Gotham Chopra - July 09, 2008
When I was a kid I used to fantasize about the possibility of being a superhero and if so, which one would I want to be? Which superpower was the coolest to have?
There were the normal adolescent temptations - x-ray vision like Superman so you could see into the girl's locker room, the ability to disrupt the forces of nature like Storm (of X-MEN fame) so you could cause endless snow days and skip school, or the ability to create fire Prometheus style like Torch (another X-Men dude) because, well, that's just cool.
These days the likes of Batman and Iron Man are cool because all they are are really normal dudes with a lot of money, really cool cars, and lots of hot women lurking around - what's not to love?
But then the other day, I was sort of creating my own superpower and I came up with the idea of "pressing the reset button." It's cerebral I know and doesn't quite yet have the mass market appeal of a Superman or Hulk or whatever, and it may truly be a function of middle aged monotony and existentialism, but check it out:
Every once in a while one is faced with either professional or personal situations in which, upon deeper evaluation, you determine you are just plain f'cked. It's just like a labyrinth of sucky options. Sure, there's the old "Deepak Chopra creative solution" approach or there's the more cynical "damn, this sucks" evaluation in which case having the "press the reset button" super power would be wicked helpful. Here's how it would work. When face with one of the aforementioned shitty situations, you could just hit said metaphorical button, go back to a seminal moment in which you made a critical choice which may have been the first step on a path that led to where you currently are, and you could just, you'know, make a different choice.
Of course, this all raises some rather existential quandaries: is the present moment really reliant on one choice? Is it an amalgamation of every prior moment, every prior choice between this one? Say for example, that one time when I was 8 years old and I consciously made the choice to pee in my pants at night rather than get up at night and go use the bathroom, had I made the extra effort, would I be a different man today?
Too far afield to wonder quite honestly, perhaps another blog for another day. Back to being "Resetman" - that's kind of cool actually. It really is a more cerebral version of Superman's ability to spin the Earth backwards on its own access, which truthfully is more of a "rewind" power than a "reset' one. Alas....
Here's a better example. When I was in college and I was wooing my current wife (as if I had one before her, huh?), I momentarily became obsessed with a Celine Dion song called THE POWER OF LOVE. Inexplicably, I would blast it from my college dorm room. I like to think I never really sang along to it, but who the hell knows, I may have just conveniently blacked that out in which case, thank you subconscious.
Anyway - I'd really like to "reset" that moment. I'm just kind of ashamed of that time of my life and I feel like I could be a better person, husband, and father if I just never did that. It would be really cool if I could just reset that first time I hit play on my DVD player or switch out to a Tupac album or something.
There are other moments I'd take a crack at but I won't list them. And of course, there is a current scenario which I can't really describe in which I fantasize about going back and hitting reset with the suspicion that doing so would mean that I would not be in the situation I find myself in now.
A disclaimer of sorts: my marriage is not in trouble nor does this involve any illicit indiscretions. Okay, I better stop, lest this blog itself become a moment that requires resetting.
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Posted by Gotham Chopra at July 9, 2008 09:21 PM
I liked this blog. It made me think, which doesn't happen so often :D:P
I came to the conclusion that I would never want a reset button. First, because there is truly no one point that is the cause of another point in life, but apart from that, because I would never want to be in another place than the one I'm in.
And I don't only mean the wow moments, I mean the "damn, this stinks" moments too. I'm not masochistic, but if resetting was even possible, I would just recreate that same situation over and over again, maybe with some variations, but still the same content.
The fenomenal gift of a shitty moment is that it is a strong motivator to wake up from whatever you're doing and move on to a higher level of consciousness. Resetting would keep you on the third floor, wandering from (shitty) room to (shitty)room, while truly facing your situation might very well bring you to your fourth floor... where that situation will not repeat itself anymore.
Why would you want to reset your Celine Dion moment?? I cherish my Celine Dion moments! :D:D They made me who I am today- someone who doesn't listen to The Pooooower of Loooove anymore...
It is great fun reading your blogs Gotham. As far as resetting goes, you can truly achieve that - for all your resets are imaginary. Even what you think you are today is just plain imagination, so why bother resetting anything at all.
I enjoyed reading this!
I reset my personal life every summer when I go on vacation. I just forget that thing or sometimes a person. I always thought of this as my weakness (although it is very relieving) and have been trying to stop doing this. I think I hurt people when I "reset". So is this a weakness or not?
Gotham,
You are a creative writer. I appreciate the way you weave intelligent threads with emotion and humor. The cuss words are not what I'm used to but I like the way they play on my brain and body...causing me to expand and include them. I appreciate differences. Your language speaks to people my language would not. You have a wise voice and message to offer.
I am experiencing what you speak of. It's like a thread that is weaving backward into time. Not only are memories coming up but I find myself meeting people from my past and traveling some old roads. It's as if the present moment rooted in the past are meeting in the middle -- in consciousness.
Awareness IS the healing. One can wash the past with watery hues and forgive/let go of anything one chooses. You/I/we are the artist in the moment. You are you now...past negativity is imprinted but not real and is passing away.
Can we keep the imprints that are positive and make us secure and happy within? We can if we remember them and keep them in awareness. So, how about a post about all the positive aspects of who you are? Would that be boring or arrogant? My feminine is bringing up the image of a tree and the fruits -- what are the fruits on your tree that make you unique (not the rotten fruit).
