I’m a resource hound. I collect patterns, books, materials, how-to stuff for crafts, writing advice and books. I subscribe to blogs and read guru advice on just about any topic that tickles my fancy from decorating to writing to how-to-live-a-good-life.
Yes, I admit that I read self-help stuff and what I call guruing (pronounced grew-ing).
Guruing: Advice and how-to ramblings from self proclaimed gurus.
And have you noticed just how many self-help-live-the-good-life gurus are online these days? There’s a nonconformity guy, a getting-things-done guy, an itty-biz gal, a big leap dude and a gazillion folks telling you how to get rich with a blog or two or three.
Most of the gurus have tidbits here and there that can improve whatever it is they’re guruing on about. That’s why I read ‘em, right?
You have to be careful with these gurus, though. Some of them are sooooo good at pushing those emotional buttons and manipulating their readers.
There is one all too common of a thread with far too many of these gurus that really makes me mad. And that is the call for their readers to chuck it all — as in quitting your day job and hopping on the gravy train with said gurus.
Sometimes I wish I were a hacker so I could place a big red warning sign over any page that tells people to quit their jobs. ‘Cause you just know there are at least a few people who buy into that advice.
Call me the Commonsense Guru.
Look, if you have a day job at all in this economic climate, count yourself more than flippin’ lucky.
If that day job pays the bills for yourself and/or your family, count yourself even more lucky and don’t you freaking dare quit your freaking day job.
Now, some of the gurus don’t actually come right out and say quit. Nope. Instead they go on and on about how horrible it is to be a working stiff and how you should be ashamed of yourself, anyone who works a day job is a step below and missing out on real life.
That is absolute crap.
DID YOU HEAR ME, GURUS? IT’S ABSOLUTE CRAP.
There is absolutely nothing shameful, AT ALL, about working for a living. Do you hear me, gurus!?
Without working stiffs doing days jobs, here’s a little of what wouldn’t get done:
Firefighting, police protection, life saving emergency medical aid, life saving surgeries and treatments of all kinds, nurses who comfort, teachers who teach, trash collection, water and sewage treatment, road maintenance, air piloting, air traffic control, car traffic control, gas production for cars, taxi driving, food production, gas and electric for homes …
I mean, c’mon, this list could go on for pages and days, right?
Day jobs are what make the world go round. Working for a living is what gets shit done. Excuse my French. It’s what gets the real work done.
Seriously. What would all those gurus do if the internet access people took the advice to walk off the job? Which one do you think would scream loudest, hmmm? No Facebook, no Twitter, no PayPal for buying guru crap.
Gah-head. Read the gurus. Mine what you can from their tips and advice. But please, I beg of you, don’t quit your job. Okay? We need you at your post.
Thanks!
