We all have stuff and we like our stuff, but our stuff gets old and boring pretty quickly. So, my hope is that this post will liven things up for you with, not the same old stuff, but other stuff. George Carlin has lots to say about people and their "stuff".
Sometimes, I feel the need to write something here but I don't have a point. Having a point is usually a prerequisite to successful writing. Now, I don't consider myself an authority on writing. I can put words (some consisting of multiple syllables!) together into sentences and I can sometimes keep a coherent thought over the course of several paragraphs. I enjoy writing and, if you've stuck with this post for this long, maybe you like reading what I write. If you do, I'm glad that I can provide some entertainment for you. If you don't, you're probably not reading this anyway, so I won't say anything disparaging about you. If you say you don't like my writing but you're reading this anyway, then you probably do like my writing and you just say that you don't. I'm not sure why someone would do that, but it might indicate some type of mental deficiency. But, chances are, that doesn't apply to you, because you're reading because you like it, right?
Now that we have that bit of nonsense out of the way, we can proceed with more important matters.
In recent days, weeks, months even years, I've been wondering what I want to be when I grow up. When I was in the first grade, I had an assignment to write about this subject. My career choice in the first grade was to follow in my dad's footsteps and go into the field of auto mechanics. In hindsight, I'm really glad that I didn't go that route because I'm just not very good at working on cars. I realize that, had I chosen that career, I would have received training and education at some point that would vastly improve my abilities. But, I would also have to get a dose or two of brainwashing that would implant in my head the belief that I enjoy working on cars. Sorry, Dad, but I think I dodged a bullet.
Sometime in 1984, someone asked the question, "What do you want to do with your life?" Dee Snider gave an awesome response with the simple, yet poetic "I Wanna Rock!" That sounded like a great idea to me. Although I never considered becoming a musician as an actual profession, I did buy a guitar and proceed to make noises that probably caused Adolph Rickenbacker to wish that he had never invented the instrument. (If you thought Les Paul or Leo Fender invented the electric guitar, they would have been saddened and embarrassed by my "musical" output, as well.) I still like to rock, but, these days, my rocking consists more of listening to music that my kids (and wife!) make fun of. I don't think I've touched a guitar since I put mine in their cases to store in the closet about a year ago. One of these days, I'll get the acoustic back out and make my no-longer-calloused fingers hurt. Then, I'll probably put it back because I can't make it sound like I want it to sound.
There was also a time when I thought I wanted to work with computers, possibly in programming, networking or something like that. Thank goodness I didn't get any closer to that than playing video games occasionally. The funny thing is that lots of people think that I do work with computers. Over the years, I've been approached by many people who say something to the effect of "I know you work on computers and mine is broken. Can you take a look at it and fix it?" I usually try to help them to the best of my ability, but the truth is that I don't know any more about computers than anyone else. I use a computer at work to write up job quotes and other documents, but sometimes I also use a toaster to make breakfast. I'm as much a computer whiz as I am a toaster whiz.
It just occurred to me that I have yet to include a single picture in this posting, so here you go:
When I was in high school, I decided that I wanted to go into the radio and TV industry. I worked at a radio station after school and then, in college, I worked for the campus radio station. I enjoyed it, but, being raised in Alabama, despite my best efforts, I couldn't quite shake the Southern accent. I'm sure that made for some painful experiences for those unfortunate enough to be on the receiving end of some of my on-air episodes. But, I preferred the behind the scenes stuff, anyway. And, during the course of my college career, I decided I liked working with video better, so not being adept at a generic Nebraska accent wasn't really a hindrance. I took several radio and video production classes, learned to use all kinds of neat equipment and had a good time doing it. When all was said and done, I got a BA in Communication (no "S" on the end) and English.
But, in addition to a BA in Communication (no "S" on the end) and English, I had a wife and a daughter who was a little over 7 months old. Yeah, I know we probably should have waited to get married until after I got out of school. Looking back, it's kind of a no-brainer. We've had that conversation a couple of time over the years and we're pretty well in agreement. But, as The Bard said, "All's well that ends well." He also said "Lord, what fools these mortals be." That one probably applies to our situation, too.
Because I was responsible for a family, I took the first job that came along. It wasn't in radio. It wasn't in TV. It was in structured cabling and I had no clue what that was. But, they hired me and it was better than nothing. I really never thought about telephone and data cabling before I started working with it, but, believe me, I've thought about it A LOT since then. For the first couple of months that I worked there, I actually had dreams about great masses of blue cables overtaking me. And, not in a good way.
I've been in this kind of business for almost 20 years, now. It's been good and it's been bad, but it's been my job for a long time as an employee and as a business owner.
I still wonder what I want to be when I grow up.
I really enjoy writing this blog. I enjoy turning crappy old junk into something new. I enjoy buying and selling antiques and collectibles. If I can figure out a way to generate a decent income from all that, I might be onto something. But, even if I don't make money at it, even if it's only a hobby, even if other people laugh at me and refer to me as that crazy guy with the garage full of junk, it's what I'll do because it's what I do. It's what I like. It's what makes me feel like I'm doing what I was meant to do.
If you don't become who you are, what will you become? Scary thought...
I discovered all this a little late in life, but better late than never, right? I'm just glad that I discovered it at all. And, if I had been aware of all this 20+ years ago, I might not have my wife and my 3 kids. Missing out on them would be far worse than missing out on the knowledge that I love going to yard sales.
I'm determined to do the things that make me happy. Tanya's pretty excited that the things that make me happy have nothing to do with stripper poles, cockfighting or swallowing swords. Doing the things that make you happy makes life much easier to take. Sure, we all have ups and downs. But, being an overall happy person will help you to persevere through those tough times.
Do what you love. There's a difference between doing what makes you feel good and doing what you love. Doing what you love can make you feel good, but so can heroin. You would probably be hard pressed to find a heroin addict who actually loves the drug. In fact, they probably hate it. They probably hate that they're a slave to it. "I should have known better, said I wish I never met him." (from "Mr. Brownstone", a song about, oddly enough, heroin addiction)
Do what you truly love. Do what builds you up and makes you who you are.
It may sound like a Josh Groban song, but these are words to live by. I think I'll give them a try...
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