As children we are molded, patterned, conditioned. We are what we think/feel we are until we change our thinking/feeling. And then some natural force changes the whole weave design.
Do you believe in magic? Is that cool? Is that hip? Was that part of your early years of life? Is that part of Now? Magic happens...let it flow like water color painting.
Trish~~
Hello Gotham and Everyone,
Well, you are just a teaser..cruel...we NEED the goods, the hot situation, the dirty and the lowdown....maybe the first reset should be your posting this blog and leaving me to wonder........if it is not problems with the wife, or illicit sex, then......what else could it be....hmmmmmmmm?
a hint?
have a great day everyone, ruth
Here is a big'ol dosage of Celine for you, if your having marital problems, I can tell you 100% its because your not wooing enough, Sooooo put on those Celine Dion records, and start!!
DON"T you dare rolls those eyes Mista!
This is real life, not the movies. You can see love in real life. And you had better watch these damn video I chose for you Gautama!
Yep, I really liked Gotham's post as well. I am still looking for that "reset button!" When I find it, I'm going to hit it really hard and break it. But before I eliminate the 'reset butt,' I am going to transform into Hera, the goddess of all gods. Hera was pretty jealous too and if her lover made her mad, she would turn him into a worm and call upon the birds of heaven to feed upon her delicious gift.
Love, Char
Sorry for the typo ... should be button, ya know! But that other word kind of fits too.
"The Power of Love
Love is the best antidepressant—but many of our ideas about it are wrong. The less love you have, the more depressed you are likely to feel.
By: Ellen McGrath"
Here's the article, which was pretty good. Also since I've never heard of C.D.'s song, I looked it up and the words were beautiful.
http://psychologytoday.com/articles/pto-20021201-000001.html
Love, Char
Hera, you would not want to be.. she was constantly putting terrible spells on every one her husband, Zeus Loved, the problem was, he loved everything...One of my favorite stories was that of Pandora. So Pandora for you my dear..
Later Aphrodie
No, I Am Hera. :-)
Love, Char
Zeus cheated on his wife! slim
oops it's slime as in repulsive
Sound like your the jealous one Char4, Zeus was GOD stupid! EVERYTHING WAS HIS WIFE. I have nothing but love for dear char, if your feelers are hurt its because of what in side you. I am only a reflection of your true self. I'm not being as brutal as I could be, but if you keep coming, I'm gonna have to shut you down, with the TRUTH.
Stop whining, its lame. Go play with all the beautiful things like Zeus.
Also
YOU CAN NOT OWN ANOTHER PERSON, through life, death or marriage.
AS soon as people realize that love is not aware of " human " contracts and boundries, the better off we'll all be.
I love you, know this.
Superpowers...that reminds me of a little story that happened to me a few years ago. It was on a weekend and I had no money. My kids then around the ages 6 and 13 wanted to reant movies. They both had exactly $3.- which was the price for a rental. Both were so excited.
On the way to the video store, my oldest said that she wished she had supper powers like being able to make herself invisible at will or reading peoples mind. I told her that she did have superpowers...a superpower that perceides all powers...the power of believing in all possibilities.
We went into the store and they both picked out a movie. At the register we found out that we had a late fee of $5.-. I looked at both kids and saw their sad faces, then I looked at the sales clerk in disbelief.
The sales clerk, without any doing on my part then said: don't worry about the fee. I will wave it.
On the way out...my daughter said to me: You are right Mom....all possibilities is an awesome power!
With love like that, who needs enemies! :-)
If a choice from the past is haunting me, I must still be making that choice. I can still hit "reset" whenever I am ready, willing and able to hit it.
Thanks for showing me that,
and for making me laugh when I read your blog,
and then cry when the truth hit me, that I am still making the same choice,
and then breathe a sigh of relief when I realized I can hit the reset button anytime... and choose something different.
cool
Sharon
If a choice I made in the past is still haunting me, I must still be making that same choice. I can hit "reset" whenever I am ready, willing and able to hit it.
Thank you for this awesomely clever blog. I laughed out loud when I read it,
and then cried when the truth of it hit me, that I am still making the same choice,
and then breathed a sigh of relief when I realized I can hit the RESET button anytime... and choose something different.
I've known for awhile that I can make new choices and alter the course of my life, that being bound by my past choices is just an illusion because the past is just a concept. 20 years ago might as well be yesterday, or 10 minutes ago, or right now. So yeah, I've known this in my head, my logically thinking mind.
But imagining myself as "ResetWoman" Super Heroine! da da daaa! triggered a new insight into the hold some of my past choices still have on me. I'm still making the same frickin' choices!
duh
Thanks for pulling the trigger.
Love and Peace,
Sharon
Wouldn't it be cool if God had a reset button.
I have read you blog. It is an interesting one. When I was child at that time, I used to dream that I will be a super man one day, but in real life, it is not possible.
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(If you haven't left a comment here before, you may need to be approved by the site owner before your comment will appear. Until then, it won't appear on the entry. Thanks for waiting.)I have read you blog. It is an interesting one.
Wouldn't it be cool if God had a reset button.<
If a choice I made in the past is still hauntin
If a choice from the past is haunting me, I mus
With love like that, who needs enemies! :-) <
Thats funny, your funny. You already have a reset button dear, you know this because every time you have a disagreement with someone, "you hit reset" when you let go of whatever is pissing you off. Then its like brand new, you know what I'm talkin about, when you " make up" yup!
Coodoes to you, my friend, I like reading your stuff.