an unquenchable thirst for learning
Now that the cat is out of the bag, we can proceed with our scheduled programming.
I had a fairly interesting early childhood in Bugoolobi flats, staying with my cousins, running around playing dool, crusing old car tires and sliding on cutout jerrycans down treacherous slopes. One thing that stands out very clearly in my cousins’ collective memory is me prowling the rubbish bins looks for discarded electronics, you know old radios n stuff.
I don’t quite remember doing that… of course.
In primary school, when I was not out terrorising the neighbourhood, or watching Clown Ferdinand or Captain Planet, I’d be in my room, surrounded by all sorts of wierd gadgetry, trying to make things like functional helicopters and race cars.
The helicopters never flew… of course.
In secondary school, while dealing with adolescent hormones that made you reek of awkwardness, I upped the ante to include things like making hovercrafts, electronic door locks and watch-radios.
During my S.6 Vacation, I made on and off attempts at robotics, until I got fully introduced to the wonderful world of computers, and I was so overwhelmed and so confused that I did pretty much everything, hardware, repair, networking, programming, teaching, the works.
Then I discovered design.
I had dabbled in a bit of art in secondary school, taking it for the full six years and not doing to badly. But when I discovered the flexibility that Fireworks and Photoshop gave me, I was hooked! “Undo” ruled my world!
So I dipped my feet deeper into the digital design stream, waded into the web development waters and made a huge splash in the ocean of visual effects. I made a few bucks out of the whole thing, got employed, quit, started firm(s) based around digital design, and all was good.
So what’s wrong?
What’s bothering me lately is, I am where I am because of the choices I have made. In all my wildest dreams, I never saw myself becoming an artist of any sort. Like the same way I never saw myself owning a design firm… or running and starting up a restaurant for that matter. But somehow, I followed a seemingly random path, initially fueled by survival instincts, and yet here I am, doing not too badly at the whole thing.
But lately, it’s been tugging at my conscience that this truly isn’t my calling. True, I love the whole thing, the fun, the fire, the challenges, the failures, the amazing people I get to meet and work with. But is this it? I’m 25 years old, but is this what I’m going to be doing for the next 25 years of my life?
I don’t think so.
So a question I’m asking myself these days is, what do I truly want to do? It’s easy to excel at something if you have the passion for it. Thankfully I seem to have endless amounts of passion for the crazy things I spontaneously indulge in, but will it sustain me again?
What I do know is this: at some point in my life, I will find myself full-circle back at the technology and geekery world. Heck, it’s already started, with a few wild urges to go back to building stuff, and the two year old urge to go to a vehicle mechanics school so that I can learn to build a car like this, and rig it up so it can do James Bond things.
But what happens to the entrepreneurial path I’m already treading? Does that fizzle out into nothingness, or does it spread out a little more to encompass the new and the unseen?
So while I search for new opportunities, while I open my mind out to learning new things that may or may not affect my life choices, here are a few things I’m learning right now, just for the sake of learning;
1. Guitar.
My love for guitar is not a big secret. Yesterday I finally got my very own acoustic guitar, and it’s cream and red!! While not a fan of the colour on my persona, the guitar is brilliant, simply and very playable! I’m calling it Evenstar (go figure). I’ll post pics later. My goal is to be able to play medium level tunes by the end of this year, and to be able to play to at least one Lifehouse song.
2. French
I’ve been teaching myself french on and off for a while now. There was a time I actually used to be able to carry out a (decent) conversation with some Congolese friend, but the lack of practice killed the language, making it hard to follow a full poem from Mama Zumzum. So, as soon as I get some money, hopefully in a few weeks, I’m signing up for proper french classes, and finding me a few french speaking friends.
3. Photography
I’ve taken a few decent photos before, and they’ve been posted up all over the place on 2 Weak Dudes, here, here, here and here. I need to get a decent camera first though, preferably SLR … but heck, any camera will do… so I hope Abba remembers this years-long prayer.
Enough talk. What about you, are you where you think you should be? Are you happy and satisfied? And what are you learning, professionally, or simply for the sake of learning?
—
Offtopic:
Live as if your were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.
- Mahatma GandhiBeing ignorant is not so much a shame, as being unwilling to learn.
- Benjamin FranklinIf you hold a cat by the tail you learn things you cannot learn any other way.
