2021 – Red Pill or Blue Pill?

The Matrix

In the 1999 film, The Matrix, the rebel leader, Morpheus, offers Neo the choice between a red pill and a blue pill.

The red pill leads to an uncertain future, reality.

The blue pill leads him back into the comfort zone.

2020

I am thus far fortunate to not know anyone personally who has died from COVID-19, or even been hospitalized. I know for many that is sadly not the case.

As I write this its raining in my part of the world, as a cold front pushes through from the northwest.

It's a dark, dreary day. A fitting end to 2020.

2021

Tomorrow is forecast to be a sunny day. Colder, but sunny. A new year, a fresh start.

The only question is, do I take the red pill or the blue pill?

Mindset

In her 2006 book, Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, Carol Dweck describes the two mindsets; Fixed and Growth.

The fixed mindset is the mindset of the blue pill. It says that you are now you were, and who you always will be.

On the other hand, the growth mindset is the mindset of the red pill. It's the harder road to travel and there will be setbacks along the way, but it is the the only way to get from point A to point B.

New Year's Eve

Doubtless, in my neighborhood, there'll be fireworks at midnight. Doubtless, there'll be people hosting maskless parties. This is texas, after all.

But my family and I will stay in our bubble tonight. Maybe watch some TV. Maybe play some games. Reflect a little on the year that has passed and dream a little of the year that's to come.

And, having consumed a Fuller's ESB earlier in the evening, I'll start the new year with a Fuller's london Pride.

As the second verse of Auld Lang Syne goes:

And surely you'll buy your pint cup!
and surely I'll buy mine!
And we'll take a cup o' kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

To 2020, good riddance. To 2021, Hello? Red Pill or Blue Pill?

I choose the red.

About Red Pill Blue Pill 2021

I got the idea for this image just before Christmas when I picked up a fourpack of Fuller's ESB and a fourpack of Fuller's london Pride from my local Total Wine.

Looking that the red and blue labels, the red pill blue pill idea came to me.

Using a black background, I set up the bottles on my kitchen island and grabbed two of my wife's LED softboxes from her video setup.

This was also my first opportunity to play with my new TetherTools Case Air Wireless system.

I shot against both a black background and a white background. I preferred the black background version.

The reflection is in-camera from the granite counter-top.

The matte appearance is due to condensation forming on the bottles after I removed them from my fridge.