12/7/09

Goddess of the Week: Tykhe

Central part of a great floor mosaic from a Ro...Image via Wikipedia

Once upon a time there was a bank manager who had recently been downsized. He was gardening in the backyard when he stumbled upon a treasure that had been buried and forgotten centuries before. The downsized bank manager was so excited that he made an altar to Gaia, mother earth.

Standing in front of the altar, he said, "Woo Hoo! Thank you, Gaia! Now I can rehire my gardener and never touch dirt again!"

Tykhe, the Greek goddess of good fortune, found out about this and got totally pissed. She was all, "Gaia, Gaia, Gaia. Everyone always thanks Gaia. What about me? Could that guy have even found that treasure without me? No. And that's not all. Ten bucks says that guy blows his entire fortune in Las Vegas and fricking blames me."

So Tykhe pulled a few strings and got the IRS to audit the guy.

Some people don't believe luck. I do. How else can you explain that my mother-in-law wins things all the time. She just won a GPS system. Over the years, she's won televisions, cameras, hams and luggage. Once she even won $5,000. I, on the other hand, win nothing. It can't just be coincidence or the fact that I never actually enter contests. My mother-in-law is lucky. That's all there is too it.

I hate to say this, but writers -- actually artists in general -- need luck. Sure, they need talent. Sure, they need to hustle and network and have good query letters and elevator pitches and, I'm quite convinced that good hair and cheekbones don't hurt. But they also need luck, which includes good timing, connections, the proper alignment of the constellations, and naturally good hair and cheekbones.

If, like me, however, you are unlucky and with kind of low-hanging doughy cheeks, you can still try and channel Tykhe. Woo her with hard work (luck does, indeed, favor the prepared), humility, and gratitude. Also, chocolate never hurts. But don't give her vampire books. She's sick of those. Then, if you're lucky, your audience will find you and recognize you for the genius that you are. If not...well...remember, success is not measured by the number of pages published, but by the number of friends damning the entire publishing industry on your behalf.

Channel this goddess: Always. Ingratitude for the luck you already have is the quickest route to misfortune.

Desiree: This one's for you! I thought I'd go kind of a different route. What d'ya think?

Need a goddess: I got goddesses! Leave me comment telling me what you need your goddess for or who you need her for. I'll get you what you need.
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20 comments:

Rois said...

Being not tech savvy I have a couple of questions regarding your comment.
If it is not to much to ask could you email me?
The name of my blog followed by @aoldotcom

And GOOD GOLLY what an idea! Whew what to think of that.

Joanne said...

Oh yes, I believe you're right. Hard work is always a necessity. But luck and timing and the fate of the two intertwining in our favor, well, it must be the work of Tykhe. It definitely takes a team of forces to reach that good fortune!

Anonymous said...

Damn that publishing industry.

WV: Disgunsi. They disgunsi me.

Anonymous said...

So funny....I'd also add youth.

Seems to be a thirst for the next "new" thing. You'll always find the culture monster hanging outside the school yard in search of new blood. Nothing like bragging rights for claiming the latest "discovery"(at least in the art world)

Shanna said...

I totally echo what pasadenaadjacent said about adding youth...

Wow! Was I lucky when in my 20's and early 30's. And this was in the art world.
Maybe I took it all for granted, so instead of being bitchy about how much more difficult it is now, I shall take the advice to be grateful and Be grateful.


wv: gratess - seems apprpopriate

Desiree said...

I think I've got the hard work and gratitude, down; chocolate's a daily habit--I just gotta get started on that humility bit.

Thanks Margaret! Like Natalie Wood in Miracle on 34th street, I believe!

(in the Greek goddess of luck. How else can you explain pop stars?)

Petrea Burchard said...

May I please share this goddess with Desiree? She's fab. And this is one of your funniest.

Margaret said...

Rois: I'll be in touch.

Joanne: It's the whole team thing that can seem like a such a hurdle. Here's wishing you luck.

AH: They disgunsi me too. I think I love that word.

PA: AH...youth. Good hair, good cheekbones and youth: that's like an E ticket ride.

Shanna: Indeed. Be Grateful.

Dez: Have you been watching X-mas movies already?

Petrea: You may have her too. She would like that, actually.

Petrea Burchard said...

Good hair, good cheekbones and youth are not enough. You need confidence. Without it the rest won't be of any use.

Shell Sherree said...

This is fine, Margaret, mighty fine!! I just finished visiting Hiker and between the two of you, my cup of laughter runneth over. {Or should I be thanking Tykhe for that instead? And I'm guessing she doesn't totally go along with "the harder I work, the luckier I become"...}

Italo said...

TYKHE I NEED YOU!!!!!!!!
Come to me! Please! I know it's you and not Gaia! Tykhe, please!!!!!

Bec said...

Good fortune . . . who wouldn't want Tykhe on their side? I'm not particularly lucky in terms of winning things but when it comes to immaterial things, I'm blessed!

Curly said...

Gaia will be my future daughter's name (if I have one) or Luna...
Well... Luck. Here in Italy there's a saying: "La fortuna รจ cieca, ma la sfortuna ci vede benissimo". That means Luck is blind but Misfortune sees very good! So... I believe in Luck yes, but I also believe that we can achieve the same by persisting and never give up! You mentioned it: Luck favours the prepared!
And would you really be like pompous Gladstone Gander? ;)))
So there!
Anyway I've always been fascinated by the Goddess of Fortune!

Margaret said...

Petrea: Yes. Confidence. Let's add that to the list.

Shell: Oh, I think she would absolutely think the harder you work, the luckier you become. She would just want you to acknowledge her contribution.

Italo: She's on her way!

Bec: Then you are lucky indeed.

Bree said...

Thanks for the trip over! I check in over here quite a bit, actually...not in a creepy stalker way, but more in a "wow, Margaret has really interesting and thought-provoking things to say" kind of way. Luck and gratitude are two very good traits to have!

Cafe Observer said...

If I could only have one of these two (luck or talent), I wood probably choose to be lucky rather than good.

Watson said...

Whew! thanks for letting me know about Tykhe, Margaret. I don't want her angry with me! So a big "Thank You" for the two prizes I won in Christmas raffles and for finding the extended warranty that came with my car covered the last maintenace as well. I shall express my gratitude with the offering of one prize, a package of hot chocolate with "airline bottles" of vodka and liquor to add to the mix.

I feel a ritual coming on! :-)
Daisy's Barbara

Cafe Pasadena said...

This goddess seems light, smart and a little self deprecating. Wood that describe the Ruthl, I mean Restless One as well??

Linda Dove said...

I once won a pound of bacon. That was lucky. ;-)

Maria said...

Vaastu (Indian feng shui) maintains that you create your luck by keeping your house clean. Still.....