I was talking with a friend recently about what makes life worth living.

To them, they enjoy knowing something deeply and intimately. Being able to say that they are an expert in the field, or area, is what gives their life purpose.

I disagree.

This entire conversation started because I only practice the Piano about ten minutes a day, give or take a few.

That got us talking about all the various other things that I do.

Now, I have a wide variety of ’surface talents’, by which I mean I have some talent in the given areas, but it isn’t a lot.

For example, I know a little (very little) about playing the Flute. I’m becoming better at playing the Piano. I know some about playing the drums. I know HTML to some degree, and a little Javascript and PHP. I know quite a bit about troubleshooting and fixing computers, but that’s just because I do it every day at work.

I know a little bit about programming, I know a little about fixing cars, I know a bit about cell phones, and radios. I’m above average at writing, if I’m allowed that little bit of ego, and I know a thing or two about various different sports.

I pick things up quickly.

I do not have the personal drive to force myself to learn, in any great or deep detail, extensively or exhaustively, all there is to know about any one thing. I have no desire, (as of yet) to be the best there ever was at anything in specific. I am hardly that self-motivated.

Life is worth living, in my opinion, if you have a great, and wide variety, of various different experiences that you can look back on with joy.

Rock Climbing? I’ve done that.

Camping? Done that too.

Piano playing? Certainly.

Took apart a notebook and put it back together with it still working? As of last night, yes.

Etc. Etc.

The funny thing about this is that I do not strive to learn new things or change my experiences around so that I have the most experiences crammed into my life.

I see something, and I pick it up, and I learn about it for a while, then I put it down and move on to the next thing that catches my eye.

This has an inherent flaw, of course: I spend a lot of time being bored.

I got a new car recently, (Mazda MX6). It needs new tires, and a new half shaft for the passenger side. I want to replace them on my own, as it is my car. I know, however, that this would be a bad idea. One, I know very little about cars. What I do know is mainly about the inside working of the cars, under the hood. Not the suspension.

So I’m going to get a Mechanic to replace the half shaft.

But I would like to be able to do it myself.

I’m sure that someday, removing the half shaft of a car will be something that I will learn how to do.

I think my friend was right, to a degree. For most people, (and for me) my life would be dull and boring.

I should fix that.