As I’m working on setting this site up, my wife is playing back the most recent episode of Friday Night Lights. Before they go play football, they do a war chant to get all fired up.
I’ve watched the Celtics talk about “mbutu.” In fact, they’ve been known to chant it before a game. These rituals have meaning and substance and power.
Sometimes I tell myself, “That’s resistance on my chest.” Sometimes I wake up and say, “Hello, Resistance my own friend.” Those aren’t too inspiring, but they’re good reminders.
I also like to remember Mos Def’s words “My work is personal, I’m a workin person, I put in work, I work with purpose.” That does get me ready to go.
Before every performance of The Food Play the cast would join hands and cry “Heeeeeeeeee-ya!” That got us ready to go, for sure.