Something You Have, Something You Are, and Something You Know.
A few random thoughts and general observations.
Big Ass Mug Of Get Shit Done
Earlier today, I mentioned this was the “great trifecta” referring back to a security premise for a three-factor authentication. As it happens, someone pointed out something startlingly clear, they do matter, but not digitally, at least not in the method intended. It is an analog solution to s digital problem and I get it and obviously not engaging that discussion anymore because I would rather write blog posts like these. It’s been a beast of a day, and I want to end it in a manner more satisfying to myself, as opposed to the semantics of shit I am not emotionally invested enough in to go into a twitter discussion over it. In short, it’s bed time and I would rather write about something else. Take that however the frak you want, chances are this post wasn’t written for you. Happy reading 😉
Something you Have…
Something you have is an item (or multiple items) that characteristically makes you unique in a million ways. I wont suppose to pre-define more, the idea of the characteristics are enough. They are variable in scope that is it patently easy say that we have a clear identity by their existence, even if that clarity presents an obvious lack of an item, a presence, or identity. Not to sound all Sun Tzu. Honestly the “something you have” could be confidence, could be intellect, an abundance or deficit of any other characteristic possessed. Me? I have a lot. I have pictures from a time before cell phones invaded every bit of our lives, I have written letters from exes from a time before we laughably though email was private. I have tons of mementos, at least something from almost every year of my life I think. A collection of things I have…this is me. Today, my prize possession is a friend, specifically knowing that friend is still alive tonight as I get ready to sleep, when it looked grim earlier, and hours of talking and de-escalating pay off long enough for the friend to understand that this life isn’t so bad. Literally talking someone off the edge is scary, but worth it, because I still have my friend.
Something you Are…
I am just a guy, I am at the top of my career, well-educated, I don’t regret much nowadays (except my weight) because there is a little bit of satisfaction in making sure you do the right thing in moral situations. But there are a million things about who i am that clearly needed to happen to lead me to today…a day that was busy, crazy, crazier, testing me, diagnosing me, me testing others, me mentoring others, other mentoring me and eventually…becoming a better person one day at a time. This is who I am. I keep hearing this in tv and it makes me smile. Some people run away from the fire, some people run into the fire. I run into the fire. It’s obviously not a superior process of longevity, but the premise of running into the fire is a fundamental flaw in our society I think…however noble. In the end, self-preservation is is expected…in some places here in the world it is actually the law. So in the end, I am flawed, but in a way that society accepts solely because they fear experiencing a situation that harm them without our presence. If we were wired otherwise, we wouldn’t need a fire department…now I am sure I am rambling because this is exactly how old fire teams used to work, a they were your neighbors and community that were nearby to man a bucket-line, right? Any bottom line, I am a guy that will run into the fire…it doesn’t bother me unless I try to rationalize it, so I don’t…acceptance, like ignorance…is bliss. That’s me. 😉
Something I Know…
Well this is easy…I know fundamentally everything other than that which I have not yet learned. A propensity for stroking and slighting the ego in one sentence? CHECK. I know my memory is just good enough that my bother constantly complains that I remember far too much embarrassing things about us as kids. I know enough of many languages to pull off being incredibly literate and functionally illiterate in one sentence. Remember that propensity mentioned earlier?..CHECKED AGAIN. I know that I don’t know everything, but I remember more than I forget, so my progress is good, and more often than not, I might be the smartest guy in the room…which is almost always also the room I am leaving as quickly as possible. I live to learn, constantly. The scope of what I know isn’t really squat, but it is enough that I’ve pulled off managing IT for **arbitrary number** WHOA over 50 companies…(I went ahead and counted…and stopped counting at 50 😉 So it could be supposed I know something about that stuff. I would certainly suppose such, but I also know how to use oil pastels on canvas and how to smoke the perfect pork loin. I also know how to use a radio, and 15-20 years ago I could have pulled off some higher math while simultaneously knocking down a bottle of Grand Marnier. I know that betting/prompting a drunk friend to write a virus in minute on my roomie’s computer would probably have gotten me kicked out, still did it…but I know not to do such things anymore. I also know that everyone everywhere should act like they are wearing a cape more and act like they wear a uniform less. The world needs more role models, and I know I am obligated to try and be better.
In summation, I helped a friend stay alive tonight, I got a lot of work done, had an great conversation with good people this evening, and ended the evening with reading a great book rather than engaging in an argument on Twitter about shit that doesn’t matter anyway. Yep, another unique amazing day.
I know I am a dork. Be excellent to each other.
-T
