[Dixielandjazz] Doing the Best We Can?

[Dan Augustine]

Steve and others--
     "The best we can"?  Certainly you're right, we can always do 
somewhat better, but i also said that
"While it is certainly true that one might be able to build up those 
parameters in any given city, it also seems likely that, as Yogi 
Berra is reputed to have said, 'If people don't want to come to the 
ball park, nothing's going to stop them.'" "Doing our best" wasn't 
what i was talking about.
     My major point was that people, bands, and places are different, 
and we shouldn't expect to get as much work for as much money in 
Brownsville, Texas, as someone could in the New York City area, and 
no amount of friendly exhortations can make the situation the same. 
Good ideas are always welcome, and you've contributed a tremendous 
number, but there's a limit to how much can be done, and we might as 
well relax, keep trying of course, but not knock ourselves out 
fretting about it.

     Dan
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>Date: Tue, 29 Nov 2005 16:24:22 -0500
>From: Steve barbone <barbonestreet at earthlink.net>
>To: <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
>Subject: [Dixielandjazz] Doing the Best We Can?
>
>Dan Augustine <ds.augustine at mail.utexas.edu> wrote (polite snip)
>>  Agonizing over the
>>  lack of dixieland in one place, berating others for not being able to
>>  increase the presence of dixieland in another place, complaining
>>  about pay-scales in other regions--hey, let's give it a rest, huh?
>>  Relax.  We do the best we can in the time we have and where we are.
>
>Hi Dan:
>
>Let me be devil's advocate here and state from a business management point
>of view, that "We do the best we can in the time we have and where we are."
>is simply not what most of us are doing.
>
>Every business course I ever took (many) and every business mentor I ever
>had (some of the best in the world, e.g. W.E. Deming & Peter Drucker)  would
>unequivocally state that when someone said "I'm doing the best I can;"
>beware, because it is usually not true, and is the most popular cop-out
>uttered by those who aren't doing it. "I'm doing the best I can." justifies
>all sorts of inactivity and/or questionable activities.
>
>Over the past 45 years, I've heard those words said a lot of times. ,Mostly
>they've been hogwash. Virtually always totally wrong. Except for folks like
>Don Ingle who lives with the bears in the woods, opportunity to do something
>positive about the music, knocks every day.
>
>Those of us who push others to become change agents are simply saying, "for
>goodness sake, answer the door". Some on the DJML have done so, others will
>do so and some will say "I'm doing the best I can." and blame their lack of
>musical performances on external factors. Not unique, but simply a fact of
>life, with Dixieland as well as in every other business/artistic situation.
>
>You can bet the ranch, even in California, that for every dummy band doing a
>swing dance for $400, there is a band doing a swing dance for $4000. Same
>here in Philadelphia, or in Texas etc.
>
>There are bands in Texas right now who are making things happen. It doesn't
>happen over night. Took me ten years to get where I am now. But, in order to
>get there I had to develop a plan and then take that first step.
>
>Had I relaxed, saying "I'm doing the best I can", like the rest of the pack,
>I wouldn't  be playing near as much today and wouldn't be having the time of
>my life at 71. (and wouldn't be paying so much income taxes ;-) VBG))
>
>You may not want that, OK I can dig it, but please don't speak for those on
>the DJML that are doing something about the music, or want to do something
>about it.   
>
>Cheers,
>Steve

-- 
**-----------------------------------------------------------------------**
**  Dan Augustine  --  Austin, Texas  --  ds.augustine at mail.utexas.edu
**    "Without question, the greatest invention in the history of mankind
**     is beer. Oh, I grant you that the wheel was also a fine invention, but
**    the wheel does not go nearly as well with pizza."  --  Dave Barry
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