Rule Number Six - Week 8 - Art of Possibility Ch. 6

Two Prime Ministers are having lunch, and a staffer interrupts their meeting. She's very upset, and in a frenzy. "Sir, I hate to interrupt, but I have to talk to you." The PM says, "Gladys, Remember Rule Number Six." She calms down, apologizes, and leaves. This happens two more times with two other staffers; both very upset until they hear "Remember Rule Number Six."

The other PM asks, "OK, I just have to know, what IS rule number six?"

"Stop taking yourself so God Damned Seriously!"

"That is Awesome! What about the other rules?"

"There Aren't Any."

This parable begins Chapter Six of "Art of Possibility." It deals with what the Zanders call the "Calculating Self," which exists in the world of competition, and causes you to feel the need to fight for supremacy. As opposed to the "Central Self" which is focused on what you actually want or need. In other words, if you're arguing, the central self wants to resolve the conflict and find a solution, but the calculating self wants to win the argument at all costs, even if it means shouting at the top of your lungs something completely false.

The song came easily to me. It's a Blues. Here's the stories of people, (sometimes me) who take themselves very seriously indeed, and the hook is just stating the rule over and over. I "wrote" the song in 2009, when I conceived the project, which is to say I planned the format of the song. I imagined that I could easily plug in new verses for specific situations, and even have audience members write new ones. The actual verses used here were written while driving to church one Sunday.

Rule Number Six - Words and Music by Carl J Ferrara (c) 2013
Driving down the highway, five minutes late for work,
This guy just whips around and cuts me off just like a jerk,
I roll down my window call him every name I know,
"Hey didn't you get the memo? I own the goddam road!"
            Remember Rule Number 6: Stop taking yourself so seriously,
            And forget about the other rules, there aren't any.

I remember that incident, it was on the news,
Everybody's going round wondering, what are we supposed to do.
I tell you if I'd have been there, I could have saved the day
I'd have taken down the bad guys and watched them run away.
             Remember Rule Number 6: Stop taking yourself so seriously,
            And forget about the other rules, there aren't any.

We're always fighting about that, we're always fighting about this,
Something happened 20 years ago, now she's my nemesis,
I know the right thing to do, and I ain't no hypocrite,
But that'd make me look weak, that'd make her look right, so I'll do the opposite.
             Remember Rule Number 6: Stop taking yourself so goddam seriously,
            And forget about the other rules, there aren't any.

            Remember Rule Number 6: Stop taking yourself so goddam seriously,
            And forget about the other rules, there aren't any.