Greatness

I think most people who know me are aware of the fact that I love the pursuit of knowledge. Most of it entirely useless half facts, that either come from Wikipedia or A&E Classroom (which airs mon-fri at 1 am), but I do like to think of myself as an intellectual, all be it one with very little patience, and a very small attention span.

Some people know what they want. They want steak, and a lot of it. They want to get it from someone who knows all about steak; someone who knows about fat marbling; someone who, if they tried to order it well done, would scowl at them; someone who can tell them how it’s justifiable to charge 60$ for an 8oz Kobe beef strip lion (without any side dishes). I, on the other hand, like a buffet. Truth be told, I love a buffet, the more bastardly, the better, the more devoid of culinary heritage the more delicious. Sure a Chinese buffet is nice, but if I were to stubble upon a buffet, more mentally confused about its culinary origins than Tinky Winky is confused about his sexuality, I would be one contented consumer of culinary creations.

Sure Some BBQ Pork fried rice is nice. And yes it does go well with some ginger beef, and a spring roll, but maybe I want to start my meal with a nice sampling of Japanese sashimi, followed by a main course of Spanish Paella, toped off with the Frenchiest of desserts, the crème brûlée. Now I don’t know of a buffet that serves any of those dishes, and I sure if there was a buffet that did, none of them would be very true representations of these gastronomic giants

A Chef that makes pizza, burgers, sushi, Bouillabaise, and enchiladas is never going to be great at any of them. He may be really good. I’m sure Thomas Keller doesn’t make a bad spicy tuna cone, but it’s never going to be as good as one made by a man in Tokyo who’s being making sushi, and only sushi, since the age of 13.

I guess this is where I bring it back to myself, the one minute intellectual. Sure I can tell you a little bit about George Washington, like the fact that his teeth weren’t actually made of wood, they were made of real human teeth, which he bought from his slaves, but I’m never going to know as much as someone who devotes their entire life to learning about a toothless, opium addicted, and unfaithful man.

I’ve come to a realization about myself. I’m good at a lot of things. I may even be really good at a few things. Sure I can play you a drum beat. It may even sound really good, but it will never compare to Tony Royster Jr. even at the age of 12. I can cook you a steak. It will be delicious, well seasoned and cooked how you like (scowl free), but If you want a steak that will make you moan, I suggest Hy’s steakhouse. I can tell you useless information about turn of the century American mansions (A&E did a running special for 3 weeks). But in the end I just don’t have the patience for greatness. I’ve only ever found one subject that continually interests me to the point of wanting to learn more every day, and unfortunately it’s a subject that, by definition, requires humility, and therefore a lack of ability to obtain greatness in.

So maybe that’s one of the things I like about Spirituality, and the Bible, the fact that no matter how hard you try, if any successes is achieved, you can’t take credit for it, and therefore are under absolutely no pressure to achieve greatness. It’s not like you could if you wanted to anyway.