Thursday 31 December 2020

Be More John

Well, what was that?! 2020 was a rollercoaster, a couple of highs and a few more lows, but do you know what? We made it, and for that I am thankful. If you lost a loved one this year please accept my sincere condolences, I know how that feels and my heart is with you.  

I'm not making resolutions going into 2021, I'm just glad I'm still here, I'm glad you're still here, the world is still turning and at some stage, all this crazy pandemic will pass (it may pass like a kidney stone, but with vaccination in sight, it will pass). Well, I'm not doing resolutions, apart from one... Be More John. 

Be more John. 

I encourage us all to have a go at this one. Not just 'be more John' but be more like his characters too.

Be as sweet and respectful as John was to everyone, he would treat the CEO the same way as the janitor and rightly so. Towards the end of this year I needed some extra cash so I started cleaning schools - holy moly, I've seen some things, and some stuff... I wouldn't recommend it. It's hard work,  really hard, ball-breaking work and the money is low. Cleaners are presently trying to keep people safe, so never dismiss the work that they are doing and never think of them as 'just a cleaner', for they most certainly are not. They are students, parents, ex-managers, people who got out of the rat race, or people who need the money (like struggling authors). Treat them with respect. Be more John. 

Go with the flow. Just like Del Griffith (Gawd bless him), advising Neal Page that he simply 'goes with the flow', because life is easier like that. That odd couple met many of the same situations with different attitudes, Del went with the flow and his life was more full of love and laughs, he was like Dickens' three ghosts of past, present and future, he haunted Neal until Neal saw the light. On top of that, like yourself. Be more Del. 

Dance and sing, it's free and you can do it at home. Uncle Buck sure knew how to cook (or not) and had a lot of fun doing it, singing and dancing around the kitchen whilst he was cooking up garbage, it's a hell of a way to wake up in the morning and it's guaranteed to put a smile on your face. Be more Buck. 

Just like Barf in Spaceballs, half man half dog, he was his own best friend, in these unprecedented times we all need to look after ourselves like we are our own best friend. Be more Barf. 

I could carry on, we could be here all night, but I think you get the picture. 

However shitty 2020 was I bet there are some diamonds in the dust, even if it was that you just got through. For me, one of my highlights was releasing Those Aren't Pillows in November, a Fan's Guide to Planes, Trains and Automobiles that I'm really proud of. If you fancy cheering yourself up, you may like to check it out, you'll find plenty of cast stories, cut scenes and trivia. 

So bring on 2021, let's rejoice in what we can. I really appreciate your support this year and I'm sending you a lot of love as always, 

Happy New Year!

Be More John, 

Tracey xx

PS Maybe another resolution of mine should be to blog more?