Drop The Hammer

I'm not a hippie.

And I dont even really hate corporate America. Heck, without it we wouldnt have the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. But I think it's been made pretty clear, I hate corporate wines.

Maybe I'm a walking contradiction? Perhaps. I dont like Gallo wine, but I like the story of Ernest Gallo. People who strive and punch and kick and keep striving and punching and kicking inspire me. This guy did all that.

A few years ago Alan and I had an appointment at some winery somewhere that had the "boutique" moniker attached to it. We were warmly greeted and while we were being shown around, the secret came out. Old Ernesto had just snatched up that winery to become part of his new "boutique" program. Turns out we just missed him (and his helicopter landing) by about a day. I would have liked to have met him, and told him how well his selections work on cleaning the rims of my car.

I wouldnt have done that, I dont go out of my way to introduce myself to famous people (Jessica Alba being an exception), but if by happenstance we crossed paths I would have been respectful and jocular. Neither terms would be used by anyone to describe me otherwise.

Plagarism at it's Absolute Finest

http://www.gapingvoid.com/

Sometimes I read something and it makes me feel inadequate.

Like if you were to play 18 holes with Tiger, or drive a few laps with Dale, Jr.

This guy Hugh McLeod figured it out. He's the mouthpiece for this funky little South African Vineyard, and some other high end folks who probably dont really care so much about mass exposure and mobs of people buying up their wares.

He also draws these odd little cartoons on the backs of random business cards. At first glance they just seem to be rants intended to be funny, but the more you read.. the more they offer a glimpse into his soul. They represent what he's feeling, and that's always potent.

In college we learned that the more personal we got in our writing, the stronger our readers would identify with our work. It's that line an artist crosses when they give you a glimpse of what is really inside them, it draws us further in.

As usual, I'm going to make a connection to one (or all) of my wineries.

Actually, I'll skip that this time.