Greatness is fleeting and that's okay

My go-to radio station lately is Alt Nation on XM radio. I love this station.

(Except for one of the DJs, Madison, who is like nails on a chalkboard. To her credit, she seems to be aware of this and does it anyway, which if you know me at all, well... I'm pretty much the same way. Hopefully not nails on a chalkboard but, you know, eff off if you don't like how I roll.)

Sorry, tangent there. Anyway, it used to be that I never got into music because so little of it seemed like it was more than a one-hit wonder. And what's the point in that? I wanted to find an artist or band who I could hang my hat on and say, "That is my favorite."

I found a few through the years who could fit that bill. The latest is the Hip. The only one that has really stood the test of time is Simon & Garfunkel. That concert in Central Park album is still probably my all time favorite album in the history of albums. I even have the dialogue between songs memorized.

But as this Alt Nation station has grown on me, I've come to appreciate that something can be both fleeting and wonderful. I may never hear another song from As Tall as Lions, but I still love this song.



And I was driving around today (driving! my car works!) and thinking about the notion of greatness being fleeting and ephemeral. Not so much the notion itself but embracing the notion.

In other words, living in the moment with what's great in that moment and not worrying about what came before or where it goes next.

I think you can probably see where this has a goaltending application, right? I mean, the mindset of a goalie is 100% in the moment. And greatness is breathtakingly fleeting at times. Sure, the best of them can be consistently great over long periods, but even they have bad games, injuries, and other rapids to navigate.

So to be able to appreciate and enjoy those moments of greatness even if they're surrounded by less-than-stellarness would be a nice thing to be able to do, right?

My litmus test for what matters is, when I'm old and on my way to tend the ol' net in the sky and I look back, what do I remember? That I let in that floater from center ice? Or the moments of greatness that weave together to make the tapestry of my experiences?

The takeaway, as my corporate peers like to say, is that ideally we could embrace and appreciate the moments of greatness for what they are. Moments. Fleeting and rare and wonderful. And likewise, understanding that the space in between that is average-to-crappy is what makes us appreciate the greatness when it reveals itself again.

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Speaking of greatness, after my staunch declaration yesterday that I have no use for a goalie sweater with another goalie's name on it, Google Alerts tests me and sends me this.

In a million years, I wouldn't pay $350 for a hockey sweater unless there's a player in it. I'd rather have new pads. But damn. PURPLE FLAMES, BITCHES! FMD. It even looks like the sublimated kind, which I love to sleep in when it's cool enough.

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Big shout out to my girl, Artnhockey, who is IN Bonita Springs and went to the Blades practice this morning and is going to the Blades game tomorrow night. Can't wait to see pics of Brusty and all the rest of the boys (okay, don't really give a shit about the rest of the boys... not gonna lie).

Safe travels, you guys!

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In honor of my boys Simon and Garfunkel, one of my favorite movie scenes. Can't imagine why.