Several years ago i acted in a show about morals (in both senses of the word), and at the end we handed out fortune cookies to audience members as they filed their way out of the theatre.
It was a lightly attended show, and we wound up with a huge box of uneaten cookies. The cast and crew took it upon themselves to dispose of said box at the cast party, resulting in each of us eating several dozen fortune cookies.
Of course, the most exciting part of eating fortune cookies is the fortune, which is why we were so disappointed to realize that our box of cookies had a finite amount – maybe ten or fifteen – of fortunes. Perhaps I had seen a duplicate fortune once or twice before in my life, but learning just how slim the fortune options were in a given crate of cookies was depressing.
Ever since then i have hated eating fortune cookies, but i have persevered in my hunt for unique and original fortunes. Or, at least ones that aren’t so general as to apply to anyone.
Idleness is the holiday of fools.
For a few years now that has been my favorite fortune. I got it one day when i was out to lunch with my old boss. We both appreciated it equally, so i brought it back with me to pin up at my desk.
Even after three subsequent desk (and boss) moves the fortune still sits pinned directly above my phone, where it frowns down upon me if am ever tempted to twiddle thumbs or sharpen pencils in order to put-off or altogether-avoid something i ought to be doing.
It is highly effective. I would say that approximately 30% of my productivity is the result of that tiny strip of paper. If i ever lost it I would print a new one.
The only downside of “Idleness is the holiday of fools,” is that it isn’t much of a fortune (unless, of course, it was assuming i am an idle fool). It’s really more of a proclamation.
However, last week out to lunch with co-worker Elib i received my new favorite fortune, because this one enforced something i often doubt. It read:
You will always get what you want through your charm and personality.
At first this might seem a little at odds with “Idleness” – it seems to be indicating i can be as idle as i want, so long as idle with charm.
I choose to see it more as a reminder that an absence of idleness alone does not equal success. To find true success i need to be engaged and happy, and that happiness needs to be an almost tangible force to each person i encounter.
As for “in bed,” i remain in favor of the first.
What’s the best fortune you ever received (in bed)?
(tom) “to be a man is doing constant revision, like when writing a paper.”
(me) “your dearest dream is coming true.”
I have to say I like the “Idleness is the holiday of fools”. It is thought provoking and it’s a good mantra to have. I’m a little too OCD to have much idle time. If I sit still for longer than 2 minutes and I’m not doing something I go crazy. Of course, sometimes what I’m doing has nothing to do with work… like right now for instance. Here I am, on work time, eating a bowl of cereal and visiting Crushing… :) but in about five minutes I’ll be on the phone with clients, updating help desk tickets, building client platform sites, and training a new employee. I guess I better get busy, eh?
a few years ago i received “keep on charging the enemy, so long as there is life.” it’s one of only a few fortunes that i’ve saved for any length of time (though i don’t have it anymore i don’t think.) it seemed to fit with the way i often feel like life is an ongoing battle of some sort. there is so much wrong with the world, on both micro and macro levels, and it seems like my way of being is always to fight it, rarely to find peace and go with the flow…
The best fortune cookie I ever got said “You will receive a cake.” Sadly, I did not.
The best slip of paper I ever discovered in a fortune cookie said, ‘Many a false step is made by standing still.’
This was years and years ago. I still have it, because it reminds me that some kind of something is better than nothing at all. Just set your mouth right and lift your foot. The rest is all details.