desperate for change

When “dilettante” entered my vocabulary years ago, the word didn’t strike me as derogatory. If fact, I get orgasmic thinking about all the different things that I have had the opportunity to try. Some highlights include:

Japanese – I took one introductory class with Ninagawa-sensei years ago. It was a blast to learn from such a good teacher. He was lots of fun and he pushed you just hard enough.

Indoor rockclimbing – I was doing 5.10d at my prime which took some skill and mastery; brute strength helps but skill matters more.

Snowboarding – One season was enough for me, but I was glad to have done it.

Ballroom dancing – Love it, even if I don’t plan to do competitions. When you are on the floor – you can’t think about anything else but being in the moment.

Computer programming – There is something satisfying about putting together a program. When you get lost in the “zone” and the code is just flowing through your fingers, it’s a high unlike anything else. Maybe except for ballroom dancing.

Boardgaming and cards – Chess (International, Chinese, Japanese) , checkers, backgammon, poker, bridge, go, Settlers of Catan, and many more I am sure.

Blogging – I have 3.7 readers and 38 robots visiting my site regularly. My choice of topics is dilettantish and is mostly about whatever strikes my fancy.

Traveling – Going places that you have never been before is fun.

Reading non-fiction – The pursuit of knowledge and wisdom for its own sake never goes out of style.

There are really too many to list but the above comes to mind. I don’t simultaneously participate in all of these things at the same time – I tend to hook on one thing for a while, then go onto something else. And then I go back to something that I used to do again. I seem to keep a rotation of fun things to lose myself into.

Being a dilettante is about being non-committal. This is the Bad Thing, if there is a bad thing. Attempting to achieve certain goals in life (such as starting a business or entering competitions), being dilettantish is pretty fatal. To be more precise, some things just can’t be tackled in any other way except with an “all-in-I-am-cutting-out-everything-else-to-maximum-the-chances-of-success” mindset.

Life success tends to favour those that specialize and focus. Is there is an arena where dilettantes rule? I sure would kick ass at being so random!

When I retire, I would imagine myself to be an old man with lots of friends and hobbies to keep me busy in my free time. I also considered the possibility that I would no longer have the strength of mental wit to do programming for a living by that point. To that end, I have thought about developing some writing skills to use when I get to that age. I mean, surely I would be rich and famous by that point so at least I can write some memoirs or something. But if I was poor and unknown, I can still scrape out a meager living as a poet, writing about poverty and obscurity.

I have recently been taking dance classes again. This is similar to the writing in that I am preparing a hobby and recreation that I can take on over the next couple of decades.

There is something satisfying about having a long term plan, especially when it comes to building up a skill that you can enjoy for years to come. While I am not a professional in either of my “retirement” hobbies, I am sure that working at something gradually over the years would add up. The 10000 hours of deliberate practice, as popularized by Malcolm Gladwell, isn’t something that is necessarily to be rushed. It is something to be savoured.

What hobbies are you savouring for the decades to come?

I am suddenly on a bit of a minimalism muse. Probably prompted by an article about a couple that is living the life and is happy about it. I supposed that in my short moving out stint and car free stint, I’ve have stepped in that direction.

Recently I have been having some minor issues with my Prelude. Nothing major – like a loose connector for one of the headlights and a wheel cap missing from one of my front wheels ($50 to replace from Honda Parts Department). Not so much that it is undrivable, but just enough to annoy and nag me. Sometimes I ignore the nagging, sometimes the nagging gets to me. (Yes, I know the autowreckers is the next stop. Just haven’t gotten around to it.)

I remember a simpler time when I just came out of university. I hardly had any stuff. Heck, I didn’t even have a good computer. I was always happy at how neat and tidy my room was. Can’t say the same about these days.

I think that different people are predisposed for different things. Some people get a bit OCD about neatness and tidiness. Other people isn’t as bothered. Whatever makes you happy.

I think I am actually an on-and-off minimalism guy that has gotten caught up with stuff, money and greed in the last while. Perhaps that’s why I’ve been a tad moody as of late.

Left the Sunday before last and just got back last Sunday. It was a much needed vacation. Here are some random notes and observations:

• On the way down, the customs officer asked who my passenger was. I said that she was my girlfriend. Then he asked how long have we known each other. I said since November; then I asked if it was too soon to go on a trip to Oregon together. He smirked and handed us back our passports.
• The drive down took as long as advertised. There were the occasional mini-jams.
• We navigated Portland using a combination of Google Map printouts, tourist brochures and a mapbook. I probably should have borrowed my brother’s GPS. (When I got back home he was wondering why I didn’t ask him for it.)
• Powell’s Bookstore was my mecca.
• Woodburn was the outlet of choice. Did I mention that Oregon has no sales tax.
• Japanese food is interpreted slightly differently than that of Vancouver. I mean, what would you call a BC roll in Portland?
• The King of Roads through the Columbia Gorge was very scenic.
• Newport was our home base on the coast. We got a room with a view of the ocean. This was a lot warmer than braving the very strong Pacific winds.
• Whenever I was on the beach, I had two thoughts: how beautiful the view was, and whether I can acquire some property.
• Food service at restaurants was excellent. Food was very good. Seafood was good too. When Frommer’s give it a star, it’s worth checking out.
• I was carrying a Lululemon grocery bag, exiting a restaurant. Random girl: “Lululemon!” Me: “Yes? Are you from Vancouver?” Girl: “Yes!” Me: “I guess we’ll start carrying Lululemon instead of wearing Canada flags, eh?”
• Who on earth would bike the Oregon coast highway? You are so exposed and naked to the elements and the speeding cars!
• Florence sand dunes was like being in the desert.
• Cannon Beach was very pretty.
• Seaside’s beach at night allowed people to have little bonfires on the beach. We didn’t have any wood handy unfortunately.

I wouldn’t mind going down again.