Aino Minako-chan

Random deep thought related to nothing in particular:

Back in the 90s, there was this sitcom called "Mad About You" starring Paul Reiser and Helen Hunt as a married couple. Paul Reiser (whose character was apparently named "Paul"... way to be creative, guys) was some sort of film-maker. I don't remember the show that well, but I will never forget one episode guest-starring Yoko Ono.

Paul is brought in on a film project for Yoko Ono. Paul is somewhat fangirl-y about her and is determined to make something *magical* that will make her love him. What does Yoko Ono want to do? She wants Paul to film the wind. "But not anything IN the wind," she adds. "That's been done. I want to film the wind ITSELF--JUST the wind."

And so Paul struggles to figure out a way to film wind without filming something in the wind. He tries again and again, and he doesn't want to let the Yoko Ono down, but he just can't figure out a way to do it. So finally, at the end of the episode when Yoko Ono comes in for a status update, he ends up exploding: he frantically rants about how he tried and tried and tried, but you can't see wind! It's impossible to film just the wind; you will always end up technically filming something else that is merely being affected by the wind! It can't be done! Give it up!!

At which point Yoko Ono nonchalantly shrugs and says, "Okay, it was just a suggestion. We can think of something else."

For some reason, that plotline has always stuck with me. Because even though it's just a joke played for a laugh, it actually contains some good advice. If you genuinely don't think that a goal is feasible, there's really no shame in saying so. It could be that you're just missing a very obvious solution, but in many cases, people are probably willing to compromise and adjust their own expectations. Sometimes you're chasing wind; there's nothing wrong with recognizing that and asking if you can throw some leaves in the air.