The Random Comic Strip

The Random Comic Strip

Words to live by...

"How beautiful it is to do nothing, and to rest afterward."

[Spanish Proverb]

Ius luxuriae publice datum est

(The right to looseness has been officially given)

"Everyone carries a part of society on his shoulders," wrote Ludwig von Mises, "no one is relieved of his share of responsibility by others. And no one can find a safe way for himself if society is sweeping towards destruction. Therefore everyone, in his own interest, must thrust himself vigorously into the intellectual battle."

Apparently, the crossword puzzle that disappeared from the blog, came back.


Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Kapoketta-Kapoketta


Or "Thoughts on being an idiot"...


I refer to myself as "The Brilliant Idiot" for a reason.  Growing up, it seemed as if almost everyone I came in contact with wanted to be my mentor. For much of my young life, I had no idea what that was and, being paranoid, I suspected the worst. I often think I could have been much more; successful, wealthy, maybe even important. I know, fantasies about what "could have been" for a mediocre personality, mostly to be dismissed in the more rational of us.

But I am an analytical type, I like to look back and delve into the why of things, especially the why I had the life I had instead of the one I think I could have had. Mostly, it was because of decisions I made along the way. Important decisions that I apparently did not think were important at the time mostly but some which were obvious even to me that could be life-changing.

For instance, after boot camp, I went to  BEEP (Basic Electricity and Electronics Preparation) school... it is now called NEETS and is probably administered online... where I was offered something which, in hindsight, I was a fool to reject. I was offered a couple of chances then to get a "free" college education. Nothing is actually free, of course, and the Navy wanted more of my precious youth in exchange. I do not know how many years I would have had added to my enlistment because I never asked, I just rejected the offers.

Yes, I was a bonehead. But, when I was 19, I did not think 30 (the likely earliest age I would be when I would get out of the Navy if I accepted) was young and I did not think I was officer material. In fact, I had absolutely no desire to be an officer, to be in charge of anything, to be responsible for anything... especially other sailors. And I did not want to try to land on, or take off from, aircraft carriers (the tacit offer of Naval Aviation Cadet was one of the offers). In hindsight, of course, I gave up opportunities that could have resulted in a much better life (financially at least) than I have enjoyed thus far.

And so, like Walter Mitty, I am left only with daydreams and fantasies about what might have been.



2 comments:

Inspector Clouseau said...

I had to laugh at this one, Douglas. Because I could definitely relate.

I was always amazed at the guys who claimed that they planned and orchestrated what happen to them. I, on the other hand, stumbled through life, and was, for the most part, lucky.

There is that saying, "Life is what happens to you when you are making other plans...," which definitely relates to me.

Douglas said...

Inspector, I was never amazed by them. I believe there are many who set goals and then work tirelessly to realize them. Bill Clinton comes to mind, most... if not all...presidents and world leaders have that kind of life.
What amazes me is the rest of us exalt them.