I accidentally realized today that this is my 400th post. This is meaningful to me…that I’ve stuck with writing for my tribe even on those days when I didn’t feel like writing. Thank you to all my readers who subscribe or who like my LiftedUp.us page on Facebook.
Just for fun, I Googled “four hundred” to see if anything interesting would come up and it did. Dictionary.com identifies the phrase “four hundred” as the exclusive social set of a city or area, and further states that words relating to “four hundred” are aristocracy, elite, society, gentry, cream, privileged, gentility, and nobility.
Maybe many of you already knew this, but I did not. It seems that the “four hundred” phrase came about back in the late 1800s. Some believe the phrase was launched because 400 was the capacity of the ballroom in Caroline Schermerhorn Astor’s mansion. Another popular belief is that Caroline Astor’s large party in 1892 featured nearly 400 guests made up of New York’s high society names.
So it makes sense that in 2007 a New York company used the name Four Hundred to create (in their very own words) “an invitation-only lifestyle management firm that opens doors of exclusivity for our clients.”
Now if you’re like me, when you read that description you felt as though you’ve just been disdainfully found wanting. I was nervous about looking at their online site, figuring that my screen would black out and in stern white font would appear the message YOU ARE NOT FINANCIALLY, SOCIALLY, OR EDUCATIONALLY WORTHY TO VIEW OUR SITE. GO AWAY.
And then I checked out their Facebook page. Their CEO and founder Tony Abrams had posted this. I am not making this up; I copied and pasted his exact words, leaving his coarse language, incorrect spelling and punctuation intact.
“Four Hundred is seeking talented and passionate indiv…BLAH…BLAH…BLAH! We are looking for people who GET SHIT DONE and MAKE SHIT HAPPEN! Do YOU?! If so, please send resume’ and cover letter to info@nullfourhundred.com. PS- If you ask me for “more information”, please don’t bother applying but rather share this post with someone who just get’s it!”
I am so very tempted to send him a resume that consists of two columns: Shit I got done / Shit I made happen. You know…just to see what happens. Because he sounds like such a nice guy to have as a boss.
So my four hundred is nothing like their four hundred. Everyone is welcome on this site (except spammers, of course). You don’t have to think like me or act like me or believe like me. All I ask is that you enjoy two activities: reading and coming along for a ride of ideas.
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Article on the Astor party of 1892
Please, please, let some of your perseverance rub off on me!
Yes, it’s great fun when people adopt a “holier than thou” attitude. My favorite recollection (though I can’t recall the event or the people involved) was being introduced to a woman by a female friend, and rather than saying “hello” the woman looked me over, head to toe, then made a face that said something along the lines of “good God, I can’t even imagine why you were invited…” I burst into gales of laughter, while my poor friend stood speechless, and the “nice lady” walked away. People can be amazing!!
Congratulations on 400!!!!!!!! That is awesome. I think, in your spare time that you should publish them in your first book!!!!! I’ve been thinking of printing all of them. They are all a brilliant treasure!!!!!
I look forward to your wisdom and wit!!!!! I’m so proud of you!
I really wouldn’t want to be with those snooty people. That would be comparable to HELL ON EARTH!
Mrs. Astor is really scary and rather ugly in so many ways.
And finally, Tony Abrams seems to have fallen into “SH_T” ! I’m very sure he is not in the fortune 500.
It feels like 100… meaning you always leave us yearning for more! And that’s no… you know what I mean!!!