- Mark Twain
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20 Responses to “an unquenchable thirst for learning”
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Princess on October 11th, 2008
Boots!
but Solomon…
DK is 25. How can you be 23???
*Apparently you are 25, but you lied in that there link up yonder. OK.
Princess on October 11th, 2008
Oh, darn! There I was trying to edit the comment and I ran out of time!
*I think I am where I am supposed to be. And learning for me, will always be because I want to know, and no more. But honestly? I won’t be an actuary ALL of me life, me thinks…
Solomon King on October 11th, 2008
@princes: what link did I lie on?
Princess on October 12th, 2008
Oh, gosh! Sorry. Just rechecked the link. No lie. My bad.
esquire inc. on October 12th, 2008
Loads of stuff i see you up to young man(hope not sounding patronising rather in a nice supportive way)…
Keep up, diversify and diversify…with these crazy times around us, you cant put all your portfolio of ideas in one thing….
so keep diversifying, as long as you have the energy, the brain and the money…
All the best my friend…all the best
Miss Cheri on October 12th, 2008
SLR u say? What’s your postal address, something in the mail for u. Keep checking.
Solomon King on October 12th, 2008
@princess, I was wondering how an actuary could make a mistake like that…
@esquire, danke. the money is the big issue though…
@cheri… lol, I almost believed you there…
Princess on October 13th, 2008
@ Solomon: DK is a lot friendlier than you are…
Sybella on October 13th, 2008
you have a loadful of time. at the end of the day, you should do what makes you happy, mindful ofcourse of the people ‘around’ you. and it seems that you are a very resourceful kind of guy so can handle…
lol… eh princess, is there something you would like to get off your chest?
Mr. Back2Basics... on October 13th, 2008
i like this article indeed Solo..
allowing me to do that whole inward looking thing
Princess on October 13th, 2008
@ Sy: it’s off.
The Apprentice on October 13th, 2008
Am i the only one who ever waxes philosophical on these comments? I’m begining to feel like a 900 year old jedi master who can’t seem to just be ignorant like everyone else….
Dude, i SO TOTALLY feel where your at, and atleast your 4years younger than me! Still have alot of time and singularity to change alot of things.
I once read a powerful observation by Tony Robbins. He says we often discover our true life purpose by failing to achieve our childhood dreams! Chew on that one for a bit.
And keep learning and exploring, not only will it keep you sane but you might actually stumble upon the path of your destiny
Shalom
Solomon King on October 13th, 2008
@ Princess, we got off on the wrong foot, you ratted me out
So, here’s to new beginnings: “I’m the Rogue King, pleased to make your acquaintance, Teti”.
@Sybella, word. The people around you bit is what keeps me on the sane path.
@B2B, scary what we find when we look inside, no?
@The Apprentice, wax away my friend, wax away. Anthony Robbins give some pretty deep insights.
Miss Cheri on October 13th, 2008
Me, ever since u came out of the closet, I feel cheated. Kinda like a wife finding out that her husband is cheating on her with a man!!! How do I get over this?
Chanel on October 13th, 2008
Me I refuse to die broke. This Job of mine dont get you the big bucks just kills your level of spreading your wings I hear passion. Passion dont put bread on the table it dont but you that SUV. Advertsing school here I come.
Solomon King on October 13th, 2008
@ cheri, but you were there singing mbu “you knew”. So why do you feel cheated anyways?
@chanel, lol, easy on the beef for passion. Passion can buy you an SUV, ask Steve Jobs or Bill Gates.
Carlo on October 13th, 2008
You make me feel blah about the life I’m leading. I’ve sort of breezed through with no real talent. I can’t even draw, hence I flunked A-level Art. Don’t know what I was thinking. But I should go on a hunt for what I love the most and what I’m really good at and do it. You reckon God didn’t give some of us talents? Wait, I’ll join your French class and we’ll outsnob everyone! Even Chanel.
Teti on October 13th, 2008
@ Rogue King: touché.
Solomon King on October 14th, 2008
@Carlo. We all have our own talents, some more obvious than others. Keep searching, I’m sure there is an amazing gift you have that you’re not aware of.
We’re all made in the image of the Father, I’m sure there’s a special part of Him inside of you.
And yeah! French, here we come!
www.detektivderdetektei.de on November 24th, 2008
Hey! I m glad to your post “an unquenchable thirst for learning” so well that I like to ask you whether I should translate into German and linking back. Please answer. Greetings Detektiv