What it's all about

Rummaging through life's couch cushions for topics in the law, economics, sports, stats, and technology

Sunday, July 29, 2012

Uncertainty, Imperfection, and Blogging

Well, how did I get here?
Once upon a time, my defining characteristic was my confidence.  I believed, perhaps irrationally so, that I was an extraordinary talent who was destined for great things. Now, I am 34 years old.  My life is excellent -- I don't lack anything that I need. But my life is also mundane.  I live in a modest house, drive a modest car, and rarely do anything that could be considered extraordinary.  Until recently, I practiced law and held a boring job.




But, despite having all the time one could ask for, it would appear that I'm not doing great things -- or even, for that matter, things of middling interest to others.  This is mildly disconcerting.  If I have all the time I want now, and I'm not doing anything interesting, then it doesn't look likely to happen ever. 

This makes me want to blog more.  I don't necessarily aspire to great things any longer. That adolescent hubris is well dead and buried. But I aspire to be active, involved, and engaged.  I think writing and publishing often -- even if it's in a self-indulgent, scarcely read blog, might help to accomplish that goal.

And that's all I have to say about that. For now.
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2 comments:

  1. megAugust 21, 2012 at 8:15 PM

    Have you seen this story in the NYT re extraordinary vs. ordinary?
    http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/30/your-money/redefining-success-and-celebrating-the-unremarkable.html?_r=2&pagewanted=all

    Not that you really need to consider the possibility of being 'ordinary' or mundane yourself. Especially after your 100-mile extraordinary act. Perhaps instead of being a person of extraordinary talent destined for great things (really, Kieran, what does that even MEAN), you are a person of intense discipline and determination who happens to be re-defining what it means to you to accomplish "great things" and why it's even important (for you? for them? for ego?).

    Either way, 100 miles - not shabby and hardly ordinary. Not even remotely mundane. I'd say pretty darn great.

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  2. Kieran McCarthyAugust 25, 2012 at 9:17 AM

    Meg:

    This is a really dense comment, with lots to chew on.

    I tried to respond to it defensively at first, but upon reflection, I think the appropriate response is, "you're right." Whatever you do, doing it with the express purpose of being "great" is kind of dumb. It's probably best to try do whatever you're doing as well as you can, without focusing on internally or externally perceived results of your actions.

    Do, be, focus. Forget the rest.

    Thanks for the comment.


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