Factual update on my life:
Marty’s birthday party: He’s the same as ever. He has a little girl, a wife, and a brother killed in the line of duty as a cop…..and that son of a bitch ain’t a bit different. On that note, he told me to tell Josh Salley that he is a piece of shit for not calling, or coming to his party, or inviting him to his wedding.
I told Marty that none of Josh’s friends from High School were at the wedding. Then I pointed out that Josh didn’t really have any friends from High School, except the two of us. Marty’s comment: “Well, half his friends were there then…I guess that’s not so bad.” Marty has still got a sense of humor. I’ll say that for him.
Work: I am pretty darn good at what I do. Every complaint they’ve ever had about me I’ve gotten past. I’m 6 months ahead of the learning curve. I keep telling myself the same thing though: I’ll only every be really good at this.
I don’t have a history of being really good. I don’t know how to do it. I’ll save everyone the self-aggrandizement and tell a silly story from college that explains my position:
In 1994 I lived in Wannamaker Hall surrounded by video game addicts. There was a game we all played called NHL Hockey 94. I found it particularly fun and interesting so I learned to play it.
A few years later, lounging on the coast of the Red Sea on the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt, someone asked me: Have you ever been the best at anything??
I was in a festive mood so I told them the story about NHL Hockey 94 because it is funny.
“I was the best,” I said, “no one could beat me. I let other people pick my team and my players…the worst in the league…it didn’t matter. I knew what they were going to do before they did it. I did an entire presentation in Public Speaking on how to score goals in NHL 94. I recorded myself playing on a VCR and critiqued my performance for the speech. I used to watch the SEGA play entire games against itself so I would be able to predict where the computer players would be when I played.”
They said: “So you never lost?”
I said: “No, I lost. It was a real game. There were elements of both skill and chance.”
They said: “So you weren’t the best.”
I said: “Being the best doesn’t mean never losing. I was not only the best of the people that I played at my university….I am saying I was the best…..of anyone….period.”
They said: “So you were the best in the world?”
I said: “Yes. At that time, there was no one on the planet that could consistently beat me. I know that and believe it.”
They said: “What a pompous ass!!”
I said: “You asked the question, not me. For a period of time, I was the best at something….bar none.” And then I went snorkeling in December with fish like National Geographic.
So the point, and there is one, is that I could count a half a dozen times or more in my life when I’ve been the best. If I’m not that good at something….well then I should quit and do something else. If you’re not able to give your best and be the person you know you can be….then everyone gets a disservice….both you and the people you love.
That is why I like my job….but will never love it.
I’ll continue this post over the weekend with “Why isn’t the good stuff so good?”, “Why the Jon Stewart Show is so pleasing to me”, “Soma”, and other interesting topics.
Till next time…
Entries (RSS)
Great story about the video game. So can you claim to be the best at your job or only very good?
Overall I am slightly above average at my job.
Some things I’m great at….the same things I always knew I could do, but the core competencies of the job, technical skill and attention to detail, no….I’m not great at that. I am fair at that, and my other skills allow me to cover up that fact.
Additionally, the job is not collaborative enough for me, nor does it allow me to motivate people to be their best….which I love.
YOU SUCKED AT NHL 94- You ruled your reign with the help of Gretzky and Roenick.Nah, just kidding! You did kick a lot of people’s be-hinds. And yes, I remember the many, many, many hours you spent playing that damn game. In fact, I think that time rolled over somewhere during the time you and I lived together on the 3rd floor.
You, Sega and the thin crust Domino’s pizza. Memories!
I also remember the times on Saturday mornings when every one in the quad was dressed up for football games and tailgating. Everyone in ties and sun dresses.
Then out of nowhere in the middles of the throng, you and I sitting on the front steps of Wannamaker, still half a sleep in our underwear.
Ah, the good old days of no responsibility or true care of the world around us.
Anyway, my new number is 704-785-0622. As I said yesterday on the phone, I’ll be outside of Atlanta this coming Mon/Tues/Wed/Thurs.
I’d love to meet up. Havent seen you since my wedding.
Take Care
JHO
Oh, and I do remember you finally taking the reign that year from Sanchez, the once king of 94.I keep waiting to see the game televised on classic ESPN. 🙂
Wow, I never knew I was so unpopular in high school. However, why would you need more than 2 friends at any given time? There’s not enough hours in the day (unless you live on Venus) to hang out with more than that. Even back when hanging out was all you did all day every day. If you think about it, we won’t get to hang out like that again until our kids stick us in some sort of “retirement community.” There will be four 80 year old guys, trying to see through their cataracts, to play the new Z-box light speed 2050. Of course, only 3 of them will be good friends and other will just be allowed to hang out because they need 2 on 2.