cjsmith | Enjoyment and achievement, how do they relate...

Thanks to

cassidyrose for pointing out this neat Molly Ivins column. The last coupla paragraphs really got me going.

Yeah:

Here's to those of us who like to play dress-up, but don't happen to have the particular kind of genetic twist that'll make it to the fashion show runway. Here's to those of us who lift weights without the myostatin deletion gene. Here's to those of us who enjoy trying, even when we're not the best, even when we're surrounded by overly competitive spirits and fragile blustering egos and people with walls and shelves full of awards we ourselves will never win. Here's to those of us who have to work twice as hard as the next guy, but who have a good time doing it. Here's to those of us who can enjoy life even though we'll never get kudos or recognition or sometimes even thanks for what we do.

And you know what?

Here's to those of us who are still learning how to enjoy life under those circumstances. Here's to those of us who do hurt when we hear someone mutter "loser", who are sad that we're always the bridesmaid. Here's to those of us who congratulate the winner and smile for the family photo anyway, because our pain should be invisible. (After all, we only got what we deserved, right? Ask anybody with awards on his shelf and that's what he'll be happy to tell you.) Here's to everyone who has ever felt pain when a dream finally died.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

It's hard, sometimes, to be a generalist in a world of specialists.

Generalists are, IME, far more interesting and fun to have around (and from what I've seen you wouldn't throw that statistic out any :)). And personally, life's too short and the universe too rich to want to be a specialist.

Everyone around me is better than I am at something. There is no category in which I'm the best.

*shrug* 'Good' is a far more meaningful label than 'best', I think - 'good' doesn't require anyone else to measure itself against.

Some days I start thinking why does the world need a CJ? There's no point, y'know? Vic's a better caller and Ike's a better mathematician and Mark's a better coder, so why am I wasting oxygen? Days like that are rough.

I hold the somewhat delphine attitude that existence is a gift, and needs to be enjoyed rather than justified.

But you're right, I don't unequivocally suck; I do a few things fairly well. That's pretty good right there.

And you *enjoy* doing them, which is, I feel, far more important than merely being the best. (That's one reason I never got into hardcore tournament scrabble, for instance - at that level, it's not just a game (or even an obsession), it's *work*, which tempers the enjoyment somewhat.)

The world may not *need* a CJ, but I bet it's more than glad to have one :)

And personally, life's too short and the universe too rich to want to be a specialist.

Yes, that's my motivation also! I don't want to focus on one thing too much, because I'd lose several others.

I hold the somewhat delphine attitude that existence is a gift, and needs to be enjoyed rather than justified.

Mmm, word of the day: delphine. :-)

Some days I feel like that -- but if I'm honest, most days I feel that existence is a burden and had darn well better be justifiable. I might feel very differently if I didn't have as much physical pain. I think that sort of thing can really warp a person's outlook.

(That's one reason I never got into hardcore tournament scrabble, for instance - at that level, it's not just a game (or even an obsession), it's *work*, which tempers the enjoyment somewhat.)

I hear you. That's why I stopped playing chess; the competitive aspect just took over. I am now probably a pretty lousy chess player, and That's Okay. I get my mental stimulation other ways and I enjoy lots of other activities to pass the time.

The world may not *need* a CJ, but I bet it's more than glad to have one :)

Why thank you! *bow* I bet the world is more than glad to have a

hitchhiker, too. I, for one, quite enjoy your journal! :-)

Some days I feel like that -- but if I'm honest, most days I feel that existence is a burden and had darn well better be justifiable. I might feel very differently if I didn't have as much physical pain. I think that sort of thing can really warp a person's outlook.

Sorry to hear that :( But surely, if you're in pain, existence has to answer to you, and not vice versa!

I hear you. That's why I stopped playing chess; the competitive aspect just took over. I am now probably a pretty lousy chess player, and That's Okay. I get my mental stimulation other ways and I enjoy lots of other activities to pass the time.

Oh, I'm extremely competitive (it's a unique rush that I'd hate to give up); I'm just not very *ambitious* about it. I don't need to be the best, I just need to win, or to have given it my best shot and been satisfied with how I did whatever it was I was doing. And being the best is no fun anyway - it's always nicer to have someone to aim at :)

Why thank you! *bow* I bet the world is more than glad to have a hitchhiker, too. I, for one, quite enjoy your journal! :-)

"It's always nice to be appreciated" :)

Enjoyment and achievement, how do they relate...

Re: Here's to you CJ

Re: Here's to you CJ

Re: Here's to you CJ