You're going to think I'm so weird.
Today is a gorgeously sunny day. I'm driving with the windows down, my sunroof open and I’m listening to that song that goes 🎶"I Just Came to Say Hello"🥁. I am full on carpool karaoke jamming, the moment seems picture perfect and then my fucked up brain thinks
“Wow this song would be soo good in a horror movie. It's just asking for a maniacally-smiling-brutal-stabbing scene, The Shining style🔪🚪”
It must be because of that ending scene from the movie Devil's Rejects, it left such a profound mark on me.
The way those three anti-heroes drive straight into one final bloody shootout with the cops to the epic ballad of Lynyrd Skynyrd's Free Bird, it still gives me chills. Fully worth 5 minutes of your attention if you haven't seen it.
And I know what you must be thinking, and yes I do have a Spotify playlist for songs just like this.
Shout out to whoever made this Barbie x Hereditary meme I’m using for the album art. It is *chef’s kiss*.
But it got me thinking, why does the happy song + creepy situation combo work so well?
Contrast—life and art are full of it.
Horror and comedy understand contrast. Director Jordan Peele does this exceptionally in the movie “Us”. For one thing, he sets a comedic banter between husband and wife turned bloodbath to the upbeat tune of Good Vibrations by The Beach Boys.
Even better, at the beginning of the film he introduces the song “I Got 5 on It” light-heartedly before family is on the way to the most dangerous vacation of their lives. Then, we hear it again in the background as chaos ensues across the globe as people’s evil twins set off on a mass killing spree (spoiler alert).
Finally towards the climax of the movie they take the same happy song (“I Got 5 on It”) and slow it down to a classical ballet beat and choreograph a dance fight scene to it. Truly brilliant.
What I love so much about this film is the balance of contrast, horror with laughter. Just enough comedic relief to keep us at ease but on the edge of our seats. Just like real life.
That reminds me—I recently finished this satire writing workshop from Reductress and my main takeaway was that satire is about, you guessed it, contrast. The expected and the unexpected. "BREAKING: Woman remarkably finished arugula before expiration date" is funny because it starts by sounding like urgent news break (expected) but ends with an event that has no importance whatsoever (unexpected). Which yes, I did write that silly article if you want to read it. But it's a work in progress, so please be nice. Not sure where to put this writing but I definitely want to do more of it. Anyways, since I've taken these workshops I keep finding this writing structure everywhere, just like contrast.
How do we balance contrast
(Work)
The contrast between the big wins, and big falls.
We need to take big swings to get closer to big wins but it's a lot easier said than done. Following the crowd or "doing what worked before" mentality isn't necessarily a failure, or even a plateau, but it is a steady downward slope. Experimentation breeds upward excellence.
For instance, you see a popular post on LinkedIn, don't simply copy the layout and stuff your logo and words onto it. Instead, stop and reflect on why that post is resonating with so many people.
How long did it take to read?
Did you have to click through to gain value from it?
What were the takeaways from the comments section?
These questions will lead you to more sustainable insights about what's working instead of simply following the trending formats of that month. This also means trying things that others haven't proven out yet (scary!!). Sure you'll fail at some things but in my personal experience you learn more through failing than by following the status quo.
Fall hard, then get ready to fall again
That doesn’t mean we should always expect the worst. It's more like that ride at Six Flags that drops you 10 stories to the ground and saves your puny body from splatting on the concrete just in time for your heart to not pump out of your chest. I love that feeling.
I know I told you, my brain is fucked up. But after doing it once you can get off the ride with the confidence to get back on it again. Granted had the ride failed this would be a totally different story, but my point is…
You can’t let the fear of failure prevent you from getting better. Falling down is a given, and I think winning all the time puts you at a disadvantage, the key to success is being prepared to fall.
Without failure you won't learn how YOU can get better, only how to mimic the skills of your peers. By failing you uncover the vulnerabilities needed to do better.
(Life)
Contrast of living slow in a fast world
They say “consistency is key” but consistency does not equal urgency or in abundance. And more ≠ better. Checking boxes off a to-do list may look good on paper but could leave you too busy to enjoy life while it's happening around you. When I work too much, I neglect those who matter most to me. I didn’t realize how much I was missing by always being "in the zone."
Every day, my fiancé came home from work, and I wouldn't take a moment to greet him. It wasn't that my work was more important than James; I was just too absorbed in it. It didn't seem like a big deal, but once I stopped working past 5, I noticed how much better my day felt with that brief check-in. Even though we still made dinner and watched shows together, that check-in time felt more intentional and meaningful.
It allowed me to realize how blurred my lines had gotten between focus and experience making both sides less powerful.
Instead of embracing all the brilliant bold colors of my life I'd been living in this muddled grey area mixing between the two. It was time to clear the palette 🎨 That’s what inspired me to buy this print for my office.
My unsolicited advice to you
Ground yourself in reality and the people in your life that inspire and support you. I promise creating contrast between you and your work will create benefits for both in the long run.
I just pulled in the driveway so I’ll let you go now. But I’ll check back in with you soon.
Till next time. Byeeeee!
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