focus or diversity? focused on diversity. 10 days of my NYC life…

I’ve been skeptical on publishing this one but it does convey what I’ve been doing in NYC… it feels more like a diary entry than a blog, but here it goes…

Sat May 7: early noon start, cabbing it to Brooklyn Crab where I was forced, against my will and without other recourse, to down several oyster-vodka shots and maybe one or more Jamesons as companions to a few bloody marys, companions themselves to fresh crab and shrimp overload. For dessert, another Jamo and a game of corn hole or two, and some beverage to quench the thirst. Bar 2: Kentuky derby. vodka. vodka. vodka. Bar 3:

wake up Sun at noon, bike over to catch the America’s Cup regatta with friends… aperol spritz? no thanks, not today.

Monday workday, 7pm flag football game with the Drunken Monkeys, then team drinks. True story: our left cornerback goes by the name of Mootown. Mootown after 3 sauvignon blancs: “guys, wifey is leaving with the kids to visit her parents, so I’m having a party this Saturday, you’re all invited. $12 per head will get us: a midget stripper (haven’t decided if male or female), an adult clown (but not the same bastard as last time, that asshole got hammered and had to be carried out to the street), and a gluten-free cock cake from Whole Foods. A cock cake is a cake shaped like a cock. What color? black, cause who doesn’t like chocolate”

I’ll pass, Mootown, thanks for the invite.

Tuesday work day. Dodgeball (yes, dodgeball) game with the Dodgy Style at 8pm… bed early for…

early flight Wed to LA, meeting with City of Pasadena at 3pm, work till 6, work out, dinner with work mates.

More meetings Thursday, Dodgers game at night, Kershaw throws a 3-hit, 11-K shutout, few people but me seem to give shit.

Innovate Pasadena breakfast on Fri morning, where we listened to an entrepreneur tell his story of developing PickMySolar.com, waking up my recently-dormant passion for the internet as a bridge over market inefficiencies.

More meetings Friday. Leave at 4pm to the full experience of LA traffic, arrive at Big Bear Hostel 8pm. Meet these guys who were on the Pacific Crest Trail: 3-4 months of hiking from the Mexican border to the Canadian border. A tough challenge, no doubt, but also what looked like a really chill environment, and no strangers to checking out the local bars at every stop. I was invited by some girls to join this night’s visit to the local pub and, although tempted, I held tough on my pledge not to drink this weekend.

Looks like a good choice on that one, because by staying I met Makena. The PCT challenge was nothing compared to what she was here for: a 52-mile (84-Km) run around and up the Big Bear mountains. We had some good chats on Friday, after her race on Saturday, and then on Sunday.

Recently I’ve been fighting this internal battle of not being great at anything. All throughout my life, I’ve had this idea that I’d find a passion, focus on that, and become great at something. But it hasn’t turned out like that, I’m more like “pretty good” at a few things, with passion bobbing and wavering between these things, and sometimes, others. I’m pretty good at my job, pretty good as a manager and relating to people and helping them be better at what they do, I’d like to think I’m a pretty good friend, brother and son; I’m passionate about helping the world be a better place, but I haven’t devoted my life to that. I keep my body in relatively good shape, watch what I eat, but by no measure am I on track to excel as an athlete; I like travelling, but I’m usually not the best-traveled guy at the table.

Contrast that with Makena… paying for her Nutritionist degree by working part time and living with her parents, training for ultra marathons, taking her body to the limit in her early twenties while eating vegan, a true testament of trusting her studies, and even more to her focus and passion. I was fascinated about how simple her decisions were: “I don’t eat meat because it’s linked to certain diseases, never tried a cigarette because I don’t see what positive can come out of it” she also said she feels happy 100% of the time, and I believe her… me? it’s more like 80%, and I thought that was a pretty good number.

While hiking for a few hours on Saturday, I pondered the question: is my life as a waste of talent? maybe if I picked something and went all out I could leave a bigger mark in the world. On the other hand, it feels like it’s turned out like this because this is who I am, I’m a guy that enjoys diversity, and I’m pretty happy with where I am now, enjoying meeting interesting people and making new friends, and learning and having interesting conversations.

Hiking on Saturday, a few hours of paddle boarding on Sunday, and my mind was back to good, at peace with the idea of being pretty good at a bunch of things, without taking away the respect for the ultra-focused successful people.

Boarded the red-eye on Sunday night, showered at home and got to the office at 9am, where important meetings were being held with potential investors and partners… stressful day! until 6pm when I left to watch portugal.the man and Cage the Elephant rock the stage at central park, drink of choice: rosé.

What a week! what a testament to unique days and adventure!

I’m still looking to find that project that leaves the big footprint, but also contempt for now with this life of exploration and diversity. Thanks for reading!