Master of None

I'd like to be more interesting.

Specifically, I mean in my writing, but really, that's just the tip of the iceberg. I want people to walk away from a conversation with me saying things like, "Wow, that guy was fascinating." I want Dos Equis to offer me contracts wherein they follow me around with cameras and film me doing awesome things while making Chuck Norris-esque comparisons. Somehow, I don't think I'm at that level yet.

This all stems from the book I just finished, 99 Drams of Whiskey by Accidental Hedonist Kate Hopkins. It combined two of my favorite things; whiskey and little-known historical facts. For this book, she traveled to Ireland, Scotland, Canada and various whiskey-related locales in the US, detailing how the history of the region affected the development of the drink. She gave amusing and completely relatable descriptions of each brand that she tried, and I found myself on the website of the local liquor store checking prices more often than is probably good for my budget.

The book was terrific, and it made me realize something that I've always known but never really wanted to think about. I want to be good at everything, and this pretty much keeps me from excelling at anything. Proverbially, it makes me a "jack of all trades," but in reality, it makes me feel like a beginner in everything that I do.

I play guitar, but only to a point. I know some history and trivia, but that date with Jeopardy remains elusive. I've got passing knowledge of running and Shakespeare and music and sports, but the second I get into a conversation with someone who has really done the work, I shut down. Basically, there is absolutely no subject about which I feel I could write a book, and I kind of wish there was.

But would that make me more interesting? Possibly not. I might be great in a conversation with others interested in that one particular area, but that doesn't mean it will translate to the general populace. I'll just be that guy who always talks about that thing he knows.

My ability to focus has taken a severe hit of late, which has more to do with needing a vacation than anything else. Fortunately, I'm taking it back one step at a time, but I may have oversold myself a bit in the first few months of this year. So it goes. However, once I'm through the brunt of it, I'm hoping to get myself into classes and buy myself some books to get myself more firmly rooted in the things that most hold my attention, starting with knowing more about running and how to train properly.

And I'll keep my fingers crossed for that call from Jeopardy.

Wednesday's Run:
3.22 Miles