakes me made from previous generation
We learn from history that we don't learn from history
Desmond Tutu

I think we got to learn to love something deeply
I think its love, sounds sentimental as hell, but i think it is.
Andrew Wyeth

Life is not perfect, it never will be
you just have to make the very best of it,
you have to open your heart to what the world can show you
sometimes its terrifying and sometimes its incredibly beautiful
and I'll take both, Thanks
Graham Nash

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I hope it inspires you as it did to me. There are lots of wisdom that I can't possibly contain in one note (well, it's mostly because I don't want to have to deal with intellectual property law), so yeah, I suggest you get your own copy. It's worth it (totally, if you could get 40% off as well =p)

Smile on, Shine on!
Ruby