My mark of success

In this work-a-day world, how are we to measure success? Some measure it by fortune, some measure it in non-monetary, non-material terms.

I have to admit going both ways, of flip-flopping because I am, afterall, a Democrat. There was a time when I thought Donald Trump was the coolest guy on earth and that was before The Apprentice was on television. I think it had something to do with the fact that my mom subscribed to Money magazine in the '80s, when extravagant, no holds barred, money making was en vogue -- before Wall Street came out and savings and loans scandals topped the headlines. I was going to be the richest person in the world but I didn't know that I had to, you know, do stuff for it. I figured it would just kind of happen.

But then I rejected that world for the asceticism of philosophy. That was short lived because, in short, I'm not really smart enough to make it in phil biz. I have friends who are/will do that for a living, and they are about a mile ahead of me. Also, philosophy just doesn't pay the way it used to. I mean, the kings of Europe aren't hiring court philosophers the way they used to. Those were the good old days.

Anyway, I've gone back and forth but I've hit on the only reliable measure of success: I want to be in a position where I am a necessary, integral part of a meeting, but have enough stature so that if I fall asleep in the meeting, no one would dare say anything to me about it.

So, I guess success is, in some way, related to stature. Not objective stature, but relative stature. I might be a Senator, but if I am the most junior Senator and I have a razor thin majority in my state, then I best stay awake in meetings -- party leaders and whips, those guys can afford to catch a couple of winks. If I am the leader of the local PTA, then you had best keep mouth shut if I fall asleep. 'Cause if you give me any guff, I will end your PTA career faster than butterball chows down on cafeteria fish sticks.